SGM-Mahaney: Detwiler Threatened with Ex-Communication

SGM Tactics with Opposition, Long Used by Mahaney, Author of "Humility: True Greatness" (while his insiders and staffers laughed about Mahaney's historic hypocrisy)

http://www.brentdetwiler.com/brentdetwilercom/2011/11/3/crossway-pastors-threatened-to-excommunicate-me-for-being-di.html

CrossWay Pastors Threatened to Excommunicate Me for being Divisive

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 4:49PM

I received a letter today from Mickey, Joe, Nick and Larry via certified mail. In part it read, “Brent, it grieves us to say that you have clearly become divisive and as a result we are issuing you a first warning and appealing to you to repent. We take no pleasure in having to do this but believe it to be our sacred duty as shepherds who are charged with protecting the flock of God entrusted to our care.”

They referenced Titus 3:10-11 and Romans 17:17 in support of their actions.

Titus 3:10-11 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. [11] You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Rom 16:17-18 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. [18] For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

These are the very verses we used back in the 70’s and 80’s to silence our critics and tell people to stay away from them. The repercussions of that teaching, and the wrong-headed use of those verses, still effects how people are treated in SGM. That is one of the reasons leaders who are “disqualified” or people who leave a SGM church, tend to be shunned or abandoned by SGM. Mickey is stuck in a time warp. His exegesis has not improved. These texts are reserved for heretics and false apostles.

In my case, I resigned from the apostolic team in November 2007. Though I invited C.J. to visit us anytime in Charlotte, I never heard from him again until January 2010 with the exception of a two sentence email. This step by the CrossWay pastors is a throwback.

I’m afraid CW pastors are deaf, dumb and blind to the dealings of God in SGM and their lives. I am not intimidated by their threat of excommunication. They can act like Pope Leo if they want but I will not be silent. There is too much at stake. Like Joshua Harris said, “God is disciplining SGM” and he is disciplining the CrossWay pastors but they refuse to be trained by it. Instead they continue in their heavy handed and self-righteous ways.

Mickey, Joe, Nick and Larry may not like my strong words but that is not the issue. Their threatening’s 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 have. That amounts to a cover-up.

Because SGM has done this for so long, websites like Survivors and Refuge sprang up. People could not get honest answers from their pastors. There was no court of appeals for abuse. People were labeled bitter and resentful. There was no accountability by the pastors to the church. People's discussions were labeled as slander. Th0 stayed in their church they learned to be silent.

In response to the CrossWay pastors, I said in part, “The fact of your letter, and the contents of your letter, demonstrate your ongoing willingness to abuse, intimidate, and condemn while showing no openness to any wrong-doing. You once again maintain your sinless perfection and show no evidence of illumination. You appear oblivious to God’s dealings in SGM and your lives. You have provided yet another poignant example of hypocrisy and lording for all to see.

Thank God pastors in SGM are seeing their errors and changing. It is wonderful. I don't know how many. Unfortunately, that does appear to be the case in Charlotte. Excommunication is still used as a weapon but a just adjudication hearing is voted down by Mickey and the other members of the SGM Board. I expect to receive my Exsurge Domine any day by certified mail from the CrossWay pastors followed by one from the SGM Board some time in the future. Can you be excommunicated twice?

SGM-Mahaneygate: Mickey Connolly and Crossway Church, Charlotte, NC

SGM Counseling Techniques 101

Another FB post by Detwiler re: Mickey Connolly, CrossWays Church, Charlotte, NC. It was posted Wed AM, 2 Nov 2011, at 0917 EST. It was posted at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/brent-detwiler/connollys-repeated-claim-of-sinless-perfection/300996796594558 Though posted on FB, it does not appear on Brent’s website. Brent says he may write a 200-300 page document on CrossWay. Beyond the 600 + pages already written (see http://www.scribd.com/sgmwikileaks), we know that Brent has already submitted 1000 pages to AoR, that is, 400 pages beyond the original 600 pages in the catastrophic and explosuive SGMwikileaks.  Now, he may write another document of 200-300 pages on CrossWays Church, a church Detwiler founded in 1991.  We believe that Brent has been seriously traumatized and is experiencing PTSD, a complex set of consequences, one of which includes obsessions.  Here’s the FB text of date 2 Nov 2011, 0917 EST.

Connolly’s Repeated Claim of Sinless Perfection.
by Brent Detwiler on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 9:17am

Here is just a small part of the evidence substantiating Mickey’s clam of sinless perfection and the cover up that ensued. It continues with Joe’s comments. I may write a major document in the coming year about Mickey, Larry, et al. I’d call it “The CrossWay Connection.’ It would be 200-300 pages long. Instead, I am hoping the pastors humble themselves and come clean.

From: Brent Detwiler
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 5:38 PM
To: Mickey Connolly
Subject: Confess Lying

I’m afraid I do [need to say it again]. You’ve made it abundantly clear that you, the CW pastors, and the Assessment Team [e.g. Bob Kauflin], don’t feel you’ve done anything wrong and to quote you, “don’t believe [you] need to ask [my] forgiveness for anything.” That makes reconciliation impossible. Then, to make matters worse, you lied and denied saying this. When exposed you didn’t confess and the CW pastors and Assessment Team took no I steps that I am aware of to address your deceit. Instead Bob confronted me for holding you accountable. So if you want to break the stalemate you could begin by acknowledging your lying to the SGM leadership team, to the CW pastors, and the Grace leaders.

From: Brent Detwiler
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 11:50 AM
To: Mickey.Connolly
Subject: RE: Grounds for Reconciliation

I resigned from Grace Community Church on July 25, 2009. The Family Meeting announcing the closure of the church followed on August 22. One month later on September 23, you wrote me the following, “I have asked for the evaluations of Dave, Gene, the SGM assessment team and our local team [comprised of seven men], as well as examining my own conscience, and I don’t believe I need to ask your forgiveness for anything in regard to events surrounding the church plant.” I first proposed the church plant on April 12, 2006.

No input from 12 men (assuming each provided you an evaluation) had any impact upon your conscience. You claimed no need to ask forgiveness for any wrongdoing whether it be sins of commission or omission. Since September 23, 2009, you have maintained this same posture of perfection. If you come under conviction for specific sins, please write me about them. As I’ve said before, reconciliation is desirable but impossible, until you have a radical change of heart.

From: Brent Detwiler
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 5:31 PM
To: Aron Osborne; Craig Cabaniss; John Loftness; Mark Prater; Mickey Connolly; Pete Greasley; Rick Gamache; Steve Shank; C. J. Mahaney; Dave Harvey; Jeff Purswell; Joshua Harris
Cc: Edgar Keinath; Ted Kober
Subject: Willingness to Meet

Dave, Jeff, Mickey, Craig, Aron, Mark, Pete, Rick, John, and Steve,

This afternoon around 2:00 pm, Mickey Connolly dropped off the letter I’ve included below. Here is my brief response.

I have earnestly and repeatedly expressed my interest in meeting with C.J., the Board of Directors, and a mediator if necessary over the last 17 months. I placed two conditions upon such a meeting. One, C.J. acknowledge the need for a public confession to the SGM churches and pastors. Two, C.J. provide a thorough response to my points, questions and illustrations in RRF&D, AFA, and CR.
Neither of these conditions have been met.

In the first case, no need for confession has ever been conveyed to me. In the second case, I was promised a thorough response by C.J. but he did not provide it; and you, the SGM Board of Directors, failed to hold him accountable.

This morning, I wrote you regarding the following accusations. The letter delivered by Mickey this afternoon is a continuation of your attempts to frame the issues. Therefore, it is imperative you substantiate these charges.

“That Brent Detwiler’s refusal to participate in mediation with C.J. Mahaney—unless Mahaney first agrees (a) to publish an extensive written response to each of Detwiler’s accusations and (b) to make a public confession prior to any mediation or impartial evaluation of his charges—is unjust and constitutes a denial of biblically grounded due process for a qualified minister of the gospel The SGM Board has slandered me on these points.” (Dave Harvey, SGM blog, July 13)

Here is what the evidence clearly shows. There are two reasons we have not met face to face and that is C.J.’s unwillingness to keep his word and his unwillingness to acknowledge any need for public confession. Both these conditions are reasonable and necessary given C.J.’s position, the seriousness of his sin, the effects of those sins on SGM, the abuse I’ve suffered, the deceit I’ve experienced, and the need to adequately prepare for such a meeting.

Instead you continue to try and fix the blame on me for not meeting. This is contrary to the facts. The blame rests solely on C.J. and you, the SGM Board of Directors. Let me restate, I am glad to meet once C.J. provides open, honest, and accountable answers and all of you acknowledge the need for a confession to the SGM churches and pastors. If all I’ve written, along with that from many other witnesses against C.J. and SGM, has not convinced you of the need for public repentance, confession and restitution; then no additional efforts will barring a divine intervention by God of extraordinary power. If that happens, I’ll be glad to meet.

In the meantime, I’ll remain prayerful and continue to share my thoughts with Ted Kober and Ed Keinath from Ambassadors of Reconciliation.

Sincerely,
Brent

P.S. I spoke again with Mickey about his claim of sinless perfection toward me since April 2006 to the present. In the past, Mickey asked twelve other men for input regarding his relationship with me but that resulted in no contrition or confession. I’ve also provided observations for Mickey over the last five years but it has produced no fruit. Mickey maintains his sinlessness. The CrossWay pastors have followed Mickey’s example and adapted a similar position. Those are just a couple reasons we’ve not continued to meet.

