For those inside and outside of Calvary Temple, the last couple of days have been tumultuous. I can imagine the emotions that those in CT are all experiencing. But I hope you have questions. I remember years ago during the big split of the 1980s, I kept saying "is there anything to this? are the rumors true?" There were stories of pastoral sexual abuse, mismanagement of funds, and cover-ups of sinful actions. Even though well-respected friends and leaders left, I stayed. Had my family and I left, we would have been saved much heartache and would still be together.
My purpose in writing this letter is to encourage you to pay attention to what you are hearing. Not only did the abuse happen to children in the church (either by their family or other church members), it was covered up by the leadership of Calvary Temple. People in positions of authority should have protected the children, instead they betrayed them. Children told their stories and were not heard.
In addition to the abusive situations, the sin of families being divided is heartbreaking. This ought not to be. Those of you with children, God has given them to you to raise. Do not allow others to make decisions for you concerning your children. Leave now before they are deemed unsaved, rebellious, or reprobate. You will lose them and give up your God-given right to sow into their lives. If you have older children or teenagers, please leave before they are married - it will be that much more impossible to leave when you know you will lose your children and grandchildren. Please, I would urge you to leave now while you can. Calvary Temple is being judged; by the community, the authorities, and most importantly, by God. Husbands and fathers, please protect your family and insist that you all leave right now. Reunite with family members and other Christians.
We are not your enemy. This battle is not about hatred for a man or a group of people. We only want to see you free. If you leave and never talk to any of us, that's fine. But if you need someone, you know who you can call.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Loudoun Times Mirror Article
The article posted today in the Loudoun Times Mirror is heart wrenching. As the days pass, I fear we will learn of others that have been harmed by the appalling and heinous acts of Calvary Temple. People are speaking out and standing against the false representation of the Church of Jesus Christ. Calvary Temple is not what Christians do or say - this is a group of people that have put a man on the throne rather than Jesus. The members have spent years covering their own sin, their pastor's sin and even more than covering it, they paint it to look like they are special, elite and doing good. They are not. They are bringing a reproach to the church and lifelong hurt to many.
Please read the article in addition to a comment on Against Calvary Temple.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Hatred or Love?
It has been long said by Calvary Temple leadership that all who have left Calvary Temple have been lying about Star Scott. Mr Scott has said many times from the pulpit that he is being falsely accused and lied about. My question is: Why would we go around telling lies about Star Scott and in the process give up relationship with all who are dear to us? What's in it for us? Would it be worth it to tell outright lies about someone and have it result in losing our children, parents, brother, sister, friend? Why would we do that??? Mr Scott says it is because we hate him, that we want him to lose his ministry, and that we want to destroy him. I do not know of any one of us that have left Calvary Temple willing to lose their loved ones out of hatred for Mr Scott.
I remember Mr Scott repeatedly telling us, the congregation, that if we did not agree with the doctrine being taught or the direction of the ministry, we should leave. Very simply, your "ability to vote" is done with your feet. So throughout the years, some left. IMMEDIATELY they were cut off from friends and family. Many of us endured weeks, months and years of being shunned. Some began to speak out. Suddenly the "reason" they are being shunned is because they are "reaching in" or causing division. Except that the shunning started long before any words were spoken.
Some who decided to leave wanted to do so quietly with no long meetings about the reasons they were leaving. Leadership, however, INSISTS that you attend meeting after meeting as to why you want to leave. (Mr Scott then sadly and tiredly informs the congregation of the "many hours" spent in counsel). They now have all the ammunition they need to shoot you from the pulpit. You are "too big for your britches". You are prideful and a "know it all", thinking you know more than the combined knowledge of the leadership. You are lost, cursed, or evil. You become swiftly aware that it is much better to keep your mouth shut and leave without a word. Which brings us back to the scenario of the previous paragraph, you will be completely cut off until you give them a reason to "mark" you. There is no good way to leave Calvary Temple. One way or another, you will lose your loved ones.
