The Board of Directors of Christian Educational Services (CES)/ Spirit of Truth Fellowship International (STF) removed Mark Graeser from the post of President January, 2007 (reported by Greasespotcafe.com). The dramatic move followed months of controversy in the group, which is the largest splinter group of The Way International.

Graeser filed a lawsuit for defamation of character against several CES leaders including Jeff Blackburn, Dan Gallagher, John Lynn and Gary and Karen Theisen. John Schoenheit was appointed the new president (reported by Greasespotcafe).

The controversy gives insight into the practices and doctrine of CES and its newer offshoot STF, which was designed to establish CES as a full service church rather than as just an educational agency.

The CES controversy revolved around two main situations.

The first situation involved the efforts of some CES leaders to censure Elizabeth Lynn, the new wife of John Lynn who has been the main public face of CES. The second involved actions of President Graeser, who fired or prompted at least four CES staff members to resign. Graeser’s wife Karen Anne who was regarded as CES’s most influential prophet was the central character in both of these situations.

Greasespotcafe was the forum in which details of the controversy were published, both through posts on its forum (some of whom were active in CES at the time) and through CES documents posted on the site. The documents included:

+ a letter from Elizabeth Lynn to John Lynn dated December 2005, 17 pages

+ a report to CES Board of Directors by Prophetic Council Coordinators Tom and Susan Resner, April 22, 2003 which detailed scores of prophecies which were directed against Elizabeth Lynn, 5 pages

+ a letter by John Lynn addressed “To Whom it May Concern” which described his view and  response to the overall situation, 10 pages, dated Dec. 26, 2006

+ a letter by Graeser to the CES board “Why I Cannot in Good Conscience take a Leave of Absence or Resign as President at this time and Under These Circumstances” written soon after September 25, 2006, 13 pages

+ a letter to four members of the CES Board from Mark & Karen Anne Graeser, Tom and Susan Resner and Nancy Berwid who identified themselves as the “clergy Majority” since they are five of the nine STF clergy, dated December 10, 2006, 28 pages

Everyone in the controversy, and especially the Graesers, generated a lot of paper in detailing their positions.    

The two sides were clearly defined: “the Board Majority” who opposed Graeser’s continuation as president, composed of John Schoenheit, Dan Gallagher, Gary and Karen Theisen (and John Lynn, though he is no longer part of the board); and “the Clergy Majority” composed of Mark & Karen Anne Graeser, Tom and Susan Resner and Nancy Berwid. But the real lightening rod in the crisis is Karen Anne.