SGM-Mahaney: Army Chaplain Speaks of SGM Abuse at MetroLife SGM & Others Leaving

http://www.brentdetwiler.com/brentdetwilercom/2011/10/17/im-in-the-army-now-a-letter-from-chaplain-chuck.html

I'm in the Army Now - A Letter from Chaplain Chuck

Monday, October 17, 2011 at 9:24AM

Chuck is a United States Army Chaplain in the 25th Infantry Division. I don’t post this letter because of the personal encouragement it contains but for the insight it demonstrates.

From: Facebook
Sent: Sunday, August 21, 2011 10:02 PM
To: Brent Detwille
Subject: New Message from Chuck Williams

Thank you for your gracious reply Brent. Please use all or part of my letter, and I'm not concerned if you use my name either. Grace and Peace Brother, Chuck

I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Chuck Williams. My bride Celia used to attend MLC in Florida until we were asked to leave in 1998 after we privately took issue with Danny over many of the abuses we saw at MLC that mirrored CJ’s, and through which your ‘Documents’ have now bore out as true. I guess you can say we violated Cardinal Rule #1.

I have kept my distance from the current fray in SGM. First, because the Lord has us in a different place of ministry that we so enjoy. And second, because I guess you can say “we no longer have a dog in that fight.” Nonetheless, we still have many friends, godly men and women, who have recently left MLC over the very same things we faced 13 years ago. And some of them are still reeling from the hurt. My passion for them pains me to take a limited interest in what is happening, and to provide help and counsel to them as they are now experiencing the very same confusion, disappointment, betrayal and anger that we did. Although I am not bitter, I am sad. Sad for what is happening in SGM as a whole. Sad for the unnecessary hurt in the lives of my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. And sad for the loss of a once cherished hope and call for ministry in SGM.

My purpose to write to you is principally to thank you for the courage and boldness to speak out, both before privately with CJ, and now and unfortunately publicly, to expose the long standing sins of CJ, et al, and your confession for not having done more earlier. As you know in counseling, it is crucial to acknowledge and authenticate the genuine hurts of others. I believe you have served so many of our hurting brothers and sisters in Christ by acknowledging to them that what they were seeing, experiencing and receiving over the years was genuine and profound sinfulness in their leaders toward them. And that they themselves were not being, unteachable, prideful, unsubmissive, unaccountable and slanderous; as so many of us were labeled behind our back to our friends by the very leaders our Lord called to serve us.

And second, to support you in letting you know that many of us are here to support you as you, Jenny and your family prevail against the sins of men our Lord has permitted to be expressed and exposed, all for purity of His Church. As a military man I know what it means to be at the point of the spear against the enemy, I've literally been there. In that position you carry the chief burden of the battle and the direction of the fight. It is an honored position and one reserved for the most trusted Soldier in the eyes of the commander. And it is also the one requiring the most support. Brent, know that I have been praying for you, and will continue to pray for you as you endeavor to fight against the forces of evil made manifest in the attitudes and actions of those you once called brothers. Truth is at stake, the purity of the Church is at stake, and the acclaim and glory of our Lord is at stake.

Brent, in your view there may be many in SGM and even some major evangelical leaders who are friends of CJ who have mistakenly and ignorantly bowed their knee to him. But just as God had 7,000 in reserve who did not bow their knee for Elijah, so God has thousands for you!
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Your Fellow and Faithful Servant in the Cause of Christ,
Chuck Williams

P.S. Please feel free to use this personal letter to you for anyone else to whom you think would need the same encouragement.

SGM-Mahaney: Brent's Follow-up Request to Ted Kober

http://www.brentdetwiler.com/brentdetwilercom/2011/10/8/a-follow-up-request-to-ted-kober.html

A Follow Up Request to Ted Kober
Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 8:33AM

From: Brent Detwiler [mailto:abrentdetwiler@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 8:22 AM
To: Ted Kober
Cc: Edgar Keinath; Bryce Thomas; Ken Sande; Kris@sgmsurvivors.com; Guy; Jim @ SGM Refuge; Aron Osborne; Craig Cabaniss; John Loftness; Mark Prater; Mickey Connolly; Pete Greasley; Rick Gamache; Steve Shank; C. J. Mahaney; Dave Harvey; Jeff Purswell; Joshua Harris; Adam Malcolm; Ben Wikner; Bob Schickler; Braden Greer; Corby Megorden; Dave Brewer; Don DeVries; Eric Sheffer; Eric Simmons; Grant Layman; Greg Somerville; Issac Hydoski; Jamie Leach; Joe Lee; Jon Smith; Kenneth Maresco; Mark Mitchell; Matt Maka; Robin Boisvert
Subject: FW: Group Reconciliation

Ted,

As a follow up, will article 12 from An Introduction to Christian Mediation be used in the Group Reconciliation? Would you also comment on the meaning of “The parties are required to commit to not divulging information to people who do not have a necessary and legitimate interest in the conflict.” How do you interpret “necessary and legitimate?” Will this requirement be lifted or modified in the Group Reconciliation? Or will people be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before they can participate?

I am asking for others and also for myself. Your answers have a bearing on my decision, and the decisions of many others, as to whether or not we participate in the Group Reconciliation.

Thanks for prompt answers. The October 14 deadline fast approaches.

Brent

12. How confidential is the conciliation process? (from An Introduction to Christian Mediation)

The parties and the conciliators must agree at the outset that with few exceptions the conciliators will not be asked to divulge information outside of the conciliation process or the ecclesiastical structure of the parties' churches. In particular, they may not be subpoenaed to testify in subsequent legal proceedings (see Rules 16 and 17). The parties are required to commit to not divulging information to people who do not have a necessary and legitimate interest in the conflict.

SGM-Mahaney: Appeal to President of Ambassadors of Reconciliation

In an earlier communication and with application to the post below the quote, Mr. Detwiler says: 

"But people must courageously speak up regarding their former or present SGM church and its leaders. This is not a time for silence. This is a time to speak out. Yes, redemptively, but also loudly and clearly!

The hundreds of people who left the Richmond Church must speak. The good folks who were part of Grace Community Church in Mooresville, NC must speak. Brothers and sisters from Gaithersburg, Ashburn, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, Charlotte, Denver, Stillwater, Philadelphia, and a host of other cities must lift their voice and send in their thoughts."

The above pertains to the email and post below.

http://www.brentdetwiler.com/brentdetwilercom/2011/10/7/an-appeal-to-the-president-of-ambassadors-of-reconciliation.html


An Appeal to the President of Ambassadors of Reconciliation

Friday, October 7, 2011 at 9:29PM

From: Brent Detwiler
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2011 4:56 PM
To: Ted Kober
Cc: Jim @ SGM Refuge'; Kris@sgmsurvivors.com; Guy; Edgar Keinath; Bryce Thomas; Ken Sande; Adam Malcolm; Ben Wikner; Bob Schickler; Braden Greer; Corby Megorden; Dave Brewer; Don DeVries; Eric Sheffer; Eric Simmons; Grant Layman; Greg Somerville; Issac Hydoski; Jamie Leach; Joe Lee; Jon Smith; Joshua Harris; Kenneth Maresco; Mark Mitchell; Matt Maka; Robin Boisvert; Aron Osborne; Craig Cabaniss; John Loftness; Mark Prater; Mickey Connolly; Pete Greasley; Rick Gamache; Steve Shank; C. J. Mahaney; Dave Harvey; Jeff Purswell
Subject: Group Reconciliation

Dear Ted,

Many people are asking if a confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement must be signed in order to participate in the AoR Group Reconciliation for SGM. That includes verbal and written communication. For example, does the “Confidentiality” agreement from the Rules of Procedure apply (see below)? People are holding off on their decision to participate until clear guidelines are put forth by AoR and SGM. This is a deal breaker for many people. Please do not require that people remain silent about the concerns they voice to AoR in person or in writing. I can’t imagine you will since there are many good and necessary reasons for them to share their concerns with others.


I’d appreciate your immediate attention to this important matter. I will post your answer on BrentDetwiler.com. I’m sure SGM Refuge and Survivors will do the same.

Thank you,
Brent

16. Confidentiality (from Rules of Procedure)

A. Because of its biblical nature, Christian conciliation encourages parties to openly and candidly admit their offenses in a particular dispute. Thus, conciliation requires an environment where parties may speak freely, without fear that their words may be used against them in a subsequent legal proceeding. Moreover, because conciliation is expressly designed to keep parties out of court, conciliators serving on behalf of the Administrator would not do so if they believed that any party might later try to force them to testify in any legal proceeding regarding a conciliation case. Therefore, all communications that take place during the conciliation process shall be treated as settlement negotiations and shall be strictly confidential and inadmissible for any purpose in a court of law, except as provided in this Rule.

B. This Rule extends to all oral and written communications made by the parties or by the Administrator, and includes all records, reports, letters, notes, and other documents received or produced by the Administrator as part of the conciliation process, except for those documents that existed prior to the conciliation process and were otherwise open to discovery apart from the conciliation process. The parties may not compel the Administrator to divulge any documents or to testify in regard to the conciliation process in any judicial or adversarial proceeding, whether by personal testimony, deposition, written interrogatory, or sworn affidavit.

C. Mediated settlement agreements reached by the parties and arbitration decisions shall be confidential, except as provided in Rule 17, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing, or unless an agreement or decision must be filed with a civil court for purposes of enforcement. If an arbitration decision is contested or appealed pursuant to statute, the Administrator, upon written request from a party, shall furnish to such party, at the party's expense, copies of the conciliation agreement and the arbitration decision.

