May 24 2013

Just like that: T4G Statement of Support for Mahaney is Removed!!

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UPDATE  AT BOTTOM OF POST!!****

This morning, I started to add a new comment to the Together for the Gospel statement released on Facebook yesterday and noticed the comment number decreasing.  When I refreshed the screen, the whole thing was GONE!  Zilch, Nada!

I’d love to be a bug on the wall and see the exchange of e-mails and phone calls this morning after that happened.  Maybe something like this:

CJ Defender #1:  Hey bro, T4G removed their statement, whatcha going to do now?  Are you going to say something publicly?  Should we remove our blog articles in support of the statement?  I mean, if we keep ours up, that’s confusing, ya know, man? I just don’t know the right thing to do.  What does it look like to have our blog articles posted in support of the statement if the T4G statement is gone, ya know?

CJ Defender #2:  I know, right?  I don’t know, brother, I need to pray about this.

But seriously – what is Denny Burk going to do about this (screen shot taken from his blog in support of the T4G statement)?  Read his last statement.

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So, first I saw removal of comments = silencing dissenters

Then the whole statement was removed = damage control

Those of you who have read here long enough surely recognize those as signs that high-controlling pastors use which sometimes cross into abuse.  We as a collective church are asking those collective leaders for accountability and they are saying a collective “NO” to us.  That is bold and brazen to do on a public stage.  That’s fine with me, because there are many, including me, who will continue to expose this.

I think this is the wheat separating from the chaff right before our eyes.  God is cleaning His church. We must not be silent.  We must keep pressing in.  It’s time to turn over the tables in the complacent Church of Abuse that has continued for far too long.

I’m sure this post will be updated with related blog posts, screen shots, who knows.   So be sure to check back to see what is new.

Here is the original statement:

Together for the Gospel

STATEMENT FROM MARK DEVER, LIGON DUNCAN, and ALBERT MOHLERMay 23, 2013We are friends who have been brought together for the gospel. Over the last several months, we have wanted to speak publicly to the issues that have related to our friend C. J. Mahaney. A Maryland judge’s recent action to dismiss a lawsuit against Sovereign Grace Ministries offers us the first opportunity, and responsibility, to speak to this issue. We could not speak to the issues involved so long as they were raised only in the context of an action in the civil courts. We have never made a public comment with regard to claims and counter-claims in a civil lawsuit, and we will not violate that principle now.Claims presented in a civil lawsuit seeking financial compensation are beyond the ability of the public to render judgment. Often, such claims are even beyond the ability of a court to deliberate. To comment on such claims is irresponsible, since no one apart from the court and the parties directly involved has any ability to evaluate the claims presented. If the filing of civil litigation against a Christian ministry or leader is in itself reason for separation and a rush to judgment, no ministry or minister is safe from destruction at any time. Furthermore, the effort to try such a case in the court of public opinion prior to any decision rendered by an authorized court is likewise irresponsible.We have stood beside our friend, C. J. Mahaney, and we can speak to his personal integrity. We can make no judgment as to the truthfulness of the horrifying charges of sexual abuse made against some individuals who have been connected, in some way, to Sovereign Grace Ministries and its churches. Our hearts must go out to anyone, and especially to any child, who suffers abuse at the hand of anyone. In such a case the legal authorities must use the full power of the law to investigate and to prosecute any perpetrator of such crimes. We must take any responsible action to protect the vulnerable, and we must act immediately to inform legal authorities of any charge or claim of sexual abuse, and do so without delay. Our first response must be to call the police, to act to protect the child or young person, and then to proceed to biblical church discipline when the facts demand such a response.If a Christian leader is accused of any wrongdoing, those to whom he is accountable must investigate the charges and then deal responsibly with the evidence. If a criminal accusation is made, Christians have a fundamental duty to inform law enforcement officials. This does not, however, preclude or mitigate the church’s responsibility for biblical church discipline.A Christian leader, charged with any credible, serious, and direct wrongdoing, would usually be well advised to step down from public ministry. No such accusation of direct wrongdoing was ever made against C. J. Mahaney. Instead, he was charged with founding a ministry and for teaching doctrines and principles that are held to be true by vast millions of American evangelicals. For this reason, we, along with many others, refused to step away from C. J. in any way. We do not regret that decision. We are profoundly thankful for C. J. as friend, and we are equally thankful for the vast influence for good he has been among so many Gospel-minded people.Our heart goes out to anyone who has ever suffered abuse of any kind. Our emphatic encouragement would be for anyone who has ever suffered such abuse or knows of anyone made vulnerable to such abuse to contact law enforcement officials without delay. We must then allow the law enforcement agencies and the courts to do their proper work. When criminal charges are filed, the public is then presented with evidence upon which it can draw a responsible judgment. On matters of protecting the vulnerable, Christians know what judgment must be made. We side with the victims.

Our hope and prayer is that Christ’s healing and health will come to all parties involved in this matter and that justice and righteousness will prevail for all. May every true victim of any injustice be vindicated. May every doer of wrong be exposed. And may all of us speak no further than we can responsibly speak.

