Donald Lee Barnett
Encyclopedia
Donald Lee Barnett is an American
pastor who founded Community Chapel and Bible Training Center
, a controversial church near Burien, Washington
, and was its only pastor
during its 21-year history, from 1967 to 1988. In 1988 he formed the Church of Agape
located at 126 Logan Avenue South in Renton, Washington
, where he continues to pastor to this day.
in 1930, but moved with his family to Tacoma, Washington
, as a young boy. His father was an accountant and part-time Pentecostal minister. His mother was a teacher.
After high school, Barnett attended a Bible college
in Boise, Idaho
, where he met his future wife, Barbara, and was also greatly influenced by the Latter Rain Movement within Pentecostalism
, which was at its peak at that time. When he married and was faced with the increasing expenses of family life, he left Bible college, without graduating or being ordained, to take a job at a sawmill in Tacoma, moving his young family there with him. Later they moved to Seattle when he took a job at Boeing
as a draftsman.
In Seattle, he taught Bible classes at home, at work, and at three Pentecostal churches. According to Tim Brown, director of the Colossian Fellowship (an evangelical Christian group concerned with biblical orthodoxy), Barnett was dismissed from these three churches for teaching "false doctrines."
In the mid-1960s he began meeting with a group of families south of Seattle that became the nucleus of Community Chapel, which was formally established in 1967. It grew rapidly and by the early 1980s had over 3000 members at the main site near Burien, as well as several hundred more among 22 satellite churches across the nation.
to maids in a hallway of the Circus Circus Las Vegas
. According to police reports in Clark County, Nevada
, dated November 23, 1975, Barnett masturbated in front of four maids in the hallway of the Circus Circus Hotel
. The initial charge of indecent exposure
, a misdemeanor
, was plea bargain
ed down to "open and gross lewdness," a charge Barnett pleaded guilty to, paying a fine of $100. The case was closed on April 30, 1976. The charge was revealed during a 1988 lawsuit when his claim that he had never pled guilty or been convicted of a crime under oath was investigated.
, named the Church of Agape, where he remains to this day, still teaching and practicing "spiritual connections."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pastor who founded Community Chapel and Bible Training Center
Community Chapel and Bible Training Center
Community Chapel and Bible Training Center was a controversial independent church created in 1967 and pastored by Donald Lee Barnett in which he taught his version of Oneness Pentecostalism...
, a controversial church near Burien, Washington
Burien, Washington
Burien is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located south of Seattle. As of the 2010 Census, Burien's population is 33,313, which is a 2.9% increase since incorporation. Annexation in 2011 has increased the cities population to about 45,000....
, and was its only pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
during its 21-year history, from 1967 to 1988. In 1988 he formed the Church of Agape
Agape
Agape is one of the Greek words translated into English as love, one which became particularly appropriated in Christian theology as the love of God or Christ for mankind. In the New Testament, it refers to the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God; the term...
located at 126 Logan Avenue South in Renton, Washington
Renton, Washington
Renton is an Eastside edge city in King County, Washington, United States. Situated 11 miles southeast of Seattle, Washington, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington. Founded in the 1860s, Renton became a supply town for the Newcastle coal fields...
, where he continues to pastor to this day.
Background
Don Barnett was born near Moscow, IdahoMoscow, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
in 1930, but moved with his family to Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, as a young boy. His father was an accountant and part-time Pentecostal minister. His mother was a teacher.
After high school, Barnett attended a Bible college
Bible college
Bible colleges are institutions of higher education that specialize in biblical studies. Curriculum is Bible-based and differs from that of liberal arts colleges or research universities. Bible colleges generally exclude the study of philosophy, unlike seminaries and theological colleges...
in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, where he met his future wife, Barbara, and was also greatly influenced by the Latter Rain Movement within Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
, which was at its peak at that time. When he married and was faced with the increasing expenses of family life, he left Bible college, without graduating or being ordained, to take a job at a sawmill in Tacoma, moving his young family there with him. Later they moved to Seattle when he took a job at Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
as a draftsman.
In Seattle, he taught Bible classes at home, at work, and at three Pentecostal churches. According to Tim Brown, director of the Colossian Fellowship (an evangelical Christian group concerned with biblical orthodoxy), Barnett was dismissed from these three churches for teaching "false doctrines."
In the mid-1960s he began meeting with a group of families south of Seattle that became the nucleus of Community Chapel, which was formally established in 1967. It grew rapidly and by the early 1980s had over 3000 members at the main site near Burien, as well as several hundred more among 22 satellite churches across the nation.
Indecent exposure charge
In 1975, Barnett pleaded guilty to exposing himselfIndecent exposure
Indecent exposure is the deliberate exposure in public or in view of the general public by a person of a portion or portions of his or her body, in circumstances where the exposure is contrary to local moral or other standards of appropriate behavior. Indecent exposure laws vary in different...
to maids in a hallway of the Circus Circus Las Vegas
Circus Circus Las Vegas
Circus Circus Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. Circus Circus features circus acts and carnival type games daily on the Midway...
. According to police reports in Clark County, Nevada
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
, dated November 23, 1975, Barnett masturbated in front of four maids in the hallway of the Circus Circus Hotel
Circus Circus Las Vegas
Circus Circus Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. Circus Circus features circus acts and carnival type games daily on the Midway...
. The initial charge of indecent exposure
Indecent exposure
Indecent exposure is the deliberate exposure in public or in view of the general public by a person of a portion or portions of his or her body, in circumstances where the exposure is contrary to local moral or other standards of appropriate behavior. Indecent exposure laws vary in different...
, a misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
, was plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
ed down to "open and gross lewdness," a charge Barnett pleaded guilty to, paying a fine of $100. The case was closed on April 30, 1976. The charge was revealed during a 1988 lawsuit when his claim that he had never pled guilty or been convicted of a crime under oath was investigated.
"Spiritual connections" controversy
In 1985, Barnett began to advocate the practice of "spiritual connections" to the members of his church. The practice involved seeking intense emotional experiences of love with another person, usually not one's spouse, while dancing together in worship. Following the introduction of this practice, turmoil increased in Barnett's church and many members began leaving. These troubles reached their culmination in 1988 with several lawsuits brought against Barnett and others in the church's leadership alleging sexual improprieties related to the practice of "connections." At that time, Barnett was ousted from his church by its remaining elders, leading to further protracted legal proceedings.Church of Agape
After being expelled from Community Chapel by the elders, Barnett left with two to three hundred of its members to establish a new church in Renton, WashingtonRenton, Washington
Renton is an Eastside edge city in King County, Washington, United States. Situated 11 miles southeast of Seattle, Washington, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington. Founded in the 1860s, Renton became a supply town for the Newcastle coal fields...
, named the Church of Agape, where he remains to this day, still teaching and practicing "spiritual connections."
Books by Donald Lee Barnett
Related books
- Barnett, B.J (1996). The Truth Shall Set You Free, Confessions of a Pastors Wife A book by Donald's wife, Barbara
Newspaper articles
- "The Pastor who sets them dancing" Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 10, 1986.
- "Barnett Troubles Obscure Success – Friends and Critics Blame his Woes on Ego, Eccentricities" Seattle Times, March 18, 1988.
- "Chapel service reveals strengths, weaknesses of troubled church" Valley Daily News, May 8, 1988.
- "'Embarrassment' Burien-Church Officials React to Pastor's Ouster" The Seattle Times, March 3, 1988.