Saturday
Nov162019
My Confrontation of Sam Storms - Will He Ever Stop Teaching in the Sovereign Grace Pastors College or Publicly Speak Out Against C.J. Mahaney?
Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 7:18AM Sam Storms is a well-known evangelical leader in America. You can follow the saga below. You'll noticed there are spacing problems between some lines. I apologize but I can't figured out how to correct in the time available.
From: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2019 5:23 PM
To: Sam Storms s.storms@bridgewaychurch.com
Subject: RE: Recent Blog Articles
Hello Sam,
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
You recently wrote me.
From: Sam Storms
Sent: Friday, October 18, 2019 12:33 PM
To: Brent Detwiler
Subject: RE: Recent Blog Articles
Brent, you made some comments about me in your recent blog article that aren’t entirely accurate. If you will give me your word that my response will remain entirely confidential and not posted in any public manner, I would be happy to bring clarification to what you wrote. Blessings,
Sam Storms
Here is what I wrote about you.
Sunday, October 13, 2019 at 3:26PM
Lastly, Richardson is on the Steering Team for the Arizona chapter of The Gospel Coalition. In February, he did a Revival Conference at his church building in Gilbert with H.B. Charles, Jr. and Sam Storms. Charles and Storms are on the national Council for The Gospel Coalition. They are staunch supporters of C.J. Mahaney and SGC.
That is why H.B. Charles is a featured speaker at the upcoming SGC Pastors Conference and Sam Storms is a guest teacher in the SGC Pastors College. These men have believed the talking points put out by Richardson, Mahaney, Mark Prater, Bob Kauflin, Jeff Purswell, et al. for years.
You are welcome to tell me which comments you think are inaccurate and why. I’d like a clarification but not in exchange for silence. I don’t operate that way. That doesn’t mean I won’t keep your reply confidential, but I never make that kind of commitment up front. I don’t do quid pro quos realizing demands for confidentiality are often used to cover up matters that should be made known.
I would like to address you, however. I’ve been sending you overwhelming evidence of pervasive abuse and corruption in Sovereign Grace Churches, Inc. for over six years. You were on my original list of 77 national leaders.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at 5:38PM
No one should be supporting SGC until they repent, and everyone should be calling for C.J.’s removal from ministry. Instead, you have protected and promoted him and the ministry. That is reprehensible in the sight of God.
Of course, I could resend thousands of pages of careful documentation that illustrate the pervasive pride, abusive leadership and systemic corruption that characterizes C.J. and the top leaders in SGC. For example, the conspiracy to commit and cover up the sexual abuse of children. It is a reality and that is why they refuse to do an independent investigation. Read this article.
Tuesday, February 13, 2018 at 12:42PM
The Lord has strongly opposed C.J. and SGC but you have strongly supported C.J. and SGC. This is evidenced by the fact of your participation in the Pastors College and the way you’ve allowed SGC to market your involvement. For instance, here is the description of the PC as of June 2019 (the website was scrubbed in July and names were removed to conceal identities, departures, etc.).
Sovereign Grace Churches
Pastors College
June 2019
The Sovereign Grace Pastors College is a ten-month, academic program with a very specific purpose: we exist to train pastors.
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16).
The curriculum is rigorous, but necessarily so, because the very foundation of pastoral ministry is the abiding truth of God’s Word. Pastors must be skilled in the teaching and application of Scripture, faithfully bringing it to bear upon their lives and the churches they serve. Without the faithful wielding of God’s Word, there will ultimately be no faithful or effective pastoral ministry.
The teaching faculty includes Jeff Purswell (Dean), C.J. Mahaney, and other Sovereign Grace pastors. A number of our courses are also taught by noted scholars and instructors such as D.A. Carson, Doug Moo, Michael Haykin, Iain Duguid, Sam Storms, John Woodbridge, Stephen Nichols, Ray Van Neste, Stephen Wellum, and Mike Bullmore.
