I was one of them that got kicked out, I was have problems in my marriage and he hide my husband and kids from me. when I called him up for help he said '' should of beat you harder . I hate him so much, Scudder your time is coming! Now I hve been remarried for 20 years and have a wonderful grandson and daughter, but because of what happen I don't hear from my son I miss him so much.

Well, all I know is that this man truly loves the Lord. His teaching has instilled in me a heart for the Gospel and for the people who need it.

My review of Scudder and the reviews I have heard:

The company I have my car fixed through has always done outstanding work and even has saved me money many times over. However, I went online and saw some horrific reviews that clearly never happened to me or my wife. I still go to this day and even just had my brakes fixed within the past 2 weeks. He told me that I need new calipers but said that he would clean them up and file them so that I can save money as to replace them would be $150.00 each.

I realized that reviews can often be misleading. I know that if I were to have read the negative reviews first then I probably would never have gone to that auto place believing they offered lousy service. I clearly would have missed out on a great auto place that would have saved me hundreds of dollars in money.

The same is true with Dr James Scudder. I attended his church for a few months and ran for the hills when I read all of the negative reviews against him. I realized that I went to the church on full alert waiting for any of the problems I read about to happen. There was one member that I thought initially met these negative reviews and I foolishly quit the church because of that. That member and I talked recently and I came to realize what a fool I really was.

Here is what I actually experienced at Quentin. My first impression was that the church was a beautiful church. I found the pastoral staff to be very friendly. I was personally taken up front to meet Dr James Scudder. Dr Scudder on one other occasion went out of his way to shake my hand and personally thank me for my continued attendance.

The messages is what blessed me the most and is what I miss the most about the church. I guess you never realize the good thing you have until you leave even though my attendance was very brief. I have been to several churches and found the sermons to either be tainted with Lordship salvation or the pastor obviously just whipped up a sermon for Sunday that was nothing more of a useless devotional than anything else.

Dr Scudder clearly has a gift for preaching as his messages often left me feeling stirred. They were not the typical sermons that I would forget the second the sermon ended with a prayer. These sermons left a lasting impression on me that I still feel to this day and I still listen to the many CD's series I bought at the church. I love his free grace gospel and his stance against Lordship salvation. He invites Dr Charles Rylie and other men that have contributed much to the free grace gospel that we believe today and you cannot beat that.

I found the music to be excellent as well. Most people today enjoy music that sounds much like soft rock music. I have been to churches that played such music but I personally haven't got much out of the music. The music at Quentin is the traditional hymns of the faith but the music is beautiful that goes with it. I found that it tuned my heart in to the God of the Scriptures. We all have differing opinions on music but I can only say that the music they play will not cause you to drift asleep but will help you contemplate the God of the Scriptures.

I cannot comment too much on the members since I haven't talked to many there. The ones I have encountered were very friendly especially the pastoral staff. It is too bad that I walked around with my radar on waiting for something bad to come my way thanks to listening to negative reviews.

My former pastor of years ago was Dr Frank Bumpus. I too have heard many negative comments against him from people on the outside. I never had one negative experience with Dr Frank Bumpus. I heard horror stories about how my pastor threw an offering plate at kids for talking in Jr church. How Dr Bumpus found it funny when his kids learned profanity and used it against another member. How Dr Bumpus was a violent man and so on. Most of the stories came from those acting as though they were members but never stepped foot once inside the church. They admitted that it either happened "years" ago or that they heard it through someone else.

My point is this, you can listen to these reviews and not even give this church a chance or you can go and form your own opinion through attending. I hear stories about how Dr Scudder supposedly ruined families. Sorry, no man can ruin you unless you allow it and the little time I was at Quentin that CLEARLY is not the direction he takes. You might as well say that the devil made me do it excuse if you want to argue that Scudder is out to ruin families. I doubt the church would be as big as it is if that were true even slightly. I heard the same things about Dr Frank Bumpus and NEVER once witnessed any of it. We have members from Quentin coming in here claiming that they too have NEVER once witnessed these things.

I have yet to attend ANY church that hasn't had its problems. I have personally witnessed at one church members standing up and trying to ruin the pastors ministry during his sermon. I have witnessed horrific arguments. If you attend anywhere long enough then you WILL encounter some type of problems especially if you look hard enough like I foolishly did at Quentin. Try attending a Bible college like I did and you will see something bad within your 4 years as a student. Churches are made up of human beings that are anything but perfect so don't expect perfect because you will never find it. If you ever find a perfect church then please do not attend there as you will ruin it as we all would.

I do believe some of the reviews here and they are sad. I do believe also that Satan will do his best to keep people from a good church. First impressions are lasting impressions so if you were to go to church and happen to come across a member with an attitude then you might conclude that the entire church is like that. One pastor told me that you should always give a new church at least 3 visits. You never know because you might be sitting next to a couple that had a huge fight before coming to church and they might give you the cold shoulder treatment that particular day. Give the church a few tries and if you see a repeated pattern of lousy sermons, lousy people and a staff that doesn't give a rip that you are there then move on. You "might" encounter a lousy member or two at Quentin your first visit (I didn't), but you certain will not encounter a staff that is not friendly as well as lousy sermons and certainly finding lousy members should prove to be rare. I think you will be impressed. If you are the quiet type then Quentin is a place for you as well because the church is big enough to get lost in but that takes away from fellowship you ought to be seeking.

