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WINGS Note: Their previous letter was posted at https://wingsfortruth.info/2023/06/11/letter-from-friends/

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To whom it should have concerned (Jeremiah 8:11-12, Ezekiel 13:10-11),

Actions speak louder than words, and the silence has been deafening these past months. This same silence compels us to speak. This is our testimony, and we stand and say it before God and before our brethren. James tells us “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” (James 4:17).

Three and a half months have passed since our last letter, enough time for there to have been repentance shown through actions and accountability shown through structural changes. What we have seen and heard has not been a response commensurate with the level of harm and betrayal we have witnessed. Most conventions have carried on with a business as usual approach, and many of the words said from the ministry there have been hollow and disappointing, ignoring what is going on around us. If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? (James 2:15-16).

Let us be clear: within the body of Christ there is no place for abuse, no place for lies, no place for evil, and no place for apathy. This should not be a difficult concept. Yet place has been made for each of these within this fellowship: amongst friends, amongst elders, amongst workers, and especially amongst overseers. And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.” (Gen 4:10).

We see and hear the cry of survivors of abuse. Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and spritual abuse. We are told “Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:9) and “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27). We are commanded by God to speak up in the face of oppression and to take action. Speaking up, defending the abused, seeking correction and justice: these are all actions we would expect to see an outpouring of from a ministry following God’s word.

Yet consider the facts. Recent and ongoing investigations have shown that there are over 550 known child sexual abusers within this church, amongst the friends, elders, workers, and overseers. Roughly 40% of these abusers are or were in the work. Many of these known abusers are still alive today. These investigations have also revealed that most if not all overseers have known about the vast majority of these abusers and have either been abusers themselves, helped cover up the abuse and silence victims and families, or remained silent in the face of evil. It has also been revealed that most overseers continue to allow many abusers to remain amongst the flock and refuse to cooperate with those attempting to bring the darkness to light. In multiple states and provinces, including our own, perpetrators have been allowed in meetings, even without notifying those attending.

Consider repentance. As faith without works is dead, repentance without change is disingenuous. This is clear in scripture: “…they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance” (Acts 26:20).

Repentance is not difficult to identify and is not hidden behind coded language. Repentance does not downplay the wrong done, such as in the initial letter we saw about Dean Bruer calling his terrible abuses an “immoral double life”, or the recent letter from the overseers in the ministry which referred to the previous horrific handling of child sexual abuse and sexual abuse as “resulting in inappropriate outcomes”. Fostering an environment for abusers, pedophiles, and rapists is certainly an ‘inappropriate’ outcome, but a more accurate description would be “perpetuating and approving evil” or “making place for darkness and destruction”. Should this need to be explained?

Repentance is a central tenet to Christianity. The fruits of repentance include deep sorrow and humility. Shallow, empty statements that attempt to justify past actions or inactions are not repentance. Claims of ignorance that sexual abuse could have lasting harmful effects on a survivor do not show repentance. Are any of you so ignorant as to not understand that child sexual abuse and sexual abuse is irrefutably harmful and wrong without the aid of a short course or a policy? Should any of this need to be explained?

Consider accountability. It is evident that the ministry, in particular those in the overseer role, are in a position where they feel they can judge the spirit of those within the church and even remove them. Yet these same overseers – as made clear by recent notes – believe that they are the only ones able to judge the spirit within themselves. That is not accountability, it is dictatorship. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave (Matthew 20:25-27). Jesus’ own words condemn this attitude. The very words of the Lord rebuke you.

Consider your own words. We have heard words of callous ignorance, including “There is no crisis here” or “This is a storm clearing away the dead branches from the kingdom”. We have heard weak words of “we neglected to handle things completely properly in the past”, or “we did not understand that sexually assaulting a child was so damaging”. The best we have received is apologies devoid of repentance and policies so full of holes that many predators can slip right through. That and a pat on the head and an admonition to just focus on Jesus. Yes! Jesus is the answer. Why do you ignore him by allowing what is evil in his eyes?

Consider peace. Peace is not achieved by pretending a problem does not exist. Too many in the ministry to whom we have spoken are content to remain ignorant of the greater crisis at hand, with excuses of not wanting to feed on what does not bring them peace and not wanting to go looking for problems. Yes, I suppose in the parable of the good Samaritan, the priest and the Levite had a more peaceful day by passing on to the other side. But consider Jesus’ words: “… Depart from me… For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me” (Matthew 25:41-43).

Worse yet, we have spoken directly to multiple brother workers who express what comes across as a pride in feeling that the people in their field know more about this crisis than they do. How little care for souls does it show, to not bother to understand the state of the sheep?