Since pastors are called to be examples to the people they serve, our program is also designed to cultivate godly character. There are weekly fellowship groups where they care for, encourage, and pray for each other. Wives receive specialized training to serve alongside their husbands. Couples spend the year in varied and intentional contexts to help them grow as disciples, as married couples, and as parents. Finally, they experience all of this with an intimate connection to the local church at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville—which is of critical importance. Their training takes specific account of the local church precisely because students are being equipped to serve in a local church context.
So much in this write-up is pure hypocrisy. C.J., Jeff, et al. have not practiced what they preach but they excel at pretending what they preach. For example, they preach accountability and transparency but refuse an independent investigation of their 35-year history of covering up sexual assault and abuse which they categorically deny.
That aside, Jeff is using all of you to not only promote the PC but to promote C.J., his church, and SGC. Even more disturbing to me is the fact that you allowed Mark Prater to promote you.
February 12, 2015 by Jeff Purswell
We are pleased to announce that both D.A. Carson and Sam Storms are scheduled to teach in the Pastors College for the upcoming academic year. Dr. Carson will be doing a special course on the book of Revelation, while Dr. Storms will be teaching Pneumatology, one of our core systematic theology courses.
In addition to speaking at a number of Sovereign Grace conferences over the years, Dr. Carson is a friend of the Pastors College, having taught on The Book of Hebrews in 2011. We are thrilled to have him return as he teaches on Revelation December 15–18, 2015. Known for his voluminous writings, Dr. Carson is currently working on a commentary on Revelation.
Dr. Storms, although new to the Pastors College, is no stranger to Sovereign Grace. We have long benefitted from his writing and ministry. While he is a prolific writer, there are two titles we would like to highlight related to the Pneumatology course he will teach April 26–29, 2016: The Beginner’s Guide to Spiritual Gifts and Are Miraculous Gifts for Today: 4 Views, to which he is a contributor.
In addition to our core courses, each year the college offers special courses that both strengthen our curriculum and provide ongoing training for our existing pastors. We would encourage you to consider bringing your pastoral teams to these important classes.
Registration for these classes will open June 1, 2015. For more information or questions regarding the Pastors College, please contact us.
A Week Learning from Sam Storms
May 4, 2016 by Mark Prater
A wonderful feature of the Sovereign Grace Pastors College is the strategic way scholars are scheduled to teach specific courses that fall into their area of expertise. For example, right before the Christmas break, Dr. D.A. Carson taught the book of Revelation, and in January Dr. Ian Duguid spent a week teaching on the Old Testament Prophets. These courses provide unique opportunities, not only for full-time Pastors College students but also for Sovereign Grace pastors to be equipped in serving their local churches.
Last week I had the joy, along with 12 Pastors College students, and 22 other Sovereign Grace pastors, to be taught pneumatology by Dr. Sam Storms. It was a wonderful week full of theological and practical instruction where Dr. Storms taught on the person, power, and work of the Holy Spirit. Here are a few things I appreciated about last week.
The Course was Taught with Biblical Accuracy
With biblical precision, Dr. Storms taught on the person and broad work of the Holy Spirit. To clearly see the deity of the Holy Spirit from Scripture, and to see the work of the Spirit throughout redemptive history, from Genesis through Revelation, only stirred worship in my heart for our Triune God. Again, and again, Dr. Storms answered good questions from the class by taking us back to Scripture as the basis and proof for his answers.
The Course was Filled with Pastoral Application
Dr. Storms is not just a theologian; he is also a pastor. He currently is the Lead Pastor of Preaching and Vision at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City, OK. His formal theological training, combined with his 30+ years of ministry experience provided instruction filled with pastoral application. Over and over again, Sam answered questions that equipped us to depend upon the work of the Holy Spirit as we seek to care for the people in our churches. This is just one of the things I love about the Sovereign Grace Pastors College: men are equipped academically, and practically, to care for their churches.
