email: creyner@yahoo.com
I am sickened by yet another icon of Christianity hiding from a bigger scandal than they already have. This is the trouble with icons. The TRUTH cuts to the bone marrow. We cannot support this kind of thing. I will not be supporting VOM in the future unless and until they submit to a complete investigation and come out on the other side clean, which seems highly unlikely considering the sloppy and wrong-headed way they have handled this, not to mention the way they have treated Richard Wurmbrand in his search for the truth and to protect his parents' names.
Lighthouse Trails Research is the best of Christian research. I have followed them since their beginning. Their reward will be in the next realm. No one wants to hear this stuff, including me. Researching and reporting the truth is a thankless task in this day and age. CMR
The story gets off to a slow start, but is an incredible read once you get into it.
Link to original article on title below:
March 16th, 2014
| 
Author: Lighthouse Trails Editors
On March 14th, Lighthouse Trails
received an e-mail from Michael Wurmbrand, the son of the late Richard
Wurmbrand, founder of Voice of the Martyrs. In order to verify the
authenticity of the letter we received, we contacted VOM first. A man
answering the phone and listening to our question transferred us to a
message machine. We left our question but did not receive a call back as
of the writing of this article. We then searched on the Internet and
found a phone number for Michael Wurmbrand. We called and had a
ten-minute conversation with him. We also have had e-mail correspondence
with him since. After our phone call with him, we were convinced that
this letter below is indeed from Richard Wurmbrand’s son. We have also
been able to verify many of the statements he has made below. We also
believe Michael is not making these statements out of any vindictive
motive.
Some may be asking why we are posting this, given the fact that VOM works to help persecuted Christians worldwide. A few comments on that:
First, as Lighthouse Trails has always maintained, the power of sin lies in its secrecy; and this is especially true in cases of child sexual abuse. According to Michael Wurmbrand’s letter, after VOM director Tom White committed suicide on the same day a police investigation was opened on allegations that White had molested a 10-year-old girl,1 Michael Wurmbrand requested that an independent investigation be conducted, especially given the fact that the Chief of Police in Bartlesville (the city where VOM exists) is also on the board of VOM, and the Bartlesville police closed the case shortly after White’s death. Michael explains below what happened after he made that request.
Second, if indeed Michael’s statements are true (and we have no reason or evidence to doubt they are), then in all fairness, the body of Christ needs to know these things.There have been other concerns about VOM (ecumenism, Catholic sympathies, contemplative, etc.), and to ignore these important issues is wrong, especially in view of the acceleration of worldwide spiritual deception happening today.
Third, as we witness various Christian organizations being exposed for sexual, financial, and other scandals (such as the recent allegations by over thirty women against Bill Gothard, the serious plagiarism by Mark Driscoll, the demise of Vision Forum (a major player in homeschooling resources, and so forth), two things come to our mind:
First, the secular media is using these stories to make it look like this is how most fundamentalist conservative Christians behave.
Second, we think of the Scripture that talks tells us “judgment beginning in the house of the God” (1 Peter 4:17). The evangelical/Protestant church is in big trouble. It needs to be shaken in order to return to its “first love.” Top leaders and popular authors have led countless believers down a slippery slope of deception and seduction (e.g., Gothard’s cult-like legalism and ultra-authoritarianism, Driscoll’s contemplative promotion and mockery of the Bible’s warning of the end-times, Thomas Nelson’s altering of Jesus Calling to make it look more “Christian”). The church is filled with mega-corporation-style organizations that act as if they can do anything they want while they toy with the emotional and spiritual lives of millions and play catch-me-if-you-can. Add to this the utter catastrophe of contemplative mysticism (i.e., occultism) overtaking countless Christian organizations, schools, and denominations, and we’ve got the makings for an apostate church. But many of these Christian “leaders” are beginning to be exposed. While we know that the liberal secular media and the emerging church will use these stories for political gain and actually to cause confused Christians to come over to their side, we also know that God can use these situations to bring about genuine conversion and repentance among many. Already Lighthouse Trails has heard from many believers who have repented after being deceived by the “Jesus” of Jesus Calling.
