From: Greg Swenson [email redacted but available from WINGS] @gmail.com
Date: Mon, Aug 21, 2023
Subject: Next steps
Dear all,
Fourteen years ago, I started in this work. For me, these have been good years, helpful years.
But now we know, for many they haven’t been. People have been deeply wounded. How have so many been hurt in the name of Jesus? I’m thankful for those who have helped me see this. I’ve reached out to ones who I’ve ignorantly hurt, and I apologize to any who I’ve misjudged.
I’ll share with you from an email I sent to our staff a month and a half ago:
The personal calling I have been feeling on my heart these days and for the foreseeable future is to attend to two important issues:
- The healing of the broken-hearted (which is most of us at this point) through active listening and reassurance that victims/survivors and our friends are heard by someone who represents the ministry. The listening sessions are providing one channel for this to occur. But others are reaching out by phone too, ones who have felt isolated for many years. Survivors of abuse–some currently attending meetings and some not–are pouring out their hearts. Many have been in therapy for most of their life, but it can still be healing to hear a ‘worker’ acknowledge and validate the hurts they experienced.
- Ministry reform. The approach to our calling and what it means to be an apostle/minister has been pushed into a mold that doesn’t seem to be working well for many. This is evidenced by the high incidence of mental health problems and burnout. This is not because of being weak or different, but many expectations which may or may not be scriptural have been thrust upon an ever-dwindling supply of workers. No one of us can singularly save the current state of things, but I am willing to continue having conversations with overseers, workers, elders, friends and anyone to better understand what direction to move in for sustainability.
I fully understand if you are not feeling called to these same tasks, or if you’re feeling called to other tasks which I cannot do, as we are all different members of the body with differing gifts.
So this is how we’ve been spending our recent months. It’s a start, but there is still much to do. Faith is seen through action, and if the Lord is in each step there can be benefit.
I appreciate Jim’s offer to place me in a field again this fall, though I can’t commit to doing that right now. In view of all that’s come to light within the fellowship the past few months, I believe it’s also an appropriate season to pause and consider, and take a break for well-being.
If you find it discouraging to see fewer names on a workers list, I hope your reaction is to rise to the occasion. Many of you have done that already, and some are now awakening to this. As my late mother often quoted, “Paths of usefulness surround you–need for every hand.” The work of God is something anyone can be a part of if we allow him to use us.
I still feel a call to share the gospel, and I value attending fellowship gatherings and Bible studies. I’m happy to meet with anyone who has the sincere desire to “worship the Father in spirit and in truth.”
At this time I plan to leave North Carolina at the end of September. While I travel the country and make visits, I’ll continue to be available by phone, text and email, so feel free to reach out at any time.
With love in Christ and prayer for healing,
Greg Swenson
[Phone and email redacted but available from WINGS]
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Greg,
The call and expression of your heart to labour for the broken hearted and help work into a better ministry reminds me of the work Jesus did in the earth when he was here.
The very opposite of what I am witness to in this ministry.
Hoping for real change.
Keep strong in your convictions.
While it’s unfortunate to lose one of the good ones, stepping aside and ceasing to be associated with those in the ministry and in the “truth” that have committed such horrific abuse against God’s sheep and those who have been complicit is the right decision.
1 Corinthians 5:11 (KJV)
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
Thank you Greg for all your years spent in the work, for taking a stand, and for caring for the healing of victims and the sheep who have been betrayed in the name of Christianity more than maintaining your place in the ministry.
I have been thinking for a long time now that if a worker is honest, he/she is not going to be able to stay in the work.
How can anyone who is honest stay under this corrupt leadership?
It is encouraging to see you take this stand, I pray that God will be with you and lead you into all truth.
There is no doubt in my mind that if God has called you, He will be with you.
Do not feel that you have to remain single, Jesus did not send out a celibate ministry.
He told disciples to leave home, wife, children etc , it was for short missions, they would have returned home, not the way the workers go today.
Current ministry has put demands on people that God never intended, it’s no wonder that it has come to its present state.
Be strong and of good courage.
