Messianic apologist Michael Brown engaged in “sexually abusive misconduct” with one young woman and an “inappropriate relationship” with a second married woman in the early 2000s, a third-party investigative report by Firefly has found.
The sexual misconduct included physical touch with Sarah Monk, a then 20-year-old woman who worked for Brown, the Firefly investigative report stated. Brown also appeared to engage in a “calculated effort to evade accountability,” Firefly found.
“Such behavior, in any form, is entirely unacceptable in any setting, but particularly within church and ministry settings,” wrote Jim Holler, Firefly’s investigator.
Michael Brown, 70, is founder of the Concord, North Carolina-based ministry, The Line of Fire (formerly AskDrBrown). He also led the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry and founded the Fire School of Ministry. Brown has taught thousands of students who went on to lead ministries affecting “tens of millions of people,” Firefly reported.
Brown didn’t immediately respond to The Roys Report (TRR)’s request for comment.
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Monk told TRR she’s still processing the report but was initially struck with how misleading Brown could be.
“If Mike can cover up his own sexual abusive misconduct with me, then he can cover for other ministries,” Monk said.
After TRR reported allegations of sexual misconduct last December, the Line of Fire (LOF) board hired Firefly’s investigator Jim Holler to investigate. Holler told TRR he released the report to the LOF board last Saturday. LOF published Firefly’s report, in full, on its website yesterday afternoon.
Firefly also found that Brown “deliberately deflected questions about allegations of sexual misconduct.”
“This pattern of deflection appears to be a calculated effort to evade accountability, suppress the allegations, and protect his ministry’s reputation,” Firefly stated.
Firefly’s report confirms TRR’s reporting on allegations that Brown swatted his secretary’s butt, kissed her, held her hand, and allowed her to sit on his lap. Firefly also confirmed TRR’s reporting that Brown engaged in an “inappropriate” relationship with a now-deceased married congregant from a church he pastored during the Brownsville revival. The relationship included “sexually related communication,” the report stated.
“These actions not only betray the confidence placed in these roles but also inflict significant harm on individuals and communities, eroding the trust essential for fostering spiritual guidance and support,” Firefly stated.
Firefly interviewed Brown, who denied he kissed former secretary Sarah Monk on her lips, contradicting her testimony.
Brown admitted an “emotional affair” and “adultery of the heart” with the married woman but denied any physical touch with her.
“BROWN stated they ‘both said some sinful things to each other and that it was the most despicable thing that he had ever done,’” Firefly reported.
This is consistent with Brown’s previous claim to TRR that the relationship had an “emotional, not a physical, tie.”
Firefly investigators conducted 88 interviews with witnesses and survivors, 14 of which were reinterviews, the report states. Firefly also reviewed 500 documents, some of which were emails from ministry leaders confronting Brown, and Brown denying allegations.
In addition to the two situations of inappropriate relationships, the report found:
- Brown admonished women for their revealing dress and kept strict purity and dating standards at the school.
- Brown was affectionate with multiple female students including a couple women he “wrapped” his arm around.
- Brown invited young women on trips with him, sometimes inviting them into his hotel room to “just hang out.”
- Brown’s wife, Nancy, forbid Brown’s assistant Scott Volk from telling anyone about the close relationship Volk noticed Brown had with the married woman.
- In 2002, Brown accused former FIRE administrator Niels Prip, who confronted Brown about Brown’s hand-holding with Monk, of trying to bring down Brown’s ministry.
The report stated Brown’s behavior could be characterized as “sexual harassment” or “hostile work environment.” Firefly recommended better training, policies, preventative measures, and response protocols. But Firefly stopped short of making any recommendations about the future of Brown’s ministry with LOF or elsewhere.
Also, Firefly found no credible allegations of sexual misconduct after 2002. Firefly also noted that many people came forward to share positive stories of Brown’s ministry, leadership, integrity, and “purity of his heart” in support of Brown.
The LOF board hasn’t released a statement to accompany the report. Board spokesperson Jonathan Bernis emailed to TRR that LOF’s accountability team intends to respond next week.
