Accusations and counter-accusations are ricocheting about charismatic circles after the release of an elders’ report that exonerated apologist Michael Brown this week.
It effectively dampened a months-long investigation that concluded Brown engaged in “sexually abusive misconduct.” Meanwhile, some Brown supporters have taken to social media to toss “spirit of Jezebel” and “cancel culture” accusations at Brown critics.
And Brown’s wife, Nancy, has spoken out publicly in support of her husband for the first time since an investigation started. She called accusations against her husband “vile” and asked God to reveal the truth for the sake of “GENUINE justice.”
The tense divisions among charismatics center on allegations that Brown swatted a former secretary’s rearend, kissed her, held her hand, and allowed her to sit on his lap in the early 2000s. He was also accused of engaging in inappropriate communications with a married woman in 2001 and 2002.
The wide spectrum of responses to accusations against Brown points to an accepted culture of cover-up in charismatic circles, argued Bible teacher Mike Winger, who heads up the YouTube channel “Learn to Think Biblically.”
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“This isn’t about some petty revenge or gossip, it’s about undoing the culture of cover up that is bringing unspeakable harm to the Body of Christ and is deeply ingrained in the charismatic movement,” Winger posted on X.
Brown, who now runs the North Carolina-based Line of Fire, was heading up the Fire School of Ministry in Pensacola, Florida at the time of the allegations.
Ron Cantor, a whistleblower and president of Messianic-themed Shelanu TV, posted on his website Wednesday a scathing 17-page rebuttal to the elders’ report. Cantor listed what he called false statements and broken promises by the elders.
“This is a massive breach of trust. . . .” Cantor wrote. “If there is anything we have learned in the past few years, it is that New Testament eldership today is not qualified to deal with allegations of sexual abuse on its own.”
Cantor, one-time friend to Brown, was one of multiple leaders and staff who attempted to confront Brown, but has recently spoken out against him. In response to Cantor’s and others’ concerns, Brown’s Line of Fire board in January commissioned former police chief Jim Holler of the investigative group Firefly to conduct a third-party investigation.
Brown has been telling people that Firefly’s report would exonerate him, Cantor wrote. Instead, Firefly concluded Brown had engaged in “sexually abusive misconduct.” Firefly also concluded that when confronted, Brown responded with a “calculated effort to evade accountability, suppress the allegations, and protect his ministry’s reputation.”
The Line of Fire board tasked a group of elders—one of which was Jonathan Bernis, a Line of Fire board member— with holding Brown accountable in response to the Firefly investigation. However, the elders’ report undermined Firefly’s investigation, praising much of Brown’s handling of the matter, and reinstating Brown to ministry.
Both he and Joel Richardson, a New York Times best-selling author and Bible teacher, called for a retraction of the elders’ report.
“The truth has now emerged, and it demands action,” Richardson posted. “I urge the Line of Fire board to retract their stance, bar Brown from ministry, and amplify the voices of Sarah, former elders, staff, and students who have spoken out.”
Richardson added an appeal for Brown to stop serving in ministry.
“This minimization disregards the profound damage done to Sarah, who literally fled Dr. Brown’s abuse, left the ministry broken, her faith shattered,” Richardson wrote on X . “Brown’s sins—confirmed as predatory—disqualify him from ministry leadership.”
Brown’s supporters criticize whistleblowers
However, heavy-hitting charismatic leaders attacked the whistleblowers and watchdog organizations.
“Beware the spirit of Jezebel that weaponizes accusation,” wrote the elders of the Fort Worth-based Mercy Culture Church, on the church’s Instagram page. Comments were turned off. “They are not preserving righteousness; they are spreading division. They are not restoring the church; they are attempting to tear it down.”
Landon Schott, pastor of Mercy Culture, recently led a standing ovation of Brown at a conference, calling the accusations against Brown “gossip and slander.” Brown is listed as an apostolic elder at Mercy Culture.
