Readers - it is hard to believe another SBC mega church has banned a long-time church member for daring to demand questions of its leadership through social media.
Sound familiar?Don't these guys learn from each other's mistakes in how they try to bully critics and questioners?
At Prestonwood Baptist Church, a long-time church member - an educated, professional, family man - recently became aware of the church's non-reporting of molestation of several young people at the church at the hands of John Langworthy of Prestonwood back in 1989. Brett Shipp of WFAA covered the story here, and ABP covered it here. I wrote about the Prestonwood/Langworthy scandal here, here, and here.
This church member then did the unspeakable - he dared to use social media to ask questions of his church leadership. He had questions like, presumably, why did the church leadership NOT contact the police so they could investigate? Did the church warn the next churches or schools that Langworthy went to work at? This church member posted a few posts on the church Facebook page, which were promptly deleted. He then called the church to schedule a meeting - but it was abruptly canceled, and when he showed up at the church anyways he was turned away and told he was no longer welcomed at his church. You can watch the video of his visit to the church here, and you can visit his Facebook page here. You can follow his Twitter feed here.
The church then played the "he might be a threat" card by filing a "Suspicious Person Report" with the local police. Sound familiar?
Prestonwood knows this man and his wife and kids. They know he is not a threat. They even know his questions are completely legitimate. But they would rather ban this man from his church, disrupt his family life and punish he and his wife for asking questions. Are they worried how this will affect this man's wife and children to have their husband and father banned from their own church under threat of arrest - just for asking questions of the holy man of God and his friends?
The Wartburg Watch is going to cover this story more in depth tomorrow, so stay tuned.
I hope this church member continues to use social media to expose their attempts to bully him and intimidate him, and more importantly shine more light on the Prestonwood/Langworthy scandal.
But how ironic is this: Prestonwood apparently did NOT issue any trespass papers or "suspicious person's report" against Langworthy when he was found to be touching young boys at the church....but let a church member ask questions about how they handled the Langworthy case, and HE gets the boot.
Don't call the cops when the music man is molesting minors...but quickly call the cops when the faithful member wants to know why the cops weren't called to report the molester.
Don't report the molester to the cops...but report the "suspicious" church member who wants answers to his questions.
Can things get any crazier in the Southern Baptist Convention?
The church member who wanted answers went to Prestonwood for 14 years.
ReplyDeleteIf I understand correctly, Texas law requiring reporting has been on the books since 1971.
SNAP and others have covered Prestonwood silence regarding Langworthy, and this January Langworthy got a plea deal in Mississippi - no jail time, just 5 years probation.
He has left a trail of victims.
Would someone from Texas help me understand why Prestonwood church is not held accountable?
Bene D
Why? Because Southern Baptist leaders have rejected the implementation of any denominational system of clergy accountability and because most churches are simply incapable of objectively making any assessment about their own trusted ministers. So, clergy predators and clergy cover-uppers are able to continue with ease. You can find more info on the difference between how Baptists handle abuse issues and how other major faith groups handle abuse issues in this op-ed published in the Associated Baptist Press called "Prestonwood saga shows clergy abuse database is overdue" - http://www.abpnews.com/opinion/commentaries/item/6661-prestonwood-saga-shows-clergy-abuse-database-is-overdue - and in this insightful article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch - http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/fate-of-baptist-pastor-accused-of-abuse-is-in-the/article_f4f2f71c-b0cf-555f-94b1-76d79cc191c3.html.
DeleteWhy? Because Southern Baptist leaders have rejected the possibility of any denominational system of clergy accountability. So clergy predators and clergy cover-uppers are able to continue with ease. For more info on how Baptists' handling (and non-handling) of clergy abuse allegations differs from that of other major faith groups, see this op-ed called "Prestonwood saga shows clergy abuse database is overdue"- http://www.abpnews.com/opinion/commentaries/item/6661-prestonwood-saga-shows-clergy-abuse-database-is-overdue - and this insightful article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/fate-of-baptist-pastor-accused-of-abuse-is-in-the/article_f4f2f71c-b0cf-555f-94b1-76d79cc191c3.html.
