The name of an evangelical preacher linked to an alleged cover-up of child sexual abuse has been dropped from a list of speakers at an upcoming conference at an SBC seminary.
By Bob Allen
A controversial evangelical preacher, named in a highly publicized lawsuit alleging participation in what has been described as the biggest evangelical sexual-abuse scandal to date, is no longer listed as a speaker for an upcoming collegiate conference at a Southern Baptist seminary. C.J. MahaneyC.J. Mahaney, pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Louisville, Ky., and close friend to Southern Baptist proponents of theology that goes by names including the New Calvinism and “young, restless and Reformed,” originally appeared among speakers scheduled for next year’s 20/20 Collegiate Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. Last month ABPnews reported his name on the program for "Ekklesia: God's Perspective on the Church," scheduled Feb. 7-8, 2014, alongside other speakers that included Southeastern Seminary President Daniel Akin and SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore.
Mahaney’s name no longer appears on the seminary web page promoting the conference. There is no mention of when or why the change was made, and the seminary’s communications office did not respond to a request for comment.
Mahaney spoke at this year’s collegiate conference in February, amid media coverage of a class-action lawsuit alleging collusion by Sovereign Grace pastors to not report suspected or known physical and sexual abuse of children to police but instead handle it internally as a matter of church “discipline.”
After ministry friends, including Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler and Washington, D.C., pastor Mark Dever, stuck by Mahaney in a public statement attesting to his integrity, a Georgia pastor sponsored a resolution adopted at the SBC annual meeting in June calling on denominational leaders 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 pastor, Peter Lumpkins, criticized Mahaney’s return visit in blog comments posted Oct. 10. On Oct. 22, Lumpkins voiced appreciation that the invitation to Mahaney was apparently withdrawn.
Danny Akin and Southeastern seminary drops C.J. Mahaney from conference
Apparently Dr. Danny Akin and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary have dropped C.J. Mahaney from the 20/20 Collegiate Conference "EKKLESIA: God's Perspective on the Church."1 We first posted our lament concerning Akin's decision to retain Mahaney in the face of Southern Baptists' 2013 resolution on the sexual abuse of children in a post entitled "Danny Akin and Al Mohler still sponsoring C. J. Mahaney."
For my part, for whatever reason(s) Dr. Akin decided to withdraw the invitation to Mahaney, we are grateful and commend him and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for doing so.
Now, if only Dr. Mohler could find the courage to sever all ties between Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and C.J. Mahaney's Pastors' School.
All last week Mohler's friends publicly expressed their admiration for his unflinching courage to do the "right thing" during the "Conservative Resurgence," and to do so even when it was personally hurtful to himself and his family.
We wait to see how Dr. Mohler responds under different circumstances.
A Montgomery
County Circuit Court lawsuit accuses past and current leaders of a 100-church
evangelical denomination of covering up sexual abuse of minors, forcing small
children to “forgive” abusers and ostracizing families who wouldn’t hide the
alleged crimes.
The lawsuit
filed Friday adds more accusers and more accused to a complaint filed last fall
against Sovereign Grace Ministries, a movement founded in the 1970s in
Gaithersburg. Among those named now is co-founder Larry Tomczak, who was a key
figure in the movement’s early years but split from it bitterly in the 1990s.
Eight alleged
victims are named. Tomczak is the only alleged abuser named. He is accused of
forcing a victim over a period of 25 years to strip “against her will” and
assaulting her .
Tomczak became
well-known with Sovereign Grace leader C.J. Mahaney years ago for launching
what is now a thriving trend of neo-Calvinism. Neo-Calvinism teaches that
people are steeped in sin and need strict spiritual oversight.
Tomczak is a
pastor in Tennessee. Mahaney moved Sovereign Grace’s headquarters last year
from Gaithersburg to Kentucky amid controversy within the churches over his
leadership.
The movement’s
flagship church, Covenant Life in Gaithersburg, became
independent a few weeks ago after public disagreements over views of pastoral
authority.
Tomczak said
his family experienced “spiritual abuse” decades ago, at the hands of other
clergy who publicly criticized his actions. In a Post story in 2011 about rifts in the Sovereign Grace
movement, he called for more openness and contrition about behavior
within the group.
In an e-mail
Monday, Tomczak said he “had no participation or involvement in these areas
that were cited” and plans to file a motion to remove his name from the suit.
Sovereign Grace
spokesman Tommy Hill said the abuse of a child is “reprehensible and evil. We
ask for patience as we carefully review and investigate these new allegations.
We continue to pray for all those affected by this lawsuit,” he said in an
e-mail.
