MK forum

NTM needs to quit pretending they are a church, in any sense of the term, including any technical, legal sense. They are NOT a church and it makes a mockery of REAL churches to be registered as one and attempt to function in any way as one.

NTM leadership needs to quit pretending to be "spiritual leaders" or "pastors" or "elders" or any other scriptural term or office. They are not spiritual leaders, even those among them who are spiritual men (no women, of course, as we all know the Bible limits spiritual leadership to men!). This "spiritual leadership" farce is a misrepresentation of the scriptures and of the role NTM executives should play. And, being honest about what they really are would finally make it possible to include women among their executives. If any men would resign as a result of such a decision, NTM would be better off without them. But, come what may, they need to stop this charade of "spiritual leadership." It has been destructive and manipulative from the first.

NTM needs to take positive steps to settle the law suit filed by Jane Doe No. 7. I am NOT talking about a financial settlement, either. I am talking about having their attorneys sit down with hers, provide them with the documentation and other material they ask for and agree to meet in court.

If NTM agrees that they really are guilty of "other negligence," they should plead guilty and make the entire record public. They should let the court/ jury decide the damages and then pony up without appeals.

If NTM actually believes they are NOT guilty of "other negligence," they should move towards a trial at the earliest possible date. If they are innocent, a trial will clear their name and they can "get on with the job."

In any case, they need to quit stalling and take positive steps to answer these things in public. Their legal maneuverings are a shame, unworthy of an innocent party.

There's the crux/bottom line of the destructive leadership style.
It's fake!
This is the answer to the recent letter put out by Brian S.
Let's see some action.
Words can be quite meaningless without it.

And then once they have done all that you stated above Gene, they (NTM) need to pull up the stakes and take the big top down. This freak show must stop, the circus cannot go on. The abuse of all kinds was bad enough, but trying to save their own butts is not working. It will back fire, mark my words!


Is it no coincidence at all that the same county that NTM operates in is the same county that refuses to arrest a cold blooded killer by the last name of Zimmerman. Seminole county Law Enforecment has some real issues with its understanding of the rule of law and justice. Thats the ONLY reason I can figure why NTM is still at large, much like Mr. Zimmerman is for shooting a 17 year old black boy in cold blood.

I can't wait for the day when some big news media finally picks up on this story. Maybe all the media surrounding Treyvon Martins death will shine a light a little deeper into Seminole county files and they look and see that there is an enormous mission organization in their own neighborhood that has a long list of abuse allegations and the county has done nothing about it. Lets wait and see...

Ironman

Ironman, NTM undoubtedly feels that to do any of the things I have suggested is tantamount to, not taking the big tent down, but burning it down with all the people inside; it is unthinkable, as they would see it as the end of NTM.

That is why they are doing everything they can to make sure that the suit filed by Jane Doe # 7 never goes to trial. Interestingly, a court of law is the ONLY place where lying has immediate, severe consequences for them. Yes, yes, I know. They have to be accountable to God, too. We've seen how that works, so maybe we can just leave that between the parties involved. On planet earth, you can go to jail for lying in court. You can be held accountable for your actions in court. You can be punished by a court for what you have done. These are real life consequences that NTM does not want to face, all of their letters and committees and tears and policies notwithstanding.

NTM needs to change their entire leadership structure.

Membership on Field Committees, the Executive Board and all other positions of authority should:

* NOT be for life; there should be a limit placed on how long a person can serve
* NOT be limited to males
* be subject to approval by an outside board, none of whose members or their families are or ever have been in NTM
* be subject to approval by the people over whom they exercise their authority; yes, this sounds a lot like "democracy" and we all know a New Testament Church is NOT a democracy. We all also know that NTM is NOT a church; it's past time for them to quit pretending that it is and using the Bible to support their personal agendas

NTM needs to remove from leadership every single person (male) who made or acquiesced to the decision to renege on the following recommendations from GRACE:

1. To keep Scott Ross totally uninvolved in any future MK investigations

2. To have certain perpetrators/ conspirators still in the mission pay a portion of their income ("wages" as we call it to the IRS) to the MK Abuse Fund

NTM needs, desperately needs, to stop this kind of foolish talk: "God may choose to close down NTM. God may choose to allow NTM to continue to exist." Credit: Brian Shortmeier, Director of Child Protection, NTM USA Executive Board Member

Please do NOT try to foist this off on God. This has nothing to do with what God is going to do; it has everything to do with what NTM has done, is doing and will do. And, what is going to happen in court.

Try being truthful:

"If this suit goes to trial, as we now fear it will, there is a good chance we will lose. In that case, our best guess is that NTM will not be a viable organization. If, of course, we do manage to pull it out of the hat, then we fully intend to keep right on with our thing. We're prepared either way. Fingers crossed."

@Gene. I agree, this situation for them seems to be reaching the state of desperation in regards to the trial of Jane Doe #7 actually making it to a court of law. I think the last quote says it all, especially the last phrase, "fingers crossed". Since when has the crossing of fingers, (superstition) become a force worthy of invoking in NTM's philosophy of ministry. Why not rather steal a few lessons from the witch doctors and shamans they have so tirelessly preached against for the last half century. Point is, this situation has clearly brought out the true side of NTM and its obvious that they are not in a spiritual frame of mind.

I believe all your requests of change within NTM is valid, and honestly in my opinion still not enough(I won't elaborate here), but I would contend that regardless if all those changes were made, in the end, the mentality of NTM is so screwed up in regards to doctrine and the carrying out of the great commission that there would still be too many negative effects for them as a ministry to continue existing.

NTM needs to come to the place, hopefully before the courts force this on them, to admit that they as an organization are systemically flawed and need to shut down. Invoking God's will or putting this off on Him, like you said Gene, is a slap in His face when all they have done is twisted the truth and tried to hide the facts for facesaving sake. Your dead on,this is not God's mess to clean up, its theirs and my guess is they would rather go down with the ship and claim maryterdom then clean the decks and tidy up the ships rigging.

Ironman

Ironman, I am not sure that I would agree that it is as much a doctrinal issue as it is philosophy of ministry and leadership. Obviously, NTM has taken the Sacred Scriptures out of context to appy them to their situation or needs. Scriptures correct for the local church have been misapplied to a parachurch organization - which is gross, negligent error, ie., equivalent to heresy. That philosphy of leadership included intimidation, among many other ruses under the guise of spiritual leadership that was neither spiritual nor leadership. If the leadership of NTM, both home and field levels, were CEOs of secular corporations, they would all be selling pencils on a street corner somewhere or saltenas on one of the circles in Santa Cruz.