 |
| Mickey Connolly, sidekick and defender of C.J. "It's All About Me" Mahaney |
Dreary SGM-Mahaneygate continues. It's better to just avoid all manner of contact with all of them.
Backstory. Mickey Connolly, SGM Community Organizer (or whatever SGM calls him, “Apostle,”
“Elder,” “Pastor?”), runs an outfit in Charlotte, NC. Mickey's outfit called Crossway is associated with
Sovereign Grace Ministries and C.J. “It’s All About Me” Mahaney. Connolly waved off and warned his people of Brent
Detwiler and his communications. SGM-Mahaneygate
continues for close observers. In terms
of church history, SGM is a momentary blip on the radar screen. SGM features a range of sectarian
Baptacostals. They are sectarians, at
base, predicated on the enthusiasms of poorly trained men. When this point is raised with them, including
former members and current bloggers, they get defensive. Yet, we continue to follow them briefly. It would appear they will be a split of sorts to come.
Re: ignorant clerics. The English Reformer, Thomas Becon, rebuked
hotheads running into ministry without training and moderation. “They presumed to teach before they have
learned.” But what did C.J. “It’s All
About Me” Mahaney know of that? Or, many
others including Connolly. Rev. Beacon spokes
of “gelders rather than elders,” “minishers rather than ministers,” “dissipators
rather than dispensators,” “destructors rather than instructors,” “deformers
rather than informers,” “famous neither in doctrine nor conversation,” and men
“to be repelled.” It sounds rather SGM’s organizers. Becon then argued from Scripture, Leo, Jerome
and Gregory in behalf of a biblically literate ministry. He gave an extended
discussion arguing for a learned ministry including a lengthy review of Bible
writers advocating for “doctrine.” But
don’t say that to SGMers, past, present or future.
Brent's post. Here’s Brent’s latest post on one “Gelder,” “Minisher,” “Deformer,” “Destructor,”
“Dissipator,” and a man “famous neither in doctrine or conversation,” Mickey Connolly
of Crossway Sect, Charlotte, NC.
http://www.brentdetwiler.com/brentdetwilercom/2012/8/12/ten-common-cult-like-characteristics-evident-in-mickey-conno.html
Ten
Common Cult-Like Characteristics Evident in Mickey Connolly's Leadership (Part
1)
by Brent Detwiler
on Sunday, August 12, 2012 at 6:21pm ·
When I was earning
my Masters of Divinity degree in seminary, I had the privilege of studying
under the world’s foremost expert on the cults, Dr. Walter Martin. His book, The
Kingdom of the Cults, was the standard reference work on the subject. Dr.
Martin taught us to refute the false doctrines of the cults; but he also
trained us to discern the characteristic traits of cult leaders. Every
Christian must be equipped to spot these identifying marks.
Mickey Connolly is
preaching the gospel and his doctrine is fundamentally sound. I do not consider
him a cult leader. Nevertheless, he has come to share the foremost
characteristics of cult leaders with the exception of false doctrine. I want to
point these out for his sake and the sake of those who follow him.
These are matter of
fact observations. I am not attempting to be inflammatory or sensational. I’ve
not taken this approach for the shock value. These characteristics are
self-evident to any believer who has studied his actions and comments. Nor is
this a vindictive post. I am not attempting to injure Mickey but I am calling
him to repentance. I am also providing a warning to those who remain at
CrossWay Community Church and to the SGM Board of Directors who condone his
cult-like words, attitudes and actions.
In order to fully
appreciate my analysis, every pastor and every member in every Sovereign Grace
Church should carefully read the following posts.
·
CrossWay Pastors Threaten to Excommunicate Me for being
Divisive (Nov 3, 2011)
·
CrossWay Pastors Proceed with “Marking” as Divisive
Despite Appeals for Adjudication (Nov 13, 2011)
·
Trust and Obey for There’s No Other Way to Possibly Stay
at CrossWay! (Nov 14, 2011)
·
Mickey Connolly’s Deceitful Use of Scripture and
Commentaries (Nov 26, 2011).
·
A Question Regarding Excommunication (June 9, 2012)
·
The Misguided Focus of Mickey Connolly (Aug 1, 2012)
I’ve endeavored to
be brief in this post. It could be ten times longer. The other blog posts
provide much more evidence and context which are important. I am not
misrepresenting Mickey or making anything up. This is a simple study of
Mickey’s comments in context. His words expose him. I just offer commentary.
