Yohannan Speaks… with Forked Tongue
This form letter is being sent out by Gospel for Asia to Calvary Chapel pastors who either support the charity or have done so in the past.
It is full of lies, half truths, and misinformation that I will, for the most part, lean on Warren Throckmorton to parse soon enough.
There is no hint of confession or repentance.
I want to focus our attention today on the paragraph I have put in bold type.
In one small paragraph the GFA Diaspora and others who have left the group are slandered with the vilest of faux pietistic innuendo as addicts and sinners and are implicitly threatened with disclosure of private pastoral issues.
Thus, all their accusations and information are dismissed.
They are no longer brothers and sisters, but sinners and addicts who cannot be trusted.
There can be no more wicked and evil abuse of ecclesiastical authority.
This is an abomination to God and His church.
This tells you every thing you need to know about K.P. Yohannan.
Dear Pastor ———-,
Greetings to you. I am grateful to God for the relationship He’s given us over the many years. I appreciate your heart to reach the lost world with us, and this is why I am writing to you today.
For the past several days, I have been ministering to around 15,000 believers who have been savagely persecuted and ostracized for their faith in Christ. These meetings were arranged well over a year ago and some believers traveled for days just to get to the conference location. Even with much happening in the US office at this time, I couldn’t cancel this trip and let them down.
Most of you are now aware that ECFA recently terminated our 36-year membership with them. I know, reasonably so, that this has caused great concern and raised questions about the integrity of Gospel for Asia and the handling of our financial matters. ECFA affirmed the funds given to the ministry were accounted for. We have honored our sponsors and donors designations. There were some processes and standards for ministry where we fell short of their standards. During the review process, which we are very grateful for, each time ECFA pointed out something that they felt we could improve on, we took it seriously and began to implement changes without delay.
In retrospect, we realize that we have should have sought experienced outside counsel at times to help us in dealing with the complexities that come with a ministry of our size. To strengthen our ministry and further improve our processes, we are working hard toward becoming eligible to re-apply for ECFA. GFA’s eight board members are standing strong and aiding the ministry in these matters.
One question which raised concerns is in regard to the kind of church structure on the mission field. The structure (which is explained here: gfa.org/bc/about), is the result of God’s leading in the lives over 100 of our senior leaders in Asia, including myself. About ten years ago, after much prayer and fasting, the decision was made to register Believers Church with the Asian governments in order to gain the protection offered over the assets and work that many of you invested in, and that our missionaries and pastors here have given sacrificially to establish. For the sake of the Lord’s work and by His leading, our leaders on the field chose a form of church structure that is accepted by the government known as “constitutional episcopacy” (this is not the same as an Episcopal church, instead it is the governance of the church), which means the church is led by episkopos (bishops) (1 Timothy 3:1-2) and presbyteros (elders) (Acts 14:23). In order for any pastor to legally conduct weddings and other legal matters for the church, each one must be licensed by the Magistrate from the judicial system, or be ordained by a bishop of a church within constitutional episcopacy.
Also, just so you know, the practice of ring kissing has not been taught or encouraged in Believers Church. The video of the pastor’s ordination being circulated about me does not show people kissing my ring, but rather them kneeling down to be prayed for and then touching my hand to their forehead, which is a very common cultural gesture of respect in India. I myself have done this many times.
The expression and practice of worship in Believers Church are liturgical in form. This is culturally understood and accepted in South Asia, though it is a less common form of worship for evangelical denominations in the West. A typical church service in a Believers Church consists of 30 minutes of congregational worship, 40 minutes of systematic teaching through the Word of God with practical application, intercessory prayer and confession of the faith. While the expression is different, the substance remains the same. Our statement of faith, commitment to historical Biblical Christianity and philosophy of ministry remains unchanged. It is the governance of the church that has changed.
Believers Church is in the unique position of having over 2.5 million believers, who speak nearly 300 languages, and of whom as many as 80% are illiterate. The interactive portion of the liturgy allows all to participate in the service, while reading through major portions of Scripture once every few years. It is the desire of Believers Church to keep these believers unified in the faith while growing in the Word and knowledge of the Lord.
