Pamela’s Story

Guest post from Pamela Quispe, a survivor from Peru

I am Pamela Quispe one of the many victims of child sexual abuse by the worker Americo Victor Quispe Gallegos, here in Peru of the congregation called “The Truth”. This is my story.

I was only 11 years old when I was sexually abused. He had recently arrived from the USA to Peru, oddly enough, after a 4-year “recovery” trip so that he would not rape any more girls. However, after having sexually abused several girls in that country he had returned to stay at my uncle’s house, as if nothing had happened. He attended the meetings, participated as a worker, preached the word of God, and had the authority to teach others even though the older workers knew what he had done in the USA, they were the ones who had provided the solution of sending him over there and they did nothing to prevent it from happening, nor did they inform the people who attended the meetings. Since that first time, I had to face 5 long years of abuse until I finally gathered the strength to tell my mother. She was the only one who believed me. The rest of the family refused to believe it, they said it was impossible because he was a worker of “The Truth” who read the Bible and practiced the word of God, he couldn’t commit such an atrocity, yet my mother did not leave my side and helped me to file the report even though I was a minor.

It was 10 years of relentless fighting, in which I was not alone, two victims from the USA came forward and stood by my side until the end. It was 10 years of anguish, of pain, remembering, reliving, recounting the facts over and over again to the judges, the hustle and bustle of going to hearing after hearing, coming face to face with my aggressor and even having to witness how others supported him by going to the hearings and stared at me with accusatory looks. I remember seeing how the worker Ubaldina Saire was his main supporter and I couldn’t help but wonder: How could a worker of “The Truth” cover up or be an accomplice to a rapist? How is she still allowed to be a worker to this day? The place I considered sacred, turned its back on me; however, despite everything, I never felt abandoned by God. His presence has been my constant comfort, guiding me even in the moments when I gave up.

In 2015, the judges dismissed all the evidence I presented, resulting in a favorable verdict for my aggressor. It was a painful day that led me to resign from the process, without seeking the annulment of the sentence. Years later, in 2019, a notification revived my determination. My case was reopened, and I decided to face the quest for justice once again. However, the experience repeated itself; the new judges did not consider any of my evidence, and the verdict favored my aggressor once more. Judicial opacity discouraged me, and I chose not to appeal the sentence, leaving things as they were. But that wouldn’t be the end. A year later, another notification from the Supreme Court arrived at my door, indicating that inconsistencies in the two previous verdicts had led to the reopening of the case. This time, justice finally prevailed. The judges took into account all the evidence I presented, including audios, psychological and psychiatric studies, and reports from the U.S., among others. After a long and challenging battle, my aggressor was finally sentenced to 35 years, proving that even though I did not file an appeal or take additional measures, the course of the process advanced inherently without my intervention, but rather through divine intervention.

As of today, I share my story through this platform to warn others about pedophiles disguised as workers. These criminals manipulate the teachings of God to commit their offenses, and such individuals rarely change if not ever. I raise my voice to protect others, as the senior workers do absolutely nothing to prevent it or to protect children. It infuriates me to know that they are the ones tarnishing the name of the congregation “The Truth” by concealing these pedophile cases; they are accomplices, enabling this behavior by turning a blind eye and pretending nothing happened. They relocate the offenders to places where no one knows them, exposing unsuspecting communities to the danger and trauma associated with these actions. By remaining silent, hiding the truth, and not informing or removing these so-called “workers” from their positions, they betray the trust placed in them. God said, “Take care of my sheep,” but is this how they interpret and fulfill that sacred responsibility? What about the well-being of the flock? What about the children? How many more victims will there be under their watch? I hold no shame in recounting my experience because it was not my fault; the responsibility lies with the perpetrator of the crime and those who enabled it. My message to everyone, especially fellow victims, is to speak out and refuse to stay silent. By sharing our stories, we prevent more victims of child sexual abuse within the congregation, and together, we can protect one another. Report your aggressors because their actions should not go unpunished. I am one of the victims who had the courage to report and seek justice. Although it took time, justice was ultimately achieved, and I attribute it all to the grace of God.

***

First posted at https://www.advocatesforthetruth.com/

WINGS Note:

The Americo situation goes back to 2008 when it first first entered the public sphere. Overseer Ray Hoffmann finally sent Americo home but praised him and abuser Ira Hobbs for all the good they did in the work (see quote below). It was actually these incidents that precipitated the formation of WINGS in 2008.

It appears that the abuses relating to Americo described in this letter occurred before Americo was sent to the US, then sent back to South America with no action taken. If so, it is a typical example of shifting these criminal workers around without taking any real action.

Here is Hoffmann’s letter: https://wingsfortruth.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/rayhoffman-2pp2.pdf

This is the statement in Hoffmann’s letter that was very difficult for a lot of people:
“We very much appreciate Ira’s guidance and help in every way the past 10 years in Texas. He has sought the Lord diligently and faithfully for your care. I have appreciated his help this year in getting me adjusted to the responsibilities here in Texas. The things that we have felt needful to discuss here is in no way to take away from all the good that Ira has done, nor of Americo.”

Ray Hoffman Letter re Americo Quispe and Ira Hobbs

Irish Workers Release Child Safeguarding Policy

Child Safeguarding January 2024

Dear Friends,

For some time now we have felt that it is important that we write to you all about the matter of child safeguarding.

We are all deeply saddened and upset by incidents of abuse that have recently come to light. We want to support those who have been victims, and we want to apologise for any cases that weren’t dealt with correctly in the past. We feel for these victims who still suffer from these cases. We want to learn from this and our purpose is to do all we can to protect children and to help those that have been affected. We want to ask all of you, and parents in particular, to be vigilant.

We also feel it is important that you are made aware of our child safeguarding statement/policy, procedures and practice.

The protection and welfare of children is of the utmost importance, and we want to do everything possible to ensure that no children come to any harm while involved with our fellowship. To this end, a child protection policy was put in place in 2018 with professional legal help to ensure it complied with regulations in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (Nl). It sets out what we as a fellowship are doing to protect children and how we deal with any incidents that are notified.

Since 2018, a Designated Liaison Person (for ROI)/Designated Officer (for Nl) and two deputies have been appointed to provide information and advice on safeguarding children within the fellowship. They are responsible for ensuring that reporting procedures are followed correctly and promptly. Their names and contact details are listed overleaf. If you have any concerns or questions at any time, please contact any of the Designated Liaison Persons/Designated Officers or any worker.

We now want to make sure the policy is available to all. Anyone who wishes can get an electronic or paper copy of the policy by requesting it from any of the Designated Liaison Persons/Designated Officers or a worker. Designated Liaison Persons/Designated Officers are also in a position to answer queries or to put you in contact with someone else who can do so.

In ROI, workers are mandated persons’ who are legally required to report allegations of child abuse to the authorities in ROI. In order to help workers to fully understand their responsibilities a meeting for workers was held in January which was dedicated to enhanced training with the overall aim of improving our child protection practice.

Guidance in ROI and Nl makes it clear that the safety and welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Accordingly, anyone who has been a victim or has reasonable grounds for concern about child abuse should either report this directly to the appropriate authorities or contact a Designated Liaison Person/Designated Officer for advice.

Where an allegation against a worker or a friend is disclosed to a worker, or a Designated Liaison Person/Designated Officer we will immediately report this to the relevant authorities in accordance with the requirements of the law. The senior workers and the Designated Liaison Person/Designated Officer in consultation with workers, and friends as considered appropriate, and any professional advice, will decide on actions required to safeguard against further instances of potential abuse.

In general, a person who is subject to an allegation will not be allowed to attend fellowship meetings until the allegation has been thoroughly addressed.

The words from James 3,17 – “easy to be intreated” – has been in our thoughts. This is what we are striving for, along with the other qualities in this verse:

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

We want to emphasise that we are here for you all and that we care.

With kindest regards,

Craig Fulton & John Conley

Child Safeguarding Information

E-Learning Programme

An e-learning programme is available to support people of all backgrounds and experience in recognising concerns about children and reporting such concerns if they arise. Please access the programme via this link:
https://www.tusla.ie/children-first/children-first-e-learning-programme

Child Safeguarding Statement

The Fellowship’s Child Safeguarding Statement is available to all and can be obtained in electronic or paper form by requesting it from any of the Designated Liaison Persons/Designated Officers or from a worker.

Reporting Concerns

If you have reasonable grounds for concern about child abuse, please make contact with one of the Designated Liaison Persons/Designated Officers listed below who will be able to offer advice on what you should do. If you do not wish to make contact with a Designated Liaison Person/Designated Officer, you can also make contact directly with the authorities.

If a child is in immediate danger, you should contact the authorities immediately or telephone the PSNI/An Garda Siochana.