The tendencies I am
about to point out in Mickey are obvious to anyone who has studied the cults
and their leaders. They are not novel inventions. I have hope for Mickey
because the Holy Spirit indwells him. I want to see him prospering in gospel
ministry as a humble pastor and teacher. Over the past three years, I could
easily have written hundreds of pages regarding Mickey but I held off in hopes
that C.J. would come to repentance first so he could help Mickey. That has not
happened.
Mickey is like C.J.
but he is worse in some ways. As with C.J., I have been appealing to Mickey’s
in private for many years. I hope this short synopsis will suffice and finally
produce a godly response. I genuinely hope the Lord opens Mickey’s eyes to see
the error of his ways even at this late hour. I’ve not choses this approach to
inflame the situation but to point out the seriousness of the situation. There
are real similarities between Mickey and stereotypical cult leaders. I hope the
comparisons serve to get people’s attention and open their eyes.
Nine months ago, I
wrote the following email appealing to Joe Lechner and the other pastors to
“shoot straight with the people” at CrossWay Community Church. It was one of
many such emails. The pastors disregarded all those appeals. The current crisis
in CrossWay has not come upon them suddenly. The pastors were forewarned for
the longest time but did not listened.
From:
Brent Detwiler
Sent:
Friday, October 28, 2011 3:22 PM
To:
Joseph Lechner
Cc:
Mickey Connolly; Larry Malament; Nick Swan; Mike Seaver; Jim Hawkins; Jeremy
Oddy; Jonathan Shea; David Moore
Subject:
RE: Blog Post
Joe,
Mickey has not been
open and honest with the church about C.J., SGM, Grace Community, etc. People
are figuring it all out. Even people like the Aldridge’s. Mickey slandered my documents
by calling them slander – that was really dumb and one of the oldest tricks in
the SGM play book. No originality there. And [for Mickey] to describe C.J.
actions [over the past decade] as “disappointments.” As they say in the Far
East. Holy cow!
Listen, you guys need to shoot straight with the people. It won’t be long before they discover the truth. It’s coming to a town near you. If you don’t speak up against the serious problems in SGM and make open and honest changes in CrossWay you will be like Richmond or Orlando or Ashburn. C.J., Dave and others sins are growing each day. People won’t be conned by Mickey forever. I’ve gone very easy on you but that won’t continue forever.
When Mickey came by
on August 24 [2011], I confronted him on his [claim of] sinless perfection
again. No change. Five years running now. You and Gene [Emerson] ambushed me
February 28, 2009. It was a horrible display of abuse. Just one example. But
you are all content to live with guilty consciences.
##
As I proceed, I
will define each trait, quote Mickey in context, and provide commentary that is
new or taken from previous blog posts.
Trait
1: Require Absolute Trust
Cult leaders teach
their followers that they are the only ones who can be trusted. Everyone else
is suspect. Therefore, all reliable information and truth comes from them and
no one else. People are called to complete dependence up the leader. He thinks
and decides for his followers.
When Mickey
excommunicated me as divisive and condemned my writings as slander and gossip
on November 13, 2011, he insisted the church explicitly trust his judgment of
my character and assessment of my writings. He told the church they did not
need to be informed about my concerns for SGM because they could trust the
pastors leadership. He allowed for no middle ground between absolute trust and
total ignorance. Mickey also called the church to explicitly trust the pastors
to impartially examine any charges I brought against him without the
involvement of anyone besides the elders.
Mickey
Connolly
Excommunication
Meeting
November
13, 2011
“So here is the key
question, really, of all of this. It is a question that some of you have asked.
‘If I don’t read this stuff how can I be informed? How do I know that you
aren’t telling me not to read these things because of what the blog says. So
Mickey, isn’t this just a ploy to avoid having your sins uncovered?’… I want
you to know that I understand the question and in some ways there is only one
answer I can give you and it is this. You need to decide whether you trust your
pastors…. You need to decide whether you are going to trust your pastors…. You
have to decide do you want to trust us. Do you trust that if charges ever were
brought that the other pastors would impartially hear those charges and act
according to 1 Timothy 5. Do you trust your pastors! That is really the key
question that we are facing here tonight. And I want to let you know something.
We can’t function without your trust. If I ever lose the trust of this church I
will resign that very day. I can’t function without your trust. I can’t
function without your trust. That is the great horror of gossip and slander and
divisiveness. It fosters suspicion. It fosters mistrust. Mistrust and
suspicious divide. We cannot function without your trust. I am not going to
publicly defend myself. I will not defend myself at Brent’s or anyone else’s
expense by revealing private conversations and I will not put anyone else in a bad
light and put myself in a good light. I’ve appealed to Brent privately and will
continue to do so but I will not tear down Brent to defend myself. I realize
this puts me at a disadvantage which is another reason I so need your trust.”