D. The Administrator may divulge appropriate and necessary information under the following circumstances, and the parties agree to waive confidentiality and hold the Administrator harmless for doing so: (1) when, as part of its normal office operations, the Administrator consults with its staff members or outside experts regarding particular issues or problems related to a case; (2) when compelled by statute or by a court of law; (3) when an arbitration agreement or decision has been contested or appealed; (4) when an action has been brought against the Administrator as a result of its participation in a conciliation case; (5) when the Administrator deems it appropriate to discuss a case with the church leaders of parties who profess to be Christians; and (6) when the Administrator deems it necessary to contact appropriate civil authorities to prevent another person from being harmed.
E. In spite of these confidentiality protections, some of the information discussed during conciliation may not be confidential as a matter of law or may be discoverable outside the conciliation process and used in other legal proceedings, and the Administrator shall have no liability therefore.

SGM-Mahaney: Objections to the SGM-Reconciliation Offensive

http://www.brentdetwiler.com/

Problems with the AoR Group Reconciliation Process

Friday, October 7, 2011 at 3:01PM

I’ve received a ton of inquires like the one below. Steve is exactly right.

October 07, 2011 12:15 PM

Brent

One item that people have brought up about the reconciliation process is that AOR may require as part of the reconciliation process some type of confidentiality agreement. My understanding is that if one enters into the AOR reconciliation process you will be bound to not disclose what is discussed in the reconciliation.

To me this type of agreement should be a major red flag if it exists. One of the problems with SGM is that SGM has been able to hide their questionable actions and sin for a long time. People haven’t known about their abuses. It appears that AOR would keep people from knowing about various SGM sins.

What are your thoughts on this?

Steve

I also read the following post from Jenn Grover. She’s a perceptive young lady. She gave me permission to publish her comments. I’ve add my own in the brackets [ ] with blue ink.

A few problems with the SGM/AoR Group Reconciliation Process

by Jenn Grover on Friday, October 7, 2011 at 8:29am

Comments were closed on the SGM blog, so I will post my problems with the process here. The more I consider this group reconciliation process, the more insulting it becomes:

1. In most cases, it is not the grieved [those sinned against] who have failed to understand biblical peacemaking, it has been the leaders [those who sinned].

[True enough!]

2. I do not see a biblical mandate that before we go to be reconciled to someone the offended party [those sinned against] must first sit through teaching and coaching to ensure I [those who sinned] get the proper response. Why is the focus still on the response of the people who were hurt and NOT on the people who caused the hurt?

[I am also concerned what will be taught at the seminar. In my personal dealings, I’ve not found AoR to be impartial. And to be precise, I am more concerned for how they teach the material. What will they emphasize? What will they leave out? What interpretations of Scripture will be questionable? What practices might they impose or confuse with principles? They could skew the seminar in favor of SGM. In other words, people might come under pressure to do things a certain way that is protective of SGM’s interest but does not do justice to the ways people have been sinned against. The seminar may also enjoin upon consciences an understanding of gossip, slander and confidentiality that are foreign to Scripture or unwarranted under the circumstances. AoR needs to emphasize the need for public repentance, confession and restitution from SGM leaders.

3. “Confidential interviews” = a way for SGM to suppress the breadth of the offenses.

[I would not recommend anyone agree to an interview with AoR if that means you cannot share your comments with others because you are bound by a confidentiality agreement. The same is true about written documents. You should not swear to keep confidential all information you record on a form AoR asks you to fill out.]

4. It excuses SGM from the biblical mandate to go and be reconciled and puts the onus on the aggrieved. SGM made a list of people they suspect fall into this category. If they have a list and know those they have been wronged, what has held them back?

[The SGM Board has a very long list of people wronged going back the last 30 years.]   

5. There is no evidence that should lead anyone who participates to believe that there has been genuine repentance, therefore, it is unlikely that you would see any type of true restoration occur. SGM has NOT changed their positions on most key issues.

[I fully agree with Jenn’s assessment. When you study all their public statements there has been little to no admission of wrong. Certainly none of any significance. I plan to write a blog post on this subject.]

6. There has been no public apology from anyone in SGM for misleading us to the true nature of Larry’s departure. If they cannot even admit wrongdoing in something so heinous why should we expect they will admit it in these more private affairs?

[Larry misled people. We misled people. I was a part of it. People should have known about the blackmail and other factors. I’ve asked C.J. and the SGM Board to publically explain what happened and acknowledge our sins at the Pastors Conference. I believe Larry would be willing to do the same but that’s impossible since C.J. “uninvited” him to the Pastors Conference and vowed to keep all sins secret.] 

7. It just feels like another way SGM can say they have done all they could without any real personal sacrifice from them or investment of their own time or resources. Maybe if these leaders had to foot the bill they would feel differently.

[True. The greater danger is SGM burying all the information AoR gathers through the “Reconciliation Process” by swearing people to an unholy confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement. Don’t do it. Protest.]

8. Where do you go from the AoR process? It is occurring outside of the church so there is no next step if SGM fails to respond. If there are, in fact, confidentiality agreements, you are left with no further recourse

[Let there be no doubt, AoR works for SGM. The SGM Board is in control. AoR makes recommendation but they have absolutely no authority. They too are puppets in the hands of SGM. C.J. and the Board cut the CLC pastors out of the process by sending C.J. packing to Capitol Hill Baptist and Mark Dever. He fled the scene of his crimes. Who cares if Josh “sinned” against him especially in light of C.J. sins against Joshua (and the world). Moreover, there are 17 other pastors. The SGM Board removed C.J. from the local church to which he is accountable.]  

I am still waiting for any real signal that something has fundamentally changed in SGM and it is completely absent.

[Said like a pro!]

Detwiler and SGM's Saul: Confidentiality Controversy

http://www.brentdetwiler.com/brentdetwilercom/2011/9/23/the-confidentiality-controversy.html

The Confidentiality Controversy

Friday, September 23, 2011 at 4:06PM

 

Jim (SGM Refuge), Kris and Guy (Sovereign Grace Survivors),
Some of your readers have it all wrong regarding my use of “confidential” emails with Joshua Harris in my September 21 blog post. Would you please post this comment?

I was the one recommending (not asking for) confidentiality, not Joshua, and only with regard to “my private thoughts” about the future. Even so my request of Joshua was flexible. Why? Because I’ve seen “confidential” used to bind people’s consciences (e.g. "Don't share this with anyone!"), cover up vital information (e.g. some of the inside information Kris has shared on Survivors) that needs to be corrected (e.g. when someone lies or misrepresents the truth like SGM), exposed (e.g. C.J.’s cover-up and blackmail of Larry T.), or shared with others (e.g. Joshua sharing my private thoughts with the other pastors). He was glad I did not bind him to confidentiality.

It is not always necessary or right to keep a matter private. Circumstances may require the involvement others (e.g., the first step of Matthew 18 is confidential but confidentiality is set aside in the third step). Confidentiality has a place but I rarely require it of people. Why? Because I’ve see it abused by those who are afraid to honest with those they should talk to or when people use it as an excuse for gossip.

Here are the two relevant emails in this case with Joshua. All the other emails that follow with “CONFIDENTIAL – The Future” are the result of the reply button. Joshua was not asking me to hold anything in confidence.

From: Brent Detwiler

Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 2:26 PM

To: Joshua Harris

Subject: CONFIDENTIAL - The Future

As things progress I’ll be sharing with you my private thoughts. I’d recommend you keep them confidential but it is not a requirement. You may want to talk with a close circle of confidants.

I’ve changed my thinking regarding C.J. You must be ready to replace him the end of this year. There will also be changes with Dave and Steve. I’d think of working with Aron instead of Dave. With Craig and Tony Walsh instead of Steve. C.J., Dave and Steve are unqualified to maintain their positions. Bob likewise needs to be cut back. He should not be pastoring or doing assessments.

I have more thoughts but I will share them gradually. I don’t want to be overly dramatic, but I think the Lord has rejected C.J. like he did Saul. By this I don’t mean C.J. should be cast aside or has no role to play but God has a major transition in mind. Sovereign Grace is His ministry.

From: Joshua Harris

Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 12:41 AM

To: Brent Detwiler

Subject: Re: CONFIDENTIAL - The Future

Dear Brent,

Thanks for your recent emails. I appreciate you not holding me to confidentiality in these emails exchanges. I am committed to walk openly with all the men involved. I know you understand how damaging to trust it can be when there isn’t open communication. I want to let everyone know what I think and who I’m talking to!

I agree that Sovereign Grace belongs to God. Right now the story is unwritten for all of us…we need to do what is right before God. I believe God is giving us all an opportunity to humble ourselves under his mighty hand. Not just CJ but all of us. Please don’t be offended when I say whatever changes take place can’t happen because of your opinions but only a process that involves all the appropriate leaders in Sovereign Grace (and I would add outside objective counsel like the panel we’re engaging). To replace and remove without a godly process of evaluation would be to repeat the very mistakes now that we’re evaluating in the past. It has to be done in plurality, openly and as the result of a comprehensive review. That’s why I view this independent panel as such an important step for our movement. We need a comprehensive evaluation.

The meeting with CJ is tomorrow and we’ll have someone takes minutes from the meeting. At this point I don’t feel it would be appropriate to send the minutes to you, but we will happily submit them to the panel. And the pastoral team will also send you a follow-up that will summarize our thoughts from the meeting…

God bless you, Brent.

