"Regaining Lost Credibility" by C.J. Mahaney in People of Destiny Magazine (July/August 1988)

Sovereign Grace Churches, Inc. was originally called People of Destiny International.  This article on “Regaining Lost Credibility” by C.J. Mahaney was written for the July/August 1988 issue of People of Destiny Magazine.  At the time, the scandals surrounding Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart were national headlines.  The Church lost so much credibility as a result.  I remember the article well.  I was an Associate Editor with C.J.

Over the past six months, I’ve been scanning the magazine issues from 20 years of publishing.  I am half way done.  I hope to make them available to the public.  They tell our history.

The opening paragraph to C.J.’s article reads as follows. 

“The scandalous behavior of prominent preachers this past year has not only embarrassed Christians across the country—it’s caused our credibility to suffer.  Our neighbors, coworkers, and relatives now feel their suspicions confirmed: the Church is irrelevant, egocentric, and lacking in credibility.  Try to share the gospel and scandal inevitably becomes the topic of conversation.  Consequently, we must seek to discover God’s perspective and purpose for such sordid circumstances.”  

In July 2011, I was forced to send out The Documents to 300 pastors in Sovereign Grace Ministries (the name of the ministry at the time) when C.J. sought to deceive the movement about why he was taking a leave of absence as President.  These documents exposed his history of pride, lying, deceit, lording, hypocrisy and independence.  They went viral. 

In October 2013, a lawsuit was filed against C.J., Sovereign Grace Ministries, and others; alleging a conspiracy to commit and coverup the sexual abuse of children.  I’ve written over 80 articles about it the past six years.  The story has gone viral.  Sovereign Grace continues to cover up these atrocities with audacious lies and adamantly refuses to do an independent investigation. 

Once highly vaunted and acclaimed, C.J. and Sovereign Grace have been opposed and humbled by God.  So how does the Church “discover God’s perspective and purpose for such sordid circumstances.”  Listen to C.J.  Here are excerpts from his 1988 article. 

“First, what’s been taking place is not the work of demoniac forces. … Exposure of these scandals is God’s initiative.  ‘For it is a time of judgment to begin with the family of God,’ Peter said.” 

“His name and reputation are at stake. … Consequently, our response is critical.  Without it, God will seek another generation to complete his work.” 

“You don’t have to be a prophet to see that God is enforcing his expectations for righteous living among leaders. … Without integrity we have no credibility.  Without credibility our words are worthless.” 

“Part of the world’s ridicule of our behavior during the past year has not been simply due to uncovered sin, but the lack of discipline in response.” 

The Lord has been exposing the scandals in Sovereign Grace Churches, Inc. and bringing judgment because his name and reputation are at stake.  The work today has no comparison to the work once done through Sovereign Grace Ministries.  It is greatly diminished.  The Lord is using “another generation to complete his work.”  That generation is outside of SGC, Inc. 

Clearly, God has been “enforcing his expectations for righteous living among leaders” starting with C.J.  He and the men around him have no integrity.  They are without credibility.  Their words are worthless. 

The last quote is extremely prophetic!  “Part of the world’s ridicule of our behavior during the past year has not been simply due to uncovered sin, but the lack of discipline in response.”  

Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart were not disciplined.  Neither was C.J.  This brought, and continues to bring, a tremendous loss of credibility in the Church and the eyes of the world.  How can you trust leaders who will not discipline fellow leaders?  You can’t!  

This absence of discipline, especially in the case of national leaders, is the greatest scandal of our time!  Therefore, do as C.J. says, not as he does!