Those who minister in the name of the Lord Christ bear an inescapable duty to live and to minister in a way that is above reproach. Those who teach, reminds James, will face a stricter judgment. [James 3:1] May everything we do, everything we teach, and all that we are be measured against that standard.

Together for the Gospel,

Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, Albert Mohler

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****** Evidently, TG4 removed the statement from their Facebook page and then posted it on their main website.  I had been checking the TG4 site several times and it was not there before (when there were 50+ comments on the Facebook page).   When they moved it to their site, all of the Facebook comments were entirely scrubbed.  Also, please note, they do not allow comments there.  (No-Talk Rule)

Bill Kinnon provided two captures with many of the comments from Together for the Gospel Facebook page: here and here.

Related articles:

May 23 2013

Mohler, Dever, and Duncan break their silence and release statement in support of C.J. Mahaney

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Lawsuit Against Sovereign Grace Ministries: Failure to Report Sex Abuse

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Notice the date of that tweet?  October 17, 2012 right about the time the lawsuit came out. After all of this silence, they now speak.  I am issuing a trigger alert. This may produce strong negative emotional or physical responses.

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Responses to Lawsuit Filed against Sovereign Grace Ministries

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Albert Mohler, Mark Dever, and Ligon Duncan released a statement  just minutes ago to show public support for C.J. Mahaney.

The statement can be found in its entirety here.   Below are a few excerpts:

We have stood beside our friend, C. J. Mahaney, and we can speak to his personal integrity. We can make no judgment as to the truthfulness of the horrifying charges of sexual abuse made against some individuals who have been connected, in some way, to Sovereign Grace Ministries and its churches.  . . .

If a Christian leader is accused of any wrongdoing, those to whom he is accountable must investigate the charges and then deal responsibly with the evidence. If a criminal accusation is made, Christians have a fundamental duty to inform law enforcement officials. This does not, however, preclude or mitigate the church’s responsibility for biblical church discipline. . . . .

A Christian leader, charged with any credible, serious, and direct wrongdoing, would usually be well advised to step down from public ministry. No such accusation of direct wrongdoing was ever made against C. J. Mahaney. Instead, he was charged with founding a ministry and for teaching doctrines and principles that are held to be true by vast millions of American evangelicals. For this reason, we, along with many others, refused to step away from C. J. in any way. We do not regret that decision. We are profoundly thankful for C. J. as friend, and we are equally thankful for the vast influence for good he has been among so many Gospel-minded people.

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I am going to keep track of other public Christian leaders who have publicly endorsed this statement. Please let me know if you see others.  I’m sure others will jump on the bandwagon:

Denny Burk posted on his blog:  ”I am so thankful to see these men release this statement. Consider this my cosign. “

Don Carson, Kevin DeYoung and Justin Taylor release their own statement of support.

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Let’s move on to more important matters.  While Mohler, Dever, and Duncan seem pretty confident of their friend’s innocence, criminal investigations are ongoing.   I have been in contact with several of the victims over these past months.  I believe them 100%.  I have no doubt that they are telling the truth.  But in order for this case to succeed, it is important that the attorneys have as much information as possible.  If you have been physically or sexually violated or have any information related to this case, I would like to personally urge you to contact Attorney Burke.   Your information is valuable to the case.   Here is an important note from Brent Detwiler, including important contact information:

An Appeal for Evidence – Contact Information

There are criminal investigations going on related to the crimes alleged in The Second Amended Complaint against Sovereign Grace Ministries and other Defendants. They range from obstruction of justice to rape.

The on-going collection of evidence is vital in the prosecution of each case. Please contact Detective Sally Magee of the Family Crimes Division at the Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland at 240-773-5400 with information. She can also be emailed at sally.magee@montgomerycountymd.gov. She is heading up the investigation in that jurisdiction but can provide contact information for other jurisdictions.

The Plaintiffs’ lawyers should also be contacted with additional evidence as soon as possible.

Susan L. Burke BURKE PLLC 1000 Potomac Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20007-1105 (202) 386-9622 sburke@burkepllc.com

William T. O’Neil THE O’NEIL GROUP LLC 7500 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 1375 Bethesda, MD 20814 (202) 684-7140 woneil@oneilgroupllc.com

I realize there are additional victims and witnesses who are undecided about coming forward for a wide range of reasons (e.g., finances, time off, peer pressure, fear of retaliation, etc.). Please don’t be deterred by these obstacles. You may suffer but your action will please God and serve the good of others.

One final comment. I know a few victims no longer confess the Christian faith. It is still so important for you to speak up and get your voice back. If you remain silent these predators will not stop. Please take a stand. These abusers need to be removed from their homes, neighborhoods and churches. You can play a big part in making sure that happens.Speaking up will also help you find some closure. Silence suffocates. I know. I remained silent about other forms of abuse in SGM for too long. It eats at you. There is freedom in doing what’s right. You’ll be at greater peace knowing you have stopped evil.

No one has asked or prompted me to put out this appeal for evidence.