The Week was Filled with Rich Fellowship
Like all the courses taught at the Pastors College, the course on pneumatology was taught in a didactic setting in a culture of rich relationships and fellowship. We laughed together, prayed for one another, and shared meals together where we enjoyed friendship and fellowship. I was particularly affected on Thursday when Sam, being led by the Spirit, stopped his teaching and called us to pray for one another. It was a powerful moment where we experienced the work of the Holy Spirit as brothers in Christ. None of this would happen, though, were it not for the intentional leadership of Jeff Purswell to build the Pastors College with the value of rich relationships while pursuing high academic standards.
The Week was a Reminder of why Continuationist Pneumatology is an Important Value for Sovereign Grace Churches
Dr. Storms taught on the person, power and work of the Holy Spirit with a genuine zeal. He is unashamedly a continuationist who depends on the power and work of the Holy Spirit in his life and in caring for others in his church. He earnestly desires the spiritual gifts with even greater fervency even after 30 years of ministry. His teaching and example challenged me to be pursuing the person and work of the Holy Spirit in my life and ministry. And last week was another reminder why being a continuationist is an important theological distinctive and value in Sovereign Grace.
We are people, and a family of churches, who believe the Holy Spirit desires to fill us continually with increased power for Christian life and witness, including the giving of His supernatural gifts for the building up of the church and various works of ministry in the world. May we depend on the power and work of the Holy Spirit even more in the days ahead.
Mark Prater is the Executive Director for Sovereign Grace and serves as an elder at Covenant Fellowship Church. He and his wife, Jill, have three married daughters and a growing number of grandchildren.
On Tuesday you wrote this article on your blog.
October 22, 2019 | By: Sam Storms
I left this comment.
Brent Detwiler | Oct 23, 2019 at 2:31 pm
I appreciate your comments about John MacArthur and Phil Johnson in relation to Beth Moore, but people must realize this is an extremely MILD example of how they treat other believers and doesn’t address their deceitful self-exaltation. The truth about them is far worse.
I’ve written about this at some length. In truth, neither should be in ministry. That may sound outlandish, but it is true. Please read these articles. They are factual in nature and made public only after repeated attempts to address in person.
Blog: BrentDetwiler.com
Of course, I’ve sent you the crucial articles about MacArthur listed above and yet you have been silent about these far more serious issues. Yet, when he insults Beth Moore you write an article. When are you going to cover the real issues with MacArthur? You ask him to apologize to Beth. You should be exhorting him to resign from ministry.
I posted this short article last night.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at 7:25PM
I sent out the articles below regarding John MacArthur and Phil Johnson to over 1,000 leaders, pastors, faculty members, and journalists (e.g., WORLD, CT, the Christian Post) across America. To my knowledge, no one wrote or spoke out about the extremely serious issues I covered in the articles. It appears no one was willing to take on MacArthur and Johnson or support “no name” victims like Paige Rogers and “Jane.”
Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 9:23PM
Wednesday, June 26, 2019 at 8:02PM
However, when Beth Moore is told to “Go home” by MacArthur and called a “narcissist” by Johnson at the Truth Matters conference last week, leaders speak out in her defense. That is fine, but I also find it insipid and opportunistic. Why? Because I have yet to see any of these leaders take on the much more serious issues of sin with MacArthur, Johnson and the entire ministry, or publicly defend victims with no celebrity who have been profoundly harmed by their abusive leadership or call for MacArthur’s and Johnson’s removal from ministry for extraordinary deceit and arrogance.
It is a double standard. One for Beth, another for Paige and “Jane.” Beth is on the receiving end of minor insults. These other women (and men) are on the receiving end of major abuse. Justice, charity and impartiality demand we speak up for those without a voice or connections to the powerful. A story about Beth will sell or light up a blog. An article exposing the underbelly of MacArthur’s operation could bring a lawsuit and an onslaught of unrelenting slander from his henchman. We must speak for those who have no voice. For those who do not benefit us.
