News

Dear Ray and Barry,

In regards to the plethora of information coming to light about the mishandling of CSA/SA cases I feel compelled to write again. When a meaningful and sustainable policy has been put in place to prevent tragedy in this arena let’s have some further conversation about bullying and other forms of abuse that heavily contribute to the former.

Jack Mulkey often told us about the person who was asked “How long have you been in the Lord’s WAY”. The answer of course was “way too much and far too often”. In retrospect I’ve been guilty of this and realize my clumsiness in handling God’s work has been grievous. I understand not wanting to be rash or getting ahead of God. I know the feeling of people looking to you for leadership and being overwhelmed by the questions and not having answers. I know how hard it is to maintain an image of perfection and control, trying to keep “the box” together when it is completely falling apart because of the sand that it is.

I say this respectfully… would you ever consider that God is responsible for dissolving the box? Not allegations, not history, not cover ups, not mistakes that were made, not Dean B. Not CSA/SA, not ignorance. These are all simple tools. God is using the many voices of the unheard and abused to expose the sand that we have built on?

What if the time has actually come to dissolve the ministry, especially the current structure of overseership? This may be my own opinion but are you open to the Spirit’s direction here? How has strong oversight been helpful? Logistics? Unity? Honestly? Listening? Trust? Safety? Many of us know the feeling of hearing the story and afterwards Nathaniel says “You are the man”!

Something to ponder… mental instability and mental problems very often lack pathology. Meaning these problems stem from trauma and not being heard more often than something physically wrong with the brain. When we judge people to have mental health problems let’s ask how I have contributed to this. Listen, forego power and control then see how changes occur in one’s mental health status! Being a “Mental Health Professional” is not so difficult. Jesus was the greatest Authority on Mental Health this world has ever seen!

Can anything be done to undo what has been done? None of us have lived long in this world before we see many things we wish had been done differently. An apology comes to mind. Not the kind my kids say to each other when they are forced to. Not the kind that is guarded or accompanied with excuses. The kind that comes with self-exploration and from the heart.

This crisis isn’t a distraction from the “Gospel work”. The listening, connecting, self-examination and heart-felt. “I’m sorry” which can lead to healing… IS the “Gospel Work”!

Sincerely,

Rolland Sarver

Hi everyone,

I’m Tamara Gómez from Colombia. Please excuse mistakes since English is not my first language. I wanted to talk to you about my experience within the meetings. I first met the Friends and a Worker named Michael Hassett around 2002 after a terrible car accident my family suffered in Quito, Ecuador.

They were very charming and loving and I was surprised why this foreign people (all of them from Canada) were so interested in us, with such a love and care for our situation. That really made an impression on me. Then I was invited to my first gospel meeting, by that time I was at university in Ecuador.

Several months later, I professed. Eventually most of the maternal side of my family professed too. We regularly attended, most of them still do, meetings in Ecuador and Colombia. Women are told to be presented in very modest clothing in order to not be a temptation for other men or workers, we are told to be submissive to men. We, as women lived a very isolated life since we look so different to other women in our fields, work or study places, we rarely make friends with other people outside the group. Men look almost “normal,” so they really don’t have to deal with the rejection, bullying or jokes from others.

Women aren’t explicitly discouraged to pursue studies but most of them marry young and stay at home or work in family businesses. I was a single mother at a young age (17) and I studied medicine and later specialized in a clinical field, so my understanding of the outside world was bigger, but that didn’t prevent all the brain washing I suffered.

When The Truth was starting “the Work” in a small Colombian city in the Border of Colombia -Ecuador called Ipiales, many members were curious about the money, how the organization works, the hierarchy and all that stuff but they were told that they cared more of the mundane stuff than the spiritual things and that they should put their heart to the message from God they were bringing to us and not all those small things.

I have witnessed very concerning ways to deal with spousal or sexual abuse. If you are being beaten by your husband (even being both part of The Truth) the right thing to do is to stay with him and pray harder for his soul, and beware of not provoking him to hit you. I know a girl who was in her 20’s she was beaten so hard by her husband (both professing) that she flew to her parents’ home, and was convinced by her parents and Workers of the field that she has to stick to the husband she chose, since marriage is forever, and not be temptation for him to sin (it means hit her).

I knew of a female worker who was married in her country to another professing alcoholic guy that used to hit her so hard she was hospitalized several times, and she claims that God told her to leave him because she was going to be the cause of the loss of his soul if he finally killed her.

I know 2 now grown men who were sexually abused when they were kids by a worker in Ecuador and were told to heal in silence, and the worker was sent to another country.

I know a family where the grandfather and father sexually abused daughters and granddaughters during many years and are now are elders, and I know that the Workers knew about this situation years ago.

I eventually married a professing guy from Argentina, [name redacted]. He was constantly jealous and felt very threatened by my education and the fact that I, being a physician, was the main provider of our home, so he started psychologically abusing me, was very jealous and controlling in ways so damaging to my brain and soul that I cried almost every night of our first year of marriage. He was jealous of family members, friends, workers, everyone. In this first year I fought back this conduct and we decided to speak with the Senior Worker of Colombia about it, Munro MacAngus.

