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Here is the letter that Steve's daughter wrote in response to what I wrote on the forum. It's really long.
Due to recent writings concerning Steve Armour on the www.fandaeagles.com forum, "Vianopolis - Brazil," under the topic "Name that Pedophile" his daughter has written the following article.
PURPOSE of this article:
1. Show absolute transparency and integrity
2. Express deep apology, empathy and sorrow for those wounded
3. Demonstrate complete repentance over sin
4. Clarify any misconceptions or faulty information
5. Proclaim the power of the cross and victory in Christ
PREFACE:
This article is the result of hours of fervent prayer upon our knees, broken sobs and hands lifted up to Heaven in supplication for His spirit to be moving and directing every word that I write.
Psalm 23 says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He restores my soul.” When your car is broken, you take it to the mechanic. When your computer has ceased functioning you take it to the tech center. But when your soul is wounded, when your heart is bleeding, there is only ONE who can bring healing. It is to Him that we entrust our souls and the souls of all those we deeply love and weep for that have been hurt and scarred. For Jesus is the only One who can restore souls!
My name is Cynthia Isaak. I am Steve and Sonia’s daughter. The events in this story have been written into the pages of my own life as well. Burned into my heart are the emotions of finding out that my Daddy that I loved and respected had hurt three precious girls. All of them are my cousins. One of them had been one of my closest friends all through elementary. I have wept a thousand tears over these events.
I have also watched a man be completely broken in unspeakable sorrow and shame, on his face before God. I have seen him humble himself and confess these sins openly time and time again. I have seen my father cling to God and his Word and walk in integrity before Him. I have witnessed firsthand the power of the cross and forgiveness in Christ, restoration and healing, in my father’s life. I have watched him walk in victory.
I love my cousins deeply. I do. There are few families in this world that have been blessed with the heritage and legacy that we share. I weep for their pain! A hundred thousand times my father has longed for the power to undo the past, to step back in time and do it over, to have never sinned! To have never caused the pain!
But we cannot go back in time. We live in the present. The Enemy would have us be paralyzed by this. To stab us with it again and again. All of us. The perpetrator. The innocent victims. The loved ones on all sides.
But there is One who restores souls. There is a supernatural power available to us that the world knows nothing about. There is a cross. There is a Perfect Back who took the lashes for this deep and ugly sin. The Hands of the One who had never hurt anyone, never touched anyone in the wrong way… those pure hands were pierced for my father’s sins.
For my sins. For yours.
And there is an Empty Tomb. There is a victory over sin and death. When the world says that there is no hope, no life, no possible behavior change, when the world says bondage to the chains of sin are one’s only future…. There is the Empty Tomb. The same Perfect Hands that were pierced to carry our sins also extend His purity and His righteousness. For He has overcome sin and death, the grave and all the powers of Hell. In Him there is victory over sin.
My deepest desire and the prayer of our hearts is for complete restoration of relationship and transcendent healing for all.
THE DEEP UGLY SIN:
I have chosen this title because when these events first threatened to bring my world crashing down around me, this was the term that my 14 year old heart adopted to describe something so horrendous to me. To this day I can see the letters “D.U.S.” scrawled into my Bible on tear stained pages as I wept my heart out before God.
The setting is Vianópolis, Goias, Brazil. My parents Steve and Sonia Armour are missionaries with New Tribes Mission. We live at the beautiful little mission school overlooking a valley. It is a rainy afternoon in December of 1998. It is still Christmas break. My sister and brother and I are sitting with my parents in their room. They have called us in to tell us something important.
The tension in the air and the unspeakable sorrow on their faces immediately causes a feeling of panic to wash over me. We children silently watch my father get down on his knees beside the bed and cover his face in his hands and begins to sob. A confession from an utterly broken man. And the news that we are no longer in New Tribes Mission.
My heart is pounding, my head is swimming. Running. That’s all I remember. Getting up and bursting out of the room. Tears blinding me as I ran as fast as my bare-foot feet could take me. Over the mata-burro, across the fields of the mission property to “Uncle Jack’s mango tree.” Clinging in the pouring rain to the wet branches at the top of the tree, I felt like I was going to die. My daddy? My daddy?! How could he? I couldn’t even speak. Thoughts of simply letting go of the branches and simply ending it all filled my mind. I could only cry out over and over again, “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!”
I don’t know how long I stayed in that tree. But I clearly remember realizing that I was at a cross-roads in my life. I had a choice to make. Would I forgive him or not? Would the cross be sufficient?
Soaking wet, I made my way slowly back home. My father was waiting half way with an umbrella and a towel. We sat silently next to each other on the couch. I had so many conflicting emotions. Hatred over the pain he had caused. What treachery! How could he? But I knew I had a choice to make and I remember praying to God for strength and saying, “I forgive you.”
