The Silence of the Sheep
by Danny Bell
By Danny Bell, September 26, 2013
History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period was not the strident clamour of bad people, but the appalling silence of the good. ––Martin Luther King
I sat watching in disbelief. The program was a local ABC 730 Report interviewing sex abuse victim Todd Jefferis. From 1975 to 1990 hostel warden Dennis John McKenna sexually abused 11 boys including Jefferis under his care while employed at the Katanning St. Andrews School in Western Australia.
McKenna is currently serving a 6 year jail sentence for the abuse but a court inquiry wants to know why so many leading community members did nothing despite being complained to on many occasions. From town council members to police and even the school principal, all are now fronting the enquiry to explain why they did not act in favour of victims and their families.
I was dumbfounded as I heard their excuses and poor explanations. Some even denied the victims came to see them at all. The enquiry heard that letters written to the school’s board never turned up and were never recorded. It was shown that the sufferers were in some cases expelled or victimised by the school for bringing the allegations. The documentary ended.
The natural question that arises from such a shocking story is how can this happen? How can people be deliberately selective in their memory of the events? How can so many be told yet no action taken? How can a small community where everybody knows everybody, not know about the allegations and not talk about it among themselves? What was the common factor that allowed this perpetrator to go unchecked for 15 years, abusing kids under the noses of friends and colleagues?
The answer lies in behaviour I have seen common in small, close-knit communities isolated from larger society. These communities are all around us. The geography and reasons for existence are varied but the ingredients for such a massive failure in duty of care are all too common. Schools, small towns, sporting clubs, charitable organisations and even churches can exhibit worrying signs of being detached from reality and a law unto themselves.
I saw this on a number of occasions while pastoring. People would offer their full support to me leading up to crucial meetings where important decisions had to be made. In the heat of the moment, however, when it looked like an idea was failing, they would back down and grow strangely silent. Some would even deny later that they offered me support at all. I remember feeling confused and betrayed. I was surprised by this strange behaviour. It was something I had never seen or experienced before coming to Christ; at least I didn't expect it to be in the church.
There was a situation once when a church would not even carry out discipline of an elder who had seriously breached church guidelines. After board meetings he would go home and phone his mate, telling him all that was said at the board. The man he phoned would become irate and begin stirring up the whole church. This led to the elder’s discipline, and so at a special meeting the charges were read by the clerk. The elder surprisingly rose to his feet and said he would dismiss himself from the board – he was caught red handed. Instantly the family and friends of this man on the board stood up and sat him back down and said, “Poppy, you’re not going anywhere.” Church discipline obviously didn’t apply to this man, and the vote was defeated in favour of the elder.
Individuals that do damage can thrive in environments where there are no checks and balances, getting a good reputation through charm or manipulation. As in the McKenna enquiry, it’s not just the abuser who is complicit in the crimes. Those that allow their community to be infiltrated by manipulators and power brokers are at fault as well. The truth is that all who partake in dysfunctional communities have something at stake. Like a feeding station, these parochial environments create roles where everyone has a part. Unlike larger communities, smaller nad close-knit ones provide opportunity for individuals to accelerate through the ranks faster. People are believed and given credibility because of their obvious commitment to “the cause.” That cause is usually a self-serving system where conformity is rewarded with recognition and status.
Any challenges to these well-ordered communities is viewed as an attack. Reputations and positions are at risk, so the agitator must be expelled. Many in these environments have spent years building up a personal stake, so any change is seen as a threat to their ordered way of life. Change that upsets the delicate balance must be eradicated and opposed at all costs. Fear grips individuals who have the most to lose and a state of denial becomes natural, keeping the cold reality of the world outside where it belongs, so to speak.