The suit names
Sovereign Grace churches and schools in Fairfax County and Gaithersburg,
including Covenant Life. It also names various leaders of the movement and
accuses them of covering up the alleged crimes.
“Defendants
failed to report known incidences of sexual predation to law enforcement,
encouraged parents to refrain from reporting the assaults to law enforcement,
and interposed themselves between the parents of the victims and law
enforcement in order to mislead law enforcement into believing parents had
“forgiven” those who preyed on their children,” the complaint says.
No church has loved C.J. and Sovereign Grace Ministries more than Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD. From its inception in 1977, CLC has served as the model church for all the churches in SGM. The members of CLC have worked harder and given more to serve the interests of C.J. and SGM than any other church. What the Jerusalem, Antioch, and Ephesian churches were in NT times; Gaithersburg has been throughout the 30 year history of SGM.
Starting in 2002, the headquarters for SGM was housed in the newly expanded CLC facility. So too the Pastors College. In addition, conference after conference was held in their building. The members of CLC have always sacrificed their time, used their talents, and given their money to make Sovereign Grace Ministries a success for the glory of God. CLC has a church population of approximately 5,000 persons.
Joshua Harris moved to CLC in 1997 in order to be trained by C.J. He lived with the Mahaney’s up until he was married. After 8 years of discipleship, C.J. turned the church over to Joshua and installed him as the sr. pastor. In 2007, C.J. added Joshua to the SGM Board of Directors. He planned to turn the ministry over to Joshua next year when he turns 60. Joshua was C.J.’s chosen replacement. All that has changed. In July 2011, C.J. abruptly left Covenant Life Church without talking to any of his pastors about his decision. In April 2012, he abruptly decided to relocate the SGM headquarters to Louisville, KY without talking to any of the pastors. In September 2012, he started a new church even though he was unreconciled to his old church and the pastors. Tens of thousands of people have watched C.J. destroy the ministry we began in 1982. Friends and supporters throughout nation and many parts of the world have been shocked as they’ve observed C.J.’s pride, deceit and hypocrisy over the past year and a half.
After being ever so patient and forbearing with C.J., Joshua recommended last night that Covenant Life Church end their partnership with Sovereign Grace Ministries. All 18 pastors were in complete agreement with Josh. This is in stark contrast to July 2011 when Dave Harvey, the Interim President of SGM at the time, said the following when Josh stepped down from the Board of Directors.
“The important thing is that Josh and the [SGM] board continue to affirm our ministry partnership together. Josh’s resignation from the board is not a grand statement about our future together. It’s not even an indication that we disagree on most things. We don’t. In fact Josh and the board agree on about 98% of things, especially on our shared mission we have been given to see churches planted and built in this country and around the world.” (Dave Harvey, “Where we differ, where we agree,” July 14, 2011)
Only someone who has been a part of Sovereign Grace for a long time can fully appreciate the magnitude of this action by the CLC pastors. These 18 men were all loyal and devoted friends and followers of C.J. Their lives and ministries were largely built around C.J. and his leadership. None of them ever imagined having to leave SGM because they no longer trusted C.J. or the Board of Directors given their abusive leadership practices and unethical conduct. Many other churches in SGM feel the same way. A few have left. Many more will follow.
Last night, Joshua provided detailed explanations to the church for why the separation from SGM was necessary. He covered seven different areas. It must have been the hardest and easiest thing Joshua has ever done. Hardest, because of his deep love for C.J. Easiest, because the reasons were compelling and the choice obvious. It was time to leave.
The pastors have taken this action now because they don’t need to wait for a final SG Book of Church Order. They have set this direction primarily because the moral problems in SGM are flagrant and C.J. remains unrepentant. Over the past 18 months, they have experienced up close and personal, the same C.J. described in my documents. They’ve also experienced the trickery of Dave Harvey, the heavy handedness of Mickey Connolly, and the partiality of John Loftness. Churches in SGM are going to leave in large numbers for two reasons. Unethical conduct and unbiblical polity. Per the CLC constitution, the entire church must vote on this recommendation. That’s why the pastors announced a direction, not a decision, to separate from SGM. They will hold two “Coffee and Conversation” meetings on November 11 and 18 to answer questions. Two weeks later, an online vote will be taken over a three week period. Then the votes will be tallied. A 51% majority is needed in order to sever ties with SGM. The pastors hope to wrap things up by mid-December. From my perspective, C.J. began to build a “Tower of Babel” around 1996. The Sovereign Grace tower reached to the heavens by 2010. But now in 2012, the Lord has come down and begun to scattered it over the earth.
