Bob Jones University Weblog

People of the Lie, Part I

Quotes of the day:

“It is not their sins per se that characterize evil people, rather it is the subtlety and persistence and consistency of their sins. This is because the central defect of the evil is not the sin but the refusal to acknowledge it.” People Of the Lie, Dr. M. Scott Peck

“What possesses them, drives [evil people]? Basically, it is fear. They are terrified that the pretense will break down and they will be exposed to the world and to themselves. They are continually frightened that they will come face-to-face with their own evil.” M. Scott Peck, POTL

“The evil hate the light – the light of goodness that shows them up, the light of scrutiny that exposes them, the light of truth that penetrates their deception.” POTL

“The evil deny the suffering of their guilt – the painful awareness of their sin, inadequacy, and imperfection – by casting their pain onto others through projection and scapegoating. They themselves may not suffer, but those around them do. They cause suffering. The evil create for those under their dominion a miniature sick society.” M. Scott Peck, POTL commenting on evil people and, in the process, describing Bob Jones University and almost every BJU-related independent, fundamentalist church I have ever attended, including and especially, Northside Baptist Church in North Charleston, SC. Northside Baptist was and still is, a "miniature sick society."

"This book is entitled People of the Lie because lying is both a cause and a manifestation of evil. It is partly by their lying that we recognize the evil." POTL

People of the Lie

What is “evil?” What constitutes “evil?” Evil, as defined by Dr. M. Scott Peck in his book People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil, submits that evil “would specifically be distinguished by:

(a) consistent destructive, scapegoating behavior, which may often be quite subtle.
(b) Excessive, albeit usually covert, intolerance to criticism and other forms of narcissistic injury.
(c) Pronounced concern with a public image and self-image of respectability, contributing to a stability of life-style but also a pretentiousness and denial of hateful feelings or vengeful motives.
(d) Intellectual deviousness, with an increased likelihood of a mild schizophrenic-like disturbance of thinking at times of stress.”

During my 45 years in independent fundamentalism, I have brushed up against many people within the contemporary "church" who were worthy of the title evil doers. But I never “connected the dots” with respect to identifying what constitutes an evil person until I read Scott Peck's book, People of the Lie. (I could have saved a great deal of time by reading and obeying Christ's commands and instruction in Matthew 7.)

The Bible warns of evil people, in one case calling the Cretians "always liars" and "evil beasts." It is therefore necessary that God's people be able to identify "evil people."

Just as the Serpent was the most subtle of creatures and Satan can appear as an angel of light, evil people are hard to identify. In fact, sometimes this disguise is impenetrable. Evil never manifests itself as evil because deception is an integral part of evil. I have personally dealt with several religious leaders that neatly fall in the category of "evil" and almost every one of them came off likeable with the others appearing tolerable but certainly not as obviously "evil." "Wolves in sheep's clothing," like the Serpent and Satan, are masters of disguise. Deception and public image are integral to the make up of evil people.

Eve did not flee the subtle Serpent. And, at times, we do not flee when Satan deceives us into thinking he is offering us something good. In exploiting this human naivete an evil person can deceive trusting congregants or supporters in order to build a church, a school, or a ministry. Whenever evil people set up a religious ministry or attain some sort of power over others, they invariably create a "miniature sick society" wherein the evil person can rule his dominion unfettered by accountability to a higher temporal or spiritual authority. For an example of a "miniature sick society" note the letter to Download Reece.pdf (247.0K)">Jim and Henri Reese of Northside Baptist. And, of course, Bob Jones University and Jack Hyles' First Baptist Church are both prime examples of miniature sick societies.

Unless you adopt the formula set down by Christ in Matthew 7: 20-27, the evil are hard to identify, just as Jeff B. and I and a host of people at Northside discovered. "The evil hate the light - the light of goodness that shows them up, the light of scrutiny that exposes them, the light that penetrates their deception." People of the Lie, M. Scott Peck, M.D. When you deal with so-called "Christians" who hide in "sheep's clothing" and who cloak their deeds behind the skirts of the church, you can be sure that - at one level or another - you are dealing with evil. Good people who live honestly before men and God, including independent fundamentalist Baptist preachers, deacons, and congregants, don't use religious positions and organizations to hide evil doing.

So, often it takes some work to ferret out evil. The more passive Christian recoils at the idea of deliberately identifying evil workers. The mature Christian realizes that Christ positively enjoins His people to "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Note that Christ warns that false prophets are masters of disguise and are clothed in "sheep's clothing." He then goes on to tell us how we can identify evil workers: "Ye shall know them by their fruits....Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit..." (Matthew 7:15-27)

Christ commands Christians to beware of evil church workers (v15), to look at their works (v16), to identify and to judge them according to their works (v. 17-20), to note that these people view themselves as religious (v 21), and that they are have a remarkable tendency toward self-deception and have convinced themselves that they are doing God's work (v22), and that they are rejected of God and should be rejected by us (v23).

Since evil people will not submit themselves to any higher authority, the independent, fundamental Baptist orbit is an ideal place for evil people to gain unfettered operational rein and dominance over others. (I am not in favor of denominationalism, but at least there is the appearance of pastoral accountability, something that independent fundamentalism, by design, lacks.) Not all independent, fundamentalist Baptist preachers are evil people and not all BJU grads are evil people. But, the fact is, there is precious little objective accountability within independent Baptist fundamentalism and the movement has deteriorated dramatically because of it.

A few independent, fundamentalist Baptist preachers have followed the example of Paul and "have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." (2 Corinthians 4:2) If your preacher has done this - and does it publicly and often and has stout hearted people to whom he remains accountable - then perhaps he is a faithful minister of the Gospel of Christ. Why not ask the leaders of your church - the pastor, the elders, the deacons - to declare themselves on this issue before the whole congregation?

With one or two exceptions, every independent, fundamentalist Baptist preacher I have sat under - especially the BJU-trained preachers - has proven to be, to one degree or another, “evil” as defined by Dr. Peck. I am not citing petty faults that are common to all Christian men and women. Almost to a man and woman, the independent, fundamentalist Baptist preachers and BJU graduates I have come into contact with have engaged in a pattern of covert dishonesty, craftiness, blatant ecclesiastical dishonesty, and continual betrayal of fundamental biblical principles and precepts of godliness. And, BJU is not the only institution characterized by such people. I have seen the same thing manifest itself recently in the few Appalachian Bible College/Bible church-types. Same attitudes. Same spirit. Just a bit less sophisticated.

Read on before you discount my assertion. And, those who have gone to BJU and/or been in independent, fundamentalism for over 15 years, reflect back on the BJU-trained preachers and ministry leaders you have observed. How many churches have you left since graduating and what were the reasons for your exit? Do you see a pattern? Chances are, you have been under the dominion of an "evil" person disguised as a Gospel minister without even knowing it. If you, or another church member, never opposed or exposed him, you might not have ever gotten a glimpse behind his disguise.

I am not simply wantonly condemning a group of people out of hand because of an isolated incident here or there. The Bible does engage in group judgment as did Paul in Titus 2:10-12: "For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith." Paul was speaking of evil church leaders who were deceivers, liars, able to sway whole New Testament-styled house churches. There was apparently evidence of a pattern of evil doing. I have repeatedly seen the same type of pattern in the fundamentalist movement, its institutions, its national leadership, and the fundamentalist churches I have attended over the past 45 years.

Peck says, “It is exceedingly rare, therefore, that we can pass judgment on a person as being evil after observing a single act; instead, our judgment must be made on the basis of a whole pattern of acts as well as their manner and style.” Regular readers of this blog should note the emphasis placed herein on the pattern, manner, and style exposed in those individuals featured in these posts.

When evaluating the deeds of people like Bob Jones Sr., Bob Jones Jr., Bob Jones III, Thurman Wisdom, Stewart Custer, Jack Hyles, Curtis Hutson, Jack Schaap, John Vaughn, Rod Bell, John Stevens, Bob Vallier, Barry Formanack, Eugene Stauch, Jim Reese, Bill Lamb, Reese Yandle, Cecil Beach, Dennis Clements, Mark and Janet Woodhall, Walter Fremont, Craig and Jeanette Snook, Tim Butler, Barry Owens, Tom Wheeler, Bill Bethea, etc., you must look at the pattern of acts, the manner, and the style - the fruits - and evaluate them in that light and in the light of Scripture.

As with the Cretians, there is such a thing as "group evil." This in no way discounts individual evil or individual responsibility. Group evil is born from individual evil and galvinized by group cohesion. A group of people who, without notice, would engineer (or participate in) a congregational meeting and invoke the name and power of Jesus Christ and purport to excommunicate and turn over to Satan three members, two of whom had repeatedly sought to inspect the church financial records and had a confirmed appointment to see the records two days later, as evil.

A group that would ambush their own members under the guise of biblical discipline and allow "one three-minute opportunity" for them to speak in their defense would seem to meet Scott Peck's criteria for being an evil group of people. The evil was exposed for what it was when our financial concerns were confirmed and the pastor was found to be overspending his church credit card, giving his assistants unauthorized church credit cards, helping himself to a 100% school tuition discount forbidden by his employment contract, lying about Bob Vallier's credentials as a CPA, etc., etc.

