Dear Friends,

 

We wanted to inform you of recent developments.

 

The investigation under Jim Holler and his team is progressing, and many have come forth to testify, those who testify of abuse and those who are witnesses. Jim has completed more than 137 different interviews and has received over 142 different intakes (that is people who have contacted him and are requesting interviews). While we don’t know what will be in the report, this is a higher number than we expected. We are praying for full transparency. 
 

In about one week’s time, we jumped from $36,000 raised for the investigation to $100,435! We hit our goal! We understand our fiduciary responsibility to those who are giving. All funds are going to this investigation. We may have to raise our goal slightly because of the growing number of people contacting Firefly Investigations to be interviewed. We will keep you posted.

Give here: https://secure.ncfgiving.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0UVx000002eaDJMAY

 

 

Pastoral Recommendation Team Members

In September, we introduced our commitment to speaking clearly on issues of disciplinary action for leaders where there is credible evidence of sexual sin or covering up sexual sin. This update seeks to provide background, context, and more detailed information regarding this process and team.

 

Conviction and Reasoning

Scripture treats the role of teacher and elder very seriously. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we see prophets, disciples, and the Messiah himself rebuke spiritual leaders who lead people astray or live in sin. Scripture also lays out principles for how His body, the Church, should respond to these leaders, commanding that when a leader is in persistent sin, it should be told to the congregation “So that it may be a warning for all” (1 Tim 5:20). 

 

In these instructions to elders, we see the heart of God both for the purity of His church and for the vulnerable who may be harmed or led astray by a sinful leader. The reason the congregation must be warned when it comes to sexual sin and predatory behavior is for the protection of the body of believers. You would not put someone in a youth pastor position who molested youth in the past. The question then becomes: To whom do you tell this? 

 

1. Scripture says to tell the congregation (1 Tim 5:20). When the New Testament was written, the writers could not have conceived of a time when pastors would have influence over millions of people via the Internet. Therefore, “telling it to the congregation” would mean announcing it publicly if this person has a vast following online.

2. We must consider potential future victims. Matthew 18 says that if a person repents, the issue is resolved. This refers to mostly personal offenses, not sexual sin by a leader against a constituent, and certainly not sexual crimes. Paul tells Timothy that congregants can bring accusations against elders directly to the eldership (1 Tim 5:19), bypassing Matt 18. (We would not expect a victim of sexual abuse from a pastor to have to confront that pastor alone as it says in Matt. 18—that goes against common sense). If a leader demonstrates what the elders believe, through thorough investigation, is predatory or narcissistic behavior, it is our view that the congregation must be warned, even if he repents. James 3:1 tells us that leaders are judged more strictly. The heart of the Hebrew prophets was always to protect the vulnerable against the powerful. 

 

We, likewise, take very seriously the responsibility that fellow leaders bear toward each other to protect the church. Often, the only means of protecting a vulnerable flock from a leader known to be harmful is ensuring Biblical accountability by publicly warning the body of Christ. For instance, if a church is given information that a regular guest speaker is involved in abusive sexual behavior, their responsibility is not merely to stop inviting the speaker but to warn others within his circle of influence. To not do so is to put others in the Body of Christ at risk.

 

It is within this context that we have formed the Pastoral Recommendation Team (PRT). The PRT's goal is to speak with unity regarding the fitness of leaders: 

1. Against whom serious allegations have been raised. 
 

2. Who have undergone an investigation. 

3. The investigation concludes that there is sufficient evidence to warn the Body.

 

The Process

We see in Scripture that we are commanded to do justice, which includes listening to both sides, receiving witnesses and evidence, and evaluating without partiality. Anyone accused of sexual sin will be contacted by the investigative team and be given the opportunity to explain themselves. 

 

We recognize however, that in cases where abuse is alleged, it is imperative that safe places are created where survivors can speak; and that individuals who are trained in investigative techniques, handling evidence, conducting trauma-informed processes, and evaluating allegations are critical to a just and accurate investigation.

 

In light of this, we have established that the PRT shall rely on investigative experts (Firefly) to interface with survivors and witnesses, conduct investigations, and fully protect victim and witness confidentiality when requested. The PRT will not have access to the investigative team’s work product, but the PRT will accept the report from the investigative team and hold the facts up to the light of Scripture to determine their position on a leader’s fitness for ministry. Survivor confidentiality, when alleged victims request it, will be tightly protected and reside only in the investigative firm—not the PRT.  