I thought he was going to help me and at least scold my husband, but what a surprise was when the thing he said was “well I know from now on Tamara would never give you any other reason to make you mad or jealous of her”.

So I started living by that premise. I was constantly walking on shells around him, I gave him the money I made for him to manage, I accepted that he chose my clothes, who I talked to, who I was associated to, what kind of jobs to accept etc. I completely lost my personality, my whole self was erased in the marriage. Remember I was a single mother, and my daughter was 15 when I married. I made her call him dad and to be submissive to him too, and he years later started sexually harassing her for a year or so, showing himself naked, hugging her and taking advantage of the proximity to touch her close to the butt and breasts, staring at her when she went up the stairs, laying down next to her on the bed while she was asleep, etc.

I tried to think that those were just honest mistakes of an honest man, but deep down I knew the truth but I was a coward not able to accept it. My daughter started acting out, not wanting to go to meetings, changing her hair and clothing, being irritable and disrespectful all the time until she finally attempted suicide by ingesting the pills she was prescribed by her psychiatrist. She never told her about the sexual harassment she was suffering so she was labelled with an anxiety and depression disorder medically speaking and just “trouble” in the fellowship.

I struggled with my maternal instincts and what I’ve been taught for almost 20 years, be submissive, be a peacemaker, obey your husband, marriage is sacred. I finally confronted [my husband] about the situation. I remembered one thing he said “Come on if I wanted to rape her I would have already done it”.

When the Workers in our field (both female – Isabel Fica from Chile and Elizabeth Jennings from Ireland) learnt about the abuse the response was what you expect, I should stay married and since my daughter was now 18 she should leave the house and nobody should hear about the abuse to not taint “the truth”. And she was blamed for the way she dresses, she behaves, she sits etc. As she was a young lady she was a temptation to my husband.

After several months of suffering and not sleeping I decided my marriage has to come to an end. So I kicked my husband out of the house. By that time the pandemic had arrived and I was the only provider for our home, so he had to fly back to Argentina to stay with his brother.

I continued to attend meetings only to be bullied and incessantly persuaded to “save” my marriage, to be told how much of a sin it was to make [husband’s name redacted] leave home; I remembered Elizabeth saying my sin was bigger than his. Almost all the messages in the meetings were about the holiness of the marriage and how big of a sin divorce is.

The workers and I also became aware that my husband also abused his younger sister since she was 3 to 17 yo and also a young female cousin while growing up. That didn’t stop them from keeping pressuring me to take him back. I was told I could not participate in the Sunday meeting if I don’t repent from my sin. They even told me that if the money for the plane tickets was the problem, they would pay for them.

The bullying was so mortifying that I stopped going to meetings at all. My soon to be ex-husband, we are in the middle of the divorce process, is now back in Colombia and continues attending meetings and sometimes acts as an elder when there is no worker present. I doubt other people in the fellowship know about the true reason we separated and think that they believe I am just a bad and cruel woman, not only here in Colombia but I’ve been told it’s how they see me in Argentina too.

The situation is reported to the competent authorities in my country, that can be checked. I’m now dealing with anxiety and depression too, and guilt, the guilt of not being able to act sooner and be brave enough. It’s been 2 years now and I can now see how toxic, sexist and dangerous environment “The Truth” is and how it enables abuse in so many ways affecting children and women all over the world.

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WINGS Note: Overseer Percy Broughton is aware of these abuse cases.

Thank you for your care and thoughtfulness. I’ll make it as plain as I can from my perspective. I will also reply all as you suggested and I understand my email may be forwarded or seen outside of this group, including being posted in other forums. However, what I’m going to say is what I would say to any who ask so I feel I can be transparent to this small group of people.

Ray and Barry, the overseers they oversee, and the overseers in place after place, have actively condoned and facilitated child sexual assault and sexual assault by their actions. They have knowingly moved people or reintegrated people into close contact with other people in this fellowship when they had far more than sufficient evidence to understand the harm that had already occurred and would be almost certain or absolutely certain to occur again. The pleading of ignorance or of a lack of understanding by these men in letters and public proclamations of what child sexual assault and sexual assault is and how to address it is transparently false. It is a lie that borne of a heart that will not acknowledge what we have personally witnessed them knowing in the past. And further, surely, if the Spirit of Jesus would teach us anything, it would be not to have sex with children or to use the position of the ministry to gain access to children, women, and men to sexually assault them. Honestly, it does not take MinistrySafe training to teach us what the Spirit of Christ is already plainly teaching, let alone what even natural human care would teach us. There have been enough people already removed from the ministry explicitly for those reasons just in our current crisis, with allegations known to the overseers and many others dating back decades, that these continued assertions of ignorance are now completely and publicly without merit.

I am looking for true repentance. To me, this looks like a full and open confession of every single instance, including date, situation, and perpetrator, that they have ever dealt with, had direct knowledge of, or input into. In every case where the perpetrator is still living they would go to that perpetrator and remove them from the physical presence of fellowship and comply with all legal and ethical requirements for reporting. In all cases they would meet with and apologize directly to every reported survivor of each perpetrator, and continue to do so with every survivor who becomes known in the future. Further, if any part of this requirement means that they admit to legal culpability, they would be prepared to plead guilty and comply with any legal sentences imposed rather than mount a legal defense in every jurisdiction where this is applicable. These are the conditions they have imposed many times in the past on others in many situations. These are the marks of repentance that would also begin to reduce the harm that has been done and is being done.