And this is why we are compelled to post articles like this letter below by Michael Wurmbrand—to bring light to areas of darkness but also to defend true Christianity, to say to the world that there are believers in Christ all over the world who day after day, year after year serve the Lord faithfully, who do not molest children, do not plagiarize, do not practice the contemplative “stillness” in order to know God, and do not steal money or grow monstrous corporations that knock down everything in their path. While we know that 1 John tells us we are liars if we say we do not sin (1 John 1:8-10) (for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God), it also says if we continue in sin, we do not have God in our lives (1 John 3:6-10).
While it is not the intention of Lighthouse Trails to destroy any ministry, we cannot in good conscience push under the rug situations that come to our attention when they affect so many. Our hope for these ministries is that they would walk in repentance and godliness just as God has called all Christians to do so.
We do have a concern in the midst of these “kingdoms” crumbling and that is for the Christians who have been followers of these organizations. Many of them are sincere conservative Bible-believing Christians, and they are the ones who are going to be most hurt by what their leaders have done. For example, millions of homeschool families have sought out the teachings of Bill Gothard. As they learn that their leader has been sexually assaulting young girls for the past number of decades, will these dear families swing to the opposite of the pendulum and enter the emerging/new spirituality? We have heard rumors that this is already happening to some of them. They now realize that Gothard’s teachings were wrong; sadly, rather than finding what true biblical Christianity is, many will merely turn to another extreme and perhaps even away from God all together, blaming Him for what man has done.
This situation with homeschoolers is serious. Even Michael Wurmbrand told us that VOM has been targeting American homeschoolers with campaign literature. And it was just recently that a major homeschool curriculum CEO (from Vision Forum) stepped down after admitting to an extra-marital affair. The entire organization shut down, leaving a vacuum within the homeschool world. What is going to happen to these homeschoolers? Who or what is going to fill the void? Sadly, it may not be true Christianity.
We have carefully and prayerfully considered the ramifications of posting this letter from Michael. We are not the only ones doing so in a spirit of deep concern. One very good friend of Richard Wurmbrand’s posted his own thoughts about this, stating,
And now, the letter we received from Michael Wurmbrand:
(MUST READ ... Go to this link to read the rest of the article.)
I am sickened by yet another icon of Christianity hiding from a bigger scandal than they already have. This is the trouble with icons. The TRUTH cuts to the bone marrow. We cannot support this kind of thing. I will not be supporting VOM in the future unless and until they submit to a complete investigation and come out on the other side clean, which seems highly unlikely considering the sloppy and wrong-headed way they have handled this, not to mention the way they have treated Richard Wurmbrand in his search for the truth and to protect his parents' names.
Lighthouse Trails Research is the best of Christian research. I have followed them since their beginning. Their reward will be in the next realm. No one wants to hear this stuff, including me. Researching and reporting the truth is a thankless task in this day and age. CMR
The story gets off to a slow start, but is an incredible read once you get into it.
Link to original article on title below:
March 16th, 2014
|
Author: Lighthouse Trails EditorsSome may be asking why we are posting this, given the fact that VOM works to help persecuted Christians worldwide. A few comments on that:
First, as Lighthouse Trails has always maintained, the power of sin lies in its secrecy; and this is especially true in cases of child sexual abuse. According to Michael Wurmbrand’s letter, after VOM director Tom White committed suicide on the same day a police investigation was opened on allegations that White had molested a 10-year-old girl,1 Michael Wurmbrand requested that an independent investigation be conducted, especially given the fact that the Chief of Police in Bartlesville (the city where VOM exists) is also on the board of VOM, and the Bartlesville police closed the case shortly after White’s death. Michael explains below what happened after he made that request.
Second, if indeed Michael’s statements are true (and we have no reason or evidence to doubt they are), then in all fairness, the body of Christ needs to know these things.There have been other concerns about VOM (ecumenism, Catholic sympathies, contemplative, etc.), and to ignore these important issues is wrong, especially in view of the acceleration of worldwide spiritual deception happening today.
Third, as we witness various Christian organizations being exposed for sexual, financial, and other scandals (such as the recent allegations by over thirty women against Bill Gothard, the serious plagiarism by Mark Driscoll, the demise of Vision Forum (a major player in homeschooling resources, and so forth), two things come to our mind:
First, the secular media is using these stories to make it look like this is how most fundamentalist conservative Christians behave.