Tusia

www.tusla.ie à Child Protection and Welfare à Reporting Concerns or Contact a Social Worker

An Garda Siochana

www.garda.ie à Search Stations (or 999/112 in emergency)

Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care Trusts

www.nidirect.gov.uk/Dublications/gateway-service-teams-contact-details

Police Service of Northern Ireland

www.psni.police.uk/ à Search Report (or 999 emergency/101 non-emergency)

Designated Liaison Person/Designated Officer

Adrian Landen / +353 (0)87 824 9157

Deputy Designated Liaison Person/Designated Officer

Janice Irvine / +44 (0)7470 061020

Deputy Designated Liaison Person/Designated Officer

Laura Griffin / +353 (0)86 822 3322

BBC News Publishes Report on Corfield Abuse

Ex-minister of secretive sect admits to child sex abuse

(L-R) Lauren Rohs, Sheri Autrey and Michael Havet – pictured here as children

By George Wright

BBC News

Robert Corfield, a man who abused a boy in a secretive Christian church in the 1980s, has spoken publicly about what happened for the first time.

He was confronted by the BBC as part of a wider look into claims of child sexual abuse spanning decades within the church, known as The Truth.

His name is one of more than 700 given by people to a hotline set up to report sexual abuse within the church.

The sect says it addresses all abuse allegations.

The church, which has no official name but is often referred to as The Truth or The Way, is believed to have up to 100,000 members worldwide, with the majority in North America.

The potential scale of the abuse has been captured through a hotline – set-up last year by two women who say they were also sexually abused by a church leader when they were children. People have phoned in claiming they too were abused, with testimonies stretching back decades through to present day.

The highly secretive and insular nature of the church has helped abuse to thrive, say former and current insiders who spoke to the BBC. It has many unwritten rules, including that followers must marry within the group and keep mixing with outsiders to a minimum.

The church was founded in Ireland by a Scottish evangelist in 1897 and is built around ministers spreading New Testament teachings through word-of-mouth.

One of its hallmarks is that ministers give up their possessions and must be taken in by church members as they travel around, spreading the gospel. This makes children living in the homes they visit vulnerable to abuse, the insiders said.

Warning: This article contains details some readers may find upsetting

Robert Corfield (L) told the BBC he sexually abused Michael (R) for six years.

Former church member Michael Havet, 54, told the BBC he was abused by Robert Corfield in the 1980s, from the age of 12.

“People called me ‘Bob’s little companion’ – I just felt dirty and still do,” says Mr Havet, speaking from his home in Ottawa.

After abusing him, Mr Havet says Mr Corfield would force him to kneel beside him and pray.

“I had to work hard to get past that and find my prayer life again,” he says.

When confronted about the child abuse allegations by the BBC, Mr Corfield admitted that they had taken place for about six years in the 1980s.

“I have to acknowledge that’s true,” he said.

Mr Corfield was a minister – known within the sect as a “worker” – in Saskatchewan, Canada, at the time of the abuse.

This is the first time he has publicly admitted to child abuse, though he has previously been confronted by church members and wrote two private letters to Mr Havet in 2004 and 2005 which asked for forgiveness and said he was seeing a therapist. In one letter, Mr Corfield said he was “making a list of victims”.

“We don’t want to miss anyone who has been a victim of my actions,” he wrote.

However, when asked about this by the BBC, Mr Corfield said that there were no other victims “in the same sense that Michael was”, and that he had given two or three other teenagers massages.

Abuser given ‘fresh start’

Mr Havet is among a dozen people who have told the BBC that widespread abuse has been ignored or covered up in The Truth for decades – with some of the accused remaining in powerful positions for years.

The way his own case was dealt with by the church is a prime example, believes Mr Havet.

He reported his abuse in 1993 to Dale Shultz, Saskatchewan’s most senior church leader – known as an “overseer”. Overseers are the most senior members of the church and there is one for each US state and Canadian province where there is an active following.

But Mr Shultz didn’t go to the police – and, says Mr Havet, violently assaulted him a few weeks later because he thought he had told others of the abuse claims.

“He grabbed my shoulders yelling at me, slamming my head against a concrete pillar,” says Mr Havet, “splitting it open and causing it to bleed.”

If you are affected by any of the issues in this story, visit the BBC Action Line.

Mr Havet says Mr Shultz then “encouraged” him to leave the church – while his childhood abuser, Robert Corfield, was just moved to be a minister across the border, in the US state of Montana.

Mr Corfield told the BBC that he believed it was Mr Shultz’s decision to send him to Montana, where he remained in post for 25 years.

“It was suggested it would give me a fresh beginning and probably also put space between me and the victim,” he said.

Mr Corfield was removed as minister last year after being confronted about Michael’s abuse by another congregation member, according to internal church emails seen by the BBC. One email also suggested “it is possible there may be additional victims”.

The ex-minister told the BBC that he “voluntarily stepped down when the accusations of Michael were presented” against him, and that he had “not been informed of any allegations beyond that.”

When contacted by the BBC, Dale Shultz said via email that “much of the information that you have received concerning me is distorted and inaccurate”. However he declined to go into any further detail.

A global crisis

Mr Havet is one of more than 1,000 current and former members of the sect to have contacted a hotline set up by campaign group, Advocates for The Truth.

The group was founded last year by Americans Cynthia Liles, Lauren Rohs and Sheri Autrey.

They say they have been given the names of more than 700 alleged perpetrators in 21 countries, including the UK, Ireland, Australia and Russia. They plan to build cases against those on the list and take them to the police.

All the women used to belong to The Truth and Lauren Rohs and Sheri Autrey say they were abused by the same man.

That man was Ms Rohs’ father, a senior minister called Steve Rohs.

Lauren Rohs traced Ms Autrey after reading her anonymous online account of childhood sexual abuse, in 2019.

In the post, Ms Autrey described how her abuser would sing Maneater by 80s pop duo Hall & Oates to her when she was in his bedroom at night.

Ms Rohs knew immediately that the man being described as the perpetrator was her own father, as it was the same song she remembers him singing to her as a child.

“I sat there stunned,” says the 35 year-old. “It disoriented me beyond belief.”

She says that her father subjected her to years of sexual, physical and emotional abuse from as early as she can remember.

Meanwhile, Ms Autrey says Steve Rohs stayed at her family home in Tulare County, California, for two months in 1982 – when she was turning 14 – and molested her daily.

He would sing Maneater because “a part of his manipulation was that I was this wild seductress”, the 54-year-old says.

Sheri Autrey, seen here as a child

There is a 20-year age gap between the two women. By the time his daughter was born, Mr Rohs had given up his role as a worker and started a family in San Diego, California. They later moved to Washington state, Idaho and Colorado.

Lauren Rohs says her father gave various reasons for their constant moving, including that “God needs us in a new place”.

The BBC put all the allegations to Mr Rohs in emails and social media messages, but he did not respond.

Abuse culture persists

Ms Rohs says during her time in the church in the 1990s and 2000s, workers were like “demigods” and never questioned, and that callers to the abuse hotline confirm that this culture persists today.

Like Mr Havet, Ms Autrey says she spoke out about her abuser – and he was protected.

In 1986, she confided in her mother about being abused by Steve Rohs.

“I felt scared, dirty, ashamed, embarrassed, and guilty,” says Ms Autrey, who was 17 at the time and believed she would be in “big trouble”.

But her mother believed her right away and reported the man to the California state overseer, who has since died.

In a letter dated 11 May 1986, written by Mr Rohs and seen by the BBC, he admits to the overseer that he and the teenager “did kiss and touch each other intimately” and that he had “begged for forgiveness” ever since.

Mr Rohs was later brought to Ms Autrey’s home by workers where he verbally apologised to her.

“I responded that he was not sorry for what he had done or he would have apologised long before,” Ms Autrey recalls.

Steve Rohs, pictured in the 1980s

Despite admitting to child abuse, Mr Rohs remained a respected and influential member of the church. His daughter says he was even promoted in 1994 to being a church elder – a person of seniority who holds meetings in their own home.

The BBC understands he now lives in Minnesota with Ms Rohs’ mother – their daughter is estranged from them both. He works as an insurance agent and was an active member of The Truth until April last year, after his daughter and Ms Autrey brought their allegations to the state’s overseer and he was removed from meetings.

The floodgates open

The catalyst for the hotline was the death of Oregon’s overseer, Dean Bruer, in 2022.

He was one of The Truth’s most respected leaders and had worked for the group for 46 years, across six US states.

An internal letter was written by his successor which stated Mr Bruer had a history of abuse including “rape and abuse of underage victims”.

It is not clear what the motivation behind writing the letter was but it leaked and soon found its way onto Facebook and TikTok.

Then more people started coming forward to tell their own stories of abuse.

“I think we thought the hotline was solely for Dean Bruer victims but what the hotline did was just open the floodgates,” Ms Rohs says.

The friends say they now want the kind of justice they didn’t manage to get for themselves.

“When I found Sheri it was a really rather rare and massive healing,” says Ms Rohs.

“It has been distressing as survivors to go back and hear the amount of filth and evil,” Ms Autrey says.