In addition, these are the same marks I would expect every overseer internationally to demonstrate as well.

Harm is continuing. Every moment they do not do this is high risk for another person to become a victim and have to fight to become a survivor.

We cannot talk adequately about the future until the past is addressed. This is not negotiable. And anyone who is a survivor or has worked with or listened to survivors recognizes this is the only path forward. To date, in nearly every place where these overseers have dealt with this issue in this current crisis, they have not acted to stop harm or prevent further harm until backed into a corner by other people. This is not acceptable behavior in those we have trusted to demonstrate the life of Jesus.

It should not take lawsuits or other legal action to compel testimony under oath, or to have men participate in legal depositions under penalty of perjury, or to compel legal discovery of e-mail and text correspondence with one another, to simply have men to do what even the most base of men in this world have decided should be done when it becomes known that people in positions of trust are or have sexually abused other people, including children. It is lower than the minimum of what we would ever expect of any person who is being taught by the Spirit of Christ.

What was different about Jesus is that he is fully focused on the heart. Jesus said A. I have loved you as my Father has loved me and B. Love you one another as I have loved you. And further, that we would be known to be his because we live that love. People have focused on all the other parts of the Bible because they have no idea how to do that most important part. Because it seems impossible. Jesus could not literally have meant what he said, that we should actually or could actually love one another in that way. But we can. And we must. And if we don’t, we are not his.

Jesus also plainly said that we would know them by their fruits. And that the same well cannot bring forth both bitter and sweet. It is one or the other. For years that was a key part of my cognitive dissonance. But no longer. We are not looking to reduce the bitter. Or put more of the sheep’s wool onto the wolf’s back. We are looking for sweet water, for fruit that loves as Jesus loves and as the Father loves the Son.

If we continue to try to legislate righteousness and put up barriers to prevent harm, we are not saving any souls, we are simply doing what the law is designed to do, which is to impose exterior control on people who are not internally guided to do no harm. It is not the saving of those people’s souls that the law brings about. It is only a reduction of harm that they do to others. For them to be saved, they must become as little children. And the fruit of that is unmistakable. We cannot legislate the fruit of the Father’s work. But we definitely know it when we see and taste it.

So I encourage us all to only focus on the wolves to expel them from doing harm. And then to focus on people who seek what Jesus sought for his own. And realize that when we feel tired from pushing, it is only because we are trying to push out the wolf from doing more harm, not to save the wolf. The wolf can only be saved by a Father who can replace the heart of the wolf with the heart of the sheep, and that is nothing but a miracle. However, in this situation, around predator behavior…repentance means voluntarily removing themselves from any contact with sheep as the sheep still are likely to have a strong and expected fear response. And loving others truly from the heart would mean that the predator would begin to understand and feel things from the perspective of the prey, and would understand that they may not be able to both be loving AND in constant contact with most of the sheep, but only with the Shepherd. Fellowship with individual sheep would have to be on those sheep’s terms and not initiated by the person who has been a predator. Much in the same way that a “shut-in” person would be.  And we know how richly the Shepherd is able to pour out on people in those situations. So the predator who has a new heart, which is only a miracle, will not lose any good thing. They will have from the Father the same as all the rest of his children. Love…full and abundant. And the fruit of their new heart will be the same as Jesus…it will do no harm and it will be sweet.

Many of these people we see have spoken good words. And as Jesus said, we can do as they say. But we cannot do as they do. Because what they say may mimic the heart of God. But what they DO reveals what is in their OWN heart. And THAT is bitter and its effect is destructive and hurts people who are soft and have the heart of a child.

I am highly skeptical of listening tours when I see so many people not even hearing the cries of the victims and survivors in so many places. Thousands of victims. Hundreds of perpetrators and many of those in the work all over the world. Just reading the gut-wrenching, soul-sickening story after story on places such as WingsForTruth, which is run by all or nearly all people who are currently “professing” in this fellowship, leads us to know that repentance of all the harm we have made possible is the first step. And we have not seen evidence of that repentance yet. We have seen token words. But we have not seen the acts of repentance, as I describe at the beginning of this email. We know that there are still perpetrators with allegations who are actively in the work and participating in fellowship with people at risk for further harm.

Surely the marks of repentance are what must happen, and there must be mourning as we repent of what we have enabled in this fellowship, and especially in the ministry, year after year, decade after decade. Then we can show that indeed we DO esteem the least as greatest and we DO love one another as the Father loves his Son, and his Son loves us.

Best,

Bryan

Bryan & Celia Hansen

The Brave Truth Australia
PO Box 829
NORTH LAKES QLD 4509
Email: support@thebravetruthaustralia.com

30 June 2023

Dear Australian Workers,

It is with heavy hearts we have need to write this letter.