We thought we were communicating effectively to you regarding these changes made to Believers Church and the reasons for it. We put up numerous pages on our GFA website. We hosted many, many Calvary pastors on the field and never hid our church from anyone. With some pastors we spent hours explaining the reasons for these changes; and we thought it was understood. However, we now realize, by comments made to us, that we did not communicate as effectively as we thought we had. We are truly sorry for this. Please know that it was not intentional. In the future we will work harder to communicate better.
There are some former staff who have been quite vocal in expressing complaints they have against my leaders and I. We have taken this seriously and actively sought, according to Matthew 18, to reach out individually to these former staff members to ask for forgiveness. As leaders, we would agree that we have not always represented Christ in the right way. But our conscience is clear before God that we have always tried to. And we continue to try. We have not disclosed the “other side of the story”; the personal lives of many of those whose testimonies have been shared. Some of them we spent hours counseling out of addiction and sin. Some of them we fasted with, prayed with and wept with during times of personal struggles and family tragedies. We have protected them and their reputations. God knows, and in fear of Him and of judgment we will continue to pray for them.
Some people have asked if my lifestyle is different in reality than what I have written in my books. I’ve even heard people saying I live in a mansion and drive around in a classic European sports car! In reality, my “European sports car” is a restored 1962 VW bug which I bought 19 years ago for $1800. My wife drives a Honda HRV. In my life I have taken a total of 4 family vacations. I currently have one house in the Dallas area that I am trying to sell. It’s in a nice neighborhood hardly two minutes from the previous location of our ministry. It’s about 3,000 square feet, has 4 bedrooms, my office and my wife’s office. In Asia, the only house I live in is owned by the church. It’s about 1,400 square feet. Some pastors have seen it during their visits to India. My salary is set by the Board of Directors of Gospel for Asia. It is about $100,000 per year, including housing allowance. My wife and I don’t need that much to live on, but this is what the Board decided to give us. We give a significant portion of it back to the ministry. I have never taken any royalties from the 250 books I have written. Although I have been called foolish for not taking them, writing books has never been about the money, but about reaching the lost world and encouraging the saints. This is the way I have chosen to live my life. Like you, I try to hear from the Lord and do what He asks of me.
I have attempted to live before God and man humbly and faithfully. There have been many times that I have fallen short and failed. But I ask God for forgiveness and make things right with those who allow me to. And I look forward to the day I will see my Lord face to face.
If you have any specific questions for me, I would be happy to talk with you. You can also direct your questions to my leaders, Daniel Punnose, John Beers or David Carroll. I have included all our email addresses below.
Your brother,
K.P. Yohannan
Not my brother you wicked devil…
Thank you, Michael.
Weary Traveler,
You’re welcome…and only God and my pastor know how much restraint I used in my wording…
well, the man has done an excellent job of presenting himself as a humble servant (burdened only with a somewhat large salary that was thrust upon him?)… this must get tedious, but if he’s lying, someone has got to stand up (God give you strength) and again take his assertions apart with documentation
Em,
Warren Throckmorton and the Diaspora have provided reams of documentation…if only people will take the time to look at it.
Warren will do so again tomorrow…and I’ll be standing until God takes me down.
K.P. is truly a man with a hardened heart right now.
If any Calvary Chapel pastor reads this letter and accepts everything K.P. has to say, then they are truly lacking in discernment and/or they are willingly deciding to side with evil.
I believe that people start to believe their own “stuff” after a while.
I used to be a novelist and one thing that took me a long time to grasp is that every villain believes he is a hero in some twisted kind of way that to him seems very normal, upright, and righteous. He has to in order to continue being a villain.
There seems to be a lot of that in this letter.
But the sad side of all this is that Christ is mocked and people are hurt.
This letter from His Emminence makes me absolutely sick and I pray CC pastor’s are discerning enough to see through his platitudes.
