BTW - Mr Hammeroni - I agree with the public scrutiny. It needs to be done. That's why I called for addressing the salient points in the letter - even the lack of mentioning God's guidance should be discussed.
We are a group of intelligent folks here with some amazing insight - do we really want it lost in the mud?
I agree completely...just haven't had time to post for a couple days. I think what you're saying is reasonable and logical.
And I agree that while it's unlikely, given his history with GS, that JAL is going to come here to discuss all this stuff, I think the likelihood diminishes even further when people are nitpicking and mudslinging. And forget about him. What about people who might be helped by what's written here?
I certainly believe, and have said so, that this "personal prophecy" doctrine is for the birds and that CES/STF never should have promoted Momentus. I also hate the way it appears that Eliz. Lynn was treated. But some of the criticisms I've read about JAL have been nothing more than nitpicking, IMO.
Years ago I went to an old (now defunct) ex-way Web site. Much of what was posted there was so outrageous and venomous that the site held no credibility for me. It wasn't until Waydale that I began to see reasonable criticisms of tw, and therefore consider themi. I see this CES stuff as a parallel. I've said it about twi and it still applies here: There is plenty wrong (issues) to discuss without getting into nitpicking (character assassination and yes, mudslinging just for the sake of slinging mud).
Someone said JAL owes us all an apology? For what? For having an opinion about GS that differs from ours? I don't share his opinion, but he's free to have it. A lot is said about freedom to think and express ourselves, and I'd say he has the same right, doesn't he? He may owe an apology to those who were adversely affected by Momentus or by some boneheaded prophecy from KAG, but to all of GreaseSpot? I don't think so.
And I agree that while it's unlikely, given his history with GS, that JAL is going to come here to discuss all this stuff, I think the likelihood diminishes even further when people are nitpicking and mudslinging.
And, further..........IMO, the likelihood of JAL coming here is greatly diminished by the constraints of time that he, and others, are facing before the fast-approaching CES/STI Board Meetings in January.
In his position paper, JAL noted that he had pages and pages of notes dealing with MG and KAG, the firing of CES office personnel, etc. etc. What about phone calls? Or, the side-meetings with individuals prior to these Board meetings?
Not even the multi-tasking expertise of JAL could keep up with a barrage of GS communication.......with a January Board Meeting looming that is pivotal to his 20-year involvement with CES. Nope, I just don't think its a realistic expectation to see him here at The Cafe, at this time.
In his position paper, JAL noted that he had pages and pages of notes dealing with MG and KAG, the firing of CES office personnel, etc. etc. What about phone calls? Or, the side-meetings with individuals prior to these Board meetings?
JL must be SOOOOOO happy, just wallowing in so many meetings, papers- like the old days.
Skyrider, that sounds like a MOGGY in all his "glory"
Linda, I was the one that said that he owed me/us an apology, but you need to have read it in context. It was said in reply to being needled as too chicken to call him.
I understand about insulting and mudslinging, but I am unsure that is what is going on, at least it wasn`t in the quote that you sighted.
He has repeatedly insulted the internet users and any exway that don`t see things his way.
As I understand what folks are saying, his allowing his wife to be savaged, his continued promotion of prophesy, his insulting behavior and derogatory attitude is to be given a free pass, because after all he might get his feelings hurt if he read what people honestly thought....
By all means, lets all be nice and pretend that his actions, or lack there of simply aren`t offensive.
Gosh, maybe he NEEDS someone to be honest with him for a change, rather than just maintaining communication with people who are as beguiled by these practices as he, Folks who simply tell him only that which he wishes to hear.
How is he ever going to pull his head out of that dark place and be free himself if nobody dares be honest with him...if folks just say the stuff that confirms and further entrenches him in his beliefs?
Sometimes, brutal as it is, honesty is the most decent thing that you can do for a person.
And I agree that while it's unlikely, given his history with GS, that JAL is going to come here to discuss all this stuff, I think the likelihood diminishes even further when people are nitpicking and mudslinging. And forget about him. What about people who might be helped by what's written here?
I'll continue the sidetrack for just a moment if I may...
You're right: it's unlikely... and I agree with what others have said: I certainly wouldn't come here if I were him... I would consider it a 'hostile environment'...
It also doesn't fit their modus operandi...
To JAL (and the Board) I would say: This comes with the territory, you accepted the responsibility and apparently misused it... too bad, you made your bed now lie in it...
Personally I'd like to see a clear, concise, HONEST discussion with JAL and the Board... anywhere they'd like... but that's not going to happen in any relatively free environment... and I am not going to gloss over their dishonesty by saying 'they're honest according to what they believe'... that's making excuses for them... they were in TWI just as we were, they KNOW what they've done, and I'd wager they knew that one day they'd be caught, discovered, outted... that day is apparently here.
But you know what? I'm not going to tell anyone to 'lay off' of JAL and the board. To a lot of folks here JAL and the board represent (sometimes specifically) the worst of TWI and its offshoots... JAL and the Board "spark" deep seated feelings of hurt and anger in some and they (JAL and the board) probably deserve the wrath they're receiving... so if that's how you feel about it, let it fly if it makes you feel better... the way I take those angry posts is that folks are just venting, I take no particular joy in them, I figure it's part of what they need to do, to tell you the truth sometimes I read them and sometimes I just go to the next post. But I am not going to try to stifle them.
As to those that are visiting here and trying to sift through all of this to find out what's going on with CES/STFI... I would hope that they wouldn't be discouraged in their journey by some posts vilifying JAL and the board. I'd rather they would either 'skip over them' or recognize them for what they are: 'posts by people who have been hurt or angered in some way'... and believe that eyes will be opened...
I'd hope there is a way that folks can come here and find out what they need to know by reading these threads...
I'd also hope that folks can continue to vent as they need to so that JAL and the board can find out what I believe they already know...
This is the way GreaseSpotCafe has worked as long as I've been here... and I happen to think it works very well...
Do I like or agree with everything that's posted (or with the way it's posted)? Nope.
Do I have to like or agree with everything that's posted (or with the way it's posted?) Nope.
Someone said JAL owes us all an apology? For what?
Well,
he owes me one for this,
from the first post:
A brief p.s. to critics of Spirit & Truth Fellowship:
Given the way that documents such as this somehow wind up on the Internet, let me say a few things to our detractors who will use this current situation in STF to say “I told you so,” take potshots at us, and magnify our flaws above the good we are doing for people. First, God bless you, I love you. Second, be sure you know enough truth about the issues to make a rational judgment. Third, get close enough to the nucleus of STF leadership to see their hearts before you impugn them. Fourth, take an honest look at what we teach from the Word about whatever subjects are pertinent to this matter, like prophecy. Prophecy is prophecy, and to criticize “personal prophecy” as unbiblical, in and of itself, is contrary to Scripture. We have a book on Prophecy that deals with this subject in depth from the Word, which you can get from www.stfonline.org.
In that vein, the reason I remain totally committed to Spirit and Truth Fellowship International is because I can find no one else with the “package” we have to offer, and I know the true heart with which we present it, as well as the liberating impact it has had on people around the world during the past 20 years. You will have to judge for yourself whether what we teach is sound doctrine, and whether we practice it in love. But you cannot do that from afar. I encourage you to dig into our work, and I exhort you to “stay tuned” and see if the hand of God is on us. Watch and see where He takes this ministry in the days ahead. I do hope that among the millions whose lives we hope to touch, we will be able to bless you, the only you God has.
As to what is flying around cyberspace about me and my personal life, my email is jalces@aol.com and my home phone is 317-849-5707. If you know me and care about me, I’ll be glad to communicate with you. I will not, however, dialogue with anonymous people who lack the love and courage to identify themselves in interacting with me.
Prophecy is prophecy, and to criticize “personal prophecy” as unbiblical, in and of itself, is contrary to Scripture.
What is "unbiblical" about it is the way JAL and the Board (and therefore CES/STFI) practice and teach "personal prophecy" as noted in Mark's letter (reposted below because it needs to be)...
That's scripture below that Mark is quoting... I especially like the reference to Deuteronomy 18:18-22 down near the end... in a letter he sent SIX YEARS AGO.
Pawtucket asked me about the origins of CES and personal prophecy. Here is a letter that I wrote to the 3 CES leaders in Novemeber of 2000. Jeff, if you are out there you would especially benefit by reading this.
Dear John Schoenheit, John Lynn and Mark Graeser:
In an E-mail dated October 25, John Schoenheit asked me the following: “I am unclear about exactly what doctrines you think we teach in error. Please let me know.” In response to this I have written the following to all three of the CES brethren. This was originally E-Mailed to John Schoenheit on November 1, 2000.
The root cause of all doctrinal error by CES on the subject of prophecy, as I see it, is the unbiblical reasoning stemming from the phrase “eat the fish and throw away the bones” and all reasoning related to this. The context of this statement is that which was learned from and grafted into CES doctrine by Christian International out of Florida. In fact, these are the very words of their president Bill Hamon, and this phrase has been used by CES people. First of all, you and I both know that this is an unbiblical phrase. Instead I want you to be aware of the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:15-23.
15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21"Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
New International Version
If these words are good enough for Jesus Christ to have taught his disciples when he was training and teaching them in preparation for the age of grace and receiving of the holy spirit, then why wouldn’t they be good enough for you and I? I want to especially bring your attention to the phrase, “by their fruit you will recognize them.” The bible says in Galations 5:22-23 that there are nine fruits of the spirit.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
King James Version
Since Bill Hamon, by his own words, claims to be a prophet and a trainer of aspiring prophets let’s look at the fruit of some prophets in the bible for comparison. Moses happens to be my favorite prophet in the bible, other than Jesus Christ of course, and the prophet that most people are familiar with the life of.
Num 12:3
3Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.
King James Version
Num 12:3
Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.
