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‘s Substack.
I’ve never heard another pastor within a church address someone above them with such authentic command. With this authority arrived both truth and love. His intent for those in the room—who later voted for his removal—was to offer freedom from captivity. #notonemore
Exposing the Truth: A Call for Accountability of Senior Pastors
In this powerful and emotional speech,
addresses the congregation of this church, revealing issues embedded within the church leadership. Citing biblical references, the speaker outlines the moral and ethical failures of the Senior Pastor and Co-Pastor, emphasising the lack of repentance and fruitfulness in their actions. The need for independent, external interim eldership is discussed and reports from past and present members showcase a consistent pattern of mistreatment dating back two decades. The speech highlights the importance of accountability, justice, and the moral duty to support and restore victims of church abuse. The call to action includes urging the resignation of the current pastors and a transparent reformation of church governance.00:00 Introduction and Gratitude
00:06 Biblical Teachings and Church Foundations
00:50 Judgment and Repentance
02:43 Formation of Interim Eldership
04:35 Interim Eldership Findings
07:30 Pastoral Qualifications and Failures
12:33 Call for Resignation and Support for Victims
14:53 Financial Concerns and Responsibilities
18:42 Moral and Ethical Reflections
21:47 Final Thoughts and Call to Action
Transcript:
[00:00:00] For those of you who stayed to listen, thank you. I appreciate it. Luke 6:45-47 says: "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. But why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to me and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like."
And then Christ goes on to talk about the foundations we build our lives on. This church is repeatedly falling down. This is our history. It is not something ambiguous; it is obvious. I believe this house is under judgment. [00:01:00] And I believe it will continue to fall in the same manner it always has.
Let me read to you Luke 3:8, where John the Baptist says: "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."
I do not see the Senior Pastor and Co-Pastor as people who bear fruit worthy of repentance. The investigation of the interim elders made it clear that they do not repent. The pattern stretches back too far. The pattern we have today, the pattern we had back then—it's the same, and it's consistent. [00:02:00]
Luke 3:9 says: "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." This church, I believe, is a church in name only. I believe we have been building with both hay and stubble, and this will not stand before God on the day of judgment. I believe that in the end, what will come to this house will be great ruin, because there is no fruit worthy of repentance in those who lead it.
The interim eldership was something that, when the State Leader asked me what we should do, I said we needed to form an interim eldership made up of independent, external people [00:03:00]—fully qualified, well-respected—to come in and establish what the truth is, then hand down their findings. And he asked, "How should we do that?" I told him we needed to write a brief of scope. The term "interim eldership" was mine, as was the idea of a brief of scope.
Later, the eldership had a meeting, and it was decided by the Senior Pastor, his wife, his brother-in-law, and one unrelated elder that an interim eldership should be formed. I had been in communication with the State Leader and the Senior Pastor via email, and the Senior Pastor asked me, "Who do you think should be involved in the interim eldership?" I offered only one suggestion—someone who could be considered an archetype of what we needed. [00:04:00] This individual was unknown to both the Senior Pastor and myself, making him independent.
Those who were offered as candidates for the eldership were familiar to the Senior Pastor. They were good people and did their jobs well under difficult circumstances. Neither side—whether mine or yours—made things easy for them.
I want to read to you some of the interim elders' findings, which were shared at the second meeting. More than 60 people were in that room, 30 more watched online, and another 25 requested a recording of the meeting. Many of these people had suffered under this church.
The report asked: Are the charges against the Senior Pastor and his wife legitimate, and what should the outcome be? The first day I was in the church, I read from 1 Timothy 5, which outlines the responsibility we must bear if we are to become involved. [00:05:00] It says: "Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that 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."
Each time I read that passage, I tremble. You realize the weight of responsibility in those words. I charge you in the sight of God, Christ Jesus, and the elect angels. It makes you realize the seriousness of your actions. Thank you—that's my examination board. Again, I'm quoting from the interim eldership report. And as a result, I am required to assess the appropriateness of an elder without partiality and to show no favoritism.
Over the months, we received more than 30 statements from past and present members. Some of these stories go back to 2011. [00:06:00] The older statements are significant because they reveal a consistent pattern of behavior over an extended period.
We also engaged with resignation letters in which former members and elders explained in significant detail why they reluctantly resigned. The unfortunate but consistent theme was the treatment of people at the hands of the Senior Pastor, and to a lesser extent, his wife. I don't see the Senior Pastor as a bad man—he is damaging, but I don't believe he is inherently bad. I feel profoundly for the Co-Pastor, his wife, who, under pressure, has also caused damage.
In our investigation, we evaluated the statements in light of Scripture, particularly the 31 qualifications for pastors and elders found in 1 Timothy, Titus, and Peter. You might wonder if anyone can be a pastor, given these standards. The answer is, it's a challenge, and it isn't a calling for everyone. [00:08:00] Those in authority can cause far more damage when they fall short of these qualifications than those who lack such authority.
Of the 31 qualifications, we found the Senior Pastor deficient in at least 12, making him disqualified from ministry. I want to repeat that: your Senior Pastor is deficient and disqualified. Too many stories reflect that he lords over the flock and domineers. Far too many stories reveal quick temper, emotional swings, and imprudent decision-making. People were given responsibilities for which they weren't trained, only to be later blamed for failure.
[00:09:00] On too many occasions, decisions lacked the justice, righteousness, or uprightness that should guide a pastor. Too often, decisions were influenced by personal favoritism. Those in positions of authority have the potential to do far more harm than they realize. The Senior Pastor, unfortunately, has demonstrated this time and again, especially in his treatment of others, even in private conversations that left individuals humiliated, in tears, or shaken.
The report goes on to say that while this man sincerely desires to serve God and has a genuine vision, he is guilty of hypocrisy, uses fear as a controlling mechanism, and is inconsistent, leading to distress. [00:10:00] He has used humiliation and intimidation, deaf to what he does not wish to hear.
The conclusion of the interim eldership is that the Senior Pastor and his wife should resign. If they do not, the church should vote them out. The church should be handed over to voluntary administration, and those who have been harmed should be reached out to, supported, and offered full disclosure of what was done to them. This is the obligation of the church. There can be no moving forward without making things right for the victims.
Whether you vote to keep me or not, I will continue with my mission to help make things right. As God is my witness, I will do this. So vote.
Thank you for listening. [00:22:00]
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