Once you have left, any word spoken that questions Calvary Temple and its doctrine will result in you being labeled "bitter" or "divisive". Imagine each morning when you walk out your front door, the neighbor punches you in the face. At first, you want to turn the other cheek, show them love and forgiveness. So for a while you endure the punch in the face. Finally one day, you have had enough and you turn and punch your neighbor in response to his daily greeting. Your neighbor jumps up, points his finger at you in derision, and shouts "you are bitter! you are unforgiving!". Darned if you do and darned if you don't.
I know that there are many people in Calvary Temple that grieve over the loss of relationships with their loved ones. I was part of a situation in which beloved family members had not been spoken to for year after year after year. There were many tears and much heartache over the losses. But it didn't have to be. Why do we think that in order to be in unity, we must agree with every single word that comes from the mouth of the pastor? Some in the Catholic church may believe that the pope is infallible but no other true Christian church believes their pastor is infallible. I know Mr. Scott has made jokes about "full disclosure, I am not the pope, I am not infallible." Everyone laughs - except IN PRACTICE, that is exactly how Mr Scott is being treated and expects to be treated.
When I was in Calvary Temple, only a few ex-Ct'ers tried to speak to me and tell me the truth. They knew of the sins done by the pastor many years before in California, the sins repeated here in Virginia, and the years of lies told to cover the sins. They tried to tell me the truth and I REFUSED to hear it. I said "Pastor Scott has told us none of this is true and I believe him". One other told me of the financial transgressions. I refused to believe him. But these were the only two who contacted me and told me these truths. I wish more had spoken out. Perhaps in the abundance of knowledge, I would have heard the truth. Perhaps it would have saved me and my family years of heartache and perhaps we would now all be together. And yet, many that know the truth remain silent out of fear, selfishness, or a misunderstanding of the scriptures.
Mr Scott recently said "even if what they say is true.....". That one statement should cause all in Calvary Temple grave concern. For years he insisted none of it was true. And now he says "even if". He has admitted several times in recent months that what has been said is indeed true. So why did he lie and cover these things? And condemn those who left CT because they did not believe he is eligible to be a pastor? (or at the very least, not someone they want over them and their family). He lied because he knew if it had been known (especially the years when CT was connected to the Assemblies of God) he would be removed from his position as pastor. (Does this make you wonder about the real reason CT broke off from the A of G?).
As mentioned in previous posts, it has been a very difficult thing to speak out against the wrongs perpetrated by CT leadership. I have spent many hours searching scriptures and my own heart. I have a grave concern that I stand before the Lord and be found guilty of hatred or bearing false witness. But I always come back to the strong belief that we must stand up for the innocent and proclaim the truth of God's word. At the risk of losing family and friends, many have chosen to speak the truth; praying and believing for blind eyes to be opened.
I will be the first to admit that my primary concern is for my loved ones. But everyone I talk with also has great concern for Mr Scott. We do not hate him. God loves him just as He loves our families and friends. We have all experienced the pain of someone bringing the truth to us about our sin. It doesn't always feel like love. Mr Scott calls it hatred. But God tells us otherwise.
Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous but grievous: nevertheless it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing (correcting) those that oppose themselves; if God perhaps will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
2 Thess 3:15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
1 Timothy 5:20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Proverbs 10:17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
Jer 23:11 An appalling and horrible thing has happened....the prophets prophesy falsely, and rule on their own authority, and my people love it so!
I remember Mr Scott repeatedly telling us, the congregation, that if we did not agree with the doctrine being taught or the direction of the ministry, we should leave. Very simply, your "ability to vote" is done with your feet. So throughout the years, some left. IMMEDIATELY they were cut off from friends and family. Many of us endured weeks, months and years of being shunned. Some began to speak out. Suddenly the "reason" they are being shunned is because they are "reaching in" or causing division. Except that the shunning started long before any words were spoken.
