Sammy Nuckolls appeared in court today in Olive Branch, Mississippi, and pleaded not guilty to charges of secretly video taping a woman in that city. At left is a picture of Sammy leaving court today, and his attorney behind him addressing the media.Unfortunately for Sammy, he already has confessed to similar charges in Gosnell, Arkansas, so his ship is sunk.
Sammy and his lawyer have to be now absolutely regretting his confession in Gosnell, as he has broken one of the fundamental laws of traveling Baptist evangelists:
"Don't ever admit to doing wrong, and never apologize, and enlist the help of your Baptist friends to defend you and attack your accusers."
Sammy's confession to police in Gosnell, Arkansas is completely baffling. Apparently Sammy wasn't paying attention to the Ergun Caner saga last year. If he had been watching and learning, he would have known to never, ever confess to any wrong-doing and to always maintain his innocence, even in the face of overwhelming video evidence!
If Sammy had been paying attention last year he would have seen Ergun Caner caught red-handed by discerning Christians to be lying to congregations for years, speaking gibberish to convince people that he spoke Arabic, telling people he grew up in Turkey learning about America through watching imported pro wrestling programs, and even misrepresenting his past during a training session with our Marines. Through all the proof and video and audio showing Caner to be guilty of lying and deceiving Christians as a traveling evangelist, Caner never confessed, never apologized, and maintained his innocence throughout.
Sammy must have missed how Caner's friends came to his aid. Prominent pastors and theologians who had supported Caner spoke on his behalf, even helped Caner by attacking and blaming those who were trying to expose the truth about Caner.
Too bad Sammy didn't think on his feet fast enough, else he could have played the same card as Caner.
Sammy could have told the Gosnell police that he bought the pen to record himself practicing his sermons. He could have said it was part of his magic tricks gig, or that he used it to record videos for his blog. He could have said he regularly video taped other evangelists.
You say he was caught red-handed with videos of women on the pen? No problem. There could be an explanation. If there were videos of women on his pen, he could have plead ignorance, and proclaimed that he didn't know how the video got there. The woman in Gosnell said the pen camera was poking out of his shaving bag - maybe he left it there in record mode by mistake and bad luck. He could have blamed Calvinists of stealing his pen and placing videos there. He could have enlisted the help of prominent Southern Baptists in Lifeway and others that hired him as an evangelist to help defend his honor and attack those who are trying to take him down.
If Sammy was reading my blog earlier this year, he would have learned about the pastor at Berean Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida who was also accused of using his cover as a "man of God" to video tape women undressing. Even though the video tape showed the pastor setting up the camera, the minister adhered to the "never admit wrong-doing" rule and maintained his innocence and never wavered one bit! If he was innocent as he claimed, he is the unluckiest pastor because as fate would have it he was filmed in the same sequence before and after the women were filmed undressing! Darn! But he stayed true to his calling and never admitted wrong-doing - his church kicked out the recalcitrant who reported him to the police. The minister put on his best preacher suit and held a press conference in front of his church with bobble-headed church members behind him amening as he declared his innocence!
We could recount other instances of pastor misbehavior where the pastor stays silent, and the victims are kicked out as bad people, and the pastor is the hero.
If Sammy were a mega church pastor, he would have known better than to confess - he would have admitted to nothing, gotten his attorney involved right away to fight all charges, stayed silent himself, and returned to church on Sunday for the obligatory standing ovation given to pastors who are under attack from Satan himself.
Yes, Sammy should have maintained his innocence and let his friends defend him; and I wouldn't be surprised if he retracts his confession in Gosnell, fights all charges and is back in pulpits next year ministering to youth.
Such a strategy worked for Ergun Caner.
45 comments:
Pleading not guilty.
Sounds like he's truly repentant and wants to do the right thing.
Impressive.
Anonymous said...
"Sounds like he's truly repentant and wants to do the right thing."
Keep the spin coming....
Another news Report
I think Anon #1 was being sarcastic...
He could have blamed Calvinists of stealing his pen and placing videos there.
Or the haters.
He could have enlisted the help of prominent Southern Baptists in Lifeway and others that hired him as an evangelist to help defend his honor and attack those who are trying to take him down.
That sound you hear from Nashville? Crickets.
Maybe he's glad he finally got caught. Perhaps his confession was one of relief?
BTW, he looks like a real creep. Could his pants fit any tighter??
