Church on the Rock- International
Encyclopedia
Church on the Rock-International, also known as the Church on the Rock or COTRI, is a neocharismatic evangelical
Christian denomination
. Christianity Today has described the organization as a "virtual denomination" with over 3,000 affiliated churches worldwide.
COTRI is rooted in the charismatic
renewal
, historic evangelicalism
, and pentecostalism
.
in the 1980's after he separated himself from the Southern Baptist Convention
. Following a stint as an itinerant preacher in the late 1970s, Lea was invited to pastor Church on the Rock in 1980 with 12 people in Rockwall, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. Within 5 years, the church had shot up to over 5,000. In 1986, Lea began to travel again, holding what he called "Prayer Clinics" and later, "Prayer Rallies" or "Prayer Breakthroughs". Also, that year marked the beginning of Lea's television program, called Change Your Life. Also, that year, Lea released his first book, the best-seller Could You Not Tarry One Hour?, which was his teaching on The Lord's Prayer. He also began a partnership group where his partners were referred to as "Prayer Warriors".
In June 1990, Lea stepped aside as pastor to oversee Church on the Rock International. He was succeeded by Lawrence Kennedy who still leads the organization today. Lea found himself in some controversy later that year, when Lea and several ministers met at the Civic Auditorium
in San Francisco. Lea's ministry was heavily criticized by an assortment of gay-rights activists, pro-choice activists, and Wiccans led by Eric Pryor (who later converted to Christianity). On Halloween (the first night of the crusade), there was a massive protest leading to many who came to the Civic Auditorium having to come through a very hostile crowd outside.
A year later, ABC's PrimeTime Live
aired an exposé involving Lea and fellow Dallas-area televangelists W.V. Grant
and Robert Tilton
. The incident involving Lea came as a result of his fundraising appeals, questions as to how much money was going to mentioned projects, and accusations that Lea implied a fire at one of his homes left his family almost destitute even though they still had the home in the Dallas area.
Lea allowed the National Religious Broadcasters
financial integrity arm, EFICOM (Ethics and Financial Integrity Commission), to audit his ministry to look into the charges. Following the incident, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder
.
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christian denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
. Christianity Today has described the organization as a "virtual denomination" with over 3,000 affiliated churches worldwide.
COTRI is rooted in the charismatic
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
renewal
Renewal
Renew or renewal may refer to:*Urban renewal, a function of urban planning*Renewal theory, a branch of probability theory*Renewal , a 2008 documentary on the religious environmental movement...
, historic evangelicalism
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
, and 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...
.
History
COTRI was founded by Larry LeaLarry Lea
-Early years:He attended and graduated from Dallas Baptist University where he met his first wife, Melva. He completed his graduate work at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. Larry and Melva married in 1972, and together they have 3 children. He became the youth pastor of...
in the 1980's after he separated himself from the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
. Following a stint as an itinerant preacher in the late 1970s, Lea was invited to pastor Church on the Rock in 1980 with 12 people in Rockwall, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. Within 5 years, the church had shot up to over 5,000. In 1986, Lea began to travel again, holding what he called "Prayer Clinics" and later, "Prayer Rallies" or "Prayer Breakthroughs". Also, that year marked the beginning of Lea's television program, called Change Your Life. Also, that year, Lea released his first book, the best-seller Could You Not Tarry One Hour?, which was his teaching on The Lord's Prayer. He also began a partnership group where his partners were referred to as "Prayer Warriors".
In June 1990, Lea stepped aside as pastor to oversee Church on the Rock International. He was succeeded by Lawrence Kennedy who still leads the organization today. Lea found himself in some controversy later that year, when Lea and several ministers met at the Civic Auditorium
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is a multi-purpose arena in San Francisco, California, currently named after promoter Bill Graham...
in San Francisco. Lea's ministry was heavily criticized by an assortment of gay-rights activists, pro-choice activists, and Wiccans led by Eric Pryor (who later converted to Christianity). On Halloween (the first night of the crusade), there was a massive protest leading to many who came to the Civic Auditorium having to come through a very hostile crowd outside.
A year later, ABC's PrimeTime Live
Primetime (TV series)
Primetime is an American news magazine show which debuted on ABC in 1989 with co-hosts Sam Donaldson and Diane Sawyer and originally had the title Primetime Live.-Early history:...
aired an exposé involving Lea and fellow Dallas-area televangelists W.V. Grant
W.V. Grant
Walter Vinson Grant, Jr., who goes by W. V. Grant, is an American televangelist whose ministry has been based in the Dallas, Texas, area...
and Robert Tilton
Robert Tilton
Robert Tilton is an American televangelist who achieved notoriety in the 1980s and early 1990s through his infomercial-styled religious television program Success-N-Life, which at its peak in 1991 aired in all 235 American TV markets , brought in nearly $80 million per year, and was described as...
. The incident involving Lea came as a result of his fundraising appeals, questions as to how much money was going to mentioned projects, and accusations that Lea implied a fire at one of his homes left his family almost destitute even though they still had the home in the Dallas area.
Lea allowed the National Religious Broadcasters
National Religious Broadcasters
National Religious Broadcasters is an American organization that represents Christian religious broadcasters on American television and radio, including several high-profile televangelists and Christian radio show hosts. It claims a membership of more than 1700 organizations...
financial integrity arm, EFICOM (Ethics and Financial Integrity Commission), to audit his ministry to look into the charges. Following the incident, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
.