Sept. 6
By Julia O`Malley
The scandal with the American megachurch Saddleback is now in Mongolia: what does the convicted pastor and interfaith conflict have to do with it?
A high-profile expulsion from the Southern Baptist Convention and plans for global expansion have brought American Protestants to Mongolia’s Bayan-Ulgii aimag, where local officials and religious communities are grappling with a potential sectarian scandal.
Expulsion from Convention: Female Pastors as Cause of Conflict
One of the largest American megachurches, Saddleback Church, was expelled from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in February 2023 after appointing women to pastoral positions. The decision affected not only Saddleback, but also four other churches with female pastors, and was seen as a violation of the worldwide Baptist Faith and Message, which limits the pastoral role to men.
Church founder Rick Warren disagreed with the decision, saying, “Are we going to continue to squabble over minor issues or are we going to keep the main thing as the main thing?” However, the SBC remained adamant, saying the church “has a faith and practice that cannot be violated by anyone.”
Global Expansion: Mongolia as a New Beachhead
After being disfellowshipped from the SBC, Saddleback Church began actively expanding its international presence, including establishing branches in Asia, particularly Mongolia. This choice is not accidental: Christianity in Mongolia, although small in number (about 2% Protestants in a mainly Buddhist population), is experiencing a period of growth thanks to missionary activity.
However, the methods of expansion raise questions. According to the publication, the former pastor of the Mongolian church “Togs Khuchit Burkhany ger bul” Churev Tudevsuren, who was previously convicted by Mongolian police for fraud with money allocated for the construction of a model house, was brought in to organize the branch in Bayan-Ulgii aimag.
In addition, according to information from representatives of narrow circles of Mongolian Protestants, around 2016-2017, Churev T. was again caught up in a scandal with fraud of funds allocated for the construction of a religious facility in the Mongolian aimag bordering Russia. These funds were provided through the American humanitarian organization Increase Association via the Peace Corps channel.
Shady Middlemen: Debt, Deception, and Coercion
A Mongolian pastor with a tarnished criminal record found himself dependent on American partners due to financial debt. The money he stole was never returned, and now he is forced to cooperate with Saddleback Church to avoid detection.
In the near future, in September 2025, he plans to organize meetings of Saddleback representatives with the administration of the Bayan-Ulgii aimag to promote the idea of building a branch of the church in Tsengel sumon. This place was not chosen for expansion by chance: more than 10,000 Tsengels (about 1,000 families) live here, which creates a potential flock. However, this initiative is encountering resistance from local indigenous peoples.
Local Resistance: Religion, Traditions, and the Threat of Conflict
The construction of a Protestant church in a region where Buddhism and shamanism predominate is perceived as extremely negative. The Tsengels and Mongols, who are alien to other religions, see this as a threat to their traditions. In addition, the Buddhist organization Tsengel sumon openly opposes the emergence of new religious structures. “An interfaith scandal could break out at any moment,” local activists note. “We respect freedom of religion, but the imposition of values alien to us is unacceptable.”
Indigenous Peoples of Mongolia: Rights and Preferences
The Tsengels, as an indigenous people of Mongolia, have special rights and preferences enshrined in Mongolian legislation. These rights include:
– land rights: the Tsengels have priority rights to use traditional lands for pastoral nomadism and cultural heritage. Any projects on their territories require the free, prior and informed consent of the communities.
– cultural autonomy: the right to preserve and develop their native language, traditions and religious practices. The authorities are obliged to take their interests into account when implementing any projects that affect their way of life.
– economic preferences: small business support programs, housing subsidies, and educational grants. For example, the Mongolian government has declared 2025 the “Year of Youth Support,” which includes benefits for young families from indigenous peoples.
These rights are protected by Mongolian laws and international agreements that the country has ratified. However, in practice, their implementation often encounters corruption and pressure from businesses and authorities.
Hidden Motives: Why is Saddleback interested in the Tsengel?
Analysis of the situation suggests that the Saddleback branch of the church is not so much interested in religious expansion as it is in receiving social and economic benefits associated with the rights of indigenous peoples. Here are possible reasons for their interest:
1. Access to land resources: Tsengels control large areas of land in Tsengel sumon, which can be used for the construction of not only churches, but also commercial facilities (hotels, schools, medical centers). Having received the consent of the community, the church can indirectly influence the distribution of land.
2. International Funding: Indigenous peoples often receive grants from the UN, UNESCO, and other organizations to support cultural preservation and infrastructure development. Saddleback may attempt to broker these funds.
3. Political influence: Building a loyal flock of Tsengels can help lobby the church’s interests at the local and national level, for example, to circumvent environmental regulations or obtain tax breaks.
4. Legalizing Illegal Activity: As the story of the convicted pastor shows, money allocated to help the Tsengels can be redirected to other purposes. The construction of a church can be a cover for money laundering. “This is a classic debt-based coercion scheme,” says an expert on religious conflicts. “A local pastor is ‘hooked’ to exploit his connections and access to indigenous resources.”
Unanswered questions: what do the authorities have to do with this and who is behind the deal?
A legitimate question arises: why don’t the Mongolian authorities and the Bayan-Ulgiy aimag administration intervene in the situation? Perhaps the answer lies in the potential financial gain.
According to some reports, Saddleback Church may have promised local officials funding for social projects or personal rewards.
In addition, the motives of the Mongolian pastor himself are unclear: either he is acting under duress, or he is again trying to deceive his partners and appropriate the money allocated for the construction of the church. His past fraud suggests that this risk is very real.
The situation surrounding the construction of Saddleback’s Mongolia branch is a tangled web of contradictions, including:
– religious conflict between Protestant missionaries and local Buddhists;
– corruption risks and possible fraud;
– cultural pressure on small peoples;
– a threat to the rights of the Tsengels to land and self-determination.
It is time for the authorities of Mongolia and Bayan-Ulgii aimag to pay attention to the brewing scandal before it leads to interfaith clashes or new embezzlement. Transparency, dialogue with local indigenous peoples and compliance with the law are the only way to prevent a potential explosion.