“Ours was bad enough but to see other people in such terrible situations – it’s beyond angering. It’s been ugly but also very rewarding.”

Ms Autrey stepped down from the Advocates in December.

Michael Havet, 54, continues to be affected by the sexual abuse he experienced as a child

Because The Truth has no official leader, the BBC instead put the allegations to more than 20 overseers in North America, via email.

The only one to respond was Rob Newman, the overseer for California.

“We actively address all abuse allegations involving participants in our fellowship,” he wrote in an email, before Mr Corfield’s confession.

“Our paramount concern is that victims receive the professional help that they need. We take all allegations of abuse seriously, strongly recommend mandated reporter training to all, and encourage everyone to report issues to the proper legal authorities.”

Ms Autrey believes change will not happen before any culpable overseers are jailed.

“It’s an extremely well-oiled machine for criminals,” she says.

“It’s a perfected system that has gone on for 12 decades.”

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66449988

Download pdf:

bbc-news-20240128-re-corfield Download

Previous WINGS posts relating to Corfield:

Robert Corfield circumstances

Robert Corfield removed from work

Scott Rauscher letter to Montana and Wyoming Friends

British Columbia Ex-worker Lee-Ann McChesney Arrested

In January 2023, after reading a newspaper article exposing child-pornography and CSA within the fellowship, a woman (born & raised in the fellowship) came forward and disclosed her own experience of sexual assaults that occurred in both Terrace BC and Delta BC when she was a minor.

In May 2023 a victim statement was made with the RCMP which led to a thorough investigation of CSA allegations against Lee-Ann McChesney relating to conduct that occurred during her time in the work.

In November 2023 the investigation was completed and handed to Crown Counsel for charge assessment. After the Crown determined that there was enough evidence to charge, a warrant was issued on Jan 18, 2024 for the arrest of the Lee-Ann McChesney.

McChesney was arrested Tuesday January 23, 2024 on charges of Sexual Assault and Sexual Exploitation.

Details on the case can be found here: Criminal Search BC with the search info: Lee-Ann McChesney. File number: 255436-1.

Criminal Code of Canada

Sexual exploitation

153 (1) Every person commits an offence who is in a position of trust or authority towards a young person, who is a person with whom the young person is in a relationship of dependency or who is in a relationship with a young person that is exploitative of the young person, and who

(a) for a sexual purpose, touches, directly or indirectly, with a part of the body or with an object, any part of the body of the young person; or

(b) for a sexual purpose, invites, counsels or incites a young person to touch, directly or indirectly, with a part of the body or with an object, the body of any person, including the body of the person who so invites, counsels or incites and the body of the young person.

Punishment

(1.1) Every person who commits an offence under subsection (1)

(a) is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 14 years and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of one year; or

(b) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction and is liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of 90 days.

Inference of sexual exploitation

(1.2) A judge may infer that a person is in a relationship with a young person that is exploitative of the young person from the nature and circumstances of the relationship, including

(a) the age of the young person;
(b) the age difference between the person and the young person;
(c) the evolution of the relationship; and
(d) the degree of control or influence by the person over the young person.

Definition of young person

(2) In this section, young person means a person 16 years of age or more but under the age of eighteen years.

Sexual assault

271 Everyone who commits a sexual assault is guilty of

(a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years or, if the complainant is under the age of 16 years, to imprisonment for a term of not more than 14 years and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of one year; or

(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction and is liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 18 months or, if the complainant is under the age of 16 years, to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of six months.

Murray Richards & Ruth Richards Charged by Ontario Provincial Police

Ontario Provincial Police have charged two people from Centre Wellington with sexual assaults that date back decades.

They say the alleged incidents happened at a home in Wellington County between 1961 and 1984.

Murray F. Richards, 89, has been charged with 12 total counts of gross indecency, eight counts of indecent assault on a female, sexual assault, assault and forcible confinement.

Ruth E. Richards, 85, has been charged with assault and forcible confinement.

The accused are scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice – Guelph, on March 8.

OPP believe there may be more victims who haven’t come forward.

These charges stem from allegations between 40 and 60 years ago. Some allegations were brought to church leadership in 1992, at which time the meeting was removed from the Richards’ home. They were still allowed to attend meetings without restrictions.

Allegations were again brought to leadership in August of 2023, and Murray was asked to refrain from attending all church functions.

Law enforcement believes there may be more victims who haven’t come forward. If you have experienced abuse by Murray or Ruth Richards or have helpful information, please contact Detective Christine Millson with OPP at 519-846-5930.

To remain anonymous contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/two-facing-charges-for-historical-sex-assaults-1.6720054

https://www.elorafergustoday.com/police-beat/centre-wellington-seniors-charged-in-historic-sexual-assault-investigation-8090596

Email from Craig Winquist (MO, AR, OK) regarding CSA/SA guidelines

WINGS Note:

Edited to add the Guidelines which hadn’t been provided to WINGS when the post was first created.

This communication is very confusing and disappointing.

An overseer claims that the fellowship is not an organisation;
Elders are protected – ‘Rebuke not an elder’
The 2×2 ministry is the foundation of the church;
The ministry is right even if it is wrong;
We now have a new level of organization: “family level organization” with an order of women at the bottom and children don’t count to be on the list.

Many people see the kingdom of God is upside down of a human organization. It is a kingdom where the most important are the children, the weak, the dispossessed, the abused and the least important are the wise and strong who should be fully occupied using their gifts supporting those in need. In this document, the children don’t even get a mention (other than a vague reference to offending “little ones”), but the elders and ministry are the focal point, which is why we got into trouble in the first place.

PREFACE

Please note this preface to our guidelines for working with the incidence of CSA and SA in our fellowship, I want to say that the rejection of a formal policy regarding CSA and SA does not mean that we are simply returning to an agnostic approach when it occurs in our fellowship. We are saddened by the abuse that has been brought to light and verified over the last 70 years… one case is one too many. We have heard and grieve at the outrage of victims and their advocates. I am sorry that in so many ways I have not risen to the occasion that many expected and the situation demanded. Even as the children of Israel had the moving of the cloud to lead them through the wilderness; we too must have the leading of His Spirit through these days of our chastisement. Justice, judgement, and mercy belong to the Lord, and we want to apply these divine principles as we confront our past and face the future.

Love in Christ, Craig

Our Foundation by George Peterson

The foundation of our expectation for Christian living is from Heaven in the form of Jesus, the Son of God. He as the Word of God made flesh, gave to us the guidelines for conduct. The words that He spoke were from God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and are forever settled in Heaven. (Psalm 1 19:89).

These teachings would apply to the present CSA/SA distress.

“…Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart…” (Matt. 5:28) No policy written by man will equal this precept.

“…whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me. it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matt. 18:6) Judgment for those who abuse little ones.

“Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.’ 1 (1 Tim. 5:1,2). This dictates the proper conduct for ministers to friends.

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters …” (1 Peter 4:15) This passage expects God’s people to avoid criminal and improper conduct.

In addition to these guidelines. He gave specific instructions regarding the form and order of the church. The New Testament church would be established on a foundation. This foundation, the ministry, was set up by Jesus Himself when He chose the 12 and later the 70. He further verified its validity before He ascended into Heaven. He stated to the ministers that were with Him before He ascended into Heaven that they were to go into all the world, teach all nations and He would be with them until the end of the world (obviously speaking of the ministry, not the ministers themselves). (Matt. 28:19,20) This was confirmed by the Holy Spirit moving Paul to write, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 3:1 1). And. “You are built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:20)

The Kingdom of God is a Spiritual Kingdom, God being the King. Thus the church, the people in the Kingdom, are not an organization any more than a family of a Father. Mother and Children are an organization. However, a family is organized on the family level and so the Kingdom of God is organized, God, Christ, man and woman. Each has their place and responsibilities. God’s order gave each their responsibilities thus being organized that the family might have order, peace and function profitably. A parable was given to declare the order of the church. “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.” (Mk. 13:34) The servants had authority, all had their work and ail were under the guidance of the Porter (Holy Spirit). This was further substantiated by the Lord when; “…He breathed on them, and said unto them, ’Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.'” (John 20:22,23) The Lord put the ministry under the guidance of the Holy Spirit on this occasion. This does not mean the ministers have power, authority, to forgive sins nor are they 100% controlled by the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit’s presence is the means of guidance for the ministry as the foundation of the church. The ministers are to seek that guidance. They no doubt come short of this guidance but that does not invalidate the ministry nor its authority.

Added later…

Our understanding of these biblical guidelines explains our approach to addressing CSA/SA within the fellowship, but it does not replace the legal system for administration of justice wherein these teachings are not followed, and criminal activity has occurred.