Genesis 11:4, 8
[4] Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”… [8] So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. Making a name for one’s self always invites God’s judgment. It is this love of reputation and desire for greatness that has brought about the downfall of C.J. and Sovereign Grace Ministries. The well-known proverb is true. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. But here’s the good news. Unlike the King’s men with Humpty Dumpty, the Holy Spirit can put contrite men back together again. In his mercy, the Lord gathers after he scatters. It continues to be my prayer that God will raise up and strengthen pastors and churches characterized by humility, honesty and courage.
Please be aware of the following press release. October 26, 2012
Statement by Tommy Hill Sovereign Grace Ministries Director of Administration
Re: A Civil Lawsuit Filed Against Sovereign Grace Ministries Oct. 17 in Maryland’s Montgomery County Circuit Court
Though not yet served, Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM) leadership has obtained a copy of the civil lawsuit filed last week against SGM and several pastors of its associational churches. This recent complaint makes broad allegations that SGM pastors were negligent in providing spiritual counsel and pastoral care in situations involving persons who had previously suffered child sexual abuse. It is important to note that it does not allege any act of child abuse by a pastor or staff member of SGM or of an associated church. SGM is not in a position to comment on the specific allegations at this time, but we are beginning a careful legal review of each allegation. Upon initial review it appears the complaint contains a number of untrue or misleading allegations, as well as considerable mischaracterizations of intent.
Child sexual abuse is reprehensible in any circumstance, and a violation of fundamental human dignity. We grieve deeply for any child who has been a victim of abuse. We want to minister the love, grace and healing of God to any who have suffered this horrific act.
SGM is committed to integrity and faithfulness in pastoral care, as are the pastors of local congregations. We take seriously the biblical commands to pursue the protection and well-being of all people – especially children, who are precious gifts given by the Lord and the most vulnerable among us. These biblical commands include fully respecting civil authority to help restrain evil and promote righteousness as Romans 13 instructs us. SGM also encourages the establishment of robust child protection policies and procedures based on best practices.
SGM churches are separately organized and constituted in their respective communities. They voluntarily partner together for certain aspects of their broader common mission: to plant churches, develop resources, train pastors and serve international ministries in order to proclaim the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We ask that you please join us in praying that God guides and leads all of us in these challenging circumstances, ministering His grace, comfort and peace to all who are affected by this situation, and that His truth would prevail.
Circuit Court for Montgomery County - Civil System
Case Number:
369721VSub Type:OTHER TORTS
Date Filed:
10/17/2012
Case Status:
OPEN
Plaintiff Information
(Each Alias, Address, and Attorney for the Plaintiff
is displayed)
Name:
DOE, JANE
Address:
C/O WILLIAM T. O'NEIL
THE O'NEIL GROUP LLC
7500 OLD GEORGETOWN RD 1375
BETHESDA MD 20814
Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff
Name:
O'NEIL, WILLIAM T
Address:
O'NEIL GROUP LLC
SUITE 1375
7500 OLD GEORGETOWN RO
BETHESDA MD 20814
Phone:
202-684-7140
Name:
NOE, NORMA
Address:
C/O WILLIAM T. O'NEIL
THE O'NEIL GROUP LLC
7500 OLD GEORGETOWN RD 1375
BETHESDA MD 20814
Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff
Name:
O'NEIL, WILLIAM T
Address:
O'NEIL GROUP LLC
SUITE 1375
7500 OLD GEORGETOWN RO
BETHESDA MD 20814
Phone:
202-684-7140
Name:
ROE, ROBIN
Address:
C/O WILLIAM T. O'NEIL
THE O'NEIL GROUP LLC
7500 OLD GEORGETOWN RD 1375
BETHESDA MD 20814
Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff
Name:
O'NEIL, WILLIAM T
Address:
O'NEIL GROUP LLC
SUITE 1375
7500 OLD GEORGETOWN RO
BETHESDA MD 20814
Phone:
202-684-7140
Defendant Information
(Each Alias, Address, and Attorney for the Defendant