Again, I am very sorry for allowing negative reviews to influence me. I didn't even give one member there a chance as I was quick to judge. David Summers, my biggest apologies to you as you did nothing wrong, but I was quick to make a run for it because I chose to listen to others. The church of Corinth had huge problems and Paul didn't instruct them to run for the hills. Quentin Bible certainly is nowhere near the problems encountered at the church of Corinth and yet I foolishly ran for the hills because of reviews I read without even witnessing one single problem.

I am planning on going back to Quentin. If over time I find Scudder and others trying to preach guilt trip sermons and sucker every penny out of me then I know to move on. I already know that Scudder isn't out for the money because he is one of the few Baptist preachers that doesn't call the offering a "tithe." He says that tithing is law and we are not bound to that. I have been to baptist churches that will tell you that God will not bless you if you do not give your tithes and will even stress that God might bless you more if you give above and beyond your tithe, NOT SCUDDER!!

Give Quentin 3 tries and see what experience you will have without prematurely judging them like I did because of negative reviews.

I have the privilege and blessing to be associated with Dr. Scudder for some 29 years. I first met him in 1980 when he spoke at my home church in South Carolina when I was 16 years old. I had placed my faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone the year before through the Youth Ranch ministry of Chris Shepler. Pastor Shepler had in turn been led to Christ by Jim Scudder a handful of years earlier (early 1970s) at a youth work Jim was operating back home in Kentucky between semesters at Florida Bible College. The Bible message of Salvation by Grace Alone through Faith Alone in Christ Alone is what Chris Shepler shared with me as Jim Scudder had shared with him those years beforehand.

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians 2:8,9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." I realized on April 19, 1979 that Jesus Christ had suffered on that cross in my place and I received Eternal Life that night when I placed my faith in Him alone.

I moved to Illinois in January of 1983 to attend the Dayspring Bible College which Pastor Scudder had founded the previous August. My move was based on the desire to be trained in the clear presentation of the Gospel and Local Church doctrine as taught in the Bible that I might better serve the Lord Jesus Christ. While I received a BA in Biblical Studies from DBC, it has been more through the week in and week out verse-by-verse teaching of Dr. Scudder and other very Godly men on the staff of Quentin Road Bible Baptist Church that I have learned best how to serve the Lord.

The Bible education I received at Dayspring was top notch and Biblically sound. The testimony and life style I observed in Dr. Scudder and the majority of the leadership of the Church and College was just as top notch and Biblically sound. I say sound, not "perfect". To paraphrase James 2:15, Dr. Scudder was a man subject to like passions as we are. He is a man just the same as you and I; but a very Godly man in my observations over the past three decades. His driving force has been to share the clear gospel presentation with the world and to have a Biblically sound and grounded congregation. Acts 1:8b and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

As a member of his congregation I regret to say that I have a time or two over the past 29 years been the recipient, and rightly so, of Biblical church discipline. I say regret because it was at times in my waning relationship in not walking with the Lord that I brought grief to my Pastor. I am thankful that Dr. Scudder is a man of integrity and fortitude to stand on Biblical principal and deal with sin within the congregation. The discipline may be as simple as verbal encouragement to "do right, buck up, be a man"; or as involved as being placed out of the fellowship for a time. Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. II 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 6Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

The Love of God, the love of Dr. Scudder, and the love of the congregation of QRBBC have been repeatedly confirmed in my life over the years. I am thankful to be a small part of this ministry and grateful to raise my 4 daughters here. I would encourage anyone seeking a dynamic Biblically based fellowship to come visit the church and make your own educated, intelligent decision. I would encourage those that have attended and for whatever reason elected to not attend any longer to cease the vitriol and heed the wisdom of Gamaliel as recorded in Acts 5:38, 39; "And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."

You have to realize that there are two Scudders.

#1 The TV Scudder who appears sincere, loving, and friendly.

#2 The behind closed doors Scudder who is mean, lying, and threatening.

And boy does he like to go out to eat almost everyday at expensive restaurants.

I'm right there with Truthnow as far as wishing there was a "no star" choice, but then I noticed when you click on 1 star, it says "Terrible" next to the star box. Perfect! That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? I would love to elaborate on my "terrible" experiences (and, yes, these are my personal experiences, not second-hand information), but I have to get to work. I will continue in comments below.

I cannot believe what I am reading here about Dr. James Scudder !!

Dr. Scudder in my opinion is only second to Rev. Billy Graham for the power, intensity, sincerity and intregrity of his solely Bibically based preaching.

I have watched his Sunday night sermons here in Chicagoland for about three yrs now, and try never to miss one.