As you are aware, a large number of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and Sexual Assault (SA) perpetrators, including numerous current and former workers, have been exposed in the past three months particularly in the USA and Canada. Over 400 perpetrators have been reported to an International Hotline set up on March 23^rd, 2023, by PI Cynthia Illes, Lauren Rohs and Sheri VanDermyden Autrey. A significant number of these have been reported from Australia.

We can no longer see alleged or convicted perpetrators meet in Fellowship Meetings, Gospel Meetings. Special Meetings or Conventions and say nothing. We can no longer tolerate adult victim-survivors and children suffering while perpetrators are protected.

Some of these perpetrators are sitting with our relatives, and children we know. Every family deserves to know their children are safe when around Workers & Friends and sadly, currently, many are not. There is a tidal wave that has hit our shores, and action must be taken.

We thought that the 60M program in 2019 may have resulted in significant change, but unfortunately it hasn’t:

• Worker codes of conduct mean nothing unless they are signed and enforced;
• Authorities have advised that some workers do not have working with children checks;
• Some perpetrators on the sex offender register continue to attend meetings;
• There has been no attempt for the fellowship to join the National Redress Scheme;
• The child safety policy/code of conduct has not been rolled out consistently across all jurisdictions;
• Some Overseers do not respond to emails/letters from victims of historical abuse in the fellowship;
• In general, perpetrators are protected whilst victims are shunned, and their distress is minimalised;

We are happy to work collaboratively with you, however, if that does not occur, we will press forward together with a good number of Friends who are supporting these much-needed changes. There is, quite simply, no place for any acceptance of this criminal behaviour.

Fortunately, we all have access to accurate information at our fingertips of up-to-date convictions and reports of alleged abusers, which allows us to act and to keep children safe. We also want to let you know that we have now set up a public Facebook page called ‘The Brave Truth Australia’.

An Australian Hotline will be operational by early July 2023 and a website will also be launched. All calls to the Hotline will be completely confidential. The information provided is not committed to further action but stored for information-gathering purposes. We will take the caller’s statement, vet the information with the authorities, and add the perpetrator’s name to the significant confidential list we already have. Victim-survivor information will never be shared without explicit permission. We will always assist them in finding support, resources to help and aid them with reporting a crime, should they wish to do so.

If we are in the position of having three victim-survivors of the same alleged perpetrator, or court documents alleging CSA of one victim, we will write to the Overseer and Workers in the field to notify of the perpetrator and where they live, with current vetted details of allegations (as advised by the authorities). As mandated reporters, you may be required to immediately stop them from attending Fellowship Meetings, Gospel Meetings/Missions, Conventions & Special Meetings and any other church gatherings where children may be present. You should seek your own legal advice concerning your obligations under the relevant law in each state.

As this will be a transparent process, we will advise online (via social media and planned Website) as appropriate, together with the Overseers response (if any) and encourage anyone who has information concerning named person, to contact the Hotline/Authorities that are working on the case.

In the very unfortunate circumstance that the alleged perpetrator may be an active Worker or Overseer, they should be removed from the Work immediately and not be in a position where they are able to give public address or voice, or able to stay in any household where a child under the age of 18 resides or visits. When a Worker is removed from the Work, whoever they stay with should be notified of the seriousness of the allegations. To avoid potential legal liability, we would recommend to you that all alleged perpetrators (Workers, Elders & Friends) should not attend Fellowship Meetings, Gospel Meetings/Missions, Conventions & Special Meetings, or any other church gatherings, social or otherwise, where children may be present, until the allegations are deemed cleared or unfounded by the Police. A very strong stance of zero-tolerance needs to be taken towards Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse.

Please feel free to contact us by return email. We would be pleased to communicate directly with any or all of you towards a common goal and our only motive, a child safe environment.

Sincerely,

[signatures removed]

Vianne Hills                      Jillian Hishon                    Ross Bowden

For and on behalf of many Friends, Parents & Grandparents.

I am a victim of a sexual predator in Central Illinois who was a part of my family’s life, someone that I felt I could trust, someone that I thought cared for and loved my family, someone that my family trusted.

Yes, it was many years ago but anytime through the years, when I have had to be in his presence in a gathering or meeting, I felt like I was being seduced. I felt like he was looking at me and saying do you remember what I did to you? It was hard to be in a meeting with him and here him speak or pray.

Immediately after the first time he touched me I wanted to tell someone, but who? I wanted to scream at his wife and ask her how she could be so blind to what he was doing right in front of her but I didn’t. So I avoided him at all costs and 2 years later I quit going to meeting because I wanted to wear jeans. ‘I was just being a rebellious teenager.’ I pushed it all into the back of my mind.

I professed again a few years later and married an abusive narcissistic man and I lost my complete identity when I was married to him. I literally no longer had an opinion. It’s hard to explain the feeling of being so empty. When I suggested to him that maybe we should offer our home for a bible study or Sunday meeting since I thought it had never been offered as a possibility, he told me that the workers had come to him about having a meeting in our home but he said we couldn’t because I was not worthy of having a meeting in our home. I confirmed this with the worker that was in our field at the time.

