August 14, 2009

Dan and John,

I said I would wait a few weeks before fully entering the fray, but it appears that events are taking place which may warrant my input. This will not be a work of prose, but rather a stream of consciousness given my time constraints. Still, I think it important as a partner with CES for many years to share my thoughts, anger and frustration with the current state of affairs. My involvement began innocently enough on a walk with the tour group about 3-4 days into the Israel trip. JAL had seemed rather reserved for the first few days of the trip, so I caught up with him to talk. After the ‘small talk’ I asked when he would be back with CES teaching, etc. I commented that JAL and JS made a great team of teachers, each doing well with a style and appealing to an audience that the other doesn’t. He said he would wait to talk with me until after the trip was over. I respected that. I pursued a conversation a few days after returning to Wichita and have since learned a great deal about what has transpired since January of this year.

Using simple logic, I share the following:

1. John was fired in January after being very involved again over the past two years. He disappeared from the CES radar without explanation.

2. Dan and John teach a TOM on character and there is a Sower issue devoted to character.

3. John mentions that the most gifted teacher may have to sit on the sidelines due to character issues. We don’t see JAL involved; he founded the ministry, he co-authored many of the books, he has teachings and articles appear on the website.

4. Thus, the only one JS could be referring to is JAL. Or, if it is generic, it is an egregious error given that everyone in CES will automatically go to JAL in their mind. I still find it hard to believe that it was written and/or no one else on the Board or staff caught the error and stopped it before publication. Unless, of course, it was intended to refer to JAL. If so, Why?

5. This is reinforced by the fact that Dan then teaches on everyone having a function in the body of Christ. If so, where is JAL? The only rational explanation could be ‘character issues’, since that was driven home by tape and Sower. So, JAL is absent due to character issues.

So, what are the character issues that disqualify JAL from ministry with CES?

1. Women/Marriage: That cannot be the answer since John married Elizabeth in 2002 and has not had sexual relations outside of marriage since. In fact, after his divorce, he dated a woman in Florida and from what he has said, never even kissed her! Thus, the character issue cannot be marriage or sexual immorality, given that past sins are forgiven and we move on with what we have learned. What’s more, I would imagine that the CES board would be giving John praise and encouragement for the great learning that he experienced and the self-control exhibited. Due to past indiscretions, when he sought companionship following his divorce from Elizabeth, he committed to not having any kind of physical relationship. WOW! What an exercise of self-control and example to others. Here is someone who has learned from past sins and done it right the next time. I would imagine the Board would be complimentary of JAL with such exemplary behavior. Is that the case? What is the standard for CES Board members in the area of marriage and sexual purity? I’m on my second marriage, five years the first, fifteen and counting now. I, fortunately, have never had an affair while married. I would ask you two to examine your own consciences, as well. If there has ever been sin in the past, were you forgiven? Have you moved on? Is there now a track record of stability, marital faithfulness, and sexual purity? In the character arena, with respect to marriage/sex, I don’t see how JAL can be disqualified for ministry in the eyes of God or men. Instead, his learning, experience and new track record would lend toward being able to help others. In addition, let me offer this: On the Israel trip, I observed on a number of occasions that my wife Cathy, John’s wife Jenivee, and JAL’s wife Elizabeth all grew impatient at times and acted selfishly. I also saw John, JAL and myself cave to our wife’s wishes. We are all imperfect in the marriage arena and all need help. That does not disqualify any one of us from ministry. (It’s our own fault, since Paul warned us in Corinthians what it would be like!!!)

2. Work/Finances: A complaint often heard about JAL was that he never worked a real job. When forced to leave ministry employ and provide for himself, many thought he would fall flat. Instead, to the surprise of many, John has worked hard, taken risks, started and built a successful SAT PREP business, providing income and stability for himself and Elizabeth. He has accomplished this, all the while wanting to be doing F/T ministry work. I’m sure the Board has observed this and complimented John on his success, applauded his efforts and observed with admiration his ability to work hard, faithfully, and with stability. I know of no financial impropriety exhibited by John, but perhaps there is. You may be able to help me with that.

3. As an aside, with respect to finances, I do have questions about the $$$ dealings of CES given my hour long conversation with Sue Carlson two weeks ago. My wife is in F/T ministry, I do our taxes and understand what is required with self-employment, estimated taxes, recording of income, etc. Given the stated CES commitment to integrity, honesty, transparency, truthfulness and trustworthiness, I would have expected that CES would have welcomed Sue’s expertise and experience in these areas in helping you as an organization comply with all tax and 501(C)3 laws, regulations and requirements. What happened with Sue?