I live right here in Lake County, Illinois, where Dr. Scudder's Lake Zurich, IL church is located, though I live about 25 miles away east of Lake Zurich in a shoreline city on Lake Michigan. So it is a drive to attend his church.

Nevertheless, I have visited his church in Lake Zurich, IL at least three times and have found him, his congregants and his staff very loving, caring, wonderful Christian people ! I feel it is such an honor to have met him !

His staff have called me in the past when I was going through difficult times and offered to come and visit me and my family, so many miles away ! Dr. Scudder even did himself, all the way to Lake Forest, Illinois.

I regularly donate a monthly contribution to his ministry, and I have found it such a
blessing. He also sends me updates and invites me to many events at the church he serves.

I love his style of preaching, REAL substance mixed with lots of humor and good natured fun...such a fascinating speaker. And his messages are so powerful and I love the captivating titles he gives to each and every sermon he preaches.

And some of you say he does not know The Bible ?!?!? I have NEVER heard or met a preacher who knows The Bible better than him ! His sermons are chalk FULL of Biblical cites to Biblical verses, so much so that I just don't know how he does it. What a learned man of the Christian faith !

How some of yous can state below that Dr. Scudder does not know The Bible I find very mean-spirited and totally false.

I have to truly wonder in what quarters such pejorative criticisms are birthed forth.

Then this controversy about his "Dr." title before his name. Well, it appears he was awarded a "Dr." title....so he has a right to use it.

I know, it would have been more compelling had a seminary approved by the American Association of Thelological Schools awarded it upon completion of a PhD degree program. However, I see this controversy as a "tempest in a teapot."

Dr. Scudder claims every sermon he is FAR from perfect. He does NOT state he is infallable as one other man in another faith so clearly states he is.

Rather, Dr. Scudder in every sermon calls himself "this filthy old Jim Scudder"....and how God is so gracious through Jesus Christ to cleanse us of our sins through his sacrificial death on the cross to pay our sin debt, so that we can stand cleansed before God and enter Heaven IF we only accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour...in indeed very, very powerful.

Then there is the "wallet gesture." WOW. That really says it all, so clear, the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ preached through that gesture with the characterizations Dr. Scudder gives this.

I truly think this man is inspired of God, is wholly and holy for God and for wininng souls to Jesus Christ...look how recently, Dr. Scudder had to raise $500,000 to stay on TV with the change in digital TV production equipment needed for the new digital transformation that will be here this summer in re our television reception.

Look how he sweated and prayed for months, and how he said "if we do not raise this money, then we will just go off TV, it will be what the Lord wants."

BUT...look what happened.....somehow, $500,000 was raised ! By Dr. Scudder? YES, because the Lord miraculously raised this money through Dr. Scudder because He knows that Dr. Scudder is saving souls and winning lost people eternal salvation through Jesus Christ..... AS DR. SCUDDER HAS DONE FOR ME !!

YES, in these hard times of a troubled economy in 2009, our Almighty God through Dr. Scudder raised half a million dollars so he could stay on the air to save more souls for Him and for our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

And then to say Dr. Scudder is all for himself and an abuser of power and blah blah blah blah blah.

What are your motivations in alleging this? For whom do you REALLY speak?

I say that Dr. Scudder is OF THE LORD, and FOR THE LORD, and FOR SAVING SOULS.

Those of you who criticize him so here and show such disdain for him....well, I guess you are coming from a different place that certainly does not sound full of Light, Love and Salvation through Christ Jesus.

How Satan howls and belches forth his most foul, venemous hatred and lies about those who speak a clear Gospel message in and for Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

Thank you dearly, Dr. James Scudder, for SAVING my lost soul and BRINGING ME to accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour through your potent and insightful TV evangelism as well as through your outreach ministry.

May every blessing on Earth and in Heaven be yours, Dr. Scudder, for you ARE among the BEST of the BEST in your sincere, earnest, gifted and yet most humble stewardship as a preacher of the GOOD NEWS of Christ Jesus.

-- IrishGuy

Count me as another who had a bad experience at QR. Sorry, just telling it like it is. More to come.

Please consider and read these books before making a judgement.

Churches That Abuse by Ronald M. Enroth

Recovering from Churches That Abuse by Ronald M. Enroth

Toxic Churches: Restoration from Spiritual Abuse by Marc, Dupont

Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, The: Recognizing and Escaping Spiritual Manipulation and False Spiritual Authority Within the Church by David, Johnson and Jeff, VanVonderen

Healing Spiritual Abuse: How to Break Free from Bad Church Experiences by Ken Blue

Church as a Safe Place: Confronting, Resolving and Minimizing Abuse in the Church by Peter R. Holmes and Susan B. Williams  

Mr. Scudder would say; "I don't give a rip what you think, you are all stupid, and I don't give a rip about your comments. You are all soooo stuuuuupid!!!"

