Hidden in Plain Sight

One of the dangers of the closed leadership of Calvary Temple is the ability to further close ranks if necessary.  If the pastor decides an incident must be dealt with in-house, the cover-up begins.  In fact, there have been multiple incidents of physical and even sexual abuse that have been hidden by the leadership. The machinery is set in place to quickly sweep things under the rug and move forward as though nothing happened.  You will hear whispers about the incident but it is entirely possible for the average church member to be unaware of true events.  If you are listening between the lines, you may hear something from the pulpit that alludes to the recent occurrence.  But Calvary teaches and trains its members to remain oblivious to or silent about sin if it is thought that leadership is handling it.

The leadership's ability to control information is so firmly in place that abuse can happen right under your nose and all you hear are what the pastors want you to hear.  "We are dealing with it".  "[Name] is on visitor status.  Don't go and talk with him/her, we are handling it." " [Name] is under discipline."  Everyone knows to have nothing to do with that person and especially not to ask any questions.  Only problem is, that person beat a kid until he/she was black and blue and emotionally damaged, but we are told to let leadership handle it. Or that person sexually assaulted children for years and we are told all is forgiven. There are no real consequences for the perpetrator.

Some actions are illegal and should not be handled in-house.  They should be reported to the police. And no one should prevent that from happening.  Titus 3:1 admonishes us to be subject to government authorities. Romans 13:3 tell us rulers hold no terror for those who do right but for those who do wrong. We all understand that we do not obey the authorities if we are asked to go against the word of God.  But breaking of God's law and the law of the land are to be turned over to the authorities.  It is not the pastor's prerogative to allow abusers to escape legal consequences.

Many years ago there was an incident that took place by a deacon against a young girl. Back when it happened, I remember hearing rumors of sexual abuse.  I knew the young girl had reported a crime against her and I knew leadership was in extreme cover-up mode.  Soon we began to hear comments being made - a whisper campaign -  about the veracity of this very young girl. The deacon was being portrayed as a victim and the young girl was portrayed as a "story teller".  But extensive studies show that children almost never make up stories of abuse and, if anything, tend to underreport what actually happened to them. Family pressure is effective in getting children to recant their story even when there is actual visual and physical evidence of abuse.

In one situation in Calvary Temple, arrangements were made, by the encouragement of leadership, to rearrange work schedules to prevent the perpetrator from being around young girls.  He was seen as a threat to the safety of a young woman and yet his reputation is untarnished.  He was accused on more than one occasion of abuse.  And yet he walks free without ever having to face his accusers in a court of law.  The victims continue to carry the burden of severe spiritual, emotional, psychological, and physical abuse.

I was recently made aware of a Calvary Temple woman saying to someone outside of CT  "I never saw anything".  May I ask her "what did you expect to see?".  Did you think abuse would take place in your sight?  No, these things are kept under cover.  But let me ask you this:  Have you seen children put out of their homes with no place to go?  Have you seen marriages ending in divorce for no biblical reason?  Have you seen families divided because one member left Calvary Temple?  Have you ever seen (or heard of) a child being beaten until they are unable to attend school?  Have you heard of a child being called a liar for accusing someone of sexual abuse? What more evidence do you need that the fruit of Calvary Temple is rotten?

Your blindness and denial do not mean it didn't happen.  I ask Calvary Temple members once again:  Why would we lie?  (all liars will find themselves in the lake of fire).  Star Scott is not worth going to hell for.  Star Scott and Calvary Temple are not worth our reputations being destroyed for.  Our children, grandchildren, spouses, parents or friends are not worth going to hell for.  I have loved ones inside Calvary Temple but I will not lie for them.  I will only tell the truth for them.

2 Timothy 3:13  While evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2 Corinthians 11:13  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ

Matthew 18:6  Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.