Dear Reader,
In 2021, our organization encountered an unjust challenge when a small hate group launched a campaign aimed at discrediting our ministry, which has faithfully served communities through education, advocacy, and empowerment for over 25 years.
The hate group’s agenda was to discredit our ministry and service to Jesus by falsely labeling us as a cult. By using the internet as a platform to propagate their unfounded accusations, they were able to publish falsities believing our reputation would be maligned and in turn our ministry harmed.
In today’s digital age, it has become alarmingly easy for individuals or hate groups, regardless of their credibility, to publicly malign others. This wave of misinformation and falsehoods has not only distressed Christian families connected to our ministry and its schools (The Institute for GOD and The Academy for GOD) but also placed an undue burden on Tennessee taxpayers, resulting in investigations that ultimately concluded with the dismissal of all charges due to a lack of evidence supporting the claims made by the hate group. This situation highlights the critical importance of discerning fact from fiction and remaining vigilant against baseless allegations that threaten both reputations and communities.
What You Should Know
Our 501c(3) nonprofit organization, college, PreK-12 academy, and programs undergo rigorous and routine evaluations by both state and national regulatory bodies that oversee higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations, ensuring our strict compliance with industry best practices.
Achieving accreditation or approval from these agencies requires meeting stringent accountability standards, which involve detailed documentation across hundreds of key areas. This process includes in-depth financial audits, comprehensive on-site evaluations, and presentations before panels of leading experts in Christian higher education. These measures affirm that our operations consistently uphold the highest levels of excellence, transparency, and integrity.
Our accrediting and regulatory agencies include:
The investigation and its impact on taxpayers
Despite our full compliance with all regulatory standards, an unwarranted government investigation was launched following baseless allegations made by the same individuals referenced earlier. This led to an intrusive examination of our organization's campus, involving a comprehensive review of financial records, health documentation, academic logs, and personal associations.
Among the unfounded accusations were claims directed at our Founder and CEO, Gregg Garner and his wife, Tara, which were promptly dismissed as meritless by both the Nashville District Attorney and the courts. The Garners were fully vindicated, their records cleared, and the case definitively closed, with the judge ruling that it cannot be reopened.
The ordeal, driven by baseless accusations and sensationalized claims, led to the unnecessary expenditure of millions in taxpayer funds on unfounded legal challenges. Ultimately, the exhaustive scrutiny served only to reaffirm the integrity and exemplary standing of our ministry, leaders, schools, and programming.
The Defamatory Website
In a deliberate attempt to damage our reputation as valuable contributors to both the Nashville and global communities, a website and multiple social media accounts were launched under the misleading guise that G.O.D. Int’l is a cult, sometimes falsely claiming affiliation with our nonprofit, Global Outreach Developments International. These platforms seek to undermine our work by using defamatory language, provocative, out-of-context imagery, and fear-mongering terms like “cult” or “high control group”—despite the site’s own written disclaimer admitting it does not present factual information.
Again, the site itself says it does not present factual information.
Like many online campaigns that spread falsehoods, this website relies on exaggerated claims and sensationalized assertions rather than credible evidence. It distorts ordinary religious practices such as prayer, worship, fellowship, and Bible study, falsely portraying them as methods of manipulation and mind control.
The site also promotes unfounded accusations from purported former members—sometimes fictitious characters created by the website’s administrators—focusing on the Founder and CEO, absurdly labeling Gregg Garner as a “cult leader” and implying unhealthy control and a lack of accountability. This baseless claim neglects to consider the dedication and hard work of the GOD International leadership team of over 70 managers who administer various aspects of the ministry at large. It also overlooks the rigorous accountability imposed by regulatory bodies and accrediting agencies, as well as Garner’s well-established reputation as a leader who has been educating and empowering leaders and communities in ministry for nearly 30 years.
While Gregg Garner has played a pivotal role in the development of our ministry, his leadership has always been characterized by collaboration and team-building. He has effectively shared responsibilities with a knowledgeable board—who are actively involved in the ministry—a qualified administration that operates independently within their respective roles, passionate pastors and mentors who selflessly care for our programs and their beneficiaries, who faithfully steward the mission and vision of the organization. For over two decades, this dedicated team has worked joyfully to serve communities of need of diverse ages, experiences, and backgrounds, solidifying our organization’s reputation for integrity and program excellence, worldwide.
The Results
Despite the challenges of slander and attempts to damage our reputation, our organization has not only persevered, but continues to thrive and expand.
Our organization is in the strongest financial position in our history and all of our GOD Int’l programs saw record-high national and international participants in Students Living A Mission (SLAM), Camp Skillz, WorkWell, and CASE, climbing enrollment at The Institute and The Academy, and a growing number of volunteers and donors, reflecting the ever-growing trust and support from our community.
Our Bible College, the Institute for GOD, was recently featured on the Prime Video show “The College Tour,” as the only Bible college in 10 seasons of programming.