New International Version
Moses was not a great speaker. In fact, he had his own brother, Aaron speak for him often. The one and only quality that I know of, that separated Moses from every other man on the face of the earth was his meekness and humility. For a prophet the fruit of meekness and the heart felt attitude of humility is especially important. The reason is obvious. He has to be especially meek with God to be able to receive his Word. If he is not he could fall into all kinds of doctrinal error, unbelief and even idolatry and worship of false gods.
Jesus Christ was also known for his meekness and was especially compassionate with people.
Matt 11:29
29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I (Christ) am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
The principle of meekness for receiving God’s Word is very clear for all believers regardless of their function in the body of Christ.
James 1:21
21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
King James Version
James 3:13-18
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
New International Version
The above is the kind of knowledge that we should seek, and not any knowledge which is even border line puffed up or full of conceit. Didn’t we get enough of this kind of knowledge in our years in the Way Ministry where we were always bragging that our knowledge of the bible was better than everyone else and hence our ministry was better also? Didn’t this kind of pride lead to its downfall?
Prov 11:2 continues,
2When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
New International Version
Ps 25:9
9The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
King James Version
1 Peter 5:5-6
5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
King James Version
Clearly, if we want to receive anything from God, especially His Word, we must be meek and humble for “God resisteth the proud.” This is especially true for someone who claims to be a prophet. Now I want you to look at some of the words of Bill Hamon, the man who claims to be a prophet. By your own words, this is the man from whom you are getting some of your material on prophecy as he is the president of Christian International. I ask you, are his words below the words of a man of meekness and humility or the words of someone with puffed up reasoning? Are these the words of a prophet of God or the words of a false prophet? Below are just a few samples.
Hamon explains on pages 59 and 60 of his book, “Prophets and the Prophetic Movement.”
The Prophetic movement is part of the Holy Spirit’s continuing work of bringing the Church to full restoration. The restoration of Christ’s ascension gift of a prophet is absolutely essential for God’s purpose in the Church to be accomplished.
The company of prophets will help restore the apostles back into their rightful place in the Church. The full restoration of apostles and prophets back into the Church will then bring divine order, unity, purity and maturity to the corporate Body of Christ. The saints will be equipped and activated in the supernatural power of God to be a witness and demonstration to all nations of the powerful kingdom of God. That will in turn bring about the end of this world system of humanity and Satan’s rule.
The fulfillment of all these will release Christ, who has been seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven, to return literally and set up His everlasting Kingdom over all the earth. As the prophet Daniel foretold, the stone (the Church) that was hewn out of the mountain (Christ) will continue to grow in strength and momentum like the snowball rolling down the mountain, until it hits the feet of the giant world empires, causing them to crumble and come into submission to Christ.
The above Hamon doctrine does not magnify, nor hold to, the head of the body, which is Christ and is even worse than the old Way teaching that we take the place of the absent Christ by the renewing of our minds. It implies that the Lord Jesus Christ won’t return for or gather his Church without the works and dominion of the Church, and that somehow the Church must release Christ from heaven. How arrogant and utterly false.
In his book Prophets and the Prophetic Movement, page 57 Hamon says,
In the wilderness journey the people were covered and protected by a cloud by day and warmed, enlightened and directed by a fire by night. But for the Prophetic Movement in Canaan, the Apostle is the covering and protecting cloud and the Prophet is the enlightening and directing fire. That is one reason why apostles and prophets must be restored before the Church can fulfill its predestinated end-time purpose on earth.
Also written in his book Prophets and the Prophetic Movement, page 7 it says on Oct. 1, 1953, Bill Hamon received these words of personal prophecy concerning his ministry:
“Yea, is not this the day that thou shalt go forth in His might and His Power? Have I not said in My Word Concerning My own children, “Ye are gods,” and yea in these last days ye shall go forth as gods? Thou shalt go forth as gods with power in thine hands, and minister life and faith unto those that are desolate. Yea, I say unto thee, thou shalt be a leader of leaders. Yea, thou shalt see multitudes running unto thee, for as a light upon a tall hill shalt thou be. Yea, fear shall be in the hearts of those round about thee, yet thou shalt stand as one full of courage, saith the Lord.”
No mention is made by Hamon that God was speaking derogatorily to the judges of Israel when he said “ye are gods.” Furthermore, He did not subsequently bless them with power in their hands.” In context Psalms 82:5-7 reads,
5They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
7But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
King James Version
The only other usage of “ye are gods” in the old testament is Isaiah 41:23. In context, Isaiah 41:21-24 reads,
21Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. 22Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.
23Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
24Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
King James Version
Regarding these scriptures, from the Wycliffe bible commentary it reads,
Turning now to idol-worshiping Gentiles, Jehovah challenges them to prove the reality and power of their idols by the test of prophecy and fulfillment (v. 22). His people charge these false gods with being utterly unable to fore-announce their will and purpose, through their prophets, and then carry it out.
Whoever spoke this prophecy of Bill Hamon’s early ministry above, spoke it like an in the flesh false prophet of biblical proportions. This is not something to be proud of to say the least. Neither would you expect the recipient of such a prophecy to “go forth” with anything but arrogance and false pride.
The worst part of Hamon’s teachings, however, may be his excuses for false prophecies. I understand he has over 600 pages consisting of over 150,000 words of personal prophecy concerning himself that he has collected over the years. With so much prophecy, I can understand why he needs to make excuses for inaccurate errant ones. If his original prophecy above was contrary to the Word of God, why should subsequent prophecies be any better? With so much error in doctrine and prophecies, why should you learn from him, his subordinates or associates? Couldn’t you learn from better sources or work the Word of God for yourself?
From Hamon’s book Prophets and Personal Prophecy page 158 it reads,
At the time, we must not be quick to call someone a false prophet simply because something he said was inaccurate or did not seem to apply to us. The man may be honest, righteous, and upright, yet immature in his prophesying. He may have misinterpreted what the Lord was saying.
In this case we should say that he gave an inaccurate word or a false prophecy, but we cannot properly call him a false prophet unless we can prove that the man himself is false. Missing it a few times in prophecy does not make a false prophet. No mortal prophet is infallible; all are liable to make mistakes.
Where is this in the bible? How does this compare to Deuteronomy 18:18-22?
18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. 20But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death."
21You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" 22If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
New International Version
You asked me what doctrines do I think CES has been teaching in error. Like Bill Hamon, have you been teaching that prophecy isn't always 100 percent accurate? What about in the bible when a prophet of God says “thus says the Lord”, “thus says the Holy Spirit”, or “this is what the Lord says.” Are they speaking falsely or truly?
Keep that constructive feedback on the stove...it appears someone might be willing to listen one of these days...
And I'm sure Jesus has many outlets for your creative work for His outreach, whether CES exists or not.
You wrote.....Still, I met and fellowshipped, prayed and prophesied with many, and the fellowship was fruitful.
Isn't God's grace truly amazing? He works through us in spite of us 'cause all He's got is us!
Orgs of course are only run by people...and you're right..they usually start off by one person seeing others in need and trying to meet that need.
They begin in order to serve people.
But as they grow they molt into the opposite----something that needs people to serve them. (since, of course, they are so needed to serve people.)
Pride comes before a fall. The bigger the pride, the bigger the fall.
Thank God the evil has been exposed in this one organization, and I pray the same exposure occurs in every organization that has been deceived off of the path God and Jesus started them on.
God bless you in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am sending this email, with its attachment, to only a relatively few people at this time, each of whom I consider a committed stakeholder in our unique ministry.
It is going to the Spirit & Truth Fellowship Board of Directors, the STF Staff, and others who have inquired of me, or who I have spoken with, or who I think should now be aware of what has been going on for the past 7 months in STF.
I realize that as you read it, you may want to know if you have my permission to send it on to other people you think should be informed about this matter, and the answer is yes. I trust that you will seek the Lord's guidance about that.
Thank you for your love and prayers.
In his service,
John Lynn
From: John A. Lynn December 26, 2006
To Whom It May Concern:
As I begin this letter, my heart is weeping about the current state of affairs among the members of the Spirit and Truth Fellowship International Board of Directors, each of whom is one of my closest friends. What you will read is my best assessment of many conversations with the principals involved and/or reading more than 100 pages of their own words in correspondence back and forth among them.
My fervent prayer is that in a godly way I will bring into the light, and express my perspective of, this heart-rending situation. I pray also that God will preserve this unique ministry and dynamically increase its influence, which for 20 years now has been overwhelmingly positive for people all around the world. What I say herein is what might be called “small ‘t’ truth,” that is, what is true for me as I perceive this situation, about which my conscience compels me to speak out. If, as things play out, I find that I am wrong in my viewpoint, I will gladly account and repent.
Since late September (when I first heard of this situation), in accordance with scriptures like Proverbs 18:13 and 17; 25:8, I have been listening to and/or reading the words of everyone on the Board as well as most of those on staff, especially those directly involved in what has transpired. I have taken notes, pondered and prayed, and have now come to the place that I am completely convinced about what I will share in this letter.
I am assuming that many believers who read this are either very good friends of mine or people who know quite a bit about me and my involvement in this wonderful ministry, for which I was the original “point man” from its inception in 1987 until June, 2000, when my dear brother Mark Graeser succeeded me as president. I say that in order to give you some idea of how excruciating it is for me to see what is now going on, and how it is even more painful to write what I am compelled by my conscience and by my great love for each person I mention to write. If you are in pain, or incredulous, as you read, I completely understand how you feel, for I feel the same way.