I am a former member of a church in Minnesota that is considered Scudder's "Sister church". I agree fully that the true Gospel of Grace is prominantly preached in every aspect at QR, and that is wonderful. However, it is possible to be sharing the truth and doing good, but at the same time running a corrupted church from within. And that is the sad part of the story of Dr. Scudder and his sister church in MN. Our Pastor here in MN was in no way a controlling dictator years ago, but as his relationship with Scudder and Quentin Road evolves, he becomes more and more controlling. Recently over half the church in MN has left due to many different reasons but all going back to the severe authority abuse going on. The Pastor tells people who to talk to, who not to talk to, encourages the dividing of families if any family member questions anything, tells people where they can and cant work...even asking one young woman to leave her job at a Christian Radio station or leave the church because her job was "worldly". The main concern was that you never, ever dare to question ANYTHING Scudder or the MN Pastor say....or you will be dealt with. One elder in the MN church questioned a situation and was immediately removed from the elder board...a Godly man! But only "Yes Men" are allowed on the board. I agree with a previous poster who said churches should be bringing families together...not tearing them apart. They do it all in the name of keeping thier church...which is the one "true church"...holy. Nothing less than perfection is permitted and there is no grace or compassion for human failures. If you are found out to be in sin, you are immediately kicked out of the church. Did Jesus kick everyone out of his sight or did he treat them with compassion and try to help them? What about the woman who was about to be stoned for adultery? For these 2 churches that preach love and grace...they sure don't live it!

I have attended QR for the past many years, and I have never been told that I must put my children in the daycare, neither have I been told that I must work in the ministry.  I totally understood the clear message of the gospel of grace one year before attending QR, but I never understood how to live my life by that same saving grace until I attended there.  The pastor here accepts people as they are and has personally helped many people in the church who are in need.  Of course, as with any church, there are always some who get there feelings hurt and leave.  This is unfortunate, but there is no church where all of us will agree with everything.  The ministry at QR is all about getting out the gospel to the world.  Yes, there are many members who work there, but I am not aware of any that are being forced to.  It is, after all a free country, and the people that I know that work there are there to serve the Lord so the gospel of grace may be heard.  You see, if not for the many workers who are willing to give of their time, the broadcast would not be able to go throughout the world with the gospel.  I have personally seen God bless many people for faithfully serving in this church.  I have never seen anything to justify calling this pastor mean-spirited, in fact, he is one of the most loving people I have ever known.  I encourage anyone to come and see this church for yourself--you will be blessed.

I am the sister that chexmix mentioned. I feel terrible for the hurt and pain that I caused my family when they left and I decided to stay. If you have any doubt about the fact that James Scudder is a fraud here is a little story. I was about 15 years old and in the high school at QR and my parents had left. After an argument with my parents on how "unholy" they were, I went to church where I was taken to Scudder's office. I was told by him that my parents had the devil in them and that we had to do whatever we could to get me out of there. I was told that a woman in the church was to be the one to watch over me and my spirituality (not my own parents) and that she would receive advice from him and she would tell me what to do. They were going to speak with a lawyer to see if there was a way to take quardianship away from my parents. I was told to sit in my room and read the Bible at all times when I was at home and not to speak to my parents about anything that was going on in the church. Once again, I was not even 15 years old. I thank God that my parents placed me in a public school where I saw the value of a real education and learned that the outside world was not as scary as they told me. I'm amazed at how people are so impressionable. I pray for the day that the fraud he is involved in is exposed and the lives that he so unethically damaged are repaired. I know they will be, cause I know God.

I would actually like to thank "Dr" Scudder for opening my eyes to Atheism. He helped me to realize that religion is a fear tactic used to control people. I've come to see,unfortunately, far more bad come from religion in general(and YES, Christianity IS a religion too -look up the definition in Wikipedia) than good: division, wars, genocide, the crusaids, witch hunts, child molestation, suicide bombers, hatred of gays, unfair treatment of women......the list continues. People don't realize how powerful a language religion holds to justify ANY ideology, whether it be of peace and tolerance or of division and fanaticism. I don't have a problem with people believing in Whatever they want to believe in, as long as it is not harmful to, or imposing on others. So thanks, Doc, for opening my eyes to atheism, or as I like to call it, rationalism. To all those that still attend this man's church- I have one piece of advice to you ~ ASK QUESTIONS- lots and lots of questions and see the reaction you get. I know when I was there, they hated questions. They want you to have "Blind Faith". You know, the kind that lemings have before they cascade off a cliff, or even better, the kind that, makes you drink the koolaid in a group suicide. Yikes!

