SGM-Mahaneygate: Mahaney's Troubles Follow Him To SBCers

http://peterlumpkins.typepad.com/peter_lumpkins/2013/10/southeastern-baptist-theological-seminary-sponsors-cj-mahaney.html

 

Oct 10, 2013

 

Danny Akin and Al Mohler still sponsoring C.J. Mahaney

 

 

Things have been fairly quiet concerning the sexual abuse scandal surrounding C.J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM), and several organizations (churches and schools) named in a civil lawsuit filed approximately a year ago. Since Susan Burke filed the Maryland litigation, several significant events took place, events including:

• Mahaney stepping down as CEO of SGM in April
• Mahaney announcing three months later he would not participate in the 2014 Together for the Gospel Conference, April 8-10, 2014. The announcement came just after the 2013 Southern Baptist Convention overwhelmingly adopted a resolution I originally proposed which resolved, in part, to "encourage all denominational leaders and employees of the Southern Baptist Convention to utilize the highest sense of discernment in affiliating with groups and or individuals that possess questionable policies and practices in protecting our children from criminal abuse." The resolution was yet another significant event happening since October, 2012.
• The Together for the Gospel and The Gospel Coalition putting up a supporting statement for C.J. Mahaney contra the dozens of victims allegedly afftected by the child sex abuse scandal, a supporting statement that backfired prompting both supporting parties to either edit the statement of support for Mahaney or withdraw the supporting statement altogether. In addition, the confusing statements of support for Mahaney drew the reputable rebuttal of Basyle "Boz" Tchividjian, founder and attorney for G.R.A.C.E.--"a non-profit organization made up of highly trained and experienced multi-disciplinary professionals who seek to educate and empower the Christian community to identify, confront and respond to the sin of child abuse" (from their website), grandson of Billy Graham, and Assistant Professor of Law at Liberty University Law School. Tchividijan's rigorous advocacy for sexually abused victims as well as his emboldened criticism of men like Al Mohler, Mark Dever, Justin Taylor, and others for publicly supporting C.J. Mahaney contra the sexually abused families and children may very well have set the stage for the public rebuke of and private intimidation toward family advocate and Christian Talk Show host, Janet Mefferd. 
• The Together for the Gospel group rewrote its history leaving out any reference to C.J.Mahaney as one of the founding members (I'm indebted to a link on The Wartburg Watch for pointing out the change on Together for the Gospel website)

More could be listed as significant events taking place which signals the initial support for C.J. Mahaney appears to be waning at least in some visible ways.

However, there still remain some troubling events taking place concerning the continued support of C.J. Mahaney, especially unnecessary public support from high profile Southern Baptists. I'll mention two.

First, regardless of Together for the Gospel's rewriting of its history leaving out one of the key founding members, C.J. Mahaney, fellow Together for the Gospel founder, Al Mohler, remains close friends with Mahaney, so close in fact Mohler has offered unwavering support for C.J. Mahaney publicly insisting upon Mahaney's total innocence from any wrong-doing toward the sexually abused victims. Nor did Mohler fail to unequivocally defend Mahaney when specific charges of failed leadership were brought by prominent pastors in Mahaney's own denomination. Mohler publicly dismissed their complaints outright.

Not that being friends with Mahaney is morally inappropriate. However, it seems to me Mohler's public support for Mahaney continues to cross the threshold of proper discretion by dragging all Southern Baptists across the threshold with him. The fact is Al Mohler is an employee of Southern Baptists. He cannot and should not be empowered to jeopardize either our entities or our name by forging friendly liaisons with people or organizations who pose probable liability to us.

And, we so much as said so at the Southern Baptist Convention in June of this year by resolving to "encourage ... employees of the Southern Baptist Convention" to utilize the "highest sense of discernment" in their affiliations with "groups" or "individuals" that possess "questionable policies and practices in protecting our children from criminal abuse."

Even so, Al Mohler still affiliates closely with C.J. Mahaney by partnering with him in theological education. Note Mahaney's announcement on SGM's website concerning its partnership with our so-called flagship seminary:



Thus after Southern Baptists made it fairly clear we needed to avoid unhealthy liaisons with groups or individuals embracing questionable policies and practices in protecting children, apparently Al Mohler partners with C.J. Mahaney's group in a "degree-completion program" with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. My brothers and sisters, if that's not an in-your-face-Southern-Baptists decision, I frankly don't know what is.

