June 19, 2024
Dear WA, N ID & AK friends,
During the past year I’ve communicated with you regarding our responses to the Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) crisis in our region. Today I would like to bring you up to date on some of the conclusions we have recently come to.
For the past several months, we have been in the process of developing a set of CSA/SA guidelines. An incredible amount of energy and heart has been poured into this project by a group of professional friends, which we are very thankful for. The further we went along, the more we sensed we were engaged in an unending struggle. If the guidelines are written strictly, they lack flexibility for individual cases; if the guidelines are written loosely, they have ‘holes’ in them. Our efforts to dissolve this tension have been unsuccessful. In the end, we chose to adopt a set of simple guidelines which were written for neighboring states and have been adapted to fit our region. I’m sending that document with this email. Even though this outcome is different than any of us had envisioned, I feel the journey that brought us here has been profitable and will continue to provide important insight in the difficult decisions that are still ahead of us.
It’s important to emphasize that we will continue to vigilantly address CSA/SA issues. We will continue to seek professional counsel and collaborate with elders and others regarding decisions that need to be made. We, as workers, realize we are not qualified to make these decisions on our own.
We have really appreciated the help of the safety team during the past few months. Our change of direction on guidelines will result in a restructuring of the safety team also. We are not sure what that will look like, but will keep you informed of changes.
When FBI agents talked to us in January, they identified two things in our fellowship that have contributed to our poor handling of CSA cases in the past: 1) lack of education; and 2) resistance to reporting CSA cases to local authorities. We are giving these two key elements special attention as we go forward.
On a related note, the GRACE investigation that was taking place in Seattle has concluded. The investigation substantiated the allegation that was brought forward. This concludes our involvement with GRACE.
Personally, I have been inspired and humbled by Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 11:3, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity (sincere & pure devotion) that is in Christ.” Although issues can become very complicated, we aim to maintain our single-hearted devotion to Christ.
I feel deeply grateful for all of you who have supported us with your prayers and expressions of care this past year. I hope the peace of God prevails in all our lives, and that His love can radiate through us to everyone in need.
Your brother,
Darryl
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“Confidentially seek the assistance of others who have the appropriate skills and training in order to write a safety plan for the offender”
Here is the problem as I see it. The safety plan should be written for the victim. That is the whole purpose of a safety plan. To support and keep the victim/survivor from further harm and protect other potential victims. The offender, whether they are a pedophile as defined by the medical community, or a person with reduced self control, has breached the trust of the community and has caused damage that requires care and support. If policy were developed with this mindset the offenders would be seen as the liability. Currently, it is my observation that victims of child sexual assault are seen as the liability. How have they breached your trust?
The Safety plan should be written from the perspective of all victims AND the prevention of any additional victims. The professionals safety plan, released yesterday, would do a much better job of preventing additional victims. Otherwise those most prone to perpetrate sexual abuse to children or adults, remain as high risk in the fellowship or in the community at large.
The Overseers/ workers have most often been historically unable to hold perpetrators accountable by reporting to CPS or Law Enforcement.(With a few exceptions) Instead they’ve tried to suppress the victims & their families from reporting & allowing others within the fellowship from becoming aware of the crime. That way no one could object, no 2×2 members were lost and the William Irvine Ministry continued on.
Only the professional investigators should be involved in these incidents & in assessing sexual offenders.
“Keep the identities of victims and OFFENDERS confidential except for required communication…” If this policy had been implemented two years ago, we wouldn’t have heard about Dean Bruer and so many others.
“Really now ” has made the point that should stand out to everyone. The guidelines state: ““Keep the identities of victims and OFFENDERS confidential except for required communication…”.
KEEP THE IDENTITIES OF THE OFFENDERS CONFIDENTIAL? Why?
The answer is simple. So the workers who have committed sex crimes can mix freely with the masses without everyone knowing what they did and what they are capable of doing.
The guidelines for sex abuse is sorely lacking, but they do include, don’t tell on a sex offender. Sex offenders have rights too!
That is exactly what they prefer – keep the criminals and the crimes hidden.
I agree. He said that the FBI pointed out a “lack of education” as one of the issues within the church. This goes back to their excuse of “we just didn’t realize a) what was going on b) the seriousness of what was/is going on…” I don’t buy it. I think the underlying issues are 1) a desire for power and control 2) a desire for the *appearance* of “perfection” 3) a psychopathic disregard for other’s physical, emotional and mental well-being. It’s not an exhaustive list. But I think it’s important to emphasize that the organization is being run by a bunch of sadists, so what does that make the organization?
The other day it was brought to my wife and my attention about a book. The title of the book is “A CHURCH CALLED TOV”. I am about half way into the book, it’s hard to put down. The two author’s I believe know nothing of “THE TRUTH”, but after reading the first part you would think they were raised thinking like all of us in “THE TRUTH”. The first part speaks about the Toxic Culture of power within churches today. A perfect fit on what I have been believing for many, many years. Power, power and more power. Well worth the read for all.
PD
I have not read the book, but just read the intro on Amazon. One of the quotes from the book says “The sages of Israel teach that those that would be wise must aim, not at power, but at goodness. Power and goodness are not close buddies.”