DeleteThe church member who wanted answers went to Prestonwood for 14 years.
ReplyDeleteIf I understand correctly, Texas law requiring reporting has been on the books since 1971.
SNAP and others have covered Prestonwood silence regarding Langworthy, and this January Langworthy got a plea deal in Mississippi - no jail time, just 5 years probation.
He has left a trail of victims.
Would someone from Texas help me understand why Prestonwood church is not held accountable?
Bene D
Another interesting piece of information:
ReplyDeleteBilly Weber, the first Prestonwood minister, who had multiple affairs and finally got caught, was mentored by David Paul Yonggi Cho, who is in a lot of legal hot water in Korea
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/575967.html
Seems that from day 1 Prestonwood has had dubious leaders and a lax attitude...
Bene D
Congratulations WD on putting so succinctly what many of us were thinking.
ReplyDeleteJack Graham and the holy men at Prestonwood still have time to avoid the controversy, and do the right thing. They need to contact Chris Tynes, show him love and grace, invite him to come in and answer each and every one of his questions.
ReplyDeleteWhat is so crazy about this is that as I blogged anonymously in '07 and '08, I was repeatedly told: just identify yourself, and go to the church and pastors and they will answer all your questions.
Yeah, right. Just like they're jumping at the chance to answer Chris' questions.
WD,
ReplyDeleteThat is one of the main reasons I am anonymous. I was told to simply ask my questions to a high ranking person. I ended up begging for mercy. I had no real choice.
Likewise, I have been told simply ask Ergun. He won't return my attempts at contacting him and has blocked me at every turn.
ps14258There is an epidemic of this sort of action in today's churches. I was asked to leave my church when I questioned the installation of a sewer plant for our new church which was way undersized for the church. I am employed by the State to size sewer treatment plants but it made no difference to the Pastor. He convinced my wife that was working for him to divorce me, as I had a rebellious spirit. He was forced to fix the problem, but it was done with the help of the State to avoid exposing it to the congregation.
ReplyDeleteIts called "CIRCLE THE WAGONS".
ReplyDelete"Prestonwood Baptist Church doesn't seem to understand the power of social media yet."
ReplyDeleteI questioned the installation of a sewer plant for our new church which was way undersized for the church.
ReplyDeleteSeems there are a lot of churches today with this same problem.
I have all kinds of emotions in a situation such as this. Fear, anger, sadness. Really just speechless with this situation.
ReplyDeleteAnybody stupid enough to still have ANY kind of relationship with the SBC deserve what they get. The Southern Baptist Corporation seems to be exactly what the bible describes in Revelation 18:2
ReplyDeleteAnd he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
These 'leaders' are hoping that this storm passes. They want their 'good members' to beleive that people are victimizing the church. If they need to throw a few 'bad members' under the bus... then so be it.
ReplyDelete1Thanks Christa.
ReplyDeleteBene D
Oh, great! The churches are making reports of terrorist activity to the police and therefore the Department of Homeland Security.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Soviet Russia.
Thoughtful Baptists have choices. Its not just a choice between the fundamentalist SBC and the even more fundamentalist Independent (KJV type) Baptist churches. Just walk away...no, run from anything that is even remotely connected to the Southern Baptist Convention. Just "kick the sand off your shoes" and get out. I did, 15 years ago, and the sense of spiritual freedom is incredible. Find a church that will affirm you and your family and get to work serving God in a spirit of love and faithfulness, rather than continue to follow false doctrines of fear and forced loyalty.
ReplyDeleteJack Graham? Isn't he another of the TBN crowd?
ReplyDeleteIf Prestonwood had ordained a woman, or knowingly allowed a homosexual to join their church then the SBC leadership would be all over it and be ready to kick the church out of the convention.
ReplyDeleteBut if one of their pastors is a racist or failing to report an accusation regarding child molestation then there is only silence.
In the SBC, you can be forgiven for anything except letting a woman lead or extending grace to homosexuals.
Looks like the church has influence with media there: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=433554280063744&id=429678530451319
ReplyDelete@jlogan
ReplyDeleteBe accurate in your representation. Only a practicing homosexual who refused to repent and turn from his sin (like all those saved by Christ should do) would not be allowed to join an SBC church. So it is not true that the SBC doesn't "extend grace to hmosexuals."
