As Messianic apologist Michael Brown faces sexual misconduct allegations from outside his organization, he’s losing support from within. All three members of Brown’s board have left this year, El Informe Roys (TRR) has confirmed.
This is during the same time period a sex abuse scandal has eclipsed Brown’s Line of Fire ministry.
“One by one, they left,” said Ron Cantor, president of Shelanu TV and former Brown confidant. “My understanding is that there are no board members right now unless they’re new.”
Cuándo TRR contacted Line of Fire board member Cindy Panepinto last November regarding the allegations, she told TRR the board had four members: Herself, Brown, former personal assistant Scott Volk, and Jonathan Bernis, founder and president of the Phoenix-based Jewish Voice Ministries International.
Bernis quit earlier this month, citing health and family reasons. He told TRR earlier this week that Brown had brought on “some new, really capable board members,” but will only divulge it’s “at least two.”
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Panepinto, co-founder of Upward Call Ministries in Charlotte, North Carolina, told TRR this week that she resigned from the board two weeks ago. She said she has also resigned from her staff position as director of operations for Line of Fire. Panepinto didn’t give TRR a reason why she left both roles.
Volk, who was Brown’s personal assistant from 1997 to 2002, told TRR this week he resigned from the board in January. He declined to say why.
Volk was also a witness in an inquiry conducted earlier this year by Firefly Investigations that concluido that Brown had engaged in “sexually abusive misconduct” with former secretary Sarah Monk by swatting Monk’s rearend, kissing her, holding her hand, and allowing her to sit on his lap. The Firefly report also concluded Brown engaged in an “inappropriate relationship” that included “sexually related communication” with a second woman in the early 2000s.
Brown, a leader in the Brownsville revival of the late 1990s, was founding the FIRE School of Ministry at the time of the misconduct.
According to the Firefly report, Brown confessed to Volk that he was having a relationship with a married woman and told Volk he would end things. In a “heated” conversation with Volk, Brown’s wife, Nancy, forbid Volk from telling anyone, including Volk’s wife.
Brown hasn’t responded to TRR requests for names of any new board members. As Line of Fire doesn’t list board members on its site, questions remain as to who is now overseeing Brown.
Demand letters
This past week, Brown’s ministry fired off several legal demands to detractors who have commented or reported on various allegations about the organization.
On Tuesday, attorney Barry Arrington sent Cantor a demand and cease and desist letter, a copy of which Cantor’s attorney Richard Towne provided to TRR. The letter focused on comments Cantor made in a witness report about how Brown failed to warn a missions organization about an alleged predator.
In 2008, Brown’s FIRE School of Ministry removed volunteer mentor Keith Lashbrook for inappropriate behavior with young women but failed to warn Lashbrook’s mission organization, Globe, which oversaw a Haitian orphanage Lashbrook ran, TRR previamente reportado. Two years later, recently adopted children from Lashbrook’s orphanage began telling their new American parents that Lashbrook and his staff had abused them.
Along with three former FIRE leaders, Cantor recently signed a bombshell report that included 25 witnesses’ testimonies and documentation about sexual and spiritual abuse, some of which was not included in the Firefly report.
The demand letter gives Cantor two weeks to respond. Towne told TRR that he plans to send a response likely next week.
“As is our standard practice, we’ll review and evaluate the assertions in the letter and craft an appropriate response,” he said.
After Brown learned of child abuse allegations at the orphanage, he also allegedly encouraged families not to take legal action or publicize their concerns and to trust Globe.
“The sad thing about this situation is the mothers of the Haitian children, Natalie (Lewis) and Milissa (McGavin), say that the reason Mike Brown did not want them to sue Globe is because it’s not what Christians do,” Cantor said. “Yet he’s willing to sue somebody over information regarding the Haiti situation.”
Brown’s attorney, Arrington, was the attorney who representado families of victims of the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School in a lawsuit against the gunmen’s parents. Arrington is now the chief legal counsel for the National Association for Gun Rights.
Blaise and Christina Foret, YouTubers with a show, “Wake up and Win” published an episode called, “Michael Brown Fired a Predator—Then Let Him Run an Orphanage in Haiti.” Brown’s attorney sent them a similar cease and desist and demand letter for retraction. The letter gives the Forets, who are also represented by Towne, two weeks to respond. Towne told TRR he’ll also provide a response to the Forets’ letter.
Arrington also sent Canadian journalist Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson a cease and desist letter with a demand for retraction on her reporting in her episode, “Two Predators on the Loose After Dr. Michael Brown and Globe Mission Coverup.” The letter also gives her two weeks to respond.
“I am collaborating with Ron and the other whistleblower on what took place and if we have gotten any information wrong, we will correct it,” Thompson told TRR. “But if it is Dr. Michael Brown’s word against those that we know to speak the truth, we will probably side with them.”
Arrington also sent a letter para TRR, but it wasn’t a cease and desist and demand for retraction letter. Rather it was a warning that cease-and-desist letters were sent to others with the advisement to TRR not to report the recipients’ defamatory statements in any of TRR's future reporting.
“I hereby put you on notice of the falsity of these libelous allegations should you choose to include them in your future coverage,” the letter states.
The letter also included a statement from Brown.
“Claiming to speak for victims does not confer a license to lie,” Brown states in the letter to TRR. “The accusations made by certain persons about covering or abetting child sexual abuse in Haiti are vile and false, causing irreparable harm to many. These are especially horrific charges that have been repeated without regard for facts in something like a mob mentality.
