MK forum

I'd like to start a thread here exclusively for pastors, churches and mission committees to post, on behalf of their congregations, words of encouragement to and support of those who have been abused in various boarding schools run by NTM, Inc.

I know that many churches are devastated by the subject covered by this forum. I'm sure that many of the people in their congregations are devastated. You can bet that the victims are pretty devastated! A word from churches would be so welcome, so healing.

There is no need to defend or condemn NTM, Inc. That is a fit topic for other threads, but not this one. What I am praying for is just a note of love and encouragement: "I am Pastor Jack Smith from Faith Bible Baptist Church in Anytown, OK. Our church is praying for you all. We love you and are standing with you."

I am in earnest in requesting this thread be restricted to just those people. I hope to see hundreds of messages from pastors, churches and missions committees around the English speaking world. If posts are made here to which you feel an absolutely overwhelming need to reply, please start a new thread or send a private message to the poster.

Who will post first?

No one yet?? huh

No, my dear Yunker, there haven't been any takers on this thread yet. I confess to being discouraged by that, but maybe it's too complicated to do. Not everyone is comfortable posting.

I wish more pastors would follow the lead of Pastor Brett A. Boomsma of Trinity Baptist Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan. (I've already googled this name, and it's legitimate.) Here is what he posted on the ABWE MKs' blog:

March 30, 2011 at 3:43 am

We can no longer remain silent, I want you wonderful people to know that I have read every post, and while I know only a few of you my heart weeps for all of you. Its time that Churches joined your efforts. I call on all our churches with great love and humility to demand answers and transparency from ABWE. For our churches to remain silent and to do nothing is a response laced with nothing less then the poison of apathy.

I have written ABWE many letters and have received no response except for a link to their 4 questions answered. Am I to believe that these are the 4 questions that we wanted answered. All of my question still remain unanswered to this day. As I read this blog the silence of ABWE is deafening. ABWE I’m sorry but what you are doing speaks so loudly we cannot hear what you are saying.

I post this humble letter only as an effort of accountability. I beg my fellow pastors to join these dear people for the truth. For if we do not, How shall we stand in our pulpits and proclaim the importance of truth. How will be pray to our Father when we turn a blind eye to our sisters. I fear that until the churches and their leadership begin to speak. The silence will only continue. I will pray for all of you including ABWE. May God be Glorified in all our lives. I write this with humility knowing that their is so much in my own life that I could do to bring more Glory to my Father. If nothing else you good people have stirred my soul to be broken before the Lord

Dear Tony,

Thank you for responding to some questions on your website. I just have a couple more and I will leave you alone. If you would please reply to these by April 1, 2011 it would be of great help for us as our Missions Committee will be meeting mid-April.

1. Will there be a third party (Independent investigation) of ABWE’s ministry to make sure that there are not other accusations regarding existing national Pastors or traditional missionaries that are still serving under the ABWE ministry?

2. Will ABWE continue with its current leadership or will they seek new leadership from the top down to correct and maintain a spirit of accountability, transparency, and trust?

3. If the answer to the two above questions is “No”: will ABWE allow a smooth transfer of our missionaries to transition out of ABWE to a mission agency of “like faith and practice” so that our missionaries’ ministries are not interrupted in any major way?

Thank you, your prompt response will be greatly appreciated as it will help our church make future decisions. You continue to be in our prayers. Our hope is that we can continue with ABWE, however, with all honesty, we do not see this as a possibility unless the first two questions are addressed.

May God grant you wisdom,

Pastor Brett A. Boomsma
Trinity Baptist Church
(http://bangladeshmksspeak.com/2011/03/11/introduction-to-bangladeshmksspeak/)

I'm going to guess that many pastors share Pastor Boomsma's convictions; they just have not made their voices heard publicly. I think, on balance, that publicity helps in these cases, and I commend Pastor Boomsma for his courage.

Not only did he make his letter "open," he also is clearly taking a proactive role in helping any ABWE missionaries that Trinity Baptist Church supports find alternative avenues of service. This is a wise decision, and a very practical answer to the "Red Barrens" of the church who see the exposure of these crimes as a hindrance to the Gospel. It is also an acknowledgment that good, valid and honorable work is being done in the Lord's Name by ABWE missionaries without equating exposure of criminal activity in ABWE with attacks on those fine people's character or ministries.

What a breath of fresh air! I'm sure this was an encouragement to the victims of abuse who so bravely started that blog. May God honor this search for truth.

Since pastors, churches and missions committees have not seen fit to post, everybody else is welcome to do so now. That way, Yunker will not be the only one to disregard the point of the thread!

GRACE posted this link a few days ago:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/vienna-presbyterian-church-works-to-overcome-revelations-of-sexual-abuse/2011/03/30/AF3hNxQC_story.html

A church that seems, in my opinion, to be trying to do the right thing now.