And, this is not the only pattern of evil - individual evil and group evil - I have witnessed in a BJU-related independent, fundamentalist church. In fact, the evil continued because the evil hate exposure. That is why the membership of Northside Baptist voted to reject and to ignore an audit that detailed the misappropriation of funds and fraud as if the truth was subject to a congregational vote!

Scott Peck writes, "...evil individuals will flee self-examination and guilt by blaming and attempting to destroy whatever or whoever highlights their deficiencies. Now we see that the same malignant narcissistic behavior comes naturally to groups."..."From this it should be obvious that the failing group is the one likely to behave most evilly. Failure wounds our pride, and it is the wounded animal who is vicious. In the healthy organism failure will be a stimulus to self-examination and criticism. But since the evil individual cannot tolerate self-criticism, it is in time of failure that he or she will inevitably lash out one way or another."..."Group leaders in all places and ages have therefore routinely bolstered group cohesiveness in times of failure by whipping the group's hatred for foreigners or the "enemy."

Looking back over my independent, fundamental, Baptist church experience, I kept attending that type of organization because I didn't know where else to go. Secondly, I was not able to readily identify evil people effectively. We instictively want to trust professional preachers, church leaders like elders and deacons, and religious leaders. I am evidently not the only person who suffered from this inability. I see many people who have been taken in by evil preachers, BJU-trained and otherwise. As long as they do not oppose or expose the evil by those in charge, they will be “fine,” at least in a superficial way.

I traced back much of the leaven infecting Northside Baptist to Bob Jones University and Bob Jones III. To my great disappointment, I discovered that Bob Jones University is a lie from their glossy advertisements to their self-promotion in church pulpits across the country. Those who encourage students to attend BJU without warning them of the history of the institution and the duplicity and heavy-handedness of the Joneses are perpetuating the lie.

To encourage young people to go to BJU without telling the prospective student the whole story of the duplicity, reversals, betrayals, and many lies lends credibility to BJU. Pretending that Bob Jones University is the "Fortress of Faith," makes one party to the Jonesian lie. BJU doesn't "stand for the absolute authority of the Bible" anymore than I do or the Southern Baptist Convention does, or the Catholic Church does, or Pensacola Christian College does. The Bible was here well before BJU and it will remain well after BJU is gone.

And, the Joneses are not the type of Christian leaders that BJU-trained preachers would have everyone believe they are. The ever-outspoken BJU-styled fundamentalists, those controlled by a sychophantic fear of losing the patronage of BJU, remain strangely silent when the Joneses practice their ceaseless duplicity. Isn't it remarkable that fundamentalists defended BJU's interracial dating ban for years, and never rebuked the Joneses for claiming that BJU's interracial dating ban was a "Bible policy" yet, when Jones III dropped the policy and called it "insignificant," praised Jones for dropping the rule? The entire BJU family, especially men like Thurman Wisdom, Stewart Custer, Bob Woods, and Walter Fremont, bought into the Joneses' interracial dating ban lie and never took individual or collective responsibility for aiding the Joneses in adding to the Word of God. With such duplicity and intellectual deviousness, it is no wonder that BJU and BJU-styled fundamentalists are held in such a low regard.

The Charles Underwood letter (located elsewhere in BJU Exposed) was a letter from a man who was part of the BJU lie. When he was finally able to comprehend the lie, Underwood told the unvarnished truth about Bob Jones Jr., Bob Jones III, and Bob Jones University by detailing the Jonesian duplicity involving Masonry, Calvinism, graduates, education, ethics, etc.

And, that level of candor and disclosure is required of every BJU schill who dares encourage a young person to attend BJU or to attend a church approved by BJU and/or pastored by a BJU-trained preacher; concealment and/or non-disclosure with the intent to deceive is a form of lying. Tell the good with the bad and at least let the prospective student and the parents decide whether or not to patronize BJU based upon the facts. But, unflattering facts are concealed.

I recall taking BJU-grad "Pastor" Craig Snook to lunch at the Mt. Pleasant, SC Applebee's when I attended his gig, Easthaven Baptist. Craig Snook and his deacon, Russ McCall, were encouraging Easthaven Baptist's young people to go to BJU. I offered Craig Snook a packet of factual information on BJU so that he could prepare his young people for the issues they would face. Craig Snook refused to take the packet of papers. (As I recall, Russ McCall, an unwavering supporter of everything Jones, refused the packet also.) I later discovered that Craig Snook spread the word amongst his deacons the accusation that I was "having problems with BJU." No hearing. No defense. No facts. No appeal. I can think of nothing more thoroughly dishonest. I am not the only one he treated with such deviousness and craftiness. Not surprisingly, Easthaven Baptist no longer exists. But this crafty, devious dismissiveness is the way the BJU-crowd deals with the terminal problems that plague BJU.

Quite a few independent, fundamentalist Baptists - including preachers, deacons, congregants, religious professionals, Christian school leaders and professors, - neatly fit into Dr. Peck's definition of evil. It is almost as if these traits are essential elements to being a Bob Jones University fundamentalist or membership requirements for the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International. Of course, they are not requirements for membership within fundamentalism. They are simply common traits within fundamentalism, a kind of group ethic.

Every church member should read People of the Lie, especially those who place themselves under the religious dominion of an independent, fundamentalist and/or under the dominion of a Bob Jones University-trained preacher boy, or a member of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International. It should be required reading for every fundamentalist church member and every young person attending, or planning to attend, Bob Jones University or one of the other fundamentalist schools so that they are equiped to identify modern-day Cretians.

In my 45 years in fundamentalism, I have observed that pastoral lying, disguise, scapegoating, intellectual deviousness, (craftiness), and careful imageering are integral tools in the fundamentalist preacher's tool box. Almost all of the fundamentalist professionals I know use these tools. Many, I am sad to say, use these tools so expertly that you never even suspect it. If you ignore the evil, it may not ever be directed at you in an offensive manner. But, you will still be affected by the evil.

My next post will deal with examples of how a fundamentalist preacher, John Stevens, and Bob Jones III used scapegoating and intellectual deviousness to control the Northside scandal and to jointly protect their interests and their public image of religious respectability.

You Jack Hyles-readers should read this. John Stevens is a Jack Hyles-type preacher. He evidently got some award from Hyles for being a great preacher or some such nonsense. Stevens also defended his loyalty to Hyles because, he said, "Hyles bought me a suit." This is one time I believed John Stevens; the price of a fundamental, independent Baptist preacher has traditionally been a polyester suit!

Jim Reese: VICE Chairman of Deacons or Chairman of VICES At Northside Baptist?

Quotes of the Day:

"...Jim and Henri, I really wish that I was capable of sharing with you some of what God has been sharing with me over the last several weeks concerning 'self deception.' I find that it can happen to the most godly of men, at times when they are committed to doing God's will (please note the words and actions of Peter in Matthew 16:22 which took place immediately after he had been the only one to answer a difficult question and had just been commended by our Lord for his insight). However, I must purpose to leaves somee things to the master communicator (the blessed Holy Spirit)..."

"We further feel that some have actually stopped worshiping at Northside and have started worshiping Northside!"

"...Further, I have personally spoken to several people who have been 'railed on' by the current Chairman of the Board of Deacons of Northside, yet no action has been taken against him. (I know, you are probably thinking that Bill [Lamb] has apologized, but apologies apparently don't count. You see, apologies were also given by those whom the leadership chose to manipulate the congregation into excommunicating.) I could go on, and on, and on,...but it really doesn't matter. It is no longer my problem. Please do not be offended at these words, but we have long been convinced that Northside greatly desires our tithes, time, and talents, but has absolutely no interest in our ideas, concerns, or questions." Letter to Jim and Henri Reese from the former Chairman of the Deacons at Northside, Jeff B.

It wasn't just Bob Jones Univesity graduates who helped Bob Jones III's preacher, John Stevens, turn Northside Baptist into an independent, fundamentalist synagogue of Satan, as John Calvin referred to such institutions. John Stevens, Cecil Beach, Barry Formanack, Dennis Clements, John Nelson, Mark and Janet Woodhall, Reese Yandle, and other BJU-grads at Northside Baptist had valuable help from people like Jim Reese.

Within the Bob Jones University orbit - including BJU, its associated fundamentalist churches, and the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International - there are both duped people and evil people. Both types of people are equally important to Bob Jones-styed fundamentalism. What is important is indentifying which people are which.

The evil are hard to identify, just as Jeff B. and I and a host of people at Northside discovered. "The evil hate the light - the light of goodness that shows them up, the light of scrutiny that exposes them, the light that penetrates their deception." People of the Lie, M. Scott Peck, M.D. When you deal with so-called "Christians" who hide their deeds behind the skirts of the church, you can be sure that - at one level or another - you are dealing with an evil person. Good people who live honestly before men and God, including independent fundamentalist Baptist preachers and deacons, don't use religious positions to hide evil doing.

