Perry Stone has been a steady presence on Christian television networks for the past decade. But in recent months, he has not been a steady presence in his own ministry. According to his Tennessee-based ministry, Voice of Evangelism, Stone has taken a leave of absence after admitting that he had “acted inappropriately” with female employees.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press obtained an audio recording of Stone at a “small, in-person group of church members” on which Stone said women in his ministry had brought concerns about his words and actions to the board of the organization. The board asked him to step aside and receive counseling.
Stone’s ministry classifies itself as a church and no longer releases financial information. However, its Form 990 from 2012 listed revenue of more than $17-million.
“I confess at times I’ve been inappropriate in all this weariness of just non-stop ministry,” Stone said in the message. “I let my guard down and I’ve asked, of course, God to forgive me for that. I sat down with my family, with my beautiful, precious wife Pam, the love of my life. I asked her to forgive me. And I very humbly and very sincerely ask those who have been hurt or offended by my actions to, please, also forgive me for those things.”
Stone was not specific in the audio, but he did say he “acted inappropriately with them, and with words and sometimes actions.”
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The Voice of Evangelism board of directors, in a statement to the Times Free Press, said Stone was placed on sabbatical first because of health concerns.
“Secondly,” the statement said, “a couple of employees at VOE requested to meet with the board of directors to address concerns of inappropriate words and actions.
“Upon review, the board determined that the issues were civil in nature and not criminal, but that the behavior deviated from the biblical standards set in place for VOE leadership. So the board unanimously initiated his current sabbatical. This action was not reactionary but with much prayer, and was set in place to uphold the highest standards of integrity and transparency.”
Stone told his followers in the recorded message that he has been gone from his ministry on an “extended and, honestly, some much needed sabbatical” at a “special location out of state and a special clinic to receive professional counseling every day.”
According to the Times Free Press, “Stone has made a multimillion-dollar career as an evangelist who claims to predict major events, such as George W. Bush being elected president, the attack on the World Trade Center and Osama Bin Laden’s death. He travels the country, and sometimes the world, leading prayer events. In 2013, he built the $22 million Omega Center International building debt free.”
Though Stone is supposed to be in the midst of a six-month season of “rest and restoration,” his programs continue to air on Christian television. Stone’s Manna-Fest television program has been airing on the Trinity Broadcasting Network since 2000. The last Form 990 available indicates his ministry pays TBN about $4-million a year for air-time.
Stone also has been active on social media. In response to an inquiry, Stone’s ministry said, “Perry has maintained an active social media presence to share brief relevant messages to followers and supporters.”
Stone also has been releasing videos on YouTube. His latest, released yesterday, addresses the upcoming 2020 presidential elections.
Warren Cole Smith is president of MinistryWatch.com, a donor watchdog group. Prior to that, Smith was Vice President-Mission Advancement for the Colson Center for Christian Worldview.
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26 Responses
If he wasn’t such a dedicated, hard worker, this never would have happened…
Inappropriate behavior due to “weariness” is one of the lamest excuses for immoral behavior I’ve seen yet.
Stone apparently wasn’t too tired to harass his female employees…or to maintain his “active social media presence” for that matter.
Like the Falwell story, I suspect there is much more to be revealed about Stone’s sinful conduct.
That propensity of Christians to fall for charlatans like Falwell and Stone is discouraging.
Well said, Lea.
Those with out sin throw the first stone.maybe I should say those who have never sinned should take his place.
I believe all those women he sexually assaulted (which he actually admitted in doing so) would agree that he definitely has sinned and should be removed from ministry permanently. Since you are going to quote scripture out of context, please reread the passage you referenced as well as others about ministers who sin. and other false teachers who should be marked and avoided.
Yeah, it’s a brazen attempt to shift the blame off himself. “If only I wasn’t such a godly, hard-working man, giving my all for the Lord…!”
I hope “if he wasn’t’ such a dedicated, hard worker, this never would have happened” was intended to be ironic?
This is so sad, but even King David fell into sexual sin and murder. My prayer is that sincere repentance takes place and full restoration.
In the generality of the Internet, there’s “Godwin’s Law,” which says that someone in an argument will always bring up Hitler, and that person, ipso facto, loses the argument. Maybe there should be a similar law regarding bringing up King David in the context of religious leaders who are sexual predators.
I’m not sure what you mean by “full restoration”, but Christians who use the story of King David’s sin when leaders are caught in immorality often ignore the rest of it…the dire consequences he endured, even after his own repentance. Tragically, these consequences touched the innocent (David’s infant son) and the citizens of the nation David led (who endured endless wars).
