After being installed as VCF Anaheim’s new senior pastor, Alan Scott unilaterally changed the church's name to The Dwelling Place. He took the Vineyard property and all assets with him.

Late Vineyard leader John Wimber and his wife Carol founded the charismatic church in 1977. John then led the movement from Vineyard Anaheim in 1982 until he died in 1997. VCF Anaheim purchased a property in 1991 to serve as its home and a flagship spiritual center for the movement he founded. Its new home was a local community church and an international hub for Vineyard churches and ministries worldwide.

On February 24th, 2022, Alan Scott informed senior leaders of the Vineyard movement that he decided to dissociate from Vineyard USA. Scott, Jeremy Riddle, and their wives seized the multiple debt-free buildings on 5.7 acres. It’s estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars. Their decision shocked not just the VCF Anaheim family; it shocked the Body of Christ, worldwide.

Alan Scott has offered no explanation, other than he left the Vineyard and took its property “Out of a desire to say ‘yes’ to the Holy Spirit.” He went on to say, “We love the Vineyard movement,” and “Our affection remains undiminieshed.”

Senior leaders from within and outside the Vineyard, locally and from around the world, attempted to speak with Alan about his decision. He has refused to meet with them. Carol Wimber texted him three times; he ignored each of her texts.

After Scott refused to speak with her, she said, “Alan and Kathryn, you speak with your mouth that you want to honor our Anaheim Vineyard history, but your actions are screaming dishonor!” To this day he has ignored Carol Wimber’s request to meet.

According to the suit, Alan Scott had learned from Vineyard Anaheim’s senior associate pastor that the church had more than $55 million in real estate and millions more in the bank. Scott had reportedly told the pastor that he wasn’t interested in pastoring Vineyard Anaheim or staying with the Vineyard movement when Lance Pittluck, the church’s former pastor, retired.

But months later, Alan Scott applied to lead the church, according to the lawsuit. He told board members interviewing him that he was “Vineyard through and through” and “would never take this house out of the Vineyard Movement,” the lawsuit alleges.

Alan was hired in January 2018 as the senior pastor. Then from 2019 to 2021, the suit alleges, Alan Scott “slowly and methodically persuaded board members that did not blindly support him to resign” or abstain from seeking another term on the board.

After Scott’s decision and the seizure of VCF Anaheim, a lawsuit filed by former church members claims the departure was part of a premeditated plan to deceive and defraud.

Mounting claims of spiritual abuse and manipulation by Alan Scott and Jeremy Riddle extend from Anaheim to Scott’s former church in Northern Ireland, where a third-party human resources firm identified “. . . repeated patterns . . . of manipulation, inappropriate comments, narcissistic behavior, and certain occurrences of public shaming and spiritual abuse.” A full report is forthcoming.

Alan installed board new board members, including worship leader Jeremy Riddle. Along with their wives, Kathryn and Katie, the two couples have been accused as direct or indirect perpetrators of spiritual abuse of staff members and accomplices to the seizure of the Anaheim Vineyard property.

We are a devout army of Christ followers from across the world. In concert with thousands inside and outside the Vineyard movement, we are outraged by the vicious actions of Alan Scott, Jeremy Riddle, and their wives. These include the heist of VCF Anaheim's home and mounting allegations of spiritual abuse.

We hold unwavering allegiance to the teachings of Jesus — to rebuke those who bring thievery into His house, and his command to "tell the church" when your brother sins and fails to repent.

We Pledge to not stop until justice is served.