NewSpring Church (Perry Noble, post-2016)
South Carolina-based evangelical megachurch. Founder Perry Noble fired 2016 for alcohol abuse and conduct issues; church continues with reformed governance.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — South Carolina megachurch; founder Perry Noble fired 2016 for alcohol abuse and behavioural issues.
Profile facts
In context
NewSpring grew under Noble's leadership to be one of the largest US Southern Baptist Convention churches. The 2016 board firing of Noble for alcohol abuse demonstrated meaningful elder accountability rare in megachurch contexts. Continues post-Noble.
Recovery resources
- Tears of Eden — Christian spiritual-abuse-survivor support and clinician referral.
- Recovering Grace — Originally IBLP-focused; archive includes broader fundamentalist Christian high-control material.
- Reclamation Collective — Religious-trauma-aware therapist network; relevant for post-exit identity-rebuilding.
- ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — General referral and cult-aware therapist directory.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation; BITE-model resources and family-side exit guidance.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Evidence by BITE axis
- Founder fired for alcohol abuse and conduct
- founder Perry Noble fired 2016 for alcohol abuse and behavioural issues
Timeline
- 2000NewSpring founded by Noble
- 2016Noble fired by board
Sources
- Christianity Today coverage search ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗ runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch J corrective: Moderate-band (CLCI 20) entry upgraded from Mainstream-comparator lighter palette to Christian high-control palette — Batch J's clci<21 fallthrough was too lean for the documented control vector of this category.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch J: per-group recovery resources applied via programmatic palette (closest-fit by category + subCategory + score). Palette: Mainstream-comparator lighter.
- 2026-05-20Source-density flags derived from existing free-text sources[]: investigative journalism. Heuristic auto-flag; subsequent editorial pass will populate structuredSources[] with reliability tiers.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
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Frequently asked questions
Q.Is NewSpring Church a cult?
CLCI Hub deliberately avoids the binary label "cult." Instead it places groups on a transparent 0–40 spectrum of documented control using Steven Hassan's BITE model (Behaviour, Information, Thought, Emotional). NewSpring Church scores 20 out of 40 — "Moderate Control", at medium confidence. The score describes documented control patterns, not a judgement of members' sincerity or beliefs; many members do not personally experience the patterns listed.
Q.What is NewSpring Church's CLCI score?
NewSpring Church scores 20 out of 40 on the Cult-Like Control Index, which falls in the "Moderate" band. That total is the sum of four BITE axes — Behaviour 5, Information 5, Thought 5, Emotional 5 — plus a signed modifier of +0 for aggravating or mitigating factors.
Q.Why does NewSpring Church score 20 on the CLCI?
The score reflects publicly documented patterns including: Founder fired for alcohol abuse and conduct. These map onto the BITE axes of behaviour, information, thought, and emotional control, and a signed modifier of +0 is applied for factors such as financial demands, leadership accountability, and exit costs. Every claim is backed by the citations in the Sources section on this page.
Q.How reliable is the NewSpring Church rating?
This profile is rated Medium confidence. Medium confidence means the score rests on reputable journalism plus consistent ex-member testimony. CLCI scores are not fixed — they are revised whenever new public evidence appears, and groups that reform can score lower over time.
Q.Where can I get help regarding NewSpring Church?
If you or someone you care about is affected by NewSpring Church, start with the Recovery resources listed on this page. General cult-aware support is available from the International Cultic Studies Association (icsahome.com) and the Freedom of Mind Resource Center (freedomofmind.com). CLCI Hub is an educational resource, not a crisis service — if anyone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Found something wrong on this profile?
We accept correction requests from anyone — current and former members, researchers, journalists, family members, and the listed organisation. Submissions are reviewed by an editor; we do not auto-publish.