is displayed)
Name:
SOVEREIGN GRACE MINISTRIES
Address:
7505 MUNCASTER MILL RD
GAITHERSBURG MD 20877
Name:
MAHANEY, CHARLES JOSEPH
Address:
20911 LOCHAVEN COURT
GAITHERSBURG MD 20882
Name:
RICUCCI, GARY
Address:
404 SANDERS LANE
GAITHERSBURG MD 20877-3410
Name:
HINDERS, DAVID
Address:
5328 OX ROAD
FAIRFAX VA 22030-4606
Name:
GALLO, LOUIS
Address:
9663 MASON BLUFF COURT
BURKE VA 22015-3148
Name:
ECELBARGER, FRANK
Address:
4113 LEAFY GLADE PLACE
CASSELBERRY FL 32707-5286
Name:
LOFTNESS, JOHN
Address:
3005 ARDEN FOREST LANE
BOWIE MD 20716-3821
Name:
LAYMAN, GRANT
Address:
20305 OYSTER BAY TERRACE
MONTGOMERY VILLAGE MD 20886-5908
Name:
TOMCZAK, LAWRENCE
Address:
1312 WOLVERTON DRIVE
FRANKLIN TN 37067-6523
Court Scheduling Information
(Schedule is subject to change)
Event Date:
01/18/2013Event Time:09:00 AMJudge:BURRELL, SHARON V
Location:
50 Maryland Avenue9th
FloorCourtroom:2
Description:
SCHEDULING HEARING
Event Date:
01/18/2013
Description:
PLT EXPERTS IDENTIFIED/FILED BY
Event Date:
02/12/2013
Description:
MOTION FOR ALT SVC DEADLINE
Event Date:
03/14/2013
Description:
DEF EXPERTS IDENTIFIED/FILED BY
Event Date:
05/28/2013
Description:
ALL WRITTEN DISCOVERY SERVED BY
Event Date:
07/12/2013
Description:
DISCOVERY COMPLETED
Event Date:
07/23/2013
Description:
ADD'L PARTIES JOINDER DEADLINE
Event Date:
08/09/2013Event Time:08:30 AMJudge:BURRELL, SHARON V
Location:
50 Maryland Avenue9th
FloorCourtroom:2
Description:
STATUS HEARING
Event Date:
08/09/2013
Description:
MOTIONS/INC DISPOSITIVE FILED BY
Event Date:
08/09/2013
Description:
MEETING OF ALL COUNSEL
Event Date:
08/09/2013
Description:
RULE 2-504.3(B) NOTICE DEADLINE
Event Date:
08/19/2013
Description:
JOINT PRETRIAL STMT FILED BY
Event Date:
09/06/2013Event Time:01:30 PMJudge:BURRELL, SHARON V
Location:
50 Maryland Avenue9th
FloorCourtroom:2
Description:
SETTLEMENT/PRETRIAL HRG.
Issues Information
Issue:
NEGLIGENCE
Issue:
INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS
Issue:
OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE
Issue:
NEGLIGENT ENTRUSTMENT
Issue:
MISREPRESENTATION OF FACTS
Document Tracking
Docket Date:
10/17/2012Docket Number:1
Docket Description:
BILL OF COMPLAINT
Docket Type:
DocketFiled By:Plaintiff
Docket Text:
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT AND JURY DEMAND, FILED.
Docket Date:
10/17/2012Docket Number:2
Docket Description:
INFORMATION SHEET FILED
Docket Type:
DocketFiled By:Plaintiff
Docket Text:
PLAINTIFFS' INFORMATION SHEET, FILED.
Docket Date:
10/19/2012Docket Number:3
Docket Description:
ORDER, SCHEDULING HEARING CIVIL TRACK
Docket Type:
DocketFiled By:Court
Ruling Judge:
DEBELIUS, JOHN W III
Docket Text:
NOTICE OF SCHEDULING HEARING AND ORDER OF COURT - TRACK 4
(DEBELIUS, J.) , ENTERED. (COPIES MAILED)
Docket Date:
10/19/2012Docket Number:4
Docket Description:
NOTICE, NEW CASE NUMBER
Docket Type:
DocketFiled By:Court
Docket Text:
NOTICE SENT GIVING NEW CASE NUMBER TO ALL PARTIES.
Docket Date:
10/19/2012Docket Number:5
Docket Description:
SUMMONS ISSUED
Docket Type:
DocketFiled By:Court
Docket Text:
FIVE 30 DAY AND FOUR 60 DAY SUMMONS ISSUED FOR PERSONAL
SERVICE AND MAILED TO ATTORNEY.
This is an electronic case record. Full case
information cannot be made available either because of legal restrictions on
access to case records found in Maryland rules 16-1001 through 16-1011, or
because of the practical difficulties inherent in reducing a case record into an
electronic format.
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.
Although dated, this was Al Mohler's (and Ligon Duncan's) hasty, unexamined, premature and uninvestigative response to allegations of Mahaney's abusiveness.
C.J. Mahaney, longtime president of the Sovereign Grace Ministries, has acknowledged the accuracy of some of the charges against him, including failing to be held to accountable by others in his church network and using coercive tactics in a dispute with an estranged colleague with whom he has since reconciled.
“I always have had only the highest estimation of C.J. Mahaney as a man and a minister,” Mohler said in an interview — his first public comments on the situation involving Mahaney, one of his fellow leaders in the Reformed, neo-Calvinist movement. “That continues absolutely unchanged. There is nothing in this current situation which would leave me to have even the slightest pause of confidence in him.”
Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, has worked closely with Mahaney for years as leaders of a revival of teaching on Calvinist theology,male authority and church discipline among some conservative evangelicals.
Mohler said he believes Mahaney and the Sovereign Grace board are being prudent in planning an independent investigation from people outside the denomination to make sure those involved are above reproach.
But Mohler has already drawn his own conclusions.
He based that on hundreds of pages leaked to the Internet last week, detailing correspondence between Mahaney, his main accuser and former colleague, Brent Detwiler, and other Sovereign Grace leaders.
“There is nothing disqualifying in terms of anything that is disclosed in this,” said Mohler, who regularly speaks on programs along with Mahaney. “It’s just evidence we knew all along, that C.J. is human but a deeply committed Christian and a visionary Christian leader.”
Sovereign Grace itself is taking a more cautious approach. A statement from its board called the allegations “serious.”
“These charges are not related to any immorality or financial impropriety, but this doesn’t minimize their serious nature, which include various expressions of pride, unentreatability (inability to accept correction), deceit, sinful judgment, and hypocrisy,” the board said. (One reader last week wondered how the board was defining “immorality” in light of that catalogue of sins.)
And in a Sunday sermon, Mahaney’s successor as pastor of the denomination’s flagship congregation, Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Md., refused to downplay them.
“We are walking through what is without any exaggeration the most difficult challenge that we’ve faced as a church,” said the pastor, Joshua Harris.
Harris called his former mentor a “father in the faith to many of us” but that Mahaney had “confessed to some of these sins” while disagreeing with others.
“It is as bad as it seems, and it is the fault of your leaders, and we desperately need the help of God and the wisdom and the accountability of the people who have looked to our leadership to sort through this mess,” he said.
In his own statements, Mahaney said that “God is disciplining me for my sin and leadership failures and I am very grateful for this discipline.”
“I was difficult to entreat,” he told the Covenant Life congregation Sunday night. “I sinfully judged their motives. I was arrogantly confident in my perception.”
Mahaney has been in ministry since the 1970s, when the one-time drug enthusiast was converted to Christianity through the hippie-friendly Jesus Movement, according to the 2008 book, “Young Restless, Reformed,” by Collin Hansen.
The bald-headed Mahaney captures audiences with his earnestly enunciated phrases and a broad circumference of gestures. His popular books include one titled, “Humility: True Greatness.”
The Maryland-based Sovereign Grace network has a network of 97 churches in the United States and abroad, many on the East Coast, known for their unusual combination of Reformed theology and a history of Pentecostal-like spiritual gifts such as divine prophecy. None of its congregations are listed in Kentucky and Indiana, although Mahaney has spoken to enthusiastic crowds in Louisville this February at Southern Seminary and last year at the Kentucky International Convention Center.
Mahaney’s leave follows years of once-secret deliberations among its leaders. The dialogue reflects a specialized vocabulary of a culture within Sovereign Grace of relentless scrutiny of one’s own sins and those of other members.
Detwiler, who resigned from his positions in the Sovereign Grace movement in 2009 after years of conflict with Mahaney, had documented the conflict in more than 600 pages of emails between him, Mahaney and other movement leaders. He included hundreds of footnotes, fastidiously parsing others’ words and phrases.as inaccurate or reflecting incomplete repentance.
Detwiler recently circulated them among all Sovereign Grace pastors, and someone posted them anonymously online last week under the label, “sgmwikileaks.”
Harris confirmed the correspondence was authentic, that much was accurate but that some allegations remain in dispute.
Detwiler charged Mahaney with dishonesty, “spiritual abuse and manipulation,” dismissing critics as embittered and failing to accept the harsh correction he doled out on others. For example, Detwiler said he failed to confess sins publicly and described general vices he was guilty of — without naming specifics or those he may have hurt through them. Detwiler said he did forgive Mahaney for areas in which he felt his repentance was genuine but felt justified in seeking vindication for things Detwiler feels falsely accused of.
For example, Detwiler said Mahaney’s scathing review of his job performance were unfair and had a major role in Detwiler’s ultimate departure from the North Carolina church he led and were harmful to his family. Mahaney disputes this.
Mohler said he saw no reason for Mahaney to take a leave from other leadership positions.
Mohler, Mahaney and two other ministers share leadership of the group Together for the Gospel, which has brought thousands of mostly young pastors and other attendees to conferences such as one held last year at the Kentucky International Convention Center. They are also on the board of a similar group, the Gospel Coalition, according to the group’s Web site.