(Schott has also previously called The Roys Report’s(TRR) journalist Julie Roys a “wolf” and “in sin” for publishing an article reporting on Schott calling Mercy Culture’s neighbors “witches” and “warlocks.”)
On Monday, former Trump prophet Jeremiah Johnson posted on Facebook, with comments turned off, praise for the “seasoned elders” and their report on Brown and called those who criticized Brown online “kangaroo courts.”
“The unbelievable slander, false accusations, fabricating and exaggeration of stories, hellacious reporting full of lies and deceit going around social media is evil and I sincerely pray many people repent,” Johnson wrote. “I will continue to stand for justice and will use my voice to confront abuse in the body of Christ, but I will also continue to speak out against ‘kangaroo courts’ who are spreading massive division and ungodliness in the Lord’s body.”
Brown’s wife speaks out
The elders’ report said that Nancy Brown’s testimony wasn’t included in Firefly’s report and encouraged her to write a response. She did so, and Johnson reposted her statement on Facebook, with comments turned off.
Her husband’s treatment of Monk was “foolish and irresponsible” but also “innocent,” Nancy Brown wrote. She also denied that Brown is a predator.
“(T)he way he has been portrayed on social media is absolutely sickening (to put it very mildly) . . . and it is a complete fantasy,” she wrote. “I must state here categorically and in no uncertain terms; Mike is not, and has never been a sexual predator, groomer, or deviant nor has he EVER exploited a single human being for his own personal gain or ego whether it be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. That is not who he is and never who he was.”
Nancy Brown called the 47-page Firefly report of eyewitness reports of Brown’s behavior “unsubstantiated.”
“I can only say that so many of these accusations and accounts are categorically untrue, yet the publishing of them has succeeded in conveying a completely false narrative . . . completely,” she wrote. “There has been a relentless pursuit and orchestration to smear and then not only rewrite history, but create new history, which has no basis in truth or fact.”
*Correction: Joel Richardson was never a leader at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City as the article initially stated. We removed an assertion that Michael Brown may have authored the elders’ report because we believe it lacked sufficient credibility.
Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado.
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27 Responses
A couple of points….Mike Winger is a well known hater of anything Pentecostal or charismatic so it is not surprising that he would use this situation to promote his own agenda. Secondly it is quite ironic that a former leader at IHOP is now criticizing the shooting down of an independent investigation, when IHOP itself tried to manipulate its own “independent” investigation of Mike Bickle. The self promotion being engaged in here is sickening and only reminds me of the bickering amongst the apostles about who was the greatest amongst themselves.
Read the end of the article for a correction:
Correction: Joel Richardson was never a leader at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City as the article initially stated. We also have added a link to a ChatGPT analysis of the elder report.
Roys put in a correction regarding IHOP. That pastor was never a leader there.
I’ve watched many of Winger’s videos. He has never displayed hatred toward anyone. Disgust, yes. A call for accountability and correction isn’t hatred or evidence of a demonic spirit. Winger (who is not a cessationist) and others have rightfully called out the circus side show the charismatic church has allowed itself to become. Big difference.
No matter how grievous the sin, how blatantly false the prophet, or how greedy for gold they are, charismatics simply refuse to police themselves.
Thanks for pointing me to Winger who has just pointed out something to me that has been bad doctrine I was taught from 50 years ago. I have found him to be nothing but helpful as we both spent some time in a Calvary Chapel. If you think him a hater than you have not watched any of his stuff. Maybe you got it from someone who has been lying to you from the pulpit? He calls out not just charismatics for the evil things they teach and do but many of those things are done also in churches like John MacArthur or Driscoll in Seattle. Abuse and bad doctrine abound throughout all of the denominations. I think you have made a false accusation here. Care to repent, maybe?
Correction: Mike Winger considers himself a continuationist and has respected Mike Brown and I believe considered him a friend. He has no agenda in asking the church to be above reproach as the God’s word commands.
Why did they commission a third-party report if they can just wontonly toss its conclusion?