It was about September 21 when I was first informed that there was a division among the members of the STF Board of Directors (and spouses), with Mark and Karen Anne Graeser and Tom and Susan Resner having a disagreement with John and Jenivee Schoenheit, Gary and Karen Theisen, and Dan and Lori Gallagher. I initially heard that the main point of contention was that four of the other five Board members (John, Gary, Karen, and Dan) had asked Mark to step down from his presidential responsibilities for six months, move his office to his home, and, while still being paid the same salary, work on some very serious personal matters that, in their opinion, had, and still were, greatly hampering his ability to perform the required duties of president. He was asked to focus on writing the administrations book and the clergy ordination education curriculum. Mark declined to step down, however, and Tom stood with him in that decision.
I know all ten of these people very well, and though it was immediately obvious that either four (Graesers, Resners) or six (Schoenheits, Theisens, Gallaghers) of them are now “off track” to some degree, it was very hard for me to believe that it could have come to this. Each is a mature, committed Christian with an excellent track record of service to God’s people. And yet I know that no matter how far one has walked with God, our very personal adversary knows exactly how to work on our weaknesses, and our spiritual equilibrium is only as good as our renewed mind faith today.
As I began to listen to most of those involved, I carefully noted two things: (1) who did I feel was trying to persuade me or enroll me in their perspective, and (2) who spoke with what I perceived as any personal animosity or bitterness or innuendo about someone in the opposing camp. As I read many pertinent documents such as Dan’s letter of late September to Mark asking him specific questions pertinent to the situation, Mark’s reply to Dan firing him as CEO, Dan’s reply to Mark, Mark’s reply to that letter, Tom’s letter to the rest of the Board, etc., etc., I noted what I thought was godly, gracious, factual, and Word-based as compared to what I thought was personally attacking, acerbic, condescending, short on facts, and without biblical basis.
For me, I never experienced the Schoenheits, Gallaghers, or Theisens trying to enroll me on their side, but I did with Mark. Nor did I hear anything from the former three couples but sadness and heartbreak about what they perceived as Mark and Karen Anne’s emotional instability, and a passion to restore them to wholeness and ministry work. But from Mark (and from Tom in his letter to the Board), I did experience a significant amount of personal innuendo.
1 Timothy 5:19 (NIV) says: “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.” As I do my best to summarily chronicle why I have arrived at the perspective I have, space and prudence compel me to omit many incidents and details about how Mark and Karen Anne have showed up since last April, which I have heard corroborated by 12 credible, firsthand witnesses who I personally know to be faithful believers. As the reality of the situation became clear to me, I have prayed fervently that Mark and Karen Anne would wake up and humbly submit to the “multitude of counselors” lovingly imploring them to do so. That way there would likely be no more division, and none of God’s precious people would be forced to choose sides. Instead, they have entrenched themselves more and more deeply into their mindset, and have done all they can to substantiate it. Thus, I have made the decision to send out this letter.
For years there has been a fairly widespread perception among quite a few people involved with STF that Karen Anne has been exerting an undue and negative influence on Mark, and others. Some have felt she is “running the ministry” via her prophecies, Many times I have vehemently (and, I firmly believe, rightly) defended her. Having been integrally involved in every major ministry decision from 1987-2000 and somewhat involved in many others from 2000-2005, I know that she has not “run the ministry.” That being said, I have of late been surprised to learn that the perception of her negative influence is far more pervasive than I realized, and, having been made aware of numerous incidents in which she has exerted undue and harmful influence, I no longer believe that this perception is groundless.
#####Look back...maybe that same negative influence that was far more pervasive--the exerted undue and harmful influence--has been going on for a long time, as many have tried to say. Probably had a huge influence on your marriage.
In my opinion, a key factor in all of this is that while God wants to make our weaknesses into strengths, the enemy wants to make our strengths into weaknesses. Karen Anne Graeser has often spoken prophetically into my life and been right on the money, to my great benefit. And I have seen her do the same things for scores of other saints, as they too would testify. In that sense, her voice has been a strength. But I honestly believe that, in large part, it has now become a weakness, as many will testify that she has been meddling in things she shouldn’t,
#### like in your marriage
inordinately influencing Mark, relentlessly pushing her own agendas, and sowing seeds of division among the brethren.
#### like in your marriage
I believe that is coming out of her deep woundedness, and, given the depth of my love for her, my sadness for her is inexpressible.
In that vein, I should say that I have heard that there are many prophetic words about this situation that have come in from various people during the past seven months, one group of which is obviously false, or at least off track, because they are pretty much the opposite of the words in the other group. I will say that it seems to me that the Graesers and Resners appear to be relying much more heavily than are the others on the words that support their position.
#### they always have
I think, however, that we can make a rational judgment from looking at the facts of the matter. As the Word says, “by their fruits you shall know them.” And by the consistent testimony of about a dozen witnesses, and in my own opinion based upon Mark and Karen Anne’s written words, the fruit in their lives
#### there are many empty spaces in the CES roster --many people have left--and it started long, long ago.
has badly deteriorated in the past seven months.
During that time, several faithful and competent STF staff members have been adversely affected by the Graesers,
#### another great example of being know by their fruit and this, too, is nothing new
the first being Jeff Blackburn, who for six years has been an invaluable asset to STF in many ways, not the least of which are his awesome administrative ability and his heart for God’s people. Does he have shortcomings? Of course, but from where I stand, it seems he was set up by Karen Anne and Mark, and, in retrospect, that is how Jeff feels. There are many details as to how it unfolded, but at the bottom line, as I see it, Jeff would not countenance Karen Anne’s inappropriate involvement in certain ministry affairs, and Mark, under pressure from Karen Anne, put pressure on him to resign, which he did, when it was not what he really wanted to do. Jeff finally asked Mark if he thought it was best for him to resign, and Mark said yes, so Jeff did. According to Dan Gallagher, the STF CEO at that time, Mark had agreed with him to take the matter to the whole Board, but instead went ahead and personally dealt with Jeff anyway.
As the CEO, Dan did not like how Jeff was handled, and told that to Mark, citing the need for due process of any grievances, etc.
#####CES has been real short of due process, like the Stones and others who challenged how monies were incorrectly being used. long before several months ago.
Shortly thereafter, following a series of events surrounding their disagreement on this matter, Dan wrote Mark, asking him to answer a number of pertinent and vital questions. Mark responded to that on October 24 with a five-page letter to Dan in which he fired him as the STF CEO. After critically and objectively reading it, I would describe it as: authentic (that is, showing the true posture of Mark’s heart), generally factless, condescending, unkind, adamantly accusing, almost paranoid, and, in biblical terms, someone with a beam in his eye trying to point out a splinter in another’s eye.
I then pored over Dan’s October 30 six-page reply and found it to be: gracious, loving, filled with facts and specifics, honest, imploring, and pleading for Mark to specify anything Dan had done wrong other than disagree with him and Karen Anne. I believe that had Mark received it with meekness, it could have been even soothing to him as he recognized Dan validating his love and support for him. I also read Mark’s lengthy rebuttal of what Dan wrote to him, and though it contained many more factual statements than his first letter, I was not convinced that his take on them was accurate. Nor did he specifically answer all the questions Dan had originally asked him.
I then read Tom’s October 29 letter addressed to the Board, in which he set forth a number of alleged prophetic words from the Lord that were very derogatory
#### how about Elizabeth in this list?
to John and Jenivee, Dan, and Gary and Karen T., and which did not line up with the facts as I see them. I could write a lot about it, but suffice it to say that I was very disappointed by its immediate declaration that what would follow was what “the Lord spoke” to Tom, its dearth of facts, its caustic and accusatory verbiage, its feeling of imposing guilt,
#### sounds like what was said to Elizabeth
and its inordinate allegiance to the Graesers. Honestly, there were a few statements so outlandish
#### spiders coming out of the nose?
that I never would have attributed them to my longtime friend Tom Resner had they not had his name on them.
About mid-October, Rachel Collum Darr told me that Mark had fired her that morning. Mark had given me his version of the incident, but when I later asked Rachel to lay out the whole thing for me, I was very saddened to see how Karen Anne had factored in (even as she had with Jeff B.) by her insistence for several months that Rachel be fired, based upon her perspective of how Rachel had shown up at the Women’s Conference in April. I read the “History of Rachel Collum Darr’s Employment at STF” and also Dan and Lori Gallagher’s additions and corrections to that document (Lori factored in via her direct involvement in Rachel’s situation at the Women’s Conference). I was surprised to see how many key facts the original report contained that the Gallaghers then said were either not true or somewhat distorted.
####Could this apply to Elizabeth also?
Very shortly after Rachel’s firing, Matthew Johnson, another loyal employee for six years, resigned after Karen Anne came to an office staff meeting and spoke for about 30 minutes about never having wanted Rachel to be fired. Matthew found this so dishonest that, as a matter of conscience, he decided he could not stay in the office for the remainder of his two-weeks-notice, and told Mark the next day that it would be his last. Knowing Matthew as I do, I called him and asked him to share his heart with me, which he did. Once again I heard a sad account of frustration with what he perceived as dishonesty on the part of Mark and Karen Anne in dealing with both Jeff and Rachel, as well as their handling of a pivotal staff meeting which Matthew felt was primarily an attempt by the Graesers to get testimony about how Jeff had hurt other staff members and thereby justify their position that he should resign.
#### best way to get the attention of people like this is to cut off all funding. Doesn't make sense to support this with $, does it? Let's give money so a pp councilecan tear people apart and call it all good. Treat people as dung. Misuse the Word to fit our agenda. Makes perfect brain-dead sense to me.
Bob Maffit has been a dear friend of mine for more than 30 years, and in recent years has been an invaluable asset to the STF staff, a “full time volunteer,” if you will. He has worked very closely with Mark, and, in an attempt to get all the information I could, I sought his perspective. Bob’s burning love for Mark was evident as he sadly recounted to me numerous incidents in recent months where, in his view, Mark showed up as incapacitated, dishonest, distorting reality, enrolling Bob against Dan and John, speaking evil of others, and asking Bob to give him information about what he (Mark) perceived as others’ disloyalty to him. Bob shared that he has often confronted Mark during these past months and, while generally experiencing him to listen, he has seen no positive change.