Brent
Detwiler
Trust
and Obey for There’s No Other Way to Possibly Stay at CrossWay!
November
14, 2011
“The final section
of Mickey’s message summates the evening. He commands people to cut off outside
sources of information, remain ignorant and trust only their pastors who
clearly deserve such mindless submission. If any member is unwilling to
exclusively trust and obey Mickey and the pastors, they must leave the church.
Once again we see a clear abuse of authority and a superiority of attitude that
is suffocating. It is blatantly obvious that the pastors don’t trust the dumb
sheep, but they hope the sheep are dumb enough to trust the seemingly
infallible pastors. The pastors show no respect or need for the congregation.
The pastors will evaluate themselves and they will think for everyone else!
Just do what they tell you! End of discussion (if there ever was one).”
Trait
2: Demand Unconditional Obedience
Followers are
expected to obey the commands and instructions of the cult leader.
Unconditional obedience flows out of absolute trust. You do what you are told
without questioning those in authority. The actions of the cult leader are not
open to criticism.
Mickey equates
absolute trust with unconditional obedience. If you won’t fully obey him you
are told to leave the church. He exercises total control over the church and
demands adherence to his commands. He forbids every church member from talking
to me, meeting with me, or reading anything I’ve written about Sovereign Grace
Ministries. Mickey is very comfortable lording it over people.
Mickey
Connolly
Excommunication
Meeting
November
13, 2011
“So what I am
asking you to do as a church is to avoid him as long as he engages in this
behavior: gossip, slander, scoffing, mocking…. Having nothing more to do with
him, or avoiding him, would include not discussing these things with him
personally, reading any of his materials on blogs or Facebook. If that means
you have to defriend him to avoid the temptation, do that, or following the
story on anti-Sovereign Grace Ministries blogs…. So I want to be clear! Not
discussing this with him personally. Not reading any of his materials on blogs
or Facebook or following the story on the anti-Sovereign Grace Ministries
blogs…. If you can’t trust your pastors, you need to leave. You need to go…. If
you cannot trust your pastors, if you cannot obey your pastors and what we are
asking you to do biblically then you need to find another church because we
cannot function without your trust. You can’t follow pastors you don’t trust.
You can’t honor pastors that you are willing to have slandered. And that you’re
willing to go and seek out slander about. You can’t do that.”
Brent
Detwiler
Trust
and Obey for There’s No Other Way to Possibly Stay at CrossWay!
November
14, 2011
“In other words, if
you don’t cut off your relationship with me, if you continue to read my blog,
if you don’t defriend me on Facebook and stop reading my comments, you MUST
leave CrossWay and find another church. There is absolutely no alternative. So
if you stay, you must stick you head in the sand and unconditionally trust,
obey and honor the pastors as though they were Jesus.”
Trait
3: Claim Divine Status
All cult leaders
suffer from a messianic complex. Some claim to be god or a messiah of god. They
are egomaniacs. They claim a degree of holiness unattainable by others. Their
faults are concealed and an image of perfection is put forth to followers.
Their real character is covered up and their sinful nature denied. They don’t
admit to wrong doing even when exposed.
Mickey does not
claim divine status but he does believe he is worthy of absolute trust and
unconditional obedience because of his godliness. For many years, Mickey has
claimed sinless perfection in relation to me and the planting of Grace Community
Church (sorry if I lost you – it’s a story for another day). Mickey and the SGM
Board recently claimed that C.J. has “exceptional character.” Exceptional means
“rare, outstanding, extraordinary.” That is the way these men think about
themselves.
Mickey
Connolly
Excommunication
Meeting
November
13, 2011
“You need to decide
whether you are going to trust your pastors. I’ve never asked you to trust me
blindly. Never. You have to examine my life and examine the life of these other
pastors. The way we’ve lived, the way we’ve served you, the way we’ve taught
you, the way we’ve cared for you. You have to examine our lives and have to
answer that question. You have to decide do you want to trust us.”
From:
Brent Detwiler
Sent:
Sunday, November 13, 2011 11:35 AM
To:
Mickey Connolly
Cc:
Nick Swan; Joe Lechner; Larry Malament; Mike Seaver; Jim Hawkins; Jonathan
Shea;
Jeremy Oddy
Subject:
RE: An Appeal to Call Off the Meeting to “Mark” Me
Mickey, you’ve
abused your authority and you’ve acted deceptively. These are serious, but far
and away, my greatest concern for you and the other men, is your claim of
sinlessness. I’ve never seen such a display of arrogance and
self-righteousness. You remain deceived regarding your sins against Grace
Community Church, me and others. Nevertheless, I am willing to meet with you
but only if members of CrossWay are authorized to hear and adjudicate my
charges against you. You may defend yourself and level your own charges against
me. But I cannot meet with you and the pastors alone. You’ve abused me too many
times and always insisted upon your perfect innocence and my complete guilt.