The second example I offer is Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and its president, Danny Akin. In an ABP article¹ entitled C.J. Mahaney returns to SEBTS, Bob Allen reports:

A preacher tainted by unproven allegations of covering up sexual abuse is returning to a Southern Baptist seminary campus after a convention resolution urged “discernment” about identifying with individuals perceived as being soft on pedophiles.

Thus, again we have a president who apparently seems not to care what Southern Baptists think and is determined to affiliate with whom he wants no matter if the affiliation is funded by Southern Baptists who clearly communicate reservations about the sponsorship. Moreover, were it not so tragic that Southeastern is now sponsoring Mahaney in the face of Southern Baptists' resolution, it's nothing less than a Georgia hoot to see the pictures of the platform lineup with C. J. Mahaney. Look who's listed two doors down from Mahaney on the speaker schedule:


That's right, it's Russell Moore, Southern Baptists' newly elected president for its commission on ethics and religious liberty. The sad irony is striking.

What are we saying to the public, Southern Baptists?

What are we saying to abused victims, Southern Baptists?

What are we saying to the assembled messengers at the 2013 Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptists?

If I recall correctly, when the now faintly remembered Conservative Resurgence began, it began with charges toward what was going on in our seminaries. 

Well now...

What does that say about our seminaries, Southern Baptists? 

(Vimeo-Video, 25 Mins) Documentary on Presidency of Mr. (Rev. Dr.) Al Mohler

Recovering a Vision: The Presidency of R. Albert Mohler Jr. from Southern Seminary on Vimeo.

SGM-Mahaneygate: Mahaney Takes a Nose-Dive

H/T to Joe Coker on the tip and lead.

C.J. Mahaney pulls out of T4G 2014

Posted on July 6, 2013 by Admin

Mahaney withdraws from T4G conference via ABP News

A May 23 statement of support for C.J. Mahaney by Mark Dever, Al Mohler and Ligon Duncan, is no longer found on the Together for the Gospel website. In its place is an announcement by Mahaney that he is withdrawing from the 2014 conference.



By Bob Allen

An evangelical preacher plagued by scandal over an alleged cover up of child sex abuse has withdrawn from a biennial Bible conference next year that he previously led in partnership with high-profile Calvinist leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention.
C.J. Mahaney, pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville, Ky., announced July 2 his decision to withdraw from participation in the 2014 Together for the Gospel conference out of concern for the event’s co-sponsors.

“Unfortunately, the civil lawsuit filed against Sovereign Grace Ministries, two former SGM churches and pastors (including myself), continues to generate the type of attention that could subject my friends to unfair and unwarranted criticism,” Mahaney said in a statement on the T4G website.

To Read More…….

Also, a roundup of links are below the picture. Where's old CJ in the lineup?

More on CJ and T4G 2014

CJ Mahaney Drops Out of 2014 Together for the Gospel Conference Due to Sovereign Grace Lawsuit

C.J. Mahaney pulls out of Louisville pastors conference

C.J. Mahaney Withdraws From T4G 2014 Conference

T4G Leaders Lack Integrity

C.J. Mahaney Withdraws from Together for the Gospel & Founders Remove Statement of Support

T4G and Integrity: Mahaney Is Gone and So Is the Infamous Statement

SGM-Mahaneygate: C.J. Mahaney pulls out of Louisville pastors conference

By fair inference, it appears that Mark Dever, Al Mohler and "Ole Lig" Duncan put pressure on Mahaney to step offstage and to take a rear seat. It appears that they--finally--dropped him like a "hot potato."

C.J. Mahaney pulls out of Louisville pastors conference

C.J. Mahaney pulls out of Louisville pastors conference

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Peter Smith

Louisville pastor C.J. Mahaney — accused in a lawsuit of allegedly covering up sexual abuse by others in the denomination he once led — has withdrawn from the 2014 program of a prominent Louisville pastor’s conference that he founded along with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler and two other pastors.

The Together for the Gospel (T4G) conference draws thousands to Louisville every two years, many of them men attracted to the revival of Calvinist doctrines related to the sovereignty of God and the authority of male leaders.

Mahaney said in a July 1 statement that his participation in the upcoming 2014 conference could create “a hindrance to this conference” due to his role in the lawsuit, but he said his withdrawal should not be seen as a reflection on the merits of the case itself.