####great way to find out what people realy feel about you. give your butt off to help out, then speak up and not be listened to. Shows the truth of someone's feelings and [lack of] respect for a person. Bob M, this has been going on for a lonnnnnng time
I have pages and pages of notes from my conversations with many of the principals in this situation, and they are replete with incidents corroborating the emotional instability and resulting behavior of Mark and Karen Anne since last Spring, their great distrust of those who love them and are fighting for them, their distorting of many pertinent facts and conversations, and Mark’s refusal to accept the recommendation of four of his five peers on the Board.
#### wake up!!!! this is not new, it has been going on for a long time, but yet every one at the top of CES/STF don't get it. And you want to lead people through teachings and fellowships, when you can't even listen to the people that are around you and you drive them away? WAKE UP. The rotting exiting bodies of the members you have slaughtered are everywhere. (That last staement is not pp but hard humor mixed in with reality.)
The annual STF Board of Directors meeting will be held the third week of January, at which time the annual election of officers will be held. Given the current state of affairs, there is little question that a new president will be elected. I pray that Mark and Karen Anne (and Tom and Susan) will not then leave STF and try to take others with them (I do not know to what extent they or others close to them have already tried to enroll STF people around the country). If they will see the light and change their attitudes, I know that all who love them will come around them and do everything we can to support their healing and restoration.
#### Come around them and tie them up? How can there be unity when there is already massive division? The personal face to face pp's have their own devastating damage factor.
Although Mark and Karen Anne have made it clear that they believe the Schoenheits, Theisens, and Gallaghers have been collaborating against them, and that Jeff Blackburn, Rachel Collum Darr, Matthew Johnson, and Bob Maffit are equally in error in their perspectives of what has been going on, particularly in the STF office, that is not how I see it. Rather, I perceive a lengthy litany of incidents during the past seven months that plainly involve the Graesers desperately posturing and maneuvering, distorting the facts, manipulating people, name calling/attacking other persons involved, refusing to be accountable for so doing, and exemplifying the pot calling the kettle black.
#### Elizabeth, are you getting this? Fits what happened to you to a tee. This stuff happens CES/STF-wide.
Given our intimate relationship in this ministry these past 20 years (and another ten prior to that), I believe I am qualified to say that Mark and Karen Anne are not coming from the degree of wholeness that I have experienced from them during the many years when we have shared countless heart-to-heart moments. It is my carefully considered opinion that in order to most glorify God and love His people, Mark should embrace whatever the Board thinks is best for him in order to see the Lord’s healing in his own heart and in his precious wife. Their value to our ministry is inestimable, and, were they whole, no one I know can fill the gap that would be caused by their absence. The thought of going on in this ministry without them puts a knot in my stomach.
Personally, I want my best friend back—the formerly self-described “balding window cleaner from no place theologically important in Florida.” I want the man who, until recently, has for me modeled much meekness, humility, godly introspection, a passion for spiritual growth, a pastoral heart for God’s people, a willingness to account and take responsibility, and who has loved me immensely. And I want the woman with whom I have been closer than a brother for 30+ years, with whom I often have stood side by side in the trenches of spiritual battle.
Having myself been in a somewhat similar situation several years ago, and having felt it best for the ministry and my personal life to first resign from the Board and later to resign as an STF employee, I can painfully identify with Mark in this matter. Through the past 20 years, and among so many godly people with whom I consider myself to be intimate, Mark and Karen Anne have been my closest friends of all. As “iron sharpening iron,” they have often spoken into my life with great love and wisdom, and their example of so doing is one I call to mind as I now do my best to do the same for them.
With the goal of reaching out to Mark as he has so often done for me, I went to him on December 9 and read to him what I have written above (slightly edited since then). He listened, but did not agree at all with what you have read, asking that if I send it to anyone that I would make that clear. He believes that I am deceived, just like John S., Dan, the Theisens, et al.
#### reading these words of the letter sounds like many at the top have been deceived or are deceiving. Now before you get too defensive, look at the fall-out list through the years.
On December 20, after reading Mark’s just-released 14 page paper titled, “Why I Cannot in Good Conscience Take a ‘Leave of Absence’ or Resign as President at This Time and Under These Circumstances,” I wrote the following (in brackets pp. 6-8, and now slightly edited) to him and Karen Anne, which I think you should see:
[Dear Mark and Karen Anne,
God bless you and yours. I’ve read your 14-page paper, Mark, and your reply to my birthday note to you, Karen. Were I able to hit the rewind button and go back in time to December 9 when I sat with you and read my letter to you, Mark, here is what I would have said first instead. As much as you can, please step back and hear my heart, which is imploring you as my dear friend of 30 years and brother in Christ and fellow laborer in this unique ministry.
You, John S., and I made a whole, a good balance where none of us could get too out of bounds. Adding Dan to that gives us even more wholeness, and balance, like the four legs on a table. The enemy took me out of the loop, at least temporarily, and clearly, you are his next target. Satan has used an incident in your life and your subsequent emotional turmoil to skew your perspective, with the goal of taking you out.
Mark, I’ve been there, and maybe I can help you see this, as I have come to terms with how the enemy has hurt STF via my failures.
#### How about Elizabeth?
My part of the balance was taken out, and the thought of you also being taken out is terrible, for then half of us four are gone. Taking some time off in your duties to allow God to heal your heart and make things right in your family, would have been, and maybe still can be, a good thing. Humbling yourself before your peers is the way to stop the Devil from blowing up one incident to the end of removing your invaluable influence from STF.
You are a strong person on the inside, and you are wise. You are smarter than this. Just own up and let God be God. God is simply saying to take care of your heart and your house, so please don’t be threatened. God is God, gracious and merciful. He doesn’t want you out of the picture, but you are almost surely going to be if you don’t see the big picture of what is really happening here.
#### did you miss the big picture that there are pp that have been gone over and collated and reviewed and put together that have to be delivered face to face. This could be the war of the pp's
What does it mean that I have been temporarily taken out? What did I bring to the table, and whom have we found to fill my shoes? No one else is me, and no one else is you. If you are taken out, who will then fill your shoes? It is not that someone else cannot be president, just as you took over for me, but it is that no one else is you, the Mark whom God has called to greatness.
#### can we try honesty and truth first? I would list some other things but don't want to detract from Step One--honesty and truth.
All of us together are what makes STF what it is. Sure, we can rebuild without you,
#### must be in the works to rebuild with out.
but how much better to do it with you? We can have the balance of the truth of the Word
#### is that what Elizabeth got?
as the basis for healthy relationships. It’s not either/or. Everyone is feeling pushed and attacked—if you could just step back, you could see that together we can take this ministry in the right direction.
#### it hasn't been going in the right direction for longer than you will honestly admit.
We all need one another.
It is all well and good to get the facts and see who is off base, but the bigger picture is the spiritual attack. The Adversary is trying to systematically destroy the well-rounded wholeness of STF. Rather than fighting my peers, I stepped down with the hope of being back in when I became more whole. I think some of your frustration is that you understand that without you there is going to be a big hole, and that is true. I think you are afraid of where Dan and John will go without your input, but clearly if you are whole you can provide your part of the balance we need. Just own up to your sinful actions in concealing something from the Board that that could have been a “molehill,” rather than having exacerbated it into a mountain, as you have done. If you will own up, I believe you can have the future input you should have in STF. If you don’t, that may not happen.
Mark, that is what I believe I should have said first, and I am sorry that I did not, for perhaps it would have been more entreating to you, and easier for you to receive. And yet I know that a heart of meekness will receive godly reproof no matter the timing, the tone, etc.
#### many people have spoken godly reproof to CES/STF leaders and that last sentance did not show up for them. Maybe you CES folk can write in a NEW TOPIC what you have said or want to say. See if they listen and then the magic side see if fruit to the listening.
That being said, after reading your 14-page paper, I am more convinced than ever that what I wrote in the letter I read to you is the truth. Your paper was a smokescreen, a morass of posturing, shucking and jiving, shifting the blame, and, as I said in the letter I read to you, a gross example of someone with a beam talking about the splinters in others’ eyes.
I love you with all my heart, Mark, and I pray that you will hear what I am saying, but I am now serving you notice that if you do not turn around, I will send this letter (edited somewhat) and the letter I read to you (edited somewhat) to those I think need to hear it at this point.
#### Everyone who ever sent you a dime or has attemped to speak into things.
Perhaps I have taken too long to do this, but I am now completely in the ring fighting for the ministry that you, John, and I started by the grace of God. I will not stand by and let you do any more damage without asserting myself with the many people I know and love, and for whom we together have worked so hard these past 20 years.
I believe that you, Karen Anne, and the Resners have built a house of cards here, and if you persist in the direction you are going, I think you will see it collapse around and upon you. Because of how you have acted in the past seven months, Mark, you are almost certainly going to be voted out as president at the January Board meeting, and may even lose your job. I do not believe that you are in alignment with the will of God in all of this, and if that does not change, I fear you will suffer grievous consequences.
#### Elizabeth did suffer
If you are planning to split off and take people with you, I am of the opinion that you do not have the support in the STF community you think you have. Time will tell whether or not John, Dan, the Theisens, and I have earned the love, respect, and trust of our precious constituents more so than have you and the Resners.
#### Where do some of you think that the dueling pp thing will have people running back or to one side or the other. The ignoance has gone on for way too long. You all have been asleep at the wheel. The car crashed and we are checking the damage. Some victims may be in a coma, like the leadership in charge of steering. Hope you come out of it.