We come into contact with evil every day because evil doers are everywhere to be found. But, evil people are not found in prisons and jail, they are found disguised and secreted in places where they feel they will least likely be discovered. Evil people do not like to be exposed. Evil people not only want to conceal their evil natures from others, they engage in "self-deception" so as to hide their evil natures from themselves. Evil people hate those who expose their evil deeds and can justify employing more evil against those who expose their evil deeds.

As Dr. M. Scott Peck puts it: "Since the primary motive of the evil is disguise, one of the places evil people are most likely to be found is within the church. What better way to conceal one's evil from oneself, as well as from others. than to be a deacon or some other highly visible form of Christian within our culture." People of the Lie, p. 76, Dr. M. Scott Peck. I do wish that I had read People of the Lie before attending Northside Baptist. It would have helped identify so many of the players.

Jim Reese, VICE Chairman of the Board of Deacons at Northside Baptist. Reese was not a Bob Jones University graduate. He was a retired chief in the U.S. Navy. I understand from others at Northside that he was a barracks chief. Jim Reese is tall and obese with large jowls. With the way he used his girth and his height, it was evident that he fancied himself intimidating, a trait common with Navy chiefs who are accustomed to bullying and manipulating others. There are many types of cunning and intelligence and Jim Reese has a cunning and intelligence related to getting people to do what he wants. This is an essential skill for one whose job depends upon motivating people. I don't know if his repute as a barracks chief came from his actual title or if it was merely a derisive reference to his blustering/crafty way of manipulating easily led fundamentalist Baptists. Christ condemns this type of leadership in Matthew 20.

Jim Reese 'played ball' with John Stevens even though he secretly seemed to loathe Stevens. Vice Chairman Jim Reese and Bill Lamb, the deacon board chairman seemed to think that Stevens had come in and taken away their influence and power. This was true. Stevens deliberately and methodically erected his own support base by bestowing favors and winning personal loyalty to himself. He gave away positions, credit cards, jobs, suits, money, school scholarship discounts, and other church assets in order to purchase personal loyalty. One would be surprised at how cheap the spiritual virtue of a fundamentalist Baptist is. By the time the more perceptive members realized what kind of person John Stevens was, he had made sure everyone was either beholden to him for some favor or they feared him.

As far as I could tell, Jim Reese wanted to maintain a strong Northside so that he could remain the most prominent real estate broker/salesman represented in the congregation. Such a position certainly would not have hurt his business interests. Stevens wanted a strong Northside so that he could keep milking his preaching contract for all he could.

So, it was mutually beneficial for them to work together. When I arranged with Barry Formanack to inspect the financial records, they knew that a financial scandal would hurt the church's income and membership roles. The deacons, led by Bill Lamb and Jim Reese, joined John Stevens in invoking the name of God to "manipulate the congregation into excommunicating" - as Jeff B. oberserved - those who were about to uncover the dishonesty and financial mismanagement at Northside Baptist.

Jim Reese was a 'huntin' buddy' of the Chairman of the Board, Bill Lamb. Bill Lamb could lie as well from the pulpit as anyone I know except for John Stevens. Bill Lamb and Jim Reese were caught lying to Jeff B. in a later instance. I'll post that letter later to show how hard it was to separate facts from fiction for anyone seeking accurate information about Northside's finances.

Take a look at Download Reece.pdf (247.0K)">the letter the former Chairman of the Deacons at Northside, Jeff B., wrote to Jim and Henri Reese. Jeff B. is a nice, sincere fellow with a great talent for expressing himself. This letter will give outsiders a glimpse into the Northside Baptist organization and how the deacons - who had not already resigned for cause at this point - were viewed. Like most of us, Jeff B. didn't detect how corrupt Northside Baptist had become until it was too late.

Jeff was not a BJU grad. He resigned as board chairman because of the duplicity of the leadership. I doubt Jeff is still involved in a fundamentalist church today.

Incidentally, Jeff's reference to members being "railed on" and apologies is a reference to me. Bill Lamb apparently "railed on" several people. Jeff B. pointed out their hypocrisy in a clever manner while seemlessly incorporating some accusations of his own!

Prior to our "excommunication," I engaged into an argument with John Stevens in the parking lot one evening. I apologized and Stevens [said he] forgave me. I also angrily called Bill Lamb, the deacon chairman, a liar. I apologized for my anger. Bill Lamb [said he] forgave me. Of course, I couldn't beg forgiveness for calling him a liar because he repeatedly demonstrated that he is a practiced master at the art! But, I gave them weapons to use to demonize me and to whip up the masses into an indignant mob.

When I made the appointment with deacon/treasurer Barry Formanack to see the books, Stevens and Lamb included "railing" as one of my sins in their recommendation for excommunication! Cornered fundamentalist preachers and cunning deacons instinctively demonize those who "have their number".

When John Stevens, Cecil Beach, Barry Formanack, Dennis Clements, Roberto Pagan, Bill Lamb, and Jim and Henri Reese were done whipping up the Northsiders, they probably could have excommunicated Christ and Paul, too, had they not effectively already done so by violating every biblical principle that stood in their way!!!!

Surrounding Vice Chairman of the Board of Deacons at Northside Baptist, Jim Reece, there swirled every kind of vice, from lying, connivance, fraud, deception, gross hypocrisy, manipulation, hatred, slander, etc., etc. I am not saying he was involved in every one of the evil vices at Northside Baptist. I am saying that these types of evil flourished around him and that he was cunning enough to use whatever was at hand to further his own agenda.

Jim Reese was a central participant in a scheme to prevent the examination of the financial records of Northside by invoking the "...name of Jesus Christ and the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh..." This was done by Jim Reese, Bill Lamb, Barry Formanck, John Stevens, and others, and was done in conjunction with their own rules which mandated that there be no advanced notice given to us and that we would only be provided "one three minute opportunity" to address the congregation in our defense. Jim Reese not only helped engineer this perversion of biblical church discipline, but that he availed himself of his own "three minute opportunity" during the excommunication to use his cunning talent for manipulation to convince those who trusted him to excommunicate the Fitzhenry's without telling the congregation the true apparent motivation: the thwarting of the inspection of the church financial records scheduled two days later.

What could be more evil?

Christians and the Law: I Appeal to Caesar

When I took Biblical Ethics (I think that was the title of the course) from Dr. Stewart Custer at BJU, he taught that there were times that Christians could "appeal to Caesar" or go to civil courts to seek redress against certain brothers. I did not take much note of his comments at the time. Little did I know that I would actually take a fundamentalist preacher and his church to court in an effort to open his financial records and restore my church membership.

It's a funny thing about fundamentalists. They can be so passionate, self-righteous, and highly selective about requiring strict obedience to certain passages of Scripture and so apathetic about conforming themselves to other passages of Scripture, especially when the Second Edge of the Word cuts a fundamentalist crony. A fundamentalist darling can steal from a church and/or a church school, use church resources to purchase the loyalty of men and women, lie, invoke the power of Jesus Christ and manipulate the congregation into excommunicating members seeking to review financial records, or any number of ungodly things, and his deeds will escape notice or censure. But if one who is not a fundamentalist darling dares to call for an accounting of church finances, all the powers that be within fundamentalism will marshall in opposition!

We did not undertake to sue to force Northside Baptist to open their books and restore our stolen membership without seeking reconciliation. We, along with other members, wanted to see John Stevens' books. As we pursued that goal, Stevens and his crew became more agitated and suspicion grew. As Stevens and his crew Download decemberorin.pdf (29.5K)">stonewalled requests to see the books, they seemed to become more desperate and aggressive.

There were many attempts to affect reconciliation with Stevens and Northside Baptist, most notably, Download southside.pdf (93.0K)">an offer to mediate by Dr. Walter Handford and Southside Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina.

But reconciliation is a two-party exercise: "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou has paid the uttermost farthing." Matthew 5:25, 26 Christian reconciliation is a two-party contract of sorts. Christ is clear in this passage and in Matthew 18:17 ("...but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.") that hose who violate the bonds of Christian brotherhood no longer enjoy the status of Christian brothers. We are no longer to treat them as Christian brothers.

For those who are more interested in the subject, Download Law2.pdf (1173.3K)">click on this link.

Mike Greene Stands Tall

Quotes of the Day:

"It is refreshing to see – and it only happens occasionally – a man with enough moral courage to take a stand against evil without regard to persons or consequences." Underwood letter to Bob Jones III regarding another BJU grad who took a stand against Jonesian compromise. Mike Greene deserved the same kind of praise for the stand he took at Northside against Dr. Bob Jones III's crony, John Stevens

"Pastor [Stevens], the only step of credibility I see possible is a humble admission of each error noted, confess as sin for saying otherwise, for attacking a brother, and be willing to accept whatever ministry God reveals afterwards. I am not asking for the resignation of a Biblically obedient man. I only say that I cannot remain as presently associated with a disobedient man." The late Mike Greene in a letter of disassociation to John Stevens and Northside Baptist

When a church becomes corrupt, sometimes a few people will stand tall and speak the truth without calculating the personal costs. Mike Greene was such a man. John Stevens hated that and used his contacts within fundamentalism to get back at Mike. Bob Jones III could not handle Mike because he was not easily manipulated. Mike Greene was not anyone's "yes man" and that trait, along with his outspokeness, proved to be an irritant to Bob Jones III.

