Disgraced Pastor Stovall Weems Files Lawsuit Against Association of Related Churches

Weems claims in his lawsuit that the ARC ‘masterminded’ a plan to take over the FL megachurch he founded.

The story of Stovall Weems and his former church—Celebration Church of Jacksonville, Florida—has taken yet another turn. Weems and his wife Kerri filed a lawsuit July 12 against the Association of Related Churches (ARC), claiming the leaders of the ARC “masterminded” to destroy the couple and take over Celebration Church for their benefit, which include “expand[ing] their church growth business interests” and “effectively gain[ing] control over its operations and substantial assets.”

Stovall and Kerri Weems / Video screenshot

The couple is seeking more than $75,000 in damages claiming they were framed for financial crimes they did not commit that destroyed their reputation and ultimately led to their dismissal from Celebration Church.

Weems resigned from the church in April after the church suspended him in light of allegations of financial misdealings involving church money. The week following Weems’ resignation, the church released findings of an investigation they initiated into his behavior. Accusations ranged from Weems leading the church to the brink of insolvency to him creating a culture of fear and intimidation among church staff. In the past year, Weems has been named as either a plaintiff or defendant in five different legal cases, according to The Roys Report.

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Weems claims in his most recent lawsuit that the church and its congregants are not the victims—he is. On his ministry website, Weems accuses the defendants named in his lawsuit of “using the legal covering of corrupt attorneys, and engaging and assisting in numerous types of fraud and abuse.”

“They used the credibility of the legal profession and covering of religion to conceal the identities of those in power and privilege as they carry out their malicious schemes, as well as assisting in the embezzlement of millions of dollars from Celebration Church, in what could amount to one of the largest church embezzlement schemes in US history,” Weems claims in his lawsuit.

Both Stovall and Kerri say they are set on seeking truth and justice in this case: “We are confident the Lord will expose corruption and bring justice to God’s family, so they can experience freedom from oppression and control in their houses of worship.”