Another example of the mental abuse was, I asked him to just tell me one thing he liked about me, that he didn’t have to tell me he loved me but just one thing that he liked. He looked at me in silence and said nothing. So with this kind of a life, the abuse I had as a child, was deeply suppressed even through my therapy during and after I left the marriage.

During the 22 years of marriage and since, I have had to be in my abuser’s presence on occasion and nothing has changed. The last time I saw him, it was the same seducing look, the same ‘do you remember what I did to you look in his eyes’. But still, I suppressed and pushed the thoughts out of my mind as quickly as I could and avoided shaking his hand after meeting if at all possible.

When I heard about the life of DB and then all of the horrible things that were coming out about so many, the memories of my abuse came flooding back to the forefront of my mind. Memories I never wanted to think about again. I didn’t want to hurt his wife or children by revealing anything; thinking it was so long ago. I felt if others came forward and needed support, I would be there for them to comfort if I could. Once the memories were back though I could not stop them. Continually new memories surface of what he did and said to me.

The rest of my story is in the emails to Matt Jensen attached. At this time I am remaining anonymous.

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My Communication to Matt Jensen regarding Harold Brown in Central Illinois
(Jon mentioned in the emails is Jon Knockenmus)

Fri, Jun 9, 2023
Hi Matt
I understand from Jon that Harold has been removed from meetings.
Craig Winquist sent an email in Missouri regarding another case that was made known at the meeting last Sunday afternoon also. Since he sent out a communication regarding this case, I am struggling on why this is not happening in regard to Harold Brown. I gathered from Jon there is not an urgency to send a communication to the worker staff in Illinois regarding Harold Brown to be shared with all friends in the state of Illinois. It is very important for people victimized by others that it is known; that people in other areas can assume that the person is just not going to meeting anymore or for wrong rumors to be spread.

This afternoon, with the help of an expert in this I have done slight modifications to Craig’s well written letter and pasted it below. Jon had said you have so much on your plate and did not know when you would or if you would be sending a communication out. Rather than ‘re-invent the wheel’, a modification of a letter / email already sent would suffice but is needed. The words changed were specifically changed due to the immediate triggers of people who are victims and correct wording (i.e. alleged, allegations) recommended by the expert in child sexual abuse that I am working with.

I hope you understand that once the door opened that what was done to me was not anything that was my fault or that this was not isolated to me, the memories I had pushed out of my conscience mind have come flooding back and I have already started working with a counselor. Being raised going to meetings and this being the very foundation of everything I have ever believed to be right and now the exposure of all that is coming out is like an earthquake.

I have pasted below the email content that was written by Craig with the few revisions that make it pertinent to Harold Brown. I did this in hopes you would copy and paste it to an email to your staff in Illinois to be sent to all friends in their fields.
Thank you for sending a communication.
Signature of writer removed.

This is the email I included and was asking for Matt to send to the Illinois workers to be shared with all of the friends in their fields: (Matt did not comply)

Subject: To Illinois Friends

To Whom it may concern:

In the interest of the safety of our children we have a zero tolerance policy. In the best interest of all, we need to make our friends aware whenever we know that there is an alleged sexual predator who has been in our midst and is currently active in our fellowship. This helps us to be responsible to each other and especially to our children. When this is known they will not be allowed to attend any meetings in person. If they travel and spend time in different areas this suspension applies to any meeting anywhere, not only their home area.

We have learned and need to share that Harold Brown has several allegations of pedophilia and legal cases have been opened. Because this has come to light we have asked him not to attend in person meetings anywhere. This restriction is effective immediately.

We want to encourage any victims of sexual assault to come forward no matter who the abuser was. Please report it to the proper legal authorities. It would be good also to let your local workers know, so they can make necessary adjustments for the local meetings.

The Illinois Abuse Hotline is 1.800.25.ABUSE or for non-emergency you can report in Illinois at https://childabuse.illinois.gov. Another helpful source is to use the hot line …. (503-386-4634). This hot line will notify workers about the sexual predator and provide guidance for therapy if needed. Another source the RAIIN hotline (1-800-656-4673) and the suicide hotline (988) for anyone in crisis.

 Sincerely yours,

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On Jun 19, 2023, at 12:43 PM

Good Afternoon Matt and Jon

I find it very odd that I have not heard from either of you in response to my email and I have found it very disturbing that it appears there is an effort to keep it quiet that Harold Brown has allegations against him. I have also been made aware of other cases that are being ignored/not addressed/brushed under the rug etc. in Illinois.

I am questioning your motive in this. You may be thinking you are wanting to protect the fellowship – but this is only in man’s eyes of those who do not want to know the truth of what is going on. All will be revealed. In God’s all seeing eye, He is seeing what is going on and always has. He knows the real motive in your heart(s) on why you are choosing to hush people from telling who has allegations. Galations 6:7-8 comes to mind “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Paul was very direct in his letters on very sensitive subjects also. There was no brushing things under the rug.

Having two young sister workers go with you to meet with Harold Brown and then having these young sister workers have to call and tell the friends that Harold was being removed from meetings was shocking to me. Harold is a predator of women. Did you even consider that he possibly would have made these young sister workers uncomfortable or possibly even made inappropriate comments or actions towards them? Did you give them the choice on whether they wanted to be in his presence for this conversation? Of course, I do not expect an answer to these questions because you have not responded to my previous email, but I sure hope it is giving you something to seriously think about and consider.