Mike's Download Test.pdf (108.3K)">letter will give some insight into what was going on at Northside and how many people viewed John Stevens and his crew.

What the Northside Baptist Scandal Reveals About Neo-Fundamentalism and Its Leadership and Institutions

Quote of the Day:

"...The emperor and all his barons then came to the hall; the swindlers held their arms up as if they held something in their hands and said: “These are the trousers!” “This is the coat!” and “Here is the cloak!” and so on. “They are all as light as a cobweb, and one must feel as if one had nothing at all upon the body; but that is just the beauty of them.”
“Indeed!” said all the courtiers; but they could not see anything, for there was nothing to be seen.
“Does it please your Majesty now to graciously undress,” said the swindlers, “that we may assist your Majesty in putting on the new suit before the large looking-glass?”
The emperor undressed, and the swindlers pretended to put the new suit upon him, one piece after another; and the emperor looked at himself in the glass from every side.
“How well they look! How well they fit!” said all. “What a beautiful pattern! What fine colours! That is a magnificent suit of clothes!”
The master of the ceremonies announced that the bearers of the canopy, which was to be carried in the procession, were ready.
“I am ready,” said the emperor. “Does not my suit fit me marvellously?” Then he turned once more to the looking-glass, that people should think he admired his garments.
The chamberlains, who were to carry the train, stretched their hands to the ground as if they lifted up a train, and pretended to hold something in their hands; they did not like people to know that they could not see anything.
The emperor marched in the procession under the beautiful canopy, and all who saw him in the street and out of the windows exclaimed: “Indeed, the emperor’s new suit is incomparable! What a long train he has! How well it fits him!” Nobody wished to let others know he saw nothing, for then he would have been unfit for his office or too stupid. Never emperor’s clothes were more admired.
“But he has nothing on at all,” said a little child at last. “Good heavens! listen to the voice of an innocent child,” said the father, and one whispered to the other what the child had said. “But he has nothing on at all,” cried at last the whole people. That made a deep impression upon the emperor, for it seemed to him that they were right; but he thought to himself, “Now I must bear up to the end.” And the chamberlains walked with still greater dignity, as if they carried the train which did not exist. Hans Christian Andersen, The Emperor's New Suit

As a fundamentalist, I was conditioned to turn a blind eye to certain things, things like ethical corruption within the leadership and its institutions, inconsistencies in doctrine making, viscious unchristian infighting, gross hypocrisy in applying, misapplying, and not applying eternal spiritual principles, etc. There are thousands of fundamentalists across the USA who are conditioned to ignore fundamentalism's fatal flaws and abuses.

The Northside scandal - coupled with a few other situations - motivated me to re-examine fundamentalism, especially Bob Jones University's brand of neo-fundamentalism. As I looked at the Bob Jones University-trained staff and faculty at Northside, I saw a sameness, a homogenous quality about the hypocrisy and duplicty that I observed. I wanted to find the common thread that bound so many people and organizations together and caused them to act in accord, not biblical accord, but in unbiblical accord. I traced that hypocrisy and duplicity back to the training provided by Bob Jones University and by the Joneses because I observed the same brand of hypocrisy and duplicity in operation at Bob Jones University.

For example, Bob Jones III, Ken Hay of The Wilds, and John Vaughan, now president of the FBFI, all kicked Orin Briggs off their boards for being the attorney who filed the lawsuit against John Stevens when he refused to allow us to see Northside's books. Yet, none of these self-righteous fundamentalists ever invoked any censure against John Stevens for overspending his church credit card or taking a 100% school tuition discount, or for using "biblical discipline" to keep members from looking at the church books. Like Rod Bell said, "Birds of a feather flock together." I wonder about the private ethics of religious people who wink at such things in their "religious" colleagues. (And, I will discuss the decision to "appeal to Caesar" in later posts.)

I have concluded that fundamentalism is unraveling and becoming increasingly corrupt and that there is a concerted effort to ignore that corruption, exploit the corruption and merchandise this sector of religion, and to enjoy the financial fruits of the movement. Bob Jones III certainly protected his interests in the Northside scandal by keeping quiet and not publicly rebuking John Stevens for vainly invoking the name of Christ in excommunicating members who wanted to review Northside's financial records. Bob Jones III, the "separatist fundamentalist," is a fellow board member Emeritus with John Stevens in the FBFI. I suppose this means that Bob Jones III and FBFI President John Vaughan approve of John Stevens' behavior as a so-called Gospel minister. And Bob Jones III is on another board with Bob Vallier, the FBFI financial "missionary" who violated South Carolina accountancy laws in doing a sham review of Northside's books.

There are thousands of Bob Jones University-trained fundamentalists who are so blind - or who are so dependent upon funamentalism - that they cannot detect, or cannot afford to notice, the terminal disease within fundamentalism. I will be scanning in documents that I hope will open the eyes of some in the coming weeks as time permits. I truly hope that I can provide the reader with a glimpse of reality to enable him to break away from fundamentalism's mass delusion of moral and ethical superiority.

The fact of the matter is, the "independent" nature of fundamentalism has served as an open invitation to some of the most cynical, ethically corrupt people I have known.

Personality Cultism and Institutional Idolatry In Action: Fundamentalist Baptist Cultism, Fraud, and Misappropriation

Quotes of the day:

"Idolatry is not simply the worship of a false god; it occurs whenever a purely human value becomes the chief focus of religious aspiration. In their concern to shore up their authority, Catholic officials are often guilty of institutional idolatry. But they are not alone. It is becoming increasingly unusual to hear any religious leaders frankly admit the failings of their own co-religionists."..."Religious leaders are basically politicians, and secular politicians also seem to find it impossible to apologise or admit error. But religious politicians are committed to ideals that fly in the face of this idolatry. Many of the founders of the great world faiths were iconoclasts who denounced the establishment of their day. The prophets subjected the kings of Israel to ruthless criticism and forced their people to face up to their own shortcomings." Cover-ups and Clutter Have Tainted Religion by Karen Armstrong

"The membership of Northside Baptist Church accepted a glowing audit of church records last month while rejecting another one that reported evidence of fraud and misappropriation of funds." Post and Courier, reporting on the self-justifying, cultic mindset of the members of Northside Baptist Church.

"...I was appalled. I was sickened. Why in the world would preachers or churches without anything to hide, go to such extent to keep people from finding out the truth about finances? It seems to me that they would not and someone who acted this way must have something to hide...." Robert L. Sumner, Editor of the Biblical Evangelist, commenting on the financial integrity of Bob Jones III's home church and the Northside Baptist scandal.

"[Pastor John] Stevens also said that, despite complaints to the contrary from Oscar Fitzhenry, one of the three who were excommunicated – the others are his son, Mark B. Fitzhenry, and Wendy Anne Fitzhenry, Mark’s wife – the church’s books have never been closed to any member.
'In front of several hundred people, from the pulpit, I invited him or any other member to see the books,' Stevens said, but since some of the records are on computer that was impossible.
Stevens said Fitzhenry was later denied access to the books, but that was after he had been excommunicated and, as a nonmember, had no right to see them..." Post and Courier, Stevens, an expert in the art of "timely excommunication," thinking he could fool non-cult members (ie., the general public) into thinking he really wanted to open his financial records but that "printers" had not yet been invented to print financial reports from an Indepedent, Fundamentalist Baptist computer!

"“Because I have been denied access to records that I feel necessary to complete a thorough and accurate audit,” [Russ McCall, Audit Committee Chairman and Northside Baptist "member"] wrote, “I cannot adequately perform the tasks that the congregation elected me to perform. Therefore, I resign from the Audit Committee effective upon the Northside Baptist Church congregation accepting this final report.” The Post and Courier

FUNDAMENTALIST BAPTIST CULTISM, FRAUD, AND MISAPPROPRIATION

How does independent fundamentalist Baptists "operate" without higher level temporal oversight? What seems to motivate independent fundamentalist Baptists? What kind of principles guide them? Do they operate under a clear biblical mandate or do they operate under a more pragmatic, relativist set of rules, perhaps the unwritten rules of "Cronyism" or "the good ol' boy network"? Do Fundamentalist Baptist act like they are members of a Cult at times? When faced with ethical corruption by one of their own, do they deal with it or ignore and accomodate it?

We have heard of the vaunted "character training" provided at Bob Jones University. What happens when a Bob Jones University graduate has to choose between doing right and standing for righteousness or keeping his or his wife's job at a church where his boss is doing evil? At Northside Baptist, under preacher John Stevens, it seemed that the price of the unconditional loyalty of a Bob Jones University graduate was a cheap polyester suit, a deaconship, a low-paying teaching job, or just an occasional stoke of the BJU'ers religious ego by preacher Stevens! And, those who weren't bought out by such little favors from Stevens were too spineless to stand up and oppose the evil being done around them for fear of being blackballed. Bob Jones University's "Character training?" That line doesn't sell Bob Jones University's educational product anymore. I've watched Mark and Janet Woodhall, Pastor and Mrs. Dennis Clements, former youth pastor at Northside, John Nelson, Mr. and Mrs. Barry Formanack, Bob and Edella Pagan, Pastor and Mrs. Bill Bethea, Dr. and Mrs. Cecil Beach, Bob and Beneth Jones III, Dean and Roxanne Jones Robinson, Rev. Craig and Jeanette Snook, Rev. Timothy Butler, and observed that as religious as they may seem, little is sacred to these types of people beyond their own self-interests.