Thank you,
Brent
May 21, 2013
 
 
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Bravo to Boz Tchividjian for his passionate response on Facebook.  I took a screen shot just in case it mysteriously disappears.
 
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Related links:
 
May 22 2013

What Do Victims of Natural Disasters Need? A Survivor Shares

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Jesus wept.  
John 11:35
 

Yesterday, I got ten times mores hits on my blog than usual  -  all because of someone’s tweet – - someone who should know better – but who said something so shocking that people came to see the tweet for themselves  (the tweet had later been deleted).  Quite a few people came to defend John Piper here.  They told us we weren’t reading it in context.  Others mentioned we are calling Piper, “Satan in disguise”, “truthfully hateful”, that the comments were a “blog stoning.”  Wow. We were being uncharitable. One person told me on another blog that those who interpreted his message in an uncharitable way should repent and apologize to Piper.  I don’t think so.

small__513980899A large majority of Piper’s defenders on my blog and other blogs backed him up because they believed his message in Job – - that the message was the right one and one that the victims really needed to hear.  It was the truth and God’s Word is where we should turn to amidst tragedies.  But somewhere in all of that, there was a huge disconnect.   The message caused hurt feelings.   It was not comforting.

Who gets to decide what victims need to hear, Piper and his defenders?  Why do they get to decide that their agenda, method of offering help is the right one?   I even read comments like, “yes, Job’s message is the hard truth.”  Really?  What is that!?  Is this the time to shove theology down someone’s throat?  If their godly truth comment is going to hit a brick wall, what use is it?

I remember a time when someone told me the hard truth.  I was 6 weeks pregnant and started bleeding.  I went to the Naval clinic and the medic confirmed my worst nightmare  - that I was in the process of miscarrying the baby.  The words that the medic said have never left me some 20 years later. He told me I was having a “spontaneous abortion.”  I could hardly understand what he was saying because my brain was thinking “baby” and why was this dude talking about “abortions?”  I wasn’t thinking of having an abortion.  I wanted a baby.  In my emotional state, I forgot for a split second that the medical term for miscarriage was “spontaneous abortion.”   I said, “spontaneous abortion?”  And he replied, “Yes, the baby died.”  Finally my brain caught up to him.  And I cried. . . . .   My baby had really died?   . . . . . As in no more baby?   . . . . .Gone?  Just like that?  . . . . . .  That’s it?  . . . . There’s nothing he could do?  My head was spinning.

He told me the truth, but it didn’t register.  And when it finally did register, there was no compassion.  It was just hard and difficult truth – unbearable truth – truth that left me reeling. I felt completely alone even though there was a live, breathing person standing right next to me.  How can that be?  Because of no compassion.

A pastor’s job is to tell the truth and to have compassion.  They are to model their life after Christ.  Christ met people where they were, in their pain, and dealt with their most pressing needs first before anything else:  Compassion with Shoes On

Many of you are aware that Rick Warren’s adult son recently committed suicide.  Rick has been brutally transparent with his feelings on Twitter.  His honesty has been very frank.  Look at the tweet.  It hadn’t posted 20 minutes and  already had 462 retweets and 303 favorites.  He really understands pain as he is walking through the grieving process.  He knows what works and what doesn’t work.  We can learn much from this tweet:

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Yesterday, we had the opportunity to learn from someone else.  Mandy commented that she had experienced a devastating tornado, Hurricane Ike.  Many people don’t hang around to read comments and I feel that Mandy’s comments deserved to be put in a post.  Let’s learn from Mandy, someone who knows, how to really help victims of natural disasters.

Just out of curiosity… How many of y’all have personally been through a natural disaster and lost your home, your belongings, your community, your life as you know it?

I have. I lost my family home to Hurricane Ike. To someone who is deep in the midst of the trauma of a natural disaster, Piper’s first tweet is a slap in the face. I don’t care what his intention was or his background or the overall message of Job. To quote Job 1:19 in these circumstances was just plain wrong. I know that everyone here upholds the basic command of “respect the victim” when it comes to those who have experienced any type of abuse, whether its spiritual, physical, emotional or sexual in nature. We need to extend that command to ALL victims, including those who have been affected by natural disasters. Please speak words of comfort, of solace, of love, of compassion to us. Now is not the time for deep theological discussions. Now is not the time to find ways to defend men whose messages hurt the victims. Now IS the time to ask “How can I help? What do you need? How may I best support you and your community? May I buy gift cards for your family?”

Please everyone stop your in-fighting. Your spiritual leaders should be pouring out love and compassion- demand it of them. Now is the perfect time to live out Mark 12:31 “Love your neighbor as yourself”.

Here is another comment:

JoeJoe and Jeff Brown, thank you. You get it. I am dealing with a lot of flashbacks right now and that tweet does not help. It surely does not help those who are in the middle of the destruction. If Piper had wanted to reference the entire book of Job, he should have. To quote just that verse was incredibly hurtful and the wrong thing to do.