“Their tongue is an open sepulchre…” Rom 3 :13 is a fitting verse.
Still not a word about all the accusations of financial mismanagement and lost millions…let’s pretend those don’t exist and maybe they will just go away.
And no hint of repentance for hiding the true nature of GFA’s Episcopal ministry and pretending all these years to be just like a Calvary Chapel in order to bring in the resources. To have the audacity to feign transparency when those of us who were on staff know full well how many websites had to be blocked, how many pictures had to be doctored, in order to hide Metropolitans true identity. How often we were told the church won’t understand these things so best that we don’t confuse them…
And how dare he dismiss the Diasporas claims as simply a bunch of addicts and sinners that he and his leaders are still protecting even now. These are the abused who are crying out for help to anyone who might listen and yet KP simply dismisses them and deflects from the real issues with one more condescending blow.
God help us!!
Question:
“We have not disclosed the “other side of the story”; the personal lives of many of those whose testimonies have been shared. Some of them we spent hours counseling out of addiction and sin. Some of them we fasted with, prayed with and wept with during times of personal struggles and family tragedies. We have protected them and their reputations.”
Even if employees raised their own support, aren’t they still employees?
Do laws in Texas protect current staff and former staff from threats by employers?
Since some of the GfA Diaspora members were former employees in Canada, they have recourse with regulators in the province of Ontario to pursue action.
I believe former New Zealand employees have protection also.
Opps. More than one question.
Is this letter any different from previous GfA leadership behavior documented?
One more question.
Who are the 8 board members mentioned?
This is disgraceful, unChristlike, troubling – and as we are grieved, how much more so is the Holy Spirit?
May God open the eyes of the recipients of this letter.
Same M.O. as other Calvary Chapel orgs. Bob Grenier did the same sort of thing, so did Skip so does any of those doosh-bags who get confronted in their sin and corruption.
To be fair, I’m getting more help and support from CC pastors on this story than any I’ve ever run.
I also have unconfirmed reports that one of the major players in CC told K.P.’s emissaries to pack sand …
Michael,
It is encouraging that you are getting significant CC pastors’ support on this issue. It is an indicator that your message over the years has had some impact.
Woe to any pastor who is willingly siding with K.P. and GFA in all this mess. Even if they have been completely unaware of the goings on of GFA to this point, the section in the letter where K.P. speaks of the former staff should be troublesome enough to raise concerns. If there are no red flags raised in the minds who read that section, then I seriously question their ability to discern what is good and what is not.
Kevin H,
I have made friends with some who were once enemies…and that is a good thing.
Unfortunately, there is also a group that I have warred with forever that will believe the wicked things Yohannan spewed about the Diaspora.
It’s always their fault…
Warren has a new question for K.P. already…
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2015/10/28/a-new-story-from-gospel-for-asia-about-where-millions-of-donations-went-in-2013/
Man, what a poisonous reply from KP. I could hear the hissing of the serpent dripping from those written words.
Michael, Thank you so much for sharing. As former staff I read this letter and feel traumatized all over again. I can’t tell you how many times we heard this similar line when people “left”….passive accusations and character assassinations.
Aren’t we all sinners? Don’t we all have problems? He told us we were family. He told us we were a community. Now he makes almost 100 of us sound like a bunch of reprobates.
CC pastors, PLEASE please don’t fall for this disgusting letter.
myrmidon7,
I’ve seen this tactic over and over again and I’m very sorry that you’re one of the targets this time.
We will do all we can to tell the truth about both sides…
Found the answer to one of my questions.
Who are the 8 board members?
It was announced in a GfA staff meeting October 16th that Skip Heitzig, Gayle Erwin and Damian Kyle resigned.
The ECFA announced it’s decision October 2nd, so the resignations took place in that two week period.
There are not 8 board members, unless the three above were immediately replaced. According to Dr. Thockmorton, that leaves Danny Yohannon Punnoose, Gisela Yohannan, Francis Chan, Chuck Zink and one other person.
That doesn’t come close to meeting ECFA standards.