But I am beseeching you, please do not force God’s precious people, including your own dear children, to make such a choice. God will stand with those of us who stand for truth and honesty,
#### What I have read here at GS, I see that people are making a choice to stand for Truth and Honesty. But the inablity of the leadership of CES & STF to do it has caused their own destructional events.
and He will bring us through all of this because He is invested in His Word and in those of us who stand for it. PLEASE choose to be among us. I love you more than you know.]
On December 26, prior to sending out this letter to you, I spoke with Mark and asked him if my words had touched his heart and helped him change his overall stance. He was very gracious, said he thought I was misinformed on some things, and that I should do what I thought I needed to do before the Lord. I then told him I would be sending out this letter to him and to others I thought needed to see it at this time. Thank you for praying fervently for each person involved in this situation, and for our ministry as we reach out with God’s wonderful Word around the world. The future is as bright as the promises of God. Amen.
Your brother in Christ,
John Lynn
A brief p.s. to critics of Spirit & Truth Fellowship:
Given the way that documents such as this somehow wind up on the Internet, let me say a few things to our detractors who will use this current situation in STF to say “I told you so,” take potshots at us, and magnify our flaws above the good we are doing for people. First, God bless you, I love you. Second, be sure you know enough truth about the issues to make a rational judgment. Third, get close enough to the nucleus of STF leadership to see their hearts before you impugn them. Fourth, take an honest look at what we teach from the Word about whatever subjects are pertinent to this matter, like prophecy. Prophecy is prophecy, and to criticize “personal prophecy” as unbiblical, in and of itself, is contrary to Scripture. We have a book on Prophecy that deals with this subject in depth from the Word, which you can get from www.stfonline.org.
In that vein, the reason I remain totally committed to Spirit and Truth Fellowship International is because I can find no one else with the “package” we have to offer, and I know the true heart with which we present it, as well as the liberating impact it has had on people around the world during the past 20 years. You will have to judge for yourself whether what we teach is sound doctrine, and whether we practice it in love. But you cannot do that from afar. I encourage you to dig into our work, and I exhort you to “stay tuned” and see if the hand of God is on us. Watch and see where He takes this ministry in the days ahead. I do hope that among the millions whose lives we hope to touch, we will be able to bless you, the only you God has.
As to what is flying around cyberspace about me and my personal life, my email is jalces@aol.com and my home phone is 317-849-5707. If you know me and care about me, I’ll be glad to communicate with you. I will not, however, dialogue with anonymous people who lack the love and courage to identify themselves in interacting with me.
Maybe it's just me, but a lot of these letters seem to be letting Mark off the hook to some degree like being "inordinately affected by Karen." I'm not even sure why something would be phrased that way. Anybody can be influenced by other people - the issue at hand is very specifically what people themselves are doing, especially adults and people who have 'ascended themselves' to leadership.
If you are planning to split off and take people with you, I am of the opinion that you do not have the support in the STF community you think you have. Time will tell whether or not John, Dan, the Theisens, and I have earned the love, respect, and trust of our precious constituents more so than have you and the Resners.
And that is the essence of this letter. It is why JAL's situation with E. is never mentioned. The letter is not about her. It is about who will have the most followers after the G's are thrown out. It is about who can appear more godly in the face of tossing them out.
Talking about E. would just interfere with that image, wouldn't it? Sure, it would.
JAL's 'inordinate allegiance to the Graesers' has (although people have told him over and over for years) blinded him to their 'other side'...until now.
So, getting the Gs' influence out of the CES office is a start.
But.....getting the leaven (that which influenced the Gs) out of the CES leadership's hearts and minds (since they ALL went along with them for years) is the only way any of them (including the Gs and Rs) should ever be considered "leadership" again.
God wants, of course, to forgive and cleanse each of them as much as He wants to forgive and cleanse you or me the next time we sin.
The purpose of exposure of the sin of leadership is 3-fold: stop God's people from being hurt, allow believers to make a fully-informed choice of whom to support, and, hopefully, help wake up leadership too.
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Hope R.
I've only read the first couple of pages of this thread and I've come to a personal conclusion...
I AM SO FREEKIN' THRILLED THAT I NEVER GOT INVOLVED WITH ANY TWI SPLINTER GROUP AND NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER WILL!!!
OMG - this is like TWI in the late 80's all over again! Hasn't ANYONE learned ANYTHING from their experiences?
Someone way up on page 2 or 3 said to get away from this stuff as fast as you can... I couldn't agree more.
Hope R.
ps - Hi Sushi!
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doojable
Sushi - agreed. I'm not arguing that he deserves this. It just doesn't go well with the plea for him to come and face his accusers.
Not saying he's right. Not saying he would come here anyway and intelligently dialogue.
Apparently I'm not good at getting my point across.
I"ll be serving cheesecake and apple pie in the corner soon......
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Linda Z
dooj said:
I agree completely...just haven't had time to post for a couple days. I think what you're saying is reasonable and logical.
And I agree that while it's unlikely, given his history with GS, that JAL is going to come here to discuss all this stuff, I think the likelihood diminishes even further when people are nitpicking and mudslinging. And forget about him. What about people who might be helped by what's written here?
I certainly believe, and have said so, that this "personal prophecy" doctrine is for the birds and that CES/STF never should have promoted Momentus. I also hate the way it appears that Eliz. Lynn was treated. But some of the criticisms I've read about JAL have been nothing more than nitpicking, IMO.
Years ago I went to an old (now defunct) ex-way Web site. Much of what was posted there was so outrageous and venomous that the site held no credibility for me. It wasn't until Waydale that I began to see reasonable criticisms of tw, and therefore consider themi. I see this CES stuff as a parallel. I've said it about twi and it still applies here: There is plenty wrong (issues) to discuss without getting into nitpicking (character assassination and yes, mudslinging just for the sake of slinging mud).
Someone said JAL owes us all an apology? For what? For having an opinion about GS that differs from ours? I don't share his opinion, but he's free to have it. A lot is said about freedom to think and express ourselves, and I'd say he has the same right, doesn't he? He may owe an apology to those who were adversely affected by Momentus or by some boneheaded prophecy from KAG, but to all of GreaseSpot? I don't think so.
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skyrider
And, further..........IMO, the likelihood of JAL coming here is greatly diminished by the constraints of time that he, and others, are facing before the fast-approaching CES/STI Board Meetings in January.
In his position paper, JAL noted that he had pages and pages of notes dealing with MG and KAG, the firing of CES office personnel, etc. etc. What about phone calls? Or, the side-meetings with individuals prior to these Board meetings?
Not even the multi-tasking expertise of JAL could keep up with a barrage of GS communication.......with a January Board Meeting looming that is pivotal to his 20-year involvement with CES. Nope, I just don't think its a realistic expectation to see him here at The Cafe, at this time.
:)
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trumpeter
'...some boneheaded prophecy from KAG.'
Nicely put Linda. From what hellish 'bible' did this idiocy come?
Could it be JAL is, aah, running for president? AGAIN?
On second thought, don't tell me.
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Ham
JL must be SOOOOOO happy, just wallowing in so many meetings, papers- like the old days.
Skyrider, that sounds like a MOGGY in all his "glory"
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J0nny Ling0
That was a nice, evenly stated post LindaZ. Very fair and not one sided.
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Ham
Well, nobody ever accused us of being Fox News
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rascal
Linda, I was the one that said that he owed me/us an apology, but you need to have read it in context. It was said in reply to being needled as too chicken to call him.
I understand about insulting and mudslinging, but I am unsure that is what is going on, at least it wasn`t in the quote that you sighted.
He has repeatedly insulted the internet users and any exway that don`t see things his way.
As I understand what folks are saying, his allowing his wife to be savaged, his continued promotion of prophesy, his insulting behavior and derogatory attitude is to be given a free pass, because after all he might get his feelings hurt if he read what people honestly thought....
By all means, lets all be nice and pretend that his actions, or lack there of simply aren`t offensive.
Gosh, maybe he NEEDS someone to be honest with him for a change, rather than just maintaining communication with people who are as beguiled by these practices as he, Folks who simply tell him only that which he wishes to hear.
How is he ever going to pull his head out of that dark place and be free himself if nobody dares be honest with him...if folks just say the stuff that confirms and further entrenches him in his beliefs?
Sometimes, brutal as it is, honesty is the most decent thing that you can do for a person.
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oldiesman
When I had questions for him in the past, yes, I called him.
Works better than backbiting, and speaking "TO" a person one may have problems with is certainly biblical.
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Tom Strange
I'll continue the sidetrack for just a moment if I may...
You're right: it's unlikely... and I agree with what others have said: I certainly wouldn't come here if I were him... I would consider it a 'hostile environment'...
It also doesn't fit their modus operandi...
To JAL (and the Board) I would say: This comes with the territory, you accepted the responsibility and apparently misused it... too bad, you made your bed now lie in it...
Personally I'd like to see a clear, concise, HONEST discussion with JAL and the Board... anywhere they'd like... but that's not going to happen in any relatively free environment... and I am not going to gloss over their dishonesty by saying 'they're honest according to what they believe'... that's making excuses for them... they were in TWI just as we were, they KNOW what they've done, and I'd wager they knew that one day they'd be caught, discovered, outted... that day is apparently here.
But you know what? I'm not going to tell anyone to 'lay off' of JAL and the board. To a lot of folks here JAL and the board represent (sometimes specifically) the worst of TWI and its offshoots... JAL and the Board "spark" deep seated feelings of hurt and anger in some and they (JAL and the board) probably deserve the wrath they're receiving... so if that's how you feel about it, let it fly if it makes you feel better... the way I take those angry posts is that folks are just venting, I take no particular joy in them, I figure it's part of what they need to do, to tell you the truth sometimes I read them and sometimes I just go to the next post. But I am not going to try to stifle them.