I am begging all of you out there, please put yourselves in the places of those affected. Look at it from their perspective. Then ask yourselves, what is the appropriate response? How will my words and my actions be viewed by the victims? If there is the potential that any words or actions may hurt someone, find another way to express yourself. I have been the person sitting by my computer, watching the images of my devastated hometown, hoping against hope that things are okay. I have been the person searching the lists of the missing and hoping my friends and loved ones are safe. I have driven through an entire missing neighborhood and I have cried at the devastation. I have done all of this with the cruel words of strangers playing through my head, reminding me over and over that they possess some supernatural knowledge of God’s role in the tragedy and the cause of it. I know what its like to grieve with your neighbors, to beg insurance companies for assistance and be denied. And all the while my church home in college couldn’t be bothered to help beyond finding a Bible to replace the one my brother lost. That was the thing that hurt the most – the lack of love shown by my fellow believers.

This comment was so good:

Julie Anne, thank you. You get it. So many people don’t. So many times I was told by fellow believers “You need to smile more. God doesn’t like it when you frown. You still have your family and your health (which is a huge lie – everybody knew that my body was in bad shape). You shouldn’t be upset- it’s just material things. Don’t worry about it – everything will work out. As long as God is glorified, nothing else matters.”  The list goes on. What people need to understand is that you cannot tell someone in this situation not to worry about things. You cannot force them to smile. You cannot offer vague promises that things will eventually get better. You cannot offer random Bible verses with a prolonged explanation of how it applies to the situation. You can hug them. You can listen. You can actively help them by meeting practical needs. Meet them where they are and love them where they are. Remind them that Jesus cried too and there is no shame in it. Walk through the stages of grief but don’t rush it. If need be, suggest professional counseling. Let them tell their stories as often as it takes until they can do so with peace.

There was one couple who taught me about a gracious response in the face of tragedy. My professor and mentor, Dr. B., asked me to share my story with him and his wife. They listened and asked questions and looked at the pictures of the devastation. They told me to stop listening to my church friends and leaders and that it was okay not to smile. It was okay to be mad at God. It was okay to ask Him the hard questions. And it was okay to still love Him even when I had lost everything. I poured out my entire story to them, even told how I couldn’t afford to buy food and necessities for my family cats now that they were living with me. When I got back to my apartment later that day I found 100 pounds of cat food and 100 pounds of cat litter on my doorstep with a note that said “Never forget how strong you are. We love you. -The B Family”. I broke down and cried for hours. For once the burden was lifted off my shoulders. I no longer had to live up to lofty standards set by my religious community. I didn’t have to search for hidden meanings in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy. And I didn’t have to skip buying groceries for myself to feed my cats.

There are some here who are so intent on defending Mr. Piper that they have forgotten that his words still hurt victims. Please learn from my story and focus more on ways you can show love to those who were affected. Never let a focus on theology or doctrine distract you from the need to simply love your neighbor. It might help to read Pastor Wade Burleson’s blog post on this subject.

*Julie Anne, I’m sorry for writing such long comments here. I hope I haven’t taken over your blog. :)

No, Mandy, thank YOU.  I think you taught us a thing or two.  Now may we be better ambassadors for Christ and truly love others in the midst of tragedy.

By the way, I encourage my readers to read Wade Burleson’s excellent article Mandy mentioned.  He’s there in Oklahoma and his church is being the hands and feet of Christ right now.  God bless them!

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Related article:

May 21 2013

Driscoll’s Church Offers Lead Pastor Residency Program – Hurry! Expires Soon!

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I owe you an apology, my dear readers.  A friend e-mailed this to me and I had meant to get it posted earlier, but the deadline is nearly here.  This will be short and sweet.   I don’t want anybody (men, that is) to miss out.  Look what Mars Hill is offering you:

DO YOU FEEL CALLED TO BE A LEAD PASTOR AT A MARS HILL CHURCH?

Mars Hill Church’s Lead Pastor Residency Program equips you with the necessary knowledge and skills to be a Mars Hill lead pastor. The program is designed for men who have a track record in leading and developing leaders and who feel called to the mission of planting more Mars Hill churches. We’re seeking a diverse group of men from various backgrounds who love Jesus. If you feel like this could be you, then we would love for you to apply.

Applications are available through Tuesday, May 21st.
Click here to learn more and apply.

Wouldn’t someone like to be a lead pastor at Mars Hill?  To learn from Mark Driscoll or Mark Driscoll wannabes?  To see how this church/organization is really run?

I will allow you to write guest posts on this blog.  As an insider, you can show us how pastors really treat their wives, how they manage the congregants,  how to cuss like Driscoll, how they do church discipline, get the real scoop on church membership.   Maybe you will get special training and insight in how Driscoll can see people’s prior sex lives, activities, and thoughts.

Time is short.  This offer is only available through May 21, 2013.  West Coast people still have time – less than 2 hours.  Hurry!  And be sure to let me know if you get accepted.  I’ll have my attorney work up a contract for you to write guest posts.

