We're sharing this review to reflect honestly on our past experience at The Secret Place Church,…read morewhere we were members for a season. Though some time has passed since we left, we hope this account will help others seeking a safe, spiritually grounded church community.
When we first arrived, we were warmly welcomed, especially since we had a personal relationship with the founding family.
During our time at the church, we experienced leadership approaches that felt controlling and sometimes used Scripture in ways that were twisting truth .There was a strong emphasis on shame and pressure, and a lack of clear accountability . We felt rushed into making a decision about committing long-term and were discouraged by how questions or hesitations were handled by leadership
A key concern for us was the church's approach to deliverance. The teaching that Christians can carry demons -- and the frequency and manner of deliverance practices. After studying Scripture and seeking counsel outside the church, we came to a different understanding that emphasizes freedom in Christ and spiritual identity rooted in the finished work of Jesus.
In accordance with Matthew 18, we tried to address our concerns respectfully and directly with leadership through meetings and communication. We brought up several issues: doctrinal clarity, how tithes were presented, and instances where private or sensitive matters were mentioned from the platform. Unfortunately, these conversations didn't lead to resolution. In fact, not long after raising these concerns, we were spoken about publicly in ways that felt targeted .This mirrored things we had previously seen happen to others.
On several occasions, there were conversations-- including messages -- where there was discussion about individuals who were seen as disruptive or not aligned, with implications that they were being spiritually removed or "prayed out." This was deeply unsettling and contributed to our decision to leave, as it raised serious concerns about how conflict and disagreement were being handled behind the scenes.
I had a deeply uncomfortable experience with Pastor Miguel . He insisted on speaking to me in person at a time when my husband was not present, even though I had asked for someone else to be present due to a prior interaction that left me unsettled.
The tone and timing of the communication felt intimidating and dismissive of my boundaries. I've included a screenshot of the message I received after declining the in-person conversation. This interaction, combined with being removed from the team in such a condescending manner, made it clear that my emotional safety and dignity were not valued.
At one point, we became aware of language being used during the women's prayer line that included prayers directed at those who had spoken critically of the ministry. The tone and focus of some of these prayers deeply concerned us, as they didn't reflect the spirit of intercession and grace we believe Scripture teaches. We brought this up with leadership as one of several issues, but it was not meaningfully addressed.
We also experienced breakdowns in relationships with others at the church following our departure. Private information shared with leadership in confidence was discussed with others, and some mutual friends shared that they felt pressured to choose sides because of requests coming from a family member of leadership . This dynamic created a heavy emotional burden during an already difficult transition.
We had invited one of the pastors to attend meetings where these concerns were being discussed, hoping she would hear and understand directly. She declined to attend. Later, a public post appeared -- a sarcastic "Oh no" -- that felt dismissive of our situation. That moment, along with other unresolved concerns, reinforced the sense that our voices were not being heard.
Because my husband's original review is no longer easily visible, I'm sharing this version on behalf of both of us to reflect our shared experience. Our hope is that this testimony encourages awareness, healing, and discernment for others who may be walking through similar situations.
For reasons unknown to us, our original post is no longer visible, so we've taken the time to rewrite and clarify our experience here. We sincerely pray the leadership will engage in reflection, and that healing and restoration will come for those who've been hurt. If you're currently there and feeling uncertain, know you're not alone. There are others who've walked away quietly and found peace, healing, and freedom in Jesus outside of controlling environments. There are so many incidents with secret place that can not all be discussed via yelp but if anyone would like more information you can message me via yelp and I will gladly sit down and share our testimony . To see my husbands review please view google and or below on the not recommended post and it can be found there .Blessings