It wouldn’t be that difficult to fact check some of KP Yohannan’s other statements.
The guy sure can humble-brag.
Bene D,
I’m wondering if they were immediately replaced…and we just don’t know it yet.
I’m sure glad that KP told us how humble he is. Otherwise, I’d have never known.
Can we say “sociopath?”
Grrr…
So much falsehood in this, but let me call out one that is obvious to an author. I greatly doubt that he wrote 250 books. Nora Roberts, one of the most prolific writers of our time, has barely topped 200 after a lifetime of writing full-time.
Maybe he is counting each translation as a separate book, counting books ghost-written in his name, and counting pamphlets and brochures as books. That might bring the number up to 250. Maybe, but I doubt it. The man simply cannot stop lying, even over such silly things as this. His main “ministry” isn’t writing books, yet he feels the need to make such an outlandish claim.
I would like to hear from Ravi Zacharias regarding this whole GFA situation.
I speak from very personal, direct experience.
In conflict, it is possible to deal with the issues directly related to the conflict and not have to disclose any dirty laundry one’s pastoral/leadership position has made them privy to that is unrelated to the conflict.
Thus it is no badge of honor to remain silent, but rather one’s duty and expectation, and any credit one might receive for staying silent is lost when you tell the world in effect – I have a lot of dirt on these people I could share you know, but I’m taking the high road.
The statement itself is an act of not taking the high road.
In one small paragraph the GFA Diaspora and others who have left the group are slandered with the vilest of faux pietistic innuendo as addicts and sinners and are implicitly threatened with disclosure of private pastoral issues.
_________________________________________________________________________
Simply evil! However I have seen this MO before especially in CC.
Andrew,
Was considering what you stated in your last comment and then thinking about how difficult it seems to be for the CC Pastors to step up to the plate on the behalf of anyone within the body who was or had been attending a CC, as a result of being harmed by those particularly in the leadership and inner circle they keep about them. In your opinion, how likely is it that they (leadership) are only too well aware of what would happen, if they did step up to the plate, seeing the MO, as you phrase it, would then be turned on them. So, rather than to rock the boat, they sit still and play the game, thinking that to do so, somehow keeps them safe and not having to give an account themselves for doing so?
You guys need to read Michael’s post @10.
Michael (and Warren), you may be interested to know I got an email from KP this morning. I thought it might be in connection to my participating a little around here.
Nope – I got the exact same letter you post above. Even though I have never once given a dime to Gospel for Asia, whether personally or as pastor of CCLE with CCLE donations.
I understand the need in a form letter for generalities, but before you send such a letter to everyone with a dove it might be good to check and see if there is truth that “I am grateful to God for the relationship He’s given us over the many years.”
I am forming my reply….
Michael, I can confirm that one of KP’s emissaries (David Carroll) was essentially “told to pack sand” on the east coast last week. Thank God for the CC pastors standing up to these liars.
Steve, do you think that KP or his people got your email from this site or is it possible that he has a list or directory of all CC Pastor’s? I’m thinking it’s the latter since your church never gave to GFA.
covered…has to be the latter.
I am so glad to hear what Michael said in number 10!
Calvary Chapel is such a lying and corrupt org.
It’s the “Calvary Chapel Association!” when it comes to soliciting money to line the pockets of KP Y. It’s “We’re all INDEPENDENT!” when it comes to following the bible:
1 Corinthians 5:12 and First Timothy where it commands “fellow Elders” who Associate/Affiliate/Fellowship with each other to confront and call out their own publicly.
Nope, the bible doesn’t really mean or say what it says.
Steve Wright, how’s your Fellowship and Association doing? Still an Official Calvary Chapel guy? Still “in Fellowship” and supporting the corruption and lying and fraud?
I need this thread to stay on point.
The more I learn about GFA, India, and this whole mess, the darker and more sinister this whole thing gets.
There are those in CC who remain unconvinced of the corruption here….others are involved in helping uncover it.
There are only two media outlets pursuing this story…we are one of them and if we are to maintain our ability to be a serious one we have to stay on point.