I live in the Chicagoland area and I have watched some messages on Victory in Grace and have read your messages.  I am well into a Doctorate program and I mean a genuine one that has taken me years and grueling research and has an emphasis in counseling.  There should be a huge red flag for anyone when a person of faith knowingly affixes a “Dr.” to his name without obtaining a degree not acquired by scholarship (which means undergraduate theology degree, Masters in Theology or the like and beyond to the doctoral level). Credentials without education can only be for men to look at.  Likewise, it is unethical for a pastor who receives an honorary doctorate, such as a doctor of divinity degree, to affix "Dr." to his name. This churches inward focus to the pastor is very evident.  Quentin Road has not cornered the market on the gospel message.  For someone to say we (outside the church) need suggestions for alternatives is absurd.  I am a sister in Christ and have no ulterior motive other than to help people grow in Christ.  Attendees, please avail yourselves to other teachers and YOU try something.  Unhealthy (spiritually) churches genuinely prey upon the vulnerable (like young women and widows) under the guise of “helping” them.  Any time a church has several members describing pressure to conform, work within the church, avoid education, give “all” to the church, emphasis on tithing, a hierarchy of “special members” etc. then it is time to do some effective reasoning without the emotional issues.  I did not see a mature Christian message from the person defending the pastor after being under his teaching for 10 years.  I did not conclude that the former members were not “saved” (please spare us from playing Holy Ghost Jr. and judging others) or that they were murderers; I did not even conclude they were attacking anything.  I did conclude they were hurting.  They must understand that those who have “dug their heels” into an abusive system will be difficult to persuade as their pastors rhetoric and twisted reasoning is most likely planted in their minds.  They are “stuck” in a system of thinking and it is just easier to stay there, especially if it would mean loosing a family member if they left.  Just that one statement alone should be a billboard message to anyone:  this church is unhealthy.

The positive QR experience according to CauseofChrist: "I attended Quentin Road for over 8 years. In that time, I was married and started a family. At no time did Dr. Scudder or anyone else try to exercise control over my wife or children!...My family and I no longer attend Quentin Road, but we have many close friends (including Dr. Scudder) that we stay in regular contact with.  We have not been shunned, no one has condemned us, and no one has tried to split up our family...I would encourage anyone to attend the church and find out for yourself what it's like. My family and I have been extremely blessed in our time under the teaching of Dr. Scudder. Listen to his sermons. He goes on record every week, and he signs his name to what he says!" 

If CauseofChrist shared only that then I doubt there would have been a single comment but he felt the need to attack others right off the bat.  I have to agree with Kind2Hope who being a former member said to CauseofChrist, "you should go back to QR. You fit in perfectly with the superiority, self-righteous attitude" as that truly is the atmosphere you will probably experience at QR.  

Again, I guess that the CauseofChrist doesn't seem to understand that if this is "the positive experience" that he had only then nobody would have had a problem with it.  Instead, he felt the need to attack all those that did not have a wonderful experience like him and we are ALL  nothing more than a liar and yes he grouped everyone.  It is irrefutable proof to the CauseofChrist that since he had a wonderful experience that if you say anything contrary to his then it has to be a lie and yet we are arrogant according to him when he fails to see his own arrogance.

CauseofChrist said in the midst of attacking us, "I'm sorry that I had the nerve to share my positive experience at QR" but let us remind CauseofChrist the same thing back, "I'm sorry that I had the nerve to share my NEGATIVE experience at QR."

To everyone else, please share your experiences whether good or bad but do not attack those that had an experience contrary to yours as your own experience does not make everyone elses null and void as CauseofChrist thinks it does.  I do not for one moment believe that everyone in here that has had a negative experience at QR would for one second claim that everyone else at QR is having a negative experience also.  We know that others are having a good experience even though we question it, but we that haven't will share them and please do not resort to the pride of CauseofChrist and try to silence us with silly arguments claiming not to be angry.  Just share your experience and let others make an educated decision.  Whether one says, "Dr Scudder was a jerk to me" and another "Dr Scudder was very nice to me" doesn't matter one bit.  Just share your experience and do not attack the one that said "Dr Scudder is a jerk" because you think he is nice so therefore we are all liars because it doesn't fit your experience.  Arrogance and pride are not needed here.

Cause - you should go back to QR.  You fit in perfectly with the superiority, self-righteous attitude.   One question: "Do you care about the pain these people are sharing?"  (maybe 2 questions)  "Is it even remotely possible that what they are saying is true?"  (okay 3 questions)  "Why would they share these questions for no reason?"

  I attended Quentin Road for over 8 years.  In that time, I was married and started a family.  At no time did Dr. Scudder or anyone else try to exercise control over my wife or children!  Even if all of the wild accusations against Dr. Scudder were true (as someone who attended there for almost a decade, I can tell you that they are not), It shocks me that these "Christians" believe that their obviously self-centered attacks against this man could help the cause of Christ!  Many of you even acknowledge in your reviews that he gives and stands for the clear gospel, yet you can't wait to tear him down in a public forum to further your egotistical, self-centered agendas.  Who's side are you on?!?!?!  You don't even offer any alternative for people to try to hear about the saving grace of Christ!  It's obvious that you are so caught up in your selfish, arrogance that you don't even care about the eternal destination of countless souls!  My family and I no longer attend Quentin Road, but we have many close friends (including Dr. Scudder) that we stay in regular contact with.  We have not been shunned, no one has condemned us, and no one has tried to split up our family.  I can assure you that all of the people who have written these negative reviews are most certainly not saved.  They are all child molesters, homosexuals, and serial rapists!  Of course, I offer no proof of the previous accusations, but whats good for the goose is good for the gander!!!!!  I apologize if any find the previous illustration offensive, but it is an extremely powerful argument that cannot be refuted!  I would encourage anyone to attend the church and find out for yourself what it's like.  My family and I have been extremely blessed in our time under the teaching of Dr. Scudder.  Listen to his sermons.  He goes on record every week, and he signs his name to what he says!  That's more than can be said for the "courageous" people who anonymously attack this man and this ministry.  You offer no proof, many of your accusations contradict other's negative reviews.  May I suggest that all of you need to get together and get your "stories" straight before you share your humble wisdom with the rest of the world! 