How does Dr. Bob Jones III react when one of his cronies within the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International board, John Stevens, is accused of stealing money from his home church by overspending his church-provided credit card and taking a 100% school tuition discount for his daughter that was specifically forbidden in his employment contract. This didn't raise concern within the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International. One wonders if the silence of the normally outspoken preachers within the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International means they consider it a professional perogative to 'help themselves' to church assets and perks.

Those who have read past posts in this blog have read repeated accounts of how Dr. Bob Jones III employs pragmatic expediency in every facet of his religious and business life. Dr. Bob Jones III seems to have calculated every position he has ever taken by figuring out how each position would affect Bob Jones University. Dr. Bob Jones III would never censure a disorderly preacher who evidenced personal loyalty to himself or institutional loyalty to Bob Jones University. The message Bob Jones III sent during the scandals at Northside was, 'Keep those students coming to Bob Jones University, John Stevens, and you can run Northside Baptist Church anyway you want!' That message was not lost on Bob Jones III's Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International's membership.

How do separatist independent fundamentalist Baptists deal with those within their own ranks who engage in dubious activities? Do they wink at a crony's sins while they are blasting other men outside their group for relatively minor indiscretions? Absolutely.

How do they react when one of their own leaders is caught in the unauthorized taking of that which is not his property from one of their associated churches, like maybe a tuition discount or some extra charges on the ol' church credit card? Is that sort of thing condoned amongst the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International group as kind of a "perk" that goes along with being an 'independent fundamentalist' with no outside accountability? Do separatist independent fundamentalist Baptists, say those within the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International, apply their Biblical ethics and separatist standards selectively?

PERSONALITY CULTISM AND INSTITUTIONAL IDOLATRY

I've been involved in the independent fundamental Baptist/Bible church movement for over 45 years, from the time I was 7 years old. I have concluded that Personality Cultism and Institutional Idolatry are the twin coins of the independent, fundamental Baptist realm, whether it is in a local church, a school, a ministry, or an organization like the FBFI. As long as one preacher within the FBFI doesn't cross another preacher within the FBFI, they will wink at each other's wrongdoing. As long as each preacher adopts Dr. Bob Jones III's latest thinking and sides with Bob Jones III in his latest controversy, he will be welcome in the group. All of them know that if they deviate from Dr. Bob Jones III's script, they will be blackballed from the BJU-sect of fundamentalism. As the independent, fundamentalist movement dwindles and the corruption becomes more widespread, the demands for Personal Loyalty and Institutional Idolatry will increase.

Thus, it does not matter what the top man at an FBFI-type church does (or does not do). Biblical principles can be twisted or ignored to accomodate a host of evil within independent Baptist fundamentalism. That is the importance of the story about Dr. Bob Jones III's church, Northside Baptist Church, and Bob Jones III's hand-picked preacher, John Stevens.

It is instructive to note that both Bob Jones III and John Stevens are board members Emeritus of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International and that the FBFI leadership. At the time of this scandal, Rod Bell was the president of the FBF. (Rodney Bell has since resigned because of an apparent drinking problem.) But, the FBF membership were mailed informational copies of the financial scandal surrounding John Stevens, including offers to drop the civil suit if Mr. Stevens would grant access to his church financial records.

While the good Reverend Stevens refused to open his books - and for good cause it turned out - it seems like a man who had a clear conscience would simply say, "Here are the records, Mark. Knock yourself out and if you have any questions, leave them on the desk, turn out the light when you are done and we will get the answers to all your questions ASAP." That sort of open-handed approach seems consistent with Biblical teaching to "Provide things honest in the sight of God and men." But this is not how independent fundamentalist Baptists operate.

And, Bob Jones III was well-aware of the nature of his hand-picked preacher, John Stevens. In fact, at Bob's request, Russ McCall, the chairman of the Audit Committee at Northside, mailed a copy of his "negative audit" to Dr. Bob Jones III. Dr. Bob Jones III was aware of the doings of his preacher, John Stevens, and has never once rebuked John Stevens for his actions as preacher at Bob and Beneth Jones III's home church, Northside Baptist.

Dr. Bob Jones III has shown himself in the past to be driven by pragmatic expediency. The Northside Baptist situation is just one more example of the fact that Jones III will wink at any sin or perversion within BJU's supporting orbit so long as a benefit can be derived for himself or Bob Jones University. So long as John Stevens demonstrated personal loyalty to Bob Jones III by having Bob speak at Northside, by hosting fund raisers and student drives, and showed institutional loyalty to Bob Jones University by plying it with students, he could run Northside Baptist anyway he wanted, even to the point of invoking the name of Jesus Christ in the excommunication of members seeking to review Northside's financial records. Nothing could be more unbiblical and nothing will corrupt the fundamentalist movement more rapidly than this sort of biblical connivance, this professional courtesy amongst fundamentalist leaders wherein they mutually ignore each others sins and abuses.

There seems to be an unwritten code of "ethics" amongst independent, fundamentalist preachers that they each defend one another. If you rebuke one of these fundamentalist darlings, the rest of the fundamentalist preachers will attack you like a pack of dogs. And, that message is heard loud and clear amongst Bob Jones University-associated pastors and churches across the United States. It should be no surprise that most of the Bob Jones University-trained or related preachers and church members who want to remain in BJU's fundamentalist orbit act like members of a nationwide personality cult.

This is how Northside Baptist's and John Stevens' financial accountability was reported in the local paper.

From: The News and Courier, Charleston, SC
By: Skip Johnson of the Post-Courier staff

BAPTIST CHURCH VOTED AGAINST NEGATIVE AUDIT

The membership of Northside Baptist Church accepted a glowing audit of church records last month while rejecting another one that reported evidence of fraud and misappropriation of funds.

Both reports, dated April 19, were products of a three person in-house audit committee headed by Russell McCall. McCall wrote the report that alleged the problems, while committee members Ron Brooks and Mach Cornett submitted the complimentary version.

McCall explained in a cover letter accompanying the reports, copies of which were obtained by the Post-Courier, that two versions were needed because committee members could not agree on the intent of the audit, interpretation of the facts it gathered or how specific the committee should be in presenting its findings.

“Because I have been denied access to records that I feel necessary to complete a thorough and accurate audit,” he wrote, “I cannot adequately perform the tasks that the congregation elected me to perform. Therefore, I resign from the Audit Committee effective upon the Northside Baptist Church congregation accepting this final report.”

The 800-member church, and independent Baptist congregation in Charleston Heights that has an annual budget of $1.7 million, has been embroiled in controversy in recent months over reports of misappropriation of funds and other financial problems. Three members of one family were excommunicated in January after making repeated demands to see the books, and they have sued to force a full audit of the books.

McCall’s report said that in addition to fraud and misappropriation the committee found evidence of violations of the church constitution, non-adherence to written policies, creation of policies without proper authorization and apparent favoritism in the disbursement of funds to staff members.

The majority report, however, concluded that no evidence of dishonesty or misappropriation was found during the course of the audit.

The majority report also said much of the confusion over accounting was a result of changing accounting systems. It added: “We feel that it is fitting to say that our present officers and staff have done an outstanding job in handling this change.”

It praised the audit report of Dr. Robert F. Vallier for the year ending June 30, 1990, as being very helpful in helping the church set up a new accounting method.

McCall’s version of the audit, however, included a quote from a Jan. 18 letter signed by Robert S. Shelley, special investigator for the South Carolina Board of Accountancy: “Robert F. Valier is not licensed under the S.C. Accountancy Law, nor is his business registered with us. Based upon a review of his brochure and “independent auditor’s suggestions,” we believe him to be in violation of the S.C. Accountancy Law.”

Church pastor Dr. John E. Stevens said Vallier, who never spoke to several key church leaders including the church treasurer, was to have been paid by a love offering. Instead, however, McCall’s report said he was paid a flat fee of $1,500 plus expenses.

McCall’s version of the audit also found other discrepancies not mentioned in the majority report. Among them:

• A special fund set up to aid Northside Christian School teachers in emergencies was spent for other purposes. In one instance, Stevens spent money from the fund to take a couple to dinner. In another, a pastoral staff member was given, without authorization, two suits at a cost of $461.32.

• Stevens and his staff were given 100 percent discounts on tuition for their children to attend Northside Christian School, which the church owns, even though the pastor’s employment package specifically forbade such a practice. In addition at least two other families were allowed free or half-price tuitions in violation of school policy.

• Several instances were documented showing staff members were hired without the knowledge or approval of the deacons or church. In one instance the auditing committee was told a person was doing volunteer work for the church and school but in reality was being paid initially via the petty cash fund and then placed on a monthly salary.

• Designated finds sometimes were not spent according to donors’ wishes.

• Although the only person authorized to have a church credit card is its pastor, four other staff members had them, and the pastor consistently overspent his limits.