“If those behind these baseless allegations wish to retract them and apologize, there is a way forward. If not, a truth-sorting process is needed to demonstrate both the falsity of their comments, and the harm they have caused. This is not about silencing anyone, but rather bringing truth where people think they can spew any kind of nonsense without consequence.”
Rebecca Hopkins es una periodista radicada en Colorado.
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19 Responses
Anytime the majority or all of board members are resigning, and the ministry is sending out cease-and-desist letters, it is a very bad sign.
Moot point now, but having a staff member (Panepinto) serve on the organization’s board seems like such a glaring conflict-of-interest. Especially considering the board is so tiny.
Also Volk, another board member who just recently resigned this past January, was a former personal assistant to Brown.
Interesting that Scotty had no comment on his resignation. Maybe he didn’t want to get in the middle of the mess. Either way he is one of thy he best. I’d have to side with him.
The true stripes are shown over time. Now it should be obvious to all what a massive snake this “man of GOD” really is. How dare you criticize the great I AM! Don’t advertise what is true! Don’t you dare make me look bad! I will sick my pit bull lawyer on you all. Don’t you all realize that God died and left me as king in His place! Mike Brown is your savior! How dare you all!
The board resigning and choosing to remain silent is the main problem with modern day churches and ministries. It’s like Pilot washing his hands, but refusing to do anything to stop the problem. I’ve seen this over and over in the ministry. If we have a disagreement with the leader, we are supposed to leave and not say anything to anyone. This mentality has led to the current situation in the wider church culture. It’s clear that Brown has convinced himself that he is the victim in this situation. He has spent a lifetime of justifying and excusing sin.
Maybe it is the “He who is without sin throw the first stone” guilt that keeps some quiet. In other words, if they speak out, their dirty laundry will be displayed also.
This is so true! How will they ever have accountability if this is the case?
I followed and benefited from Brown’s ministry, mostly through the radio show, from about 2010 – 2017. I would often listen on podcast. I then went back and discovered the Brownsville Revival. I even met people in my area whose lives and walk of faith were forever changed for the better through what happened out there. For the bulk of the time I followed his ministry, he was one who encouraged debate and different views. I admired his health journey when he lost all that weight 10 years ago. I was never opposed to sensible rational Pentecostalism and thought Brown espoused that well. I started to get turned off by him in recent years when he would deny the NAR and go out of his way to criticize people who questioned it. I also thought he took a little long to distance himself from Bickle and never truly distanced himself from or corrected Bill Johnson.
Given the current issues and investigation in Firefly report — Brown should have just left it alone. To my knowledge, the report never recommended he be banned from future ministry. Brown and his team objected to the words “sexually abusive misconduct”. He needed to take his lumps here and go down the road. Firefly conducted an independent and very thorough investigation. From all I understand the conduct happened prior to 2004. He has never been unfaithful since. Now that so many involved are fighting it and there is a lawyer targeting people who disagree — this is a stain on our faith. I would tell Brown and all of his backers it’s not too late to do the opposite. Drop all this nonsense. Humbly accept the Firefly report. Move on. And keep winning souls for Jesus. Keep teaching effectively.
Does anyone know if Brown’s ministries are members of ECFA? It would seem that the makeup of his Bard would be questionable to receive their approval.
Went to ECFA’s site and it appears that FIRE International (which appears to be at least related to FIRE School of Ministry) was a member at least as of the end of 2023, though another ministry Brown started (ICN Ministries, which focuses primarily on work in Israel) doesn’t appear on their list when I searched.
jacob,
Thanks for the info.
Julie and others have raised concerns about how ECFA has impressive rules but the follow-through is lacking.
Brown’s Line of Fire ministry isn’t listed as a member. It wouldn’t qualify under Standard 2- Governance, as shown at this link, as it doesn’t have 5 independent members and apparently hasn’t for some time.
https://www.ecfa.org/Standards.aspx
You are correct that FIRE International is a member, which was involved to some degree with Michael Brown and the Haiti orphanage scandal as a sending missionary organization. I checked FIRE’s site, and while it does provide some financial info and lists the key staff, it doesn’t state whom its board members are.
Those who have left the board and will not answer questions — Perhaps there were NDAs. TRR needs to find out if there were, because that then opens up a whole new level of questions.
The “cash cow” is slowly slipping away…
Apostle Paul needs to write another letter. Because his current epistles are being blantly ignored.
This current celebrity church and, celebrity pastor culture has become totally out of control and demonically unhinged.
The phrase “spew any kind of nonsense” really strikes me. Even if Brown truly believes the allegations about Haiti are false, still, reporting what other credible people claim is not “spewing nonsense.” He is accusing victims of speaking “nonsense.” This kind of overblown rhetoric is so common with preachers, and with people defending themselves from credible allegations. It’s a sympathy plea and a DARVO move. Poor me. Not a good look.
Can an organization even retain their non-profit status without a board?
Three people doesn’t sound like much of a board.
Why would he want to call child victims of sexual abuse, liars? Why does he always want people to stay quiet? Why can’t we have “Christian Organizations” that are actually transparent, open, and willing to be scrutinized. I don’t have anything to hide, why do they act like they are offended if anyone wants to investigate if they have anything to hide? Do we need to start outlawing large ministries to protect the sheep from the wolves?
Thank you, Roys Report, for standing firm on this and continuing to report.
The thing that really struck me about all of this was where Michael Brown claimed that if he was exposed, that this would do damage to God’s work. This is blasphemous. God has full control of His work.
The problem is that “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2:24), just after it says, “You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?”