Joshua

Next time I’ll try to give the larger context so people don’t come to wrong conclusions. Finally, it’s good to remember SGM considers all 600 pages of The Documents confidential. In their opinion, none of it should be public. That’s why they have accused me of slander.

I don't take confidences lightly...I've protected the reputation of SGM and C.J. for a very long time but occasionally truth trumps confidentiality and demands that private matters be shared in a public forum because people need to be informed and kept from harm's way.

Thanks
Brent

Brent Detwiler's Defense of Data Dump on Mahaney-SGM-Operations

Brent Detwiler, former employee and SGM-board member, long-term associate of Mr. C.J. Mahaney, issued the statements below in response to criticisms of his [Mr. Detwiler] release of the 600+ page data dump on SGM-Mahaney operations.  Those daunting pages can be accessed at http://www.scribd.com/sgmwikileaks.  Quite a read.


http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/notes/brent-detwiler/did-i-follow-matthew-1815-17-heres-my-answer/245588655468706


Did I follow Matthew 18:15-17? The answer is yes. I have gone to CJ countless times "in private" but he did not listen. Then, I've gone with "the testimony of two or three witnesses" countless times but he also refused to listen. These two steps have been repeated time and again over the last decade. More than with any leader we have ever disciplined or removed from ministry. It was due to our cowardice and favoritism that we never took step 3 which says we must "tell it to the church." That is one reason why (but not the only - that awaits another document) I sent my documents out to the SGM pastors on July 6. C.J.'s longstanding patterns of serious sins have been the best kept secret in SGM for many years. Unfortunately, the new Board under Dave Harvey's leadership, has condemned my action. On July 13, they posted on the SGM blog “that Brent Detwiler’s distribution of written accusations against C.J. Mahaney to all Sovereign Grace pastors constitutes the public slander of Mahaney’s reputation.” My friends are mistaken.




http://www.facebook.com/notes/brent-detwiler/did-i-follow-matthew-1815-17-heres-my-answer/245588655468706#!/notes/brent-detwiler/a-second-reason-for-sending-out-the-documents/245668182127420

A Second Reason for Sending Out the Documents

by Brent Detwiler on Saturday, July 16, 2011 at 11:50am

After 18 months of appeals and 600 pages of writing, the old & new SGM Boards refused to take any disciplinary action with regard to C.J. On July 13, they posted the following. “The board of Sovereign Grace Ministries has reviewed Brent Detwiler’s documents…and finds no reason at this time to deem him unfit for ministry… C.J. Mahaney is a qualified minister of the gospel and this board approves his pastoral and teaching ministry in Sovereign Grace and the wider body of Christ.” That has been their consistent position throughout this lengthy process.


http://www.facebook.com/notes/brent-detwiler/did-i-follow-matthew-1815-17-heres-my-answer/245588655468706#!/notes/brent-detwiler/a-third-fourth-reason-for-sending-out-the-documents/245699472124291

A Third & Fourth Reason for Sending Out the Documents

by Brent Detwiler on Saturday, July 16, 2011 at 1:07pm

On June 11, Dave Harvey alerted all the SGM pastors to my documents. He wrote, “If you haven’t received them already, you have hundreds of pages of documentation - Brent’s concerns for CJ - coming your way.” Dave then went on to discredit me and my writings while commending C.J. for his humility. He ends by saying “Gentlemen, it ain’t pretty…but it’s a faithful narrative [i.e., Dave’s perspective] of a sad tale [i.e., my conduct and writing].” I found out about this correspondence three weeks later on June 26. Needless to say, I was shocked, troubled and disappointed at this preemptive strike; and more so, because this action was hidden from me both by the SGM Board and the Covenant Life pastors.


During those three weeks, I was working with the Covenant Life pastors and appealing for them to follow 1 Timothy 5:19-21. “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.” I was intentionally holding back the sending out my documents to the SGM pastors until I got a report of their time with C.J. These men are C.J.’s pastors. They have a responsibility to watch over his soul. Not the other way around. I wanted them to do their job.


I also wanted to hear a good report, a detailed report, and an honest report; because I did not want to send out the documents. I was hoping the pastors would come through unlike the SGM board. Instead, I was left hanging. Joshua sent me a general report but refused to provide any details or the official minutes which I asked for a head of time. I couldn’t tell if the pastors formally rebuked C.J. or not; and I could not determine how he responded. From what I can tell, the CLC elders did not reprove C.J. except for the blackmail of Larry Tomczak. They questioned him about other matters but there is no evidence in my possession that they corrected him. Things went silent after this when they decided to turn everything over to an outside mediator. I believe this was a clear dereliction of duty. The elders, not mediators, have the foremost responsibly to discipline C.J. That was the fourth reason for broadening my appeal to all the elders in SGM.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/brent-detwiler/did-i-follow-matthew-1815-17-heres-my-answer/245588655468706#!/notes/brent-detwiler/a-fifth-reason-for-sending-out-the-documents/245745185453053

A Fifth Reason for Sending Out the Documents

by Brent Detwiler on Saturday, July 16, 2011 at 2:56pm

Wednesday, July 6 was a monumental day in my little life on planet earth! That evening, I sent out “Response Regarding Friendship and Doctrine,” “A Final Appeal,” “Concluding Remarks,” and “The Untold Story” to all the pastors in SGM (see sgmwikileaks). It was something I never planned to do or hoped to do. But releasing the documents had become a matter of conscience by that evening.


Earlier in the day, C.J. posted the following statement on the SGM website. “Over the last few years some former pastors and leaders in Sovereign Grace have made charges against me and informed me about offenses they have with me as well as other leaders in Sovereign Grace.”


This statement by my friend was terribly misleading. First, for many years, not a few years, many people, not some people, raised legitimate concerns with C.J. Our dealings with C.J. were not a recent development. They had a long history. The reader was led to believe otherwise.


Second, the charges (i.e., reproves, correction, rebukes) against C.J. came from men who worked with him at the time. They did not come from former pastors and leaders who recently left SGM or from men who leveled bogus charges because they were offended. No, the unsuccessful process of speaking into C.J. had been going on for a long time. It began in December 2000.


C.J. should have made clear to all of SGM that his pride, unteachableness, deceit, sinful judgments, hypocrisy and more; had been addressed for a long time by people who loved him, were loyal to him, and cared about him. Not just by offended former leaders.


I hate to say it, but this is an example of Sovereign Grace spin. What C.J. said was a small part of the story. He left the rest out. In so doing, he minimized the seriousness and down played the extensiveness.


Decide for yourself. Read all 600 pages and compare them to C.J.’s statement above. I’d say there is a massive disconnect. C.J. had a responsibility to tell the whole truth. He did not do so and that is the fifth reason why I sent out “The Documents.”


C.J.’s statement on July 6 was monumental in what it did not say. I had no choice but to inform the SGM pastors of the deceit I observed. It was the straw that broke this camel’s back.

A Screed against Mahaney

This is a screed and, we feel, poorly written, developed or argued.  However, in the interests of coverage, we post it.  In the comments section, one will find a level of anger and familiarity with the SGM-movement.  These appear to be insiders who felt the "heavy-hand" of Mahaney.

http://spiritualtyranny.com/cj-mahaney%E2%80%99s-metaphysical-magic-mayhem-2/

CJ Mahaney’s Metaphysical Magic Mayhem

Wednesday July 13, 2011

CJ Mahaney, El Primo Doctrinal Mover and Shaker of Sovereign Grace Ministries fame, recently released a letter stating that he is stepping away from being the Alpha Big Dog at the top of the “First Among Equals” governing egalitarian hierarchy. It is my current understanding that he wrote this letter to the leaders within his family of churches on July 2^nd. He subsequently made a blog post on

July 6^th for general consumption. There is one difference of consequence between the blog posts and the pastoral letter—blog version: first paragraph, CJ reserves the right to update his blog while he is on self-imposed doghouse vacation.

The gist of the letter/post is easy enough to understand: “People told me I’m a bad, bad sinner. (Whispering: ‘and they said the same thing about other leaders in SGM’) So I am going to put myself in time-out so I can morally navel gaze.”

If one is able to look past the coils of SGM speak slithering around the one-thousand-word document that threatens to squeeze your mind into a spiritual warm fuzzy, if you can remain conscious enough to spot the Harry Houdini level logical sleights of hand, it is rather obvious that CJ doesn’t really think he has done anything wrong. Well, maybe I should say he is willing to concede that he his is a sinner but doesn’t think what he has done is terminally disqualifying. He fully expects to return—appropriately chastened—to his rightful place after he has looked at his belly button for an undisclosed season.

Yeah, we can all see him working double time to say all the right things. Since he is the creator of the SGM sin, confession, and reconciliation mantra, it would be absurd to think he would say anything else. No matter how much he acknowledges some theoretical wrongdoing, he ultimately disagrees with the judgments brought against him. Notice this specific admission in the last part of the third paragraph:

“Even with the charges I disagree with it has been beneficial to examine my soul and ask for the observation of others. And I am resolved to take responsibility for my sin and every way my leadership has been deficient, and this would include making any appropriate confessions, public or private. Most importantly I want to please God during this season of examination and evaluation.”

And notice this in the 7th paragraph:

“I have resolved that I and the Sovereign Grace team can’t effectively lead us into the future without evaluating the past, addressing these deficiencies, improving our structure, and as much as possible pursuing reconciliation with former pastors.”