You all have no idea have frustrating it is to watch the major media ignore this…
Pastor Al,
You’ve been through this with Steve a million times in the past. It never changes anything. Steve is on the right side of this issue with K.P. and GFA. At the very least, save it for some time when you think Steve is wrongfully supporting CC on the topic at hand that is being discussed.
Looks like Michael beat me to it.
Kevin H,
I’ve been in contact with folks in India and heard their stories.
It’s a completely different world that they live in and this scandal is affecting their lives in ways that I had no concept of.
We have a part to play that may help them….but we’re up against tremendous odds.
Those in CC or any other group that will stand up and help are necessary right now…if they will fight on this side, we can postpone other fights between us until later.
As more of an observer to this topic what frustrates me is that after more than 30 years in CC the attitudes I observe. CC has always called out by name the wolves that have crept into the church.
But when an organization that has been hugely supported by CC through the years is as guilty as those they feel comfortable calling out many will not accept it regardless of the fact there is tons of documentation backing up the story.
Maybe they’ll simply believe anything KP says because they have invested so much in propping up GFA over the years?
It reminds me of the Mormon who has seen and understood who the person of Jesus really is but has too much to lose by accepting it so they reject the truth and dig in even deeper.
CC is not a cult but the leaders who will not accept the truth regarding GFA are actually hurting those who will continue to give as some will believe more and more that CC is the church of Philadelphia and many good people and organizations outside of their box will be seen as the enemy. It’s sad and frustrating.
Please tell the stories of those in India, where you have permission and confidence of validity. I think it’s important to understand how tragic things are on both sides of this.
Brandon,
My head is swimming…so many pieces to put together about a place that’s totally foreign to me.
The people that have contacted me live in fear of this man and his organization…they even fear for Warren and myself for taking him on.
I’ll try to piece something together as I can…
E,
It has been reported here, and I can confirm, that the pastor of the CC I attend did say something about GFA from the pulpit. I wish he would have been more forceful in his statement, but the fact that he said anything at all is more than what has been done by most other large CC’s. I do also have other reasons to believe that he feels pretty strongly about the problems with GFA and I don’t think I have to worry about GFA having an influence in my church anymore, at least not until if and when GFA would have a radical turning around.
But I hear your concerns. There should be more CC pastors calling out GFA, especially the higher profile ones who have more reach and influence and have previously publicly supported GFA. Like you said, many of them have not been shy in calling out and criticizing others. They should not be holding back on GFA when what GFA has done is probably much worse than a lot of the others who have been called out. The pastor of my CC has not been shy in criticizing others. I am glad he at least showed some consistency with GFA.
THANK YOU Michael for bearing this torch (and burden) on behalf of the many silent victims in India and elsewhere who have been and are being abused by KP/GFA!!!
@36 Michael and Steve
I have been saying for months this is a calvary vs kp fight. Kp was the wolf in sheep’s clothing, the false apostle, the parisite that has infiltrated and attacked the CC Movement.
But all those rolls have changed. Now he is better disribed as a sticky bomb or perhaps a VBIED because he is mobile. He is not on the defensive at all. It’s CC that is on the defensive and still has not figured out that he is not going away. CC can not get rid of him.
Go read the letter again. Yes he is threatening the diaspora. He had years to extract confessions in shepharding style “counseling.” He is saying he has the dirt.
But who did he send the letter too? It is CC pastors. It’s not the Diaspora he is threatening to out. It’s CC guys. In this (my) interpritation, you have a CC traitor that likely provided kp with dirt over the years.
If he does not have CC pastor dirt, then he sure seems to be laying down a convincing act.
This letter is in direct response to Bill Gallatin ” and you got a man in India who says he’s a Calvary Chapel and he’s wearing robes like the pope and he’s even having his own people come up and kiss his hand.” And Erwin’s defense argument that it’s all kp’s fault.