Added by WINGS 11 January 2024:

Monday, September 4, 2023

Dear friends and fellow servants,

It is needful for me to express thoughts and feelings that have come to me over the past few months. When I arrived on the Missouri/Arkansas staff in April of 2012, I now realize there are judgements I could have made and actions I could have taken at that time that may have prevented immoral conduct during the time I have been on this staff. It is said when laws of the land are broken, ignorance is no excuse. I understand that I failed in giving information regarding Ira that would have prevented arrangements for sister workers to stay in Ira’s home. I’m very sorry for the lack of action that would have prevented sexual abuse. My present knowledge of both perpetrators’ pursuits and laws regarding actions committed by them enables me to seek to make proper judgments in the future, should it be my lot to do so.

Sincerely,

George Peterson

MO.AR.OK CSA Guidelines

Considering the recent revelations about CSA and SA that have occurred in our fellowship, and the exposure of criminal behavior by ministers and people in our fellowship, we believe it is necessary to provide limited practical guidance on how we in the ministry will approach this problem in our three-state area. We want to assure anyone attending the meetings within our fellowship that our approach will limit contact with known predators and maintain safe gatherings without the fear of abuse to children, women, or the vulnerable among us.

Child Sexual Abuse is a serious crime and must be reported immediately to the authorities. If you are unsure whether to report, contact RAINN.org, (800-656-4673) and their professionals can guide you. Adult victims or child victims who are now adults need to report to the authorities in the county where the abuse occurred.

After a report is made to the legal authorities, notify the workers in the field and the elder of the meeting that you have filed this report for further investigation by the proper authorities. All confirmed predators will lose their normal meeting privileges. For other situations, elders of the meetings (who will consider the concerns and feelings of their own meetings) together with the workers in the field, will determine future meeting privileges.

If a person who has lost their meeting privileges moves their residence to a different area within the tri-state region or to a different state, the workers in the field will notify the workers and elders in the new area of residence to ensure safe practices are continued.

All credible allegations of CSA/SA will be taken seriously. No one will be punished or discriminated against for making a good-faith report.

We encourage continuing education concerning CSA/SA for all as the best way to prevent future problems. We expect the elders and their wives to take MinistrySafe (ministrysafe.com) but we encourage anyone as it has resources for families and individuals to recognize and guard against unsafe behaviors. All our workers have taken MinistrySafe and have certificates. Our staff has attended workshops by professionals to learn more about predators, grooming, red-flag behaviors, and the long-term effects of abuse on victims.

We will support victim/survivors in finding the appropriate therapy and assist with funding, if needed. (This is under development (website)).

The Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas workers

If a child is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. Otherwise call the state hotline.

MISSOURI https://dss.mo.gov/cd/keepinq-kids-safe/can.htm

Missouri Abuse Hotline: 800-392-3738

Everyone can report and is encouraged to report.

Ministers are mandated reporters. You must report “within 24 hours of suspected abuse”. Mandated reporters cannot be anonymous. Anyone else can remain anonymous, but it is encouraged to provide a name

Mandated reporters may create an account and report non-emergency cases online at:

apps.dss.mo.gov/OnlineCanReportinq/default.aspx

ARKANSAS https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/divisions-shared-services/children-family-services/how-to-report-child-abuse-neqlect/

Arkansas Abuse Hotline: 800-482-5964

Everyone can report and is encouraged to report.

Ministers are mandated reporters. You must report “immediately.”

Mandated reporters cannot be anonymous. Anyone else who reports may remain anonymous.

Mandated reporters may create an account and report non-emergency cases online at:

mandatedreporter.arkansas.gov

OKLAHOMA https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs/services/cps/cps-program-information.html

Oklahoma Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline: 800-522-3511

Everybody is a mandated reporter. You must report “promptly.”

You may report anonymously.

Safe Fellowship

WINGS Note:
Friends in Missouri and elsewhere are choosing to have safe fellowship without unresponsive leaders.

Note 2 (added December 23) The letter is open for further signatures at https://voicesforthetruth.org/resources/for-friends/friends-statement-committing-to-safer-fellowship-and-church-policies/#signatures

Clarification: Clever convention is cancelled.

To the Friends and Workers of our community,

We are broken-hearted and devastated after hearing about so many painful and traumatic experiences in our fellowship from the sexual assault¹ and child sexual abuse² that have come to light since March 2023. Still, we are thankful God has opened our eyes to what has happened so that we can do what is within our power to stop the abuse and to help victim-survivors begin to heal. We are only beginning to learn what has been hidden for decades by the ministry we once trusted. Courageous men and women, victim-survivors, are finally making their voices heard.

We have decided that we will only participate in a fellowship that has guidelines and governance that protects our fellowship from harm; holds predators, perpetrators, and other complicit parties of such abuse accountable; and supports victim-survivors of sexual assault and child sexual abuse. We welcome you to unite with us in safe fellowship.

At this time, we will continue to have fellowship with all of you in accordance with safety guidelines, our conscience, and the word of God. We will continue to follow the heart of Jesus and promote the safety of all, especially the children and those who are most vulnerable within our fellowship. We cannot allow history to repeat itself and we must choose the righteous path that God has revealed to us. We choose love.

We are not abandoning our faith or our fellowship. Rather, the leaders who choose not to accept the responsibility to enact policies that protect the vulnerable have abandoned us. Our faith in the Lord remains strong, and we will continue to have nourishing fellowship in ways that do not compromise the values and the safety of our community.

As such, we are unified in our commitment to implementing a safety policy in our meetings. Given the decades of disturbing and widespread sexual violence that has been uncovered, any fellowship we participate in will have the following:

A protocol for immediate action on all reports of SA and CSA that includes cooperating with legal authorities and third-party abuse investigators regarding the alleged abuse. This also includes notifying all individuals in the fellowship who might come into contact with the alleged perpetrator.
A transparent structure of accountability for members of the ministry who conceal or ignore allegations or reports of sexual assault or child sexual abuse.
Regular training and education for all members of our fellowship on issues of consent, sexual violence, and the importance of safeguarding minors and other vulnerable members of our fellowship.
Meaningful support for victim-survivors.
A commitment to continually review and improve these policies and practices, ensuring that our fellowship remains a safe and nurturing environment for all who wish to participate without fear of encountering a perpetrator.

You can find some of the policies we have enacted and region-specific information here: https://bit.ly/safe-fellowship-policies

We know that many of you who are in the ministry of our fellowship share our conviction, and we invite you to continue to be a part of this fellowship as we make it safer for all. It no longer can be assumed we will offer our homes or our financial support to members of the ministry unless they are willing to uphold the basic tenets outlined above. We pray that members of the ministry and its leadership will do what is right for the good of this fellowship.

To help you understand why we must take this stand, we want to share some of the devastating information that has been revealed to us:

Sexual assault (SA) and Child sexual abuse (CSA) are widespread across our fellowship.
In the 10 months between March and November of this year, more than 675 perpetrators of sexual assault or child sexual abuse amongst our fellowship have been reported to the police, legal authorities, and private investigators. Of these 675 alleged perpetrators, the percentage who are workers is roughly 40% (270), and nearly all include instances of CSA.
It is almost certain that every member of our fellowship knows more than one friend who has or is currently experiencing sexual violence perpetrated by another member of our fellowship.
Less than half of the SA cases and fewer than one in 10 CSA cases are ever reported.³ Additionally, nearly every perpetrator has multiple victims.⁴ In other words, the 675 named perpetrators likely represent thousands upon thousands of members of our community who have suffered sexual abuse. We know many victim-survivors will never tell their story, but we want them to know we care about them and that they can be assured we are working for safety within the fellowship.
All reports of SA and CSA should be taken seriously, and attempts to dismiss these claims are a source of direct harm to our fellowship.
The reason these sexual abuse crimes are rarely reported or prosecuted is not because they didn’t happen. Only 2% of reports of sexual violence are ever falsified.⁴ What prevents victim-survivors from coming forward in nearly all cases are the cultures of blame, minimization, and denial they face if they choose to seek support from family, friends, members of our faith, and ministry.⁵ This culture also allows predators to continue to abuse their victims without fear of meaningful consequences.
Victim-survivors need our help and support.
Victim-survivors of SA and CSA may experience devastating, wide-ranging, and long-term effects, including depression and anxiety, self-destructive behaviors including suicide, feelings of worthlessness, and a higher likelihood of sexual assaults in the future.⁶
Despite messaging from current leadership and staff, attempts to address this crisis without a safety policy have left our fellowship unprotected and victim-survivors unsupported.
As the attached letters show, there have been many times when events have put our members at risk, in direct contradiction with the assurances that workers have made that predators are ‘being handled’ appropriately.*
We cannot depend on a ministry that does not provide for a home or the care of a family to suggest an adequate policy that protects children, women, the vulnerable in the fellowship, the church in the home, and property.
The ministers in this fellowship are not responsible for providing for a home, nor do they know the feeling of responsibility and care for a spouse, children, or grandchildren.