“I assume he would retain every position in leadership,” Mohler said. “I expect he should be very quickly returned to leadership of Sovereign Grace.”
Mohler contended that Detwiler has “an obvious vendetta” against Mahaney and attributed the document dump on the Internet to him.
UPDATE: Detwiler said in comments via email this morning:
“I have nothing but respect for Dr. Mohler. He is a remarkable man and done incalculable good in Southern Baptist circles and the Body of Christ at large. People everywhere should listen to his radio broadcasts and read his published materials. I am sure his friendship and support is a great source of comfort to C.J. during this challenging time.”
“…Sovereign Grace Ministries has been a wonderful organization committed to planting Gospel-centered churches in the United States and parts abroad. There are many outstanding pastors and people in the denomination. But temptation and sin come with rapid growth and recognition. That was especially true for C.J. and we did not serve him well by allowing him to play by a different set of rules – a double standard. We certainly share the blame for his fall. But C.J. genuinely loves the Lord and people so I am confident he will respond to God’s discipline in his life.
Detwiler also said he did not post the materials on the Internet but has become aware of the person who did. Mohler’s characterization of his motive as a vendetta, he said, “constitutes an uncharitable judgment but one I understand given his close relationship with C.J. He is defending his friend and that is admirable.”
UPDATE: Mahaney rotated off the board of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in December, which is housed at Southern Seminary and promotes male authority in churches and homes. He is listed on the site as vice-chairman, as an earlier version of this post noted, but the council has not updated its Web site, said Randy Stinson, the council president and a seminary dean. Stinson said the rotation was routine and unrelated to the circumstances of Mahaney’s leave from Sovereign Grace.
The Sovereign Grace network is separate from the Southern Baptist Convention, the affiliate of Southern Seminary, but Mohler praised Mahaney’s group as “one of the most vital movements of church planting and evangelism and church development in this generation.”
Mohler added: “Any time you’re going to take on the role of leadership, you’re going to have critics.”
Mohler also supported Sovereign Grace’s highly centralized leadership structure in its churches, with “very strong pastoral direction” and internal discipline.
“It’s something clearly called for in the New Testament,” he said.
Mohler said he knew this practice has had online critics for years.
“Basically there are people who are very uncomfortable with the strong kind of spiritual direction that comes through the Sovereign Grace Ministries,” Mohler said. “It’s very hard to criticize it on biblical terms, as you’ll see on most of those Web sites. It basically comes down to the criticism, ‘I don’t like that.’”
Many of those attending the conferences led by Mohler, Mahaney and others are young pastors and others described by Hansen’s book title as “Young Restless, Reformed.” They often are marked by goatees, shaved heads and/or cargo shorts and by their earnest focus on the doctrines of the 16th century Protestant Reformer John Calvin and those influenced by him, from Puritan devotional poetry to the 19th century sermons of Charles Spurgeon.
The movement also emphasizes church discipline and male authority.
The Together for the Gospel conference at the convention center last year drew a mostly young, mostly male crowd of several thousand from around the nation and abroad, eagerly soaking up teachings and free books. They lined up between sessions to have their pictures taken with Mahaney and other prominent speakers, such as Mohler and Minnesota pastor John Piper.
(Note: Comments are coming in fast. Since this is a moderated blog, please be patient. We’ll get them posted as soon as possible. Thanks.)
The SGM Lawsuit, the Alleged Victims’ Attorney, Al Mohler, and Mahaney
Fri Oct 19, 2012 dee
They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace. Jeremiah 6:14
Susan Burke-The Attorney Link to biography -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update: How long will it take for The Gospel Coalition/Al Mohler/Ligon Duncan/Mark Dever to mention the SGM/Mahaney 'situation?'
Date of notification of filing 10/17: Day: 1 2 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About a year and a half ago, TWW was contacted by a pastor to clear up some “misperceptions” that we might have about his ministry. We happened to know that this pastor was friendly with CJ Mahaney. By this time, we were deeply concerned about SGM and the number of allegations about abuse.
As our readers know, we believe that the needs of the victims of abuse must be prioritized. We went out on a limb and begged the pastor to speak to his buddy, CJ, and ask him to help these people who were members of his churches.
Well, we were slammed hard for our request. We were told that we were guilty of “character assassination.” We were the problems. Not one word was mentioned about the victims. Not one! For that we say, loud and clear, “Shame on you.” And shame on all the people who rallied around CJ and SGM. We may have been ineffective but we, at least, gave a darn-unlike some of these men.
Al Mohler and Ambassadors of "Reconciliation".