A link to a statement of support for Mahaney issued by Mohler and the other two T4G founders in May no longer functions, nor does it appears on the T4G home page. The statement was already revised once to correct an inaccurate assertion that the lawsuit only targeted Mahaney because of his ministry work. (Excerpts from that statement are in a previous post.)

In June, the Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution calling on their leaders to use the “highest sense of discernment” in affiliating with anyone with “questionable” practices or policies on sexual abuse.

The T4G home page lists LifeWay Christian Resources — the Southern Baptists’ publisher — as a “proud sponsor of T4G 2014.”

Here are excerpts from Mahaney’s statement:

“After much prayer, reflection and counsel I have decided to withdraw from participation in the 2014 Together for the Gospel conference. My reason for doing so is simple: I love these men and this conference and I desire to do all I possibly can to serve the ongoing fruitfulness of T4G. 

“Unfortunately, the civil lawsuit filed against Sovereign Grace Ministries, two former SGM churches and pastors (including myself), continues to generate the type of attention that could subject my friends to unfair and unwarranted criticism. 

“Though dismissed in May (and now on appeal), the lawsuit could prove a distraction from the purpose of this important conference. My withdrawal is not intended to communicate anything about the merits of the suit. My decision simply reflects the reality that my participation could create a hindrance to this conference and its distinct purpose of serving so many pastors. My strong desire is to make sure this doesn’t happen. I believe the most effective way I can serve my friends who have supported me, and continue to support me, is by not participating in the 2014 conference.”

Plaintiffs have petitioned a Maryland court to reconsider its dismissal of a lawsuit filed on behalf of 11 plaintiffs alleging Sovereign Grace Ministries and its member churches covered up sexual abuse by SGM pastors and members. The court recently ruled that most of the plaintiffs waited too long to sue.
Mahaney was president of the Sovereign Grace Ministries church network for three decades until earlier this year. It moved its offices from Maryland to Louisville last year. Mahaney remains pastor at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville, which launched last year and meets at an eastern Jefferson County hotel.

Mahaney co-founded T4G with Mohler, Southern Baptist pastor Mark Dever of Washington, D.C., and Presbyterian Church in America pastor Ligon Duncan of Mississippi. Mahaney’s statement did not address what role he might have with the conference beyond 2014.

SGM-Mahaneygate: Brief Roundup of News Re: Child, Sex, & Leadership Abuses

Co-defendant, C.J. Mahaney in class action lawsuit against Sovereign Grace Ministries about sexual abuse, child abuse and the mediated, communicated, underlying, pervasive, governing and controlling culture of abusiveness

The Associated Press article on SGM-Mahaneygate has literally gone nearwise everywhere.

It is in local newspapers from New York Newsday to Dallas Morning Post. TV News websites have posted it, from Las Vegas to the Carolinas, from Wisconsin to Florida. Washington Post, Huffington Post, Yahoo News, The Guardian, Business Week, U.S. News & World Report. Plus, there are independent stories by Christianity Today, Christian Post, Courier Journal, WJLA. It's even made it to the infamous military outlet, "Stars and Stripes" which means it's throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, Middle East (5th Fleet) and to all afloat assets.

Here’s a meagre and very paltry roundup of links.  There are many, many more on these cultic, sectarian, often ignorant (leaders, but also the Kool-aide followers) and Anabaptacostalist "enthusiasts." Yahoo News

http://news.yahoo.com/lawsuit-.....39890.html

Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....74568.html

Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....story.html

U.S. News & World Report

http://www.usnews.com/news/us/.....use-claims

The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl.....e/10490269

MSNBC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49.....se-claims/

Business Week

http://www.businessweek.com/ap.....use-claims

Stars and Stripes

http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/.....7-21-08-40

Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/nat.....story.html

Dallas Morning News

http://hosted2.ap.org/txdam/23.....82f9532777

WTTG

http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/1.....ertainment

WLNS

http://www.wlns.com/story/1984.....=printable

NBC 12

http://www.nbc12.com/story/198.....use-claims

Fox 8

http://www.fox8live.com/story/.....use-claims

WTXF - Fox 29

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/sto.....use-claims

WNYW

http://www.myfoxny.com/story/1.....use-claims

New Channel 5

http://www.newschannel5.com/st.....use-claims
http://www.abc4.com/content/ne.....ic7Xg.cspx

WPRI

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/u.....s_86797704

WLUK

http://www.fox11online.com/dpp.....s_47399703

WAOW

http://www.waow.com/story/1984.....use-claims
 

SGM-Mahaneygate: Wartburg's Bio of SGM Co-Defendants & Silence at Gospel Coalition

http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/10/22/is-the-gospel-coalition-ignoring-the-elephant-in-the-room/

Is The Gospel Coalition Ignoring the Elephant in the Room?