I had been associated with this church for years.  First off, regarding your praises to James Scudder and his India works; let’s remember how he got started there.  He made up a story that he was the great nephew of Dr. Ida Scudder, the famous missionary.  He promoted that and prospered from the story greatly.  When an ousted church member traced his family tree and found there was no relation, the former member contacted the Ida Scudder foundation and Scudder had to pull it off the website.  James Scudder does not mention his great Aunt any longer.    This church will not draw you into a true relationship with Christ.  For the comments aforementioned regarding “giving a clear gospel”, this does not dismiss or excuse the abuses simply because some good may be found.    Fortunately we left as a family unit; many do not.  There were a high percentage of divorces because many husbands do not conform to the manipulation and extreme authority which causes marital friction.  Healthy churches bring families together, not separate them.

The testimony below from the young person regarding the school program is very typical.  My children were in the public system in an accelerated program and then attended QR for 5 years.   They came out academically behind.  But more importantly the young people who have left have come out with a distorted view of God and God’s love for them.  They come out angry and confused.  The claim that QR makes is that their members are unique in their spiritual commitment, higher “performing” Christians and it’s only natural for less committed (carnal) Christians to draw incorrect conclusions regarding the church.  But Jesus gave a word for these”super-dedicated, cut above, highly committed” Christians; Pharisee.  The members are more focused on their church commitment then Jesus.  In conclusion the church is filled with legalism, authoritarianism, spiritual intimidation, manipulation, and excessive discipline.  I do regret becoming involved with this church and it has taken me years to have a true relationship with Christ but oh how wonderful to now know the difference.

I attended James Scudders church at a young age and did not have an ability to fully comprehend everything that happened. I can tell you what I do remember: my sister was not allowed to go to a secular college (the University of Illinois) to become a teacher, I was not allowed to go to a movie theater, I had to go to church three times a week no matter what or would be questioned where I was, I could not celebrate Halloween, I couldnt talk to my friends who had left the church, when my parents and I left the church the friends I had made and my sister couldnt talk to me, and when I left the school and attended another one, I was well behind in schoolwork. Those were the things that stood out to me as a 5th grader. I have now, at a later age, been able to come to the conclusion that there are great control issues and set rules for members set by Scudder that go far beyond the scope of what a church should control. You can make your own conclusion.

I bet Scudder got up one Wednesday evening and told all his people not to go to "rateitall". He has scaired people from talking, but I think the cats out of the bag. He needs to repent and apolgize to alot of people. But then again he doesn't have any feelings toward the pain he imputes on these people with his mental anguish. The poor people that are still in there and they keep telling theirselves that Scudder is good, when in reality they know they are trapped.

I attended Quentin for about a year. I have to be honest that I have not observed some of the complaints here, but I did keep to myself as I do not care for the fundamentalist attitude. I can only share the little as to what I have experienced.

I do have to admit that I found an arrogant attitude with Scudder and he really comes across as a man that you do not want to mess with. His head sure turns beat red when he is mad and with his diabetes and obesity problem that cannot be good. I did find that you will get the silent treatment if any of your beliefs contradict theirs and I am not talking about major doctrinal differences either but with their rules mostly. I had a member that refused to talk to me and give me an answer as to what I did wrong to deserve this silent treatment. I have found some on the pastoral staff to act the same way. There is definitely something very odd about Scudder, but he would be too proud to admit it anyways.

The following information is all from second hand info but from people I trust to be telling the truth and it seems to mirror what others in here have reported. I did find former members that told me that Scudder does like control and has some serious control issues. Scudder likes to be involved in their decision making and seems to get off on getting even with those family members that have left the church for not agreeing with him by having the remaining family members that attend to behave certain ways when around them.

Scudder does preach a free grace message and does take a stand against the unbiblical teaching of Lordship Salvation. I often enjoyed his messages very much and do not ever recall as one person here claimed that Scudder would wait until the camera's were off to make comments as I never seen that once but certainly do not deny the possibility. I enjoyed the music and even wished that they had us sing more hymns.