Maybe Sammy's taking fashion advice from Maurilio...
Look closely at the photo, at his belt. Looks like he's wearing the spy belt with a hidden camera.
He looks like a little Mafia weasel.
I wouldn't want to hear him preach or let him any where near my kids.
WD,
Your joy in writing about these horrible situations makes you just as bad as these guys. You're a disgrace.
"WD,
Your joy in writing about these horrible situations makes you just as bad as these guys. You're a disgrace."
November 2, 2011 9:05 AM
Right, WD is a disgrace because he alerts us against predators like SN . . .someone like you, would hide in the closet to protect men like this. What I don't understand is how this man had already been picked up once for this and yet was still working for Lifeway with the blessing of the SBC. Yes, he looks and is a creep!
Anon 9:05
You know what's truly disgraceful? The fact that there aren't more people like WD to keep the thieves, liars, adulterers, fornicators, and decievers from overtaking all of Christendom.
I had my first huge disappointment with a so called man of God in Michael Esses. He was quite the big-shot, claimed to be a former Rabbi and wrote the book Michael, Michael, why do you hate me? All the while he was having sex with any woman who was willing. His wife put up with that nonsense until he almost broke her spirit. When she shared her pain with the Pastor of the church, right on schedule, they circled the corral and started trying to shut her up and couldn't resist pounding home the fact that she should not even consider divorce. She divorced him and then exposed him publicly. I say good for her.
Then came Mike Warnke, Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggert, ad nauseum and since then the list just keeps growing.
Exactly why would you not want these people exposed?
You should be thanking WD for what he is doing.
WD you are a blessing to us all.
"Your joy in writing about these horrible situations makes you just as bad as these guys. You're a disgrace."
Let's see how many logical fallacies we can find in this one sentence.
1) Judging motivations - you don't know the man and are therefore not qualified to judge his motivations
2) Drawing conclusions that contradict the evidence - nothing in WD's post show any joy in wrongdoing
3) Reporting on sin is not the same as committing the sin - this, of course, is a ridiculous position that is neither supported by the law, society as a whole, or scripture. Scripture teaches us just the opposite. We are never instructed to ignore sin or to cover it up.
4) Ad hominem attack - wrapping up your unbiblically sound and illogical attack is a little grade-school name calling.
5) Illogical conclusion - if WD is a disgrace for pointing out unrepentant sin - then so is Christ for doing the same with the religious leaders of his day.
6) Cult-like devotion to men instead of God - that is the only explanation for supporting an unrepentant pervert and attacking the person who points out that there is a problem.
Your joy in writing about these horrible situations makes you just as bad as these guys. You're a disgrace.
November 2, 2011 9:05 AM
I LOVE IT!!!! This is so typical! Writing about the TRUTH is a sin because someone knows for a fact you enjoy it. Never mind warning others.,..Seems the Baptist Press thinks it is a sin to write about a LIFEWAY fuge evangelist being a sexual pervert.
This is your typical kill the messenger ploy when you don't like the message. Some idols are being smashed and they want to save face.
Who cares about the inconvenient victims?
He is not a Catholic Celibate so no one will care . Seen how this has played out for years so no need to invest anything will come out of this
These names and deeds in the 9:05 comment are the names that
the lost world associates with Christianity. Why would anyone want to become like we are?
Without exposure and punishment their tribes increase.
I have shamelessly adapted Wade's Comment to Randy here:
[Sammy Nuckolls],
This comment is a personal appeal to you. I am unsure how to contact you privately, but think the public appeal may be the best means in the long run.
We do not know each other and have never spoken personally. You may choose to discount what is written here, but these words are offered with a genuine concern for you and a desire to see that this post by [Watchdog] changes your life.
It is likely your heart flutters the way David's did when Nathan pointed his finger at the king and said, "Thou art the man." David's practice of pronouncing sanctimonious judgments on others, while ignoring his own sin, was exposed by God through a commoner who had the courage to confront.
You've been confronted and have arrived at a crossroads. One road leads to a bitter denunciation of anyone and everyone who participated in exposing you or celebrated at your exposure. The other road leads to brokenness.
Just a moment ago I knelt and asked God to send His grace without measure to your soul. My request of our Lord was that you would not defend, not attack, not hide and not shift the blame--but that you would confess your duplicity, hypocrisy and pharisaical spirit, and by God's grace become a broken man.