Posted on Mon Oct 22, 2012 by deb

 

 

“There's a phrase, "the elephant in the living room", which purports to describe what it's like to live with a drug addict, an alcoholic, an abuser. People outside such relationships will sometimes ask, "How could you let such a business go on for so many years? Didn't you see the elephant in the living room?" And it's so hard for anyone living in a more normal situation to understand the answer that comes closest to the truth; "I'm sorry, but it was there when I moved in. I didn't know it was an elephant; I thought it was part of the furniture." There comes an aha-moment for some folks – the lucky ones – when they suddenly recognize the difference.”

 

Stephen King

 

African Bush Elephant (Wikipedia)

 

The Gospel Coalition has an impressive website. In addition to the blogs of reformed leaders, the website provides a plethora of information to keep its readership up-to-date on matters that concern them. For example, there is a section on the website with the heading You Should Know where news items are shared. As I compose this post, the latest You Should Know article is:

Billy Graham's Website Removes Mormonism From Cult List

 

As many of our readers know, news broke last week that a class action lawsuit has been filed in Montgomery County, Maryland against Sovereign Grace Ministries and eight other defendants. A vast array of news sources has covered this development, including The Washington Post, The Associated Press, The Christian Post, Associated Baptist Press, Christianity Today and even The Guardian in the United Kingdom, just to name a few. Even though the news has gone viral, The Gospel Coalition has failed to inform its readership about a serious matter that involves one of its council members who will be a speaker at 2013 TGC National Conference.
That is why we have added a new feature on the right hand side of our blog. Here it is:

We Wonder…
How long will it take for The Gospel Coalition/Al Mohler/Ligon Duncan/Mark Dever to mention the SGM/Mahaney 'situation?'

---

In a previous post we explained that three young ladies have brought legal action against Sovereign Grace Ministries and eight individual defendants. We were not familiar with all of the names, so we thought it might be helpful to gather a little information on each of them.

When we began investigating Sovereign Grace Ministries back in the fall of 2008, we started with the Wikipedia article. There was so much wrangling over the information in that article that it became almost humorous. Someone would add incriminating information about SGM, then the article would be scrubbed and sanitized. This went back and forth, back and forth, back and forth so many times that the Wikipedia editor became exasperated! If you click on the Wiki link you will see a flag at the top of the article stating that the "neutrality … is disputed".

What follows is information on the eight individuals named as Defendants (in the order that their names appear in the lawsuit).

CHARLES JOSEPH MAHANEY

"is the president of Sovereign Grace Ministries (formerly People of Destiny International or PDI co-founded with Larry Tomczak), a network formed to establish and support local churches, and was one of the founding pastors and leaders of Covenant Life Church, in Gaithersburg, Maryland and presently is the senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville." (link)

GARY RICUCCI

Gary is the brother-in-law of C.J. Mahaney. He is married by C.J.'s sister Betsy. What follows is information from the website of Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville.

Who are the pastors of this church? What are their roles?

Let me begin with the man who has served by my side in various capacities for over 35 years – Gary Ricucci. Gary will serve as an elder of the church and continue to provide pastoral care for those coming to the Pastors College. I anticipate his pastoral gifting and heart will be experienced by every member of the church. I look forward to how he and Betsy will serve the marriages of the church through their teaching and example. (link)

DAVID HINDERS

Community Life Pastor at Sovereign Grace Church Fairfax

LOUIS GALLO

Community Life Pastor at Sovereign Grace Church Fairfax

* Before the lawsuit was filed, it was rumored that Covenant Life Church and Sovereign Grace Church Fairfax might leave SGM to start their own network of churches.

FRANK ECELBARGER

As far as we can determine Frank Ecelbarger does not serve in any pastoral capacity. However, it appears that he recently led a Bible study at Redeemer Church (located in Florida), which is part of SGM. Here is an excerpt from the church website:

"Join us as we learn how to grow in our relationship with God through prayer on Sunday nights throughout the month of March. Frank Ecelbarger will be teaching this series and equipping us as a church to be a people dependent on the grace of God. We want to be a church that not only recognizes our need for God's grace and help in our lives, but aspires to demonstrate that dependence through humble prayer."