Only one who has experienced the supernatural love that follows the extension of forgiveness can understand the miracle that took place in my heart that day. It is one that defies such betrayal of confidence. One that humanly speaking is impossible.
For forgiveness….. is never deserved. Never is it earned. The emotions of charity, of compassion, of graciousness rarely, if ever, prompt one to naturally of one’s own volition extend forgiveness for a transgression. Rather, forgiveness is a choice based on the finished work of Christ. HE then provides the emotions and the love and the restoration when we take choose to take that step of faith.
“Who were the girls? What exactly happened?” I asked him in that quiet living room. It was important for me to know all of the facts, however shameful or painful. I knew what my own imagination was capable of. I was prepared to face whatever atrocity was truly lurking in the past. I did not, however, want a monster of my own making to form in my mind because of not knowing the facts, something that would eat me alive if I was left to the recesses of my dark mind.
In absolute transparency and honesty, my dad told me everything.
CRUCIAL INFORMATION:
On that day, December 28, 1998 , it was absolutely crucial to me to know what exactly did and what did not happen. It is now the year 2010, and in the last few weeks these shameful events have once more come to the forefront of public discussion and have taken center stage in our hearts and prayers. I and my dear husband Arlen Isaak, along with a precious team of people have been working alongside of my parents in ministry. With these horrible events being put on forums and being discussed openly once more, just as it was important for me to know what exactly happened, it is important to carefully document the facts so that all who are coming in contact with this discussion may be informed.
Our whole ministry team has spent hours in broken prayer upon our knees over these issues. For this deep ugly sin has affected us all. Sin is always horrible. Its ramifications are being felt to this day! But we also know that there has been complete repentance and victory over sin in Steve, my father’s life. We are witnesses of a life of transformation and integrity.
With pen in hand and copious notes, I have spent hours with my parents going over the facts as carefully as possible. It is my desire that the following report will show absolute transparency and integrity. We pray that this report will express deep apology, empathy and sorrow for those wounded. I have labored and wept over this report pleading with God for my dear cousin’s lives and for the healing in their hearts. I have wrestled over how best to portray these stories accurately so as to dispel any errors and yet somehow protect them and shield them, to somehow proclaim the truth without causing them to re-live any unnecessary pain or expose them. Please, dear ones, if you are reading this, know my deepest soul is with you. I love you so very much. You are forever in my heart and prayers.
We pray that, for all those reading this, that we will be able to demonstrate Steve, my father’s, complete repentance over sin. We pray that these carefully documented events will clarify any misconceptions or faulty information. And above all, we desire to proclaim the power of the cross and victory in Christ.
WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?
The horrible fact in summary:
Steve touched three different girls in an inappropriate way. Each girl was a one time event. Each time was in a public place (i.e. not backed in to a closet somewhere, rather an impulsive act out in the open with other people around) Each time was a matter of seconds and was not pre-meditated. They were never done repeatedly.
I say these things only because when one hears the words, “Sexually abused,” my mind, at least, conjures instantly the worst possible scenario.
Again, I have to interject here that SIN IS SIN, IS SIN, IS SIN! We are not trying to excuse his actions in any way. What happened was horrible and fleshly and rightly something to be hated with a hot white passion. These events were all wrong and devastating and should have never been done. I know my father hates these shameful sins with every iota in him.
The horrible facts in more exacting detail:
The first sin:
In 1990, Steve and Sonia Armour were just getting ready to go on furlough to the United States. My twin sister and I were 6 years old and my brother was 4. They stopped in Vianópolis to stay with relatives. That is when it happened.
Steve was sitting with a niece in his lap who was around 10 years old. They were playing a video game at the time. Steve began to run his hand over her undeveloped chest and was touching her right nipple. This was completely wrong! And Steve knew it, but he said nothing to her. Said nothing to anyone.
That was it. A matter of seconds. A very fleshly act. An ugly sin.
Steve knew it was wrong. And our sovereign, all knowing- God, sees everything. And God does not forget. What the Bible says is true, “Be sure your sins will find you out.”
The second sin:
Weeks later, Steve and Sonia returned to the United States for their furlough. Their three kids, my sister and brother and I, were in first grade and kindergarten. One day, a slumber party was held at our house. I can remember to this day how incredibly fun it was to have two of my older cousins over. We played card games, did magic tricks… there was lots of laughter and fun.
In the morning, when it was time to wake up my sleeping cousins who had slept on sleeping bags in the living room, one of them didn’t want to wake up. She was about 11 years old. My dad began tickling her feet. What began as playful jest however, gave way to an impulsive sin as Steve’s hand went up her leg to her crotch area when he was “tickling her.”