As to those that are visiting here and trying to sift through all of this to find out what's going on with CES/STFI... I would hope that they wouldn't be discouraged in their journey by some posts vilifying JAL and the board. I'd rather they would either 'skip over them' or recognize them for what they are: 'posts by people who have been hurt or angered in some way'... and believe that eyes will be opened...
I'd hope there is a way that folks can come here and find out what they need to know by reading these threads...
I'd also hope that folks can continue to vent as they need to so that JAL and the board can find out what I believe they already know...
This is the way GreaseSpotCafe has worked as long as I've been here... and I happen to think it works very well...
Do I like or agree with everything that's posted (or with the way it's posted)? Nope.
Do I have to like or agree with everything that's posted (or with the way it's posted?) Nope.
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WordWolf
Well,
he owes me one for this,
from the first post:
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Tom Strange
from JALs letter:
What is "unbiblical" about it is the way JAL and the Board (and therefore CES/STFI) practice and teach "personal prophecy" as noted in Mark's letter (reposted below because it needs to be)...That's scripture below that Mark is quoting... I especially like the reference to Deuteronomy 18:18-22 down near the end... in a letter he sent SIX YEARS AGO.
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Ham
What I wonder, where is all of this heading, i.e., the "elections" this month?
I can almost hear the announcement from JL-
"well, SOMEBODY had to save the day here.."
"with great reluctance, I accept the presidency on a TEMPORARY basis, and will lay down the power, when order is restored in the Senate.."
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dmiller
I doubt it.
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Ham
Well, I have seen stranger things happen!
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dmiller
(sigh!!!!!) There's past things that have happened that you know little ---
oh -- nevermind. It's water under the bridge now.
^_^
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caribousam
It's sad to see CES in such a mess. But some of it is kind of predictable. There was a
sort of core of folks in leadership that seemed a little too secretive, and out of touch with
ordinary people. I offered lot of constructive feedback to CES, but it seems that my advice
was ignored. Others I've spoken to had similar experience. Also, many times I volunteered
to do some creative work in reaching out to others on behalf of CES, but leadership was
not trusting enough too allow it. So I felt that they were sort of unable or unwilling to support
my spiritual growth - they were very cautious and held power close to the vest.
Still, I met and fellowshipped, prayed and prophesied with many, and the fellowship was
fruitful.
It's kind of odd how organizations so many times get in the way of people trying to go
and grow with God. I think CES needs a reorg, a reshuffling, and a rethinking.
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therebutforgrace
Welcome to GS, Sam!
Is it cold up there???
Thanks for the post.
Keep that constructive feedback on the stove...it appears someone might be willing to listen one of these days...
And I'm sure Jesus has many outlets for your creative work for His outreach, whether CES exists or not.
You wrote.....Still, I met and fellowshipped, prayed and prophesied with many, and the fellowship was fruitful.
Isn't God's grace truly amazing? He works through us in spite of us 'cause all He's got is us!
Orgs of course are only run by people...and you're right..they usually start off by one person seeing others in need and trying to meet that need.
They begin in order to serve people.
But as they grow they molt into the opposite----something that needs people to serve them. (since, of course, they are so needed to serve people.)
Pride comes before a fall. The bigger the pride, the bigger the fall.
Thank God the evil has been exposed in this one organization, and I pray the same exposure occurs in every organization that has been deceived off of the path God and Jesus started them on.
Type in again, Sam.
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rich
This is a letter (position paper) from John Lynn.
#####and these are comments by me
Posted with permission.
Cover letter:
Dear Brethren.
God bless you in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am sending this email, with its attachment, to only a relatively few people at this time, each of whom I consider a committed stakeholder in our unique ministry.
It is going to the Spirit & Truth Fellowship Board of Directors, the STF Staff, and others who have inquired of me, or who I have spoken with, or who I think should now be aware of what has been going on for the past 7 months in STF.
I realize that as you read it, you may want to know if you have my permission to send it on to other people you think should be informed about this matter, and the answer is yes. I trust that you will seek the Lord's guidance about that.
Thank you for your love and prayers.
In his service,
John Lynn
From: John A. Lynn December 26, 2006
To Whom It May Concern:
As I begin this letter, my heart is weeping about the current state of affairs among the members of the Spirit and Truth Fellowship International Board of Directors, each of whom is one of my closest friends. What you will read is my best assessment of many conversations with the principals involved and/or reading more than 100 pages of their own words in correspondence back and forth among them.
My fervent prayer is that in a godly way I will bring into the light, and express my perspective of, this heart-rending situation. I pray also that God will preserve this unique ministry and dynamically increase its influence, which for 20 years now has been overwhelmingly positive for people all around the world. What I say herein is what might be called “small ‘t’ truth,” that is, what is true for me as I perceive this situation, about which my conscience compels me to speak out. If, as things play out, I find that I am wrong in my viewpoint, I will gladly account and repent.
Since late September (when I first heard of this situation), in accordance with scriptures like Proverbs 18:13 and 17; 25:8, I have been listening to and/or reading the words of everyone on the Board as well as most of those on staff, especially those directly involved in what has transpired. I have taken notes, pondered and prayed, and have now come to the place that I am completely convinced about what I will share in this letter.
I am assuming that many believers who read this are either very good friends of mine or people who know quite a bit about me and my involvement in this wonderful ministry, for which I was the original “point man” from its inception in 1987 until June, 2000, when my dear brother Mark Graeser succeeded me as president. I say that in order to give you some idea of how excruciating it is for me to see what is now going on, and how it is even more painful to write what I am compelled by my conscience and by my great love for each person I mention to write. If you are in pain, or incredulous, as you read, I completely understand how you feel, for I feel the same way.
It was about September 21 when I was first informed that there was a division among the members of the STF Board of Directors (and spouses), with Mark and Karen Anne Graeser and Tom and Susan Resner having a disagreement with John and Jenivee Schoenheit, Gary and Karen Theisen, and Dan and Lori Gallagher. I initially heard that the main point of contention was that four of the other five Board members (John, Gary, Karen, and Dan) had asked Mark to step down from his presidential responsibilities for six months, move his office to his home, and, while still being paid the same salary, work on some very serious personal matters that, in their opinion, had, and still were, greatly hampering his ability to perform the required duties of president. He was asked to focus on writing the administrations book and the clergy ordination education curriculum. Mark declined to step down, however, and Tom stood with him in that decision.
I know all ten of these people very well, and though it was immediately obvious that either four (Graesers, Resners) or six (Schoenheits, Theisens, Gallaghers) of them are now “off track” to some degree, it was very hard for me to believe that it could have come to this. Each is a mature, committed Christian with an excellent track record of service to God’s people. And yet I know that no matter how far one has walked with God, our very personal adversary knows exactly how to work on our weaknesses, and our spiritual equilibrium is only as good as our renewed mind faith today.
As I began to listen to most of those involved, I carefully noted two things: (1) who did I feel was trying to persuade me or enroll me in their perspective, and (2) who spoke with what I perceived as any personal animosity or bitterness or innuendo about someone in the opposing camp. As I read many pertinent documents such as Dan’s letter of late September to Mark asking him specific questions pertinent to the situation, Mark’s reply to Dan firing him as CEO, Dan’s reply to Mark, Mark’s reply to that letter, Tom’s letter to the rest of the Board, etc., etc., I noted what I thought was godly, gracious, factual, and Word-based as compared to what I thought was personally attacking, acerbic, condescending, short on facts, and without biblical basis.
For me, I never experienced the Schoenheits, Gallaghers, or Theisens trying to enroll me on their side, but I did with Mark. Nor did I hear anything from the former three couples but sadness and heartbreak about what they perceived as Mark and Karen Anne’s emotional instability, and a passion to restore them to wholeness and ministry work. But from Mark (and from Tom in his letter to the Board), I did experience a significant amount of personal innuendo.
1 Timothy 5:19 (NIV) says: “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.” As I do my best to summarily chronicle why I have arrived at the perspective I have, space and prudence compel me to omit many incidents and details about how Mark and Karen Anne have showed up since last April, which I have heard corroborated by 12 credible, firsthand witnesses who I personally know to be faithful believers. As the reality of the situation became clear to me, I have prayed fervently that Mark and Karen Anne would wake up and humbly submit to the “multitude of counselors” lovingly imploring them to do so. That way there would likely be no more division, and none of God’s precious people would be forced to choose sides. Instead, they have entrenched themselves more and more deeply into their mindset, and have done all they can to substantiate it. Thus, I have made the decision to send out this letter.
For years there has been a fairly widespread perception among quite a few people involved with STF that Karen Anne has been exerting an undue and negative influence on Mark, and others. Some have felt she is “running the ministry” via her prophecies, Many times I have vehemently (and, I firmly believe, rightly) defended her. Having been integrally involved in every major ministry decision from 1987-2000 and somewhat involved in many others from 2000-2005, I know that she has not “run the ministry.” That being said, I have of late been surprised to learn that the perception of her negative influence is far more pervasive than I realized, and, having been made aware of numerous incidents in which she has exerted undue and harmful influence, I no longer believe that this perception is groundless.
#####Look back...maybe that same negative influence that was far more pervasive--the exerted undue and harmful influence--has been going on for a long time, as many have tried to say. Probably had a huge influence on your marriage.
In my opinion, a key factor in all of this is that while God wants to make our weaknesses into strengths, the enemy wants to make our strengths into weaknesses. Karen Anne Graeser has often spoken prophetically into my life and been right on the money, to my great benefit. And I have seen her do the same things for scores of other saints, as they too would testify. In that sense, her voice has been a strength. But I honestly believe that, in large part, it has now become a weakness, as many will testify that she has been meddling in things she shouldn’t,
#### like in your marriage
inordinately influencing Mark, relentlessly pushing her own agendas, and sowing seeds of division among the brethren.