This means that no matter how much repenting he ultimately does, CJ by fiat, reserves the right to maintain his judgments about former ministries and ministers.

In the grand world of Indwelling Sin where one’s motives and rational understanding is shot through with disqualifying “sinful cravings,” it is a bit puzzling how he gets to even say “I disagree” with the charge of sin; nor do I understand how he can summarily decide the level of reconciliation. The doctrine says one is guilty never to be proved innocent because one is blind to the corrupting power of sin. This is the metaphysical assumption that SGM leaders use as a hammer when dealing with unruly deleterious problem children. All those silly ideas, all that rational confidence, all that personal assurance you think you have, no you don’t. You are a bad, bad sinner and need to shut up and just believe what they tell you is true. When we want your opinion, we will give it to you. We are old enough to be your father after all, so we should be sufficiently patronized for our lofty leadership authority. (BTW, Robin, do you feel patronized yet?)

That is what they would say to a lowly pew-sitter that was called to the carpet by their considered judgment. By definition, CJ’s self-awareness is flawed, and the proof is his self-assertion, which means he is disqualified to self-disagree. Well, that is if SGM were at all consistent with their sound doctrine and denounce the glaring display of doctrinal egoism within the letter. (MUCH more on this in a minute.)

The content of the letter is not surprising. CJ must pay lip service to the SGM yardstick that defines the “humble” approach to receiving criticisms, accusations, and addressing offense. He does not have a choice but to at least publicly entertain the notion that he could be wrong. Since someone dumped about 500 pages of documentation onto the internet, declaring in excruciating detail the content and conduct of Sovereign Grace Ministries’ governmental “deficiencies,” it is kind of hard to persist in a blazing display of “un-entreatability.” So it is no hair off his head to at least entertain the chance that he might have, potentially inside book-making odds within the existential consideration of all possible worlds, done something bad. Who can argue with the truth established from the ages:

“Oh woe is us! WE are all just sinners in need of God’s Grace? You all just never mind the implications of my sins. I will take care of this myself as I see fit. I have organized everyone who is anyone to make themselves available to make sure this all goes smooth. And I will be back soon to continue my—oops, God’s very important work.”

The bottom line is CJ Mahaney, in his letter of apology(?), is defying everyone to challenge his moral authority to act as he sees fit. His contempt blazes forth between the lines of this letter like the morning sun. He is daring someone to cast the first stone. And if the SGM Wikileaks has shown anything, no one within that organization has the stones (not the ones you throw) to resist his assertion of moral superiority. A curios dare, considering this is a quarry he dug.

It is fun to notice that when the pressure is on, to see how fast El Primo Doctrinal Mover and Shaker’s doctrinal consistency starts to unravel. He let the Schrodinger’s cat out of the quantum mechanics box with his admission to an unofficial sin hierarchy scale.

“These charges are serious and they have been very grieving to read. 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, deceit, sinful judgment, and hypocrisy.

It is an entertaining thought experiment to make all human action sinful and therefore universally disqualifying because it makes God look really big because it makes man look really small. And when Man makes God look really big, we get impressed with our spirituality. But the most important part of this metaphysical cavorting is that preachers get to create a moral and ethical paradox. They get to define the moral yardstick and keep it in a box that no one can peer into, and then when it serves their purpose, they LOOK at the cat to see if it is alive or dead. Oops, I mean look at who is committing a given ethical action and condemn or applaud depending on the day or the Verschränkung.

(That quantum mechanics joke was hilarious.)

But anyway, CJ has walked into his own quantum entanglement. Of course, the nature of the charge minimizes or expands the measure of moral failing. The whole premise of Levitical legal code—that is lex talionis—was to place a proportion on human action, ethical values, and subsequently, civil penalty for failure to live to those standards. It is absurd to suggest otherwise. But if you do suggest otherwise, why make the distinction at all? By definition, CJ is making a comparative statement.

CJ Mahaney’s contempt for people rolls off this two-page document in waves, centering on the Harry Houdini level logical sleights of hand. So, let us keep our eyes on the other hand so we can spot the illusion. Observe and you will see CJ Schrödinger’s thought experiment turned moral disaster.

First thought experiment: “I have been accused of pride and arrogance and hypocrisy, blah blah blah, so I will look in the metaphysical box and determine how bad I am. Gasp! I had no idea, but God has revealed that yes, this is very, very bad.”

Second thought experiment: “I have been accused of sexual immorality and money problems, so I will look in the metaphysical box and determine how bad I am. Oh wait, I didn’t do those things so I’m not that bad, so you just never mind.”

And here is the quantum entanglement. This gives CJ Mahaney the power to treat each ethical lap as a wholly unique metaphysical event that is nonexistent until it is observed. Until the moment of God-revealed awareness, it has no specific bearing on reality. (MUCH, MUCH more on this point in a minute.)

Let us take this out of the realm of thought experiments and place this firmly in reality. If the “offense” was adultery, homosexuality, pedophilia, bestiality, or embezzlement, would the SGM leadership act in the same way? Would they be circling the wagons and declaring El Primo Doctrinal Mover and Shaker the most humble man EVER? Would Larry Tomczak be “reconciling” with CJ if he’d molested his son? Or would Larry be using his “Apostolic Authority” to cover and defend his son and protect the flock. Oops … OK … well, maybe that is a bad example. But certainly, people who don’t cower away from extortion would be pressing every available force to boot CJ into the doghouse and chain him there.

And they certainly would not tolerate letting CJ Mahaney spin this as a self-declared parade of Altruistic Moral Narcissism.

The truth of the matter is if the charges were sex or money-related, everyone would be reacting differently. If CJ had been … uh … ponying up with a pony, his wife would be looking for a divorce attorney that can split up the funds earned from CJ’s speaking circuit. (Hey, he brought up sex, not me! I’m just saying, who knows how far down into debauchery “the greatest sinner he knows” goes?!) And if it were money-related, the police would be knocking on the door.

As for CJ’s self-flagellation over “various expressions of Pride” and “sinful judgment,” yeah, that is a big what-EV-r and beneath his Harry Houdini act. He has much, much better metaphysical and epistemological magic tricks. The bit over pride is SGM Subterfuge 101. They create the yardstick. Tell everyone how to live up to the yardstick. They emulate the standard they created and everyone marvels at their humility and character. SGM manufactured these two nouns—pride and judgment—into the highest spiritual sedition by taking on the adjective “sinful.” Well, maybe I should amend: they are secondary spiritual seditions to “immorality or financial impropriety.” But who is quibbling with the unofficial SGM sin hierarchy scale? It is all bad—very, very bad—even though “various expressions of Pride” is no real crime of any applicable measure and “sinful judgment” is a euphemism for a rational error. We cannot evaluate CJ’s rational error without context, content, and the ability to MEASURE the dynamic between CJ’s government power and the outcomes of that expression of force. El Primo Doctrinal Mover and Shaker sound’s pretty churchy when he starts confessing his frolicking congress with the evil twins—Pride and Judgment—but this is a full-on attempt to parse words and wreck moral clarity. Only a man with the highest contempt for human existence can lead with such a cavalier ethical manipulation. But you just never mind the coils and coils of SGM speak and render the only appropriate response in light of Pervasive Depravity eternity—all together now: “Ooooohhh . . . Ahhhhh . . . CJ is soooo humble.”

So no matter what the glossy brochure says about all sin being a great big fat evil before God, it is apparent that he thinks some sins are not as bad as others. It seems that the Reformed Theology Vicar Charles Joseph Pious I is creeping closer and closer to Catholic doctrine. First, we have the sin hierarchy: venial and mortal sins. Second, we have the cardinals and bishops refusing to confront the Pontifex Maximus.

What is next? Confession to a Priest of the Lord?

Since CJ took a trip into the wild side, living dangerously with that dastardly pair, Pride and Judgment, the priest should really stick it to CJ. Those mortal sins—oops, those leadership “deficiencies” are very, very bad. They are very, very grieving. When Mark Dever and David Powlison step into the confessional, what will be their penance? Rosary beads, 28 Hail Marys, and 31 Our Fathers? I figure they have to keep the appearance of Protestant Papacy to a minimum, so they will probably have to mandate the reading of Sin and Temptation on his knees 3.14159265 times. Or maybe they will limit penance to: “Now, my son, go crack a self-deprecating joke and sin no more.”

But jokes aside, describing a catastrophic failure of judgment as a “deficiency” is such a CJ-ism. Deficiency makes it sound like he forgot to put on a belt with his pants, or maybe forgot to comb his hair, or forgot the mustard for the perfect tasting hotdog. Deficiency is a polite euphemism designed to conceal effective description of his leadership outcomes. Or in SGM speak, it is designed to hide the nature of the fruit. In the real world, a persisting, manifestation of rational judgment over the course of time is called incompetence.

“One more thing. For the past five years or so I have become increasingly aware of certain deficiencies in my leadership that have contributed to deficiencies in Sovereign Grace Ministries’ structure and governance, the lack of a clear and consistent process of conflict resolution and pastoral evaluation, and the number of former Sovereign Grace pastors who are offended with me/SGM.”

I read this section and thought of Napoleon after Waterloo: “Yes, my dear Frenchmen, it seems that after five years I have come to understand that I have certain ”deficiencies” in my leadership.