It is very obvious God is working to reveal corruption to make His people turn to Him in these times. As I shared with Jon on a call, this is not the first time I have been shunned and ignored by the ministry. I went through this in 2007 when I finally got up the courage to leave an abusive marriage. I much appreciated Jon’s kind words when I shared this with him. There is much coming to light not just in the fellowship but in the world as a whole. There is reason to believe based on historical timelines that between now and the end of 2023 – and possibly before the end of this month of June, there will be some shaking in all of the world by God. Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” We would not want to be those that are too proud or having a haughty spirit in these times.

God’s Truth will prevail and the real protection of the fellowship is in an honest and upright ministry and people.

I pray for you that you will seek God’s direction and only His. Matt. 5:13-16 comes to mind as I am writing this email…”Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

It has been very real to me that God is seeking for His people to glorify HIm, to praise Him and to seek only Him for direction. Light dispels the darkness – it does not cover up or hide the wrongs.

Again I plead with you and pray you will seek God’s direction and remember it is only what God knows that matters and in the end He will reveal all.

In the name of Jesus I pray His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven…
Signature of writer removed

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On Mon, Jun 19, 2023 at 1:53 PM Matthew Jensen

Hi recipient name removed

Thank you for reaching out. Could I get your phone number? I will call you, if that is okay with you.

Matthew Jensen

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Email sent on Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Hi Matt and Jon
Thank you for each of you attempting to reach out to me.

Recap –

• June 4 – I shared at the Missouri meeting that I am a victim of a man in the fellowship
• June 6 – Jon ‘Cold Called’ me – his words not mine; I shared my story regarding Harold; he said since I was an adult it was up to me to report to the police if I wanted legal action to be taken. I told him at this time, I just wanted the right thing to be done regarding Harold.
• June 6 or 7 – Jon called me back and said he is a mandatory reporter and he had called Cass County police and had spoken with Chief Shumate and a case had been created; I asked about Harold being removed from meeting and I was told you would have to figure out how to handle that (paraphrasing)
• June 8 – I texted Jon and said I was struggling that Harold was still in meetings since Craig Winquist had dealt quickly with Richard Simpson in KC and this case was made know at the same time that I shared my story. Jon called me within 30 minutes of my text and said that you(both) didn’t want to do anything that would jeopardize the case. He then called back later and said one of you had spoken with the Chief and confirmed removing Harold from meeting would not jeopardize anything legally but that Matt was having a hard time finding a man worker to join him in this communication to Harold and that Matt did not want to go alone to communicate this but he assured me it would take place in the next couple of days.
• June 9 – I received a call from Jon that Matt, Dana and Abigail went to Harold and Jane’s to tell them Harold was removed from meetings. Jon’s words – Harold did not act surprised but Jane did not act like she knew anything.
• June 9 – I heard from someone in the Springfield area they received a call from Dana and how sorry they felt for her because she was having such a hard time even sharing the information.
• June 9 – I sent my first email to both of you (in this email string)
• June 19 – After no response or acknowledgement I sent my second email to you (in this email string)
• June 19 – Jon tried to call me shortly after I sent the email . I do appreciate this promptness. As you know I did not answer. Jon then sent a text with details regarding the legal status, due process etc regarding the case. I am confused why this was even brought up in response to my email because nothing in my email was regarding the legal status.
• June 19 – I responded to Jon’s text “It has been moved to a state level. My concern is not the legal status”.
• June 19 – Matt then sent me an email asking me for my phone number so he could call me. (in this email string)

I did not respond until now…
This brings us to today… June 21

First of all – I know both of you are in direct communication with each other about this so there is no reason that Jon could not give Matt my phone number.

Secondly – I am in contact with others and I have heard things (hmmm gossip and heresay comes from not sending a formal communication)

I am now even more disturbed because I have reason to believe that it is very possible more information was divulged to Harold about the reporting victim than should have been. He and his wife are telling people it was 50 years ago and it is nothing, AND that it was taken care of.

 IF it was 50 years ago, it wasn’t me, so who was that victim?

AND I now know there were many after me that he victimized and that Barry Barkley and Jim Holt knew about this when an elder in the area came forward to Jim asking for something to be done about Harold approximately 25 years ago. [13 words recacted] Nothing was done. No one was warned and he was not reported.

A personal segway… I have minimized what has been done to me all my life – by him, by a smooth talking professing but extremely narcissistic husband for 22 years and then shunned by the workers and most of the friends in the area after I got up the courage to leave him. The only thing that gave me the courage to leave was because I started to observe the same treatment towards my daughter. So the courage wasn’t even for myself.