4. If character issues as identified by the CES board in Jan. were the reason JAL needed to take time off from public ministry, I would have expected the following response. Given that he is a teacher, the one who founded the ministry, given that he had (and still has) a great desire to continue to teach, write and minister, I would have thought that the Board would have worked very closely with him in deciding on a plan, a course of action to address the problem areas and restore JAL to ministry with CES. I am a former HR manager, so understand how we help correct problems, address areas of concern and get an individual who is out of line with the standards, back into alignment. There are meetings, a plan, accountability, shared vision, goals, communication, checkpoints, a time-frame, objectives, etc. That is all common sense. So, given that the Board fired a brother in Christ for specific issues, and given that this person has a ministry in the Body of Christ and a desire to be a part of the CES team, then the board takes on the responsibility of giving this a chance of happening. I disagree with JS and told him so when he wrote that it ‘doesn’t bother God, and ‘shouldn’t bother us also’ if the most gifted teacher is on the sidelines. We should be working with such an individual in a focused intentional fashion to bring restoration in all arenas of life so the person can return to ministry in the Body of believers. Did you initiate that? Did the Board take any action? If not, why not? If the Board had decided to pursue a course and direction with the ministry that did not include JAL, then he should have been told immediately, and the body of believers should have been informed why he was no longer active with CES. If he was on the sidelines for character issues then the work should have been underway to address the issues that the Board had identified which put JAL on the sidelines. Instead, what happened and why?

5. Teaching: Even though JAL was not an official representative of CES, I understand that he was still traveling to different cities in the USA and teaching the Word for a number of weekends. What was the Board’s response to this? Did you provide subsequent encouragement to JAL for taking the initiative to get out there and minister and serve and teach? Do you know the content of what he was teaching? Was it theologically sound? If JAL had such serious character issues that he is not to be included with CES ministry, then why weren’t the believers in these cities warned that the reprobate was coming? None of this makes any sense! What standards has the Board set which disqualify an individual for ministry with CES? What does the Word say about all of this?

6. JAL is not perfect, but neither are any of us. This is not about us, but the Lord Jesus Christ and what he accomplished for us. Can CES afford to keep JAL on the sidelines for what you ‘perceive’ to be ‘character flaws’ which cannot be specifically pinpointed? Should he not be fulfilling his ministry and teaching believers around the country, writing for the Sower, authoring books, doing You Tube videos? It appears from what I have written above that he has made changes and exhibited exemplary behavior in the areas of marriage, work, finances and teaching the Word. Should he be held accountable to a group of men according to their exacting standards for ministry? What about the Word of God and what it says about mercy, compassion, forgiveness, restoration, etc. Dan in his tape on the body of Christ seemed to have a bias against those with gift ministries. It was as if he wanted to use the AAA baseball squad instead of the Major League team to compete in the World Series simply to show that we don’t need the major leaguers. Yes, all are important and have a function, but that is just it - all, including the teachers, should be functioning, and we should be doing everything in our power to make that happen. Dan admits in the latest tape that he is not a ‘teacher’, so what is he doing teaching when there are ‘teachers’ who want to teach, and are ‘gifted teachers’, just waiting to teach?! Unless, of course, they have serious character flaws, which have not been detailed to them, so they cannot be addressing the issues that they have not been made aware of so as to correct them and get back in the game. See how absurd this has become?!

7. Around the country people are voicing their concerns about Obama’s health care plan because they have strong feelings about the issue. They want to be heard. Within the ranks of CES, as people become aware of what has transpired over the past six months, you will have a similar outcry. There are problems that need to be addressed, and issues which need to be handled if the ministry is to survive and move forward.

8. Of course, there is more, but I will stop here. If I continue, it will make me angry, since I s/b getting ready to teach classes that I’m doing for the first time and not yet prepared for. Instead, I’m trying to help straighten out people that I have sent funds to on a regular basis for years so they could serve me and other believers the truth. What’s wrong with this picture? I still don’t think we have ever heard the full story on the prophetic, the council, where that was off, why, how to avoid that kind of error again, etc. Again, this is enough to get started, so I will sign off now.

[Name withheld]

Dan’s response:

Hi [Name],

Thanks for your letter. I appreciate your honesty. I disagree with your logic and your conclusions but realize your perspective is wrong because you don't know all the facts. I can't fault you for that because we have not spoken openly of matters relating to John L. I do wish you had maintained a more open minded posture until you had taken the time to call and inquire of the facts before you had come to your conclusions.

"The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him." Proverbs 18:17

I am available to talk if you want, and prefer not to handle matters like this via emails or letters. Heart communication suffers when we do that.

Bless you,

Dan

P.s. I think your criticism of my teaching was pretty silly, and you missed the entire point of my teaching. I may have confessed I was not a "teacher" but that doesn't mean I don't have an Ephesians ministry.