Title:  Why Would a Baptist Church Hire an Accused Child Molester and Adulterer as a Counselor?

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Subtitle: There is far too much illicit sexual activity in our churches that is being covered-up in many cases, and that scandal has now filtered down to Baptist Churches!

Guest column by Dr. Donald Boys

 

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THE CUTTING EDGE

Copyright © 2007 Cutting Edge Ministries. All rights reserved. See full copyright notice below.

Part I

The first statement Pope Leo X made after being elected to the papacy, according to the Venetian ambassador, was “Now that God has given us the papacy, let us enjoy it.” That was the attitude of many Roman Catholic Popes, and on Oct. 31, 1517, Martin Luther picked up his hammer and nail and drove his point into the church door at Wittenberg and into the heart of the Roman Church. Then began the Reformation although there were stirrings of reform many years earlier with Wycliffe, Tyndale, Knox, Calvin, etc., who responded to Catholic heresy and gross immorality in the priesthood and monastic orders.

Dante wrote his Inferno shortly after 1308 and in the ninth (last) circle of hell he sees leaders who betrayed the trust of those whose care with which they were entrusted. Many priests, popes, and preachers were there. He had reason to abhor the immoral lifestyle of churchmen who betrayed the trust of their followers. In fact, there was so much sexual immorality in the early tenth century that for a period of about 60 years, the papacy was known as “The Pornocracy or Rule of the Harlots.”

Some Popes made their palaces (later the Vatican) little better than elegant whorehouses decorated with religious art and statuary in each room. Pope Benedict IX (who ruled in the 11th century) was the youngest and most immoral pope. A sincere and effective reformer, Peter Damian (who introduced flagellation into monastic life), described Benedict in his Liber Gomorrhianus as "feasting on immorality" and "a demon from hell in the disguise of a priest." He accused Benedict IX of routine homosexuality and bestiality. Few people will argue with that characterization of Benedict.

Bishop Benno of Placenta accused Benedict of “many vile adulteries and murders,” and Pope Victor III spoke of Benedict’s “rapes, murders and other unspeakable acts. His life as a Pope so vile, so foul, so execrable, that I shudder to think of it.” Evidently Benedict was a bad boy.

Pope John XII who ruled from 955 to 963 turned the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano into a brothel and “was accused of adultery, fornication, and incest” according to Patrologia Latina. A basilica was a Roman Catholic Church given ceremonial privileges by the Pope. But surely those “privileges” didn’t include making the church a bordello!

Baptists and Protestants have been very quick to chastise Roman Catholics for past and present sexual sins, yet too often excuse and cover their own. Roman Catholics (and other hierarchical) denominations have an easier time of covering up the sins of erring churchmen: they simply move the ordained moral leper in a clerical collar from Atlanta to Anchorage. Those church groups without a Church Boss have a more difficult time dealing with the sins of offending preachers. Now we have cases of celebrated pastors in Colorado, Texas, Florida, and Missouri who have been accused of sexual misconduct.

When a person walks into a modern church, it is often a roll of the dice between walking into a real church (and there are many out there) and walking into a bordello with an organ playing inspirational hymns. While that statement is an obvious hyperbole, the reality is that there is far too much illicit sexual activity in our churches that is being covered-up in many cases. Before you put out a contract on me, consider the facts: Leadership magazine revealed that their 1992 study showed 37 percent of ministers confessed to having been involved in “inappropriate sexual behavior” with a church member! Please note that that percent was what was admitted! How bad is it in reality?

Now it has been revealed that an accused sexual predator was hired by the large and influential Trinity Baptist in Jacksonville. The predator “took a leave of absence” just before former pastor Dr. Bob Gray was arrested in May of 2006 and charged with sexual child abuse (having at least 21 accusers) and the case is now in the courts. The newly revealed predator is an impressive man who has had numerous accusations against him going back to 1977 in NC where he was the music director in an independent Baptist church. He was very talented and loved by all and was asked to also handle the young people. And handle them he did, especially the girls!

What a travesty when spiritual leaders betray their ordination vows, marriage vows and break criminal laws by taking advantage of innocent victims. Church leaders are to protect the sheep from preying wolves not pay wolves to ravage the sheep. Sexual predators should be in prison, not the pulpit.

Part II

It seems that wolves in sheep’s garb have frequently stalked Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville, and few seem to be outraged by their attacks upon the innocent ones.

After a music and youth director left a NC church staff in 1985 to pastor his own church in another NC city, it was revealed that he had abused a 12-year-old girl, two 14-year-old girls, two 15-year-old girls, and an 18-year-old. In addition, two adult women. He was very busy, what with running the youth department, his musical tasks, and his “extracurricular activities.”

None of the victims knew others were being abused and all were lifetime friends except the two married women. All the abuse took place simultaneously during a nine-year period. When two girls finally reported to their pastor what happened, that pastor confronted the abuser and he resigned his church and fled to Jacksonville. Can you guess where he landed? Right, Trinity Baptist. About this time, another girl come forward and revealed her abuse.

The NC pastor (for whom the abuser had worked as music man and youth director) told Dr. Bob Gray, then pastor of Trinity Baptist in Jacksonville, about the predator's sexual abuse of the many girls and Gray said that he had repented of his sins. About this time, the abuser sent a letter (copies are in the possession of victim’s parents) to the parents of three of his young victims and apologized for hurting them and their families and for his sinful activities. At this time, another victim called Bob Gray and told him about this predator abusing her. She was then sent the same letter that had been sent to the other three victims. If he had truly repented, he would have contacted all his victims at the same time. (Maybe he has a form letter that he sends to his victims after they confront him.)