We invite you to unite with us in safe fellowship in accordance with these guidelines, whether you are a Friend, Elder, Worker, or Overseer. Please visit https://bit.ly/safe-fellowship-commitment to join us in this commitment to safer fellowship standards.

In faith and resolve,

[Growing list of signatures can be viewed at: https://voicesforthetruth.org/resources/for-friends/friends-statement-committing-to-safer-fellowship-and-church-policies/#signatures]

Footnotes

Sexual assault (SA) is any sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the consent of the victim-survivor. Sexual assault is a broad term that applies to many types of sex crimes committed against adults, including when the victim lacks the capacity to consent or when power differentials exist. In our fellowship, workers have authority over friends, brother workers have authority over sister workers, and men have authority over women, so what may seem to be a ‘consensual relationship’ may result from coercion.
CSA, or child sexual abuse, refers to sex crimes committed against a minor. CSA is sometimes referred to as sexual abuse (CSA). CSA may be committed by adults or by older children. CSA can be either physical or nonphysical. CSA can even exist in the absence of touching. This might include exposing a person’s genitals to a child, encouraging a child to watch or hear sexual acts either in person or on a video, photographing a child in a sexual position, obscene conversations or text, etc.
The Impact of Sexual Violence. National Sexual Violence Resource Center. https://nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/Publications_NSVRC_Factsheet_Impact-of-sexual-violence_0.pdf
Facts and Statistics About Sex Offending. City of Golden, Colorado. https://www.cityofgolden.net/media/FASO.pdf
Ahrens, C. E. (2006, December). Being silenced: The impact of negative social reactions on the disclosure of rape. American Journal of Community Psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1705531/
Effects of sexual violence. RAINN. https://www.rainn.org/effects-sexual-violence

*Letters of support from some who have signed:

CLEVER CONVENTION GROUND OWNERS & PARENTS OF A VICTIM-SURVIVOR — Missouri
Wed, Dec. 13, 2023

Friends,

We are writing to you with broken hearts. We feel moved to share this with you because we care deeply about your spiritual and physical safety. This letter is our response to the devastating news and events that have unfolded since last spring when we learned of the horrific abuse of our dear fellowship children and friends. We also discovered that members of our trusted ministry actually covered up these criminal acts and allowed the abuse to continue. We knew that we must do our part to protect and support victim-survivors. We are shocked and devastated to learn that our ministry does not feel the same.

We have hosted the Clever convention on our property for 21 years and had hoped to preserve this special reunion for years to come. Unfortunately, because leadership will not take meaningful steps to resolve the abuse issues, we are heartbroken to have to tell you that we have no intention of hosting another Special Meeting or Convention on our property.

Since leadership has chosen not to support or protect its flock, we can no longer support the ministry or its leadership in any way. We will continue to be a safe place for anyone — worker, member, former member, or otherwise — who stands with victim-survivors.

The priorities of the ministry were made clear to us when Craig visited with us on Aug. 8, shortly after the Overseers Meeting in Seneca, IL. When we asked him if the Overseers would pass a universal policy for creating a safer fellowship, he shared with us what their real concern was.

Here is a transcript of him describing the Overseers’ consensus, during that conversation with us:

“One of the issues, and this is another way of looking at it… When we’re not looked at as a monolithic Fellowship, in other words, we don’t have one identity in a sense, then our region is in legal protection.

Otherwise, you can get sued as a whole group. But because we aren’t a monolithic work in the sense and we are Regional, then that is a protection in a way.

So, there’s that thought that we don’t want to become identified as one universal fellowship even though we have a lot in common; there is room for regional differences.

It’s one of the reasons we haven’t been sued in the sense because there’s no Central money, and so there’s no way to identify some kind of incentive.”

We never considered there was “another way of looking at” protecting our fellowship from abuse. Yet Craig’s statements demonstrate that the Overseers are more concerned with protecting their finances and shielding themselves from the law than they are with keeping us safe. They seem willing to distort their view in order to protect worldly goods rather than the people they claim to be a shepherd of.

When we asked Craig to share with us some of what our leadership discussed at the overseer’s meeting, he said that Barry Barkley started the meeting by saying:

“Perhaps this is the Lord’s way of disciplining His ministry or, as he called it, ‘Chastising’ His ministry.”

As parents, we know that it is heartbreaking to discipline those we love, but it is necessary for our children’s safety. And that discipline must result in change. Why has our leadership chosen earthly comforts over God’s correction?

In our meeting with the task force on Dec. 10, Craig and his staff mentioned that the workers are confident in how they are currently handling allegations. However, their method of ‘handling’ allegations is no different than it was before this chastisement. They rely on deceitful and dishonest perpetrators to stay within boundaries that they’ve crossed before. We know of a few recent examples in our region where this system has already failed.

1. One of the workers gave an example of how well they believe they’ve handled a specific CSA predator in Oklahoma. However, several months back, this same predator showed up at our home with two of his children. We had no idea there were serious allegations against him and feel violated that the ministry hid information about his past from us and did not give us the opportunity to make an informed decision about whether to allow him into our home.

2. After sharing our draft convention safety policy, we received information a man who raped a 15-year-old girl has not only been attending our conventions for years but also hosts a meeting in his home. The ministry was aware of his actions in 2019, and claims to have ‘handled it’ appropriately. We don’t know whether or not Craig had this information when he came to our area, but we do know that he has been aware of it since 8/17/23 when we shared it with him. There is still a meeting in the predator’s home, and he showed up at an event two weeks ago where many workers and Friends were present.

In that same meeting, the workers said their concern about a policy is that it would cause the ministry to rely on man-made rules rather than spirit-led decisions. The scourge of evil within this church has proven that the ministry requires a policy in order to establish the bare minimum of care for our flock. What is spirit-led should be far and beyond what is in a policy. Perhaps 5, 10, or 15 years from now a policy may fade into the background as people are made aware and we work together to form a culture that cares for victim-survivors and protects our fellowship from predators. But before that can happen, there must be a unified understanding of the evil in our midst. Until then, the ministry will continue to create division by refusing to be honest about these atrocities.

We had hopes that we could work with Craig on resolving these issues, but the leadership’s stance has made that impossible. The vast scope of evil within our ministry proves beyond any doubt that a written policy is essential. The leadership was invited to multiple task force meetings, which included many concerned friends, where we implored them to make changes for a safer fellowship. Sadly, the leadership is firm in its stance and feels confident in its handling of allegations. Their faulty system will continue to fail, and history will repeat itself. Our goals of finding unity and working together with the ministry have been thwarted.

At this time we desire to continue to follow the heart of Jesus and look at the safety of our children and most vulnerable in the fellowship. We CANNOT look at it any other way. We CANNOT choose earthly comfort over the righteous path that God has revealed to us. We believe that every penny that this ministry is trying to protect should go toward support for victim-survivors. We will no longer be financially supporting this ministry in any way. We will continue to have fellowship with all of you in accordance with safety guidelines, our conscience, and the word of God.

Lecil and Gaby Townsend

ELDER & WIFE (SURVIVOR) — Missouri
Wed, Dec. 13, 2023

Our Most Precious Friends,

Most days since March of this year have been filled with deep sadness at what we have learned. As we write this today, it is no different. The sadness we feel nearly takes our breath away, but amid the sadness, we feel a profound thankfulness that we have a Father that has been so patient & kind to us in this journey. He has been willing to carry the heaviness when it seemed too much.

Through all of this we have been reminded of how precious the children & the vulnerable are to Jesus because He used many examples of this. When we married, our greatest hope was to bring children into this world and we begged God to bless us with them. Sadly, our first two babies went to heaven prior to us holding them. We believe that perhaps, those two precious little lives went to God so that we would have a greater understanding of the seriousness of being parents. We now have the privilege of God lending us 5 beautiful souls here on earth. We are tremendously protective of them, and raising them has been one of our greatest joys. Through them we have gotten to see the heart of our Father more clearly. It is not something we have ever taken lightly & we know God sees every child through much more profound vision than even ours. Little children teach us so much! How to unselfishly love, how to forgive, how to not keep records of wrongs, how to not envy. It is no wonder their angels see the face of God always! The fact that little children & the vulnerable have been used, abused, discounted, labeled & discarded like yesterday’s trash within our fellowship is more than we can fathom. It is a stain and a stench that has reached up to heaven.

We looked to those in our leadership thinking they would have the same level of horror that we do and we have been deeply grieved to realize not only that they don’t, but often seem dismissive or even apathetic. It seems, although they have spoken often about sorrow and repentance, it is not something that they can live out. The longer we have progressed in this journey it has become obvious our leaders have known of these horrible crimes for many years, explaining why they weren’t shocked at their exposure. Perhaps another reason why they are not also horrified is they have never experienced human love on the level a parent does when their new born baby is placed in their arms and we are awestruck at the miracle of life God created. Every victims’ story we have viewed as though it was one of our own precious children who was violated. It has crushed us deeply to experience that pain. It has made the hymn “I want to feel the pain my neighbors often know” very palpable, because our visceral reaction is to run away from the pain of others, but as someone shared, to turn away from the pain of others is another layer of abuse, and Jesus did not ever do that.