Stevens declined to comment Thursday on McCall’s version of the audit because church members had voted to accept only the majority report.

Stevens did say the three family members who were excommunicated last January were expelled because they had been making unfounded accusations against some church leaders regarding their handling of church funds and because they were refusing to cooperate in the system.

All Baptist churches are autonomous and set their own rules for excommunicating members. At Northside, a vote of the congregation is all that is needed to excommunicate, which means the person is expelled from church membership.

Stevens also said that, despite complaints to the contrary from Oscar Fitzhenry, one of the three who were excommunicated – the others are his son, Mark B. Fitzhenry, and Wendy Anne Fitzhenry, Mark’s wife – the church’s books have never been closed to any member.

“In front of several hundred people, from the pulpit, I invited him or any other member to see the books,” Stevens said, but since some of the records are on computer that was impossible.

Stevens said Fitzhenry was later denied access to the books, but that was after he had been excommunicated and, as a nonmember, had no right to see them.

Fitzhenry declined to comment on anything regarding the suit or his participation in the church.

Stevens also said any member has the right to make an appointment to see the church records and some have taken advantage of that offer. None, however, as delved deeply into the books.

“We even called some people who had questions and invited them to come look at the books,” he said.

Despite the controversy, Stevens said, he has detected no hint of a split in the church.
“There’s a lot of hurt but no split,” he said.

Another church member, Thomas Kisling of Mount Pleasant, agreed with that assessment.
“I think most members are just waiting to see what happens,” he said.

REPRINTED BY PERMISSION
STEVE MULLINS

THREE SUE BAPTIST CHURCH OVER EXCOMMUNICATION

Quotes of the Day:

John Stevens, "I now yield the chair to the Chariman of the Board of Deacons for the conduct of this discussion."

Bill Lamb, "We do have young people that are in the nursery, if you would like to put your young people back there, it's not a requirement, but they are available if you would like to do so. The time of adjournment for this ah....discussion, is fixed for 9:20. Discussion will stop at 9:15 and a vote will follow. If a person is able to obtain the floor in that time period they will have ONE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, FOR A PERIOD OF THREE MINUTES." Northside Baptist's thirty minute surpise [no notice given to the targets]excommunication process. This process was overseen by and deemed fair by John Stevens' hand-picked Parliamentarian Eugene Albert Stauch III. The good Mr. Stauch is known for his sense of fairness, particularly by the 13 year old girl he was convicted of Criminally Sexually assaulting and Committing a Lewd Act upon in 1991.

John Stevens' Parliamentarian, Eugene Stauch, is a Registered Sex Offender in North Charleston, SC 29420. Fortunately for John Stevens, there is no comparable system to register Spiritual Offenders and Religious Abusers: John Stevens is both. Apparently, such people as John Stevens - who vainly invoked the name of God in preventing the inspection of his church books - find a place on the board of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International!

People like John Stevens are masters at finding willing people within the church to join them in doing their dirty work. At Northside Baptist, John Stevens not only used such people as Registered Sex Offender Stauch to do his dirty work, but he used the resources, finances, and offices of the church to gain the loyalty of church employees, staffers, volunteers, deacon-wannabe's, teachers, area preachers (thru tuition discounts to the school), etc.

How does a Bob Jones III-recommended preacher handle his financial responsibilities in Dr. Bob Jones III's home church, Northside Baptist Church? How does a Board member of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International manage church finances and deal with members who want to see his church financial records?

And, how does the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International have the gall to promote John Stevens to Board of Directors Emeritus?

A biblically honest man, when asked to share fiduciary records, would simply say, "Here are the books. Write down any questions you might have. Turn the lights out when you are done. I will answer all of your questions when I am able to gather the required documentation!"

THIS IS HOW AN INDEPENDENT FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST PREACHER, A PHARISEE OF PHARISEES WITHIN THE FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL, REACTS WHEN CHURCH MEMBER'S WANT TO SEE THE CHURCH BOOKS.

From: The News and Courier, Charleston, South Carolina
By: Skip Johnson of the Post-Courier staff
Date: Thursday, May 2, 1991

THREE SUE BAPTIST CHURCH OVER EXCOMMUNICATION

Three former members of Northside Baptist Church in North Charleston who say the church excommunicated them without cause and in violation of its own bylaws have sued for reinstatement and payment of $150,000 in damages.

The suit was filed April 24 on behalf of former deacon and longtime church member Oscar C. Fitzhenry of West Ashley, his son, Mark Burton Fitzhenry, and the younger Fitzhenry’s wife, Wendy Anne Fitzhenry.

It alleges that discrepancies had been uncovered in the church’s handling of finances dating back to July 1987, and Oscar and Mark Fitzhenry were trying to see the church’s books and investigate them.

Church pastor Dr. John E. Stevens, who spent Wednesday in consultation with his staff and several lawyers, said he could not comment on nay of the specifics raised in the suit.

“But the charges are not true,” he said. “We are concerned about our testimony in the community and know these things will all be cleared up.”

On Jan. 5, the suit says, church general treasurer Barry Formanack confirmed an appointment for the two Fitzhenrys and their lawyer to review the books on Jan. 11.

However, it says, two days before the meeting, the church, which is on Northside Drive, conducted an unannounced business meeting and voted to excommunicate all three Fitzhenrys. The next day, when Oscar Fitzhenry asked Formanack if he could still see the records as promised, Formanack told him records were closed to him because he was not a church member.

No minutes were kept of the meeting at which the Fitzhenrys were excommunicated and no reason has been made public as to why there were excommunicated.

Excommunication involves a vote of the congregation to expel the member from the church. Every Baptist congregation is autonomous and sets its own procedures in these and other matters.

The suit, filed in the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas, names as defendants Northside (independent) Baptist church through its Board of Trustees and Board of Deacons, Dr. John E. Stevens, pastor, Tom McGann, business manager, and Dr. Cecil Beach, school administrator, all in their official capacities; and Stevens, McGann, Beach, Dennis Clements, Bill Lamb, David McGinnis, Jim Reese and Eugene Stauch individually.

In addition to restoration of church membership and personal damages, the suit also demands an independent audit of all church expenditures dating back to July 1, 1987; restoration of all funds that were spent contrary to the church budget; a full disclosure by the pastor and all senior staff members of all compensation given them since he was employed; reinstatement of Oscar Fitzhenry to the Board of Deacons; a redesignation of all funds given to the church by Mark and Wendy Fitzhenry to accounts of their choice; and punitive damages.

According to the suit, filed by attorneys Donald J. Budman of Charleston and Orin G. Briggs of Columbia, here’s what happened: As early as July1987, the church’s congregation had reason to question some of the church’s financial activities, including the unauthorized expenditure of church funds, failure to give full accounting of expenditure of church funds, and the failure of the church leadership to properly disclose the spending of money in various church accounts.

The concern culminated in July 1990 when a financial report showed that more than $22,000 of designated mission funds had been transferred to the church’s general account without the knowledge or approval of the Board of Deacons or the congregation, which violated the church constitution.

The Budget and Finance Committee, of which Oscar Fitzhenry was a member, investigated and reported the following September that Stevens had ordered the money transfers.

Other discrepancies were discovered later. One involved the failure of Stevens to report senior staff members’ complete salaries. Another was that various special committees had been formed without approval of the congregation and there never has been a complete accounting of the more than $200,000 they spent.

For example, the suit says, after Hurricane Hugo the church set up a special Hugo Fund to help those who had specific needs as a result of the hurricane. However, it says, “the Hugo Fund was never used to perform services for selected members of Northside Baptist church and large portions of the fund were used to pay church members $100 a day to do Hugo cleanup, thereby diverting these funds from the originally intended purpose so as to buy votes and influence friends for the benefit of Dr. John Stevens.”

Stevens promised the congregation a certified public accountant would review the books and named Dr. Robert Vallier to do it. Vallier reviewed them but the suit says he is Download shelleyltr.pdf (405.1K)">not a CPA or a licensed accountant in South Carolina.

Vallier said in his report it was not an audit and he expressed reservation about the reliability of records he had seen. Quarterly financial reports of the church also documented the lack of management, the absence of full accountability and financial irresponsibility, the suit says.

Oscar Fitzhenry made dozens of oral and written requests in 1990 for specific records but was refused. And throughout September and October of 1990, the suit says, deacons chairman Bill Lamb openly criticized Fitzhenry for insisting on accountability in church financial matters.

On Oct. 8, the Board of Deacons asked Oscar Fitzhenry to resign, and on Oct. 28 the congregation was asked to remove him from the board.

Fitzhenry kept trying to see the records, and just more than two months later he, his son and daughter-in-law were excommunicated.

Fitzhenry was on his boat Wednesday and could not be reached for comment. However, he left word with his wife that he would not discuss the suit with anyone.

REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF
MR. MULLINS, POST AND COURIER

We filed suit to gain access to the books, to recover our stolen membership, and for slander. Attached is a study I did not the matter of taking those who allege to be brothers to Download Law2.pdf (1173.3K)">Civil Court. Would I file suit again if an identical situation occured? I don't think I would have wasted the time or money. I only hope that I would have had the sense to stay out of such a synagogue of Satan in the first place. Did it solve anything, purge evil from Christendom, or purify fundamentalism? Why not visit Northside Baptist in North Charleston, SC and find out for yourself?