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But wait . . . there’s more.  Imagine being able to do this:

Click the link now.  Before it’s too late:   This offer is only available through May 21, 2013

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May 21 2013

John Piper’s Tweet During Devastating Twister Aftermath

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So, I’m minding my own business catching up on the latest Twitter news and it is filled with tweets about the devastating aftermath of the Twister in Oklahoma that as of this posting has 20 confirmed deaths and 145 people hospitalized.  People are still being pulled from the rubble.  These are the types of tweets I am reading:

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But then I see this:

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And I wonder is this love?   

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Related links:

May 20 2013

The Legal “Perfect Storm” for Enabling Sex Abuse

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First things first  - I have seen several news reports wrongly report that Judge Burrell recently dismissed the Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM) lawsuit.  That is not true.  I contacted Attorney Susan Burke to make sure I was understanding it correctly and asked if she could send me a statement and she did:

“The case remains pending for two plaintiffs against Maryland defendants. The court dismissed all Virginia defendants.”
~Attorney Susan Burke, May 19, 2013

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The Legal Perfect Storm for Enabling Sex Abuse

Covering sex abuse cases in churches this last year, including the sex abuse case in my own former church, I’ve noticed “The Perfect Storm” happening time and again.  This Perfect Storm has allowed pedophiles to get away with their crimes and continue their path of destruction and destroy innocent lives.

In the recent Sovereign Grace Ministries lawsuit case, we heard the court rule that the case was mostly dismissed because of a “technicality.”  Yea, right.  Try saying “technicality” to a victim who has had to deal with years of therapy, may have PTSD, flashbacks, challenges in relationships, difficulty trusting, etc.  ”Technicality” is just a simple word, but it’s a behemoth to those affected by it.

What is that technicality?  In this case, it is the Statute of Limitations (SOL).

A statute of limitations (or SOL), simply, is the maximum amount of time one has to bring a lawsuit from the time of the injury or other ground for a lawsuit. (Source)

It is common knowledge  that one of the ways in which abuse victims are able to survive their horrific ordeal is by using a number of defense mechanisms.  Sometimes, it takes years recollect the painful memories because they are put on the back burner.  Eventually, though, the memories surface.

It takes a very strong person to get to the point where they want to actually do something about the abuse – - to get help, to report it.  But the SOLs can interfere with this process for abuse victims.  Sometimes, these painful memories resurface far past the SOL timeframe. When this happens, there is no justice for the survivor and the perpetrator suffers no consequence, will not serve time as a sex offender, will not be named on a sex offender registry, they are completely free to live their life and possibly re-victimize.  This is unacceptable.

Attorney Marci Hamilton is a champion for bringing awareness to these statutes/laws in our nation which must be reformed  to protect our children.  If you follow her on Twitter, you will see she is sounding the bullhorn daily to get laws changed and raise awareness.  Here is part of a report Ms. Hamilton presented on March 10, 2013 to The Members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly:

For over twenty years, I have been a full-time faculty member at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, New York, NY, where I currently hold the title of Paul R. Verkuil Chair in Public Law. My book, Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect Its Children (Cambridge University Press 2008, 2012), and website, http://www.sol-reform.com are leading resources in the field of legislation to protect child sex abuse victims. As an expert in this arena—who has researched, written, and testified regarding the inadequacy of the current statutes of limitations to deal with child sex abuse in many states, and abroad—I feel compelled to write an explanation as to why amending and extending the Pennsylvania statutes of limitations for child sex abuse is the only path to protecting our children.

The report included arguments we hear regarding statutes of limitations.  Here’s a common argument that is often heard:

Argument 7: Some are concerned about the potential for false claims.

Answer 7: Victims of child sex abuse rarely make false claims, as we learned in California and Delaware, where windows already opened and closed. In California, there were approximately 5 total false claims out of the 850 against the Catholic Church, which means false claims in the area of child sex abuse are statistically insignificant. In addition, numerous scientific studies have established that children rarely make up child sex abuse. (Source)

You can see the SOL statutes in your state as well as information on what you can do to get involved in these reforms at Marci’s site:  SOL-Reform.com.

In the recent Sovereign Grace Ministries court ruling, 9 of the 11 defendants were dismissed because of the “technicality” of statute of limitations.  Below you will find the SOL statutes for the state of Maryland.  The first bullet was applicable in the recent ruling because it is a civil case.  But go to the bottom of the screen shot and look at the statute of limitations for criminal felonies.  While some of the defendants may be pleased and have a sense of relief with the recent ruling, once they see this, they might be shaking in their boots knowing there are current and ongoing criminal investigations.  This ain’t over yet, folks.

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Source

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Ok, so the Statute of Limitations is one part of The Perfect Storm.  The other part is Mandatory Reporting laws.  We have discussed this issue here:  Mandatory Reporting Laws for Clergy: Loopholes for Abuse and  Judge Refuses to Drop Charges in Oklahoma Failure to Report Case. If this SGM case had occurred in Oklahoma, pastors could have been charged and served time for failure to report.   Sovereign Grace Ministries pastors allegedly failed to report sex crimes to civil authorities.