Of course, it is not Beth’s fault that evangelical leaders are defending her against insults. But Beth is at fault if she doesn’t use her “bully pulpit” to expose MacArthur and Johnson for their lying, deceit, arrogance, hypocrisy, corruption and abusive leadership at The Masters University & Seminary, Grace to You, and Grace Community Church. These are not empty charges. They are proven in the articles above. She and everyone else must speak out!
Therefore, I was not encouraged by this tweet today if she is suggesting we must move on from the substantive issues. No, we must confront evil and that is not too strong a word to use in this context.
Hey, y’all. Let’s cool it on the slander toward JMac et al. Doesn’t honor God. Let’s move on.
8:37 AM · Oct 23, 2019
Replying to @BethMooreLPM
There is no need for slander (untruths told with evil intent) but there is a great need to expose the abuse, deceit & corruption that is so great with John MacArthur, Phil Johnson, et al. Honestly, they do not qualify for ministry according to the standards of Scripture.
2:09 PM · Oct 23, 2019
The articles above document the wide array of issues. You can also watch or listen to this podcast.
Friday, September 27, 2019 at 3:33PM
It is the height of hypocrisy for MacArthur and Johnson to do a conference on “Truth Matters” when they have flagrantly disregarded the truth they have taught. And it is uproarious for Johnson to called Beth a narcissist when he is the consummate definition of the word. These men have lost a grip on reality because of their pride. It has deceived them.
I genuinely pray leaders across America will finally began to address John MacArthur and Phil Johnson as Scripture commands. For example, will Ligonier Ministries uphold the holiness of God and disinvite MacArthur from preaching at their national conference? Or will they enable him by allowing it to stand? This habit of covering up for one another that was so apparent with C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Graces Church, Inc. must be broken. After the preaching of the gospel, there is no higher priority than seeing integrity restored to the ministry. I hope Beth Moore and countless others hold MacArthur and Johnson accountable to Scripture for the glory of God and the good of his people.
I don’t know why you have compromised your soul, but I appeal to you to repent. So many leaders across the nation have been deceived by the talking points put out by C.J., Jeff, Mark, Bob, et al. and refused to study the evidence. Thankfully, many of them have come to see their folly like Al Mohler. C.J. totally duped his dear friend because Mohler refused to study the evidence, talk to me, or engage the victims. Here’s a relevant excerpt from his public statement.
Statement from R. Albert Mohler Jr. on Sovereign Grace Churches
R. Albert Mohler, Jr. — February 15, 2019
As many are aware, I have recently apologized and asked forgiveness for serious errors I made in how I responded to concerns that were raised about Sovereign Grace Churches and CJ Mahaney.
In 2013 I was part of a statement supportive of CJ and dismissive of the allegations and concerns raised regarding SGC’s handling of sexual and domestic abuse claims. This was motivated by several factors. At the time the allegations surfaced, I did request that CJ and the ministry participate in an independent investigation, and I was pointed to the investigation that Covenant Life Church had commissioned. I did not realize until this past year that SGC and its leaders had not participated in that investigation, nor was I equipped to know the shortcomings of how that investigation was conducted. I wrongly believed that an investigation had been done and relied on that assurance and the court dismissal of the civil suit, along with my personal knowledge of CJ, when I issued my statement of support in 2013. I deeply regret this. I frankly was not equipped to sift through the allegations and did not grasp the situation, and I am responsible for that and for not seeking the counsel of those who were. …
When this issue resurfaced a year ago, I was made painfully aware of my serious mistakes. I immediately urged that an independent investigation be conducted and agreed that CJ needed to step down from public ministry until that took place. This resulted in a severing of all personal and ministry ties, and I have had no relationship with CJ or SGC since that time.
To conclude. When are you going to repent? When are you going to publicly confess? When are you going to sever ties? When are you going to call for C.J.’s resignation? I’m glad to talk about inaccuracies but that should not be your focus or main concern. Far from it.