Erwin was holding out an olive branch to to all CC by not placing any blame on gfa management that are CC. That’s a proposal for an all CC unity front to place 100% of the blame on kp. How do you think kp feels about that?
Nathan,
That’s an interesting interpretation…but based on what I know about the players I can’t fully agree at this point.
I’m willing to do a short fisking of this letter:
Paragraph 1: He writes a chain letter to Calvary Chapel pastors, but then he pretends it is a personal letter to that particular pastor and is simply written to him out of appreciation. (Yet all the following paragraphs shows that is a lie, as he goes on to defend his ministry.)
Paragraph 2: This is a humble-boast of how much he’s sacrificing to minister to lowly believers overseas. It is also his excuse for taking so long to respond to the charges piling up against him.
Paragraphs 3 and 4: I’ll let Christianity Today reply to his pretending that ECFA found nothing seriously wrong. CT published the following on 10-8-15: “ECFA believes that GFA misled donors, mismanaged resources, has an ineffective board, and failed to live up to its promises as an ECFA member. It had been investigating GFA since June.”
I would just add that ECFA focuses just on what is happening here in the USA, but most of the money was sent overseas- well beyond the reach of ECFA’s feeble oversight.
I’ll leave off here, or this comment post will become way too long. KP should have been a fiction author; he has a knack for spinning tales…
@43
My interpretation is pushing the envelope pretty hard. But remember he said addictions. What sort of addictions?
Well, it couldn’t really be drugs or alcohol. If so then how could anybody function in a hard working environment like gfa. All accounts are that gfa staff were devoted and laboured hard for a cause they believed in. That leaves a short list of addictions and that addiction is unrelated to any discussion of structured transfers.
If it’s not a threat, why is it in the letter? It’s a threat and the threat was handed to CC pastors.
In order for this theory to work there would need to be a CC guy involved.
nathan,
I think it was a direct shot across the bow to the Diaspora that he’s willing to expose anything he knows about them.
Heitzig survived his own scandal years ago and knows that for all intents and purposes he’s coated with Teflon.
If Yohannan went after Erwin or Damian it would galvanize the whole movement against him.
Nathan, if KP had that kind of leverage on any CC Pastor, they would have been outed by now. It’s obvious that KP is scared and is swinging at the air hoping to salvage something. KP needs CC more than CC needs KP.
@46 @47
You both have a valid points. I think the difference is the perceived severity of the outcome and I am on the far edge of the spectrum.
But this scandal has multiple facets. One of which is regard for the well being of the Diaspora. Can a small number of CC pastors be cobbled together for a PR effort?
I am thinking of a simple message like..No Extortion.” We do not counsel people to get dirt for future extortion. And pledge to condemn and point out to the public those who do. Starting with any slander or outing of embarrassing confessions of Diaspora members or current.
I am not suggesting CC guys start it, just will they add their names if someone else did?
My cursor bounces….@48
ending in—–current staff.
Nathan,
Getting a group of CC pastors to do anything publicly would be like herding cats.
A very few would agree to such a thing…it not a part of CC culture.
Unfortunately, the tactic of threats against the Diaspora has been a part of CC culture in some places for years.
Calvary Chapel as a movement is in a massive transition…none of us know how that transition will end.
I know how the transition will end, it’ll be just like it always has been…a bunch of lying self-serving hypocrites who are spineless do-nothing cowards when it’s the REAL work of being a “shepherd” and “Elder”…but they’re all in when it’s the fun stuff like collecting money or promoting a Conference.
F them. I hope they all get a bad rash.
That you have to work so hard to convince a couple of CC Pastor jerks to do the right thing in a clearly bad situation is very telling of what a waste the Calvary Chapel “Movement” is. It’s all a big show for personal gain and professional “ministry”. When push comes to shove, it’s never about doing the right thing, it’s about preserving the living and the following and protecting the Brand.
Even the heathens have more honor and more a conscience than these Calvary Chapel jerks.
@50
You are right about not knowing how this will end.
