Since May of this year, some information has trickled out regarding Crossroads Christian Communications, Axcess Automation/Funds and the removal of Ron and Reynold Mainse as hosts of the flagship show 100 Huntley Street.
There is a correction which needs to be made.Â
In July, Canadian Christianity quoted Lorne Jackson of the Canadian National Christian Foundation in an article titled Mainse brothers step down from Crossroads during Ponzi investigation:
Lorne Jackson, president of the Canadian National Christian Foundation (CNCF), told CC.com that he believed the Mainse brothers to be men of integrity. He said they both had taken training from the CNCF’s ‘Advisors with a Purpose’ program, which attempts to equip financial advisors and ministry leaders with tools to deal wisely with investment decisions.
Jackson said the first he had heard of the SEC complaint or the Crossroads’ board action was from the CC.com reporter.
While declining to talk about the case in question, Jackson had some guidelines for ministry leaders who also are expected to be investors.
There are three rules that, if broken, will create problems for such leaders, he suggested.
The first rule is not to assume that an investment recruiter is a Christian just because he or she says so. Following closely, is not to invest just because the recruiter asks you to. “Do your due diligence first,” he noted, suggesting that anything less is “unscriptural.”
There are a few other guidelines, as well, he said, such as: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
If the Driver-Mainse situation turns out to be in line with the complaint information, it will not be the first time in recent Canadian history, said Jackson.
“One (such scheme) in Peterborough a few years ago, guaranteed a 15 per cent return,” he pointed out.
There is no wrong in Christian people seeking the advice of a Christian financial advisor, but “they should do their own due diligence,” he reiterated.
The result of checking things out may not necessarily be “the discovery of a Ponzi scheme — just a bad investment,” he said.
“Scripture talks about misuse of the name of the Lord,” he added.
Before starting CNCF, Jackson operated a highly-regarded Ottawa-based financial services firm, Balanced Financial. It was out of that experience that he developed the ‘Advisors with a Purpose’ program, now involving financial advisors in various parts of Canada who do what they do out of their Christian perspective.
The correction is this: ( the bolding is mine)
Last week, however, he clarified that Reynold Mainse was the only one of the two who took the training. Further, he noted that the training was not in the areas of finance or investment, but in the field of leadership.
Jackson explained that different programs are offered by CNCF and its related ministries. Some, that touch on investment and finance, are taken by Christian financial advisors who have responsibility in assisting people in financial planning and stewardship decisions. The others are leadership training and development programs available to leaders in Christian church and parachurch ministries, wanting to upgrade their skills in those areas.
Jackson wanted to make clear that the training Mainse took did not relate to investment matters.
In making the clarification, he said he has no reason to withdraw his earlier assertion that the Mainse brothers are people of integrity.
The Advisors with a Purpose program seems to be an online course run by Kingdom Advisors out of Atlanta Georgia. Kingdom Advisors Facebook page. Kingdom Now founder is this chap, Ron Blue.
The Canadian National Christian Foundation is a member of The Canadian Council of Christian Charities which investigated Crossroads this summer.
The CCCI statement of findings re: Crossroads Christian Communications is here.
Reynold Mainse statement
Ron Mainse statement
Timeline