The “full restoration” we seek should be that of the victims to physical, emotional and spiritual health, and to find a true home and welcome in the church where they were abusively treated.
__________________
2 Samuel 12
“Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
This is what the LORD says: ‘I will raise up adversity against you from your own house. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to another, and he will lie with them in broad daylight. You have acted in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ”
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.Nevertheless, because by this deed you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD,b the son born to you will surely die.”
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King David’s sin absolutely trashed his family. So many people seem to lightly pass over the extent of the destruction that his sin brought down on his sons and daughters. David’s forgiveness and continued inclusion in the covenant are to the praise and glory of God alone.
You are right. King David was a man after God’s own heart. He sinned, repented and was forgiven. God has forgiven me of my sins.
King David immediately admitted his sin without giving excuses.
When a brother or sister falls, we are not supposed to bash them. Especially when they confess and repent. We are supposed to help the person be restored. The people that bash brothers and sisters in Christ that fail will VERY LIKELY find themselves guilty of the same thing at some point down the road.
That’s an interesting prediction, Bob. I think it’s more likely that a person who views a situation of a person in authority’s sexually abusing his subordinates and says, “He was tired, and he says he’s sorry, so it’s all good,” is more likely to try similar behavior himself.
We certainly should not bash those who fall. But holding them accountable to the standards of Scripture is not bashing them.
Many of the present controversy in the church could be avoided by heeding the ninstructions for evaluating leaders that are so important they’re included TWICE in the New Testament, I Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
“Therefore, an elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, stable, sensible, respectable, hospitable to strangers, and teachable.
He must not drink excessively or be a violent person, but instead be gentle. He must not be argumentative or love money.
He must manage his own family well and have children who are submissive and respectful in every way. For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?
He must not be a recent convert, so that he won’t become arrogant and fall into the Devil’s condemnation.
He must be well thought of by outsiders, so he doesn’t fall into disgrace and the trap set for him by the Devil.”
If individual Christians obeyed these commands, they’d stop sending their hard-earned money to charlatans and the TV preachers would have to find other jobs from whence they could no longer bring discredit to the name of Jesus.
CYNTHIA W. is certainly on point in EVERY observation and comment. As Ann Graham-Lott typically says when she speaks “Listen to me”…
We should be in agreement with the statements and responses by Cynthia W. I am.
CORRECTION: Ann Graham-Lotz
Thank you, TheArtist. That’s extraordinarily generous praise.
When did weariness become an excuse for lust? Have I missed something? The old “weary” orthodox Christian paradigm, that the evils of one’s own heart were always an adequate explanation for the sins in one’s own life, still seems to me valid. And I wasn’t impressed by the fauxpology, either.
“the evils of one’s own heart were always an adequate explanation for the sins in one’s own life”
Well said, Jennifer Eason. Pastor Sam Powell (MyOnlyComfort) writes that a person doesn’t “catch” adultery (or other sexual sin) from being in the presence of a person one finds appealing. A person commits sexual sin because the person’s heart is corrupt.
Thank you, Cynthia W. I appreciate all your comments. There’s no good to be gained by excusing a pastor for preying on the sheep. If he is humbled enough to seek forgiveness, that’s a different matter. That being said, I think forgiveness does not mean the man gets his pulpit back The Scriptural standard for an elder is clear. I took a look at Sam Powell’s blog, really good, thank you for pointing it out!
People are always willing to cast down a man of God but they will never tell you how often they sin. I know GOD is hearing ever person that is cutting down a man that he chose and he will give them there rewards.We should love a brother back from a sin .
God loved King David the most. He sinned greatly and experienced punishment as was brought up in the death of his first born but as the scripture says for a just man falls seven times and gets up but a wicked man falls into calamity.
Be sure not to fall into witchcraft by speaking over him to continue in whatever he did.
Pastors like Perry need to listen to their wives and make sure to spend time with friends and family and open their schedules to joy in the Lord.
Pastors that work a lot not only have fallen into sexual sin but also depression and suicidal thoughts. Wives help to remind their husbands to be balanced with finesse. But of course husbands have to listen. We are a stool, with a physical, emotional and spiritual leg. All the legs have to be the same length so we do not tip over.
We are not here to judge We are here to learn. God is the only judge.
There, but by the grace of God, go I. Watch the stone throwing people!!