Redeemer Church is pastored by Benny Phillips who started this church in 2011 after leaving Metro Life Church in Casselberry, Florida Meetings are held at the Ultimate Power Martial Arts and Fitness Center. Here is some information from the church website:

"Redeemer Church is a group of believers committed to reaching the Lake Nona area with the gospel by building a gospel-centered church family.
We want to proclaim the message of hope: A message that changes lives and brings redemption to the brokenness of our humanity.

What people really need is not just a change of circumstance, but real hope. Hope that can only be found in the gospel; the message of our Redeemer sent to rescue us from our sins, mistakes and failures."

JOHN LOFTNESS

Chairman of the Board of Sovereign Grace Ministries and Senior Pastor of Solid Rock Church. You may recall that C.J. Mahaney left Covenant Life Church and attended church Capitol Hill Baptist Church for several months. After that he attended Solid Rock Church prior to the big move to Kentucky.

Here is the bio of SGM's Chairman of the Board:

John Loftness received a B.A. from Houghton College in 1978 and has studied extensively at the Masters degree level at Fuller Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. He began his career as a pastor in 1981 when he joined the staff at Covenant Life Church. Over the years has served in a variety of roles in local churches and in SGM, primarily as a pastor. From 1990-2007 he served exclusively at Covenant Life. In 2007, John left Covenant Life to become the senior pastor of Solid Rock Church in Riverdale, Maryland.

GRANT LAYMAN

Serves as a pastor at Covenant Life Church. (link) He is also Carolyn Mahaney's brother.

LAWRENCE TOMCZAK

"is a pastor and preacher based in the USA. He is the co-founder of the group now known as Sovereign Grace Ministries and of several prominent churches." You can read about his departure from SGM here.

---

Just to give you a head's up, we are currently in touch with the plaintiffs and/or their parents. Please keep them in your prayers.
Lydia's Corner: Leviticus 6:1-7:27 Mark 3:7-30 Psalm 37:1-11 Proverbs 10:3-4

FLAGSHIP CHURCHES PREPARE TO LEAVE AS LAWSUIT CHARGES SOVEREIGN GRACE MINISTRIES OF C.J. MAHANEY WITH COVERING UP CHILD SEX ABUSE

http://apprising.org/2012/10/20/flagship-churches-prepare-to-leave-as-lawsuit-charges-sovereign-grace-ministries-of-c-j-mahaney-with-covering-up-child-sex-abuse/

FLAGSHIP CHURCHES PREPARE TO LEAVE AS LAWSUIT CHARGES SOVEREIGN GRACE MINISTRIES OF C.J. MAHANEY WITH COVERING UP CHILD SEX ABUSE

By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Oct 20, 2012 in Current Issues, Features

 

 

The other day Apprising Ministries brought to your attention Lawsuit Claims C.J. Mahaney’s Sovereign Grace Ministries Concealed Sex Abuse Allegations.
Now Melissa Steffan brings us Lawsuit Charges C. J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries with Covering Up Child Sex Abuse at the Christianity Today blog.
Steffan tells us:

Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM), a network of Reformed church plants in 21 countries still dealing with the aftermath of an internal investigation of founder and president C. J. Mahaney’s leadership, now faces allegations that its president and board chairman, among other leaders,covered up child sex abuse by church members.
 

Three female plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed Wednesday “allege a conspiracy spanning more than two decades to conceal sexual abuse committed by church members” throughout the 1980s and 1990s, according to the Associated Press.


Mahaney and board president John Loftness, along with six other leaders, are named as defendants for allegedly failing to report incidents of abuse to law enforcement, encouraging parents to not report them, and “mislead[ing] law enforcement into believing the parents had ‘forgiven’ those who preyed on their children.” (source)

 

She also said that as the lawsuit, “which is seeking class-action status,” was brought forth “SGM stated” they weren’t ready to comment because they’d not had time to evaluate it.

Steffan informs us:

The lawsuit “singles out the church’s ‘Home Group’ structure, in which children are provided with day care so that their parents can attend services, as fostering a poorly supervised environment that enabled the abuse to occur,” reported the AP. (source)
 

She then reminds us SGM has been dealing with other issues as well:

SGM made headlines last year when Mahaney took a leave of absence in July 2011 for a “season of examination and evaluation” of charges against him by alienated SGM pastors, including “various expressions of pride, unentreatability, deceit, sinful judgment and hypocrisy.”

