Last year a small group of churches called Sovereign Grace Ministries with a celebrity leader named C.J. Mahaney were rocked when a former leader released a series of documents online. What followed was a fairly public authoritarian tragedy/comedy as Sovereign Grace Ministries (which believes leadership rule and congregations follow) went through the motions of ‘accountability.’
In a mad scramble to address the deep polity and personnel concerns contained in the SGM wikileak docs as they came to be called, the board temporarily restructured, put sycophants on exploratory panels and in an actually sane move, hired an outside group called The Ambassadors of Reconciliation to listen to former SGM pastors and parishioners who have been mistreated and abused by leadership. It’s a long story which has been outlined in prior posts and well documented elsewhere. Mega star Mahaney ‘stepped down’, ran over to a Baptist church and didn’t stay too far away for long, appearing at the SGM pastors conference to warn anyone who stepped out of line that:
I think the days ahead are going to require more discernment as it relates to the identification of slander and the influence of slander in our churches. I think the days ahead are going to require courage on the part of pastors and when necessary publicly identify those who are divisive. I think the days ahead are not only going to require – I think they are going to require courage.”
SGM is a group which has its own language, rooted in the US shepherding movement. From the day the docs went online and the leadership of SGM found themselves in the public eye, I think the die was cast. SGM isn’t much of anything without its celebrity leader.
Now that the findings of the SGM panels and the SGM board have been leaked online, (the board will make their report public on Friday) and quelle surprise, CJ Mahoney has been returned as President of SGM, effective immediately. There could not have been any other outcome for this board.
The reports which explains why SGM isn’t changing course is here. I don’t think the SGM board needed 51 pages, but they are used to being listened to and used to proof texting and justifying control in the hands of a few. Little has changed, in a contradictory and double speak section on why SGM will not permit its pastors and parishioners to determine the course set years ago, pastors are put in their place, in case they don’t know it already. On page 45 of Panel Reports and Board’s Response, a letter from CJ Mahaney states his plan to return as SGM President immediately and in a temporary capacity, in order to set up a new board, to give his input to leadership regarding his successor and then for him to start an SGM church plant.
As for the outside report from Ambassadors of Reconciliation, it is difficult to know if there will be a positive effect. Noise will probably be made from the board about changes as SGM goes back to business as usual. SGM members will have to vote with their presence, their feet and their wallets.
Update: Larry Tomczak who founded the SGM movement with Mahaney has responded to the SGM panel report. Tomczak was blackmailed by CJ Mahaney and he calls out the panel for whitewashing.
The panel cited CJ’s public criticisms “was the death of Larry’s reputation at CLC…church members stopped interacting with them.” We would add these included close relatives for many years. CJ sent a letter to pastors asking them “not to engage in casual conversation or pursue fellowship with Larry.” He penned a letter to thousands of folks throughout the movement of churches suggesting I was under “church discipline” when I never was. This manipulated people into shunning us by confusing them. Friendships built for years were shattered overnight. The panel members were courageous in allowing this material to be included. What needs to be underscored is how, under CJ’s leadership, instruction, and personal example, this un-Christlike treatment of us and many others of God’s precious sheep was allowed to flourish. Some SGM board members, local pastors and church members are guilty of blindly following his lead.
Our experience brings this to the surface and should not be ignored. We turned over to the panel the names of over 105 leadership couples who experienced spiritual abuse in SGM. Imagine how many other church members have also been victims.
As you indicate, it is not surprising that the 3 groups didn’t find Mahaney disqualified. After all they packed the 3 groups with people loyal to SGM an who also get their income from SGM. To do otherwise would risk their livelihood and most of these men would have a hard time at their age finding employment that would pay nearly as well as what they get with SGM. Thus they were under pressure to not find Mahaney disqualified.
Some good blogs analyzing this are:
http://www.sgmsurvivors.com
http://www.sgmrefuge.com