After this dear cousin of mine went home and told her family what had happened to her. Her dad confronted Steve and in tears he immediately openly confessed that what he had done was very wrong and sinful and asked for her and the family's forgiveness. She and her family graciously forgave him. There was a family meeting. Her parents carefully questioned her older sister asking her if she had also been touched in any way inappropriately. She said “no.”
The pastor of their church was also sought out for counseling. Steve and Sonia spent time meeting with him about Steve's actions.
There was never anything else done against my cousin again. There was restoration of relationship with her family and we have continued to enjoy fellowship with her down through the years to this day.
This event and its utter shamefulness and seriousness brought deep conviction to Steve's heart as he thought of my cousin in Brazil (from the part of this report entitled “first sin”) Steve sat down and wrote her a letter, telling her that what he had done was wrong and asking her for forgiveness. Steve also confessed his sins to my mother and let her read over the letter.
In the letter he also told her that she was free to share the letter with her parents. In retrospect my father, Steve says: “I should have never done that. I should have written directly to her parents and not laid this burden on a child.”
My sister and I were unaware of any of these events until years later.
The third sin:
In 1992 when I was in second grade the third sin took place against the third cousin of mine.
One day Steve was reading a book to my siblings and I, and my cousin. With four kids surrounding him and my cousin sitting in his lap, much to his forever shame and regret, my Dad touched her crotch. After a few seconds, he removed his hand, horrified and overcome with guilt.
Immediately, he said complete fear gripped his heart that he had sinned AGAIN! He was terrified and ashamed about the devastating pain this horrible sin would once again cause the entire family. For this girl was not only my sweet cousin and very dear friend, she was the little sister to the girl from “the first sin.”
A little while later he talked to her in private and said, “That was wrong, I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t have touched you there. Please forgive me.”
That said to her, the following words are perhaps the most devastating and shameful of all. For in the grip of fear and listening to the words of the Enemy whose solution is always to run and hide from one’s sins and cover them up instead of openly confessing them, Steve then said to his niece: “Please don’t tell anyone.”
A horrible, shameful act on his part. Shameful words. Shameful choices.
Other than apologizing to his niece, Steve did not confess this to anyone. Not even to his wife.
This sin would come back to haunt him and would someday explode in his face. It is a horrific reminder to all of us of the seriousness of dealing with sin and openly confessing them.
He did however, confess it to the Lord and completely renounce all such sins.
This was the last act of three acts of sexual abuse that were ever committed by Steve Armour.
Interjection: I have asked him about those years. I asked him whether he was giving into pornography or some other vice. He said, “No, I was never addicted to pornography. That was, praise God, never something that I struggled with. But I had not learned to give God total reign in my thought life and had not dealt with those sins in my thoughts.”
Two other re-occurring questions that we are also faced with concerning this issue are these:
- Was Steve abused as a child? And did he abuse his own children? The answer to both of these is NO. Steve was never wronged in any way sexually as a child. Nor did he ever touch his children in any way inappropriately.
His actions can be explained simply as a man with a sinful nature, giving into that sinful nature repeatedly and not allowing Christ to fully reign in all areas of his life.
SIX YEARS PASSED
After that day, in 1992, nothing was ever done by Steve again. He renounced all such actions and began to find freedom in his walk with God and in his thought life.
Undoubtedly, as would be expected, the event described above in “the third sin” was a horrible and traumatic event for my dear cousin. In fact, six years later when I found out about it, this was the hardest issue for me to deal with because she was my dear friend. I couldn’t bear the thought of her having been wronged.
It was shameful, wrong and sinful. It was however, praise God, a one time event. My dad never touched her inappropriately again. I earnestly pray to God and hope with all my heart that, that event did not plague her or haunt her in the years that followed.
My sweet cousin continued to be a big part of my life, and that of my family. All of my elementary memories of school, of childish romances, of pranks, of camping, of games and parties, of Christmas and birthdays, of late night talks… involve her. I will forever praise God for her life.
As I said, in the years that followed, this event seemed to have gone by unnoticed. But nothing is unnoticed by God and there would be a day of reckoning that would come six years later.
However it was during these six years that transpired that major growth and beautiful things happened in the life of my parents and my family. Both of my parents began to teach the Bible chronologically at that time, besides their regular ministries. My dad had a men’s group from downtown and my mother taught a woman’s Bible Study with my cousin’s mom, my aunt. It was a remarkable time of spiritual growth for both of them as they experienced the transforming power of the Word of God and saw the gospel saving countless lives.
A natural and beautiful outcome of growing closer to God is growing closer to your spouse. My mom said, “Our relationship had never been better. We were so close together as a couple and we were learning so much.”
These were great times of spiritual growth and victory for my family.
It was the school of year of 1995-1996 that another little cousin came to live with my family for a year. She was in my mother’s first grade class. I was in the sixth. I remember when she started learning how to read. She was like a little sister to me. I love her dearly.
