Here is the biography for Tyson Ziegler. He is on C.J. Mahaney’s staff.
Tyson Ziegler
Tyson serves Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville bi-vocationally through the counseling and discipleship ministries. After serving as a pastor in Northern Kentucky for four years, he moved to Louisville in 2015 to pursue his MDiv. He graduated from the Pastors College in 2016 and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2017, and he was ordained as a pastor in 2018.
Tyson and Debbie have four children.
I send my articles to the pastors in Sovereign Grace Churches. That includes the recent ones about Shannon Harris. Tyson responded to me. The email trail follows. I don’t think additional comments are necessary except by way of introduction.
First, I was dismayed by his ridicule. This kind of thing has been going on for a long time. They love to discredit the messenger but never respond to the message (i.e., evidence). Nothing has changed.
Second, I was stunned C.J. put him in charge of counseling and discipling. Tyson does not know how to shepherd his own heart.
Third, he is a graduate of Jeff Purswell’s Pastors College where they love to extol their focus on character formation. It’s what sets them apart from seminaries. But such is only a proud and empty boast.
We do have a distinct life and doctrine focus. … Every aspect of the Pastors College is designed to cultivate one or both of those priorities. Watch your life and watch your doctrine. Both are imperative. … So, I think all of those things together make the Pastors College a qualitatively different experience from a seminary.
Fourth, these are the kind of men C.J. has chosen to surround himself with. They are all compromised. There is no one who will hold him to the standard of God’s Word and vice versa.
From: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
Date: Fri, Jul 26, 2024 at 4:43 PM
Subject: Re: Article About My Sympathetic-Unsympathetic Response to Shannon Harris Brings Strong Reaction from Feminists, Humanists, Apostates, & False Teachers
To: Tyson Ziegler tziegler@sgclouisville.org
Article About My Sympathetic-Unsympathetic Response to Shannon Harris Brings Strong Reaction from Feminists, Humanists, Apostates, & False Teachers
Friday, July 26, 2024 at 11:27AM
From: Tyson Ziegler tziegler@sgclouisville.org
Date: Sat, Jul 26, 2024 at 9:28 PM
Subject: Re: Article About My Sympathetic-Unsympathetic Response to Shannon Harris
Brings Strong Reaction from Feminists, Humanists, Apostates, & False Teachers
To: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
Take me off your mailing list. I never requested being added, and I’m pretty sure it’s illegal for you to continue sending me emails I never requested.
Tyson Ziegler | Pastor
Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville | sgclouisville.org
From: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
Date: Sat, Jul 27, 2024 at 3:35 PM
Subject: Re: Article About My Sympathetic-Unsympathetic Response to Shannon Harris Brings Strong Reaction from Feminists, Humanists, Apostates, & False Teachers
To: Tyson Ziegler tziegler@sgclouisville.org
It is not illegal in any sense for me to send emails to you that contain evidence of crimes and unethical behavior by C.J. since you work for him and are friends with him. The same is true of Gary, Bob, and Jeff.
For example, the one I’ve already sent you. How can it not break your heart? If C.J. had any humility or integrity he would return to CLC [Covenant Life Church] and ask forgiveness of them and also the thousands of other people he has stumbled at large with his grievous hypocrisy.
My Sympathetic-Unsympathetic Response to Shannon Harris’s Book, The Woman They Wanted
Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 1:19PM
It is staggering that you strain out gnats while you swallow camels but that is the nature of leaders who remain in SGC. If you spoke the truth to C.J., et al., and took a stand for righteousness sake, you would be fired.
Instead, you have chosen to compromise your soul for the sake of ease and comfort. I will continue to email you in hope the Holy Spirit will move upon your heart and lead you to repentance in His kindness.
From: Tyson Ziegler tziegler@sgclouisville.org
Date: Sat, Jul 27, 2024 at 6:42 PM
Subject: Re: Article About My Sympathetic-Unsympathetic Response to Shannon Harris
Brings Strong Reaction from Feminists, Humanists, Apostates, & False Teachers
To: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
Seems like the right thing to do would be to stop for two reasons:
I’ve asked you to. I shouldn’t need to do anything else.
Secondly, since I’ve chosen to compromise as you put it, I obviously don’t have ears to hear what you are saying. You’re only casting pearls before swine. So, it seems the Master [Jesus Christ] would be encouraging you to shake the dust off and move along.