Our resolve has become more grounded as each day has passed, that “not on our watch” will we let this happen to another precious little vulnerable soul. We have pleaded with God for help & clarity. We don’t know or understand why God revealed this in such a profound way, but it is very clear that He is calling to those who have ears to hear and waits to see what they are willing to do for “the least of these my brethren”. Some will choose the approval of men, and like the Savior said, “they shall have their reward”. We each bear the responsibility of being our brothers’ keeper in the future. We are so stricken within ourselves that we have had the spirit of a Pharisee in the past & we beg God to never let us slip into that spirit again, or allow Satan to delude us into complacency.

With deep love and great sorrow,

Calvin and Nadine Mead

ELDER & WIFE — Arkansas
Thu, Dec. 14, 2023

Dear Steve and Daniel,

I am 61 years old, recently retired, have professed for 50 years, and so far, have hosted the local meetings in my home for almost 30 years. My wife and I have had an “open home” for over 40 years.

I am going to share my thoughts, as you requested.

Yes, we are in turmoil. And we have now been in turmoil for at least 8-9 months, with very little acknowledgment or change for the better. However, the reason for the turmoil is not limited to “the way some sexual abuse cases among our friends were handled”. Far from it! The reason for the turmoil is because of the way that multiple things have been “handled” over many decades, and continue to be “handled” even until this present time. Below are some of my thoughts:

Sexual abuse and several other forms of abuse, victimizing both minors and adults, has been a problem in our midst for many years. It has existed within both the fellowship and the ministry. We now have undeniable reports of this occurring for decades, and now know that efforts were made to keep it from becoming common knowledge by way of denial, bullying, slandering/silencing of victims and their advocates, and even excommunication. All were tools used as means of controlling the flow of information and the narrative.

How many people within the fellowship, even to this day, have an accurate picture of what is and has been going on? Have people been truly and honestly informed? Or has there been a continuing effort to “keep people in the dark”? Can anyone deny that there has been total silence outside of those who “need to know”? And whose right or responsibility is it to choose who “needs to know”? Does everyone who “cannot be part of an organized religion or efforts to institutionalize our family fellowship” know that there are now close to 700 verified allegations of abusers, and thousands upon thousands of their victims? Do these same people have any idea how many individuals and families have left the fellowship, and that over 70 workers in N. America alone, have left the ministry, voluntarily and involuntarily, since this crisis began? Why are people being forced to get information from the Internet and word of mouth, instead of from elders and workers? How is this at all helpful in regard to any attempt at rebuilding shattered trust? I believe that it is simply the continuation of a long history of lack of transparency. In fact, I don’t like that term “lack of transparency”. Doesn’t “dishonesty” sound and fit better?

How did we arrive at this point of turmoil, loss of faith in our fellowship structure, and loss of faith in our ministry? I believe that it is due to a combination of several interrelated factors. I have intentionally kept my list short, so it is certainly not all inclusive:

Exclusivity of Form: Our form of meeting together and worship are the only true way to salvation, and anyone that is not a member of our fellowship is doomed to a lost eternity. Or at the very best, in veiled argument against this teaching of exclusivity: “We are not the judge, and our God is merciful”….how many times have we all heard this statement when people who “lost out” and then died are later discussed? Just recently, a dear little man and his elderly mother who meet in my home were told that by a sister worker that “we are now in the end times, and that people presently leaving the fellowship are part of the great “falling away”.

Exclusivity of Ministry: Our celibate(!), “homeless”, 2×2 ministry, which stays in the homes of fellowship members is the only one approved by God, and any other form of ministry is “false”. Every evangelist/minister/pastor/worker outside of our church is a false prophet/hireling. And the very proof of this, as I was taught, is because “this form of ministry has lasted for so long! Surely, if it wasn’t of God, it would have fallen apart by now”.

Worship of Tradition and Man: Only those who have been willing to dress a certain way, have a certain “appearance”, wear their hair a certain way, and attend Sunday fellowship meetings, Wednesday night “meeting”, convention, special meetings, and gospel meetings are true Children of God. Anything else or “less than this” is false, vain worship, evidence of the “wrong spirit”, and is not of God. And the ultimate “example” for women in our fellowship is the way that sister workers behave, wear their hair and dress. Because one can always tell what is on the inside by the outside appearance….especially among the women!!

Lack of Accountability and Transparency: We like to tell ourselves and others that we are not an organized religion. We have taken great pride in this. But in reality, we are VERY organized. We have a definite hierarchy, from “overseers of overseers” all the way down through senior workers, junior workers, male workers, female workers, elders, and rank and file fellowship members. To deny any of this is an outright lie. On the other hand, we have a totally opaque, secretive system of decision making, including decisions of doctrine, church form/structure, finances, and even unwritten “policy”. Everyone wants to deny accountability in any of this, especially as one moves upward in the hierarchy, but once again this is simply put, all lies. Our framework of “independent regional overseers” conveniently supports the system of lack of accountability, as well as continued plausible deniability in the future. We have thrived in darkness and lack of accountability, and it has finally, but inexorably, led to this tremendous upheaval. There is no doubt in my mind that we are an extremely organized religion, and have been so for many decades. Being unwilling to admit the truth does not alter the truth. If we are going to continue with denial of accountability, and the fact the we have dangerously lost our way, are we then, logically, going to blame everything wrong within our fellowship and ministry on God and the leading of his Holy Spirit?! God Forbid!

Of course, one hears arguments denying the “truth” of the above listed items, but can any of us, in our hearts, before God himself, deny that we were taught all of this either directly and/or indirectly, and that together, they have had a tremendous impact upon us individually and as a group/culture? And when one is born and raised in such a cultural milieu, how can our fellowship and the ministry that largely draws from it, not become a breeding ground for all types of sexual, mental, spiritual and other immoral forms of abuse? Of course, there are still a few “worldly” people who occasionally “find” our church, but who can argue that well over 95% of present day members were born and raised in this, and were culturally conditioned to have blind faith, without questioning anything?

After >8 months of countless personal visits, written letters, phone calls, being an advocate for victims in our fellowship, being an active member in several groups, and still witnessing the lukewarm, milk-toast, reluctant responses to any of this by the ministry, and then the same cues/responses being mimicked by most fellowship members, I no longer have much will to fight on, mostly alone, for what has become so obvious to me in hindsight. I am ashamed and grieved to realize that what I thought I had and much of what I believed were not as I imagined. I also do not think, even for one moment, that if we can come up with a written “policy” to ostensibly deal with any potential predators whom we might inadvertently “catch” in the future, that we have accomplished anything worthy of hope for long-term sustainability in our fellowship and ministry. History will simply repeat itself over and over again as long as God allows this present world to stand.

Several months ago, I decided to neither invite workers into my home, nor support any functions in which the ministry is involved, including conventions, special meetings, and gospel meetings. Unfortunately, my stance has not changed.

However, I continue to feel a deep love and spiritual responsibility for my local little fellowship meeting and its members. I will continue in my role as elder of our local meeting, but I no longer answer to anyone but God. Perhaps there is still a slim chance that if more of us, both fellowship members and workers, would stand up and shout from the rooftops that “enough is enough”, there could be impetus for meaningful progress forward. But I fear that most are comfortably complacent, and have great fear of addressing systemic problems openly and honestly.

I hope that you will find it appropriate to forward my complete letter to all in our tristate area, both workers and fellowship members. I firmly believe that if more people had exposure to the absolute truth of our predicament as a church, that more would be moved by the Spirit to step up and play a role in saving our fellowship. Ignorance may be bliss, but it is and always has been a false facade.

Kindest regards,

Sam Vallery

ELDER & WIFE — Missouri
Thu, Dec. 14, 2023

After reading Sam Vallery’s letter, I find that our own letter is largely a duplication of what he has already written. We agree that this present issue is a symptom of other issues. Even if the sexual abuse and child sex abuse can be dealt with, there are additional problems that must be addressed.

Separation, to follow truth

My name is Daniel Zal. I live in the upstate NY area, 62 years old, professing all my life. My wife and I have recently decided to separate ourselves from the fellowship. The following will explain why we have made this decision.

“Some events cannot be rationalized – they are either real or imagined, either right or wrong – and any meaningful reconciliation needs to start from a place of accountability and truth”.
anonymous

Over the last months I have spent many hours thinking, reflecting and processing the new reality I am living in. I may have finally gotten to a place where I am able to articulate, in a sensible manner, what I now think and feel.

I have been thinking a lot about what Jesus taught regarding “how to inherit eternal life”. Three of the gospels recount a time when Jesus was asked this question.

