Controversy
Controversy has surrounded Reid for many years and both he and Peniel Pentecostal Church have been the subject of many critical media articles. In 2001, the church received national publicity when Martin Bell stood for Parliament for Brentwood and Ongar constituency following allegations that the church were attempting to infiltrate the local Conservative Party. The allegations were investigated by Conservative Central Office who reported that they saw no evidence of entryism.
Some former church members have claimed the church is a cult, and relate experiences of poor treatment prior to and on their departure from the organisation. In 2004, all the other churches in the Brentwood and District Evangelical Fellowship (BADEF) resigned in protest against Peniel, leaving it as the only member. The church is no longer a member of the Evangelical Alliance, having left the group following controversial circumstances in 2005.
In February 2008 the Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint that a mobile advertisement for Christian Congress of Traditional Values (CCTV), an organisation with ties to Peniel Pentecostal Church, was 'likely to cause serious or widespread offence or condone anti-social behaviour'. The advertisement bore the slogan 'Gay aim: abolish the family', implying that gay people are against the institution of the family and family values.
Peniel Church had more lately been publicised as 'Michael Reid Ministries', although the church retained the Peniel name for its college, school and choir. The college was closed in 2009.
Read more about this topic: Peniel Pentecostal Church
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