Greg, thank you for sharing your thoughts. At one point, I considered the ministry. You note, ” The approach to our calling and what it means to be an apostle/minister has been pushed into a mold that doesn’t seem to be working well for many”. No Confidence writes, “Jesus did not send out a celibate ministry. He told disciples to leave home, wife, children etc , it was for short missions, they would have returned home, not the way the workers go today”. That is correct. Finding out the celibate ministry was actually William Irvine’s experiment, and not Biblical, it makes sense that this plan is, “a mold that doesn’t seem to be working well for many”. And, as seen, it can lead to very dysfunctional behavior including sexual misconduct, mental health issues, and other disorders. Greg, thanks for sharing your story and good luck going forward.
Sorry friend I don’t think you have read the Bible properly. Peter asked Jesus what they who have left homes and all for Jesus’ sake would receive. Jesus answered that in this life they would receive many homes and families and hereafter everlasting life. He also said that birds have nests etc, but the Son of man had nowhere to rest His head. He asked His disciples to leave all behind and follow Him. This ministry was left on Script for us. It has been planned that way in heaven and no human can change that. Judas was a disciple too, that does not make all disciples traitors. I’ve known Godly workers and still do. The Bible speaks about those who are celibate for the sake of the Gospel. God has taken away the natural need for sexual activity. Anyone with that need, should not go into the work. It is good to marry and have an open home. Not everyone is called for the work. Revelation speaks of those who have not defiled themselves with woman. This is possible through God and Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit. You either believe the Bible or you don’t. You err greatly.
MP – I read the Bible a lot and believe every word, but probably not as smart or as well learned as you. Please provide chapter and verse for the claims about “those who are celibate for the sake of the Gospel” and “God has taken away the natural need for sexual activity”.
Homeless ministry is an unscriptural sacrifice because Jesus did not ask his apostles to be unmarried (Peter and Judas were married) or homeless (Jesus said leave all not sell all so the apostles would have continued to have their homes and possessions waiting for them.). We read that John had a home where he cared for Jesus’s mom, Mary, after Jesus’s crucification). Peter also had a home, and we read in the gospels of the disciples returning to their homes.
Workers do not meet the criteria of an apostle.
Criteria of an apostle:
1) An apostle was an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ.
The apostles were the foundation of the church (Eph 2:20), and so it was important that they had been with Jesus himself and, in particular, seen him resurrected from the dead. Even the apostle Paul met this criterion, though in a unique fashion.
Paul refers to himself as an “untimely” apostle (1 Corinthians 15:7–8)
2) An apostle was directly called by Jesus
3) Apostles demonstrate wondrous works or miracles
Of interest and from the book Preserving the Truth by Kropp-Ehrig (pg. 129)- Jack Carroll was the first overseer to enforce the policy to not allow workers to remain in the work after they were married in September 1952.
The father of the Chester Sweetland protested this decision by stating, “You have also recently made a ruling relative to Workers who marry and desire to continue in the ministry. You state that to marry is proof of a diminished sacrifice and a limited service and is what you consider to be a change of status, not acceptable to ‘Christian Converentions’ administration. Such reasoning is obviously neither scriptural nor reasonable. God alone can measure degrees of sacrifice and will determine rewards accordingly. Compulsory celibacy is commonly recognized as the soil upon which immoral conduct and behavior thrives. To make such a ruling is clearly in conflict with God’s laws and human right…It is exactly the opposite to what the Scriptures teacher and what we heard and believed from your lips 30 years ago.”
Lastly the verses you reference regarding birds having a nest are often interpreted as Jesus referring to the safety of his followers. All of his apostles except for one were martyred. We know they were literally putting their lives on the line to spread the gospel.
