Please Pray For Us

Last week the Sovereign Grace interim Board released the results of their internal review along with their announcement to unanimously exonerate C.J. Mahaney and return him to the office of President effective immediately. Many people in our churches are rejoicing. Eric and I are not. We disagree with the Board's decision and ask for your prayers for wisdom for how to proceed.

We disagree with the Board because the internal review did not declare C.J. innocent. In fact, the panel assigned to the question of Larry Tomczak's departure found C.J. and the entire Board at the time (including Dave Harvey, Steve Shank, and Brent Detwiler) guilty of "sinful coersion" (p.29).

When cofounder and pastor Larry Tomczak decided to leave the movement in 1997, the Board threatened to reveal details of his child's sins confessed to them in confidence if Larry did not give the "correct" explanation for his departure. The threat was made by multiple Board members over multiple days in multiple phone conversations, some of which were secretly recorded by Tomczak.

But the interim Board (which included Steve Shank and was led by Dave Harvey) declared the sinful coersion to not be disqualifying. Their reasoning is included in the report:
-The Board did not follow through on the threat.
-This was a one-time event, not a pattern of behavior.
-C.J. has confessed and asked forgiveness. (Dave and Steve add their confession in the report: "Dave Harvey and Steve Shank do join their voices to C.J.'s in a public confession of their sin against the Tomczaks, and likewise have pursued the Tomczaks for forgiveness. This interim Board along with C.J., Dave, and Steve want to express our sorrow over the pain and confusion this has caused to others." p.43)
-The external panel commissioned last July said the sin wasn't scandalous and C.J. was still "above reproach."

Eric and I love Sovereign Grace Ministries. We love C.J. and all the people involved. We have given our adult lives to do our little part to build this group of churches. We are not able to express all the ways we've been strengthened and blessed by these dear people.

But this is a decision we do not agree with. It's a significant one, and we need wisdom. How do we honor God now? So we greatly appreciate your prayers! Thanks!