Churches especially are in danger of creating these types of cultures and dysfunctional styles. We don’t need to be reminded that we have the ingredients. We have seen such disasters unfold in church communities already. When the gospel focus is substituted for a self-fulfilling cause, when we are swept up in a pantomime of selfish desires and ambitions, then we have lost our way and abuse can happen; not just sexual abuse either. An intense need for acceptance and approval can override our sense of right and wrong, and we can become blind to abuse and intolerant of those who irritate us. Environments where the overriding desire is to keep up the status quo, holding on to forms and ways of doing things hide potential communities that will fail those who they are meant to protect and support. Our churches should be places that have a willingness to strive to be better, not be closed minded, repelling change or new things just because it cuts across how we have always done them.
Jesus sent a timely warning to those communities of faith who are living in the last days. He saw how narrow and self-sufficient Christianity would become and warned, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing” (Rev 3:17). Surprisingly, this is a strong characteristic of communities that have allowed abuse on their watch to go unchecked. There can be a delusion that all is well when in fact the opposite is true. The reward of high personal status and selfish protectionism is apparent with communities that abuse and suffer abuse on their champions. Abuse comes in many forms and can have a spiritual impact on those who are most vulnerable if it is not recognised and challenged.
It has been said that denial is the sin that cannot be forgiven because those under its spell see nothing to admit. Jesus is coming; let’s make a thorough spring cleaning of our hearts, holding nothing back, listening out for the cries of the vulnerable and the disenfranchised in our midst. Let’s not like so many sheep play follow the leader while wolves and other menaces to the church ravage the flock of God.
When our pastor lied to a whole congregation..and the conference president backed him up..I could not attend for quite some time. That pastor finally was moved but it took over 4 years but the same conf. president is still president. I have returned but it's with caution.
I'm not so involved now and that seems to be much better. I guess you could say I don't try to fix problems any more so- I'm a silent sheep.
I have seen things like are being talked about in this article and have tried to do what was done mentioned here. Seems it's difficult and we hear much about forgiveness..Any one can attend but being in leadership causes me and others to question. Churches that use to thrive do not thrive any longer after these things take place. It takes years to heal and small towns may never heal..
( rumors travel at the speed of light and truth limps very very slow )
Steve,
Many times God brings the change and healing we need from a direction that takes us by surprise because we're really not expecting Him to do it. What if that healing were to come because of God working through you? God is able to do it. Are you willing to let Him do it?
There is a vision of a church with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and that defines the Remnant Church. My son pointed out it seems EllenWhite did predict an event in New York City, where buildings melted like pitch. C. Mervyn Maxwell pointed us back to the Bible when he wrote while commenting on the Second Trumpet, "Image a third world army invading Washington and setting fire to the Pentagon and White House." p. 239 GOD CARES II. The Bible accepts two witnesses, now add, Jonathan Cahn a Messianic Jew, who wrote the Harbinger, that points to the prinicple of Isaiah 63:10 "They rebelled, they vexed the Holy Spirit, Therefore God turned andbecame their enemy, he fought against them."
A Jewish Prophet once regrettably said, "You shall not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he/she who comes in the name of the Lord.'" Do you know that Prophet? Luke 13, last verse.
This is not a case of us "Waiting for Jesus to come,"
This is a case of God, waiting for us to see and bless all who come in the name of the Lord.
"Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord, SHALL be saved." Romans 10:13
Therefore: I bless all who come in the name of the Lord. I am saved by the Blood of the Lamb and Jesus Christ is my Saviour.
Our Sabbath School Lessons and Bible make it clear, Salvation is a free gift. We are saved by His Righteousness, not ours. When we are assured of our relationship with Jesus Christ, we are meeting with other Chrisitans in Christ. When we hear the Holy Spirit being poured out on all flesh, we will be in unity. The Holy Spirit is the gift of prophecy. I embrace our prophetess, and prophet White and Maxwell.
Our eyes will focus on the Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem. Will those who have been persecuted for killing Jesus Christ and his disicple Stephen, continue to think they are the "closest" to God? Or will they see, that Michael the Arch angel has stood up, in 1982, to protect and defend them too?