Let’s meet but put others in charge so there can be a fair and just hearing.
Demonstrate you are willing to be evaluated and held accountable by the church.
This is now my third appeal for justice. You rejected my first two appeals.
Brent
Detwiler
Trust
and Obey for There’s No Other Way to Possibly Stay at CrossWay!
November
14, 2011
“I have shared
concerns [regarding Mickey] for 5½ years. I just talked to Mickey in person on
August 24 [2011]. He was immovable and maintained his sinless perfection.…
Mickey believes he is worthy of unqualified trust because of his exemplary
life, service, teaching and pastoral care. No one deserves this kind of trust
except Jesus Christ. Mickey’s extremely high opinion of himself translates into
a demand for unconditional followership. That’s what happens when you claim
perfection. You universally trust yourself and so should everyone else.… At no
point in Mickey’s [excommunication] message does he qualify his request for
trust. It is absolute. Complete. Unconditional. This is more than an oversight.
Under these circumstances, he should be telling the church he is a sinful man,
made mistakes, needs to change and understands why it is hard to trust him.
Instead, he demands total trust and obedience which he assumes he warrants.
There is no self-suspicion.”
Trait
4: Surround with Weak Leaders
Cult leaders have
no accountability. They surrounded themselves with devoted followers who see no
fault in them or fear the dire consequences of pointing them out. Critics are
not found among the inner circle of loyalists. The cult leader selects
“lieutenants” whom he rewards for protecting and promoting him. His leadership
goes unchallenged by weak and compromised subordinates.
Since turning the
church over to Mickey in 2003, I’ve tried to get the pastors around Mickey to
be open, honest and direct with him. I’ve brought many serious charges against
Mickey to their attention. They would not deal with him. These men joined
Mickey in his abuses in 2007. That continues. They are like the SGM Board that
surrounds C.J. In private conversations, Ted Kober and Ed Keinath of
Ambassadors of Reconciliation, expressed their great concern for the blind
loyalty shown C.J. That sinful dynamic is also apparent in relation to Mickey.
For example, after my excommunication, I pointed out to the pastors Mickey’s
obvious lying and deceit. They took no action, refused to meet with me, and
forbid any manner of congregational accountability. His sin was covered up.
Mickey
Connolly
CrossWay
Family Mtg.
February
8, 2012
“Paul addresses
this whole issue of what if someone brings a charge against an elder? How is
that to be adjudicated? How is that to be reviewed? And so let me read 1
Timothy 5:19-21… And so here Paul gives, you know, not outside panels, not
courts, not anyone else. Paul gives local elders the most solemn charge
possible: In the presence of God and of the Lord Christ Jesus, to hear
these charges without prejudging [partiality] or prejudice [favoritism].
And I recognize we’ve kind of run up here against this kind of modern idea of
conflict of interests, that somehow it would be a conflict of interests to have
fellow elders to judge or review or hear charges against another elder.”
##
“Conflict of
interests” is not a modern idea! It goes back to the fall of Adam and Eve. It
is addressed throughout Scripture. Phil 2:20-21, I have no one else like
him [Timothy], who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. [21] For everyone
looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. Paul gives
this command (1 Tim 5:21) to Timothy to give to the elders because elders are
prone to show partiality and favoritism to one another. It was Timothy’s
responsibility as an outside authority to make absolutely sure no partiality or
favoritism were shown to a co-elder. He would have intervened and rebuked any
elder or eldership giving evidence to such corruption. He was called to monitor
any disciplinary process introduced against an elder in Ephesus.
No one is going to
evaluate Mickey except for the pastors he has hired, are half his age (except
for Larry Malament), and have a vested interest in protecting him. Mickey fails
to grasp or take seriously the warning in this verse. He brushes off concerns
for a “conflict of interests” as a modern idea. Once again, he demands absolute
trust and repudiates accountability beyond his inner circle of devotees.
In contrast,
churches like Covenant Life (Joshua Harris) and Sovereign Grace Church –
Fairfax (Mark Mullery) have identified the real problems that exist in
themselves. They have benefited from this year of discipline and grown in
humility, confession, accountability, transparency and approachability. They’ve
provided honest answers to hard questions. They are pursuing input and
accountability from the church like never before. They don’t trust themselves
like Mickey and the pastors do at CrossWay. As a result, church members at CLC
and SGCF don’t fear the pastors as they once did. There is far more trust and
mutual respect.