Here are some good articles concerning Langworthy and his protectors:
ReplyDeletehttp://stopbaptistpredators.blogspot.com/2013/03/megachurch-calls-cops-on-member-who.html
http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/11/07/phillip-gunn-sbts-al-mohler-legal-rightmoral-right/
http://stopbaptistpredators.org/collusion_individuals.html#JackGraham
Tom:
ReplyDeleteBen Lovvern (Martin Benjamin Lovvern) is a full timer at Prestonwood.
Here is his State Bar of Texas info:
http://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Find_A_Lawyer&template=/Customsource/MemberDirectory/MemberDirectoryDetail.cfm&ContactID=298589
Bene D
James,
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree with your view of salvation, but I do disagree that I was misrepresenting.
So extending grace and kindness to a non-repentant homosexual is not allowed? The church doesn't extend saving grace, God does that. We can only be gracious.
Which makes my point. Anyone deeming to require less than the rigid standard on a moral issue important to SBC leaders, or even phrasing it in an unacceptable way will be corrected.
Those covering up a child molester, on the other hand, get a pass.
That means he is a relatively new lawyer or new in Texas, being licenses in 2007.
ReplyDeletePrestonwood did everything right and to be a Monday morning quarterback is not fair.
ReplyDeleteYou try loving a hurting Pastor and also a hurting student.
This is not easy, the Catholic Church struggles with this too.
Please start praying more and blogging less.
It is really odd that the only churches you pick on are Bible believing Churches?
ReplyDeleteYou don't criticize these liberal, gay loving, lesbian adopting, Rob Bell reading, Alcohol drinking, Muslim smoozing Churches and bash the Churches that are into soul winning.
Shame
It is really odd that the only churches you pick on are Bible believing Churches?
ReplyDeleteYou don't criticize these liberal, gay loving, lesbian adopting, Rob Bell reading, Alcohol drinking, Muslim smoozing Churches and bash the Churches that are into soul winning.
Shame
Stop Baptist Predators [Christa Brown] > Boots, biscuits and the Prestonwood scandal
ReplyDeleteFBC Watchdog, have you seen this-
ReplyDelete5G giving program from Harvest Bible Chapel
The pastor hands out pre-printed cards with various amounts (in order from more to less) that members can pledge to the church and tells them,
"I’ll tell you how to figure out what the Lord is leading you to pledge. Go down that list – start at the top…and eventually you’re going to get to this place where there are two numbers. The one below – doable. The one above – stretch, faith. Pick the one above, that’s your number."
Also check out the page under the tab at the top of the blog entitled "Salary" to see how much money the pastor makes.
At Anonymous who said,
ReplyDelete"It is really odd that the only churches you pick on are Bible believing Churches?"
Huh, maybe because it's obvious to Christians who already have a fairly or very conservative slant on the Bible that the Rob Bells, and proponents of homosexual marriage, etc, are in error, but people who claim to be conservative Bible believing Christians yet who mistreat other Christians need to be held accountable and called out - some of them are wolves in sheeps clothing and harder to spot than the guys who are obviously wrong in their views on Scripture.
The churches that are often criticized here and elsewhere on the web don't care about "soul winning," their preachers care more about about bilking their members out of money to fund their $1.5 million mansions and private jets.
The FALSE PROPHET TROLL is back.
ReplyDeleteHis mom must have let him back in the basement again.
We did not call the "Cops", we called our Security team.
ReplyDeleteListen and watch the politeness of the security team member towards Chris.
This is the Prestonwood that I am a part of and am very proud of.
Yes, we had a monster that molested kids as part of our Church Staff. But we love him too.
Thank God for Grace!
This is an amazing coicidence. The FALSE PROPHET TROLL seems to be a member of every church that has been discussed on this blog.
ReplyDeleteNow he is a part of the security team at Prestonwood. Um, yeah right.
"Thank God for Grace!"
Well, except when it comes to giving right?