I pray prophecy reaches to the new Temple Institute Museum and Rabbi's. Because The Prophet, they killed, still has a voice. Jesus says, "You will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he/she who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
I want to be among those who are eager to see Jesus Coming! I say, "May God Bless you and Keep you, May His face shine upon you, and give you peace."
This controversy is not without a conclusion, that can happen very swiftly!
The healing and forgiveness, is about Jesus healing and forgiving us. As a reminder, Jesus knows what it is like to be challenged by the devil. He knows he put us here, in a sinful world. He is eager to come and take us home. Let's think more about sharing the Blessings, to all who come in the name of the Lord.'" Like He said…He will not come again until we do….bless you who come in the name of the Lord. Let's widden on concept of who all God loves, to the utmost, because He son died for all of us!
Can we be more childlike in appreciating what all Jesus has dome to purify our characthers? lol
What does he have to do, to keep us humble?
William,
Yes healing and forgiveness on my part is done and the members seem to love us. They have me sing and teach the lesson sometimes..They have not asked for a sermon yet. I do what they ask..Now they put my name down for the nominating committe..Not sure on that one. There are so few members and not enough to do much as most all are very aged and not able to do things.
It would be very nice for someone to move to this area to help revitalize this new building small church. If no help comes it will surely die in the next few years. The pastor comes only one time a month and spends as little time as possible. But then again he has four churches. I think it would be nice if he would at least get to know us and the availability of what he could do with us.
What an amazing opportunity you have for the church to grow! Are you willing to let God work the revolution in your church that will be necessary for it to happen? Your church has declined because of specific causes that must be reversed. Only God can make that happen.
I know of several small churches as you describe. A decade ago I was invited to speak at one a few miles from my home. Their youngest member was almost 70. The church is still there. The last I heard the average member age had dropped only into the latter 50s.
Something I praise God for is that my church doesn't have a nominating committee. Our concept of ministry is that the Holy Spirit picks people for specific ministries and empowers them to do it for a lifetime instead of just a year or two. So we have a Connections Team that works with people to help them identify how God has empowered them and to apply that empowerment in whatever ministry God reveals. So if you look in our conference directory you will find blank spaces beside many of the typical church offices because we don't have those jobs. We want people in ministries where they are fulfilled and we see fruit from their efforts. So we don't even try to fill those other positions. The results are the first real example I have witnessed where the church is like the Biblical example of the body with lesser and greater parts all linked together and functioning in harmony. God is blessing. We are growing and young with a lot of kids.
William,
Today I think there were perhaps a doxen people present. It may be as you suggest leaving many positions open and following where the Spirit leads.A new building that would hold easily 200 or more and sits basicly empty in a town of around 700.
There are several churches in the town. I think all of them struggle to exist.
It would be great to have some families move in to help with this situation.
Steve,
I do not know where you live, but your dilemma has been played-out many times across North America and Western Europe. If there are limited employment opportunities in your town then it will be impossible to attract familes with children to move into your area. Your area may or may not be attractive to retirees. Personally I always to prefer to join a church with a fairly high ratio of children. A church with children is a church with a future.
In any case your church demographics will probably track the demographics of your community. If your community is growing then there is opportunity for your church to grow. If your community is in decline then ultimately your church will decline with it. If you are determined to stay in your town and most of its members are older than you and you cannot attract younger members, then be prepared to be the person who eventually has to turn-off the lights and close the doors.
I do not say this glibly – I have close relatives who are in this very situation. And I have seen this scenario played-out in other SDA churches. We raise-up our children in the faith, they go away to school and find jobs elsewhere. If none of them come back home it will be difficult to maintain your momentum over multiple generations. This is a problem for all churches, but especially so for SDA churches because of our emphasis on education. Education creates mobility, and for some churches and some towns this is a one-way street out-of-town.
Not all of our problems are solved in this life. Be faithful to God and He will direct your path.