Mickey has done
just the opposite. That is why these woes have come upon CrossWay. That is one
of the reasons the Charlottesville, VA left SGM, the Chesapeake, VA wants
nothing to do with Mickey’s leadership and the Richmond church lost 450 out of
700 members. CrossWay members have no idea how negatively Mickey is viewed in
many parts of SGM. That is not slander. It is the truth but the church would
not know because they have been kept in the dark. C.J. will applaud Mickey (as
Mickey applauds C.J.) but few others in the movement are so foolish. They are
embarrassed by Mickey.
Here are several
examples from times I appealed for an open hearing of charges, the involvement
of the church, or examination by objective evaluators. All requests were denied
and I suspect concealed from CrossWay.
Brent
Detwiler
CrossWay
Pastors Threaten to Excommunicate Me for being Divisive
November
3, 2011
“Mickey, Joe, Nick
and Larry may not like my strong words but that is not the issue. Their
threatening’s [of excommunication] and claim of perfection are the issue. As
with C.J., I’d be glad to meet with CrossWay over the course of several weeks
and talk openly about the past and the present. The pastors can present their
case. I will present my case but there should be no attempts at censoring and
controlling important information that people need to hear. That amounts to a
cover-up…. Mickey, Joe, Nick and Larry claim to be fulfilling their ‘sacred
duty as shepherds who are charged with protecting the flock of God’ from me.
But what none of these pastors or board members will allow is an open hearing
of the facts. Instead they resort to charges of slander, divisiveness and now
excommunication. I have called for Mickey’s removal from the SGM Board of
Directors since the day Dave Harvey appointed him. He does not qualify. That
call stands.”
##
From:
Brent Detwiler
Sent:
Saturday, November 12, 2011 10:08 PM
To:
Mickey Connolly; Joseph Lechner; Nick Swan; Larry Malament
Cc:
Jeremy Oddy; David Moore; Jonathan Shea
Subject:
An Appeal to Call Off Family Meeting
I have offered to
meet with you and the church to discuss these matters but you have refused. You
do not want to be open and accountability to the church. I also asked if I
could come to the “marking” but you have forbid me. I cannot even hear what you
are going to say about me. You want no accountability.
##
Brent
CrossWay
Pastors Proceed with “Marking” as Divisive Despite Appeals for Adjudication
Nov
13, 2011
“People who are
being ‘divisive’ should be sought out and humbly heard not ‘marked,’
excoriated, cut off, and ostracized. In my case, the CrossWay pastors are
unwilling to be evaluated. Just like C.J., they refuse to allow for an
adjudication hearing. It is easier for them to mark me as divisive than it is
to examine their hearts in the midst of hearing presided over by an objective
third party. Therefore, they must resort to control by silencing me.”
##
Brent
Detwiler
Trust
and Obey for There’s No Other Way to Possibly Stay at CrossWay!
November
14, 2011
“Our trust and
obedience to Christ is absolute. Our trust and obedience to men is limited and
conditional. I have listened to all of Mickey Connolly’s comments from last
night’s “members’ only” [excommunication] meeting at CrossWay Community Church
in Charlotte, NC. It would take a millennium to correct the errors,
misrepresentations, and untruths communicated to this dear church by Mickey.
I’ve appealed three times for a process whereby an objective third party can be
involved in hearing and evaluating my charges against Mickey and the CW
pastors. They have refused to allow anyone, except themselves, to assess my
concerns. They have no accountability to Sovereign Grace Ministries and they
have no accountability to the congregation. They are an island unto themselves
and control the flow of all information. Increasingly, the other pastors are
culpable of, and blinded by, the same sins I have raised with Mickey.”
##
From:
Brent Detwiler
Sent:
Thursday, November 17, 2011 3:30 PM
To:
Mickey Connolly
Cc:
Joe Lechner; Larry Malament; David Moore; Jeremy Oddy; Jonathan Shea; Nick
Swan
Subject: Request to Meet
Our own attempts at
reconciliation have failed. It is time to involve others.
Would you allow the
members of CrossWay Community Church to choose 5 men from the congregation who
could evaluate my charges against you (and vice versa). I don’t have any
confidence in the other pastors to do this since they have repeatedly supported
your claim of sinlessness and participated with you in abusive practices from
my perspective….
