history of michael reid

history of bishop michael reid

1 - Early life

Details of his early life are sketchy. His father died when reid was quite young.

2 - Metropolitan policeman

Reid was at one stage a Metropolitan police officer. He boasted a number of times about his aggressive behaviour toward criminals, he claimed that he known as 'tiger'! Reid does not appear to have been in the Police force for long enough to finish the two year probation period. There has been mention on the Reachout forum about problems with his police career but no such evidence has been produced.

He says that saw the light when he attended a Christian Men's meeting in London. Apparantly God told him to give all the money that he had on him as an offering and that God would look after him. Later he resigned from the police and he then became a salesman and later an insurance salesman. He entered Christian ministry without any formal theological education.

2 - Early christian life

reid was involved in churches in the Liverpool area.

November 1969
An entry on a Reachout trust post refers to reid being excommunicated from a church in Liverpool. A report of the above event is as follows:

On Monday 3rd November 1969 at Devonshire Road Christian Fellowship Liverpool a meeting was held where MR was accused of the following:
Railing, Slander, Subversion against the Church Leadership - Reid had lied, railed against and defamed the members of the church speaking evil against the leadership
The charges were read out and agreed upon by the whole congregation - Reid was not allowed to be present but sent a 20 page rebuttal.
The church court upheld the charges and Reid was excommunicated forthwith and his flesh committed to Satan, that his soul might be saved alive.
On 2nd January 1972 there was a meeting to attempt to reconcile MR and the church elders but it was decided that the matter was so serious they could not change their mind.

I have been told about reid's involvment in churches around the world including Hawaii and Atlanta. There is at least one church in Wales where reid took a large number of the members back to his brentwood church. This also happened to a church in the Chelmsford area.

Reid has a history with the Elim and AOG churches.

I am also interested in how Millers fit into the scene. Robert Miller and Poppy Miller are apparantly those referred to by the term 'the Millers'.

Reid has also talked about being in Argentina, possibly to do with peniel churches there.

3 - Peniel Pentecostal Church

At first the Bible Assembly was in Ongar. They met in Budworth Hall where they ran the bar as well as holding meetings there.

In May 1982 the 49 Coxtie Green Road church was opened.

4 - Michael Reid Ministries

In October 2004 the Ministers and Leaders of Evangelical Churches in Brentwood resigned from BADEF and stepped back from the Evangelical Alliance because of reid. This resulted in peniel abandoning both BADEF and the EA and the Brentwood churches were able to re-establish BADEF and their links to the EA.

August 2002 - the Green court case

Mother claims £100,000 for life church ruined.

ICCC

Guardian report

The following is a copy of an email sent by the ICCC presiding Bishop and received in April 2008.

Dear xxxxxx
Concerning Bishop Michael Reid we have been informed of the unfortunate issues surrounding him and his ministry. Bishop Michael Reid withdrew as a member of the International Communion of Charismatic Churches about ten years ago. Until that time he was indeed a very valuable and important part of this organization. His consecration to the office of the Bishop was conducted in Benin City, Nigeria by the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa.
He for several years after served as the national presbyter for the ICCC and a member of the College of Bishops. However, since his resignation several years ago he has held no position within the organization and the organization has had neither involvement nor oversight in his ministry.
I have personally sought to make contact with Bishop Michael and Pastor Ruth Reid to share my sympathy, prayers, and concern. While the ICCC is not directly responsible for any of these matters as Christian brothers we do indeed pray for his recovery and restoration along with the recovery and restoration of all involved. The College of Bishops is more than willing to assist if called upon but our counsel has not been sought.
We therefore, stand in prayer for the Reid Family, the victim's family, and The Peniel Church Family. The International Communion of Charismatic Churches will have no further comment about this matter unless comment is requested by the Reid Family or by the Peniel Church Family. We encourage everyone to practice restraint in media matters and pray for all involved.
Sincerely,
Archbishop David Huskins
Presiding Bishop
International Communion of Charismatic Churches
Cedartown, GA

I note with interest the date that reid resigned from the ICCC. It says 'about 10 years ago', that would be in 1998 or around that time. There is a possibility that the presiding Bishop got it wrong!
One report on the Galbraith court case (see below) has the statement 'Their solicitor ... told the court that the Church was a member of the International Communion of Charismatic Churches (ICCC) and the Evangelical Alliance.