If you are near Quentin and would like to visit then please keep everyone's info in mind when you attend. I think you can attend without being sucked in to this control garbage. Just be careful when a member starts probing your beliefs and what you think about the church and if there is anything you do not agree with as this members friendliness will one day turn to the silent treatment as he/she runs to the pastor as someone did me. Honesty does not seem to be the best policy. Remember, if you go then you better say to the probing member, "I agree with everything Scudder says. I agree with all the rules. I want my whole family to attend here. I want all my kids to go to Daycare and finally to Dayspring college. I want to be Scudder's best friend and give lots of money to the church." I know that is an embellishment but having such an attitude might make your stay their more pleasant.

Is there a no star rating? He does not get any from me. Thank the good Lord that people are starting to speak up. Took several years to understand how to have a true relationship with the Lord after being manipulated and spiritually abused by this church - in my opinion - yes, cult like tendencies, salvation by faith but after that - watch out! (Satan loves to put in a little truth in the mix) - my opinion - it is a man that is so guilty of innurement - peddling gospel for private gain for him and his family. Many families have been disrupted and relationships destroyed - you follow their legalism or else (but very subtle, they have a great outward appearance). Glad thatwe can express our opinions on this public forum. Bottom line - there are several healthy churches in the surrounding area - avoid this one at all costs. Pray for the people in there. Forget the school and look up critiques for School of Tomorrow progam which they use (absolutely NO critical thinking in this program - you will get a little robot - Quentin Rd. even modifies it so little learning is done and more manipulation of young minds - not accredited by the state.

Scudder? Docters degree from India? Cost $$$

  The depravity of this man is hard to comprehend.  He is without a doubt the meanest Pastor in the Chicago area.  Scudder operates as a Cult leader and uses great degrees of pressure against his members to get them to conform or to control them. He turns on long time loyal staff members and they tend to disappear with out much explanation. He has strict standards against drinking alcohol except he was all for Congressman Phil Crane who was a heavy drinking alcoholic while he attended Scudder's Church.  He uses intimidation and claims to have friends in the FBI who spy for him. 

His own son left for a time but was lured back into the church.  Scudder beleives that if he had not gone into the minisrty he would have gone into politics and would have set his sights on the U.S. Presidency.  What an ego.  Ego is his main driving force.  He loves to go to India or such places and play the big hero.  He travels to Israel as a big shot promoting tours and is paid for that.  When the rich car dealor left the church who had been giving him a free car Scudder returned the car and the congregation was talked into buying him a new Lincoln!

He lives off the back of his minimum wage day care workers for his lage day care center.  His verse by verse preaching is full of many silly jokes and stories.  The man has a very limited education and no knowledge of Biblical languages.  He seems to be out of the IFCA again.  He only caused trouble for them and was disloyal to that organization allways being critical of it.  If you would like to be a mind numbes cultist why bother with Sun Yung Moon when "Dr." Scudder is right here in Lake County.  You could have your wife work as a Daycare slave and have your kids enrol in his Dayspring "College" where they can fill in little notebooks after listening to old cassette tapes of Scudder's reaching.  Then thay can work as his underlings.  Why go to a decent college and prepare for a career whan you can be a lacky for Scudder at poverty wages?  Most of the Evangelical TV Preachers are good, balenced men such as Dr. David Jeremiah.  Scudder is a pure ego maniac who runs people into the ground who cross him.  Why does he want to be on TV when he does not allow his member to watch TV?  Dr. Wayne Van Geldern and Frank Bumpus knew something when they banned his Quentin Road School from the Illinois Christian sports league.

My advice is to stay away from this man, don't watch his TV show and never get involved with his Quentin Road Bible Baptist Church.  Yes he has people shun those who are out of favor and the evil manipulation he attempts unbeleiveable.  He is a zero and will someday be exposed.

I went to this church for about 6 years and came to the realization that the doctor is a self-centered, arrogant, mean person. He exploitd people to further his ministry. I talked to a Christian psychologist that said he has emotional issues.

I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANY "PSYCOLOGICAL BABBLE" FROM DR. SCUDDER. BUT WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS VERSE BY VERSE TEACHING OF THE BIBLE AND THE CLEAR UNADULTERATED GOSPEL. FUNNY HOW THE TWO COULD GET MIXED UP. HATRED IN YOUR HEART WILL DO THAT.

Saying "sour grapes" is another way to stick your head in the sand and deny looking for the truth. You believe Scudder, because he told you to believe him. He will intimidate and manipulate you with psychological babble. Please wake up.

HE GIVES THE CLEAR GOSPEL AND THATS ALL I NEED TO KNOW. ALL THE REST SOUNDS LIKE SOUR GRAPES TO ME.