Consider love, especially as it is outlined so clearly in scripture: “If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Cor 13:2,3).

As we observe the events unfolding around us, there is a standard by which we can measure what we see: “Is this love?” As we listen to the words said by those in authority, we can see if words are followed by action and ask, is this love? As we look around at the actions that are taken, we can see whose benefit they are for and ask, is this love? When we see abuse, lies, apathy, and self-righteousness, we can ask, is this love? When a predator can say the right words and adhere to the right form, and those with authority judge them as worthy over a victim crying out in need but not fitting into the box of uniformity: Is this love? When intelligent, caring workers – especially sister workers – seek to advocate for victims and they are doubted, discredited, punished, belittled, and ostracized, is this love?

When an overseer or worker who has been trusted with a victim’s story lifts their head and looks away, crossing to the other side of the street, but an individual who has left this fellowship stops to render aid to the victim, ask yourself this question: Who showed love? Who in this scenario exemplifies the love of Christ?

Love stoops to help a friend in need; love wants to feel the pain its neighbours often know; love lends a helping hand to friend or foe. “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20).

What did Jesus answer when challenged on what was the greatest commandment? Was it “the ministry in the home and ministers without a home”, or was it to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbour as yourself? How did Jesus say that all men would know we are his disciples? Was it that we attend meetings without fail and follow every instruction given to us by the workers and overseers, or was it that we have love one for another?

When we allow in false doctrine, we give ourselves up to the control and fear of man. None is more harmful than the doctrine of exclusivity, which tells the lie that one must attend this particular fellowship and no other in order to be saved, and that before one can partake of the bread and the cup in remembrance of Jesus as he commanded, the approval of man rather than of God must be obtained. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever (Romans 1:24-25).

What we have witnessed is form and tradition as a proxy for the Spirit, and uniformity as a proxy for unity. We are told, “complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2), but this must be taken in context with verse 4, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus”. We want to be one in mind and love, but we need the mind of Christ.

The history of this fellowship is rife with lies and coverups; it has hidden that its origins come from the late 19th century, it has erased the role of its founders and early leaders including William Irvine and Edward Cooney, it has had deep divisions from state to state and country to country, and it has perpetuated cover ups of all forms of abuse to keep the outward appearance clean. We see a deep systemic institutional failure over the years that does not in any way resemble the mind of Christ. Is this love?

Looking over the past decades, there have been many individual warning signs, but each was minimized and considered as small and isolated – maybe not to all individuals, but at least as a whole. And now the depths of the cancerous growths within the fellowship and ministry are becoming clear, growths of death and darkness which do not fit the pattern of the mind and body of Christ.

The lack of godly repentance, the lack of acknowledgement of the actions taken that caused this evil to fester, and the continuing lack of action to right the wrongs is deeply troubling.

Even to Judah it was said, “Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place… If you will not obey these words, I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.” (Jeremiah 22:3,5). Are we so arrogant as to think these words do not apply to this church?

There are 33 times where the Bible speaks of leaders doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord. In Revelation, the church in Ephesus is told: “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.’” (Rev 2:2). It is our responsibility as a church to try the spirits and test the fruit, and to reject what is not of God.

Paul says “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; … Walk as children of light … and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them”, (Ephesians 5:6-11) and David says “I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.” (Psalm 25:6).

At this point, we simply cannot acknowledge the spiritual authority of those in the overseer position. We cannot partner with the works of darkness. We see that individuals, groups, and churches have come to you and you have neglected to heed our cries. Where is the integrity? Where are the basic moral values? Where is Jesus? We will follow the biblical path set out in Matthew 18 and now consider you as heathen.

While we have been disappointed in and betrayed by man, our eyes are open to the complete provision of God. We will continue to embrace true and honest fellowship, though not fellowship sanctioned by this ministry – we cannot lend even tacit approval to the works of darkness. But these past weeks have shone such a clear light on the joy and peace that can be found in trusting wholly in God’s leading. As was said to the rulers, elders, and scribes, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20).

The words in this letter have been strong, but they come from a place of love and genuine desire for this fellowship to repent of what is wrong and turn to what is right. God cares about you and about us. We challenge each of you to go forward and use your influence and position to stand up for others and embrace the mind of Christ.

With love and care for the survivors of all forms of abuse who have been wounded and betrayed in this fellowship,

Daniel and Shanna Faulkner

I write this only to put it on the record. I’m posting under my own name only to more legitimize this as it happened so long ago. I feel like we need to put all perpetrators on the record whether they are still alive or not. The more we know about each and all cases helps us grasp the extent of the problem(s) that still exist, and how far back these problems have gone. 

