What to Expect Today In The Potters Field Case
We gathered as much info as we could over the weekend and still are not sure of exactly what is going to happen today.
The Calvary Chapel Association International Conference begins tomorrow and Potters Field Ministries will surely be a topic of conversation.
I expect a statement from them during one of their panel discussions.
Rumor has it that Mike Rozell will issue a statement as well.
Here’s what you can expect from everything I’m hearing and past experience.
They will all do everything to maintain the ministry “as is” while giving an appearance of discipline and accountability.
It will all be smoke and mirrors and it’s unacceptable.
Anyone who reads the testimonies here will easily understand that Mike and Pam Rozell, Steve Venable, Steve Miller and Austin Hiatt have disqualified themselves from ministry.
The assistants have been complicit in and have enabled the abuse of God’s people. All except Hiatt are also board members and cannot be trusted.
The following things are needed for real justice and righteousness to be seen.
All of the above named must be terminated immediately. The non profit corporations should simply be handed over to qualified people or disbanded.
A full outside audit must be completed.
The Rozells must publicly acknowledge in writing their sins against their victims and the church.
Financial restitution and relocation assistance must be provided.
Anything short of these steps is simply a continuation of what has already happened to so many.
Period.
Corrected an error…the conference starts tomorrow…
I’m just hearing about this from my daughter who was involved in this. Could someone please contact me and give me more info on this organization and what’s going on with anyone who was a victim of ths?
Thanks for your work investigating and reporting.
Based on the things I have experienced with church cover ups, I doubt anything substantial or remotely resembling repentance and restoration will occur…. There is too much at stake…
God knows and sees all. He cannot be mocked or fooled. As Pastor Chuck often said ‘the (grist) wheels of God grind exceedingly slow, but exceedingly fine”…
We are currently reading the Books of Kings and Chronicles, and the same patterns of corruption that ultimately leads to God’s intervention, are repeated over and over, then and now.
Big conference of Calvary Pastors in Corvallis today and tomorrow too…
Alvin Owens,
There are many articles on the site with that info.
You can email me phoenixpreacher@gmail.com , but it may be a while before I can get back to you.
Thank you, Paige!
Thank you for this update, Michael. I have been hampered by time, but have tried to view as much as I can of what has been posted on these PFM threads.
History makes it very, very , very hard to have hope for the right thing to happen here.
I believe in my heart that this is an opportunity to make more than the PFM situation right. If these CC people will not do it, then I think it is over for this entity. Infact, I will go further. I would hope what’s left finally dies and the congregations defect. Even if congregations would form their own new fellowships, they would be better off.
All that being said–congregants are usually not well-informed about the doings of their “association”. Leadership tends to like that and many congregants do not want to be. Therefore, it’s also possible that the whole swampy mess will continue its slide into mediocrity and their invoked delusion will keep them from seeing it.
Again–bad history all the way around.
JM,
Unless there is some legal issue that comes up, or God intervenes, nothing will happen in this case.
They will cover and lie and keep right on going.
We’re going to fight anyway…the broken ones deserve our best.
There need to be, at the very least, statements on the various CC web pages as to why PFM has shut down/been retooled-revamped-whatever and why leadership has stepped down. Better yet would be info/expository sermons from the pulpits. It’s the very least owed to the victims as well as those who supported PFM.
(My schedule is calling me, but I wish to say one more thing.)
Your comments are fascinating because they dovetail into a conversation I had with another just days ago. We both have been in situations where we stood up for the right thing and it didn’t go well. We felt comforted that outcome does not always tell us that we have done something incorrectly. God’s heart was always revealed on behalf of widows and orphans and, therefore, those who cannot help themselves. We must do what is right regardless–especially when there are those who are too weak to fight for themselves.
Perhaps I should label this as my own sentiment, but if nothing else occurs, being validated in one’s suffering is quite healing in itself. You have given that too many.
Kudos to you for persevering! We continue to lift this situation up in our prayers. 🙂
JM,
Well said and thank you, as always…
The New Victor,
What should happen is what I wrote in the article…victims are collateral damage in church business…
I think this case is a little different. There are so many Ignite students who have been abused or have witnessed abuse that are children, grandchildren, or close friends of CC pastors (some of whom are pretty high up in CC). This takes things to a personal level. I strongly believe the issues here will not be swept under the carpet.
Chris,
I hope you’re right…
At what point is what you are doing no longer godly?
John,
There is nothing ungodly about stopping a corrupt and abusive organization that takes advantage of and harms vulnerable young people.
Just ask Jesus who went to the point of throwing tables.
John,
“Godly” = seeking justice for those victimized by power mad persons who manipulate and destroy lives.
“Godly” = transparency
“Godly” = tearing down those things which mock the love of God
John,
Read the testimonies and pray about why you’re asking me that question…
That manipulative tripe doesn’t work here.
John,
At what point do you stop throwing out sanctimonious, self serving remarks. You are a real Tool.
John,
Let’s talk.
Please tell me what you mean by “godly”, especially in the context of the Potters’ Field Ministries troubles?
I address you as one who is precious to The Father.
He ran to me with the same ring, robe and table set for a feast, so we’re just His kids here.
G, you are amazing. Great response.
Paige,
We’re all at the party, each a cherished child, each found coin, each a carried lost sheep.
<3
John, so this leader screaming at the interns carrying a rifle. Or should everyone waited for his complete breakdown and the coolaide party? Harsh but come on
Wow. Does that mean I get financial compensation for unjust termination, emotional turmoil from repeated threats that I’d “never work in ministry again”, suffering from PTSD for four years after, plus the monumental stress of dealing with the forecloser of my home in Whitefish, and virtually becoming homeless with my wife and kids?
Sometimes a simple “sorry” doesn’t do it.
Just Curious,
There’s no way to compensate you for your grief, but I hope something can be done to make you and others more whole than you are now.
Just Curious,
You can certainly file unemployment – especially for unjust termination. Also present all of your detailed earnings – most have not even been paid minimum wage. You may have that coming as well. I would definitely look into all options for retribution given your circumstances. File a wage claim with the MT DOL – here is the link for the wage claim.
http://erd.dli.mt.gov/Portals/54/Documents/Labor-Standards/dli-erd-ls074.pdf
Just Curious,
correction – restitution not retribution. You may find a labor attorney that would take your case.
Just Curious?????
This is not about compensation. Sure, you need to start with the advice given above by Traci. Do it.
(Most of you are likely to be kids. You see the world through young inexperianced eyes. Followers of this blog are often older, and see the world through older and sometimes painful experiances. We understand mistakes because we made them. So lets start with a taste of that experiance…..)
PFM and likely other corporations and individuals, are facing the potential of massive payouts. Most coporations, unless they are a total joke, have insurance. PFM’s presumed insurance carriers face likely claims, that will max out a typical liability policy. In a typical ministry implosion, the dust takes a few years to settle. King Solomon said there is nothing new under the Sun. PFM is not unique.
The implosion I mentioned is for the attorneys to unravel. Your job is…
…To know that people care about you, even if they are total strangers.
…Keep yourselves in the love of God.
…Trust that God will send the right people into your life, at the right time, with the right advise.
…Open your bible and read it for yourself.
…Thank Michael, and his cat for speaking up on behalf of everyone hurt by PFM.