Maria Pottas, you sure seem smart. You say, “God has taken away the natural need for sexual activity (really?). Anyone with that need, should not go into the work. It is good to marry and have an open home. Not everyone is called for the work….You either believe the Bible or you don’t. You err greatly”. Maria, I do believe in the Bible, because it is the Word of God. I am not sure if I believe what YOU are saying, however. We know for certain that Peter was married because he had a mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14). The apostle Paul, who was not married, asked the Corinthians whether he also did not have the right to take a believing wife (1 Corinthians 9:5), as did, “the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas [Peter].” From this, we can assume that Peter was not the only one to have a wife. From the fact that some of the disciples were married, we can conclude that it is right for ministers to marry and that the ” truth” religion and the Roman Catholic doctrine of the celibacy of the ministry is contrary to apostolic example. Maria, maybe what you are thinking is something you heard at a convention? Because it is not Biblical. And, the two are not the same.
Thanks Greg for your honesty and commitment to help the one’s who have been hurt, it is encouraging to see you take this stand🌷
If you study God’s Word, NOT just cherry picking verses, you see clearly that the worker’s aren’t comparable in many way’s with the first century ministry, here is a good study done below comparing the worker’s ministry to Jesus ministry.
Also Jesus diciples, which is all true Christians, will be known for the love they have for each other, the rampant child sexual abuse, sexual asault and emotional abuse in this fellowship aswell as the ungodly way’s it’s been handeld, clearly shows a lack of love in this fellowship, we will be known by the fruit we produce.
If the current situation in this fellowship doesn’t open one’s eyes, nothing will.
https://ex2x2.info/2022/05/19/is-it-true-lets-see/
The sexual immorality and ungodly handling of it in this 2×2 ministry shows clearly that a big percentage of them do not have the gift of celibacy, neither the integrity to have left their celibate ministry when they full well knew they didn’t have the gift, they have made a mockery of their celibate ministry, we call this hypocrasy in the worst way!
Judas was one bad apple in the 1 century ministry, how many bad apples in the 2×2 ministry? I have lost count of the many criminals and immoral people in this ministry that have been exposed, mostlikely many, many more are still lurking around in the dark.
Kingsley Stone is one forsure.
Louise – Interesting that you mention Judas. Glenn Gasser did the same thing when he compared Dean Bruer to Judas in his letter to the Wisconsin group (posted on Wings on 3/29/2023). Gasser wrote “the apostles were very shocked & ashamed when Judas’ secret sin came to light. His sin didn’t mean they were all dishonest ….. the 11 & others proved to be true…..”. Apparently, Gasser wants the group to think that Bruer was the only bad egg. Thanks to Wings, we now know the Rest Of The Story, as the late great Paul Harvey used to say on the AM dial. Well, maybe not the whole story yet – the finances may be another can of worms.
Max- yes, the truth will eventually be exposed, I whish it was sooner than later.
If this fellowship was God led you would sadly still find these atrocities commited but on a much lower scale, perputrators would clearly know the consequences for doing such atrocities in this fellowship and be detered by it.
You would have seen Biblical teachings and the laws of the country strictly adhered to, you would have seen in general, people in this fellowship having integrity when dealing with these atrocities and immoral behaviors.
O my what a different picture that would have been! There would have been no need then to broadcast this over the world either, this fellowship would have been a example of God led people instead of the mockery they have made of themselves now.They have allowed their fellowship/ministry to become a den of criminals and immoral people!
Greg nailed the problem with the “truth” ministry, and probably the whole organization, when he said, “The approach to our calling and what it means to be an APOSTLE/ minister has been pushed into a mold that doesn’t seem to be working well for many”. The approach to the ministry, confusing themselves as God’s direct apostles today, will be a mold that no human today can fit into, and it will not work well for anyone. TO think a worker, or modern day ” apostles” word is as authoritative as the Bible, simple is contrary to the Bible, Deuteronomy 4:2 ,“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” In contrast to what the “truth” teaches, the Bible teaches that there were twelve apostles, Revelation 21:14, “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb”. The twelve apostles completed their mission in the first century! NO one today can claim that his own extemporaneous speech is directly from God. Not even a worker.
For Christ- well said and true!
Hope your friends from CCF will support you…..this is what happens when you think your way is better. Will happen to more and it is what it is. Or maybe you can work at Walmart.
Thank you, Gregg for your honesty, humility, integrity, and for the firm stand you’ve taken. Would love to have you come see us anytime! ❤️