Some who decided to leave wanted to do so quietly with no long meetings about the reasons they were leaving. Leadership, however, INSISTS that you attend meeting after meeting as to why you want to leave. (Mr Scott then sadly and tiredly informs the congregation of the "many hours" spent in counsel). They now have all the ammunition they need to shoot you from the pulpit. You are "too big for your britches". You are prideful and a "know it all", thinking you know more than the combined knowledge of the leadership. You are lost, cursed, or evil. You become swiftly aware that it is much better to keep your mouth shut and leave without a word. Which brings us back to the scenario of the previous paragraph, you will be completely cut off until you give them a reason to "mark" you. There is no good way to leave Calvary Temple. One way or another, you will lose your loved ones.
Once you have left, any word spoken that questions Calvary Temple and its doctrine will result in you being labeled "bitter" or "divisive". Imagine each morning when you walk out your front door, the neighbor punches you in the face. At first, you want to turn the other cheek, show them love and forgiveness. So for a while you endure the punch in the face. Finally one day, you have had enough and you turn and punch your neighbor in response to his daily greeting. Your neighbor jumps up, points his finger at you in derision, and shouts "you are bitter! you are unforgiving!". Darned if you do and darned if you don't.
I know that there are many people in Calvary Temple that grieve over the loss of relationships with their loved ones. I was part of a situation in which beloved family members had not been spoken to for year after year after year. There were many tears and much heartache over the losses. But it didn't have to be. Why do we think that in order to be in unity, we must agree with every single word that comes from the mouth of the pastor? Some in the Catholic church may believe that the pope is infallible but no other true Christian church believes their pastor is infallible. I know Mr. Scott has made jokes about "full disclosure, I am not the pope, I am not infallible." Everyone laughs - except IN PRACTICE, that is exactly how Mr Scott is being treated and expects to be treated.
When I was in Calvary Temple, only a few ex-Ct'ers tried to speak to me and tell me the truth. They knew of the sins done by the pastor many years before in California, the sins repeated here in Virginia, and the years of lies told to cover the sins. They tried to tell me the truth and I REFUSED to hear it. I said "Pastor Scott has told us none of this is true and I believe him". One other told me of the financial transgressions. I refused to believe him. But these were the only two who contacted me and told me these truths. I wish more had spoken out. Perhaps in the abundance of knowledge, I would have heard the truth. Perhaps it would have saved me and my family years of heartache and perhaps we would now all be together. And yet, many that know the truth remain silent out of fear, selfishness, or a misunderstanding of the scriptures.
Mr Scott recently said "even if what they say is true.....". That one statement should cause all in Calvary Temple grave concern. For years he insisted none of it was true. And now he says "even if". He has admitted several times in recent months that what has been said is indeed true. So why did he lie and cover these things? And condemn those who left CT because they did not believe he is eligible to be a pastor? (or at the very least, not someone they want over them and their family). He lied because he knew if it had been known (especially the years when CT was connected to the Assemblies of God) he would be removed from his position as pastor. (Does this make you wonder about the real reason CT broke off from the A of G?).
As mentioned in previous posts, it has been a very difficult thing to speak out against the wrongs perpetrated by CT leadership. I have spent many hours searching scriptures and my own heart. I have a grave concern that I stand before the Lord and be found guilty of hatred or bearing false witness. But I always come back to the strong belief that we must stand up for the innocent and proclaim the truth of God's word. At the risk of losing family and friends, many have chosen to speak the truth; praying and believing for blind eyes to be opened.
I will be the first to admit that my primary concern is for my loved ones. But everyone I talk with also has great concern for Mr Scott. We do not hate him. God loves him just as He loves our families and friends. We have all experienced the pain of someone bringing the truth to us about our sin. It doesn't always feel like love. Mr Scott calls it hatred. But God tells us otherwise.
Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous but grievous: nevertheless it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing (correcting) those that oppose themselves; if God perhaps will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
2 Thess 3:15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
1 Timothy 5:20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Proverbs 10:17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
Jer 23:11 An appalling and horrible thing has happened....the prophets prophesy falsely, and rule on their own authority, and my people love it so!
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