LOF previously stated that it has assembled an outside team of elders and leaders, including one trauma-informed counselor, to figure out a plan when the investigation is completed. Their names will be released next week, Bernis stated.
Firefly also recently investigated allegations of sexual misconduct by Mike Bickle, founder of the International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC).
Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado.
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25 Responses
Is this the same Michael Brown who debated John MacArthur over the Strange Fire conference and material? Time and truth walk hand-in-hand.
Haven’t the foggiest idea what that means, but yes, Michael Brown and John MacArthur have had a number of back-and-forths over their theological differences.
Yes indeedy – the very same!
It is. He also wrote a book in response called, “Authentic Fire.”
Two people who are truly snakes. We idolaters love putting broken men up on a pedestal lifting them up so high they are bound to fall. We do this to them, while they want this to be done while being so arrogant that they think they are immune to falling. Narcissism on parade and we are the ones who worship these anti-Christs who have placed themselves in between us and God while they tell us what to think and how much Mammon we must give to them and to their self-made empires. All the while we make Jesus into the ultimate victim. We do not see Him, do not recognize who He is right now, and do not fear Him but fear man instead.
Blake Shaw, countless continuationist scholars debated John MacArthur over the Strange Fire conference and material (e.g. Stanley M. Burgess, Randy Clark, Ronald Cottle, William De Arteaga, Jack Deere, Paul Elbert, Andrew T. Floris, Robert W. Graves, Gary S. Greig, Wayne Grudem, James Hernando, Melvin L. Hodges, Eddie Hyatt, William K. Kay, Craig S. Keener, Robert Menzies, J. P. Moreland, Douglas A. Oss, Cecil M. Robeck Jr., Jon M. Ruthven, Mark Rutland, Omer Jaye Sharp, Gary Shogren, Sam Storms, Horace S. Ward, and David A Womack–those are just the contributors of one volume of articles that Robert W. Graves edited: Strangers To Fire. There’s also R. T. Kendall’s, Holy Fire, which was released a year after the Strange Fire conference of 2013). Are you implying that these scholars and all other continuationists are eventually going to be revealed as sexual abusers too? The cessationism vs continuationism in-house discussion has nothing to do with the character of the people who make the arguments. Using your logic, I could say, “Wasn’t Steve Lawson on the panel of the Strange Fire conferences? Time and truth walk hand-in-hand,” which, of course, ignores the other Strange Fire panelists who have been above reproach and ignores the valid exegesis of biblical texts that Lawson brought to the discussion. During this time of cleansing in the Body of Christ, we need to make sure we don’t fall prey to committing the ad hominem fallacy or building biblical doctrine off of our experience. Bless you, Blake Shaw.
Perverts can be found in every corner of the Evangelical spectrum. Not just in the ones you don’t agree with.
Things are just not adding up here. Now I understand how a relationship with a pastor and a congregate can be unbalanced and the congregate could be intimidated by the pastors position. What I don’t get is why did they wait decades to say anything about it after there were no longer under that control or influence. Why now.? Michael Brown has admitted that he acted inappropriately. And it doesn’t seem to be a pattern of this type of behavior. some say that Michael Brown is being coy and deceptive in his response. However he has to be careful because of the way lawsuit can be brought against a person and what you say can be used against you. My hope is that after they do a thorough investigation And a true facts or determined to be such. That Michael Brown would ask for forgiveness seek restitution. Let’s not just shoot the wounded which Christians are so apt to do.
“What I don’t get is why did they wait decades to say anything about it after there were no longer under that control or influence. Why now.?”
You will find the answer on Google, my brother
This also explains why Brown covered for and defended Mike Bickle and IHOP. All these narcissist sociopath church leaders cover for each other and as everybody know everybody’s skeletons. They might as well as organize into crime families like La Cosa Nostra. But at least La Cosa Nostra has higher standards and honor.
You do not fool me Michael Brown! Your trend of inappropriate behavior towards women is apparent to anyone with wisdom and common sense. Where there is smoke there is fire certainly applies to you. Smoke surrounds you! If my husband were on a business trip with invited women and invited them to his hotel room to hang out, that is a flag with lots of smoke! Your intentions were not honorable but sinful! Based on your behavior with other women do you expect me to believe your claim that you did not kiss Sarah? Deception and lies seem to surround you. I would not be giving you a standing ovation; but would exit that church in disgust!