I mention her living with us to attest to the fact that my dad had renounced all such sins and was living in victory. She has freely attested to the fact that she was never touched inappropriately. Her parents sent her to live with my parents, with full knowledge of my dad's actions with the first two cousins. They believed in God's forgiveness and transforming work in my dad's life.
In the school year of 1996-1997 Steve and Sonia, my parents, went on furlough to the United States. We of course, went to the cities where my family and relatives lived. Our photo albums are full of pictures of the memories of being together as an extended family. There was no strain of relationship or anything that came between us. I love my relatives dearly.
That was a vibrant furlough filled with passionate missionary challenges in churches. I could see the love and urgency in my parent’s voices as they spoke around the country in countless schools and churches urging people to give their lives towards reaching the lost.
THE DEEP UGLY SECRET UNCOVERED:
When we came back from furlough, my dear cousin (from the “third sin” paragraph) and her family went back to the United States on furlough. Remember, in shame and fear, Steve had told her, “Don’t tell anyone!”
She was in 10th grade. I was back in Brazil, I was in 9th grade. To this day, I have letters that she sent me from that time. Questions about our mutual friends, tales of her school etc. I love my cousin. And this whole tragic event breaks my heart.
While on furlough, her older sister, the little girl from the “first sin” one day asked her if Steve had ever touched her in any wrong way. My cousin broke down and told her older sister the whole story. Needless to say, like any big sister should be, she was understandably outraged. I cannot imagine how betrayed and hurt she felt. How protective and defensive. Their whole family must have been devastated.
The older cousin wrote an e-mail to Sonia, my mother, telling her the whole story of this ugly shameful act that Steve had done to her little sister, my cousin.
Meanwhile, my father, Steve, was in the United States visiting my grandfather who has Alzheimer’s. He was about to return. It was November 3, 1998.
My mother, back in Brazil, remembers the day she received that e-mail like it was yesterday. With tears streaming down her face, she recounted to me the following information.
“I had gotten up early to go pick up some relatives at the bus station. Their bus was coming in at 6:15 am. I parked the car and sat there with my Bible. There are very few times that God has spoken to my heart so strongly.” “Are you willing to let me touch any area of your life” God asked me, “Do you trust me as the Good Shepherd to even break a leg in order to draw you closer to myself?”
My mom can barely get out the words because she’s sobbing as she tells me this story, “I was so scared. I thought maybe He would take one of you children, maybe there would be a death. But I felt like He was preparing me for something, asking me, “Will you trust me?” And I finally said: “Yes, Lord, I trust you.”
“It was when I got back home that I read the e-mail.”
Sonia wrestled with a flood of emotions. Anger. Betrayal. Confusion over the next step. She knew that many people would counsel her to leave Steve. But is that what God wanted?
She knew she was at a cross-roads in her life. That she had to make a decision. The story of Corrie Ten Boon choosing to forgive even when she felt no emotions, was a huge factor in her life. The day came to pick up Steve from the airport as he arrived back from the United States. Sonia arranged to have all of us kids taken care of and to take some days off at Caldas Novas, a hot springs resort.
That period of time was the hardest time in her entire life. She remembers picking up my father at the airport:
“I felt nothing. I felt no love at all, but as I extended unconditional forgiveness to him, God flooded my heart with love for Steve. We spent that time driving to the hot springs crying and crying and praying. It was so hard because he had already grown so much since that time. We just spent time pouring out our hearts to God.”
On the way to the hot springs she says they saw a beautiful phenomena in the sky. In the magnificent clouds were two huge light beams forming a cross. She says the two of them were just speechless. They stopped the car and just kept saying, “Thank you God! Thank you God.”
They spent the next two days on their faces before God. Weeping their hearts out over this sin, over the devastation it had caused.
THE ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN:
Later, after Steve and Sonia came back and after much communication took place with the two families, they were called by and met with the entire MNTB (NTM of Brazil) leadership and openly confessed to the entire board every single one of the three sins that I have described in detail above. He expressed very deep remorse and sorrow over his actions and completely renounced them again.
They knew he had been living a life of integrity. They had seen his life up close. They knew first hand the people Steve had led to the Lord and the projects he had been involved in.
It was also around this time that my dad also met with all of the missionaries at the base and publicly confessed all of these sins.
During this time a phone call from the United States was received which completely stunned Steve. He was shocked and completely horrified when he received news that another accusation was being made against him from another one of his nieces. She said that she had “just remembered” that my father had once touched her breast. Even though when she had been questioned before, she had told her entire family nothing had ever happened to her.
“I was absolutely stunned, it was so hurtful.” Steve said, “I had never touched her! Never!” He sated categorically that it had never happened. “I had nothing to lose. What would one more confession be? I was confessing everything in my life, even thoughts or intentions! But I could not admit to having done something that I knew I hadn't done.”