As it stands, you
have given the members of CrossWay no choice. They must follow your commands to
trust, obey and honor you or else leave the church. That is not a good
solution.
The five man panel
can hear and judge our grievances in private and then publicly share their
findings with the church and also publish a report that covers the same
material. Let’s be open and honest with the church.
##
From:
Brent Detwiler
Sent:
Friday, November 25, 2011 7:49 AM
To:
Mickey Connolly; Joe Lechner; Larry Malament, Nick Swan; Jonathan Shea; Jeremy
Oddy, David Moore
Subject:
Mickey’s Deceit
Importance:
High
Mickey’s deceitful
use of Scripture and commentaries at the “marking” and “shunning” meeting on
November 13 is an extremely serious matter. He violated the trust of the entire
church by his manifest lack of integrity. Please call me this morning to talk
about it. I don’t want to go public but this is now my 6th appeal. I’ve
received one response from Joe in which he defended Mickey’s actions. The other
pastors [Larry Malament, Nick Swan, Jeremy Oddy, David Moore, Jonathan Shea]
have made no effort to contact me. None of you have shown any concern for this
matter including Mickey. By now, you should be completing a plan for Mickey to
confess publicly and a disciplinary course of action to follow. Please contact
me via phone this morning.
##
Brent
Detwiler
Mickey
Connolly’s Deceitful Use of Scripture and Commentaries
November
26, 2011
“I made every
effort possible to talk to Mickey, Joe and all the pastors about these matters
but they repeatedly refused to discuss my concerns. That is impossible to
understand. As a result, it is up to the members of CrossWay Community Church.
They need to study this matter and call Mickey and the pastors to account. It
is time for men of conviction to stand up and lead…. If Mickey feels wrongly accused
by me, he should provide a defense and ask to be examined by the church. I’d
suggest a panel of five men selected by the church who will report their
findings back to the church. Instead, I fear Mickey will hide behind the
pastors as they circle the wagons… Finally, since the pastors are unwilling to
address Mickey, the church must address the pastors and require accountability
to the congregation in the future (look into what Covenant Life Church and
other churches are doing in SGM). From my perspective, the church should ask
for Mickey’s resignation and the other pastors should be put on probation for
not dealing with Mickey’s deceitful use of Scripture and commentaries in
justifying his unbiblical actions.”
##
From:
Brent Detwiler
Sent:
Monday, July 09, 2012 11:47 AM
To:
David Moore; Jeremy Oddy; Joe Lechner; Jonathan Shea; Mickey Connolly; Nick
Swan; Larry Malament; John Morrison
Cc:
Joshua Murphy
Subject:
Mickey’s Slander
Mickey has been
slandering the CLC pastors to you and to others. This has been brought to the
attention of the SGM Board of Directors. Has Mickey made you aware of this
correction or has he concealed it? You need to contact Paul Buckley for a
report. Then you can repent of listening to Mickey, correct Mickey and deal
with his deceit.
I am still amazed
that you allowed Mickey to misuse Scripture and deceitfully use commentaries at
my excommunication and then force people to leave the church if they read any
of materials. What hypocritical lords. And you would not even talk to me about
my concerns. That was cowardly, partial and reprehensible.
And someday I hope
all of you that were at the Feb 28, 2009 meeting with Gene will repent of your
abusive handling of me. Every problem (and more) cited by AoR in their report
applies to that meeting. God forbid you ever do that again to any living
person.
##
From:
Brent Detwiler
Sent:
Wednesday, August 08, 2012 11:27 AM
To:
David Moore; Nick Swan; Jeremy Oddy; Jonathan Shea; Josh Murphy; Joe Lechner
Cc: Mike Seaver; Jim Hawkins
Subject:
Family Mtg. Transcript - Larry Tomczak
Brothers,
I also read the Feb
8, 2012 transcript of the Family Meeting. Serves as yet another example. So
much deceit and misinformation. No wonder Mickey demanded it not be recorded.
If you men don’t deal with Mickey and come clean you will end up experiencing a
greater degree of God’s discipline like Kingsway [Gene Emerson’s church in
Richmond]. Not because of anything done to you. Solely because of what you have
done to yourselves. God’s opposition is growing every day. Please humble
yourselves rather than arrogantly attack others and blame “slanderers.” This is
pure manipulation. Mickey’s letter to the church is a telling illustration of
all that is wrong among you as leaders. You are my friends. I pray for your immediate
repentance before you, not me, destroy the church. I don’t want this to happen!
Here’s is Larry Tomczak’s letter to Mickey. Each day Mickey is being further
exposed. You must deal with him in private and before the church.