A well known Protestant minister (father of four) was exposed by a 32 year old woman who had lived in silent guilt since her teens. She'd assumed that it was she who'd seduced the pastor until a Sunday morning after services when she overheard the pastor making the same private offer to another female teenager. When she presented her story to the mega-church board, an investigation revealed numerous woman and men who had been abused by the pastor over the years. He lost his position and radio ministry for several years, but he's now on a religious radio station again. It was satisfying to see him deposed, but he's made a 'Jimmy Swaggert' style comeback. Unemployed preachers have limited skills and eventually manage to reinvent themsleves.
'Any challenges to these well-ordered communities is viewed as an attack. Reputations and positions are at risk, so the agitator must be expelled.'
Went to a very expensive anti-bullying seminar recently for work. The anti-bullying expert noted this, and said that in most workplaces (and churches and other organisations by extension), that it is often seen easier attacking the complainant, rather than confront the real problem of the bully. It seems to be human nature I'm affriad. The expert said when confronted with serious cases of bullying, less than 1/3 of managers actually tried to address the issue. It seems churches seem are some of the worst groups, far worst than workplaces, when it comes to this.
William, I am interested in you sharing with me your style of church ministry. You can connect with me at lionheartschurch@outlook.com
Steve, unfortunately you are right. I had never experienced the phenomenon until I entered the church. Particularly so if you are challenging the church directly about something it has done wrong. I dont think I can ever recall a church admitting to being wrong on any level.
There is a strong culture of denial that the church can in some way be culpable or plain wrong. This is because there is an entreched belief that the church is Gods bride and is always correct. They confuse the beliefs of the church with its actions.
Please check and confirm that e-mail address. I got a message delivery failure message.
I'm afraid the day will come if I would like to attend a church there will not be any SDA church to attend for many many miles. Must I attend a Sunday church and sit in the audience and be a silent sheep keeping my real Bible beliefs to myself?
Why can't all Christians be blessed by attending another church on Sunday? This sounds so childish: reluctance to sit in a church that may not have your same beliefs. Most Adventists do not agree with all the SDA beliefs; but Christians have so many common beliefs that it should not be a problem to hear them on Sunday! I often attend the church my grandaughter and husband attend on Sunday and have always been blessed. Unlike some SDA churches who emphasize the unique SDA doctrines, most other Christian churches emphasize basic Christianity: Christ has saved us; compassion toward others; praise fo God's blessings. How many times have those here visited another church on Sunday? We invite others to OUR services, but how often do we attend theirs?
What has caused Adventits to be so unwilling participate in worship with other Christians? Sadly, it was taught so early that it is buried deep in our prejudices.
Elaine,
I don't think I'm prejudice..It just does not seem right after putting 50+ years of your life in the SDA church.
We do have a church here in town that does run a Saturday evening service for those who can't attend on Sunday. I have been thinking about attending to see what it's all about. I know the pastor and quite a few of the members. There are lots of cars there Saturday evening and the street is even crowded with cars on Sunday morning. The pastor is one of our bus drivers so I know him fairly well. Also another pastor from another church is also a bus driver.
I was recenty invited to attend a nearby Coptic Orthodox Church…origins dating back to 44 AD (about as far back as you can get). Services are held on Sat & Sun…take your pick. Liturgies are presented in English, Arabic, & Coptic (Egyptian). Except for an overabundance of incense, I was unharmed by the experience.
I too sat in disbelief when, as a member of a conference executive committtee, I watched the committee consider an unethical act committed by its conference treasurer. It's biggest concern was not what the treasurer had done, but with who had "outed" him. They desperately wanted to get this snitch, whoever it was, out of the conference office. I couldn't believe it!
I have never been on the executive but I have been on the nominating committee for conference officials and also hand picking ( yes) people for the executive committee. It can weaken ones desire to serve. I have seen some of the same things you mention.
Question..If it's up to SDA's to spread the message to all the world before Jesus can come..Looks to me like Jesus is never going to come. I kow that's not true so something else must surely happen.