Like, for example, Al Mohler, who can be seen in this video, honoring CJ Mahaney. I wonder if Al Mohler has cause to regret this video in which he calls him a man of true humility and a man of truth. There is also footage of John Bettler praising Mahaney as well. Warning: If you have been hurt by
Al Mohler, along with a myriad of other “friends” of CJ vigorously defended him after his last dustup a year ago. So nothing has changed in the past few years. Here is what Al Mohler had to say as quoted by the Courier Journal. Note what is missing. There was not one mention for the victims. No wonder SGM and CJ moved to Louisville.
“I always have had only the highest estimation of C.J. Mahaney as a man and a minister,” Mohler said in an interview — his first public comments on the situation involving Mahaney, one of his fellow leaders in the Reformed, neo-Calvinist movement. “That continues absolutely unchanged. There is nothing in this current situation which would leave me to have even the slightest pause of confidence in him.”
“There is nothing disqualifying in terms of anything that is disclosed in this,” said Mohler, who regularly speaks on programs along with Mahaney. “It’s just evidence we knew all along, that C.J. is human but a deeply committed Christian and a visionary Christian leader.”
Remember, the report did mention the allegations of abuse. Nothing disqualifying? What does it take to get disqualified? Oh right, not agreeing with complementarianism. If you go to the link, you can see a picture of CJ autographing an admirer’s book at a conference.
By the way, TWW does not recommend that any non-leader church member participate in such "reconciliation" meetings. The deck appears stacked against the"little guy" since the church leaders are the ones who call in these groups and pay them. There is no incentive to find in favor of the non-leader. Business 101-follow the money.
A radio interview with Attorney Susan Burke
Yesterday, the assertive and compassionate attorney for the victims, Susan Burke, was interviewed on the Janet Mefferd Show. You can listen to it here. http://www.janetmefferdpremium.com/2012/10/18/janet-mefferd-radio-show-20121018-hr-1/. The host, Janet Mefferd, stated that child sex abuse is rampant in today’s church. Burke made the following allegations about those named in the lawsuit. Warning: the second to the last comment may be difficult to read.
• The pastors did not handle the trauma of the victims. • They protected the perpetrator • They kept the incidents quiet and did not alert others in the church. • They used intimidation to enforce the silence. • It appears they were more concerned about the reputation and the finances of the church. • They portrayed the civil authorities as untrustworthy. • They portrayed the pastors as being trustworthy to handle the situation. • They emphasized homeschooling and created fear and distrust of secular authorities. • The pastors had little training for their position, either in seminary or otherwise. • The parents were led to believe that they were the only ones that that had this happen due to the culture of silence. • The various blogs helped people to find one another and realize that they were not the only ones who experienced these events these events. • These incidents fall well within the statute of limitations. • More people are coming forward so the class action suit is the most logical way to help those coming forward. • She emphasized the story of a 3 year old child who was made to meet with and forgive her abuser. The poor child was so afraid she hid under a chair. (Dee is throwing things and screaming in horror at this point). • The son of a high level church official was involved in some form of predation.
Media Coverage
This lawsuit is gone viral and is bring covered by all of the major media outlets, blogs, television, etc. This time, a little visit by some “peacemaking “ group will not suffice. Had SGM sincerely apologized as much a 6 months ago, I believe that this action would have been averted. Instead, a suspiciously ineffective “reconciliation” group blew it big time, criticizing the blogs and the emotions of the victims and throwing the game in favor of the “leadership.”
“Despite all their prayer and faith in God. These people who claim to be religious can't seem to stop having sex with children. Men that are heterosexual and pedophiles abusing young men and women and having someone cover for them. I don't believe in Hell but if there is a such thing I hope they have a super torture room for them.”
The sexual molestations and bizarre cover-ups / reconciliations are really abuses of power, something that authoritarian, patriarchal, sexually sick religions pursue in many guises, be they fundamentalist or evangelical or Catholic or whatever.
Here's our (quick) story on why we were drawn in to Sovereign Grace churches – we are a well-educated family, but I suppose we weren't very bright – we let our guard down and wrongly assumed that "this is a group of humble Christian leaders that we can trust." Wrong. We are fortunate to have opened our eyes and are long gone…
And our critics say we are hurting the witness of the church…
Contacts in Louisville
Here is some information that might be of value to some of our readers. It was sent in by Anon1.
The Christian school where the new SGM church is located is called Christian Academy of Louisville, English Station Campus. The Superintendent of Christian Academy is Tim Greener who can be reached at tgreener@caschools.us (This is a good link-ignore phishing warning).
The Board chairman is Mark Lagestee who is Director of People Development at YUM! Brands which includes the Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell franchises. Here is a contact page for that company. http://www.yum.com/contact/default.asp
A number of years ago, Dee and Deb were involved in a church that did, in our opinion, an atrocious job of handling a pedophile situation. That experience is the wind beneath of wings. We will do anything in our power to help the victims of child abuse.