Sincerely,
Brent
Trait
5: Warn Against Outsiders
People outside the
cult are viewed as enemies especially when they seek to rescue those inside the
cult. Cult leaders instruct their followers to cut off contact with outsiders
and have nothing to do with them. They view such persons as agents of the devil
who are seeking to mislead the devoted cult member away from the true fold.
Mickey
Connolly
Letter
to CrossWay
August
3, 2012
“He [Brent] has
now, in a sense, invaded your home and workplace with his campaign against SGM
and Crossway…. Let me be very frank with you…. Brent is driven by a sinful lust
for vindication and vengeance…. Brothers and sisters, we must not allow this
witch hunt of C.J. and other SGM leaders to continue. We can’t stop Brent from
his writing but we can and should refuse to read or listen to the divisive
speech he and others continue to spread. To do otherwise is to poison your
soul, damage Crossway and displease God. Sadly, many people have already left
because they have been affected by this. I appeal to you not to let this
continue…. So please join me, the pastoral team and many faithful members in
fighting for Crossway…. Please don’t let Brent or any other divisive man or
woman destroy the unity that scriptures command us to be eager to maintain.
Please don’t let the devil have his way in this. Please don’t let gossip,
slander and divisiveness have their evil effects.”
##
I am Mickey’s best
friend but somehow that fact escapes his notice! My “witch hunt” is exactly
what Sovereign Grace has needed. I didn’t plan it that way. For over a decade,
I worked for reform in private but when that failed and things worsened, it was
necessary to produce a just, thorough, and fact based expose’ for the SGM
pastors.
In a “witch hunt”
you drum up false charges in a climate of hysteria in order to burn innocent
people at the stake. That is what SGM has done to me but that is not what I
have done to them. First, C.J. and Mickey are not innocent. Second, my charges
are proven with sound evidence. None have been refuted. Third, I’ve not been
motivated by a sinful craving to harm them. I’ve been motivated by a godly
desire to help them by reproving them in hopes they will change.
Last week I sent
the “The Ethical Demise of Sovereign Grace Ministries (Part 1)” to old friends
at CrossWay. Mickey responded with a letter to the church that included the
comments above. These comments are extremely revealing. This is what Mickey
really believes and this is the perspective he has activity reinforced in C.J.,
the SGM Board of Directors and SGM at large. I’m afraid the Board will
celebrate Mickey heroism when they should be denouncing his letter. No wonder
the ministry continues its rapid decline. This letter is another testament
against SGM. It is no wonder half the pastors in movement are serious about
leaving SGM.
I have a question.
How in the world can anyone trust Mickey when he writes this kind of irrational
letter? As one SGM leader wrote me, “Mickey has fallen off his rocker.” That’s
true. Mickey’s oblivious to the fact that God is opposing him. He attributes
God’s discipline to the work of the devil. That borders on blasphemy. People
haven’t left CrossWay because of “gossip, slander and divisiveness.” That have
left because they are discerning. They have seen and experienced the things
about which I have written. Mickey implies that such defectors are dumb sheep.
They have ingested my homemade poison pills. They have been deceived by the
devil. How arrogant and reprehensible an assessment by Mickey.
Cult leaders never
face the ethical and doctrinal charges presented against them. Instead, they
divert attention to an imaginary devil outside the cult rather than dealing
with the real devil in the cult. Whenever you find prolific lying and deceit,
the father of lies, is clearly at work. Whenever you find truth, honesty and
accountability, the Holy Spirit is active.
Mickey has to
demonize me (and others) in order to get the focus off of the real issues.
Cultists often employ this kind of manipulative strategy. Mickey rallies the
church around a common enemy instead of a humble response. He is angry. But in
his anger he cuts himself and others off from the very thing that will help –
the truth and grace that comes from humility.
C.J. and Mickey
crave respect and recognition. They thrive on the adoration and admiration they
received from followers. That is why they become so agitated when people leave
or expose them. They can’t bear insubordination.
Many of the those
who have left CrossWay are mature saints and fine servants – some of the best.
Moreover, “the unity that scriptures command” is not a false unity rooted in
lies. Those that have left, left for good and godly reasons. We are called to
maintain a unity that is grounded in truth and integrity. Unity grounded in
error and deception is not something God blesses and we should not sustain.
Mickey
Connolly
Letter
to CrossWay
August
3, 2012
“I’ve been made
aware that Brent Detwiler has emailed a document to many of you regarding what
he calls the “ethical demise” in SGM. While I’m not surprised by this
development I am saddened and angry. This is what we would have anticipated
when, in November, we marked Brent as a divisive man because of his persistent
gossip, slander, scoffing and threats.”