I marvel that this gets ANY traction with rational, competent, successful men and women. Some of you members of the SGM juggernaut are captains of industry, successful by any measurable method. You are responsible for the decisions that may involve potentially destructive consequences for investment portfolios, or real-estate, or the livelihoods of hundreds of employees. Do you get five years to become “increasingly aware” to recognize that there ARE deficiencies of leadership? We haven’t even gotten to the specifics of the deficiencies or the intended corrections. By SGM math, it would take 15 years to get any given “deficiency” set aright.

What are the minutes of that corporate board of directors meeting?

“After five years I realize that there might be deficiencies in my leadership? Give me another five to figure out exactly what those are and another five to fix the problem.”
“Oh yes, you are very humble to admit that. It is such a privilege to serve with you in this very important endeavor.”

What a hoot!

Once again, free yourself from the quantum entanglement of CJ Schrodinger’s morality play and plant the events in the real world. A business leader would have about five MINUTES to identify the possibility of incompetence. And by close of business THAT DAY, he better have a full grasp of his rational errors. It would be a profound mercy if the “offended” share holders will let him take five MONTHS to correct the “deficiencies.”

What happened to Larry Tomczak is not a deficiency. It is a full-on moral atrocity. Calling it a leadership “deficiency” is a roaring, contemptuous trivialization. It doesn’t matter if Larry is selling out the event and reconciling the last fifteen-ish years (the aftermath) as a mere “offense.” The defining measure of ethics and morality is NOT subjective to the offended party.

And this is the point of the whole illusion—the profound mastery of moral relativism and the contemptuous parade of moral narcissism. So now we will turn our attention to CJ Houdini’s metaphysical and epistemological sleights of hand. If I wore a hat and was motivated toward the same Mystic Despotism ends, I would be doffing my cap in admiration.

In 1996 I made my criticisms of the SGM juggernaut public. (Well, maybe I should say that I made them MORE public. There was no Wiki back then because there was no real web.) One of the first, most scathing denunciations of my efforts to address the “deficiencies” of their leadership was that I was “hiding behind a veil of theological exactness.” Of all the mean things in that letter, this one crossed a line. Actually, I am just kidding about the crossing the line part. (But not the mean things part.) What these words revealed is that after reading my book, the writer did not understand where the lines were drawn. They were woefully misinformed about the lines of logic that run deep underneath the SGM leadership’s claim to authority. My 1996 effort to expose those lines of logic was designed to explain the source and substance of those ideas. Here I am almost fifteen years later taking up the same cause.

“Hiding behind a veil of Theological exactness” are great words that I will relentlessly plagiarize. But in context to me, they are horrifically misapplied. There is a universe of difference between being theologically precise and using the endless coils of Theological ideas to shield and justify real world outcomes. Or said another way, there is a big difference between being logically consistent and using the tools of logic to create a rational castle that shields men from critical review.

In 1996 I was being theologically precise; in addition to being historically precise, in addition to being philosophically precise, in addition to being logically precise.

In every area of human existence, rational competence and logical consistency are ESSENTIAL for man’s success. But somehow when we get to the world of Religion, and specifically Christian Theology, aspiring to the same standard is spiritual sedition. People tend to treat the ideas behind theology like some smorgasbord that they can pick and choose at their leisure accepting or rejecting doctrines to fit their emotional or spiritual feng shui. If this blog has shown anything, it is that this approach to the Arena of Ideas is a disaster.

I have said this—in many forms and variations—ardently and often, what I captured in the Gospel of John Immel Chapter 3 verses 1-3.

1) All people act logically from their assumptions. 2) It does not matter how inconsistent the ideas or insane the rationale, they will act until the logic is fulfilled. 3) Therefore, when you see masses of people taking the same actions, find the assumptions and you will find the cause.

Words mean things. The ideas those words convey create structures by which men seek to live. Those structures are integrated into cohesive philosophical statements. That underlying philosophy becomes the galvanizing system of thought that drives the moral superiority to take action. The action is in service to the assumptions underneath the ideas. It is this dynamic that everyone wants to evade.

Christians have decided that the only valid knowledge comes without work: Unless it is a superior revelation that comes from a supreme authority, man cannot know anything. So we go to men who claim to represent that supreme authority to spoonfeed us ideas. And herein is the problem. This places select men in the position to arbitrate the sum of human knowledge and excuses us from having to take up the cause of our own consciousness.

This is a disaster. We cannot take the pulse of the cause and effect of our ideas and subsequent actions because we have abandoned the very tool that makes judgment possible: our brain. So when challenged with ideas that do not conform to the spoonfed standard, we respond exactly like my “Veil of Theological Exactness” critic.

Here is what my critic was really saying: “John, you think you are really smart and are too big for your britches. You are just making something simple, complicated. So I have no responsibility to understand what you said.” In other words, he morally justified a rational punt because the ideas were beneath his super-spiritual simple-mindedness.

I would be a very rich man if paid money for every time I have heard some variation of this excuse. I hear it a lot because people pretend that simple-mindedness is morally superior, and moral superiority is a potent evasion because it absolves everyone of every thought they don’t want to address. It is much easier to evade the reality of their own making, and it lets them pretend they have transcended the evil, selfish, vain philosopher. Or said another way, it lets them dismiss me.

Here is the reality I am no longer willing to let people evade: it is THEIR rational bankruptcy that lets men like CJ Mahaney maraud his way through metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical disaster. As long as he can keep little Joseph in his pants and his hand out of the till every other “deficiency’ and “sinful judgment” and “hypocrisy” is trivial to some superior simple-mindedness. Since he hasn’t offended the threshold of your moral sensibilities, you marvel that people make it into a big fat dealeo, never once realizing the catastrophic function of his assertions.

Rational vacancy is not a superior moral state, and a man cannot use his faith to change reality until he can DEFINE reality. So here it is: The Mahaneys of the world exist because YOU let them. His current position and the existing failures within SGM have nothing to do with cultic behavior, or bad polity, or a lack of accountability, or a thousand and one other blogosphere criticisms.

Go look in the mirror. The problem is looking you in the face.

The problem is every time you whined about having to THINK to make sure you were fully consistent. The problem is every time you failed to earn your own mind and thoughts by strengthening your logical faculties. The problem is every time you told yourself that you knew everything you would need to know and had no responsibility to challenge the source, content, and outcomes of your ideas. The problem is every time you insisted that you had “authority” to think what you think, and therefore your ideas were unassailable. The problem is every time you resented a counterargument headwind and closed your mind in a fit of “unentreatablity.” The problem is every time you condemned men like me who offered you a depth of insight that was beyond your conceptual ability and dismissed the ideas out of hand because you didn’t happen to like the tone. The problem is every time you rationally punted with a wave of the “I just believe in Christ and him Crucified wand” as if that passage was a license to irrationality.

I will be my usual adorably blunt self and put my finger dead square on the real problem: The current SGM quandary exists because people are rational cowards.
Just so there is no misunderstanding, just so everyone can grasp my goal, just so there is no confusion about motive, it is my intention to wreck the thing that makes it possible for the CJ Mahaneys of the world to rise in power and thrive in despotism. I will grab hold of the raw nerve of the whole debacle and yank and hammer until people have so much psychic pain they cannot sleep or eat. Mystic

Despotism has reared its ugly head throughout history, and it only prevailed when good men refused to think. We are circling back round the assumptions that have always undergird Mystic Despotism and the issue is not confined to the theological bankrupt glory unfolding before our eyes in Sovereign Grace Ministries.

American Christianity is on a disastrous course. The only way to correct its direction is to remove the rich soil that gives men like CJ Mahaney the ability to grow and thrive. That rich soil is the hearts of Men and Women who accept their moral inferiority as the metaphysical starting place and live fearful and resigned to a theoretical inability. To uproot the choking infesting root system, it requires that YOU be conscious and THINK.

To that end, let us strip away all of the coils designed to suffocate us all into a spiritual warm fuzzy. Our goal requires that we remove all the extraneous words and spiritualized sentiments and look at exactly at what was said. This exercise will reduce CJ’s words down their foundational truths and doctrinal assertions. Once completed, we will have successfully pulled back the real veneer overlaying the extraordinary manipulation of theological exactness.

Contrast this:

• expressions of pride
• unentreatability
• deceit
• sinful judgment,
• hypocrisy

With this:

• … perceived a degree of my sin…
• But I want to perceive
• Although my experience of conviction
• . . . more for me to perceive …
• … gift of sight where
• … blinded by my sin …

And now we know exactly why CJ is lost. He’s trying to taste his way to conceptual awareness.

Perceptions are the physical apparatus of man’s sensory impute: taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing. You perceive cold, hot, red, blue, hunger, loud, cinnamon, grape, and thousands of other sensory input.

Conceptions are the stuff of integrated logic and rational abstraction. Pride, “sinful” judgment, hypocrisy, unentreatablity, deceit are all abstractions based on a specific set of logical assumptions and filtered through metaphysical truths that impact epistemological conclusions.

Consider everything a man must understand to grasp the concept of deceit. Here is the definition:

–noun
1. the act or practice of deceiving; concealment or distortion of the truth for the purpose of misleading; duplicity; fraud; cheating:
2. an act or device intended to deceive; trick; stratagem.
3. the quality of being deceitful; duplicity; falseness.

At a minimum, one must be fully capable to grasp the nature of TRUTH. And then one must be aware of what others understand of TRUTH. And then one must consciously seek to undermine that understanding. There is no need to dissect every level of this abstraction because the absurdity is self-evident to those with the rational development of a twelve-year-old.