 

The PRT will be developing standards and processes that will be released publicly, so that there will be no doubt as to how the conclusions were reached. We will publish those standards and processes in a future update. 

 

The Team

In September, we communicated that, as soon as we finished assembling the panel of leaders and experts that will recommend disciplinary action for leaders who are implicated, we would release their names and credentials. This list is comprised of outside individuals who are not Tikkun leaders to avoid any hint of favoritism or partiality. In addition, they have no deep ties with IHOPKC. Among the team are five senior pastors, all from outside denominations, and several trauma-informed experts. These experts include two PhD psychologists and another counselor, all of whom have extensive experience in healing trauma from sexual abuse. 

 

The team will be moderated by Dan Juster, the founding president of Tikkun International.  Additional Tikkun leadership who have been involved in this process will help provide oversight. However, to preserve independence, none of the Tikkun leadership will have a vote on the panel. 

 

Team Members

 

Pastoral Recommendation Team

 

1. Dr. Daniel Juster, Moderator:  Founder Tikkun International.  Dan has twenty-eight years of experience as a senior pastor and served as the congregational overseer in Tikkun America Congregational Network from 1984-2022.  He wrote Due Process,  A Plea for Biblical Justice Among God’s People.

 

2. Pastor Jerry Dirman: Senior Pastor, The Rock, Anaheim (Four Square). He is also the founder of Solid Lives discipleship movement.   

 

3. Mark and Nicki Pfeifer: Founders and Senior Pastors of Open Door Christian Fellowship in Chillicothe, Ohio. Mark is also senior leader of the Soma Family of Ministries, the Soma Network of Schools.

 

4. Pastor Steve Prokopchak: Senior member of Dove Congregational Network Team.  He helps oversee congregations as part of this team. He and his wife oversee marriage and counseling for Dove, which has a forty-year testimony of integrity. Steve has vast experience in both congregational government and marriage ministry.

 

5. Dr. Rich Nichol: Rabbi Emeritus of Ruach Yisrael in the Boston Area.  Rich has over forty-four years of pastoral ministry.  He is the former President of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations and is the president of Messianic Jewish Theological Institute. 

 

Trauma-informed Psychological Experts:

 

1. Monica Mouer, PhD. Psychology.  Monica is deeply involved in trauma therapy, including sexual abuse, dissociation, and PTSD healing. 

 

2. Kim Vastine,  PhD. Kim is a certified chaplain and licensed minister and holds certifications in coaching, counseling, and public speaking. Kim, herself a survivor of sexual abuse, is connected to Life Model Works, effective in ministering to those who have experienced sexual abuse and trauma.  

 

3. Wanda Morgan, PhD. Therapist.  Wanda is highly qualified, specializing in issues related to the abuse of women and children.  

 

Rachael Denhollander, widely known in the survivor community as an advocate, will serve by helping the PRT craft its final recommendations.

 

 

Tikkun Global Process Oversight Team

 

1. Asher Intrater, President Tikkun Global, Jerusalem, Israel. Overseer of Tiferet Yeshua Congregation, Tel Aviv, and Ahavat Yeshua Congregation, Jerusalem.

 

2. Richard Cleary, Pastor in elder-led Kingdom Living Messianic Congregation, Shawnee, Kansas.

 

3. Ron Cantor, Former Senior Pastor Tiferet Yisrael in Tel Aviv, pastoral staff, Beth Messiah Congregation, President of Shelanu TV Hebrew Outreach, Tikkun Global Senior Team member.

 

4. Melva Phelps, pastor, ministry leader, Melva Lea Ministries, 40 years of pastoral and ministry experience. 

 

5. Daniel Juster, see above

 

We want to emphasize that, regardless of what our positions may or may not have been before or even during this investigation, the investigators have been working impartially in interviewing dozens of witnesses and contacting those implicated. The PRT will not be working from opinions, what people have posted online, or even what different Tikkun leaders may have said over the past year since this issue arose. They will work exclusively from the report given to them by Firefly Investigators. The purpose of this investigation is to uncover the truth—not to "create" truth. 

 

Thank you, everyone, for keeping this process in your prayers. It is our sincere desire that churches will decide to implement procedures for dealing with accusations of sexual misconduct in their congregations. Together, we can help bring purity and healing to the Body of Christ.