Jesus statement about a prophet never being welcomed in his own country, probably goes to the heart of this problem. Prophets were not just soothsayers, they were usually mavericks pointing out corruption and sin amongst the leadership. Interestingly, in the OT most kings had official prophets on the payroll. God, on the other hand, tended to appoint his own prophets, like Jeremiah, to work outside the official system and call those in power to account.
The battle between the 'insider' Hananiah and the 'outsider' Jeremiah probably provides a good biblical example of this.
Well said Steven
I am bothered by the collectivist mentality of this blog. Yes of course – without checks, balances, and accountability, fraud and abuse by those in power are more likely to go undetected. But the notion that this pathology is unique to the small subsidiary organizations and associations which are vital to the health and well-being of free people strikes me as dangerous and misguided. Autonomous family units are also vulnerable to internal abusive behaviors. So what is the solution? Destroying the family, turning subsidiary institutions into instruments of the collective? By mis-defining the problem as smallness and autonomy, inertia for political, collectivist solutions is created. And who better to wield power, prescribe and administer cures than those "incorruptible" solons who have diagnosed the disease?
No matter how large the bureaucracy, no matter how much structural accountability is built in, human nature – the will to power – finds a way to meet its own needs, feelings and wants within whatever structure is established. Systems may change human behavior, but they will not perfect human nature. They will only alter the flow by which corruption and abuse of power insidiously infiltrate all human undertakings. Even with all the the checks and balances set up by America's founders, they recognized that the Republic could only succeed to the extent that the impulses of its citizens were constrained and guided by small, private subsidiary organizations and institutions like churches, schools and families.
The solution to abuse of power in organizations, I submit, is twofold: 1) We need people of character who will address issues based on principle rather than personal attachments. As Ellen White said, "The greatest want of the world is the want of men – men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose consciences are as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall." 2) We need the church to grow and nurture those characters. Yes we need small congregations of transformed believers, seeking to be guided by the Spirit in accordance with biblical moral principles, serving as lights to the world.
Does anyone seriously believe that small, voluntary, subsidiary institutions can be perfected by becoming bigger, by incorporating more external mechanisms for accountability? Maybe we need a National ARA – Affordable Religion Act – to purify relgion in America; to make sure that religion isn't abusing power; isn't trampling on "universal human rights;" and to make sure that people aren't taken advantage of by small, independent ministries.
We need to be very careful how we self-diagnose as Christians. Because our self-diagnoses can easily be used by those who want to destroy us. And the cures suggested by our diagnosis of the problem might prove very deadly.
Nathan,
I particularly appreciated your closing paragraph, though I have seen far more damage done by those within the church who reached a diagnosis and were trying to purify it than by any outside force. Their almost equally dangerous next-of-kin are those who mix a small amount of misinformation with their desire for authority and respect. These outspoken souls present themselves as having knowledge while perhaps never knowing the damage they cause to others or their own reputations.
Not sure that the article was trying to make that conection Nathan. Yes larger organisations can have the elements of abuse but for individuals, its not as easy to be controlling and have a rapid rise to high positions of responsibility and trust in a larger organisation.
There may be another element we have not thought of either. How do many hundreds of smaller local volunteer organisations like the church who are part of a larger collective, have an effect on the way they see the greater cause – could there be an argument for collective denial in the core dna when it comes to realities of the current satus quo?
I think a solid case can be made for collective denial. It happens in a lot of different ways and certainly can disconnect distributed sub-groups from the stated objectives of the "parent" organization. Over time the question of who has become disconnected from whom gets lost in the thickening fog of mistrust and blame for causing the problem. Because human nature makes us reflexively deflect responsibility for a negative the "other guy" or the central organization is the most likely target for blame.
What are we to do about this? Shall we remain lost in the fog that turns into the acrid smoke of continued accusations? Or, will we each accept that we have a problem, that fixing it is of greater necessity than casting blame and turn to the solution, which is the indwelling guidance of the Holy Spirit, who leads us into peace and cooperation.