I’d love to hear where you think I’ve been inaccurate but more significantly, I’d like to know why you continue to publicly support C.J. and when that will end. You should follow Mohler’s example. It is morally reprehensible to support and promote SGC given the gravity and longstanding nature of sins that characterized their leaders. Just recently, seven more churches left because of the abusive leadership and the refusal to do an independent investigation. When are you leaving (so to speak)? It is long overdue.
Lastly, I know how C.J., Jeff, Gary, et al. use the PC to recruit national leaders. You may remember I founded the PC, recruited Jeff, turned it over to him, and was the principal teacher for many years. The profuse encouragement (flattery), the adulation of students, the hefty honoraria, the gifts and gift baskets, the nice meals, the hotel accommodations, etc. are used to “love bomb” guest teachers and win their favor. It leaves them in their debt and makes for a fun, easy, and lucrative week.
This excerpt about Guest Teachers comes from an article written by an outsider to SGM in 2006. I can’t imagine the honoraria they pay you now.
An Overview of the Pastors’ College
Sovereign Grace Ministries, Gaithersburg, Maryland
David Jones
My wife and I had the pleasure of visiting our Christian brothers and sisters at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Jan 27-28, 2006. Despite busy schedules, they were gracious and hospitable, granting us interviews with all of the key leaders of their pastoral training program, including Jeff Purswell (the dean), Gary Ricucci (pastor of student life), Evelyn Hutchinson (administrative assistant) and Tommy Hill (finance). They gave us access to whatever information we thought might be helpful to us, which proved to be a goldmine. …
Guest Teachers. The PC schedules guest lecturers far in advance. Schedules often change, and so they remain flexible. Honoraria range from $2000 to 2500 for professors of Wayne Grudem’s caliber, including all expenses paid. Keeping in mind that it compensates them for about 20 hours of teaching, it works out to about $100 per hour. Visiting pastors from Sovereign Grace churches get $1000 – 1200, since the church is already paying them a salary. The one except to this is pastors who are employed by Sovereign Grace are not compensated above their normal salary, since teaching in the college is considered one of their normal responsibilities. Paying the teachers accounts for one of the biggest slices of the budget—about $26,000 per year. They really take care of these guys, putting them up in a nice hotel with a gift basket in their room. They send flowers to the wife (the wives do not normally come). If the wife comes, the visiting professor will generally pay for her ticket himself. The instructor will fly in Monday night, teach all day Tues, Wed, Thurs and half the day on Friday. They will usually take him out to nice dinner and a ballgame at Camden Yards one evening, or for some sightseeing in DC. He will then fly home Friday afternoon. They do not usually provide a rental car, but rather have students shuttle the professor back and forth from the school to the hotel, which is about two miles away. The students have name placards on their desks, so the visiting professors can get to know them more quickly.
Sam, it is time to stop writing superficial articles about John MacArthur and it is time to stop supporting C.J. Mahaney. I hope you will repent like Mohler and begin to speak out with clarity, courage and conviction.
I’d love to hear back from you but not in exchange for silence.
Grace, mercy and peace in our Lord Jesus.
Brent
##
I hoped my thoughtful response would bring some measure of conviction upon Sam’s heart. That did not occur. He was only interested in sharing his thoughts about “several inaccuracies.” He was not interested in self-examination or responding to my reproofs or answering questions like the one about his honorarium amount for teaching in the Pastors College.
From: Sam Storms
Date: October 25, 2019 at 11:13:03 AM EDT
To: Brent Detwiler
Subject: RE: Recent Blog Articles
As I said, I’d be happy to share my thoughts with you about several inaccuracies, but only on the agreement of complete confidentiality.
From: Brent Detwiler
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2019 10:15 AM
To: Sam Storms
Subject: RE: Recent Blog Articles
That’s your choice. No thank you.
From: Sam Storms
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2019 11:38 AM
To: Brent Detwiler
Subject: RE: Recent Blog Articles
And that’s your choice. Blessings.
End of discussion.
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