When God humbles a man by His grace, He breaks Him of self-righteousness and self-love. That usually happens when God makes a man to figuratively stand naked and exposed before the world at large. David felt it, my inclination is that if you have experienced even a small measure of God's grace, you now feel it.
Don't spurn it. Don't try to cover it. Don't waste it.
Simply acknowledge what is true, seek the forgiveness of those you have wronged, and rest in the forgiveness that is find in Christ. I remind you that the true power of Jesus Christ is ONLY seen in broken vessels. You chose the wrong road at this time and your life will remain powerless. You chose the road of confession and genuine repentance, by God's grace, and your life will be energized by the Spirit's power in ways you could never imagine.
My prayer for you is genuine and heartfelt. May God in His grace see fit to answer it for the good of His people.
In His Grace,
Wade
How many mega churches who have sent their teens to his camps in the last few years have notified their congregations of possible issues while at the camp? Many adult ladies went on these trips as well. I would bet not even one!!!
Great job Watchdawg!!!! Ruf,ruf,ruf!
From Wikipedia:
Rather than confessing to his congregation, Swaggart told those at Family Worship Center that "The Lord told me it's flat none of your business."
And like clock work the WD defenders come out in multitude. Gee...sounds a lot like those SBC pastors he constantly rails against. Hmmm...
Thanks to Anon for this link: Lifeway > Fuge Camps > Q&A Regarding Sammy Nuckolls
Thanks, Thy Peace. Good to see Lifeway is posting this.
Anon 2:50pm
Now... Now... he said he was sorry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgmLqGEm10M&feature=related
Then he got caught with a hooker in LA while begging for money. She must have been expensive.
And like clock work the WD defenders come out in multitude. Gee...sounds a lot like those SBC pastors he constantly rails against. Hmmm...
November 2, 2011 2:53 PM
Except, we don't expect you to pay us a high salary. :o)
Bravo to Lifeway for posting that.
'
Zero tolerance is what it is going to take. That message has to be loud and clear.
Steve Gaines, are you listening?
Oh and Lifeway, Don't you dare show up in court to give a Sammy a positive character witness.
Support the victims and let Sammy take the consequences. You can minister to him after the court decision but don't try and sway the court. Christians need to stop doing that for perverts in our midst...especially the ones who preach.
Nice little Q&A by Lifeway regarding Sammy Nuckolls. Sadly, the Q&A was more about covering their behinds than about discovering the extent of his criminal activity. Lifeway would have done an immense amount of good if they had added to the statement abut no evidence of illicit activity by Nuckolls at FUGE camp: "However, we will contact every church or group that attended camp when Nuckolls was camp pastor and encourage campers and leaders who suspect they may have been victims, to come forward." How hard would that be...if they really wanted to know the truth. Perhaps, they just can't handle the truth.
"Now... Now... he said he was sorry."
That was the first time. Then the AOG suspended him for 2 years. 3 months later he was back in the pulpit.
The second time he was caught, he told the congregation it was none of their business.
Of course not! Why should they expect moral and legal behavior from the pastor that they were paying each week.
The times after that (I've lost count of how many times he was arrested for soliciting a prostitute), he said that the devil was to blame.
Fortunately for him, the problem was never Jimmy Swaggart.
WD
Thank you for following this story. I believe it is the blogs and the media who are keeping the pressure on Christian organizations to change "business as usual." You are doing a great thing here!
I believe Dee is correct. Blogs and readers of blogs are helping to change "business as usual." Were it not for blogs, facebook, and twitter most commercial bank customers would now be paying an additional monthly fee to use debit cards. Ordinary folks using those forms of social media took on the biggest banks in the nation and caused them to change course. The same can be true for the SBC. Continued pressure from all forms of social media will cause that organization to change course, too. After all, large banks and large religion are focused on the same thing...the bottom line. Threaten that; really threaten that and they will change. For religious bureaucrats, the distance between doctrine, dogma and dollars is paper thin. Support the IMB and the NAMB, simply to keep from harming missionaries, but, please, forbid your churches to send one penny to prop up the Executive Committee or any other function of a morally bankrupt and theologically corrupt SBC.
2 questions:
1. Are you going to write an entire post commending Lifeway for posting the Q&A or is a brief comment attached to a follow up post going to suffice?
2. What does Ergun Caner have to do with any of this?
Report the stories. Keep your spin and prejudices out of it.