When we started this blog, we wrote a letter to the boys called A Memorial Day Apology to a Group of Innocent Boys. We are reprinting part of that here today to stand the courageous people behind this lawsuit. You deserve a standing ovation for your courage. The boys to whom this was addressed were older teens at the time this was written. They were in their early teens at the time of their abuse.
To the victims:
On behalf of the worldwide church of our Lord, I beg you for your forgiveness. Yes, I know it happened at a particular church but the church is not a building or a location. The church is everywhere where there are those who gather to follow the faith of the Scriptures. The church did not protect you and you were horribly injured: physically, psychologically, and spiritually. This pedophile stole the innocence you had as you entered your teen-age years. So, instead of getting up the courage to ask a pretty girl to go to the movies; you were brutalized and forced to perform acts that were confusing.
YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME! You did nothing wrong. The pedophile abused you. I know that there are church leaders who have said or implied that you might bear some fault. Not only are they wrong, they are despicable to have suggested such a thing. You were young teens. He was a manipulative monster who played games with your mind.
Jesus said that anyone who causes a little one to stumble should tie a cement block on his feet and jump into an endlessly deep ocean. Jesus understands and He weeps at what happened to you. The perpetrator and those who treated you callously will stand before Jesus someday and will have to give an account for their contemptible actions.
Why do I apologize? I was there when they told us about what happened. I was also there when they told us they would give you intensive help and that we should not talk about what happened in order to “protect” you. I did something stupid. I believed them and thought I was leaving you all in good hands. I didn’t care enough to ask about you. I refused to remember that even church leaders are sinful and can care more about themselves then those they serve. I should have asked sooner. I should have checked to see if the promised help was being provided. You weren’t helped in any significant way. Many of them never spoke with you. I shall bear that burden for the rest of my life. Please forgive me.
I know that some of your family members have had difficulty dealing with what happened to you. Please understand. They were raised to trust their pastors. Over many years, they have given a lot of time and money to their church. They believed that your involvement with church would bring you closer to God.
When these loathsome events became known, they were shocked and had difficulty imagining the extent of your damage. Believe it or not, parents aren’t given a manual on how to deal with this sort of abuse. This scenario did not fit the beautiful dreams that they imagined for your life.
Some (members of the church) of them were embarrassed. Others blamed themselves and had trouble admitting it. Some of them wanted to pretend this never happened. Others, may God forgive them, actually believed that this monster deserved a second chance and should not go to jail! Your parents were victims of this rapist and the callous church as well. Some of them want to believe that everything is still OK, both at the church and with you, because they can’t deal with the pain.
The pastors and church leaders failed you. They may have been afraid that the church would be sued. They wanted to protect a building instead of openly caring for you, come what may. Some of them said that they were dealing with other more troubling issues. HUH??? Some may have even said that they don’t owe you any apologies! Some may have even lied or claimed that everything was just fine at the church and that they never noticed one little thing until the rapist was exposed. May God forgive them. Your pastors and church leaders sinned against you. You did not deserve to be re-victimized. How strange that a church that says to love your neighbor and to stand as a light upon a hill became secretive and unloving.
Please know that many Christians love you. Some of these folks you have never met. Some have given up their church and have been subjected to ridicule, name-calling, rejection, and even pursued to other churches. They have gladly born the persecution and abuse because they remembered that you experienced far worse trials. Not a day goes by that you aren’t remembered in prayer. You have not been forgotten.
We were the silent church. However, we are finally gaining our voice, and we speak for many. We will no longer be silent or silenced. It is understandable that you might reject the faith due to the actions of an aberrant and callous church leadership. However, in those moments, think of those who also loved you enough to bear the anger of those comfortable in their darkness. We, too, know the Lord and hope you will take some small comfort that there are those who have, and will. sacrifice much to reach out to you in your pain.
We are here for you. Please let us know if we can do anything for you other than firmly standing for the truth. If anyone out there is reading this story and wants help, please contact us through the comment section of this post. We believe you, we don’t blame you and we love you. You do not need to face this alone.
Please join TWW in praying for these families.
We close with a song called Too Late to Apologize. You see, there was time when an apology would have been gladly accepted by some of these folks. Instead of an apology, they were hurt, badly hurt. (The music starts about 10 seconds in) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ePyRrb2-fzs
Lydia's Corner: Leviticus 4:1-5:19 Mark 2:13-3:6 Psalm 36:1-12 Proverbs 10:1-2
Monday, November 5, 2012 at 1:23PM