CJ speaks of failing to understand abstractions as if he were describing the flavor of a grape. He hears what everyone else calls “grape” and is mystified that it doesn’t taste like “grape” to him. So he says, “OMG! I’m such a wretched old sinner. I need God to impute grace so I can perceive grape-ness.”

CJ’s letter is like a high school senior trying to rip out the pages of his textbooks with his teeth and rubbing them over his eyes to perceive Calculus and the “confessing” to his parents that he sucks at math. Rational parents would be keeping that kid from licking windows and fitting him for a helmet, not discussing his great humility for admitting that he had become aware of his academic “deficiencies.”

CJ is declaring himself to be the philosophical equivalent of an infant gumming an epistemological teething ring trying to make sense of the world through his mouth. Even the two-year-old manages to grasp the concept of “yucky” as mommy teaches that the world is not understood through a river of drool.
And CJ expects you to “swallow” these shenanigans? I tell you, he holds you in utter contempt.

You think I am just parsing words? That I just need to give him the benefit of the doubt and just understand what he is trying to say?

No, I am not: This is not mere semantics. And no, I don’t: We are decades past the benefit of the doubt. His letter is a bold manipulation of the doctrines of Pervasive Depravity and Irresistible Grace. Most people are familiar with the first doctrinal concept, but I suspect not so much for the second. To summarize, Irresistible Grace says that no matter how much of your depraved part sins, no matter how much you act like a heathen, acting unworthy of your calling, and walking apart from your election, those whom God calls cannot resist his Grace because God would not allow such a precious gift to be squandered. The fact that you can “perceive” any good is the seal of your authentic election. So now you can see how CJ is parsing the doctrines for the broadest personal benefit and within sentences defying the logical conclusions of his own appeal.

Furthermore, during the early 1990s, during the SGM “Doctrinal Refocus” (which was a euphemism for Reformed Theology Force-Feeding), the men at the top of the leadership food chain thumped the pulpit and then their chest for their effort to dig into the deep things of theology. They wrote endless articles and preached endless sermons denouncing the lack of theological precision and general rational vacancy within American Christianity. They were very pleased to tell EVERYONE that they were “not like other churches.” They patted themselves on the head for saying “We don’t want to be like the ‘gift rich’ but doctrinally-deficient Corinthian Church.” They wore their lofty self-educatedness like a badge of qualification. And then they beat everybody around the spiritual head with submission and authority to demand obedience to their self-educatedness.

CJ built a monument to his theological precision—ostensibly a seminary level library in his office. So now he can’t have it both ways. CJ cannot make an appeal to his qualification to lead by the virtue of the size of his library and his “greater measure” on the one hand and then pretend that he can use any old word to describe any old idea, because he is just a simple man preaching simple truths—kum-buy-yah, kum-buy-yah.

And—somehow—I become the big meaner when pointing out that CJ does not have any clothes? Or sense? Or rationality?

As one of my professors was very fond of saying, “Rubbish!”

I told you I was standing in the quarry he dug. I’m not even throwing rocks. I’m merely pointing out that the rocks he has thrown for years to intimidate the uninitiated are really ping pong balls that no one has had the courage to return.

But now we do have to turn our attention to the rocks. Now we have to focus on the bedrock of CJ Houdini’s all star Metaphysical Magic Mayhem that leaps off the page in the 3rd, 7th paragraph.

I believe I have by the grace of God perceived a degree of my sin, and I have been grieved by my sin and its effects on others. . . . . But I want to perceive and confess any and all sin I have committed. Although my experience of conviction has already started—and this is an evidence of God’s mercy—I’m sure there is more for me to perceive and acknowledge. . . . it has been beneficial to examine my soul and ask for the observation of others.
. . .
Please pray that God would give me the gift of sight where I have been blinded by my sin and others have been adversely affected by my sin. Pray that I will be convicted and experience godly sorrow resulting in reconciliation where necessary and adjustments to my heart and leadership.

Let us once again extract the important parts from the coils choking our minds.

“I believe I have by the grace of God perceived a degree of my sin…”
“Although my experience of conviction has already started—and this is an evidence of God’s mercy—I’m sure there is more for me to perceive and acknowledge. . . .”

Sounds churchy, doesn’t it? And because it sounds like something a humble preacher should say, the reality of the words sail right over our heads. But these words are the core of this whole letter. These sentences are profound epistemological declarations and the key to understanding how SGM leadership has gotten to this point in their history.

Epistemology is the science of determining HOW we know what we know so that we can define WHAT we know. Without understanding the answers to these two questions, man cannot live. It is that simple.

For almost the whole of human history, the conclusion to these two questions—the conclusion that crawled out of the primordial ooze of man’s superstitious mind and landed in the mouth of the local soothsayer, and was explained by every generation of mystic until it was codified by a man called Hammurabi and was eventually integrated into a full philosophical statement by a man called Plato, and was then fully syncretized into Christianity by a man named Augustine—was there is no HOW because Man cannot know anything unless the gods tell him. And WHAT he understands from the gods’ instruction is limited by the corruption of man’s nature.

The inevitable conclusion of this worldview is that select men are given a dispensation from the inability to “perceive” TRUTH from the gods. Those with the dispensation are then morally superior and therefore empowered to compel those “under” them to act in accord with the edicts. Once man accepts this premise, the only conversation left for humanity to have is how much force (that is authority) do those morally superior men have to compel compliance?

And now many, many generations later, CJ Mahaney is saying the exact same thing. CJ is summarizing the HOW and WHAT of his knowledge using the ancient assertions of mystic despotism. He is appealing to the most ancient of all worldviews and explaining his actions by tossing himself in to the mosh pit of the most destructive metaphysical and epistemological assumptions this world has ever seen. He is specifically telling us he is not responsible for his rational capacity. He is admitting to having abandoned every pretense of conscious responsibility. The HOW of his epistemology is that he doesn’t know ANYTHING.

WHAT God tells him may be perfect, but he is flawed and therefore needs supernatural help to “perceive” what his sinful nature corrupts blinds. Whatever repentance or change of mind CJ Mahaney is undergoing to “perceive his sins” has nothing to do with an objective standard of ethical behavior, or evidence presented that led to rational correction, or the logical capacity to evaluate the cause and effect of actions, or a mastery of abstractions to achieve conceptual understanding.

No. No. No.

CJ is telling us that he is blind, deaf, and dumb unless God gives him mercy. This lip service to Irresistible Grace is an overt effort to say that a correction of rational judgment is not really “rational” at all, but rather the imputation of divine revelation. The fact that he can see ANY ethical or moral failing is the PROOF of God’s specific involvement and therefore evidence of his authentic Christian calling. So his epistemology (the science of HOW and WHAT he KNOWS) is “God gave me the gift of sight.” And his ethics are summed up by saying “I don’t know how to act unless I get a specific gift from God that I can put in my mouth and chew on.”

Are you kidding?

Can you imagine the Reformed Theology groupies hue and cry if this were Todd Bentley or Kenneth Copeland saying they can’t get their moral act together unless God (turn up the reverb) gives them a “revelation” on how to act?

But beyond the silliness, notice how much power this gives a man. You confront him with an objective outcome and he can blithely say that he does not have a “conviction” or a “witness” or a “gift of sight” to see what you see. So he is free to measure the “objective” outcome by the whims of his epistemological teething ring. So for instance, unless he gets the same revelation of grape-ness that you have, he can persist in any action without any responsibility to outcome. And this is why this body of doctrine obsesses on authority. The only way to tell whose taste buds are authentic is the man with the most force to compel epistemological compliance. He gets to shove his teething ring in everyone else’s mouth to “perceive” what he “perceives” until the world is flooded with drool. So as long as HIS revelation of grape-ness is affirmed by his authority, how can he correct his actions? He cannot correct his actions because he “perceives” no need to correct his action. His authority is granted by the gods. And who are you to challenge his dispensation to understand TRUTH? So if he does not change his mind, it is PROOF of God’s imputation of Grace. And if he ever does “perceive” himself guilty of ANY ethical or moral failing is the PROOF of God’s specific involvement and therefore evidence of his authentic Christian calling.

And this is SGM leadership in all their metaphysical glory.

Each person-to-person interaction is a wholly unique event that is measured up against … nothing … but the ability to “perceive” as God grants grace. This is the metaphysical equivalent of a newborn baby who cannot distinguish between mommy being gone and mommy being under a blanket. The baby does not conceptualize the blanket, only that mommy’s face is present and mommy’s face is gone. Likewise, CJ does not conceptualize the broader pattern of his edicts and declarations. He can see no system dynamics between the metaphysical given of his own epistemological vacancy and the subsequent outcomes of his leadership deficiencies. By definition, he only sees what God specifically “gifts” him to see.

So he at once has no rational responsibility to ANY consistency or logic AND is excused for his prevailing failures because of his blinding sin. Alakazam! Poof! He is free to create a world of his own detached whim and his errors are mere “sinful judgments” and leadership “deficiencies.” And since we are ALL just sinners in need of Grace, who can fuss with that?

With such a metaphysical and epistemological worldview, is it any wonder that HIS moral and ethical judgment is all over the map? Is it a wonder that there is no rhyme or reason to SGM pastoral council? Is it any mystery why CJ suddenly must at least acknowledge “. . . the lack of a clear and consistent process of conflict resolution and pastoral evaluation . . .”?