Second, we think of the Scripture that talks tells us “judgment beginning in the house of the God” (1 Peter 4:17). The evangelical/Protestant church is in big trouble. It needs to be shaken in order to return to its “first love.” Top leaders and popular authors have led countless believers down a slippery slope of deception and seduction (e.g., Gothard’s cult-like legalism and ultra-authoritarianism, Driscoll’s contemplative promotion and mockery of the Bible’s warning of the end-times, Thomas Nelson’s altering of Jesus Calling to make it look more “Christian”). The church is filled with mega-corporation-style organizations that act as if they can do anything they want while they toy with the emotional and spiritual lives of millions and play catch-me-if-you-can. Add to this the utter catastrophe of contemplative mysticism (i.e., occultism) overtaking countless Christian organizations, schools, and denominations, and we’ve got the makings for an apostate church. But many of these Christian “leaders” are beginning to be exposed. While we know that the liberal secular media and the emerging church will use these stories for political gain and actually to cause confused Christians to come over to their side, we also know that God can use these situations to bring about genuine conversion and repentance among many. Already Lighthouse Trails has heard from many believers who have repented after being deceived by the “Jesus” of Jesus Calling.
And this is why we are compelled to post articles like this letter below by Michael Wurmbrand—to bring light to areas of darkness but also to defend true Christianity, to say to the world that there are believers in Christ all over the world who day after day, year after year serve the Lord faithfully, who do not molest children, do not plagiarize, do not practice the contemplative “stillness” in order to know God, and do not steal money or grow monstrous corporations that knock down everything in their path. While we know that 1 John tells us we are liars if we say we do not sin (1 John 1:8-10) (for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God), it also says if we continue in sin, we do not have God in our lives (1 John 3:6-10).
While it is not the intention of Lighthouse Trails to destroy any ministry, we cannot in good conscience push under the rug situations that come to our attention when they affect so many. Our hope for these ministries is that they would walk in repentance and godliness just as God has called all Christians to do so.
We do have a concern in the midst of these “kingdoms” crumbling and that is for the Christians who have been followers of these organizations. Many of them are sincere conservative Bible-believing Christians, and they are the ones who are going to be most hurt by what their leaders have done. For example, millions of homeschool families have sought out the teachings of Bill Gothard. As they learn that their leader has been sexually assaulting young girls for the past number of decades, will these dear families swing to the opposite of the pendulum and enter the emerging/new spirituality? We have heard rumors that this is already happening to some of them. They now realize that Gothard’s teachings were wrong; sadly, rather than finding what true biblical Christianity is, many will merely turn to another extreme and perhaps even away from God all together, blaming Him for what man has done.
This situation with homeschoolers is serious. Even Michael Wurmbrand told us that VOM has been targeting American homeschoolers with campaign literature. And it was just recently that a major homeschool curriculum CEO (from Vision Forum) stepped down after admitting to an extra-marital affair. The entire organization shut down, leaving a vacuum within the homeschool world. What is going to happen to these homeschoolers? Who or what is going to fill the void? Sadly, it may not be true Christianity.
We have carefully and prayerfully considered the ramifications of posting this letter from Michael. We are not the only ones doing so in a spirit of deep concern. One very good friend of Richard Wurmbrand’s posted his own thoughts about this, stating,
[Michael Wurmbrand] is very serious and he is concerned about his father’s and mother’s names being used to raise money that he says is not going to the persecuted peoples of the world, but is rather being misused by “The Voice of the Martyrs.”There is one more issue we want to address and that is the allegations of sexual abuse that were brought against Tom White by the parents of a 10-year-old girl. When we first posted the story about White’s suicide last year, someone commented to us that it was unlikely that Tom White molested a child and that perhaps this was a conspiracy of murder against White by Muslims angry at VOM for their work in Middle-eastern countries. As we have examined the facts that we have been able to obtain (including the testimony by Michael Wurmbrand to us by phone where he told us he knew the family, as well as a pastor who spoke with the father of the girl and posted the account online and who stated: “there is no doubt the abuse occurred”), we have no reason to doubt that the allegations are legitimate. Thus, it is more than reasonable for Voice of the Martyrs to be willing to allow an independent investigation into these allegations and also any other possible sexual abuses against children that may have occurred within their organization. It is a proven fact that most child predators do not molest just one child during the course of their lifetimes.
And now, the letter we received from Michael Wurmbrand:
(MUST READ ... Go to this link to read the rest of the article.)
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