But you probably know more than He did. People who are wise in their own eyes usually do, and so you will continue wasting your time...and mine.
Tyson Ziegler | Pastor
Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville | sgclouisville.org
From: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
Date: Tue, Jul 30, 2024 at 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: Article About My Sympathetic-Unsympathetic Response to Shannon Harris Brings Strong Reaction from Feminists, Humanists, Apostates, & False Teachers
To: Tyson Ziegler tziegler@sgclouisville.org
Dear Tyson,
There are many passages in Proverbs that talk about mockers and scoffers rejecting correction (e.g., 9:7-9). The book also talks about those who listen to life-giving reproof and abide among the wise (e.g., 15:31-32). How we respond to correction reveals our hearts according to Proverbs.
Titus 1:7 says, “For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant.” Your prideful taunt is reproachful like that of the scoffer in Proverbs. Yet, you are the pastor of counseling and discipleship in the church.
Moreover, there are extremely serious issues in C.J.’s life that you and the other pastors have not been willing to confront. Instead, you have covered up for him and others like Gary against whom three victims of sexual abuse have independently testified.
Gary Ricucci & the Conspiracy Surrounding Convicted Felon, David Adams
Friday, August 2, 2013 at 8:11PM
As a result, leaders across the nation, who were friends, were forced to sever ties with C.J., Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville, and Sovereign Grace Churches. Still you persist in your pride. No one has ever confessed to any sin since The Documents were sent out in July 2011 and the 46-page lawsuit came out in May 2013. And that is only a small portion of the evidence. Instead, the devil has been blamed for attacking C.J. like he was righteous Job.
But far more importantly, you have loss the favor of God. That is so lamentable. I remember well the days when His powerful presence overwhelmed us and filled us and the gifts of the Holy Spirit flowed through us. Jesus was our first love. No more.
Now His opposition is evident throughout North America. For example, in the loss of pastoral zeal, the immorality of leaders, the cessation of the Spirit’s gifts and power, sermons that are read not preached, the lack of evangelism, the weakened commitment of church members, the absence of church planters and church planting teams, the low enrollment in the Pastors College, the $406,403 decrease in contributions in 2023-2024, and the increase of only two churches over the past eight years.
Moreover, Sovereign Grace Churches is no longer a family of churches. I remember the former days with fondness. Today, it is an institution. There is no comparison to the past. One only needs to read our Ministry Magazine which documents our relational history from 1983 to 2003. Tragically, SGC is dead by comparison.
This has been painful to watch but it is due to the pride you exemplify.
“So, it seems the Master would be encouraging you to shake the dust off and move along. But you probably know more than He did. People who are wise in their own eyes usually do, and so you will continue wasting your time...and mine.”
Of course, this same attitude has been modeled for you by C.J. and the men on staff. They are the ones who picked you, discipled you, and ordained you. You are a reflection of them. It is, therefore, the height of hypocrisy for all of you to make this claim on the website.
Left to right: Tyson Ziegler, Steve Whitacre (son-in-law), Brian Chesmore (son-in-law), Gary Ricucci (brother-in-law), Jeff Purswell, Chad Hester, C.J. Mahaney, Bob Kauflin
Christ has set the standard as the definitive Shepherd, the One who leads with truth and grace, justice and love. Therefore, pastors must possess high moral character and live lives that commend the gospel and serve as a model for others. Through their example and teaching, they lead the church in its mission to proclaim the gospel and extend the Lord’s compassionate heart to love for and care for his people.
You do not possess what you claim to possess. You have been wolves, not shepherds, to the thousands of Christ’s sheep you have injured and scattered. Nevertheless, I hope in the Providence of God you will read the article again, be pricked in your heart, weep over your sins, and make amends to the glory of God. In doing so, you will be a true shepherd, not a false shepherd, for “the One who leads with truth and grace, justice and love.”
My Sympathetic-Unsympathetic Response to Shannon Harris’s Book, The Woman They Wanted
Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 1:19PM
From: Tyson Ziegler tziegler@sgclouisville.org
Date: Tue, Jul 30, 2024 at 3:41 PM
Subject: Re: Article About My Sympathetic-Unsympathetic Response to Shannon Harris Brings Strong Reaction from Feminists, Humanists, Apostates, & False Teachers
To: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
It’s as I said…you know better. More pearls…
Tyson Ziegler | Pastor
Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville | sgclouisville.org
I let him have the final word.