Anon 2:33 PM,
ReplyDeleteYou are factually wrong. Prestonwood did file the police report. Grace was and is conveyed to Langworthy that was not and is not extended to Tynes.
All the other Anons, would you like to recommend to me some churches? Mass conversions seems to go hand and hand with a lot of this. Perhaps mass conversions catch the attention of the media.
Do you know that Prestonwood Baptist church holds training in church security:
ReplyDeletehttp://churchsecurityresources.com/Events.html
Notice the next available course
"Disruptive Persons"
other courses....
"Behavior Observation"
"Pastor Protection"
"Monitoring Services"
Well known Steve Gaines, had his church, Bellevue Baptist, use them to train their staff after the Paul Williams event.
Do you know that Prestonwood Baptist church holds training in church security:
ReplyDeletehttp://churchsecurityresources.com/Events.html
Notice the next available course
"Disruptive Persons"
other courses....
"Behavior Observation"
"Pastor Protection"
"Monitoring Services"
Well known Steve Gaines, had his church, Bellevue Baptist, use them to train their staff after the Paul Williams event.
Do you know that Prestonwood Baptist church holds (or at least held in the past, 2007) training courses on church security:
ReplyDeletehttp://churchsecurityresources.com/Events.html
Notice this one
"Disruptive Persons"
other courses....
"Behavior Observation"
"Pastor Protection"
"Monitoring Services"
Well known Bellevue Baptist Church, used them to train their staff after the Paul Williams event.
Anonymous March 19, 2:33. Thank you for being a living witness to all Watchdog and Krista have said. How many children could have been saved from harm has your church security team been as "polite" toward Mr. Langworthy as they were to Chris. What if he had been reported to the authorities. Claiming God's grace does not excuse the moral failure of Prestonwood and its pastor. Langworthy's crimes started there: the church did nothing to prevent it from happening to other children at other churches or schools. Prestonwood must be held responsible. That would be a demonstration of God's grace toward the victims. Grace is free, but it ain't cheap.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. That is so crazy. WHY!!! WHY!!! This makes me sick.
ReplyDeleteI hate to assume that the church cares more about their reputation and money than their children. But what else could make them act like this?
The people ARE the church!
The children ARE the church!
"Oh my goodness. That is so crazy. WHY!!! WHY!!! This makes me sick."
ReplyDeleteThe FALSE PROPHET TROLL is on both sides of this issue.
Posting comments both for and against this church.
You should really get a hobby. I hear that stamp collecting is fun.
Has anyone heard from Chris lately?
ReplyDeleteEXPLAINING AWAY MARK 16:16
ReplyDeleteFaith only believer want Mark 16:16 to just go away. It will not go away, so they try to explain it away. Over 100 translations of the Bible include Mark 16:16, however, that does deter some faith only believers from insinuating or simply stating that Mark 16:16 should not be including in the Bible because it was missing from a couple of manuscripts. If you believe God has a hand in guiding men to translate the Bible correctly, then have to believe Mark 16:16 should be included. If you do not believe the Bible has been translated accurately, then I would suggest that you burn all of your Bibles.
EXPLAINING AWAY
Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
The most popular way of explaining away Mark 16:16 is to say that it does not say, that he who has not been baptized will be condemned, therefore water baptism is not essential to be saved.
If a secular law were written as such: He who does not commit robbery and does not murder will not go to prison; but he who commits robbery will go to jail. Would that mean you can still murder and not go to jail; because it does not state murderers will go to jail? NOT MURDERING IS ESSENTIAL TO NOT GOING TO JAIL!
Being baptized is essential to not being condemned.
There have been many attempts to explain water baptism away from Mark 16:16, including denying that, and, is a conjunction linking belief and baptism. Many attempts at distorting the simple meaning of words and sentence structure are used. Grammatical distortions are used in order to make Mark 16:16 fit the "faith only" narrative.
HAS BEEN BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED, STILL MEANS WATER BAPTISM IS ESSENTIAL FOR SALVATION NO MATTER HOW MEN TRY TO EXPLAIN IT AWAY.
YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOWING MY CHRISTIAN BLOG. Google search>>>>steve finnell a christian view