Six months later, SGM reinstated Mahaney in January after vetting the charges against him. In May, SGM announced plans to relocate its headquarters from Gaithersburg, Maryland, to Louisville, Kentucky—a move that drew criticism.

In late September, Mahaney’s inaugural sermon at his new church“alluded to the tumult, saying he wanted the church to have a quiet launch,” reported the Courier-Journal. (source)
 

And then, in similar fashion to cracks in the foundations of Harvest Bible Chapel and Acts 29 Network due to Elephant Room 2, Steffan reports that in SGM:

fallout continues. Two of the three largest churches in the SGM network—Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Sovereign Grace Church in Fairfax, Virginia—are mulling plans to separate from SGM and begin a new association of churches, according to former SGM pastor and board member Brent Detwiler, who led the 2011 charges against Mahaney.
 

In addition, Sovereign Grace Church of Daytona Beach, Florida, has announced that it will end its SGM partnership, citing “loss of trust” and “insufficient accountability.” (source)


Bob Allen of the Associated Baptist Press notes in his Controversy follows Calvinist group:

Sovereign Grace Ministries, which recently moved from Maryland to Kentucky to rebuild a fractured network and strengthen ties with Southern Seminary, is now in the news for allegedly covering up allegations of child sexual abuse committed by church members.
A controversial church-planting network with ties to a Southern Baptist Convention seminary has been sued in Maryland for allegedly covering up allegations of sexual abuse of children in the 1980s and 1990s.
 

Last year Sovereign Grace President C.J. Mahaney went on leave of absence for several months while his board investigated accusations of dictatorial conduct that estranged former members compared to cult-like behavior.One of Mahaney’s staunch defenders throughout the ordeal was Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and, alongside Mahaney, a leading figure in the new Calvinism, also known as Reformed, church movement.
 

As the ministry’s relationship with its former base church deteriorated, directors of Sovereign Grace Ministries decided to move to Louisville to take advantage of lower living costs and strengthen bonds with Southern Seminary. (source)
 

 

In closing this, for now, in The SGM Lawsuit, the Alleged Victims’ Attorney, Al Mohler, and Mahaney you’ll find the link to an interview with Susan Burke, the attorney who is bringing this lawsuit against SGM.


Here is a report WJLA TV Arlington, VA:

http://bcove.me/mxk39s6b

Further reading

(Guardian, UK) SGM-Mahaneygate: Lawsuit Claims SGM Hid Sex Abuse Cases, Obstructed Justice & Misrepresented Facts

President of Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM)

Associate of Rev. Drs. Al Mohler, Ligon Duncan, and Mark Dever

Board Member of "Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals," Leader in "Together for the Gospel," and "Gospel Coalition"

Charles Joseph ("CJ") Mahaney
Co-defendant in Class Action Lawsuit with 7 Defendants, including SGM

Civil Torts: Negligence, Infliction of Emotional Distress, Obstructing Justice, Negligent Entrustment, Misrepresentation of Facts
 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/10492645

 

