For the last three years, I have documented in 2,500 pages of evidence the deceit of C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries over the last nine years. It continues unabated. The information in the following email comes from SGM pastors that talked directly to SGM Board Members. The letter I reference regarding C.J.’s resignation was slotted to go out this past Friday, March 1. The Board held off on its release since hearing from me. I received no reply.
From: Brent Detwiler
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 10:40 AM
To: Al Pino; Craig Cabaniss; Ian McConnell; John Loftness; Ken Mellinger; Mickey Connolly; Paul Buckley; Phil Sasser; Ron Boomsma
Cc: C. J. Mahaney
Subject: C.J.’s Resignation
Importance: High
When will the lying stop? The letter you wrote the SGM pastors about John Loftness’ resignation was not truthful and now you are doing the same with the letter regarding C.J.’s upcoming resignation. You need to stop dead in your tracks and start over! This time write an honest letter.
The only reason C.J. is resigning is because you asked him to resign. He was not happy about your decision but decided not to fight it. You should also make clear the Board was divided over his removal and spell out who was in favor and who was opposed (e.g., Mickey, Ken). The pastors in SGM deserve to know how each Board Member voted on something of such significance.
Even more importantly, you need to be transparent about the reasons for removing C.J. from the Leadership Team and as President of SGM – that is, the widespread loss of trust and erosion of confidence in him. For the sake of Christ, don’t spin the explanation and try to make C.J. look good by deceitful means. Please don’t manipulate the truth again. Every time you do so, you do not save face, you lose face because the Lord exposes you (e.g. the announcement regarding the relocation to Louisville [Apr. 19, 2012], the announcement regarding C.J.’s as President [Jun. 28, 2012], the use of Philippians 2:1 [Sept. 12, 2012]; the “reasoned response to six questions” [Sept. 14, 2012]).
Furthermore, you know C.J. and John are in real trouble over the lawsuit. On January 11, you told everyone you were “carefully reviewing each allegation…working diligently in an effort to learn the truth.” You’ve done your investigation. You realize both of them are culpable. Just be honest. Tell the pastors you are concerned for how they handled the victims and protected sexual predators and that is one of the reasons you think it is necessary to remove C.J. from all leadership in SGM.
Moreover, let the pastors know what you are really doing big picture. Why conceal it? You are cleaning house because few pastors trust C.J., Dave Harvey, John Loftness, Mickey Connolly, etc. al, any longer! If you shoot straight for a change the pastors that remain might actually begin to trust you more. Just tell them you are removing the old guard so they can be replaced by a new guard. Tell them you are trying to stop the bleeding for ethical and practical reasons before SGM hemorrhages’ to death.
You’ve got 48 hours to turn the ship around and head to safe haven with truth and transparency. If you don’t the ship will continue to sink as it takes on more water during yet another violent storm the Lord sends upon you for your duplicity. Please don’t attempt to conceal what the Lord will certainly reveal. You must stop destroying the Body of Christ with your lies, cover-up and disinformation. Please be HONEST regarding C.J.’s removal for the glory of God, the good of the gospel and the well-being of God’s people.
Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
I also wrote Craig Cabaniss this week about the reasons for his resignation from the Board of Directors. I’ve heard nothing.
From: Brent Detwiler
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 2:52 PM
To: Craig Cabaniss
Subject: Please Speak Up
Hello Craig,
Would you please speak up and speak out?
The announcement regarding your resignation from the Board gave but one reason. It purposely misled people. “Craig and the elders of Grace Church Frisco believe that it is wise for him to resign so he can give more of his time to support their local church, and we support that decision” (Board Update Regarding Craig Cabaniss, Feb 19, 2013).
It is just like the relocation announcement. The Board gave secondary reasons and left out the primary reasons. SGM relocated to Louisville because C.J. was terribly offended at CLC/pastors and Joshua’s head was on the chopping block. He was no longer acceptable. He was cut off by C.J. as his replacement. If Joshua was still in good favor, SGM would still be in Gaithersburg. Joshua would not have moved SGM to Louisville.
I know why you resigned from the Board. It is far more than the singular reason above. You must speak up about these things. The pastors and people of SGM need someone to be honest with them.
Sincerely,
Brent
These are the SGM Board of Directors until recently.
Every pastor and church member in SGM should contact each Board member and ask open, honest and written responses to the following six questions.
You can also contact each member of the Leadership Team and ask for answers to these questions.
I wrote this 15 months ago. It still holds true.
Trust – The One Thing that Changes Everything
Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 8:04 AM
Brent Detwiler
“There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team, family, organization, nation, economy and civilization throughout the world – one thing which, if removed, will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the most thriving economy, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship, the strongest character, the deepest love…. That one thing is trust.”[1]
The SGM Board and its agents have caused ruination like a F5 tornado. They’ve destroyed trust every time they withheld information, distorted facts, refused to answer hard questions, broke promises, applied a double standard, showed favoritism, put their own interests first, spun the truth, or acted deceitfully. That is the story of the last two years.
Sovereign Grace Ministries enjoyed the trust of many fine people for the longest time. That is no longer true. Today there is a crisis of confidence. Rightly so! Trust has been lost and it will be hard to regain unless genuine transparency, honesty, consistency, competency and accountability are recovered at all levels of leadership. This recovery of trust must be made the highest priority throughout the organization and in all the churches. The deceit, hypocrisy and abuse of Sovereign Grace Ministries have left a swath of destruction in its wake. There is a ton of debris to be cleaned up before rebuilding can begin.
The ethical demise of Sovereign Grace Ministries has been my main concern from the beginning as demonstrated in these two posts.
The Ethical Demise of Sovereign Grace Ministries (Part 1)
Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 4:50 PM
Brent Detwiler
The Ethical Demise of Sovereign Grace Ministries (Part 2)
Friday, August 17, 2012 at 9:02 AM
Brent Detwiler
Nothing Sovereign Grace leaders say or do can be trusted. They have proven themselves untrustworthy time and again. There is no firm commitment to honesty by the current Board. There was none by the previous Board. The ends have justified the means for a long time. That is the reality. Covering up the requests and reasons for C.J.’s and John’s resignation comes as no surprise. Here’s what would surprise me – if they told us the whole truth and nothing but the truth for a change.
[1] Covey, Stephen M.R. The Speed of Trust – The One Thing That Changes Everything. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2006.