I wanted to be a Jesus Freak.:-) There was a little problem with my being a kid though. In the 90’s I wanted to come over to the CC side of the fence but stuff just never worked out for that to happen. I felt unfulfilled where I was. I now realise that the grass always looks greener on the other side.
In all the CC world is their not ten CC pastors that can put their full name a public statement? Five?
“We have taken this seriously and actively sought, according to Matthew 18, to reach out individually to these former staff members to ask for forgiveness”
Actually Mt 18 says it’s the one who was offended who should seek out the one who sinned against him, not the other way around. The one who sinned should indeed seek out those he sinned against to ask their forgiveness, but that’s not a Matthew 18 issue.
They’re using this to make it look like they conducted themselves biblically when in actuality they refused to meet with the Diaspora as a group, and KP refuses to repent as evidenced by the language of this email.
As a member of the Diaspora, I can confidently say that we are not intimidated by the exaggerated “dirt” GFA leaders have on us.
First of all even if they wish to expose any such dirt, it in no way invalidates our personal stories or any of the evidence piling up against them. They did this in a self-righteous attempt to assassinate the character of 100 witnesses, the majority of everyone who ever worked there. “Don’t look at the litany of lies and fraud over here, just look at how sinful these disgruntled ex-staff must be.”
Second, the “dirt” they have is nothing more than any pastor might have on the general congregation – of a group of 100, sure you have a few who struggled with issue A, B or C – just as the current GFA staff do also, just as any normal people do (I’m done with the idea that GFA staff are somehow more spiritual or pure than other Christians.) GFA leaders have always encouraged their staff to confide in them because they are their “spiritual authority” and this gives them ongoing ammo to use against any who leave the grip of their control in the future.
In KP’s email he slandered our group by making a false generalization about us, the implication being that “many” had serious concerning problems, when in actuality the number of us who had any out-of-the-ordinary problems was no larger than any other sampling of the general population.
#39. It might be prudent to listen to those in India who know KP better than we do about fear for our personal safety. While I do not encourage paranoia, the facts are that probably something close to half a billion dollars are missing from his ministry. Just this fact should give us a reason to pause and consider what they are saying. A handful of people are publicly going after this son of the devil. I have been sinking my teeth into him since Warren started exposing this false minister. There is a legitimate risk here. I have chosen to accept that and apparently so have you. KP is not a believer; that much is clear to me. The Apostle Paul noted that he was in peril from false brothers in II Corinthians 11. When there is this much money and power all concentrated in one mans hands, I can see why Indians fear for their lives from him.
This verse seems appropriate to the situation:
Jeremiah 48:10a Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully.
Long before anyone kissed the ring on KP Yohannon’s finger, KP kissed the ring of Calvary Chapel’s leaders. I’m speaking figuratively of course. But GFA’s success has been clearly intertwined in CC culture. I agree with Michael that the most evil and wicked part of this whole situation is the abuse of the GFA Diaspora. KP’s threats and actions against good, loyal people who wanted to serve God with all their hearts is partly an ongoing representation of his association with the CC culture. I’m certainly not blaming all of KP’s bad behavior on his relationship with CC. But I am saying that there is a well-known problem within CC culture with the top down (Moses) leadership style that seems to breed abusive leaders. I am not speaking about any one CC in particular, rather the organizational culture that resorts to threats, slander, lies, manipulation, accusations and every other abuse that can be imagined. Again, this is not an an indictment of all CC churches. However, the fact that KP has been so immersed in this culture and the culture is one of top down leadership that will abuse the sheep, I believe it’s fair to place some amount of responsibility with CC itself. When KP produces the same rotten fruit as the CC culture, the fact is that certain CC pastors and leaders but especially the culture are part of the problem and should be held accountable. So why won’t CC culture change? KP and GFA’s troubles just might be one more merciful warning from God that repentance is necessary and change is long overdue.
The pastor of my CC has not been shy in criticizing others. I am glad he at least showed some consistency with GFA.