Three days after Christmas, on Dec. 28, 1998, Steve Armour was dismissed from NTM and MNTB.
I do not criticize them for these actions. I understand they had to make these decisions. It is impossible to function an international organization and not deal in the strictest sense with these grave matters.
Steve and Sonia, my parents, broke the news to us, their children and I recount for you my personal reactions in the story above entitled “The Deep Ugly Sin.” My father felt horrible for the devastation that this was causing our family. He felt like he was dragging us all down. He wanted to die. It was a very difficult time for them. I remember finding a prayer scrawled on a piece of paper in my father’s hand writing, “Oh Lord, how I wish I could carry them over the coals!”
Steve wrote letters to all of their supporters and family, confessing Steve’s sins and telling them about their dismissal from NTM as well as MNTB.
NTM sent a letter to every one of their supporters explaining Steve’s actions and telling of his dismissal from NTM as well as MNTB. MNTB also wrote all of their Brazilian missionaries with a letter detailing the reasons for his dismissal.
A supporting church in the United States offered to pay for my parent’s plane tickets to fly back and meet with the entire family face to face.
While this was not their home church, they had supported my parents some financially and my three cousins families lived near them.
On the way back, my parents first stopped in Sanford, Florida at the NTM headquarters to talk with some of the leadership. The leadership was very kind to them and they remember one of the leaders urging them, “Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand and He will lift you up.” also strongly recommended getting help from a professional counselor.
Steve and Sonia stayed with family while in the US. Over a period of weeks, they met repeatedly with the entire extended family. Steve publicly confessed to them everything that had transpired. He asked their forgiveness. He apologized to his niece who was in tenth grade. (“the third sin”) He apologized once more to his other niece (from “the second sin”) But he was not able to meet face to face with the niece from the “first sin.” She was the one who he had written a letter to so many years ago. She refused to come. They lamented the fact that she would not meet with them.
Steve and Sonia met with all of the leaders of that church, whereupon Steve once again openly confessed before the entire board his sins.
Interjection: It is important to note that at this time, when all of this confession was going on and Steve’s sins and this account was being re-told publicly both to the family as well as to elders and deacons, that all facts were attested to be true. If any of the details of the offenses were being twisted or mis-represented by Steve, this would have been the time in which they would have been shown to be false. In other words, the girls who had been hurt by these shameful actions would have been able to say, “No, that’s not true. That’s not the way it was.” This was not the case.
It was also at this time that Steve was able to speak with the cousin who had accused him of touching her breast. With her family and the counselor present they discussed the accusation. Once again Steve denied ever having touched her inappropriately. “I don't know what supposed vague memories she was bringing up, I didn't want to call her a liar,”said. “I just wanted everyone to know that it had never happened. I had never touched her.”
This issue was dropped at this point. There was apparent restoration of relationship. We have been friends with her and her family. She has since then married and has a beautiful family. We have enjoyed contact ever since.
A professional Christian Counselor was chosen by the church and agreed upon by the parents of the girls. Steve and Sonia attended a number of sessions with this godly man. At one point, he was a little confused by my mother’s calm attitude and love for my father. He was concerned that she was glossing over un-dealt with feelings. “Aren’t you angry?” he asked her, “Oh I was angry!” She told him. Then she explained how they had already dealt with all of those things as a couple but that God had been healing her heart though the forgiveness that we have in Christ. They talked about the six years of growth and how much God had been teaching them.
He saw in my dad his repentance and his renouncing of all these sins. He saw that they were both so broken and Steve so repentant. Both were united in their desire to follow God. After many sessions with this Christian Counselor he told Steve and Sonia, “I really have nothing else to tell you. This has obviously all been dealt with in a godly way.” He told them that there was no more need for counseling.
Some of the family members thought my parents should return for a year to the states for further counseling, but others felt it was unnecessary, since the last occurance had been 6 years before. The families were divided on this issue.
In Brazil, NTM had graciously allowed my brother and sister and I to stay at the mission’s dorms and continue going to school for this last semester in Via. We were so very lovingly treated and cared for. Although, it was a difficult time emotionally with all that was going on, I have wonderful, fond memories of my semester in the dorm. I am forever grateful to my dear teachers, my classmates and forever friends and my dorm parents.
It was a hard year for everyone at our little school in Via. For 1999 was the year of the car accident that many people remember reading about when Gina Wiederhoeft was taken to Heaven on March 30th, six days after my 15th birthday. Our small close knit dorm family was deeply affected.
My parents were still in the United States and I can remember sobbing uncontrollably at Gina’s funeral. For, as I began to cry, all the tears for a thousand motives were released. Yes, they were hard times.