Barry R. Formanack: Northside Treasurer, Deacon, and BJU Graduate

Quotes of the Day:

"Since the primary motive of the evil is disguise, one of the places evil people are most likely to be found is within the church. What better way to conceal one's evil from oneself, as well as from others. than to be a deacon or some other highly visible form of Christian within our culture." People of the Lie, p. 76, Dr. M. Scott Peck

"Within the Bob Jones University orbit - including BJU, its associated fundamentalist churches, and the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International - there are both duped people and evil people. Both types of people are equally important to Bob Jones-styed fundamentalism. What is important is indentifying which people are which." Mark Fitzhenry, former BJU-styled fundamentalist.

On or about January 5, 1991, I decided to accept the invitations from the pulpit of Northside Baptist Church from Pastor John Stevens and make an appointment to see the financial records of Northside Baptist Church.

On or about January 6, 1991, I received a copy of the following letter from Bob Jones University graduate, Barry R. Formanack, the treasurer and a deacon at NBC. I called Barry Formanack the day I received his letter. Mr. Formanack informed me that Bill Lamb, the chairman of the deacon board refused to accept the letter from Barry Formanack. Barry Formanack then placed two copies of the letter in Mr. Lamb's and Pastor Stevens' boxes at the church office.

Barry Formanack's letter:

"January 5, 1991

Pastor Stevens
Bill Lamb

Mark Fitzhenry called me this morning, 1/5/91, requesting that his attorney [Orin Briggs], Oscar [his father], and himself review the documents previously requested by Oscar on 1/11/91 at 9 a.m.

Barry R. Formanack
Treasurer"

How does the Bob Jones University crowd react when they are asked to show their financial records? How does a Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International Board member Emeritus, John Stevens, react when a member of his church asks to see his financial records?

What would you think of a person who held the dual position of Treasurer and Deacon in an indepedent, fundamentalist Baptist church, and who as Treasurer confirmed an appointment with church members to see the church books and at the same time and in his capacity as a Deacon, without notifying the members, participated in a scheme to excommunicate the same members and, after having excommunicated these church members, DENIED THOSE MEMBERS ACCESS TO THE FINANCIAL RECORDS OF THE CHURCH!!!!!!!

I would have to label someone so inclined as, at the very least, an Evildoer. But, Barry Formanack is not considered evil nor are his deeds considered evil by those in Bob Jones University fundamentalism.

Stay tuned for the next couple of posts to see how Deacon/Treasurer Barry Formanack, his preacher buddy, John Stevens, and his deacon cronies made sure that the review of the financial records of Northside Baptist Church confirmed for 9 AM, January 5, 1991, did not occur. The Northside Baptist Church story is a textbook study in the abusive nature of the independent fundamental Baptist sect. Watch and see the abominations done by clever, deceitful fundamentalists.

Bob Vallier, BJU's and the FBFI's and Northside's Financial Guru: Come Quick, The Peasants Want to See the Church Financial Records!

Quotes of the Day:

“An urgent business meeting for Northside Baptist Church was held October 10, 1990 with Chairman of the Deacon Board, Mr. Bill Lamb presiding. Mr. Lamb mentioned that he had received many phone calls questioning if Pastor John Stevens was resigning from Northside Baptist Church. Mr. Lamb and Pastor Stevens had received several letters concerning the financial status of Northside Baptist Church and the possible misappropriation of funds…Pastor wrote his resignation prior to several of the above mentioned letters. Mr. Lamb stated that the deacon board asked Pastor Stevens to withdraw his resignation. Pastor withdrew his resignation. (standing applause by the congregation)…”…”Pastor stated that Mr. Vallier was a C.P.A., a Bob Jones University graduate and came by a “love offering”… Rose Mary Taylor, Northside Baptist Church Clerk, Minutes from Stevens' damage control meeting.

“To be quite blunt, many organizations I encounter [profess a belief in the fundamentals] to maintain peer status, but lie, cheat, steal, carry on corrupt business practices, slander, commit fraud, and practice bitterness and hatred. But as long as they [believe the fundamentals], they are accepted by their peers. It would be hard to imagine a more hypocritical stance.” Wally Metts, Faith Brokers, commenting on his experience at David Gibbs' CLA, Christian Legal Association.

Who is Robert F. Vallier, (aka, Bob Vallier) and why would Pastor Stevens suddenly call him in to “review” his church books?

By the time I first read Pastor Stevens’ statement that “Mr. Vallier was a C.P.A., a Bob Jones graduate and came by a ‘love offering,’” I knew Stevens well enough to know that he was probably lying. I made a call to the South Carolina Board of Accountancy and asked them if they had a Robert Vallier listed as a C.P.A. or Church Business Services on their records. My father then penned a letter to Mr. Shelley, Special Investigator with the SCBA and had them review the documents Robert Vallier submitted on behalf of Pastor Stevens as a “review” of Northside Baptist’s records.

With the questions about “misappropriation of funds” being asked, Mr. Stevens obviously felt he needed to regain some credibility, and fast. Robert Vallier, is a Bob Jones University graduate. He was also a regular contributor to Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International’s (FBFI) magazine, Frontline. Apparently, Robert Vallier had impressed the fundamentalist community as being a “team player.” Touting Robert Vallier as a “C.P.A.” brought to Pastor Stevens the kind of credibility he needed to quell the controversy.

Here is what Robert Shelley, Special Investigator with the SCBA has to say about Robert F. Vallier and the “review” he did at Northside Baptist:

Re: Church Business Services
Robert F. Vallier

Dear Mr. Fitzhenry:

Thank you for your letter of January 14, 1991. The above named individual is not licensed under the South Carolina Accountancy Law, nor is his business registered with us. Based upon a review of his brochure and “Independent Auditor’s Suggestions,” [to Northside Baptist Church] we believe him to be in violation of the South Carolina Accountancy Law, Section 40-1-50.

We will be contacting Mr. Vallier in reference to this matter and we are also notifying the Florida Board of Accountancy of the same.

Again, thank you for the information. If you have any questions or desire additional information, please advise.

Sincerely,

Robert S. Shelley
Special Investigator
South Carolina Board of Accountancy

Download shelleyltr.pdf (405.1K)">Click here to view copy of letter.

This information was communicated to Dr. Bob Jones III and to the members of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International. In fact, it was reported on in the local newspaper, the Post and Courier. What effect did this have on Robert Vallier’s credibility within this sect of fundamentalism? One gets the idea that the churches and pastors associated with Bob Jones University and with the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship NEED a guy like Robert Vallier. Apparently, Mr. Vallier was either too valuable to the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship members, or maybe he knew “where too many skeletons are buried.”

Incidentally, if I am not mistaken, Robert Vallier, the man who presented himself to Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International churches across America as an "independent auditor," did a “review” of the books at Northside Baptist the year before. It seems unlikely that somone who regularly provided such a service to pastors would be very "independent." I certainly never heard of an instance in which he discovered and reported a pastor's financial mismanagement to the congregation. And, knowing how the "good ol' boy" system works within the fundamentalist preacher fraternity, I doubt he would have gotten much more business for "Church Business Services" if he had.

Robert F. Vallier was not an obscure personality within the Bob Jones University orbit. Robert F. Vallier was included as a Keynote Speaker at Bob Jones University’s HELP Conference in June, 1994. I suspect that Robert Vallier rarely, if ever, gave a bad report of the financial management of one of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship churches he “reviewed”.

Of course, knowing how Pastor Stevens and fundamentalist preachers operate, I checked to see if Bob Vallier truly “came by a love offering.” I have before me the “Check Request” form and, in the “Requested by” block it indicates “Tom and Dr. Beach.” (Mr. Tom McGann and Dr. Cecil Beach, a Bob Jones University graduate, seeDr. Cecil Beach) The check was made out to “Central Missionary Clearing House,” which makes me wonder if Robert Vallier was avoiding income taxes by having the funds run through a non-profit “Missionary” account." The check was not approved by the deacons as required and it was signed by two women who were not supposed to be signators.

South Carolina law requires that those who operate a business or provide a service that REQUIRES a license but do not have a license at the time, return the money they received for those services. I wrote a letter to Robert Vallier dated February 12, 1991, and informed him of the South Carolina Accountancy Law, Section 40-1-50, “Recovery back of money paid to unlicensed person required by law to have occupation or business license or permit to make contract.” I asked him to return his ill-gotten gains to Northside Baptist Church. He never responded. I understand that Robert Vallier continued presenting himself as an “independent auditor” across the country at Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International churches. It appears to me that Robert Vallier and the pastors of these churches had quite a "thing" going.

So, another Bob Jones University graduate played a key role in “doing church” at Northside Baptist Church. This is the way a typical independent, fundamental, Bob Jones University-approved, Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International-pastored Baptist church is run. This is the way a man, John Stevens, who received Dr. Bob Jones III’s personal recommendation “does church.” This is the way Dr. Bob Jones III and Bob Jones University’s graduates “do church.”

