Helping a dear friend of mine named Greg Olsen move into this community tomorrow! Looking forward to praying with you all

It's a cult- the kids are more and more isolated, they have lost their joy, look like zombies, and several parents are not able to even see or talk to their grown children anymore. The "common purse" is not the worst of it- the 3-4 leader boy/men (stunted in growth I would describe Zak the leader) make all the decisions for them. I went for many months and what started out to be a nice experience and fun time with the Lord- became quickly a realization of how rigid and religious they are-. For example they are fearful of the Holy Spirit and anything that is out of their "box". I went to several meetings and got to know some of them. They don't allow women to wear make up-or fashionable clothes- so if you wear it- they won't sit with you or give you eye contact after a while. Because they do not allow divorce there is no grace for divorced parents. I have heard from several parents who can't even see their kids anymore due to divorce! What a horrible heart ache for these parents who are condemned by children who don't date and have never been married. They can't date unless the "odd ball" leader Zak (who will never marry because he's had something happen in his past and won't get the help for it) and several other "leaders" tell them they can date. They don't encourage the women to have jobs and that is a whole other issue in the community on how they have left employers high and dry after mentoring women they forced them to quit their jobs. The worst part is the isolation. Mariemont Community church should be ashamed of letting them meet in their facility which encourages them to the outside world as legit. The pastor is going to hear again from someone who is trying to help others with kids in this cult. I know a few young people who have gotten out- and once they did they had little good to say-!!!! sad!. Many prayers that the kids do wake up and disband and start their lives fresh- in the intent they were meant to- with the Holy Spirit and trinity. read more

I live in the neighborhood with these individuals and they are a nightmare! When they first moved in I thought "great, young people around my age." Myself and several friends went to one of their block parties to meet them, upon arriving they separated each of my friends so we were alone with three of them and one of us. When they told me more about themselves I found out about their beliefs in the common purse. They asked my religious beliefs and I said I was raised Episcopalian and how I was proud of that given they're acceptance of others, especially the LGBT community. They then proceeded to tell me how being gay is wrong and how several members of their community were once gay and they prayed it away and saw the error of their ways. They then made a joke of one of their neighbors being evicted from their home and taken to jail for drug abuse and how they could now buy the house. They talked of all standing outside and laughing when the person was taken to jail -- seems to be the least Christian thing you could ever do! After 10 minutes my friends broke free and we reconvened all with looks of terror on our faces! When I got home I researched all I could about their community. I found that several UC business dropouts came together to start this "community" one where everyone gives ALL of their money to the community and then creates an allowance for members of the community. So the money you make isn't yours, you must ask permission for it. I found this Youtube page about rea lestate and the Gladstone Community: https://www.youtube.com/user/IntegrityHomes513 If you watch you'll find one video of them singing in their homes and several others about flipping houses in Kansas and Missouri. So you have people give you their money then you buy houses with said money, then you flip said houses and resale them! If you visit https://web.archive.org and put in their web address http://www.gladstonecommunity.org/ you'll find some interesting information about their past. However, they page of how they started was not archived. That leads me to now, the past four years living near them, they have been the most unbelievably rudest individuals I've come across. They care nothing for "community" unless it's theirs. They've blocked my driveway with their cars--and by blocked I mean I can't get in. My car have been hit TWICE because of their actions. They ask people that aren't in their "community" when are they going to sell their house so they can buy your house. They're building a coffee shop a block away and the car dealership across the street received a bomb threat from inside the yet-to-be-opened shop. Come to find out they want to build their own church in the neighborhood and what better place then the car dealership! I hate to be like this and to each their own, however I'll no longer stand by and say nothing. Clearly the past reviews on this site legitimize all of my thoughts/fears I've had about this group. They prey on the weak, they take their money, stop them from seeing their families and who knows what their end game is. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE heed caution! read more

I will not be responding to any of the posts here except to say, I have yet to find the perfect church or perfect community and since people are the church who are fallen and broken, I don't see it happening this side of eternity. With that said, it has been an incredible experience for my son who has been in community almost 5 years. He has grown in his love for Jesus, and those who are hurting in our community. He has mentored a number of young men from River City Correctional, and is pursuing solutions with those caught up in heroin addiction. He has also grown into a strong leader in his secular job, and regularly humbly serves his Mom and me. Also, I live in Madisonville and have hired them or worked with some of their church on local projects. I have felt nothing but kindness and Christ's love, and every home that is near them should be sending them presents every Christmas, because every time they buy and fix up a house the real estate value goes up in our neighborhood. They have purchased numerous crack houses that I would not approach in the middle of the day, and turned them into beautiful homes worthy of our community and the great city of Cincinnati. If I have a choice between Gladstone Community and drug dealers, I'm pretty sure I'll take Gladstone every time. Another thing I would say is that I have been a Christian leader for a long time, (34 years +) and I rarely come across a young and vibrant Christian who has all of his theology and philosophy fully formed, in fact many older Christians I meet if they are not serious about their faith have pretty rough theology as well. What I'm trying to say is I am certain that they have not done many things perfect, but in the six years I've known of them and their leaders, I see a constant maturing that is happening, as it should with all people who are growing in their faith and life experiences. You make mistakes and then if your mature you humble yourself apologize and fix them. If we have a no grace policy then why would anyone ever step foot in a Catholic church again? You can't get any more predatorial and manipulative than sexually abusing children. I was part of the early contemporary Christian worship music scene in the 80's, and there where whole denominations saying the music I played on Sunday mornings was from the devil, and those same denominations now have many of those songs in their songbooks. So, should I speak poorly of them at every turn or can I conclude that maybe they have grown in grace and theology/philosophy? Or now maybe we are both wrong and will find out later. I would say to any "haters" (discussion of ideas is another things that should always be welcomed) to be very very careful because of three things. 1. If, (and I understand you may not think this) this is a part of Christ's body, his church his bride. Then any anger spewed toward Gladstone is spewed toward his bride, and last I checked husbands don't like it when people go after their brides. Eph. 5, John 3, Rev. 21, John 14 etc. 2. Be careful for yourself that you deal with anger in your heart, because the only one who is going to be hurt by it is you, and Satan will have a field day with it in your life. If you've been hurt in a church setting by spiritual abuse, which I myself have experienced in some very conservative evangelical churches. Get some counseling, go back to the leadership and reconcile. Rom 12, Eccl. 7, Matthew 5, Col 3, Eph. 4 etc. It will totally set you free to move on in your walk with God. 3. Be careful that you are not judging another man's servant. I personally don't prefer a number of Christian movements, and individual churches in terms of me and my family going there, but I guarantee you I'm not going to shout out to the world how awful they are etc. Romans 14:3-5 Finally, I'll say to you and myself as I have in the past to some non -followers of Jesus who have argued "I can't be a part of Christianity or the church, there are just so many hypocrites!" Come on in!! We can always use one more, or as an elder of mine used to say, "if you find the perfect church please don't go to it because you'll ruin it :) read more

Wonderful place. Huge blessing to me. As for other comments... Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool. -Pro. 10:18 read more