It is often during the hardest times that one sees God’s face the most clearly. Personally, God had been teaching me so much of Himself and I had grown so near to Him. Our retreat with Pastor Von, the year before, had rocked our world and I was actively involved with two different evangelistic Bible Studies at the time. God’s presence and intimacy during this time was very precious.
My parents were anxious to be back with us kids, and returned to Brazil. After much prayer and seeking God's face, they felt that Biblically, there was no grounds for not going on to serve the Lord. They knew the power of the cross and God's total forgiveness in Christ. There had been restoration of relationships. Steve was walking in integrity and it was clear for all to see. They had given their lives long ago to the Lord and dedicated themselves to live for the proclamation of the gospel,“The need of the unsaved was still the same,” said.
MOVING ON:
After deciding to continue serve the Lord in Brazil, they received five or six offers from different missionaries or Christian groups. These were not people who were ignorant of what had happened in Steve’s past. They were well aware of it and also believed in God's restoration and in Steve's repentance and his walking in victory.
It was during this time in May of 1999 that, after much prayer, Steve and Sonia accepted Tim Brennan’s offer to come down to the southernmost state of Brazil in Rio Grande do Sul. At that time he and his family were missionaries with New Tribes Mission. The Brennans were also working the local cities and were experiencing a phenomenal time of growth as hundreds were coming to know Christ.
Tim knew Steve had wanted for years to put the chronological teaching on video, so asked Steve to come and produce the series there. Our family went back to Vianópolis, packed up our belongings and made the three day trip to southern Brazil.
Once again, Tim Brennan did this knowing of my father’s past and believing in his repentance and present integrity.
From 1999-2003, I lived in southern Brazil with my family. (I graduated in 2002 and stayed on a year to work in ministry) My siblings and I returned back to Via for the SAT exam and for all the school events such as initiation, end of the year banquets, field day, etc. All of our grades were still going through that school even though my mom was teaching us from down in southern Brazil. My brother spent his senior year in the Boy’s Dorm at Vianópolis.
During my senior year in high school, the cousin that had come to live with us for a year in first grade, came again to live with my family. She spent her seventh grade year with us where she shared a room with my sister. It was a marvelous time filled with many endearing memories.
God was doing phenomenal things in southern Brazil and it was a tremendous time of growth for my entire family. We made close and dear friends, we saw literally hundreds of people come to know the Lord as they studied the Bible chronologically. It was a thrilling time! Personally, we were all involved in several different outreaches. My parents had several Bible Studies both in our city as well as in neighboring towns.
I remember hiking down to the slum area with my friends, teaching Bible Studies to other teenagers or children and also working in the Sunday School with the children.
It was also during this time that Steve, my father, completed filming and editing the series "Além do Véu: Deus Revelado" (the Veil: God Revealed) a chronological series of Bible lessons in Portuguese taught by Valdir Vasconcelos.
It was during this time that Steve and Sonia, after further communication with the families of my cousins, and to try aliviate any of their fears and build bridges of trust back to them, sought a professional Christian counselor in Brasil. After much searching, they found one, but after contacting him, found he was returning to the US and was unable to help them with any further counseling.
In June of 2003 my whole family went back to the United States for their furlough. It was a beautiful time as we traveled together and visited family and friends. My sister and I both stayed on in the United States to begin that fall semester at the New Tribes Bible Institute in Waukesha, Wisconsin. My brother returned for his senior year at Vianópolis.
CONFRONTATION IN MINISTRY:
I write this next section with utmost care and love. First of all, I realize that the events stated here are still fresh in many people’s hearts and must surely carry pain. The following account is the narrative of a confrontation that took place between Steve Armour, my father, and Tim Brennan.
I want to publicly state our admiration and love for the entire Brennan family. My family is forever indebted to them for all they have taught us and the love they have extended to us. Countless hundreds if not thousands are also indebted to them for the legacy they have left and the part they have played in bringing so many to Christ. We are forever grateful to them.
That being said, I tread lightly in recounting what led to the division between my father and Tim Brennan. My parents were actively involved in one of the churches that Tim Brennan had planted. Tim Brennan had progressively been laying down some rules for ministry in his church that were leaving my parents very wary. The church was progressively becoming more and more legalistic and the leadership more controlling. These were some of the red flags that were tugging at Steve and Sonia’s hearts:
1. All evangelism had to be done using Tim Brennan’s book alone. No other form of evangelism was acceptable. (Not any other form however Biblical. Not even another chronological form of evangelism such as Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, or Creation to Christ, etc.) His book alone was the sole source for evangelism.
2. No one was allowed to begin a Bible study or any form of outreach without being first “approved by leadership.”
3. No Bible Study was allowed to have more than six people in them.
4. The Children’s Sunday school was being urged to remove all songs that mentioned Jesus name in them if the children had not yet “reached that lesson’ yet in the chronological lessons.