Your points and perspective are well placed and important to what is going on here
Do they forget they will stand before the judgement seat of Christ, as we all will? Where is the fear of God? Why do these men take advantage of women/young girls who look up to them like a father figure? Also I’m glad to read Tom Keesee is in jail for the weekend, and will face a jury for his abuse to his sister and others. Lord open the floodgates of uncovering the perpetrators! It’s time to repent!
Why on Easter weekend?
Bad timing.
And where’s the investigation into Brown’s involvement and coverup of dozens of child SAs of Globe Haiti Orphanage leaders (Keith Lashbrook and Vance Cherry) in Haiti??
And why are we surprised… We’re not. When are Christians going to stop revering and following celebrity “pastors?”
It never pays to lie about misconduct. Holy Bible says ,”be sure your sins will find you out.” And they did. Fear & reverence of God will stop these horrendous acts of evil against another human being. This is the season Father God is uncovering & exposing these godless so called ministries right and left. It is overwhelming but good. Thank you TRR for all you do for the Lord in reporting and exposing what we need to know. Blessings be unto all of you. It is much appreciated. Keep it up til Jesus returns.
Looks like MB is “in the line of [getting] fire[d].”
We either have Yahshua’s Mind, His Helmet of Salvation upon our heads, as commanded in Ephesians 6 and Philippians 2:5; or we experience age old limerence (fantasy; expecting the object of our desire, our lust, our fantasy to reciprocate and follow us and our desires instead of Messiah/Torah/Word of YHWH Who is Pure). With Yahshua’s Mind in us, we look out for the total good and welfare of any other person in our life by speaking and acting in Truth; and not for his destruction. If we are married, we truly become one with our spouse and help him to achieve his highest potential in life: To become the Eternal Bride of Yahshua our Messiah.
This is why we are coming together as the Two Houses; the Two Sticks; the Two Witnesses in the Mighty Hand of YHWH: Ezekiel 37:16 and of which Yahshua spoke in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Joseph/Ephraim) helping the wounded man from Judah. This is Rest-oration: REST.
Until this happens, fantasy (lies) continues to overwhelm in an obsessively sinful state of mind which is destructively consuming and provides no rest day or night who worship this desire for reciprocation of the fantasy, instead of Truth/Restoration of Yahshua: Revelation 14:11 and obtaining His Mind.
Each one today must decide: Yahshua the Truth, or limerence/sin/lies. There is no middle ground. The plain of Morah: Genesis 12:6, or the plain of Dura: Daniel 3:1.
And having done all, clothed with LIGHT which is the Seven Spirits of YHWH/Parts of the Armour of YHWH: STAND forgiven by Yahshua’ shed Blood and His Authority Alone – He is Faithful to forgive and to clothe us with Him Self, the LIGHT of the world: HIs Righteousness.
You are speaking in riddles and not making any sense. Jesus’ name in Hebrew is Yeshua. We speak English, and do not have to refer to Jesus as Yeshua or any other name.
The passage of time doesn’t exonerate Michael Brown from the fact that his misconduct touching on sexual matters permanently disqualifies him from ministry.
Add in his assistance in the IHOPKC coverup of Mike Bickle’s clergy abuse and his cover-up of the Sexual abuse of many minors in Haiti by employees of Globe International, a ministry allied with his Brownsville School of Ministry/Fire, and Brown’s misconduct is appalling. He needs to stay out of the pulpit, off the airwaves, out of cyberspace, and end other forms of ministry.
But he won’t, mark my word!
Unfortunately Brown has written some good books BUT as he is a manipulative bulling lying narcissist this makes him a rather dangerous man oh and it explains why he covers for the most egregious heretical blasphemous false teachers out there too
Have said it before and I’ll say it again. All this so called good preaching or good books written is one dimensional.
The best teaching method is modeling.
Noe of this surprises me. Brown is a grifter par excellence. You can tell he’s sex-obsessed by reading any of his columns.