Lawsuit claims evangelical church hid abuse claims

AP foreign, 

Saturday October 20 2012 ERIC TUCKER Associated Press= WASHINGTON (AP) — Three female plaintiffs claim an evangelical church group covered up allegations of sexual abuse against children, failed to report accusations to the police and discouraged its members from cooperating with law enforcement, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday.  The lawsuit was filed in Maryland state court against Sovereign Grace Ministries, a 30-year-old family of churches with more than 80 congregations. Most of its churches are in the U.S., but it also has planted congregations in other countries. The alleged abuse happened in Maryland and northern Virginia in the 1980s and 1990s.  The plaintiffs allege a conspiracy spanning more than two decades to conceal sexual abuse committed by church members. They accuse church representatives of permitting suspected pedophiles to interact with children, supplying them with free legal advice to avoid prosecution and forcing victims to meet with and "forgive" the person that had molested them.  "The facts show that the Church cared more about protecting its financial and institutional standing than about protecting children, its most vulnerable members," the lawsuit claims.  The church said in a statement late Wednesday that it had not been served with the lawsuit and couldn't comment on the allegations. But it said it considered child abuse "reprehensible and criminal."  "Sovereign Grace Ministries takes seriously the Biblical commands to pursue the protection and well being of all people, especially the most vulnerable in its midst, little children," the statement said.  The suit names as defendants about a half-dozen pastors and church officials who plaintiffs say were alerted to the accusations but either failed to take action or actively covered them up. One official said he hadn't seen the suit, and other defendants either did not immediately respond to phone messages or did not appear to have publicly listed phone numbers.  "Each time a pastor in Sovereign Grace Ministries chose to put the reputation of his church first by using his position to enable a pedophile to avoid appropriate criminal justice, that pastor jeopardized the safety and well-being of all children," the mother of one of the plaintiffs, all identified in the complaint by pseudonyms, said Wednesday.  The Associated Press does not generally identify possible victims of sexual abuse, and is not naming the mother to avoid identifying her daughter.  The lawsuit bears parallels to the allegations of priest sex abuse and the resulting cover-up that have rocked the Roman Catholic church over the last decade. But while that scandal centered on sex abuse by priests, the accusations in this case involve molestation by church members instead of clergy.  Sovereign Grace Ministries grew from its mother church in Gaithersburg, Md., in 1982. It moved its headquarters this year to Louisville, Ky., where it's also planting a new church. The group has struggled in recent years with fractured leadership and criticism over its discipline methods, especially the church's emphasis on sins, discipline and repentance.   The lawsuit singles out the church's "Home Group" structure, in which children are provided with day care so that their parents can attend services, as fostering a poorly supervised environment that enabled the abuse to occur.  While the suit deals specifically with alleged abuse in Maryland and northern Virginia, the church has faced scrutiny on other occasions for its handling of sexual abuse claims, and Susan Burke, a lawyer representing the three plaintiffs, said there are other alleged victims prepared to join in the case too. And an April report by a non-profit Lutheran mediation group that studied the church for nine months found that while church leaders showed "care and concern" about sex abuse allegations, a number of people interviewed felt the claims were handled irresponsibly and were left with "disappointments and hurts."  The lawsuit centers on allegations of three female plaintiffs.  One of the three plaintiffs, a high school student in Virginia, alleges she was sexually assaulted when she was 3 years old and that the mother of the boy who abused her revealed the molestation to the church. But church officials discouraged her family from reporting the allegations to police and, instead, repeatedly interviewed the alleged abuser and worked with him and his mother to determine how best to prevent any prosecution and publicity regarding the abuse.  A second plaintiff, a college student in Maryland, was sexually abused as a toddler by a church member, the lawsuit claims. A pastor scolded her parents after they called police and then tipped off the accused that he had been reported, according to the lawsuit. Her parents were instructed to bring her to a meeting with her alleged abuser so they could be "reconciled," but she was "visibly scared and crawled under the chair" after being brought into the same room with him, the suit says.  The third plaintiff says her adoptive father, a member of the church, sexually abused her older sister for three and a half years. She says the church warned her mother not to pursue a prosecution, then kicked the family out of the church and denied the children reduced tuition to school. The man was ultimately prosecuted and imprisoned, the lawsuit says.  The lawsuit, filed in Montgomery County, Md., includes claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and conspiracy, among others. It says there are other victims, both male and female, who have raised allegations but are not yet identified as named plaintiffs.  "We view the case as an important step in holding SGM accountable for its misdeeds," said Burke, the lawyer who represents the three plaintiffs and is also suing the military on behalf of female service members who say they were raped. "No institution can put its own financial concerns above the needs of vulnerable children." ---Follow Eric Tucker at http://www.twitter.com /etuckerAPOnline:

Sovereign Grace Ministries: http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/

SGM-Mahaneygate: Sovereign Grace Ministries Accused of Covering Up Child Sexual Assaults

Co-Defendant, C.J. Mahaney

Radio interview with the Plaintiffs' attorney in SGM v. Sex Abuse Victims at:  http://www.janetmefferdpremium.com/2012/10/18/janet-mefferd-radio-show-20121018-hr-1/

Christian Post is posting this, as per below.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/sovereign-grace-ministries-accused-of-covering-up-child-sexual-assaults-83561/

Sovereign Grace Ministries Accused of Covering Up Child Sexual Assaults

 

 A class action lawsuit was filed against Sovereign Grace Ministries on Wednesday accusing the church of habitually covering up child sexual assault and abuse over an extended period of time.

 

 

The complaint, filed in Montgomery County, Md., claims the ministry led by C.J. Mahaney "cared more about protecting its financial and institutional standing than about protecting children, its most vulnerable members."