5. All dating, engagements, etc. had to pass leadership approval. Etc.
Steve was gravely concerned at a church that he saw was becoming more and more controlling and legalistic. The rules were rapidly squelching the life of the church. There were rules against clapping, rules against certain things you could wear, the Christian music you could listen to, etc.
The members of the church were not encouraged to visit any other churches or have fellowship with people from other churches. In fact, no one was even allowed to come to Tim Brennan’s church unless he had first done a chronological Bible Study with Tim’s book, and only a Bible Study that had been approved by the leadership.
Steve Armour approached Tim Brennan in private and questioned him over many of these issues (which he also gave him in writing) and told him quite frankly, “Tim, this is showing controlling, cultish signs! It’s not right!” My father said: “I honestly thought Tim Brennan was going to be shocked at that realization and want to change! But he didn’t.”
Finally, over a period of time, things got progeressively worse and when Steve persisted in pointing these things out to the leadership, they finally approached my parents and said, “We want you guys to leave this church and not come back.”My parents were shocked, “On what grounds? That’s not even Biblical!” dad asked to be able to say a word to the congregation that night and they consented. Steve stood up and briefly told the people that he loved them, that they were being asked to leave the church and that they didn’t agree with some of the actions of Tim and the leadership and with their decision to force them to leave. “If anyone would like to know the details you can come and ask us about it afterwards,” said.
It was a heartbreaking time! It was so painful to leave the church, as most were new believers, many of which had come to faith in Christ through Bible studies in my parent's home.
Interjection: Tim Brennan had also counseled Steve not to share his past sins with the church, as that was history and dealt with. Only after leaving the church did the leadership start to insinuate "sexual sin" as the reason for dismissal. Since that time, Steve has made a point of sharing these events with the people he ministers to. This is not only for accountability, but also to demonstrate the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
In February of 2004, Steve and Sonia left Tim Brennan’s church. Valdir Vasconcelos, a missionary with MNTB and current rector of Peniel Bible Institute, as well as many of the ex-leaders and ex-members of that church can attest to the truth of these facts. Most of the original 300-400 have since left that group. Many of them are now leaders, deacons or elders in other churches in the same city and can testify to these facts. As can the pastors of many other churches in the region.
Valdir Vasconcelos (as well as many other missionaries and leaders) disagreed with Tim Brennan on many of these same issues and they parted paths in ministry with him as a result. They can attest to the truth of these statements, as well as can the leadership of MNTB from which Tim Brennan was eventually dismissed.
THE BIRTH OF A NEW MINISTRY:
Steve and Sonia Armour continued to actively be involved in ongoing evangelism and discipleship in the local area and the planting of a vibrant house church in a nearby city.
Interjection: Contrary to other statements that have been made, my parent’s ministry has never been with children. Steve has been very careful to live in complete integrity without ever even giving cause for concern. To this day, different members of our team have had outreaches to children. Steve has always avoided any contact with these ministries in an attempt to always live above reproach.. This too, is easily a verifiable fact with any of the pastors and elders of all of the local churches to which they are in fellowship in the area.
In May of 2004, together with eight other students from NTBI, we traveled 8000km throughout Brazil performing an evangelistic drama I had written. My parents lovingly hosted the entire trip and organized the 35 performances in public schools, drug rehab areas, churches etc. It was an incredible trip in which the gospel was proclaimed to literally thousands of people.
Before our short term mission’s team left for Brazil, the oldest cousin (the one from the “first sin”) who was soon moving to Brazil with her husband, wrote me an e-mail and asked if our team would be willing to take some boxes of stuff for them to Brazil. I enthusiastically told her that we’d be more than glad to. Her husband drove over to NTBI and dropped off their boxes and each one of our team transported one of them down to Brazil. I was honored that she felt the liberty to ask and glad that we could be a blessing.
In was on this trip that I fell in love with Arlen Isaak, who is now my husband.
In May of 2005 my parents flew back to the United States. They traveled up to attend our graduation from NTBI. My dad was also involved in performing my sister's wedding as well as mine. In June my sister got married to Joel Craig and in July, my dear Arlen and I got married and then moved to Arizona where we became very actively involved with our church as well as beginning a youth group at our little home.
In January of 2006 Arlen and I moved to Brazil to begin a brand new video project with my parents. God had been birthing this plan for a long time and over time our team would come to be called Light in Action.
In June and July of 2006, Arlen and I, along with my parents, once again led another short term mission’s trip. Many students from NTBI came down to Brazil as well as some other college students who joined them from other places. It was fantastic, fruitful trip to which any of those on the trip can attest to as well as the many missionaries who were involved in some way in this endeavor.