Was the abuse by Harold the cause of why I fell in love and married an abusive man; Was it the reason I never valued myself or that my opinion mattered? I don’t know – what I do know is I have paid for a lot of therapy over the years and I have started talking with a therapist again. But most of all I have read my Bible and prayed more than I ever have in my life these last several months that God would give me the words to speak, that He would guide me and direct my steps. As I told Jon the first time we spoke on the phone – I had zero intention of saying one thing at the meeting in Missouri. I had an hour drive that day alone in the car to go to that meeting and I prayed out loud the whole way saying to God that I didn’t want to say anything but if He wanted me to that He would just put the words in my mouth, that He would give me the message that I should say. It did not cross my mind while I was praying that it would be to tell anyone publicly about being a victim. My thoughts were all on that God could give me the words to bring encouragement and cause workers and friends to turn to God – to be aligned with Him in all of this turmoil and let Him reveal and cleanse. When it came out of my mouth at the meeting that I am a victim, I was very distressed because now it was out and I would have to face all of it again. It was easier when it was my secret and I could push the memories out of my mind.

It’s so real to me, God knows all, we have no secrets, Harold has no secrets before God, you have no secrets before God. If we are fooling ourselves that hiding secrets from man AND NOT DEALING WITH THEM is safe, we are oh so wrong. I know for me I don’t want to be standing before God on the judgement day with a wrong I may have done to someone and not dealt with it and then He will bring judgement on that day. If the distress I am facing now can help any of the other victims to come forward and/or turn to God, if it can help Harold to face what he has done to so many people and gain the victory through God, if it can help him to really repent for the wrongs he has done, it will be worth it.

When I last spoke to Chief Schumate on Monday, June 19 and he advised it would have to be at the state level, he was quite alarmed that you have not communicated to all of the church. I told him that you, Matt, had two young woman workers with you when Harold was told and that you then put the burden on them to only verbally tell the people where Harold went to meeting. I told the Chief that you, Matt, told people in the meeting in Chicago to not mention names when someone mentioned Harold’s name. I told him that there are fellowship meetings all over the world and this is a global issue. I told him I am like a piece of sand in the scheme of the bigger problem. I told the Chief that you have not personally provided or enforced a written communication to the people all over your jurisdiction to be advised about the allegations against Harold Brown. I told him about conventions coming up and that really if Harold showed up at Seneca Convention or Brownstown Convention, and maybe even Mt. Sterling Convention, it would be likely that no one would treat him any differently or ask him to leave because most wouldn’t even know about it.

It is evident you both are not wanting anything to be put in writing, even in a response to my emails or texts (i.e. when I texted Jon about getting Harold out of the meetings on June 8, I got a phone call not a text response). Everything has been verbal without witness.

Therefore, my decision is going forward, any communication will be in writing or on a recorded line with a 3rd party present of my choosing. You have to understand there is no trust in either of you at this time. If you are choosing to not be on the websites and be informed about all that is going on across the world with the matter of CSA, SA, friend and worker abuse both male and female, etc. you should reconsider. Being ignorant (when it is all at your fingertips) and YOUR INACTIVITY to be an honest and upright leader is making a choice. God is depending on you in your position, for the people who are looking up to you and you are leading them astray in your condoning of the ongoing illegal activities in the area you are considered to be responsible for. All this will pass someday but you will have to answer to a much greater judge than any earthly judge.

II Thes. 2: 8-12
“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. AND FOR THIS CAUSE GOD SHALL SEND THEM STRONG DELUSION, THAT THEY SHOULD BELIEVE A LIE: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Once the investigation in this particular case and then as more is revealed about James S. and Mark M. in Illinois, that they too are sexual predators and allowed in fellowship with ones who could become a victim, I do not know how you cannot see. Your resistance is not of God. Satan is wanting to tear it all apart and he is succeeding through the worker’s prideful resistance to the plea of those who are seeing the light. By calling Chief Shumate you did your due diligence in saying you did the mandatory reporting but that is not where your responsibility stops.

I pray God will shake you awake to see the light He is wanting to shine and clear the darkness. I don’t know if you have to ‘report’ to Ray Hoffmann or get approval but your real higher up is God – get into a place and listen to Him PLEASE. We all know God is doing a worldwide cleansing – be a part of His solution, resist the devil, let God use you to shine the light on all the darkness and evil things going on.

I am praying for all of the workers to stop thinking about the natural side of things and just lean in to God and listen to Him and only Him!

If you do want to have a conversation, it will be on a recorded line, or you can email me back.
The only real action you need to do is the following:

ACTION ITEMS EXPECTED FROM MATT AS ILLINOIS/INDIANA OVERSEER:

1. Add my email as a blind copy on the email that you send to the workers regarding Harold Brown – wording of this email is critical which is why I provided you with Craig’s email on my first communication to you. If you do not have a zero tolerance policy then you can take that out, but I would sure hope you think about that if you do. I expect this email to be sent to your staff by Thursday, June 22 and your staff to have distributed to their field no later than Friday, June 23.
2. Send me an email of written confirmation that Harold has been advised he cannot attend a meeting anywhere – no matter the location and that this is not a temporary thing – it is indefinite.

Praying God gives you the strength to do the right thing.
Signature of writer removed

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It was shared privately with me that Matt sent an email to the field Harold is in, and, it appeared on the email, that it was sent to all of the Illinois workers. As of this writing and my knowledge, the communication HAS NOT been forwarded on from the workers to the friends in their fields.

Below are two communications Matt had Dana Jacobsen send; sent out to select few…. From my knowledge, only to the people in the field where Harold resides.