Later, this abuser was hired by Trinity Christian Academy but the NC pastor’s wife wrote him and demanded that he resign which he did.

After Gray resigned Trinity and fled to Germany, one of the victims told me she contacted the new pastor Dr. Messer and warned him of the abuser's several sexual crimes. According to her, he replied, “You need some therapy.” Blame the victim! Does that surprise anyone?

On separate occasions two of the victims, as part of their counseling, met with their abuser (each with a witness) and accosted him about their years of abuse by him. He reportedly admitted his sin and confessed to being a “master manipulator.”

In late December of 2005, some of the victims discovered that the abuser was listed as “Assistant Pastor” on Trinity’s website under “Counseling” along with his phone number and e-mail address. His name and photo were there and the designation, "Assistant Pastor, Counseling Ministry.” He was listed also as heading up “Divorce Care,” another ministry of Trinity Baptist.

Well, the phones started ringing across the nation! The fox was not only in the chicken house, he was being paid to be there! What in the world was Tom Messer thinking? What were the deacons thinking? Was anyone, at anytime, under any circumstances doing any thinking? Forget the praying; that wasn’t necessary in a situation like that. Everyone knows that most sexual problems with preachers and counselors start in the counseling office. The counselees are young, emotional, hurting, confused, and often feel guilty and unloved. And they are going to be helped by a serial sexual predator! Someone at Trinity is dumb as a box of rocks. Don’t they know they are supposed to be protecting and feeding sheep instead of training and grooming wolves? Or is this a case of one not knowing what the other is doing!

When Pastor Messer was confronted with this information by the husband of one of the victims, he declared that the abuser was not on the pastoral staff and that he (Tom) did not know what was on the obviously expensive church website! Does anyone believe that a Baptist pastor will permit anything on a church website that he has not approved? First of all, it would be financially irresponsible to pay so much money and not know what you were getting. Anyway, Tom told the irate husband he would get back with him to let him know what his stand would be on this problem. No call was ever received.

In January of 2006, the church website was changed to eliminate “assistant pastor” and a few days later the reference was removed. On Feb. 27, 2006, Attorney David Gibbs III wrote one of the victims stating, “[The abuser] is on leave and not working at Trinity at this time.” If anyone at Trinity has any brains or a scintilla of spiritual discernment, the “leave” will be permanent. While writing this I received a copy of an e-mail written by a pastor on May 17, 2006 to one of the victims confirming that he had just called Trinity and talked to someone (name was provided) in Human Resources about the sexual predator’s employment status. He was told, much to his surprise, that the abuser was still employed there and when he asked for how long, she replied “since August 20, 2001 with no break in employment.”

Wait a minute! The abuser’s name was removed from Trinity’s website in January of 2006; Gibbs reveals that abuser is “on leave and not working” at Trinity as of Feb. 27, 2006 and a Trinity Human Resource person said that he was still employed as of May 17, 2006! Is this double-speak or is there another cover-up going on within the cover-up?

The writer of the above e-mail made a reference to David Gibbs’ III “small fib” regarding the abuser’s employment. I can’t believe Gibbs would be dishonest but as a lawyer he might be disingenuous.

In addition to the abuser's church duties, he also worked part time at Trinity Baptist College. I have a copy of the College’s catalog for 2006-2007 and he is listed as a part time faculty member! I also have copies of other Trinity web pages dated August 7, 2006, which still listed him as Assistant Pastor under Counseling Ministry and as a contact for “Divorce Care.” That was more than two months after Gray had been arrested as he was trying to flee the country. Evidently, the abuser is no longer actively involved with any Trinity ministry at this time; however, according to my informants he is still around the church and school. Who knows what will happen after the storm passes?

I have observed a “cover-up” mentality in many large Baptist churches that seems to be systemic. They emphasize the inerrancy of the Bible but are very weak on implementing Biblical procedures of church discipline. Why boast about preaching the very Word of God if it is not practiced in personal lives and in church procedures? It is past time to practice what we preach. Dante thought it was a despicable sin for one to betray those he is entrusted to care for. I agree. It is time to stop coddling sexual abusers, adulterers, and sodomites whether they are in the pew or pulpit. They need to be in prison.

Copyright 2007, Don Boys, Ph.D.

P.O. Box 944

Ringgold, GA 30736

(Dr. Don Boys is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives, author of 13 books, frequent guest on television and radio talk shows, and wrote columns for USA Today for 8 years His most recent book is ISLAM: America's Trojan Horse! His websites are cstnews.com and muslimfact.)

Are you spiritually ready? Is your family? Are you adequately protecting your loved ones? This is the reason for this ministry, to enable you to first understand the peril facing you, and then help you develop strategies to warn and protect your loved ones. Once you have been thoroughly trained, you can also use your knowledge as a means to open the door of discussion with an unsaved person. I have been able to use it many times, and have seen people come to Jesus Christ as a result. These perilous times are also a time when we can reach many souls for Jesus Christ, making an eternal difference.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible Study.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, but have come to realize His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to accept His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can also do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you accept Him as Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually.

If you would like to become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.

We hope you have been blessed by this ministry, which seeks to educate and warn people, so that they can see the coming New World Order -- Kingdom of Antichrist -- in their daily news.

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God bless you.

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