In August of 2006, after much prayer, Joel and Stefanie Craig flew down from Pennsylvania to join our team. Before coming down to southern Brazil they also visited with the oldest cousin (the one from “the first sin.”)who was now living in Vianópolis. (The same one that my team had brought boxes down for.) They had a warm and wonderful time with her and her husband and their little family. She knew that I was pregnant with my first little girl and lovingly sent me a sweet little package with some baby clothes in it as well as a maternity shirt and some baby magazines. We stayed on each other’s update lists and were frequently in contact.
On September of 2006 my sweet little daughter Nina was born. At this time my cousin Danny, was working alongside of us in ministry. He was teaching Bible Studies as well as helping with the house church and retreats.
In June 2007, our whole team traveled to Peniel for Danny’s wedding to Bianca. We stayed with Danny’s father, my uncle Danny and his wife, Aunt Beth during the weeks that followed and filmed our very first episode, Creation,on a property near Peniel.
Shortly after we arrived back to our base in southern Brazil, Danny and Bianca sent us word that they had decided to join our Light in Action . We rejoiced!
A SHOCKING LETTER:
At around this time, Joel and Stefanie found out she was going to have a little girl. It was about then that we received a letter from the oldest cousin. (From “the first sin”) Actually it was a letter addressed to my husband Arlen and Stefanie’s husband Joel. The letter was a “warning” to them of the “dangerous man” that Steve Armour was and urging them to watch out and move their families away if they wanted to be good husbands and protect us.
We were absolutely devastated at these letters. We couldn’t have been more shocked. Our entire family mourned at these painful words. We had never tried to hide anything from Joel or Arlen. They knew about Steve Armour’s past. They hadn’t blindly walked into our family or this ministry without knowing.
“But I also know who Steve Armour is today and the life that he is living,” my husband wrote to her. Both Arlen and Joel wrote loving letters affirming her of my father Steve’s integrity and their trust and confidence in him as well as thanking her for having written.
We all waited anxiously for a reply. There were many tears shed, many prayers.
She wrote back and said that if we would not leave this ministry and part ways with Steve Armour then she did not want anything to do with us. She asked that we remove her from our update lists and informed us she was deleting our names from her contact list.
I cannot even describe our sorrow. What prompted these letters? What brought this on all of a sudden? And after all of these years? Lord, what do we do?
Many of those are painful, unanswered questions and motives of continual prayer.
New letters of apology were composed and written from my parents and many prayers were offered. Oh, God! Please bring restoration! This is still the prayer of our hearts to this day!
LIGHT IN ACTION GROWS
From 2007- 2008, by the infinite love and mercy of God, we were able to film and edit more episodes in this series that God is allowing us to be a part of. The Lord has given us countless blessings and opportunities. He is the Author and the Finisher of all that we have done and we are humbled that He has used us. Our theme verse is II Cor. 4:6,7 because we know that we are merely jars of clay and that the all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
We realized that with the expansion of our team we needed more room. Our Headquarters in southern Brazil were bursting at the seams and with the prospect of two other families joining us we began to look into possibilities for moving.
The Lord began laying northern Brazil on our hearts. Because the series we are working on is an evangelistic series through the Bible, we knew that soon we would face the need for topography and landscapes that looked similar to ancient Palestine. After much research online, in May of 2008 survey trip was made by my parents to Natal, Rio Grande do Norte.
God miraculously provided the most beautiful property for the Light in Action team to purchase. The following months from May to October of 2008 were spent not only in packing and preparation but final goodbyes to all the local churches and loved ones in the area, especially those from the beloved house church.
In October of 2008 the Light in Action team officially arrived in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. God has poured out His abundant provisions and mercies upon us. He has made His face to shine upon us. We are very thankful for each and every one of the churches that we work with in the area and all of the new friendships we have made. The Lord has expanded our team with wonderful co-workers and volunteers.
CONCLUSION:
It was my desire in this article to show absolute transparency and integrity with every fact attested to. Although some specifics such as people's names have been purposefully withheld to protect their privacy, I have tried to be as exacting as possible. I pray that through the facts carefully documented here, you will be able to see a complete repentance and victory over sin in the life of Steve Armour.
It was with untold tears and sorrow that I have written this article. My heart has been rent once more for all those who have been wounded. I pray that I have been able to rightfully convey first of all our love and Steve's deepest apology and sorrow over the pain he has caused.
This article has been specifically written at this time in response to the recent accusations being made against Steve Armour, and as a result our whole ministry team. We have labored at painstakingly clarifying misconceptions and faulty information.
Above all we seek to proclaim the power of the cross and the victory we have in Christ.
Of a God who has demonstrated white hot wrath against sin. The story of an innocent One dying in the place of those who were guilty. Taking our sins. Taking the wrath.
Scandalous grace. Giving forgiveness. Giving new life. Giving His righteousness.
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