As this story expands we see the typical efforts to protect the accused at the expense of the victim...

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"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. - Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV)

Following Sexual Misconduct Allegations, Michael Brown to Take Time Off From Public Ministry

It is being reported today that Dr. Michael Brown is taking some time off from public ministry after the allegations of misconduct from his past were made public. The board of The Line of Fire strongly encouraged Brown to do no public ministry. He has cancelled all speaking engagements through the rest of the year and will not be writing his usually spate of articles. It is unclear if he will be taking a break from his radio and podcast ministry efforts. The Roys Report, which does excellent reporting on ministerial abuse, revealed that a former secretary from the Revival Ministry School that was birthed out of the Brownsville Revival has accused Brown of crossing several lines in their relationship 23 years ago. Brown, who "Erin" considered a father figure, was fond of handholding, kisses on the lips and playful smacks on her bottom. Brown denies anything sexual in nature but admits to a "lack of judgment." The above link is the latest reporting on this recent decision to step back that contains so much wrong within the cover-up culture of the church today. So, let us reason once more together beloved as we review some of the reporting linked above.

"Last month, The Line of Fire's board hired attorneys Mitchell, Stein, Carey, and Chapman (MSCC) to conduct a third-party investigation. But according to its website, MSCC has worked as defense attorneys for Fortune 500 companies and for college students accused of sexual misconduct. Advocates raised concerns online about MSCC's ability to investigate allegations of abuse. And Erin told TRR she would not participate. In response, the board is considering hiring a different entity because it wants an impartial investigator with whom Erin will engage, said Jonathan Bernis, spokesperson for The Line of Fire board. "Our desire from the beginning was to find the truth, and the hiring of the law firm was not in any way to vindicate Michael Brown," said Bernis. At the suggestion of Ron Cantor, president of Shelanu TV, The Line of Fire board considered hiring Firefly, but the organization isn't available until February, Bernis said. Firefly is the third-party that is investigating alleged sexual misconduct by Mike Bickle, founder of the International House of Prayer-Kansas City (IHOPKC). "We want to do something as quick as we can and not wait until February," Bernis said." - Roys Report

We noted when the story first broke that it appeared as if they were trying to pretend a criminal defense firm was the best choice for an investigation. We saw IHOPKC try similar shenanigans with the Bicklegate scandal. It is encouraging here that this transparent choice was called out for what it was and that Erin refused to be roped into participating in something that appeared designed to protect Brown instead of conduct an impartial investigation. The board can pretend all they like that this was an oopsie but I do not think anyone who is clear thinking would buy that. These board members are not amateurs. They knew exactly who this Arizona based law firm was and what they specialized in. This is the first indication of what is so wrong in all of these church scandals. It is what leads so many people to jump to conclusions of guilt because if the accused was not so guilty, why would you need to hire a defense law firm that specializes in defending such accusations? Hopefully now that this initial attempt to control the investigation and ensuing information was thwarted, perhaps they can find a compromise that Erin and the board are equally comfortable with. Keep an eye out however because it was at this point that IHOPKC went rogue and started smearing the victims and employing a congregant to do a sham investigation.

'Cantor also released a public statement today critical of Brown and in support for Erin. In his statement, Cantor said he reached out to Brown about the allegations six weeks ago. At the end of a "multi-day conversation, which included many pages of emails, I found (Brown's) answers lacking and inconsistent with the idea of an innocent father/daughter relationship," Cantor wrote. "I was also troubled by the lack of candor regarding the second incident with a married mother." Cantor said he also spoke with Erin and "found her narrative disturbing and heartbreaking." Cantor wrote that he urged Brown to step back from ministry weeks ago, but Brown never got back to him after saying he'd pray about it. So Cantor contacted Brown's board, who said they'd initiate a third-party investigation.

Wait, what? I do not recall seeing any reporting on a second woman. That aside, I urge you to read the statement from Ron Cantor, who considers Brown a friend for decades. Of particular note is that he felt Brown's answers were lacking and that the behavior did not align with the excuse that this was just a father-daughter relationship. Cantor also spoke to Erin for 80 minutes and her allegations exceed what Brown admits to. Cantor found Erin's story heartbreaking and disturbing. There were two other very concerning revelations from the Cantor statement. The first is that some associate of Dr. Brown has already contacted Erin in an effort to silence her. Just consider that for a moment. Someone associated with Dr. Brown tried to silence the victim in this case. Once again, why would someone be doing that if Brown was totally innocent here? The second disturbing revelation is that Brown sent out a fundraising letter right after this story broke referring to it as an attack from Satan to stop him. This is another tactic of the accused leader in the middle of falling from grace. We heard this nonsense during the IHOPKC scandal too. Steven Strang, Dr. Brown's boss, referred to the victims of Mike Bickle as being used by Satan as well. It is just a disgusting smear of the people the church should be concerned about. Cantor revealed that The Line of Fire Board planned to apologize for this letter but once again, these are big boys and girls. They knew full well what they were insinuating when they decided to send this fundraising out. It is how the church views the victims of their leaders. With sheer contempt but they show even more contempt for their followers to try and fleece them one more time before the wheels fall off.