Many states across the nation have a clergy exemption in the mandatory reporting laws.  My question to this is WHY?  When it comes to protecting defenseless children, clergy must be required to report it.  Just because someone is reported does NOT mean that someone will be arrested.  But let’s let the system work and assess the risk.  Pastors MUST report criminal activity to civil authorities.  They can deal with the spiritual aspect with the perpetrator after the civil authorities have done their investigations.

It’s important to realize what happened at Sovereign Grace Ministries churches and learn from these mistakes.  In the SGM cases, we know that pastors and church leaders felt they needed to deal with sin and reconciliation instead of reporting.  This was wrong.  If pastors realize they will go to prison for failing to report, they will be compelled by threat of the law to do so and deal with the sin/reconciliation issues after civil authorities have done their job.

Marci Hamilton was interviewed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper regarding this perfect storm.   It is very brief and so good.  Tell me if this doesn’t get you fired up.  Start blowing the bullhorn, people.  This is where you can get involved and I hope you do.

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May 18 2013

Sovereign Grace Ministries Lawsuit Whirlwind Recap

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This Sovereign Grace Ministries lawsuit has been said to be the largest of its kind in evangelical churches in the last century.  People need to be paying attention.    The lawsuit came as a result of people sharing their stories on survivor blogs,  eventually connecting, and taking action with an attorney.  Blogger, Micah Murray got it right when he tweeted this:

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Hello???????  Is anyone listening?

This week has been a flurry of activity regarding the lawsuit.  Let me show you some highlights.  The big news was reported yesterday in which the judge dismissed most of the case due to a technicality because of the state’s Statute of Limitations.

Today, The Wartburg Watch reports that Attorney Susan Burke has released this statement:

We (the victims and the lawyers) all knew about the statute issue at the outset. But fighting for justice means doing so even against known obstacles. We had a conspiracy theory to overcome the statute but the Court rejected it. The victims are all brave and courageous people whose willingness to fight against evil has already made a difference in the world. Also, please realize going forward with a civil lawsuit does not in any way prevent criminal actions – perhaps may even make it more likely. And please keep praying, as we think the Court erred, and will be appealing her ruling.

All the best,
Susan L. Burke

As we can see, Susan does not have any plans to stop now.  Let’s continue to pray for Susan and her team involved in getting the truth exposed.

If you have not taken a look at the second amended lawsuit, here it is.   Please know that the visuals are horrific.  Brace yourself:    2nd Amended Lawsuit Filing May 14 2013

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In response to the horrific sex abuse crimes he read about involving the Sovereign Grace Ministries lawsuit, Peter Lumpkins drafted up Resolutions on Sexual Abuse of Children to be presented at the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention.  I applaud him for his efforts in protecting children.   Here is the article.  Be sure to read the comments.  A brief excerpt follows:

For all its flaws, I just submitted the following resolution to the Resolutions Committee for the 2013 Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Houston, Texas. As with all resolutions, it has but a small hope it will make it out of committee deliberations. I fully understand this dynamic. Nonetheless, the resolution raises the question which Southern Baptists must sooner or later officially address.

I am very encouraged by this resolution.  Would this have happened had the brave plaintiffs not come forward?  Maybe not.  Reading the second amended complaint compelled Lumpkins to act.  Do you see this positive ripple effect?  Even if the plaintiffs eventually lose (I do not believe that to be the case), we are seeing some positive fruit.  To the plaintiffs and their families reading – - – your pain was not in vain.

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Attorney Bill O’Neill who is working on the SGM case with plaintiffs’ attorney, Susan Burke, was interviewed on the Janet Mefford show.  You can listen to the interview here.

Many people have been questioning why C.J. Mahaney is involved in this lawsuit when he has not been accused of sex abuse.  Part of the interview discusses this.

“What is the allegation here of his [Mahaney's] role in what happened here at Sovereign Grace?”

O’Neil responded:

“Well, from what we can tell, what everyone has told us is that C.J. Mahaney for many many years was the authority within the church and that there wasn’t a church rule or doctrine or habit or custom that he did not approve of and participate in, so as the head of the church, it seems that it’s impossible for someone to have that level of involvement and not know what was going on.  Now some of that is going to be subject to our ability to question him in discovery and to gain access to their files, which we have not had the opportunity to do yet.” (h/t to TWW for Transcription)

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Bob Allen reported about Peter Lumpkin’s resolution at the Associated Baptist Press. Sex Abuse survivors’ advocate, Amy Smith is quoted in it as well.  Here is an excerpt:

Lumpkins’ resolution urges “denominational servants, entity leaders and our trustee boards to sever all ties, whether official or unofficial, with any evangelical organization, fellowship of ministers, and/or celebrity leader who, presently or in the past, is facing criminal and/or civil litigation for neglecting moral or legal obligations to protect the little children whom Jesus said suffer to follow Him.”

. . . and

Lumpkins says such relational ties are “indirectly tarnishing the name of Southern Baptists everywhere and branding Southern Baptists as morally complicit in protecting probable sexual perpetrators against helpless children.”