Additionally, we successfully opened a state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar educational facility and we collectively completed extensive renovations across our organization’s campus, significantly enhancing our infrastructure and learning environment.
Since these accusations The Institute for GOD received full accreditation status with the Association for Biblical Higher Education, and The Academy for GOD achieved accreditation status with Cognia and was recognized from across the nation as a school of high distinction that exceeds performance standards, maintaining a commitment to continuous improvement.
This remarkable progress stands as a testament to God’s faithfulness and the steadfast commitment of our leadership and community.
What can you do?
In today’s digital age, where misinformation can easily spread, it is more important than ever to critically assess the sources of information we encounter. The accessibility of creating a website and publishing content means that false narratives—often driven by harmful agendas—can easily proliferate with the aim of damaging reputations. As Jesus taught, “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Luke 6:43-45). His followers are called to discern the truth by examining the outcomes and actions of individuals and organizations.
We invite anyone unfamiliar with our community to come and see the fruit of our work firsthand. We regularly host tours and campus visits for those interested in experiencing our community. In addition, church sermons from The Church Community for GOD, chapel sessions from the Institute for GOD, and various program podcasts are all available online, offering a transparent view of our teachings and day-to-day community life. These resources will give you a clearer understanding of our mission and the values we uphold. We are confident that you will find a community of thoughtful, Bible-loving, Jesus-following individuals dedicated to serving those around us.
Community Church for GOD (On Campus Church)
The Sermon Podcast (Podcast for On Campus Church)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who are these people who made the site?
The website operates under a veil of anonymity, referring to its creators as “the collective.” The so-called “testimonies” posted on the site are attributed to fictitious individuals, those who have admitted to dishonesty (but the site administrators won’t remove their comments), former students who were briefly enrolled (some 20 years ago) or never officially students, and individuals dismissed from our college (mostly for unethical behavior).
Additionally, the website’s use of the term “member” is misleading and inconsistent with the language used by our organization—or by most organizations with membership structures. In reality, there are no genuine former members contributing to the site that we are aware of.
Who is behind the misinformation campaign against your organization?
The campaign is driven by anonymous individuals using fabricated or unverified testimonies to advance their agenda. The website creators remain anonymous and have been strategic in evading legal accountability.
Why don’t you engage directly with the website spreading misinformation?
The website operates under anonymity and censors any comments that challenge its narrative. As a result, we focus our efforts on engaging transparently with our community through open forums, social media, and personal conversations. We are also very productive with the wonderful things we get to do that bless our global community and serve the Lord.
Can’t you legally have the site taken down?
The website has been carefully structured to exploit legal protections and evade accountability. When faced with legal challenges, they promptly altered content to fall within the bounds of First Amendment rights. Additionally, they consistently back-date posts to conveniently fall outside the statute of limitations for damages. Once again, various comments including some from fictitious characters are inserted to further their agenda, reinforcing the site’s intent to mislead without accountability.
What steps does your organization take to ensure transparency and accountability in its operations?
Our nonprofit organization consists of a diverse board of directors that oversee key decisions with the appropriate checks and balances. Additionally, we carefully adhere to IRS 501(c)(3) exemption compliance regulations each year as a charitable organization which means we do not operate for the benefit of private shareholders or individual interest, we also submit our 990 routinely and are annually audited by a 3rd party agency unrelated to our entities. In accordance with our authorizing and accrediting agencies, our Academic Institutions conduct an annual audit through an independent third-party auditor. Our campus also receives regular visits from representatives within our ABHE network, ACSI, Cognia, as well as formal review teams, ensuring compliance with all standards for accreditation and re-authorization. Additionally, our events, sermons, conversations, and blogs are consistently made available online for public viewing, providing full transparency to anyone interested in our work and community life.
How can volunteers, program participants, or friends contribute to dispelling these lies?
We encourage you to share your experiences with others, with us personally, on social media, or through a Google review! The opposing website and social media platforms are closely monitored, and it is unlikely that they would approve comments that challenge their narrative. By sharing your stories, you can help provide an accurate and honest portrayal of our community.
What measures are in place to support organization program participants or others affected by this campaign?
We have hosted numerous public meetings and town hall events, inviting participants and supporters to openly share their concerns and engage with us directly. For students and alumni of our academic institutions facing familial challenges due to these claims, we offer pastoral care and support. Whenever possible, we have been blessed to mediate between affected parties, fostering deeper trust and strengthening relationships within our community.
What future plans does your organization have to continue serving and expanding its community impact?
As Bible-believing Christians, we recognize that we are not the only faith community to face this type of persecution. Our Lord instructs us to rejoice in such moments, understanding that these trials align us with His work throughout history (Luke 6:22). Looking forward, we remain steadfast in our commitment to expanding our impact and continue to grow as a beacon of education, service, and faith, dedicated to equipping future leaders.
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