My additional view is that power will always make out that it is a good Buddy/friend of goodness. Power is fulfilled when goodness is the servant.
However, with our human frame, our human scope of goodness can have some interwoven self serving interest – for instance, what will keep me personally safe and bring no discomfort to me. What is ‘good’ for my comfort, I will personally call ‘good’. If ‘good’ for me means someone else goes with less, then that matters not. And power rubs their hands together.
There is always a certain group of people though that think in terms of fairness being good. And fairness is good in my estimation. The people in the church can call me weird. The self serving desire of our human frame will always need to relinquish some comfort to offer fairness. Watch those friends on the task force video. They have stepped out of their comfort zone that there would be fairness to others. And power was squirming.
In my estimation, call it a cycle, call it delusion, call me an idiot, but I sense power across the earth is squirming. And it is a beast that is getting uglier to tamp down the voices of fairness that are also rising. And the crescendo of fear of the people is rising – just what power relishes. But fairness has the lesser voice on earth. Fairness for the lesser mortals will need some help if it is to prevail.
Through history, one force of man’s power has risen against another force of man’s power – and the circle of man’s experience repeats itself. A semblance of fairness returns to the earth for a while after everyone goes into the ring and gets beaten up.
But there there comes this day when the powers of earth will turn on itself for a last kick at the cat when all the power will have lost all vision. And Fairness will step in. People! What is all your view of fairness when the victims are being silenced and the perpetrators are being exalted? The whole world can say they are watching, but are they seeing? Historically the power over the people in the church has been able to deal with the voices of fairness quickly and decisively. This time it is dragging on.
If no one noticed, there is fear within the church. Different people have expressed to me even their concern for me. The genesis of their fear for me just may be misplaced. Prophecy reveals the end of the fearful. Simple question friends – which god of power is your fear stemming from? Tough question though for the people. Without truth and love and fairness residing in the heart, it will not be answered correctly. Man finds it difficult to be honest with themselves. We have to dig for this honesty. And the digging is always painful. Not for the faint of heart. Where friends do you want to be found as the buzzards of the earth are circling? And you all know what a carcass is, right? A body with no life! We may be finding ourselves in the valley of Jehoshaphat.
This is not rocket science keep your hands to yourself. Deal with the one’s doing wrong stop sweeping it under the rug which you have been doing for years
💯with you!
Everyone should keep their hands to themselves & stay in your lane!
If someone is having difficulty with doing that, YOU are the PROBLEM, not the victim. Own the problem & seek help immediately. Don’t attend any meetings or stay in homes where you might put others at risk. Leave the ministry.
If they leave the ministry what are they going to do? These so called overseers could’t run a paper route, let alone something else. They all have good paying jobs right where they are. What a shame. Or is it a sham.
Stop putting downs the one’s that have been the victims It not there fault. I am sorry and feel bad for the one’s that are victims. Over the past 20 years you the workers the one’s we look to for truth and Christ ways have lead us down a Dark path shame..
Exactly!! All these things that have been written, are all so true. I wish I was as fluent with words as you all are! Keep up the good fight!
Just a little thought.
Jesus told his disciples to heal the sick, etc Freely ye have received, freely give.
Naturally, we were all provided a reason or two of why the workers did not do this (or try this) and it did not apply to this day and age, yada, yada, yada.
Did anyone think that a worker could provide a lot of healing to the sick and afflicted abuse victims if they would just detach from the apron strings of the enterprise to do so? But they would not!
Oh well. I guess it was not meant to be. This would have made things all backwards. The care and the preaching might have had to flow the opposite direction. It would be like going against the current. And there are flipping strong currents in the streams of religious enterprise.
And this thing called faith healing was sneered at by our group …and rightly so when it seemed so much of it was a fraud. But did no one try it because their faith mostly resided in the ‘faith group’ and there was really no doubt in each mind that they would prove a fraud also – or their pride would take a hit if at first it did not work?
I am coming to believe that ‘faith group’ members have some of the most dismal levels of faith on the earth. Their faith primarily is in belonging to the group. Faith groups have left their indelible mark on mankind.
And like Robert Munches children’s book about the indelible markers. Covering up one indelible marker with another might not be the answer. It is a difficult and painful process to wash off this indelible marker in people’s hands and people’s minds. Getting a tattoo I never understood. It was there for life – and will my perception of who I am today be the same as who I am tomorrow? Check for any tattoos people! Pointing your finger and sneering at the chap covered in tattoos might have provided you with some sort of justification – but there was three fingers on your own hand pointing back at you. Ya – our tattoos will need to be burnt out. And it takes time. I suspect hardly any have the faith for it. It will be easier to just ply more flesh coloured tattoos provided by religious enterprise. What someone else doesn’t see doesn’t hurt us.
Oh Darryl we are so happy you have it all figured out and came to these conclusions. You, and your comrades will never figure it out because you have no clue on what victims have gone through. You still think that you overseers have an answer for everything. When in fact you do not. I feel sorry for the ones in Washington that have to listen to the absolute stupid things that are coming their way from the so called ministry, and the one who calls himself “OVERSEER”. You are loosing the battle, period. Jesus would NEVER have treated the victims of sexual assault this way. These perps are just as bad as murderers.