It certainly is strange that this group of fundamentalists never collectively distanced themselves from their colleague, Pastor John Stevens. And, Bob Vallier didn’t seem to suffer any ill-effects from his apparently fraudulent “ministry.” In fact, a "Bob Vallier" is listed as a co-board member of JehovaJh-ireh Ministries which purports to provide "Financial Assistance in World-Wide Church Planting." Bob Vallier is on the board and Dr. Bob Jones III is an "Honorary Board Member." So, Dr. Bob Jones III is still associating with Bob Vallier after Vallier was accused of violating South Carolina Accountancy Law.

Two days before a confirmed appointment to inspect Northside Baptist's financial records, my wife and I ended up being “excommunicated” by Pastor Stevens and the Bob Jones University graduates at Northside Baptist Church. (Of course, they gave us a one-time "three-minute" opportunity to defend ourselves. Fundamentalists want to appear to be "fair" and "just.") Bob Vallier took his $1,500 (plus, the church picked up his hotel and meal tab, I understand) and we received the highest censure available to the church! This is what happens when a church member presses a Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International pastor to produce his financial records. This is an example of what happens in churches run by Bob Jones University graduates. This is what happens in Dr. Bob Jones III's home church and he maintains "fellowship," read that, a mutually beneficial business relationship, with John Stevens and Bob Vallier.

And, it is certainly strange that this group of fundamentalists within the Bob Jones University family and the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International-orbit, think that they are the final authorities in determining what God’s Word says about Christian faith and practice.

Fundamentalists call themselves “Christians” and hold themselves out as such, but the Greatest Christian to walk the face of the earth said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16: 10, 11)

The Northside Story: Dr. Cecil Beach Incorporates His BJU Training

The Leaven Spreads, The Northside Baptist Story: Dr. Cecil Beach, Product of BJU

Quote of the Day:

"The two schools I have had the priviledge of serving are the results of the systemic implementation of the philosophy, policies, and procedures the BJU education faculty instilled in me." Dr. Cecil Beach, in a feature article in the BJU Review.

"I find it insulting and unprofessional to have my motives and attitude continually questioned and to be subjected to various forms of individual and family harassment. I do not agree with the principles of nepotism and biased favoritism which seem to be integral parts of the Northside management philosophy."
(By a benificiary of the Bob Jones University "philosophy, policies, and procedures" as imparted by the BJU education faculty.)

"...Northside Baptist is not the issue. The Northside situation is simply a manifestation of the BJU-styled leaven infecting independent churches. To say that I am appalled and ashamed of yours and Bob Jones III's reactions to the exposure of sin is an understatement."..."You refused to squarely face the major issues, the deeper problems rooted in the ungodly philosophies and practices of BJU and its leadership. You ignored the leaven being spread by graduates like Dennis Clements, Mark Woodhall, Barry Formanack, John Nelson, Reese Yandle, Dean and Roxanne [Jones] Robinson, Bill Bethea, Cecil Beach, Robert Vallier, etc. The hypocrisy and philosphies you ignore at BJU affect many more people than I ever will." (July 12, 1999 letter to Dr. Fremont, BJU Dean of Education, who oversaw the training of Dr. Cecil Beach.)

COMING TO A BOB JONES UNIVERSITY- AND FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL- APPROVED CHURCH NEAR YOU: SCANDAL AFTER SCANDAL AND THE ABUSE OF THE BRETHREN

THE NORTHSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH AND SCHOOL STORY

I am leading into the Northside Baptist Church and School Story gradually because it is an involved story involving THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF CHURCH FUNDS, EFFORTS TO CONCEAL FINANCIAL WRONGDOING, THE ABUSE OF CHURCH MEMBERS WHO SOUGHT TO REVIEW THE CHURCH BOOKS, THE HIRING OF A FRAUDULENT "CPA" TO PLACATE THE CONGREGATION, MY WIFE'S, FATHER'S, AND MY OWN "SURPRISE" EXCOMMUNICATION AS A RESULT OF MY ATTEMPT TO REVIEW THE BOOKS, THE FILING OF A CIVIL LAWSUIT TO TRY TO OPEN JOHN STEVEN'S FINANCIAL RECORDS, THE MOLESTATION OF CHURCH CHILDREN, ETC.

Through-out the scandals that rocked Northside Baptist Church were Bob Jones University-trained graduates, like the esteemed Dr. Cecil Beach, who aided Dr. John Stevens. I kept Dr. Bob Jones III apprised of the situation until he started returning my letters! Bob Jones III has no use for information that does not fit into his scheme: the furtherance of Bob Jones University and the recruitment of more students.

An integral part of the Northside Baptist story is the leadership-style exhibited at Northside Baptist Church and Northside “Christian” School. I often wonder if the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International has seminars for their members on how to abuse and alienate people who don't show personal loyalty to the man at the top.

Years ago, I recall an article from BJU’s magazine, BJU Review, featuring certain graduates and their praise for all the great training they received at BJU and how that training had led them to success. One of those articles featured Dr. Cecil Beach. Dr. Cecil Beach is in charge of Northside Christian School. In the BJU Review article, Dr. Cecil Beach lavished praise on BJU and the training he received at Bob Jones University. Dr. Cecil Beach said, "The two schools I have had the priviledge of serving are the results of the systemic implementation of the philosophy, policies, and procedures the BJU education faculty instilled in me." And, this is how the leaven of Bob Jones University spreads. And, it is not a benign, people are affected by the philosophies and attitudes imparted by the Joneses and Bob Jones University.

On April 6, 1992, the following letter of resignation was tendered by a woman I will call “L. G.”, a stellar Christian woman and an excellent employee who worked under Dr. Cecil Beach. (Stevens and Beach will likely remember her full name, if you would like to find out her identity.) But, her name is not so important for purposes of illustration regarding the true nature of the training Bob Jones University provided eager students like Cecil Beach. Her letter gives a valuable insight into how the Bob Jones University training comes across when a BJU graduate leavens a so-called “Christian” day school, Northside Christian, with the lessons learned at BJU.

Note particularly the hostile, coercive atmosphere Dr. Cecil Beach and Dr. John Stevens created at Northside Baptist Church and School. It really is not that different from what I just heard occurred at BJU in 2005 and her experience as a BJU staffer. Bob Jones University-trained fundamentalists often hurt people in the Body of Christ while milking their fundamentalist ministries for all they are worth. This is how one of Dr. Bob Jones III's recommended preachers, Dr. John Stevens, and a Bob Jones University graduate, Dr. Cecil Beach, run an independent, fundamentalist Baptist Church. This is how a Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International Big Wig operates and this is fine with his religious cronies in the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International.

L. G.'s letter of resignation, one of many resignations between 1990 and 1992 at Northside Baptist:

NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
7800 Northside Drive
North Charleston, SC 29420

April 6, 1992

To Whom It May Concern:

With deep regret, I find it necessary for health reasons (physical, emotional, and spiritual) to terminate my seven-year employment with NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. Deep regret, because I have truly enjoyed my work; yet, I feel that I am being harassed and systematically forced into resigning.
My motivation has been to serve the Lord and I no longer believe that I can maintain the high standard of ethics and achievement to which I am accustomed. The administration has made unilateral changes in policy and procedures; inequitable labor practices and prejudicial discriminations have become an increasing concern.

• Dr. Beach and Dr. John Stevens placed Mrs. Beach and Mrs. McGinnis (both relatives of Dr. Beach) on office staff and payroll without proper [deacon authorization] application being made.

• Dr. Beach and Dr. Stevens developed a hierarchy of positions in the school office without original approval by the deacon board and the knowledge of other school employees. This hierarchy placed Mrs. Beach in the lead position, giving her a significantly larger salary than other school staff.

• Employee benefits for Mrs. McGinnis as a volunteer included tuition assistance which violated current policy in force.

• To alleviate financial burdens, on November 6, 1991, Dr. Beach suggested that I consider taking the summer off without pay. When asked if Mrs. Beach and Mrs. McGinnis were also given this option, Dr. Beach informed me that he and Mrs. Beach were accustomed to two pay checks, and that Mrs. McGinnis now had a mortgage payment to consider.

• Current bookkeeping methods have resulted in inaccurate charges being made to school accounts.

Votes on church/school issues made by me as a church member [at Northside Baptist Church] have been questioned and viewed as loyalty or disloyalty to the church/school staff.

• Dr. Beach regularly questions my motivation for working at the school based upon how my husband and I vote in church.

• Dr. Beach told me to inform my husband to curtail participation in church business meetings.

• My children have been questioned privately without their parents’ knowledge or consent regarding personal family matters.

In my seven years of service, the quality and performance of my work have been above reproach. I have received frequent praise about my work and attitude from Christian educators, school parents, teachers, and church members. I was selected to lead a seminar on the functions of a school secretary at the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools convention.
I find it insulting and unprofessional to have my motives and attitude continually questioned and to be subjected to various forms of individual and family harassment. I do not agree with the principles of nepotism and biased favoritism which seem to be integral parts of the Northside management philosophy. Therefore, I am making my resignation effective four weeks from today, May 1, 1992. I desire to work two weeks of my notice, and request the last two weeks as my accrued paid vacation.

L. A. G.