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Kevin @ 40, I wouldn’t call this consistency but rather he showed some concern. If he were consistent he would remove the K.P., Gayle Erwin and Damian Kyle sermons from his web archives or at least put a caveat on them that these men have a lot to explain because they are deep into the weeds of GFA. Yes, he has shown some concern but far from consistent in my opinion. I hope that changes.
Andrew,
Well, at the very least, there is a reason I used the word “some” as opposed to complete or total.
Dustmyblues nails it.
I agree! So why won’t CC culture change? Because It may cease to have a CC identity at that point. These CCs have a tough choice to make. Change the culture or stick with the status quo with more of this bad fruit.
@59 and @62
I have to say my take is a little different than yours. I thinking is CC had a structure that (Moses Model) that was a security flaw guaranteeing future problems. KP showed up and took advantage of this.
My narrative paints CC as the negligent victim that allowed it’s resources to be used against other Christians. (GFA staff and Indians)
The one ingredient missing from my view remains the same. Who was the first person that helped KP link up with CC? Whoever it was, I do not believe that CS was aware of the growing attachment of GFA into CC Movement.
It was already well under way by 1992. Erwin, Skip and Caldwell where already on board the boat. To be fair, I don’t know that Caldwell’s Idaho corporation was anything more than a one time / one asset shell corporation.
Nathan,
It’s impossible for me to look at CC as any kind of victim, because as the entity with all the power, their responsibility is more so, IMO. I agree It would be interesting to know just who in CC is mostly responsible for GFA’s infiltration.
$100,000/yr……in India?
Nathan Priddis, do you know if “Caldwell’s Idaho corporation” was related to GFA?
Interestingly enough, I just got our letter today (it’s probably been in our PO Box for a while, but due to car issues, we haven’t been able to make it there…long story). Frankly, I was surprised to receive it, considering we terminated our support in light of everything that has come out about GFA.
There are a few items about it that stand out, now that I see it in person.
(1) The 1st paragraph beyond the greeting, in regards to the 15,000 person meeting is obviously a throw-away section, meant to establish KP’s credentials as a minister. It has nothing to do with the actual content of the letter.
(2) The “ring kissing” paragraph is such an obvious lie that it’s insulting. As if we cannot all see the video for ourselves.
(3) The “former staff” paragraph seems included as an afterthought. It’s towards the end of the letter and presents GFA in the best possible light, and the former staff in the worst possible light. To KP, it’s just no big deal…certainly not worthy of any apology, unlike what is mentioned of GFA’s treatment of finances & public communication. He apologizes for those things, but assumes zero culpability with the staff.
Again, we’ve already stopped supporting GFA, so this is headed for the circular file. Funny thing from this weekend, in that we had a brand-new GFA intern show up for our Sunday morning service (our town is only about an hour from Wills Point). Unfortunately, I only had the briefest of introductions with her, with no time after our worship service. I hate to see more people drawn into this.
@67
An Idaho corporations search shows GFA as an Idaho shell corporation own by GFA.(called GFA) The reason stated for application was to sell a note to an Idaho bank. It lasted two years, so presumable it’s purpose was over.
The importance is that it shows GFA used Shell corporations over two decades ago. Erwin should have known that GFA’s financials were complicated and that they used shells. His name is on the registration of the shell.
It also brings into question the knowledge Chuck Smith had that GFA was recruiting CC’s. He did not appear to have knowledge of GFA’s activities or have met KP till 2007.
I praise God that believers church shaped me and i could learn God’s word in GFA seminary . I too worked with GFA for long 10 years.
But Believers chuch leadership left me al alone when i was about to get married. My only mistake was that my wife was not from the Believers chuch backround. ….. i did not leave them but they made me to leave the church because they were asking me not to get married with the girl i loved.
I talked to the leadership but nobody listened me…. however i and my wife are still being used by the Lord .
I forgive you believers Church and i love you in the love of the Lord.
You created and supported a devil in KP YOHANNAN. Now he has become a mafia don in Kerala. Just happy that the Tax and Enforcement authorities have decided to raid him.Hope he will be put in Jail fo =r his nefarious activities. The truth will always win.