#### like in your marriage
I believe that is coming out of her deep woundedness, and, given the depth of my love for her, my sadness for her is inexpressible.
In that vein, I should say that I have heard that there are many prophetic words about this situation that have come in from various people during the past seven months, one group of which is obviously false, or at least off track, because they are pretty much the opposite of the words in the other group. I will say that it seems to me that the Graesers and Resners appear to be relying much more heavily than are the others on the words that support their position.
#### they always have
I think, however, that we can make a rational judgment from looking at the facts of the matter. As the Word says, “by their fruits you shall know them.” And by the consistent testimony of about a dozen witnesses, and in my own opinion based upon Mark and Karen Anne’s written words, the fruit in their lives
#### there are many empty spaces in the CES roster --many people have left--and it started long, long ago.
has badly deteriorated in the past seven months.
During that time, several faithful and competent STF staff members have been adversely affected by the Graesers,
#### another great example of being know by their fruit and this, too, is nothing new
the first being Jeff Blackburn, who for six years has been an invaluable asset to STF in many ways, not the least of which are his awesome administrative ability and his heart for God’s people. Does he have shortcomings? Of course, but from where I stand, it seems he was set up by Karen Anne and Mark, and, in retrospect, that is how Jeff feels. There are many details as to how it unfolded, but at the bottom line, as I see it, Jeff would not countenance Karen Anne’s inappropriate involvement in certain ministry affairs, and Mark, under pressure from Karen Anne, put pressure on him to resign, which he did, when it was not what he really wanted to do. Jeff finally asked Mark if he thought it was best for him to resign, and Mark said yes, so Jeff did. According to Dan Gallagher, the STF CEO at that time, Mark had agreed with him to take the matter to the whole Board, but instead went ahead and personally dealt with Jeff anyway.
As the CEO, Dan did not like how Jeff was handled, and told that to Mark, citing the need for due process of any grievances, etc.
#####CES has been real short of due process, like the Stones and others who challenged how monies were incorrectly being used. long before several months ago.
Shortly thereafter, following a series of events surrounding their disagreement on this matter, Dan wrote Mark, asking him to answer a number of pertinent and vital questions. Mark responded to that on October 24 with a five-page letter to Dan in which he fired him as the STF CEO. After critically and objectively reading it, I would describe it as: authentic (that is, showing the true posture of Mark’s heart), generally factless, condescending, unkind, adamantly accusing, almost paranoid, and, in biblical terms, someone with a beam in his eye trying to point out a splinter in another’s eye.
I then pored over Dan’s October 30 six-page reply and found it to be: gracious, loving, filled with facts and specifics, honest, imploring, and pleading for Mark to specify anything Dan had done wrong other than disagree with him and Karen Anne. I believe that had Mark received it with meekness, it could have been even soothing to him as he recognized Dan validating his love and support for him. I also read Mark’s lengthy rebuttal of what Dan wrote to him, and though it contained many more factual statements than his first letter, I was not convinced that his take on them was accurate. Nor did he specifically answer all the questions Dan had originally asked him.
I then read Tom’s October 29 letter addressed to the Board, in which he set forth a number of alleged prophetic words from the Lord that were very derogatory
#### how about Elizabeth in this list?
to John and Jenivee, Dan, and Gary and Karen T., and which did not line up with the facts as I see them. I could write a lot about it, but suffice it to say that I was very disappointed by its immediate declaration that what would follow was what “the Lord spoke” to Tom, its dearth of facts, its caustic and accusatory verbiage, its feeling of imposing guilt,
#### sounds like what was said to Elizabeth
and its inordinate allegiance to the Graesers. Honestly, there were a few statements so outlandish
#### spiders coming out of the nose?
that I never would have attributed them to my longtime friend Tom Resner had they not had his name on them.
About mid-October, Rachel Collum Darr told me that Mark had fired her that morning. Mark had given me his version of the incident, but when I later asked Rachel to lay out the whole thing for me, I was very saddened to see how Karen Anne had factored in (even as she had with Jeff B.) by her insistence for several months that Rachel be fired, based upon her perspective of how Rachel had shown up at the Women’s Conference in April. I read the “History of Rachel Collum Darr’s Employment at STF” and also Dan and Lori Gallagher’s additions and corrections to that document (Lori factored in via her direct involvement in Rachel’s situation at the Women’s Conference). I was surprised to see how many key facts the original report contained that the Gallaghers then said were either not true or somewhat distorted.
####Could this apply to Elizabeth also?
Very shortly after Rachel’s firing, Matthew Johnson, another loyal employee for six years, resigned after Karen Anne came to an office staff meeting and spoke for about 30 minutes about never having wanted Rachel to be fired. Matthew found this so dishonest that, as a matter of conscience, he decided he could not stay in the office for the remainder of his two-weeks-notice, and told Mark the next day that it would be his last. Knowing Matthew as I do, I called him and asked him to share his heart with me, which he did. Once again I heard a sad account of frustration with what he perceived as dishonesty on the part of Mark and Karen Anne in dealing with both Jeff and Rachel, as well as their handling of a pivotal staff meeting which Matthew felt was primarily an attempt by the Graesers to get testimony about how Jeff had hurt other staff members and thereby justify their position that he should resign.
#### best way to get the attention of people like this is to cut off all funding. Doesn't make sense to support this with $, does it? Let's give money so a pp councilecan tear people apart and call it all good. Treat people as dung. Misuse the Word to fit our agenda. Makes perfect brain-dead sense to me.
Bob Maffit has been a dear friend of mine for more than 30 years, and in recent years has been an invaluable asset to the STF staff, a “full time volunteer,” if you will. He has worked very closely with Mark, and, in an attempt to get all the information I could, I sought his perspective. Bob’s burning love for Mark was evident as he sadly recounted to me numerous incidents in recent months where, in his view, Mark showed up as incapacitated, dishonest, distorting reality, enrolling Bob against Dan and John, speaking evil of others, and asking Bob to give him information about what he (Mark) perceived as others’ disloyalty to him. Bob shared that he has often confronted Mark during these past months and, while generally experiencing him to listen, he has seen no positive change.
####great way to find out what people realy feel about you. give your butt off to help out, then speak up and not be listened to. Shows the truth of someone's feelings and [lack of] respect for a person. Bob M, this has been going on for a lonnnnnng time
I have pages and pages of notes from my conversations with many of the principals in this situation, and they are replete with incidents corroborating the emotional instability and resulting behavior of Mark and Karen Anne since last Spring, their great distrust of those who love them and are fighting for them, their distorting of many pertinent facts and conversations, and Mark’s refusal to accept the recommendation of four of his five peers on the Board.
#### wake up!!!! this is not new, it has been going on for a long time, but yet every one at the top of CES/STF don't get it. And you want to lead people through teachings and fellowships, when you can't even listen to the people that are around you and you drive them away? WAKE UP. The rotting exiting bodies of the members you have slaughtered are everywhere. (That last staement is not pp but hard humor mixed in with reality.)
The annual STF Board of Directors meeting will be held the third week of January, at which time the annual election of officers will be held. Given the current state of affairs, there is little question that a new president will be elected. I pray that Mark and Karen Anne (and Tom and Susan) will not then leave STF and try to take others with them (I do not know to what extent they or others close to them have already tried to enroll STF people around the country). If they will see the light and change their attitudes, I know that all who love them will come around them and do everything we can to support their healing and restoration.
#### Come around them and tie them up? How can there be unity when there is already massive division? The personal face to face pp's have their own devastating damage factor.
Although Mark and Karen Anne have made it clear that they believe the Schoenheits, Theisens, and Gallaghers have been collaborating against them, and that Jeff Blackburn, Rachel Collum Darr, Matthew Johnson, and Bob Maffit are equally in error in their perspectives of what has been going on, particularly in the STF office, that is not how I see it. Rather, I perceive a lengthy litany of incidents during the past seven months that plainly involve the Graesers desperately posturing and maneuvering, distorting the facts, manipulating people, name calling/attacking other persons involved, refusing to be accountable for so doing, and exemplifying the pot calling the kettle black.
#### Elizabeth, are you getting this? Fits what happened to you to a tee. This stuff happens CES/STF-wide.
Given our intimate relationship in this ministry these past 20 years (and another ten prior to that), I believe I am qualified to say that Mark and Karen Anne are not coming from the degree of wholeness that I have experienced from them during the many years when we have shared countless heart-to-heart moments. It is my carefully considered opinion that in order to most glorify God and love His people, Mark should embrace whatever the Board thinks is best for him in order to see the Lord’s healing in his own heart and in his precious wife. Their value to our ministry is inestimable, and, were they whole, no one I know can fill the gap that would be caused by their absence. The thought of going on in this ministry without them puts a knot in my stomach.
Personally, I want my best friend back—the formerly self-described “balding window cleaner from no place theologically important in Florida.” I want the man who, until recently, has for me modeled much meekness, humility, godly introspection, a passion for spiritual growth, a pastoral heart for God’s people, a willingness to account and take responsibility, and who has loved me immensely. And I want the woman with whom I have been closer than a brother for 30+ years, with whom I often have stood side by side in the trenches of spiritual battle.
Having myself been in a somewhat similar situation several years ago, and having felt it best for the ministry and my personal life to first resign from the Board and later to resign as an STF employee, I can painfully identify with Mark in this matter. Through the past 20 years, and among so many godly people with whom I consider myself to be intimate, Mark and Karen Anne have been my closest friends of all. As “iron sharpening iron,” they have often spoken into my life with great love and wisdom, and their example of so doing is one I call to mind as I now do my best to do the same for them.
With the goal of reaching out to Mark as he has so often done for me, I went to him on December 9 and read to him what I have written above (slightly edited since then). He listened, but did not agree at all with what you have read, asking that if I send it to anyone that I would make that clear. He believes that I am deceived, just like John S., Dan, the Theisens, et al.
