Comments on: NTM leadership views in the late 80′s

By: Elijah III

Elijah III — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:15:34 +0000

“…we are also your court of appeal.” Court of appeal…? It never existed! During the years we were with the mission we appealed at least four times on major issues that involved precious lives and works who were at stake, at the FC and EC levels and the circumstantial evidence was thrown out of “court” every single time! Leadership decisions on either level were backed 100% by and in favor of themselves. John Doe Missionary didn’t have a chance–ever!
“…God has given us leadership potential…it just needs to be developed.” Leadership development…? Where…? In the three decades that we were officially with the mission I was never, or any of my colleagues invited to attend leadership development training seminar–ever! It just did not exist.
“…When confidence is lacking no one wins but the Devil.” I think the Devil should have been left out of this one… Confidence means trust. Confidence is the assurance and belief that you will be heard when you are hurting and in need. Confidence is founded on a belief in the honesty, integrity, reliability and justice of a person or… body of ruling men. No matter how hard you try to confide, it is difficult to trust someone when justice, integrity, reliability and honesty are ludicrously wanning, lacking and just not there.
Unfortunately the negative and defunct leadership views expressed in the articles above from the 80’s were the same in the 70’s, and 90’s… And sadly to say have been perpetuated even into the present millennium!

By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:58:19 +0000

After reading this particular addition to the blog, I remembered something I had not thought of in a long time.

When my parents told my father’s family they were moving to Panama where we (his kids) would be in a boarding school, my father’s sister begged him to leave us with her and she would raise us. By the way, we numbered 7 children. She was serious. Isn’t it amazing that an unbeliever could see the error when so many Christians could not?

As an aside, God did work and placed my parents in the dorm. They were wonderful dorm parents and eventually left the field because of the leadership.

By: Back to the basics Warrior

Back to the basics Warrior — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:41:42 +0000

The documentation on this blog proves that sin was covered up. NTM covered up sin so then ALL those that knew and made decisons in leadership need to repent, resign and/or go back to BOOT CAMP/mission training! It seems that changes have taken place in NTM so that covering up sin is acceptable now.

By: anon

anon — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:20:48 +0000

If a mission is covering up sin, then the mission as a whole is guilty. Period.

By: L

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:15:31 +0000

I don’t know what to say after reading this article. I grew up thinking this, that the reason my parents sent me away to school was because I was “in the way” and they didn’t have time to homeschool. I don’t remember being specifically told that but that was the idea I got. In recent years I had convinced myself that I had just got the wrong idea, that my parents just thought that I would get a better education and better social development at the mission school. While this was probably true on my parents part, I believe I must have been told that about “being in the way” at some point. I have tried to ask my mother about why they made that choice and she said it just wasn’t really done to keep your kids at home. She also said it was the hardest decision she ever had to make and that a lot of the things she was afraid would happen did happen. I can’t say there was any outright abuse going on but neglect. I see more and more as my children grow (my oldest is 7, the age I was when sent to school) how involved I am in their everyday lives, every detail, and I see how much of that was left to me to take care of. Also I had some special dietary needs that were not attended to properly. I don’t blame my parents, I feel sorry that they felt this was their only option. This has brought some things up for me that I thought I had laid to rest but I guess I had deceived myself. I don’t want to be overly critical of my caregivers at school because I don’t think that anyone was trying to hurt me but I just can’t see how sending kids away to school is ever the best option. I am glad that things are changing in NTM and I know many people who homeschool and have no problems with leadership. I hope that this issue is dealt with properly and it is hard to understand why things are being done as they are. I also have a lot of family and many close friends still with NTM who are wonderful people who would never condone what has gone on so it is hard for me to see NTM as a whole criticized in a general way. Please remember that there are still a lot of godly people just trying to reach unreached people. However, I know things have been done improperly in the past and my family has had it’s own run-ins with leadership where they seemed very unreasonable. I think people need to realize that if a ministry is of God they don’t need to cover up sin to protect it. NTM has done some great things and I think that God would bless their decision to deal with sin and be open about it and would bring about healing. God does not need us to protect him and his work by being deceitful.