Despite these actions by The Line of Fire board, a leaked internal email from its sister organization, FIRE International, blamed TRR for spreading "division, anger, and hurt and ruined reputations." "Their desire is not healing nor reconciliation nor restoration but to destroy and humiliate," the FIRE International internal email stated. "They are in agreement with the Accuser of the brethren." Similarly, FIRE Church, another sister organization, sent out an email yesterday that was similarly worded, accusing TRR of spreading division, and urging people not to gossip. "Let me encourage you not to engage in premature judgments, gossip of any kind, or join in vain conversations," wrote FIRE Church Pastor Chris Williams. "And ask Jesus how you should respond to anything on social media or even if you should respond at all."' - Roys Report

Even more disgusting. The Roys Report is reporting the truth. This is the Charismatic Industrial Complex attacking those that threaten their brand; that's all. If reputations are ruined, that would be the fault of the perpetrators, not the victims or those that provide a platform for the truth. The division is wrought by those who propagate falseness within the body of Christ, whether it be in doctrine or in deed. FIRE International obviously does not understand scripture either by misusing the "accuser of the brethren" verse, as we also heard in Bicklegate and the Robert Morris scandal. Do not trivialize what they are trying to do here. By bringing that verse in, they seek to turn the hearts and minds of the sheep who might read these stories. Think about the sheer audacity of this statement. Assuming this story is true and with each passing day it sure seems like it, Dr. Brown abused his ministerial stature to take common grooming steps with a sheep and employee, half his age, when he was married and building his "holiness" ministry. He tried to sweep it under the rug by misusing Matthew 18 but forcing the victim to meet with he and his wife. Now, years later the truth comes out and Brown's supporters accuse the Roys Report of working with the devil, which means by default the victim must be as well. Simply vile. The FIRE International folks are right that the goal of Roys and the function of the truth is not this false reconciliation and restoration notion. That is straight up evil. If the story is true Dr. Brown is done, period full stop. What the goal should be is the truth and then healing for the victim (s). The truth is only divisive to those who do not want the truth to be known. Speaking openly about the truth is NEVER gossip. Realize all they are trying to do is control the flow of information. The smearing of social media is very common too. This is not ten years ago. The majority of reporting and news is now on social media. Let me be abundantly clear. We should not pre judge what happened 23 years ago but we certainly can comment on what is happening right now. When someone you have been close with for decades comes out to say that your answers are lacking and, in another case, not forthcoming - that is not a good sign. When your organization tries to silence the victim, tries to hire a criminal defense firm specializing in defending people accused of sexual misconduct, and sends out fund raising letters accusing the victim of work with Satan? Yeah, not a good look. Also, not a good look to then try and blame and smear the reporting source while boldly declaring you "stand with Dr. Brown."

"The FIRE International email, which included three attachments, was sent to FIRE International missionaries and was signed by FIRE International President Josh Peters, Josh's wife Tobi Peters, FIRE International Chief Operating Officer Dion Light, and Andy and Karyn Pricer, deputy directors of FIRE International's field operations. "We stand with Dr. Brown and his statement," the FIRE International leaders wrote. Peters also urged FIRE International's missionaries not to quickly judge Brown or other FIRE International leaders' handling of the allegations. "Please don't jump to conclusions that are based on opinion," Peters wrote in an email. "Please know that we were not hiding anything from you." The joint letter stated several reasons why FIRE International did not share details of the allegations concerning Brown with its missionaries earlier. For one, they said that the matter was "dealt with" 23 years ago.