This man is a true phoney,his doctorate was bought in India for a small price, and he has built his empire on the backs of many who thought that they were serving the LORD. Only later to find out how mean and crude he speaks of them behind their backs. There is one judge who he can not run from, and that is our LORD. For years he paid most of them $5o a week for a 40 hour week, and then had nerve to ask the working mothers there to pay to have their own children in his preschool where most of them worked.
He is one person our government ought to investigate. If they ever do they had better pull his passport, as he probably has money stashed in numerous countries as he runs all over the world.
The people of his church fear him, oh they say they love him and how great he is, but if you get out of line you will find yourself shunned of all your church friends, and James Allen Scudder has bragged for years how he could take a child/children from the parents if the parents wanted to quit the church.(provided they were at least teenagers and willing to work for less than min.wage at his empire) oh and he also use to brag about how he could take the wives of any of the men away if they finally woke up to his nonsense, and during a 5 year period caused at least 12 divorces in his church.
He has bragged how if someone disagreed with him to come over to his house and he'd introduce them to his 44 mag pistol, the funny thing is most of the people in the church have no idea where he lives, his own board members were for a time not allowed to call him at his home to the point they had no number to call, they were instructed to call the former assistant pastor.
If there were to be an investigation, and former members were to be contacted the horror stories told although true would boggle the mind. I spoke to my new pastor about only a very few things that was done to me and my family while attending his church and he told me that while he has heard of many painful experiences others had gone thru that mine was the absolute worse he had ever heard, the thing that suprised me was what would he think if I were to tell him more of nothing but the truth, and GOD is my witness. This man is a disgrace to the ministry, and to my precious LORD and Savior. It took me years to escape his tyranny fearful of loosing my family. And years latter I still hear how he lies about me and others who have left his church.Even tho most of us have done him no harm verbably or other wise unless we are called from present members asking questions, (what am I to do lie for him, no way, I'll tell the truth even thou it often times would get back to cause me more pain.)
Oh and by the way, most if not all of his books were written by members who worked for him by listening to his recorded sermons ( and I use that term loosely) if your ever there when the T.V. camera's are off you'll hear him rant of how someone has done him wrong, or hurt his feelings. I'm sorry for having to tell all this, but this is the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me GOD. It's funny I was there a long time and never knew what the man really made wage wise, and now as I attend other churchs accross the country and see the finacial statements I'm finding all of them have every penney earned from their church disclosed. Nobody, deacon or elders or members know how much this man makes.
It was something to see him live like a king and all the while many of his church members in the earlier days were very poor, and his staff, and how he would, on a nearly dailey basis go out for a high priced lunch yell at them if he thought that they were not tithing, or if he found out that they had gotten a part time job outside of the church to support the family needs, he made them quit the part time job.
Oh once he fired a school teacher from his school and later received calls about that man's creditial's for different jobs, and this bum would black ball the man and brag about it, finally the man started working at a gas station to feed his family of 4 and was made fun of because he was now is sin for selling booze and cigarette's.
I pray for this man to see the truth and to ask our LORD forgiveness before he has to stand before GOD and answer for all the horrible things that he has done in his ministry.

Why does this man use the title "Doctor" when the degree was diven to him by the unaccredited Bible "College" meeting in the basement of his church?
The little "college" does not really offer a Doctorate. If this man is a memner of IFCA INternational why does he often make critical comments about John McArthur, who is also in IFCA International. What kind of fellowship is that? He sounds like a mean brow beater to me. I know that he runs his Quentin Road Church like a cult. This guy is a big DUD. His TV show is only on the air becasue his church has income from a huge daycare center. The TV show is a big ego trip for Big Jim.

Not, I repeat not sexy!

Great teacher

Preaches the true gospel of grace.

Always gives the clear message of salvation by grace at the end of each message.

He gives a clear gospel message.

I looked up his bio, went to his site and a dozen search engines and can not find a Doctorant. You don't thank maybe he made up one or bought one or maybe found one some where ??? It seems about 2001 or so his books started having the title DR in it. hmmmm

Great grace teacher. I have just started watching him and he explains salvation in a very clear way and teaches the bible verse by verse.

this man is a phoney,he is a CULT leader,he has a private jet,several homes etc. He works his people for next to nothing to supply his lifestyle with the money he uses.

I don't know all that James Scudder is doing in his ministry, but I do know that he is standing for salvation by grace ALONE through faith ALONE. And Scudder is taking a bold stand against a dangerous and subtle threat to the gospel that Satan has cleverly snuck into today's churches and TV ministries to confuse people as to how people become saved: 1) Schudder has boldly stood against this man-conceived, Lordship Salvation that is chiefly promoted by John MacArthur. The Bible says that we are saved simply accepting by faith that the Lord Jesus Christ has saved us. Yet, the Lordship Salvationists insist that you must ALSO make Christ Lord of your life. Making Christ Lord of your life should be the goal of every believer as a person grows in the Lord, but it is NOT a condition for salvation because this is adding you own works, efforts, and good intentions to what Christ has fully accomplished at Calvary FOR you. You cannot add anything of yourself in order to be saved; all you can do reach out by faith and take the gift of eternal life that Christ offers you. This is NOT what is referred to as easy believism (which the Lordship Salvationists see as the big problem)--which is mere intellectual ascent to Christ dying to save sinners. Instead, true saving faith is believing that YOU are saved by what Christ has done for you on the cross. Believing should be easy and not difficult. In fact, it should be the greatest joy of life when you believe the good news that you are eternally saved through Christ.