Firefly committed no wrongdoing. If they absolutely must have a second opinion, they can hire GRACE (a similar agency) to conduct its own investigation.
Such a waste of donor money and reeks of a cover-up.
Nancy sure doesn’t want her hubby to lose his salary and cushy pension.
Why would you defend a man who, whilst married to you, kissed and touched his young and vulnerable employee in the confines of an office while performing ministry work.
Gross!
Well, Beatrice – I think you evaluated this quite accurately.
Thank you; I appreciate your feedback.
The fact that Mrs. Brown, rather than her husband, took to social media to disparage a thorough report is yet another sign of Mr. Brown’s attempt to evade accountability. The only person who should be answering directly is Mr. Brown. Where is he?
So true Deborah, Nancy reminds me of Rachel Lamb, so sad that they will stand up for their husbands without insisting on them clearing their names by speaking the truth. How 😔
Thank you for this report! Here is a link to Ron Cantors Chat GPT evidence https://www.roncantor.com/_files/ugd/8a62c1_7e8e919c6fd64c9caf34865e8f440586.pdf
Have those who are supporting Michael Brown read and listened to the testimony of Sarah Monk, Ray (the husband of Kim who was the married woman Michael Brown was telling her what he wanted to do to her sexually), the numerous hurt Fire School students and the adoptive mothers of the now grown orphans from Haiti who said they were SA’d by the men who were caring for them? Michael Brown knew about the abominable allegations by the orphans and did not tell the missions board for 2 years! Why would anyone do that unless they were covering up for the abusers and ministry institutions?
Michael Brown according to scripture has overwhelming disqualified himself from leadership ministry in the Body of Christ. The people who are supporting him are not obeying the NT standard for leaders. Leaders must be above reproach. The lies, manipulation and cover-up done by Michael Brown is as sinful as the sins he committed against others. I think his wife is in complete denial as to his sins or has been enabling him for so long she refuses to face the truth and hold him accountable. It’s sickening.
ChatGPT, write me a few sentences to deflect attention from verifiable true information regarding misbehavior of a religious Big Cheese:
** “Beware the spirit of Jezebel that weaponizes accusation,” wrote the elders of the Fort Worth-based Mercy Culture Church, on the church’s Instagram page. Comments were turned off. “They are not preserving righteousness; they are spreading division. They are not restoring the church; they are attempting to tear it down.” **
It would appear that Michael Brown’s wife joins Ravi Zacharias’ wife in denying their husband’s guilt.
Protesting the husband’s innocence and showing bitterness towards whistleblowers and those who have been harmed.
How sadly deluded these women are.
How much they must need to suppress their own instincts and intuition in order to continue to idolise these men.
While reading Firefly’s report, I found myself questioning why Mr. Brown ever brought his wife to the meetings he said he had concerning the married woman and Sarah Monk. Why did she have to be there? These were his indiscretions; he alone was responsible. But the report also says that Mrs. Brown had warned a witness not to discuss anything that had passed between him, Mr. Brown, and herself. I can only assume that Mrs. Brown was doing damage control for her husband.
The system was/is toxic for BOTH the sheep and the shepherds. And to those who are listening, the Father is not just exposing sin and false teaching, but is bringing down the structure itself. Many won’t be listening and will carry on pursuing the power of these platforms but a remnant will follow the Good Shepherd’s leadership going forward and build differently, and healthier, and something far less defiled.
Excellent work in the Dr. Brown article, Rebecca. Thank you for fighting the good fight.
It is very troubling that Belivers in Christ can so easily dismiss inappropriate sexual behavior in leaders of churches and ministries.
In the book of Acts, Ananias and his wife both told a lie and died immediately upon speaking the fabrication. This incident in the new church was surely meant to be an example of the purity God wants in His body.
Have any of these churches or ministries whose leaders have fallen called for a time of fasting and repentance?