Even though the salutation is to Friends in both Illinois and Indiana, other contacts I have, have not confirmed receipt of this communication being forwarded from their workers.

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Dana Jacobsen
Date: June 17, 2023 at 9:56:58 AM CDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: CSA Update

Dear Friends in Illinois and Indiana,

We know it is very needful to communicate with you on the current Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Assault crisis. This is a difficult situation, but respectful, open and honest communication is required. We feel deeply for any victims of sexual assault. We want to emphasize, that there are resources available, that can help you. Two sources are stopitnow.org and rainn.org.

Regarding reporting, if you live in Indiana, please report any suspected abuse of a child at (800) 800-5556. If you live in Illinois, and you suspect the abuse of a child, please call (800) 252-2873 and report it. As mandated reporters, we will report to these hotlines as well, when we have reasonable cause to suspect the abuse of a child.

If you have been abused in the past, as a child or as an adult, please contact law enforcement where the abuse happened. In sexual abuse cases that are from the past, we are continuing to find, that it is imperative that the victim reports, in order to prosecute a sexual predator. We hope this direct approach will help us all move forward in the right direction.

We have been working with professionals on how to lawfully, morally and ethically deal with all the complexities included in this. We are pursuing more professional assistance as well, as we realize the scope of this is beyond the qualifications of most of us. We will continue to communicate to the churches, any additional information needed in order to deal with this in an appropriate manner.

In the mean time, please work with us by studying the documents that were sent to you in May. If you haven’t already, please take MinistrySafe Awareness Training. Parents, please take MinistrySafe Parent Training. If you need help locating and accessing MinistrySafe Awareness Training or MinistrySafe Parent Training, please let us know. An understanding of safe boundaries for everyone, an awareness of signs of sexual abuse, and an understanding of reporting responsibilities is very important for all. We really need the help of each of you right now.

With sincere care,

The Illinois / Indiana Staff

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The following is the second communication from Matt: to my knowledge based on my connections, this communication has not been forwarded by workers in other fields to the friends in their fields.

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Matthew Jensen
Date: June 22, 2023 at 1:24:18 PM CDT
To: Judy Bixby , Sharon Carroll , Kenion Coleman , Gloria Lorraine Edwards , Ardith Ellingson , Abigail Erickson , Dana Jacobsen , Peggy Jansen , Ethan Jekel , Leah Klepzig , Jon Knochenmus , Kevin Naillieux , Janet Nicol , Scott Potter , Loren Quick , Sharon Rostad , Janine Spieth , Roberta Stipp , Rose Taplin , Brian Wagler , Kristina Wagler
Subject: Update from Matthew Jensen

Dear Friends,
I need to inform you, that there are abuse allegations against Harold Brown, which are currently under investigation by law enforcement. If anyone has any information to share with law enforcement, you can contact the Illinois State Police Patrol Troop 6, at (217) 786-6677.

The safety of meetings is of paramount importance. So as a precaution, Harold Brown will not be physically attending any meeting, until more is known.

Matthew Jensen

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Following is my email to all Illinois workers Sunday, June 25, 2023 – it accidentally was not sent anonymous. The above content was attached to the email to the workers so they are aware of what has transpired to-date.

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Dear Workers,

I apologize it is necessary for me to remain anonymous at this time. I have been in communication with Jon K. since the beginning of June. I am not sure why Matt had Jon reach out to me but I am thankful for Jon’s kindness and verbal understanding when we spoke. Matt and Jon are on this email and there are others on here that likely will figure out who I am. If anyone feels the need to make my identity public, then so be it. God knows the motive of each heart.

It is very disturbing to me that Matt Jensen, as overseer in Illinois/Indiana has chosen to not communicate with you and ENFORCE that a communication MUST go out to all friends from workers (not elders) regarding sexual predators. This communication must go out from workers to all friends to have a hope that our fellowship can continue to be led by God. It should not be led by man, any man.

I am begging you to forward the email Matt sent Thursday, June 22 about Harold Brown to all the friends in your field.

I am attaching my story and all of the email communications I have had with Matt so you are aware of all that has transpired. It is very important that you read this so you can see directly for yourself what has been communicated to and from Matt. You may have been led to believe that I am the only one,or that it was a very long time ago etc. but a lot more has come out already, victims are connecting and more will be made known soon about Harold Brown that is abuse of others and it would be good if you are prepared for this. I suspect Matt may advise you not to read the attachment but that would be only if he is wanting to hide something from you. It is only my story and my emails to and from him. The only email I received FROM him was asking for my phone number.

I pray you will do the right thing and please let the friends know. This is a time of cleansing and it will bring all closer to God. The more we fight against the truth coming out and being dealt with, the more we are giving Satan the power.
I pray God will lead you through all these troubled waters we are in and that we can all just be closer to Him.

Thank you so much for the life you give. Please press into God’s word and let him guide you through this.
Thank you in advance for sending out the communication.
I greatly appreciate a response back that you received this and have forwarded to your field.

PS: Dana and Abigail – I know your field has received the email so you obviously aren’t expected to resend it. My prayers are with you. I am so sorry for the pain this has likely caused you.