By: josephIII

josephIII — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:33:38 +0000

I have found very interesting the lack of concern for the overall parent’s responsibility in all that has happened with these abuse cases. Scripture is adamant about whose responsibility it is when it comes to raising our children and the discipleship that this entails…Eph6:4. In most of the stated blogs the concern is with the leadership of NTM who knew of these abuses and didn’t take immediate action to terminate the abusers’ membership with NTM. I would agree that the NTM leadership who followed this path would need to be held accountable for their actions. However, I feel strongly that the real problem lay in parents taking a backseat in their responsibility to call the shots for their family. Many caved to the pressure that was presented that you must send your kid to a boarding school for their social wellbeing, safety, exposure to the sensual tribal culture and so on. I have yet to see in Scripture where we are to sacrifice a God-given responsibility. One of those is to disciple our children. There are even those who felt they were “called” first and foremost to be a missionary and that for the sake of the Gospel their family was an okay sacrifice. Now I know, many are saying no way, but that has been conveyed over and over to missionary kids by the actions of their parents. Not all MK’s suffered directly from this ideology, but many have and the easiest road they take is to walk away from a “faith” that lacked the visible, personal walk with Jesus. Many MKs want nothing to do with a faith that took their mom and dad away from them.
So, parents may be saying “No Way!” but there is much truth in this having led to the hurt and abandonment many MKs have suffered with and still seem to deal with. I think it will be interesting who all the Lord will hold accountable for these abuse cases, and my thoughts are the parents will be at the top of the list for having sacrificed something God mandated them to be responsible for. Okay, many are saying “we didn’t have an option, if we argued we were asked to leave.” The answer, as hard as it may seem is easy, leave an organization that asks you to walk before them and not before God. Do not find your identity wrapped up in an organization but rather in walking humbly and contritely before your God.

By: former mk

former mk — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:31:31 +0000

The Court of Appeals article. Does anyone know who wrote this and what situation was it regarding? Was it actually the situation with Fanda that this is regarding? IF this is the case, what actions were taken if any? I would hate to think Mr. Hare was involved in any kid of cover up. However, I know first hand how a “cult” can manipulate a person into believing that they are in the right even when covering a wrong.

By: former mk

former mk — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:13:46 +0000

As I can understand why these letters can make someone who has been abused by NTM question the reasoning behind them. I would have to suggest that it was not the writers intentions to make an environment in which children could be harmed. If you notice the man who wrote this article and new his story you would know that his daughter died on the mission field when she was very young. I think he was concerned not only about the effectiveness of the missionaries but also of the safety of the mk’s on the mission field. I think the article in Brown Gold did help attribute to the “cult like” atmosphere of NTM. I do not think that was the writer’s intentions. The goal was to allow the missionaries to be more effective, keep the MKs safe and allow for them to be taught in a way that would be pleasing to the Lord and their parents. However when you are in an environment when there is only one point of view and everything else is wrong you form this cult like atmosphere where it is very easy to be abused. I would like to think that if Mr. Hare knew of these abuses he would have stepped in and stopped the abuses immediately. If anyone knows differently I would appreciate the information.

By: Ulsterman

Ulsterman — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:26:50 +0000

” Some Parents seem to feel that their children are too good to be missionaries. The result is that some children will use this as an escape to some LESSER ROLE in Christian work, or even be encouraged to take a SECULAR POSITION ” …. emphasis mine.

I was serving with NTM when this article came out. It was blatant comments like this made by the EC that made me question my membership within the organization. I resolved never to pressure my kids to become missionaires, but to allow them to seek God’s will for their lives. Today several of them are teachers and one is a nurse. According to NTM my wife and I have failed as Parents …. after all they aren’t even in a LESSER ROLE in Christian work, but are involved in a worldly secular job.

By the way NTM, some of those Christians involved in LESSER ROLES and SECULAR jobs have been supporting ntm missionaries on the field. I guess there’s no problem accepting their money , even though you demean the position the Lord has placed them.

I just recently read a letter my daughter had received from a former patient at the hospital where she works. The patient thanked her for the extra loving care that my daughter had shown her during her stay. Is my daughter any less a committed Christian because she’s not involved in reaching tribal people? According to ntm’s standards only her money is good enough!

By: Val

Val — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 23:21:14 +0000

I live in the secular world and through GOD’S strength I stay by his side. Do these people have so little faith in Gods power in our lives?
-Joel C
Yes Joel, I do believe that their faith is lacking. Infact, it seems as if they believe (or believed at the time) that it is NOT the Holy Spirit that brings people to Christ, but the stratagies of NTM. If they make all the “right” moves and make the mission look “good”, then and only then can God’s work be done. This is untrue.

I thank God that there are many Godly missionaries within the mission(and outside the mission) that the Holy Spirit is working through! His work will continue because He is in control, NOT NTM. Praise Him because of this!