8/4/25 Wisdom, Warnings and Wins – When Leadership Looks Away

The first time I ever sat in a committee discussing ministry security was in the early 1990’s. The question came up, “what constitutes an incident we should be mindful of to avoid, respond to, or recover from?” The conclusion was, “anything that threatens or hurts our ministry mission.” It was also decided in that first meeting that one of the primary things we should be prepared for was scandal.

The Christianity reputation had just taken several hits in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Part of the concern then (and now) was (is) that the security program only has so much control over ministry leadership; those desks where scandals finally land (and many of which even start there).

All we can really do with leadership, is help them stay aware of other major failures in leadership. Even if security knows of a concern, it is highly unlikely that any opportunity would be given the security leadership to voice concerns with any governing or oversight ministry authority.

It could be time for churches and ministries to establish a process by which the security leaders have access to overseers.

Right now, a case is weaving its way through Texas court systems where a man was allowed to disciple young men at his home and on college campuses for decades as his denominational leadership ignored bad reports. At times they would respond that he was not really employed by them. Yet they allowed him to continue (read, "support him") as a lay leader.

The man was an influential charismatic with scriptural prowess and good talking skills. Young men would come to him from their broken homes and life problems for advice. He was a skilled listener who made them feel heard. Then he would twist scriptures into his own deviant plans of sexual gratification. Twisting biblical passages to convince young men that “nudity is unity.” Convincing them that touching themselves and himself sexually would have a purifying effect.

Among the claims by his victims is even how he would conduct group masturbation sessions while listening to worship music.

Now in a taped interview with an attorney, he reveals he knew full well what he was doing was wrong, but that he did it purposely saying, “People can just see that spiritual part of your life without seeing the whole of who you are.” He says religion was just his tool.

It has surfaced in the court case, that he was arrested in 2012 for abusing boys in the 1990’s. The ministry which he was associated with (but “not employed by”) sent appointees to bail him out.

Now, he is 69 years old and facing life in prison (as are some of his disciples who in turn started ministries doing some of the same immoral stuff they learned from him).

The point here is not to name him or the denomination or ministry which he was connected to. The message is, that this problem, of ministry leaders looking away instead of stepping up to do the right thing, is a virus affecting every denomination.

Sometimes doing the right thing goes beyond the sacrifice you may face of stopping a killer. If you know of a significant issue in which leadership is looking the other way, give them a copy of this article and tell them what you know about the situation.

Confirm the information, but if you know something that includes victims or potential victims, do something. You may only know that accusations are being made.

The truth may embarrass, cost or kill you. But it is always right.