However, Erin told TRR that no FIRE School of Ministry staff or leaders invited her to any meetings about the allegations in the early 2000s. They also did not ask her to be interviewed for any official investigations at that time into Brown's alleged misconduct towards her, Erin said. TRR reached out to Peters, requesting documentation of FIRE's handling of the allegations 23 years ago. We also asked what disciplinary or restoration process Brown underwent, but Peters did not reply." - Roys Report

So, according to FIRE International there were four reasons why they were not forthcoming about these allegations. Let me go over a couple of of them. The first was this dismissive, "oh well it was 23 years ago." As if that matters at all. We saw the exact same defense in Bicklegate and Robert Morris. It was obviously not "dealt with" to the satisfaction of the alleged victim. This notion that they all thought it was dealt with I addressed yesterday by examining how scoundrel fallen leaders first refuge is Matthew 18. This paradigm however, was not given by Jesus to address ministerial abuse. Dr. Brown was not peers with Erin at the time of this scandal. He was in a position of workplace and spiritual authority. That is the trust that would have been broken. There was probably no discipline or restoration. Brown said that he and his wife met with Erin in the "spirit of Matthew 18." He assumed that because he was contrite and apologized that this issue was resolved. No harm no foul and he went back to building his ministry empire. The second reason FIRE International provided was that they believe this is all hearsay and a witch hunt. What? This is what happens when people who are not lawyers, try to make legal claims. Roys properly reporting what Erin says happened is NOT hearsay. It is direct testimony. Erin was actually there. While we are at it, how exactly is this a witch hunt? Just another attempt to smear the victims.

The FIRE International email then goes into a litany of scriptures that they use to try and defend Brown. Most of them are predicated on their belief that Dr. Brown has repented and sought forgiveness but that is yet to actually be determined. What was galling was their citing Matthew 7:1-5, which are the key verses above. I say galling because these apply the opposite way of how they intend. Dr. Brown built his ministry on biblical concepts of holiness. This was why he liked false teachers like Bickle and Ravi Zacharias so much. Yet to lecture about holiness when you are building your career on slapping the bottom of your secretary reeks of taking out the plank in your own eye. Before anyone starts to dismiss this victim because the actions were seemingly so minor compared to let's say Bickle, this is only because she stopped the behavior. You start with holding hands. You move into kissing on the lips. Then you start smacking her bottom. THEN she said stop. THEN he realized what he was in the middle of and ran into the refuge of Matthew 18. We do not know what might have transpired next if she had not said no more. The email then concludes with this ridiculousness:

"God used sinners such as Saul, David, Gideon, Sampson, Rachel, many others and Paul being the worst in his own opinion. He forgave all of them and used them for HIS Glory." - FIRE International

Another favorite bible twisting used by those that have fallen from grace. God can use anyone but that does not mean He is or He must. I also do not recall any of these folks burying their sins and not publicly repenting. I do not recall friends of King David calling Bathsheba and telling her to keep quiet. This is simply scriptural abuse to try and provide some cover for their boy at the expense of a wounded sheep. Their email started with the usual platitudes about caring about the victim but they claim that her healing "must be found through forgiveness and emotional healing that only comes from the Lord." Huh? Healing cannot be found also in accountability? Is FIRE International's position that she can only find healing by forgiving Brown? While his surrogates are trying to pressure her to shut up? Please, you're embarrassing yourself. Lastly of note from this Roy Report is that Erin did not seek this out but was approached by other members of the FIRE community who urged her to speak. Erin is quoted as saying, "Forgiveness has come from speaking the truth."

As I said when this story first broke, we should always be cautious but there were eerily similar warnings like we saw when the Bickle story first emerged. This report from Julie Roys is just the second article. We have gone from Brown simply saying that this was all addressed and that he was lacking judgment to full blown efforts from his organizations to blame the victim, try to silence her, smear the reporting, raise money off of it, claim everyone else is working with the devil, and trying to hire a defense law firm to protect Brown. This is yet another reason why 40 million people have left the church in the past 25 years. Look, this story could have been dealt with in a fair fashion. Find an organization that deals with clergy abuse and hunker down until the dust settles. Instead, the machine went into motion to try and destroy the story, the reporting and the victims. Beware beloved that effort is probably just starting. If past is prologue, I would expect Steven Strang to soon try and claim how concerned he is for the victim while providing as much cover to Brown as possible and try and shift this into a discussion about restoration. Dr. Brown is a huge earner, respected voice within Charismania and his role as gatekeeper of all the falseness is vital to the machine. There are very few that carry his gravitas to defend the indefensible. Who will deflect for the Jennifer LeClaire sneaky squid spirits and leg lengtheners like Todd White? I do not root for stories like this and no one should. Brown however needs to call the dogs off and let the process play out without any more abuse. Let the chips fall where they may. Let the abused heal. In Jesus name.

Reverend Anthony Wade - December 7, 2024

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.