It’s good to see Lumpkins’ resolution taken seriously by this Baptist media.

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I recently met blogger and author, Zach Hoag after noticing that he also was interviewed on The Drew Marshall Show (interview here).  We exchanged a few tweets and I like his style and his heart.  He posted an excellent article definitely worth reading, The False Gospel of Reconciliation, in connection with the SGM fiasco:

“And reconciliation, rightly lived as part of God’s cosmic work to restore all things, always subverts the empire of unjust power and control. It messes with thrones and powers and rulers and authorities. It takes them to task.”

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This following article by Matt Redmond is a must read.  Former Reformed pastor and author/blogger, Matt, really challenges his Reformed friends in this article:  Answering Some Objections I’ve Gotten About the SGM Lawsuit.  It is so good.

 I want you to imagine what it must be like for a victim of abuse to continually hear about the speaking engagements of those who enabled the abusers or were themselves an abuser. To see them rise in popularity. To see them above criticism. When the Reformed community does not see any problem with CJ Mahaney speaking at conferences because he has denied the charges against him and none have to be proven in the courts, our cult of personality has reached an apex.

Yes, Matt!!!!!   Thank you for your bold stance!

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This next ordeal disturbs me, frankly.  Do you recognize any names in this screen shot?

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Screen shot 2013-05-18 at 11.32.46 AM

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It has been interesting and sad to watch the responses to the court ruling on Twitter.  Four C.J. Mahaney supporters retweeted the above Christianity Today article:  Denny Burk (@DennyBurk), Kevin DeYoung (@RevKevDeYoung), Justin Taylor (@BetweenTwoWorlds), and Owen Strachan (@ostrachan).    The title was poorly worded and misleading implying that the judged dismissed the entire case.  That was not accurate.

I forgot to get a screen shot of Burk’s and Young’s original retweet, but this is my response to them shortly after their retweet.  When I hit “reply,” their names Twitter handles automatically came up as being part of the conversation:

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Screen shot 2013-05-18 at 11.20.16 AM

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Christianity Today later updated and corrected the misleading title, but did not remove the original tweet, nor issue a new tweet to reflect the new title.  The revised title at the CT website is now:  Judge Tosses Out Most of Abuse Lawsuit Against Sovereign Grace Ministries.

Since the original misleading tweet, Denny Burk and Kevin DeYoung have deleted their retweet.  You can see Burk referring to that fact below:

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Screen shot 2013-05-18 at 11.15.06 AM

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All of this twittering by these guys makes me curious.  Why were they so quick to tweet that news?  Did they tweet the news when the lawsuit became public?  I don’t recall any of this group mentioning the lawsuit.  They have been very quiet these past months.  I’m sure it must have been painful to discuss, seeing their good friend going through something as horrific as this.   But did they think about what the victims might be feeling as they observe Christian leaders/pastors retweet that seemingly “good” news?   We’ve heard nothing from them during the whole case, but now all of a sudden they are tweeting about it when it looks favorable to their good buddy?  I am not impressed.  Again . . . . who is thinking about the survivors?

One of the lessons I learned early on in my case is there are a lot of pastors who are quick to defend pastors and dismiss anything negative from church members.  That’s what happened with me when I called Grace Community and talked to a senior pastor.  I offered to put him in touch with many other witnesses and he didn’t want to hear it.  The same thing is going on here.  I was also in a Twitter debate with Frank Turk.  Same thing happened.  He defended C.J. Mahaney.  How many witnesses do these people need?  Do they need medical records from mental health professionals to prove the trauma they endured?  It makes me sick.

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Bill Kinnon and I had the opportunity/misfortune to exchange tweets with Frank Turk regarding the SGM story.  Bill wrote about it here.

The attitude of many who purportedly swim in the same spiritual streams as Mahaney et al, is either that the rest of us are out to get SGM because we don’t like Mahaney, or we simply hate the beauty and truth that is NeoReformed theology.

In a Twitter back and forth with Spiritual Sounding Board’s Julie Anne Smith, me and fiery writer & Calvinist gadfly, Frank Turk (who, despite our profound theological differences, I consider a friend), Frank made this Tweet comment about the present debacle

@kinnon @DefendTheSheep Like I said: I admire the starch it takes to find a sex offender when the charges of spiritual abuse can’t work out

It would appear that Frank and many of his NeoReformed brethren see the lawsuit as simply another attack on poor C.J. — and their shared NeoReformed/Complementarian doctrine.

And therefore the tragedy is compounded as many of the NeoReformed appear most concerned about protecting the belief in the veracity of their doctrine. They don’t appear to really care about what happens nor what has happened to the victims of the cult-like behaviour of C.J.Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries.

Whether they mean to or not, they seem to be saying,

‘Screw the victims, C.J. believes the right stuff.’

Yup, that’s what it sounds like to me, too.

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Later in the day, Bill sent me the definition of the word, “incorrigible.”  Check it out and you tell me if it applies:

Incorrigible — Not able to be corrected, improved, or reformed.

This is now my new favorite word to describe those who remain silent about abuse.  They are completely incorrigible.