Founded in 1982 in Gaithersburg, Md., Sovereign Grace Ministries is a family of about 90 churches that are located primarily in the United States, but also in Australia, eastern Asia, Africa, Western Europe, Bolivia, Mexico and Canada. Mahaney is named as just one of the defendants in the lawsuit, along with other church leaders including Gary Ricucci, David Hinders, Louis Gallo, Frank Ecelbarger, John Loftness, Grant Layman and Lawrence Tomczak.

As far back as 1987, the church allegedly failed to report or discouraged others from reporting the sexual abuse of minors, forced victims to "forgive" those who abused them and prevented others from knowing how much abuse went on in the church, the suit claims.

"Essentially what has happened is that there has been a fairly widespread pattern on the part of this church of suppressing information about sexual assaults amongst the community. And the pastors have stepped in and made misrepresentations to secular authorities, to police, and have attempted to prevent parents and others from reporting things to secular authorities," Susan L. Burke, attorney for the plaintiffs, told The Christian Post on Thursday.

The alleged abuse described in the suit happened during the 1980s and 1990s in both Maryland and Virginia. Burke says the goal of the suit is to make sure no one else gets hurt.

 

"My clients are very concerned that it's still going on," she said.

Pseudonyms are used in the complaint to protect the identities of the plaintiffs (for the sake of clarity, these pseudonyms will also be used in this article). One of the women, Jane Doe, alleges she was just 3 years old when she was sexually assaulted and molested by a church member over the course of several months at one of the ministry's churches in Virginia.

The mother of Doe's predator told church leaders her son confessed to committing the crime, though church officials allegedly told Doe's parents not to alert other church members to the situation and allowed the perpetrator to continue interacting with children in the church community without supervision. The church also allegedly interfered in the legal process by falsely telling law enforcement officials that Doe's parents did not want to participate in the court proceedings surrounding their daughter's molestation.

The parents of Norma Noe, another plaintiff, found out that their then 2-year-old daughter had allegedly been abused by someone who served as a babysitter for one of the ministry's Home Groups in Maryland.

They called the police the day after the incident. They then called Loftness, who allegedly told them, "Do not call the police" and said it was an issue that should be handled by church leadership. The church also tried to arrange a meeting between Noe and her predator so they could be "reconciled" to one another, the complaint states, which further traumatized the girl.

The final of the three listed plaintiffs in the suit is Robin Roe, whose adopted father – named "Parental Pedophile" in the suit – is still a member of the church. He sexually abused Roe's older sister for three and a half years, the complaint states, and Roe's mother eventually reported him to Mays, who went on to report the incident to Ricucci and later to Loftness.

"The Church did not report the matter to the police or any other law enforcement authorities, as they were required to do," the suit states. "Instead, acting through Defendant Ricucci, the Church directed Robin Roe's mother to let them 'take care of everything.'"

Roe is a plaintiff in the suit because she was allegedly no longer accepted by the church after she told a friend and fellow church member about her sister's abuse.

As a result of being considered an outcast, the suit claims, Roe was not cared for properly as a child, and eventually wound up in a juvenile half-way house for young criminals. The church also allegedly helped Roe's father with his legal issues, and told Roe's mother to have sex with him more frequently to prevent him from "being tempted."

Those who might be included in the class action suit are those who were sexually assaulted or molested as a minor by Sovereign Grace Ministries church members between 1987 and the present. The church's neglect of the situation has allegedly led to multiple abuses over time.

According to a statement released Wednesday by Tommy Hill, Sovereign Grace's director of finance and administration, the church had not yet been served with a lawsuit and only heard of it through various media outlets.

"Sovereign Grace Ministries is not in a position to comment on the allegations of the reported lawsuit," said Hill. "Child abuse in any context is reprehensible and criminal. Sovereign Grace Ministries takes seriously the Biblical commands to pursue the protection and well being of all people, especially the most vulnerable in its midst, little children."

The abuse and cover-up allegations are just part of a string of issues Sovereign Grace Ministries has dealt with recently in view of the public.

In the summer of 2011, for example, Mahaney took a leave of absence as the church's leader after being accused by those in his church, and by former pastors, of having character flaws including "pride, unentreatability, deceit, sinful judgment, and hypocrisy." He returned to his role as the ministry's president in January after six months of leave.

The church has also dealt with a number of internal conflicts, between the pastors at Covenant Life Church and the Sovereign Grace Ministries Interim Board/Leadership Team, which have not yet been resolved.

Barry Bowen contributed to this report
 

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