His response(s):
Matt19 he said “keep the commandments….., and come follow me”
Mark,10:17 “Thou knowest the commandments…., take up thy cross and follow me”
Luke 10:25 “Thou shalt love the lord with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. This do and thou shalt live”
Luke, 18:18 “Thou knowest the commandments…come and follow me”

(One of the men, referred to in each of the three gospels, was also asked to sell all. But, let’s assume this was a requirement for this specific individual and not a requirement for everyone.)

We might consider loving God and our neighbor as pretty straight forward. I will come back to this topic in a bit. For now, let’s just consider more deeply what exactly it means to follow Jesus. I will repeat a story I shared during the Altamont ’22 convention. Excuse the repetition if you’ve already heard it.

My wife and I had been dining out with 2 friends. One, an observant 70ish y/o Jewish man. The other was a 60ish y/o woman with no connection, or desire for one, to any organized religion. In the course of conversation my Jewish friend began expressing his admiration for Noah because “he walked with God”. Such a remarkable testimony. My non-religious friend responded after a brief pause by asking, “What do you think it means to walk with God”. My Jewish friend took a breath, leaned forward, and appeared eager to respond. But then paused, and had to admit he did not have an answer. And I realized I didn’t either. You might reasonably expect that after sitting in meetings and reading and reflecting on the scripture for some 60 years I would have had a good answer, or at least some answer.

I have spent considerable time since then reflecting on what it does mean to walk with God. It has been a rewarding exercise, even though it comes late in life. I feel like anyone who professes to follow Jesus should be able to articulate in 50 words or less at least the essence what it means. And I would suggest that if a person isn’t able to articulate an answer, that they really don’t know. From what I’ve read, heard and observed over the last months it seems increasingly apparent that too many people in the ministry/fellowship have been walking along without any clear guidelines for what it means to really follow Jesus.

Although, I’m a bit reluctant to “cast my pearls before swine,” as it were, I would suggest that one of the core principles involves a relationship with the truth.

From my earliest memory I have heard this “Way” referred to as the “Truth”. We talk about walking in Truth. The Truth was clearly important to Jesus. He said; “I am the Truth”, “Know the Truth and the Truth will set you free”, “For this cause came I into the world and to this end was I born, to bear witness unto the Truth.” We recently studied the Gospel of John. In that Gospel Jesus mentions the Truth 22 times. I think about God as representing (among other things) all that is Most True. If Jesus is the Truth and we are feeding on the “Lamb,” (as we often hear we should be) we should also be interested in searching out what is true and being willing to acknowledge it and accept it, even when it is inconvenient or difficult.

I think when I have tried to convey this concept in the past it may not have really translated easily into a practical understanding of what I am trying to convey. So I will use an example that might help clarify what I mean.

When a young woman goes to an overseer and communicates to him that she and her best friend have discovered explicit evidence that her friend’s mother and another overseer are having an intimate sexual relationship, what would the response be of someone who is interested in what is actually true and being willing to acknowledge it in spite of the complications it would precipitate? I can say with certainty that the response would not be “don’t spread false rumors”. It would also not be “We have to keep this between us. We can’t say anything about this to others because it might cause them to be so discouraged that they might lose out and then their soul would be lost.” These are not the responses of a person who is following Jesus. Yet, these seem to have been the responses, or typical of the responses, to the majority of reported cases of abuse by the overwhelming majority of overseers and others in places of authority for many years.

Personally, I am very interested in what is true. And, given that truth is relative, I am even more interested in what is most true. I see as a central purpose of studying the scripture in general, and the Gospels in particular, is to discover what it reveals regarding God’s truth and then living in a way that aligns my life with what is most true.

So, let me give another example of how this plays out. When an overseer speaks at convention about forgiveness, and refers to relevant scripture (including Matt 18:15-17) that supports his position, he is communicating something that is true in a sense. But, when he intentionally leaves out the last half of Matt 18:17 that contradicts the essence of his sermon, this shows a troubling disregard for what is most true. It reveals either a marked ignorance of the subject or an intentional attempt to mislead, neither of which is very admirable. No judgement, but, from all outward appearances it appears this is a man who is not walking in truth, who is not following Jesus and who is occupying the place of an overseer. And what is also surprising is that hardly anyone seems to notice.

How many times have we heard 1Cor:11 referenced as the scriptural basis for the appropriate length of men’s and women’s hair. However, I have never heard the 16th verse included in any of these discussions. Paul concludes the matter by saying, “we have no such custom, neither do the churches of God”. What is most true here? It might be that the Corinthians had a certain custom that Paul was supportive of for the Corinthians in their own community. But it wasn’t really relevant in general. This seems to be more true. It’s worth a considering.

Next, I would like to explore a little more deeply the importance of loving your neighbor as thyself.

In Matt 23:36 when asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus responded that to love God and to love thy neighbor as thyself are the 2 greatest. “On these two hang all the law and the prophets”

Luke, 10:25 “Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and all thy soul, all thy strength, all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” (He was then asked about who should be considered a neighbor.)

So, if we believe the words Jesus spoke, I think it safe to say the primary requirements for salvation are to love the Lord, love your neighbor, and to follow him.

Let’s explore the dynamics of loving your neighbor through the parable of the good Samaritan. A “certain (Jewish) man” was accosted by thieves, stripped of his cloths, wounded and left half dead. By chance there passed by both a priest and a Levite. Now, one might assume because of their religious practice and familiarity with the law, they would be conscious of their responsibility to love their brother/neighbor (or at least act like they did). However, they both crossed to the opposite side of the street to avoid the man. Along comes a Samaritan who would ordinarily have no dealings with a Jew. Yet, in spite of whatever enmity might typically exist, he has it in his heart to stop, bind up his wounds, anoint him with oil, carry him to the nearest place of shelter and volunteer to pay for whatever care would be necessary for a full recovery.

This is a beautiful example of reaching out, even across religious and cultural divides, with a spirit of compassion and care that exemplifies what Jesus meant by “loving your neighbor as yourself”. Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, by the love ye have one for another”. It is worth considering, just by the virtue of the Samaritan’s charitable disposition, that he might very likely be considered a disciple.

There is another portion of scripture which is very relevant to touch on. In Matt 25:31-46 we read of what will happen when Jesus returns, and all the holy angels with him. He shall sit on the throne of his glory. All nations will be gathered before him and he shall separate them as a shepherd shall separate his sheep from the goats. The only basis mentioned here for determining where a person ends up will be how they treated other people. And not just how but with what spirit they did so. The sheep will be those who, just as the good Samaritan did, had it in their hearts to reach out to those who were in need of help regardless of their ethnicity, social status or religious persuasion. They weren’t responding just because they thought it was the right thing to do, or because it would help them store up treasure in heaven. It was just a consequence of the compassion and love they felt for others.

In spite of what we may have been explicitly or implicitly taught, I have not found any scriptural basis that supports the belief that participating in a specific fellowship, attending certain type of meeting, wearing a certain type of dress or style of cloths or jewelry or length of hair or hairstyle is a criteria for salvation. None of these will have much, if any, relevance when Jesus is separating the sheep from the goats. As Paul says in 1Cor:13 we could have many wonderful qualities, and do many admirable acts, but if we aren’t possessed and motivated by a spirit of charity it will all come to nothing.

We now know that for many years, probably since the time of William Irvine, there has been immoral behavior occurring in the fellowship and the ministry. Many brothers and sisters and workers have been the victims of abuse. This abuse has in many cases caused devastating trauma with life long consequences. We are also now aware that there has been a consistent pattern of behaviour by those leading the ministry and by others with influence, over this same long history, to do their best to keep this knowledge as contained as possible. The reputation of the perpetrators and the ministry has, in the vast majority of instances, always been given preeminence over the welfare of the victims.

Fredrich Nietzche once said, “Men betray themselves for the sake of their good name all the time”. A commentary on this quote – “When you lie to yourself you begin to corrupt the structure of your very being”.

This is bad enough. But now that all of this (corruption) has come to light and can no longer be kept quiet there still seems to be a reluctance to acknowledge it and respond in a way that is consistent with following Jesus. I went to convention this year hoping I would hear some overt acknowledgement of what has been occurring, sense a spirit of repentance and see some evidence of changes being made to at least improve safety. Instead, I heard things like we should just forgive everyone for everything, don’t feed on garbage or think too much about anything that might be distressing, bad things will happen but don’t dwell on it, question things in the right way with the right tone, etc.

I have read that in a few other parts of the country there may be some sincere efforts being made to consider these issues carefully and respond with integrity. But in the northeast there has been zero apparent effort made to make any changes or implement any meaningful guidelines in response to the debacle we find ourselves in. Relative to the victims of abuse, there has been no outreach by the ministry. There has been no anointing of oil, no overt expression of compassion, no balm for the wounded, no effort to take the injured to a place of healing and maybe even pay for their care. To me, it seems like the response of the majority of the friends and workers has been pretty much exactly like that of the priest and Levite. This is so antithetical to the teachings of Jesus that I can only shake my head in wonder. That this is the behavior being manifested by those who believe and imply they are being led by the spirit of God, again, I can only shake my head in wonder.