##
I pose a threat to
Mickey because I am telling the truth not because I am spreading gossip or
slander. And it is the Lord’s scoffing that should concern Mickey. Psalm
2:4, The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Lastly,
I have not made threats. I have provided biblical warnings. The Lord is
bringing down Sovereign Grace Ministries not me. Luke 1:51-52, He has
performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in
their inmost thoughts. [52] He has brought down rulers from their thrones but
has lifted up the humble.
From:
Brent Detwiler
Sent:
Saturday, November 12, 2011 10:08 PM
To:
Mickey Connolly; Joseph Lechner; Nick Swan; Larry Malament
Cc:
Jeremy Oddy; David Moore; Jonathan Shea
Subject:
An Appeal to Call Off Family Meeting
I am sending this
to you [Mickey, Larry Malament, Joe Lechner, Nick Swan] tonight so you have
time to cancel the Family Meeting scheduled for tomorrow night. You can easily
reverse course by making an announcement in the morning at the Sunday meeting.
Brothers, you are erring in many grievous ways and I hope you will change
direction before you do greater harm to CrossWay Community Church…
Furthermore, it is
tragic that C.J. has instructed you to take this action. You [Mickey] are now
putting yourself forward as the first “courageous” pastor in Sovereign Grace
Ministries to discipline me, mark me as divisive and treat me as heretic and
unbeliever. SGM is going to implode. This strategy of intimidation and
manipulation only feeds the distrust already in people’s hearts….
This strong arm
approach will backfire. You can’t silence people. You can keep evidence from
people. You can’t tell people you’ll do all the discerning and thinking for
them. All of this will result in more departures. You are afraid of the truth…
Finally, your
actions as senior pastor are analogous to your actions as a SGM Board Member.
No one at CrossWay should believe the case you will now make against me
tomorrow night. You will act as though their god but they must investigate
things for themselves. You have proven by your words and deeds that you cannot
be trusted….
Mickey, I fervently
pray my appeals to you will someday be effectual and you will come to see the
abuses about which I have written. Please don’t proceed with your illicit and coercive
action. This is reminiscent of C.J.’s treatment of Larry Tomczak. Call off the
meeting. Not for my sake, but for your sake. If you proceed, there must of
necessity be divine consequences. God protect the saints from your example and
the harm to follow. May they too appeal for your repentance. If you do repent,
my heart is ready to forgive. If you have the meeting, please
read this letter in entirety to all my friends at CrossWay Community Church.
They need and deserve to hear my perspective.
##
Mickey has no
choice but to attack the messenger because he can’t possibly defend against the
message. His letter to CrossWay is an act of desperation. I’m afraid Mickey is
in a state of panic. My campaign has never been against SGM or CrossWay. I’ve
prayed and worked for their reform and preservation. My campaign has been
against lying, deceit, lording, manipulation, injustice, corruption,
concealment, dishonesty, favoritism, partiality, and hypocrisy. That is not the
work of the devil.
Mickey says I am
motivated by vindication and vengeance. Vindication of the innocent is a noble
pursuit but this has never been my goal. Vengeance is also a holy enterprise
but it is not my prerogative to pursue. It is God’s prerogative alone. Hebrews
10:30-31, For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And
again, “The Lord will judge his people.” [31] It is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God. God is repaying right now, not me.
##
From:
Brent Detwiler
Sent:
Sunday, November 13, 2011 11:35 AM
To:
Mickey Connolly
Cc:
Nick Swan; Joe Lechner; Larry Malament; Mike Seaver; Jim Hawkins; Jonathan
Shea;
Jeremy Oddy
Subject:
RE: An Appeal to Call Off the Meeting to “Mark” Me
Your action [in
excommunicating me] will bring shame upon CrossWay and that is not right. The
members of CrossWay should appeal for your repentance and oppose your actions.
Once again, you are lording it over the flock and acting as the supreme judge.
I pray you will renounce your heavy handedness and allow for the hearing of
evidence. I have hundreds of friends at CrossWay whom I love and carry in my
heart. Don’t do this to them. Your sinful actions will have negative
consequences for them. Instead, choose the way of humility and allow yourselves
to be examined by others in a fair and honorable fashion. In condemning me, you
condemn yourselves. I am not concerned for my good. I am concerned for your
good and that of many brothers and sisters. You are choosing the way of abuse,
not truth. Please stop for the sake of CrossWay, SGM, and the gospel. Don’t
introduce this reign of terror, intimidation and control.
No comments:
Post a Comment