This has to do with one of the quite early Workers, Herbert Vitzthum, who was head over the Spanish Speaking in the United States from mid 1930s until 1969. He was a good friend of our family as my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and parents were Spanish speaking. He stayed at all of our homes often. That was until my oldest sister finally complained to my parents that Herbert had cornered her in her bedroom, forced himself on top of her and (in her words) “wet all over himself”. I’m guessing that she was around 9 years old at the time.

He later tried to force himself on my twin sister, but she was able to push him away and run outside. She stayed outside and she remembers hiding under our lemon tree until our parents got home. Of course, none of this ever got reported as he was a very respected Elder Worker.

Before this happened, my grandmother attempted to report an incident that she witnessed. When staying at their home, she walked in on him in their living room. He had a neighbour kid on his lap and was fondling the kid’s genitals. When she brought this to the other workers, everyone thought my grandmother was crazy. Herbert vehemently denied it, and reprimanded her and said, “do you realize you are talking about a man of God?!” No one believed my grandmother until the later incidents happened. 

I have an Aunt who was also molested by him, but she has only talked about it to certain, very few people. 

I can guarantee that Herbert Vitzhum has left a large trail of more incidents with others that we don’t know about. This guy was a predator, and waited until he had children alone to do his thing.

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WINGS Note: Andrew Otero requested that this be posted by WINGS so it is on record. His oldest sister (mentioned above) died in an auto accident a few years ago.

Herbert Vitzthum was a pioneering worker in Argentina in1919.

Front Row: Jack Jackson (Ireland and US), Glenn Smith (Nebraska US),
Back Row Herbert Vitzthum (Minnesota US), Maurice Hawkins (Maryland US)

My husband and I would like to share our story and the struggles we have faced. Our main goal in sharing this story with you is to provide encouragement to the families of victims and survivors alike letting them know that they are not alone. We firmly believe that God sees everything and we are grateful that we can see him working to purify His kingdom and prepare His chosen bride.

Both my husband and I are from Iowa, and it was through a high school friend that my husband was introduced to meetings.

My husband and I made the decision to move from Iowa to Pontotoc, Mississippi with the hope of building a new life for ourselves and our children. We purchased an acreage and built a new house, eager to establish our own roots. However, our journey took a devastating turn when we discovered that George Garner [deceased], a perpetrator, had been abusing our oldest daughter from the age of 9 until she was 13. It was a shocking betrayal, as we had trusted these individuals and welcomed them into our home as fellow believers.

It took two years for George Garner to be convicted and sentenced to a state prison in Mississippi. During this time, the overseer of Mississippi, asked us to show mercy, forgiveness, and compassion, requesting that George Garner receive only a two-year sentence for his crimes of child sexual abuse (CSA). The impact of the abuse on our daughter was profound, and the acts committed against her were deeply unsettling. Nonetheless, we managed to support our daughter to the best of our abilities through this difficult period.

Unfortunately, the challenges did not end there. George’s wife expressed a desire to return to meetings, our meetings, which caused great distress for us. We brought this issue to the overseer once again, expressing our concerns, but were met with a request to be considerate and compassionate. George’s wife would frequently request hymns to be sung on behalf of George, the man who had abused our daughter. This was infuriating and highly inappropriate, to say the least.

Upon his release from prison, George Garner expressed a desire to return to meetings as well. Our meeting. We once again confronted the overseer about the legality and ethics of this decision. To our dismay, he advised us that as foreigners in the area, it would be best for us to leave our meeting and move away. Furthermore, when we arrived at our convention that year we were asked to leave because George Garner’s family felt “uncomfortable” with us there. Being asked to leave our meeting and home convention to accommodate a convicted child molester attending these events was deeply troubling and unacceptable.

The overseer’s lack of sound judgment and respect towards us was disheartening. Additionally, during this same timeframe, it came to light that he himself was engaged in an affair with one of the friends’ wives in the area. This further eroded our trust and confidence in his leadership. It is not in line with the teachings of the Bible, which call for a good report and condemn such immoral behavior.

Simply moving individuals around that have committed immoral acts or condoned unthinkable assaults cannot be the solution. It is important we change our culture and address these issues with integrity and accountability. We have kept this story to ourselves for 25 years, but now feel compelled to share our experience with others. We ask for your prayers and support, not just for us, but for all those who have faced similar struggles. Thank you for taking the time to listen to our story.

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WINGS Note: George Garner’s conviction was reported Feb, 11, 2013 in https://wingsfortruth.info/breaking-the-silence-2/convicted-csa-ca-offenders/george-garner/