I cracked my Schrodinger’s cat joke above because as a metaphor, it captures this very dynamic. In the quantum thought experiment, the cat is either alive or dead at the moment of observation. This experiment was used to explain how it was possible that quantum particles could exist in two simultaneous states—wave and particle—and yet when observed, they could become one or the other but not both. In any given moment, that cat was alive or dead within the box: the only way to know is to “perceive.” Hence, the similarity to quantum particles.
About half of you dear readers are sorely tempted to let your brain go tilt and give me the “You just think you are really smart and I just preach Christ and him Crucified,” speech. You want to read me the riot act for not arguing Scripture; tell me I’m too big for my britches and brush this off as me being too clever by half.

My britches fit just right, and this is not too clever by half!

I told you it was Harry Houdini level sleights of hand. This is masterful in its presentation and execution, but it relies on your unwillingness to watch both hands and remain conscious of the very foundational level ideas. Just as quantum mechanics is the foundation of our physical existence, metaphysics and epistemology are the foundations of our rational/spiritual existence. This brazen manipulating is how SGM has been so successful at romping through people’s lives. This is how SGM can hold Scriptures in two simultaneous states: absolute and bendable. They put the Bible in the Schrodinger box and do a thought experiment with every interaction. Is the Bible absolute or bendable? Who can tell until they “perceive”? And here is the scandal. They don’t let anyone else look in the box. We don’t all get to look at the cat and see if it is dead and check their quantum math. There is no math to check. There is no algebra. There is no objective standard. There is only their imputation of Grace to determine, in every discreet moment, what God is saying and doing. They emerge from the “observation” and declare the conclusion.

And this is EXACTLY what CJ did in this letter.

And this is EXACTLY what frees CJ to be utterly inconsistent with his evaluation of his own judgment. Notice in 2008, CJ wrote an article about Bill Belichick decrying his lack of humility in the face of adversity. How did CJ arrive at this conclusion? Simple, Bill left the field before time on the clock ran out. I addressed the full absurdity in this article. But now I want you to read how CJ justified his judgment. (Full article)

“. . . I am the worst sinner I know. For am I most familiar with the countless sins I have committed against God, . . . Though it doesn’t appear Bill Belichick is a humble man, I know I am not a humble man.

I am a proud man who is pursuing humility only by the grace of God. . . .
So today after examining my heart for any trace of self-righteousness, any hint of moral superiority in my soul, I have prayed that God would . . .

So how does a man go from being the worst sinner he knows to the egoistic assurance of “So today after examining my heart for any trace of self-righteousness, any hint of moral superiority in my soul, I have prayed that God would blah blah blah ….”?

ONE DAY! Not five years to arrive at the conclusion that he MIGHT have leadership deficiencies. Within ONE DAY he can fully and effectively declare himself free of self-righteous moral superiority and then subsequently manufacture a doctrine that eternally condemns a man for leaving a football field before the end of a game.

Really?

Here we are a few years later and he wants to pretend that he cannot successfully master his own rational appointment within half a decade?

Really?

You all are buying this?

Since CJ brought up reconciling with Larry T. we need to revisit what they said of the Apostle of Covering back when they booted him to the curb. I will summarize that letter as follows:

The [then] PDI Leadership team and the three men of the local Atlanta Church [where Larry was currently stationed] would not agree with “. . . Larry’s assessment of himself. . .” because “. . . for a man simply cannot trust his own assessment of himself or determine unilaterally when he returns to ministry once he has been disqualified.”

For those of you who still have the letters that deal with the “offense” of Larry Tomczak’s removal from his job. Notice how the doctrine of Pervasive Depravity is used to absolutely steal the power of volitional judgment from Larry T.

Who is acting unilaterally now? How did CJ get a dispensation from implications of Pervasive Depravity? Where are the “leadership team” letters decrying CJ’s ethical egoism with the same zeal as they went after Larry?

Hmm? Anyone?

In light of Pervasive Depravity eternity, how does CJ feel qualified to orchestrate the terms of his own exile? For someone who is supposed to be reviewing his ”deficiencies” and hypocrisy and all the self-flagellating rest, for a man who admits that he has no means to know anything but what God puts in him, he is profoundly self-appointed. In a 1,000-word document, the “Greatest Sinner he knows,” uses the word “I” almost 50 times. How can he be trusted to choose who will help him find the solutions? How can he “take responsibility”? By doctrinal definition, he does not have the ability to be responsible for his conduct. By self-admission, he is claiming to struggle with the most rudimentary level of human cognitive development. So if CJ picked the course of action, it should be immediately disqualified in his manmade efforts toward a solution to the “deficiencies.”

Of course, this begs the conclusion whether there should BE a solution to the “deficiencies.” Who is to say that God isn’t appointing CJ Mahaney to wander in the abyss of his epistemological “deficiencies”? Since authentic Bible doctrine and sound doctrine purity must be defended at all cost, it is worth considering.

Human lives are at the utter disposal of all pure, righteous Bible absolute TRUTH. So I’m just saying . . .. CJ admits that the nature of the grace and mercy granted him so far is partial, which means that God is choosing to withhold the full truth from his delicate, fragile, sin-filled psyche. So by definition He [God] is

Sovereignly appointing the circumstance. Indeed God has, to date, withheld the grace that makes this deficiency-ridden, sinful judgment, Pride-filled, hypocritical state of CJ’s leadership possible. God has refused to grant the “gift of sight” for five years. So why do we automatically presume that God does not want it to persist for another decade?

Why would God do that?

Who are you, oh man, to even ask such a question?

It is God’s sovereign choice to raise up vessels of Grace and destroy vessels of destruction. If He chooses to allow CJ Mahaney to trot off the deep end, how is that any of your concern?

You cannot rationally object to God’s sovereign action. Since you have subordinated your mind to authority, you have no choice but to go along for the ride into perdition. You can, at no point, revert to YOUR judgments because you are also in need of Grace to “perceive” the error of your ways. And what you do “perceive” must be validated through the authority. So suck it up and stay in your pew; shut your mouth and let God do as he sees fit because whatever bad thing CJ does, God intended it for your life.
. . .
. . .
. . .

Did that finally get real enough for some of you? Is any of this penetrating the stupor of your mind? Are any of you quaking in your boots at the logical conclusions? This Houdini level Metaphysical and Epistemological illusionist show is exactly what has empowered CJ Mahaney to romp through the lives of people unchecked, treat everyone else as a distant theological abstraction, all the while making pretense at seizing the highest moral and spiritual standard. Once he can make an unchallenged claim to moral authority, he gets to define for EVERYONE what grape-ness tastes like and you can stick it in your ear if you don’t happen to like the dog squeeze he force-feeds you in the name of biblical absolutes.

Do you “perceive” how this liberates a man to act with impunity?

This might be marginally understandable if it were accidental. We might be able to grant some space to a man struggling to master the elements of his existence and taking responsibility for his own consciousness. But that is not what has happened with CJ.

He is at once blaming his moral failing on God and confirming his Christian authenticity by the PROOF of the small measure of his repentance to date. So he affirms his authority by appealing to Pervasive Depravity and absolves his authority outcomes by the doctrine of Irresistible Grace. He is at no point disqualified.

This whole magic show is a despicable display of rational larceny. And it is rational larceny because it is obvious that he does not believe for a minute that he is ineligible in any applicable sense. He is now fully on record for cherry-picking his qualification and abandoning his rational culpability when it serves his purpose.

I told you from the outset that he holds us all in contempt. No matter what the glossy brochure says, no matter how often he smiles and self-deprecates and is his generally witty winsome self, this man fully believes he is morally superior by any and every measure. The morality play unfolding before our eyes is a further brilliant move, a well orchestrated final act in an endless campaign to make himself unassailable in the acquisition of moral superiority. The men around him are utterly cowed by his moral authority. They have demonstrated no capacity or even the slightest desire to check or balance his conducts, actions, or doctrines. They let him rewrite the meaning and outcomes with impunity. And as a governing body, they are universally “unentreatable” unless it serves their purpose.

So this only has one outcome.

At the moment the leadership team has had their confidence shaken so they too are saying all the right things, in all the right places for all the same reasons.

This will give local churches who have been chaffing under the pain of having to subordinate to the Big Dogs the moral clarity to defect from SGM central planning.They will suffer the usual criticism of those who dare leave the SGM fold. But then it will pass. The leadership will have sufficiently watched their bellybutton to affirm in their own mind they are still qualified to govern.

El Primo Doctrinal mover and Shaker will head into self-appointed exile and navel-gaze till his heart is content. The board will investigate. The men of correction will enter the stage on cue, offer their correction as if CJ is a five-year-old that needs swatted with a spoon. He will be told to respond “right away, all the way, and cheerfully.” He will cry great big alligator tears in public, an event that is hardly unique. A season will pass—season = until he gets tired of the dog house—and he will then unilaterally return, appropriately chastened, appropriately repentant, appropriately confessed.

For the first few board meetings, CJ will nod in all the right places as if the words he hears others say are new and fresh and important. He will defer and conciliate. Everyone will extol: “See, it works! The redemption is real! The process of restorations is a miracle of Grace!” They will write books and sing songs and dance their hold over charismatic two-step in the aisles. All the sins have been washed away. Repent of unforgiveness. Move past your emotional offense. You too must confess your faults and make your Pastors work a Joy.

Woe is us, we are all just sinners.

And then, one day, behind the scenes, the e-mail chain will start again, and to those who lived the nightmare the first time will “perceive.” The illusionist never left and now CJ is unassailable.

SGM, welcome to CJ Mahaney’s Metaphysical Magic Mayhem.