Someone mentioned he looks like he's from the mafia. Too many of these Christian organizations do run like mafias. Following people, using personal information given in confidence to humiliate or discredit, making threats, or maybe even having police on staff trace IP addresses (WD knows about that one, too).
I'm sorry Kool-Aid drinkers (everyone say ahhwww)....Here's your dose of reality. Your make-believe land of Godly pastors doesn't always pass the litmus test.
More of them need to be exposed.
2 questions:
1. Are you going to write an entire post commending Lifeway for posting the Q&A or is a brief comment attached to a follow up post going to suffice?
2. What does Ergun Caner have to do with any of this?
Report the stories. Keep your spin and prejudices out of it.
November 2, 2011 7:35 PM
So, why are you reading here? BTW: I am VERY prejudiced against perverts. Even moreso when they are paid professional Christian perverts. I think that is a good thing. Maybe if more of your types were predjudiced against them, there would be less and less of them.
2 questions:
1. Are you going to write an entire post commending Lifeway for posting the Q&A or is a brief comment attached to a follow up post going to suffice?
2. What does Ergun Caner have to do with any of this?
Report the stories. Keep your spin and prejudices out of it.
November 2, 2011 7:35 PM
So, why are you reading here? BTW: I am VERY prejudiced against perverts. Even moreso when they are paid professional Christian perverts. I think that is a good thing. Maybe if more of your types were predjudiced against them, there would be less and less of them.
2 questions:
1. Are you going to write an entire post commending Lifeway for posting the Q&A or is a brief comment attached to a follow up post going to suffice?
2. What does Ergun Caner have to do with any of this?
Report the stories. Keep your spin and prejudices out of it.
November 2, 2011 7:35 PM
So, why are you reading here? BTW: I am VERY prejudiced against perverts. Even moreso when they are paid professional Christian perverts. I think that is a good thing. Maybe if more of your types were predjudiced against them, there would be less and less of them.
2 questions:
1. Are you going to write an entire post commending Lifeway for posting the Q&A or is a brief comment attached to a follow up post going to suffice?
2. What does Ergun Caner have to do with any of this?
Report the stories. Keep your spin and prejudices out of it.
November 2, 2011 7:35 PM
So, why are you reading here? BTW: I am VERY prejudiced against perverts. Even moreso when they are paid professional Christian perverts. I think that is a good thing. Maybe if more of your types were predjudiced against them, there would be less and less of them.
Maybe he should speak to Mr Herman Cain for crisis management. Also, cue up the blame Obama card and those Godless liberals, Mormans, Muslims, the Gay, the you name them...as a way to make points with the put your head in the sand tribe...
Anonymous November 2, 2011 7:35 PM,
Are you an official with the Blog Writer's Guild or just someone who doesn't have a clue?
Are you paying for a subscription for this blog?
Sheesh
WD, In no way would I defend the people you have mentioned and I will not defend you either. It appears to me that you are taking the sins and indiscretions of people and intentionally sowing division in the bride of Christ.
The Bible clearly articulates that the church is the bride of Christ. The bride isn't perfect (do doubt) but I don't want to be the one who beats up our Lord's bride.
I realize you are reporting what others have done but this blog is just as hurtful. My hope is that you will find ways to inspire others to faithfulness, rather than continuing to exploit the failures of others.
"WD, In no way would I defend the people you have mentioned and I will not defend you either. It appears to me that you are taking the sins and indiscretions of people and intentionally sowing division in the bride of Christ."
Pervert evangelists are not the ones sowing division in the Body of Christ? I suppose if we don't know about the pervert or care about other victims then that is better than your idea of what is division?
"The Bible clearly articulates that the church is the bride of Christ. The bride isn't perfect (do doubt) but I don't want to be the one who beats up our Lord's bride."
You cannot be serious? Who said anything about perfect? The Bible talks about a "pure" bride and that will not include sexual perverts. If you are not sure about that read 1 Corin 5, the list in Galatians and another list in Rev 21.
The pervert is "beating up the Lord's Bride". You have it backwards. As is so typical of the SBC folks who have NO clue what scripture really teaches.
"I realize you are reporting what others have done but this blog is just as hurtful. My hope is that you will find ways to inspire others to faithfulness, rather than continuing to exploit the failures of others."
This blog is just as harmful as molesting a child, videotaping your host take a shower, etc.