Julie,
I get it–this situation needed an investigation. I don’t know what the real truth is with Brown. However, I’m not quite sure that “let’s rage against the results of this investigation because it came to a conclusion we don’t like!” is a great look for an org purporting to do sincere Christian reporting.
Brian, The Roys Report is not presenting an opinion of its own. Instead, the article reports the reactions of Christian leaders familiar with Michael Brown to the findings of an elder team.
Yes, the truth about this matter may not be fully known. But the initial allegations, the third-party Firefly investigation, the accountability group’s conclusions, and the response of some ministers to the elder team’s dismissal of Firefly’s determinations are all publicly available, so the above story is not an editorial.
Close your eyes, fold your hands, and you will hear screeching echoes of the Muller Report. This was the official report documenting Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 United States presidential election, allegations of conspiracy or coordination between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia, and allegations of obstruction of justice. When Attorney General William Barr received it, he prepared a redacted version of Muller’s “darning” report leaving enough wiggle room to effectively “exonerate” Donald Trump. I would submit that the tactics used in the Elders Report are very similar to those used by William Barr to concoct an illusion that Donald Trump was unfairly accused.
I don’t think political examples are good comparisons to make a point. It’s not apples to apples. In the political world, it’s more expected of these things because it’s about power. At least that’s how I think about it. But in the church world the dynamics are different But i do agree Brown and “his elder” whitewashed the Firefly report to put it nicely.
Brothers and sisters in Christ. Please go to the, “Wake Up and Win” YouTube channel and listen to the podcast entitled, “Michael Brown Fired a Predator-Then Let Him Run an Orphanage in Haiti.”
What is amazing is the total disconnect from Brown and his supporters. They don’t get. You are to be above reproach, even to outsiders. Anyone with any common sense knows what he did was wrong but the cover up is proof of guilty in opinion. Also, if your student is sitting in your lap, and you have kiss her, anywhere, and patted her butt, how is that not lustful? Why would you do it? But to do it and say it was innocent and a daddy/ daughter relationship sounds even creeper. The lack of common sense and whitewashing it quite shocking.
I think to call the report a cover-up simply because you don’t like the findings is not a balanced view. Has anybody in this group actually looked at the original post as well as looking at both reports? If we want to be accurate, look at everything.
It is a sad day for the church when perpetrators of clergy sexual abuse are given standing ovations and celebrated with confetti by elders, pastors and church board members who are in positions of spiritual authority and responsible for holding leaders accountable. The pastoral recommendations to the Firefly Investigation are appalling — more than a whitewash, it rejected the investigative report by Firefly; reframed and redefined clergy sexual misconduct to “leadership misconduct”, and essentially rendered the Firefly report null and void. The twisting of scripture to support Brown and minimize his behaviors is also manipulative and hypocritical. Such corruption is mind boggling and soul shattering. These so called church leaders are no different than the Catholic Church sexual abuse coverups! Kudos to Ron Cantor for his advocacy on behalf of the survivors who so bravely came forward to tell their stories. My heart goes out to all daughters and women who are trapped in these religious systems. May justice prevail in the end. For those who are struggling and need support, I recommend Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (www.snapnetwork.org). SNAP is an international group for women and men wounded by religious and institutional authorities (priests, ministers, bishops, deacons, nuns, coaches, teachers, and others. Thank you Julie Roys for continuing to uphold truth and exposing these religious scandals. May the Body of Christ (especially women) use their God given intuition and discernment to stay safe! Let us dismantle the abusive power structures that give license to clergy sexual abuse.
With thanks that Julie Roys and her team withstand the false accusations against them time and time again… to share truth, knowing that all the abusers and enablers will one day be held accountable before God – and there will be no confetti or standing ovations for them. All of them, Michael Brown, Mike Bickel, their spouses, along with Ravi Z, his wife etc. will all be exposed before the universise (Hebrews 4:12-13) without any human covering, without deep, Godly repentance that begins by admitting the truth about the abuse. Until then, I appreciate the Roys report for its accuracy and consistently leading the way in exposing the underbelly of abuse in the church system.