April 1, 2026 (Tehachapi, CA) In 2024, my family first informed Jeff Kaplan and others in leadership of our calling from God to leave Shepherd of the Hills in Tehachapi, CA.
At this time, I realized I had not submitted reimbursement requests for Church expenses in over a year. I was owed over $9,000, but out of goodwill, I decided to forfeit the majority of the amount and only claim a little over $5,400.
I made this reimbursement request in August 2024. This is where the retaliation starts.
I was ignored. Given vague reasons. Endured my faith being called into question from Dave Gilliam. Inappropriate messages were sent to me by David Gilliam at 11:00 PM and after midnight. I was also outright denied.
Rather than just paying what was owed to me, Dave Gilliam demanded account passwords and login credentials. I gave them to him, and he began locking me out of some of my accounts, and then continued to charge my personal credit card for Church expenses while I was locked out.
That is theft.
I still have had no response, acknowledgment, or even an apology from Dave Gilliam or the Elder Board of Shepherd of the Hills. I have no other option but conclude this was 100% intentional.
Jeff Kaplan told me a payment plan would be submitted by “the end of the month” in October 2024. It did not happen.
On October 28th, 2024, I sent a formal notice to the Elder Board (this can be found in the images above). In that notice, I provided Scripture that contradicts their actions, harming their own flock, breaking their word, and rejecting God’s commands. I demanded that they immediately stop using my personal information and credit card to cover their expenses, and that they fulfill their financial obligations.
To date: No apology. No payment. No acknowledgment.
Shepherd of the Hills Church has had the pleasure of enjoying and benefiting from those expenses, on my family’s financial detriment. The Elder Board has still not paid me, despite in 2024 going back-and-forth with the Elder board for four months.
I submitted reimbursements for almost a decade, and not once did I have a problem. Some took longer than six months to pay out.
What is different this time? We left the Church.
I do, in fact, believe this was intentional, and that it was retaliation.
“People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13 (NLT)