We have arrived at a time when things in this “way of truth” have gotten very complicated. Many have been a part of the fellowship for years, perhaps for all of their lives, and are reluctant to even consider a separation from it for any reason. It has become an integral part of their identity. They may not have any friends or social contacts other than within this community. For them, the prospect of extricating themselves from this community would likely be profoundly destabilizing and anxiety inducing. I totally understand that many will choose to continue with fellowship as usual and support the ministry as they have always done.

I can understand why Barry and Ray would choose to keep their heads down and choose to not make any major changes. Doing nothing is easy and will likely cause the greatest number of people the least amount of distress. In a storm it would not be smart to start rocking the boat. The storm will eventually blow over and business will resume as usual with everybody who has managed to stay in the boat. But doing what is easy and smart in a practical sense is not the same as following Jesus. Especially if Jesus isn’t even in the boat. And, from my perspective, this is looking more and more likely as time passes.

Having fellowship and attending meetings are great, to the extent that they help cultivate a loving relationship with God and our neighbors and help “guide one into all truth”. And, for those continuing in fellowship meetings, I sincerely hope that will be the case.

So, to the best of my ability I have articulated my thoughts. I will also express how I feel. Thoughts and feelings are intimately connected but they have distinct origins, one from the head, the other from the heart.

The best way to convey how I feel is with a story. Think of it as a parable, but one based in actual fact

A couple in their 50s are in a crisis. For 30+ years they have seemingly enjoyed a wonderful, intimate, fulfilling marriage. They have been mutually supportive. Both have successful careers. They have 2 adult children. Everything seems pretty perfect. Except the wife eventually finds out that during the entire time they’ve been married, since the honeymoon, her husband has been serially unfaithful, literally hundreds of times. (The husband was a victim of repeated sexual and physical abuse as a child.) Now, against the advice of all her friends, and both her children, the wife decides she is willing to work on trying to save the marriage. Not the response you would expect. She does this because for over 30 years she had lived in a reality that was relatively wonderful and fulfilling. What allows for even the possibility of saving the relationship is the husbands willingness to acknowledge his errors, to take responsibility for them, to repent in a way that is painfully sincere, and to make the necessary changes in his own life. A difficult process with a undetermined outcome.

You can hopefully see the parallels. I spent many years living in a reality where I believed certain things to be true, and that was wonderful. I have no regrets. My children, who at one time all professed and now don’t, all regard the religious aspect of their upbringing as a good thing. I have never heard them express regret or resentment about this part of their lives. It has given us all a foundation on which to build a spiritual practice. But now I have found that some of the most fundamental things I once believed to be true are actually false. I feel betrayed in the same way, but with admittedly maybe not quite the same degree of devastation, as the wife did when she realized the magnitude of her husbands betrayal.

There was a time, early on, when if there had been some acknowledgement of what had gone wrong, some indication of repentance, a willingness to make appropriate changes and do some difficult work there might have been a possibility of saving the relationship. But that has not been the case. And It feels like the relationship is at an end.

Lyle Schober condemns abuse and supports reporting

November 9, 2023

Dear Friends,

We are deeply saddened, disappointed, and hurt with the news of allegations of abuse within our fellowship. Our primary concern is for the survivors. As Christians, and as a ministry, we openly condemn all forms of abuse: Child Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Abuse of Power, Acts and Threats of Physical Abuse, and Corruption. Where crimes have been committed, we support legal action. Where abuse of power has been exercised, we support change to be in alignment with New Testament teachings.

It is with deep compassion that we encourage those who have experienced abuse to report the abuse or share their truth with a trusted friend. No one should be alone, and it was not their fault. Abuse can be reported to local authorities and domestic or international organizations that help survivors. Reporting has the potential to relieve weight from the experience, as well as allow the problems to be addressed. We are willing to help and we trust that our Father will show us how to help.

We are one body. When one member is harmed, we all grieve. We are well acquainted with the reality that the errors of the few can undermine confidence in the whole. While we grieve for the survivors, we also pray for the church. Betrayal of trust by those in the ministry harms everyone in the fellowship. Betrayal causes us to question everything. We understand that many are hurt and we pray that in this experience you will cling to the Rock, Christ Jesus.

We pray that all will find comfort through the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Human support is crucial, yet even well-intentioned attempts born from a pure heart are easily surpassed by the unfailing love of our Heavenly Father and the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit. Because God has reserved the fullness of comfort to himself, we strongly encourage each grieving soul to turn to Him.

We have full assurance that our Heavenly Father knows everything, and by His direction these issues can be resolved.

With love and care, Lyle Schober

Response to workers re turmoil in the fellowship

From: Samuel Vallery [email redacted]
Subject: Re: Monday
Date: November 27, 2023 at 2:23:40 PM CST
To: daniel farris [email redacted]
Cc: Craig Winquist [email redacted]

Dear Steve and Daniel,

I am going to share my thoughts, as you requested.

Exclusivity of Form: Our form of meeting together and worship are the only true way to salvation, and anyone that is not a member of our fellowship is doomed to a lost eternity. Or at the very best, in veiled argument against this teaching of exclusivity: “We are not the judge, and our God is merciful”….how many times have we all heard this statement when people who “lost out” and then died are later discussed? Just recently, a dear little man and his elderly mother who meet in my home were told that by a sister worker that “we are now in the end times, and that people presently leaving the fellowship are part of the great “falling away”.

Exclusivity of Ministry: Our celibate(!), “homeless”, 2×2 ministry, which stays in the homes of fellowship members is the only one approved by God, and any other form of ministry is “false”. Every evangelist/minister/pastor/worker outside of our church is a false prophet/hireling. And the very proof of this, as I was taught, is because “this form of ministry has lasted for so long! Surely, if it wasn’t of God, it would have fallen apart by now”.

Worship of Tradition and Man: Only those who have been willing to dress a certain way, have a certain “appearance”, wear their hair a certain way, and attend Sunday fellowship meetings, Wednesday night “meeting”, convention, special meetings, and gospel meetings are true Children of God. Anything else or “less than this” is false, vain worship, evidence of the “wrong spirit”, and is not of God. And the ultimate “example” for women in our fellowship is the way that sister workers behave, wear their hair and dress. Because one can always tell what is on the inside by the outside appearance….especially among the women!!

Lack of Accountability and Transparency: We like to tell ourselves and others that we are not an organized religion. We have taken great pride in this. But in reality, we are VERY organized. We have a definite hierarchy, from “overseers of overseers” all the way down through senior workers, junior workers, male workers, female workers, elders, and rank and file fellowship members. To deny any of this is an outright lie. On the other hand, we have a totally opaque, secretive system of decision making, including decisions of doctrine, church form/structure, finances, and even unwritten “policy”. Everyone wants to deny accountability in any of this, especially as one moves upward in the hierarchy, but once again this is simply put, all lies. Our framework of “independent regional overseers” conveniently supports the system of lack of accountability, as well as continued plausible deniability in the future. We have thrived in darkness and lack of accountability, and it has finally, but inexorably, led to this tremendous upheaval. There is no doubt in my mind that we are an extremely organized religion, and have been so for many decades. Being unwilling to admit the truth does not alter the truth. If we are going to continue with denial of accountability, and the fact the we have dangerously lost our way, are we then, logically, going to blame everything wrong within our fellowship and ministry on God and the leading of his Holy Spirit?! God Forbid!

Kindest regards,

Sam Vallery

WINGS Note: Sam Vallery’s letter (above) was written in response to a letter from workers (below) asking for “a little guidance in how to proceed“.

We don’t yet have a response from workers to Sam Vallery’s letter.

On Nov 27, 2023, at 9:58 AM, daniel farris [email redacted] wrote:

Good Morning MO, AR, and OK friends,

We hope you all have had a good weekend like we did. Yesterday morning I, Daniel, was glad to be reminded of Jesus’ instructions to his disciples to “Come ye yourselves apart and rest a while.” We are glad that this rest is still available as we seek to follow Christ.

[General discussion re a recent funeral removed]

On another subject, most of you know the workers and friends have been in a turmoil the last few months because of the way some sexual abuse cases among our friends were handled. Now we are in a turmoil of how to deal with these things. We have people that say they cannot feel safe going to meeting till the workers implement a written policy showing how these cases will be dealt with. On the other hand we have people that are telling us they cannot be a part of organized religion or efforts to institutionalize our family fellowship. Some of us workers find ourselves in the middle of these two opinions. For ourselves we need a little guidance in how to proceed. Do you feel like the workers need to embrace a written policy addressing CSA/SA? Even if you don’t feel like this is something necessary do you feel it is something you could accept for the sake of those who say it is required before they can feel safe being in meeting? We understand these are sensitive topics and the division of opinions is getting greater and we want to proceed with spiritual salvation and natural safety in mind. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Two MO workers,
Steve and Daniel

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