#### reading these words of the letter sounds like many at the top have been deceived or are deceiving. Now before you get too defensive, look at the fall-out list through the years.
On December 20, after reading Mark’s just-released 14 page paper titled, “Why I Cannot in Good Conscience Take a ‘Leave of Absence’ or Resign as President at This Time and Under These Circumstances,” I wrote the following (in brackets pp. 6-8, and now slightly edited) to him and Karen Anne, which I think you should see:
[Dear Mark and Karen Anne,
God bless you and yours. I’ve read your 14-page paper, Mark, and your reply to my birthday note to you, Karen. Were I able to hit the rewind button and go back in time to December 9 when I sat with you and read my letter to you, Mark, here is what I would have said first instead. As much as you can, please step back and hear my heart, which is imploring you as my dear friend of 30 years and brother in Christ and fellow laborer in this unique ministry.
You, John S., and I made a whole, a good balance where none of us could get too out of bounds. Adding Dan to that gives us even more wholeness, and balance, like the four legs on a table. The enemy took me out of the loop, at least temporarily, and clearly, you are his next target. Satan has used an incident in your life and your subsequent emotional turmoil to skew your perspective, with the goal of taking you out.
Mark, I’ve been there, and maybe I can help you see this, as I have come to terms with how the enemy has hurt STF via my failures.
#### How about Elizabeth?
My part of the balance was taken out, and the thought of you also being taken out is terrible, for then half of us four are gone. Taking some time off in your duties to allow God to heal your heart and make things right in your family, would have been, and maybe still can be, a good thing. Humbling yourself before your peers is the way to stop the Devil from blowing up one incident to the end of removing your invaluable influence from STF.
You are a strong person on the inside, and you are wise. You are smarter than this. Just own up and let God be God. God is simply saying to take care of your heart and your house, so please don’t be threatened. God is God, gracious and merciful. He doesn’t want you out of the picture, but you are almost surely going to be if you don’t see the big picture of what is really happening here.
#### did you miss the big picture that there are pp that have been gone over and collated and reviewed and put together that have to be delivered face to face. This could be the war of the pp's
What does it mean that I have been temporarily taken out? What did I bring to the table, and whom have we found to fill my shoes? No one else is me, and no one else is you. If you are taken out, who will then fill your shoes? It is not that someone else cannot be president, just as you took over for me, but it is that no one else is you, the Mark whom God has called to greatness.
#### can we try honesty and truth first? I would list some other things but don't want to detract from Step One--honesty and truth.
All of us together are what makes STF what it is. Sure, we can rebuild without you,
#### must be in the works to rebuild with out.
but how much better to do it with you? We can have the balance of the truth of the Word
#### is that what Elizabeth got?
as the basis for healthy relationships. It’s not either/or. Everyone is feeling pushed and attacked—if you could just step back, you could see that together we can take this ministry in the right direction.
#### it hasn't been going in the right direction for longer than you will honestly admit.
We all need one another.
It is all well and good to get the facts and see who is off base, but the bigger picture is the spiritual attack. The Adversary is trying to systematically destroy the well-rounded wholeness of STF. Rather than fighting my peers, I stepped down with the hope of being back in when I became more whole. I think some of your frustration is that you understand that without you there is going to be a big hole, and that is true. I think you are afraid of where Dan and John will go without your input, but clearly if you are whole you can provide your part of the balance we need. Just own up to your sinful actions in concealing something from the Board that that could have been a “molehill,” rather than having exacerbated it into a mountain, as you have done. If you will own up, I believe you can have the future input you should have in STF. If you don’t, that may not happen.
Mark, that is what I believe I should have said first, and I am sorry that I did not, for perhaps it would have been more entreating to you, and easier for you to receive. And yet I know that a heart of meekness will receive godly reproof no matter the timing, the tone, etc.
#### many people have spoken godly reproof to CES/STF leaders and that last sentance did not show up for them. Maybe you CES folk can write in a NEW TOPIC what you have said or want to say. See if they listen and then the magic side see if fruit to the listening.
That being said, after reading your 14-page paper, I am more convinced than ever that what I wrote in the letter I read to you is the truth. Your paper was a smokescreen, a morass of posturing, shucking and jiving, shifting the blame, and, as I said in the letter I read to you, a gross example of someone with a beam talking about the splinters in others’ eyes.
I love you with all my heart, Mark, and I pray that you will hear what I am saying, but I am now serving you notice that if you do not turn around, I will send this letter (edited somewhat) and the letter I read to you (edited somewhat) to those I think need to hear it at this point.
#### Everyone who ever sent you a dime or has attemped to speak into things.
Perhaps I have taken too long to do this, but I am now completely in the ring fighting for the ministry that you, John, and I started by the grace of God. I will not stand by and let you do any more damage without asserting myself with the many people I know and love, and for whom we together have worked so hard these past 20 years.
I believe that you, Karen Anne, and the Resners have built a house of cards here, and if you persist in the direction you are going, I think you will see it collapse around and upon you. Because of how you have acted in the past seven months, Mark, you are almost certainly going to be voted out as president at the January Board meeting, and may even lose your job. I do not believe that you are in alignment with the will of God in all of this, and if that does not change, I fear you will suffer grievous consequences.
#### Elizabeth did suffer
If you are planning to split off and take people with you, I am of the opinion that you do not have the support in the STF community you think you have. Time will tell whether or not John, Dan, the Theisens, and I have earned the love, respect, and trust of our precious constituents more so than have you and the Resners.
#### Where do some of you think that the dueling pp thing will have people running back or to one side or the other. The ignoance has gone on for way too long. You all have been asleep at the wheel. The car crashed and we are checking the damage. Some victims may be in a coma, like the leadership in charge of steering. Hope you come out of it.
But I am beseeching you, please do not force God’s precious people, including your own dear children, to make such a choice. God will stand with those of us who stand for truth and honesty,
#### What I have read here at GS, I see that people are making a choice to stand for Truth and Honesty. But the inablity of the leadership of CES & STF to do it has caused their own destructional events.
and He will bring us through all of this because He is invested in His Word and in those of us who stand for it. PLEASE choose to be among us. I love you more than you know.]
On December 26, prior to sending out this letter to you, I spoke with Mark and asked him if my words had touched his heart and helped him change his overall stance. He was very gracious, said he thought I was misinformed on some things, and that I should do what I thought I needed to do before the Lord. I then told him I would be sending out this letter to him and to others I thought needed to see it at this time. Thank you for praying fervently for each person involved in this situation, and for our ministry as we reach out with God’s wonderful Word around the world. The future is as bright as the promises of God. Amen.
Your brother in Christ,
John Lynn
A brief p.s. to critics of Spirit & Truth Fellowship:
Given the way that documents such as this somehow wind up on the Internet, let me say a few things to our detractors who will use this current situation in STF to say “I told you so,” take potshots at us, and magnify our flaws above the good we are doing for people. First, God bless you, I love you. Second, be sure you know enough truth about the issues to make a rational judgment. Third, get close enough to the nucleus of STF leadership to see their hearts before you impugn them. Fourth, take an honest look at what we teach from the Word about whatever subjects are pertinent to this matter, like prophecy. Prophecy is prophecy, and to criticize “personal prophecy” as unbiblical, in and of itself, is contrary to Scripture. We have a book on Prophecy that deals with this subject in depth from the Word, which you can get from www.stfonline.org.
In that vein, the reason I remain totally committed to Spirit and Truth Fellowship International is because I can find no one else with the “package” we have to offer, and I know the true heart with which we present it, as well as the liberating impact it has had on people around the world during the past 20 years. You will have to judge for yourself whether what we teach is sound doctrine, and whether we practice it in love. But you cannot do that from afar. I encourage you to dig into our work, and I exhort you to “stay tuned” and see if the hand of God is on us. Watch and see where He takes this ministry in the days ahead. I do hope that among the millions whose lives we hope to touch, we will be able to bless you, the only you God has.
As to what is flying around cyberspace about me and my personal life, my email is jalces@aol.com and my home phone is 317-849-5707. If you know me and care about me, I’ll be glad to communicate with you. I will not, however, dialogue with anonymous people who lack the love and courage to identify themselves in interacting with me.
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1broken1
Maybe it's just me, but a lot of these letters seem to be letting Mark off the hook to some degree like being "inordinately affected by Karen." I'm not even sure why something would be phrased that way. Anybody can be influenced by other people - the issue at hand is very specifically what people themselves are doing, especially adults and people who have 'ascended themselves' to leadership.
Accountability!
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shazdancer
And that is the essence of this letter. It is why JAL's situation with E. is never mentioned. The letter is not about her. It is about who will have the most followers after the G's are thrown out. It is about who can appear more godly in the face of tossing them out.
Talking about E. would just interfere with that image, wouldn't it? Sure, it would.
IMHO,
Shaz
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Ham
Or.. could it be JL resorting to some kind of scorched earth policy. After all the hoopla, there probably won't be very many left to take.
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therebutforgrace
You are right, 1b1.
Mark is just as 'strong' as KA.
JAL's 'inordinate allegiance to the Graesers' has (although people have told him over and over for years) blinded him to their 'other side'...until now.
So, getting the Gs' influence out of the CES office is a start.
But.....getting the leaven (that which influenced the Gs) out of the CES leadership's hearts and minds (since they ALL went along with them for years) is the only way any of them (including the Gs and Rs) should ever be considered "leadership" again.
God wants, of course, to forgive and cleanse each of them as much as He wants to forgive and cleanse you or me the next time we sin.
The purpose of exposure of the sin of leadership is 3-fold: stop God's people from being hurt, allow believers to make a fully-informed choice of whom to support, and, hopefully, help wake up leadership too.
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