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I leave you with this excellent tweet from Boz Tchividjian, a founding member and Executive Director of G.R.A.C.E (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment).

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Screen shot 2013-05-18 at 8.16.22 AM
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May 17 2013

Court’s Ruling on Sovereign Grace Ministries Alleged Sex Abuse Cover-Up Lawsuit

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I just found this report.  I am heartbroken.  What a huge disappointment to the plaintiffs.

I took some notes from the video:

Greta Kreuz reported that Judge Sharon Burrell “pretty much dismissed the entire lawsuit.  They did not sue in time.”

“The judge agreed, though, with the attorneys representing the churches and Sovereign Grace Ministries, that the victims had to sue within 3 years of turning age 18 and that deadline expired years ago,” reported Greta Kreuz.

“It was just based on technicalities –   it wasn’t based on the merit of whether or not it actually happened,”  said Plaintiff Renee Palmer Gamby.

My hearts ache for those victims who have been waiting for this day hoping to get justice. This is why we MUST get something done about removing statute of limitations in our country. When a crime is committed, it doesn’t make sense to put the responsibility on a victim whose life is emotionally,  spiritually, and physically shattered by abuse.  I am sickened by this ruling.

There is still the possibility of moving forward with two plaintiffs who just turned 18 (and met the Statute of Limitations deadline), but who live in Virginia.  Those details need to be worked out since the lawsuit is in Maryland.  I do not think this case is over . . . . by a long shot.

I don’t get it, but I have to cling to verses like this, though, because surely God is a God of justice.  We are not guaranteed justice on this earth for wrongdoings.  But we do know that God does not look kindly on these kinds of sins:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed,you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  1 Corinthians 6: 9-11

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5/18/13 Note:  I changed the wording on the paragraph regarding the 2 plaintiffs who were not dismissed for better clarity.

May 16 2013

First Television Interview from Two Survivors/Plaintiffs of Sovereign Grace Ministries Lawsuit

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This report was just released.  It was reported that victims are still coming forward and criminal investigations are currently taking place.

 

Renee, Pam, and Dara, you did a great job in this interview.  Your message was so clear.  Big hugs to you, ladies.  Thank you, thank you, for speaking up.   ~ja

 

Renee Palmer Gamby was just a toddler when she says she was molested by a male babysitter from her church. Covenant Life in Gaithersburg was the flagship church of the Sovereign Grace Ministries denomination until this past December, when it pulled out.

Continue reading

Renee’s mother said that when she called their pastor about the abuse, he told her not to call police. Instead, Renee said she was required to meet with her alleged perpetrator and forgive him.

Renee and her mother said they thought they were the only victims. But years later, they found story after story on the “Sovereign Grace Ministries Survivors” blog. And now several are going public in what they hope will be a class-action civil lawsuit.

“We are alleging that a group of men, pastors, conspired together to cover up ongoing sexual abuse of children,” said Susan Burke, civil lawsuit attorney.

The suit alleges decades of brutal sexual and physical abuse of young children–boys and girls– from the 1980s on, at both Covenant Life Church, and Sovereign Grace Church of Fairfax.

The Covenant Life plaintiffs allege beatings, rapes, including a gang rape, and molestations at the church-run elementary school and at other church functions. During the abuse, the school was housed at the Frost Center in Aspen Hill, and Sunday services were then held at Magruder High School.

One alleged abuser is Stephen Griney, a former Bible studies teacher who also headed the children’s ministry. The suit details a gang rape where adults wore masks and the victim was an 8-year-old girl.

The lawsuit also names four current officials of the Fairfax church, again, alleging an orchestrated cover-up of child sex abuse incidents and failure to report them to police.

The accusations also say children were forced to meet and forgive the accused, and pastors failed to notify other families– so the perpetrators went on to prey on other children.

One of those alleged perpetrators is Nathaniel Morales, a Covenant Life member currently jailed on criminal child sex abuse charges in Montgomery County.

“The pastors were on notice. He had other victims,” explained Burke. “They had been told by the victims that Morales had molested them and they did nothing about it.”

Another of the accused predators was then-Covenant Life pastor and school principal John Loftness. The suit claims he repeatedly molested two young girls, one a 5-year-old. Loftness is now the pastor at Solid Rock Church in Riverdale, Maryland, which is not named in the suit.

ABC7 went to Solid Rock Church, but were told Loftness was out all week. Loftness did post a letter to church members, denying ever abusing a child, or shielding any pedophile.

Dara Sutherland said in 1987, when her then 14-year-old sister accused their father, David Adams, of having molested her for three years, their mother went to police. And she says the pastors punished the family instead.

“Basically threw us out of the church, supported the pedophile and provided him with an attorney,” said Sutherland.

Today, Sutherland says David Adams, who did serve jail time for child abuse, is still active at Covenant Life, and manages a children’s music band.

Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/05/sovereign-grace-ministries-class-action-civil-lawsuit-involving-child-sex-abuse-88894.html#ixzz2TUvAZuO1