I'm not sure either that the connection which I saw was the primary point, Dingdong. But it certainly seemed to be emphasized. It almost felt more like a drive-by impugning of localism and small organizations. If that wasn't the intent, then why make the observation?
You are absolutely correct that hundreds – thousands – of smaller organizations have an impact on how the larger organization is seen and how it changes. This is precisely why such voluntary subsidiary organizations are important. They preserve order, while preventing the larger organization from being too coercive, and at the same time encourage change, while protecting the larger organization from anarchy. Where such subsidiary organizations are absent or weak, you will find totalitarianism, which threatens, as it becomes brittle and unwieldy, to descend into anarchy. Both extremes crush the human Spirit.
I wonder what types of "perfect" or "perfectible" subsidiary organizations Vernon might have in mind that could effectively take the place of church and family in promoting industriousness, stewardship, charity, honor, courage, humility, respect for the rule of law, etc.
I make alot of observations as God lays them on my heart. I suppose one of the benefits of that to myself and readers is that it creates an awareness. From there many good things can happen and many evils avoided. It works for me.
I agree that the many grass roots churches (lets not beat around the bush – we are talking about the church), can and do have benefits to bring to the larger overarching organisation. But the problem is Nathan is…………………….its still a human organisation. And so there are mega challenges and opportunities and cultural nuances that can slip in undetected. I just find that at a local level, these can be amped up because of the fewer barriers to souls who are bent on self agrandisement and control. Totalitarianism, in larger communities, when at its height usually has a large segment of its constituency who are rebelling against it and expose it. But we are not talking about totalitarianism are we?
My article was to expose cultural denial – "we are right and you are wrong" or "you are negative" or "you need to drop it" or "you are divisive". Its not just about sexual abuse but all kinds of abuse where the needs of the many outweight the needs of the few.
What we can surely agree upon is that individuals who do damage thrive in environments where checks and balances are either lacking or inadequate. But as I look at the world around me, and see the faces and venues of corruption and exploitation, I fail to see that local organizations and institutions are more likely to have inadequate checks and balances than larger organizations. Of course evil is usually most apparent at the individual level, and it usually germinates and grows in dark, private places. But in every type of human organization, and at every organizational level, you will always find individuals and dark private places where evil can seep in.
When it is detected, and what is done about it depends on the context. Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer can shamelessly run for high public office in a place like New York City, whereas they would have had no base whatsoever in the small religious communities that you feel are particularly susceptible to corruption. Interestingly, there is probably no group in America that has a higher rate of corruption and shameful behavior than public political figures.
So while I appreciate the importance of church leaders being help to high standards, I just don't think you can credibly argue that organizational size is a factor in the propensity of its members or leaders to commit or get away with bad behavior.
I see your point Nathan. I suppose I am not arguing that corruption is any less henous in either. I am just saying that I could walk into a small community organisation with a "tow the party line" mindset and make more progress through the ranks faster than if I entered a larger organisation with the same mindset and tried to reach the upper circles of influence. The competition for influential positions is always going to be greater for ladder climbers and charmers in a larger cause than a smaller one. If you show loyalty in smaller churches that are dying for lack of leadershp and burden bearers, then you are more likely to be given a shot than in larger more goverened churches. I know really good musicians who have been members for years of large churches and have not been asked to play because there are already good musicians employed. But this is all beside my point. Abuse can happen anywhere but it is more likely to occur in organisations that have few checks and balances, where the need to fill positions reaches a desperate point and especially where an individuals feigned loyalty is given credence over knowlege of that individual and their background.
Easiest way to avoid sectarian church drama at all levels…don't join one.
Apologies William, its lionheartschurch@hotmail.com
Got it. Thanks.
Nepotism is alive and well! How can we defeat this insidious monster when the Conference President aids and abets this foul action? I wonder how much damage is caused by such schemes.
Marnatha