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For every leader who has written a blog post, tweeted, commented on, the steps being taken by RZIM, how good they are, how important the truth is, or how to prevent this, please hear the grief you are compounding:
You have written about how God and right these steps are, but not until they were already taken. Not until the facade was removed.
You did not lift your voice to cry for the truth you now applaud. That fell on the shoulders of the victims. The women.
You did not lift your voice to cry for the truth you now applaud. That fell on the shoulders of the victims. The women.
You applaud the independent investigation, but never pressed for it when it needed to be done.
When your voice was desperately needed in 2017 and all the years that followed, you were silent.
You left the victims alone, your silence a deafening testament that you did not care
When your voice was desperately needed in 2017 and all the years that followed, you were silent.
You left the victims alone, your silence a deafening testament that you did not care
You praise accountability but as far as I can see, have never ONCE demanded it of anyone you labor alongside.
Not SGC. Not Ravi. Not Paige Patterson, or Jerry Vines, or any other leader accused of abuse or enabling.
Not SGC. Not Ravi. Not Paige Patterson, or Jerry Vines, or any other leader accused of abuse or enabling.
You took less than 24 hours to put your voice out there applauding a step you could not be bothered to ask for when your voice was desperately needed by the most vulnerable.
You had nothing to say until the work was done and it cost you nothing.
You had nothing to say until the work was done and it cost you nothing.
The work was done by the victims and the cost borne by them, and by advocates who you refused to heed for four years, or who you have outright maligned.
But now you wish to speak and offer wisdom and counsel and support? As if these were steps you knew all along were needed?
But now you wish to speak and offer wisdom and counsel and support? As if these were steps you knew all along were needed?
If this repentance and these steps you applaud were so godly and important and needed, where were your voices urging them?
Where are your voices urging them now for leaders and institutions that have steadfastly refused these very steps?
Where are your voices urging them now for leaders and institutions that have steadfastly refused these very steps?
Where is YOUR apology for the silence? For maligning victims and advocates who have long urged these steps with RZIM, SGC, the SBC and so many more? The same steps you now applaud?
Where was your voice when it was desperately needed? Where was your conviction when it would cost?
Where was your voice when it was desperately needed? Where was your conviction when it would cost?
In less than 24 hours so many of you have offered your theories on why this happened and how to prevent it - how much time have you spent learning deeply from survivors and experts about the real dynamics of abuse, it's causes, and prevention?
Everything that has been brought to light came at the cost and effort of the survivors and advocates. Few to none of whom you have listened to, many of whom you have maligned in days past for their work, and none of whom you have apologized to.
It is not time to applaud steps you are not willing to raise your voice for when it counts. Do not act as if this matters to you when you do not care enough when it would cost.
Stop applauding this step. Start urging those who have refused this step, to take it. Do it publicly.
Stop applauding this step. Start urging those who have refused this step, to take it. Do it publicly.
Stop offering fixes and prevention when you have spent no time learning from those who have sacrificed so much to be able to truly understand abuse, it's dynamics, prevention and response. From those who sounded the alarm years before your theories.
Use your voice and platform to point to the work they have done, the price they paid, the cost of not listening earlier. Point people to the wise counsel purchased at great cost.
Wait to speak until you have faithfully spoken when it would cost.
Wait to speak until you have faithfully spoken when it would cost.
Every time the facade is lifted on an abuser victims wait, anticipating the flood of statements from the very people they begged to help them.
They know it is coming, because it always does once it is easy. And it is crushing to watch again and again
They know it is coming, because it always does once it is easy. And it is crushing to watch again and again
And yes leaders, there was much pleading publicly for your voice not just here, but in many places where you enjoy the benefits of co-laboring, while wanting none of the responsibilities.
You took less than 24 hours to raise your voice. But you are years too late.
You took less than 24 hours to raise your voice. But you are years too late.