You really are quite ignorant.
Please use tell us the name of your church that keeps you so spiritually immature to think a blog that reports it is as hurtful as porn voyerism so we can keep our children away from it and you.
Shivers. Good grief. He looks a slimey character in that picture, his eyes and face look full of evil...surly it must be just a bad photo? Surly he can't be demon possessed? Has sin ravaged the guy that much that the light is extinguished?
Douglas said...
"Shivers. Good grief. He looks a slimey character in that picture, his eyes and face look full of evil...... Has sin ravaged the guy that much that the light is extinguished?"
Come on now, this is the way he looks, God made him that way, so lighten up.
Speaking of Rodney Atkin...
This song fits here for Sammy..
If You're Going Through Hell:
"Well you know those times
When you feel like there's a sign there on your back
Says I don't mind if ya kick me
Seems like everybody has
Things go from bad to worse
You'd think they can't get worse than that
And then they do
You step off the straight and narrow
And you don't know where you are
Use the needle of your compass
To sew up your broken heart
Ask directions from a genie
In a bottle of Jim Beam
And she lies to you
That's when you learn the truth
If you're going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there
Well I been deep down in that darkness
I been down to my last match
Felt a hundred different demons
Breathing fire down my back
And I knew that if I stumbled
I'd fall right into the trap that they were laying, yeah
But the good news
Is there's angels everywhere out on the street
Holding out a hand to pull you back up on your feet
The one's that you've been dragging for so long
You're on your knees
You might as well be praying
Guess what I'm saying
If your going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there
Yeah, If you're going through hell
Keep on moving, face that fire
Walk right through it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there
If you're going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there
Yeah, If you're going through hell
Keep on moving, face that fire
Walk right through it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there
Yeah, you might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there."
And now Sammy Nuckolls may face charges in yet another city...
WMC-TV >> Evangelist charged with voyeurism could face even more charges
Posted on Facebook:
"LeeAnn Bailey Stephanie; i am not trying to protect him from anything. It's not like I could, even if i tried as hard as I could. But there is no reason to make this an even bigger scandal than it already is. Sammy has committed this sin, and yes it is a sin, and he will have to face the consequences. I do feel terribly sorry for the victims of his sin, but nothing we can say will make the hurt go away! If anything, I think that people who are making such a huge deal out of this would hurt those women even more. If it were me being victimized, I'd want to keep it quiet and let it fade, though i would want him to face the consequences"
"Jessica Harris: It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Philippians1:15-18"
"Jessica Harris; Although none of us have videoed people or whatever, I'm pretty sure we've all committed crime. You've more than likely sped at some point, right? Yes, that is drastically different than this case, but none the less, its ILLEGAL. And, let me add, could have KILLED someone else. Or texting and driving. That may not be against the law everywhere, but I have a friend of 7 years that was killed by someone else who was texting and driving. And while I already mentioned, yes I know that these are completely different. They are still ILLEGAL and have HURT so many people's lives. So, let's not say we haven't committed crimes, because obviously, we all have, just haven't gotten caught.
I have been a part of the nuckolls family since February this year. Kimberly and Sam were a spiritual father and mother to me. I also, know very well one of the women this happened to. So,unlike some who do not know these people, I can speak from a personal side. What Sam did was wrong. Very wrong. It is a terrible thing what his actions are putting people through. I will state, that the message he preached was TRUE. God is sovereign. And he uses broken messed up people, look at the people he uses in the Bible. Ha, they are far from perfect. No, I'm not at all lessening what is going on here. BUT I want no one to doubt that the message that was preached by any means was fake, because it was the WORD of GOD, nonetheless who was preaching it. So please please please don't miss that. Yes, Sam was in the wrong, but every single one of us has been in the wrong many times. No, this does not lessen the consequences of his actions. And yes, what Kim and zeke and the many others that are struggling with this super hard time are going through is very very important to focus on. We are not God, we are not here to judge. Matter fact, the Bible says "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." Matthew7:1-5"
I often read some saying WD is divisive. In the Bible context divisive is only exposing an unbeliever. WD believes as any other Christian in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as his personal savior. Those of you who believe he is divisive have no idea of what you are stating. Jesus said it best when He declared I am truth. Get over this idea of following a man and follow Jesus and His Word. You won't be disappointed ever especially in looking up to some mortal man.
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