Here’s an update for those of you still interested in the topic of Tim Challies’ February 28 blog post telling people how to “think biblically” about C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries . . .
I said a few days ago that although I was glad to see Mr. Challies finally writing something about SGM that wasn’t an advertisement but actually made mention of the lawsuit and questions about C.J. Mahaney’s fitness for ministry, I was puzzled by how he prefaced his post with this disclaimer:
Before I begin, it may be useful for me to explain the nature of my relationship with C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries, though there is actually very little to explain. I recall meeting Mahaney only one time and for no more than two or three minutes. To my knowledge we have never corresponded by email or any other media. He and I have never shared a speaking platform and I have never spoken at a SGM event (though I did liveblog a couple of them several years ago). All this to say that I write as an outside observer rather than as a personal friend and write this article primarily for the benefit of other outside observers.
I went on to point out that while Tim Challies may not have met Mahaney often or shared a stage with him, it was nonetheless true that Mr. Challies has been one of SGM’s and CJ’s frequent promoters through his many positive mentions of them on his (in the Reformed world) fairly high-traffic blog.
But apparently, there’s something more, something that goes beyond the fact that Tim Challies has been a big fan of C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries. There is a business relationship. Check out what the Wartburg Watch gals dug up:
[Tim Challies] is a co-founder of Cruciform Press . . .
. . . Challies first announced Cruciform Press in an April 2010 post on his website. In case you missed it, here’s the exciting news:
“…let me tell you about an exciting new venture I am involved in. Let me introduce you to [insert drum roll here] Cruciform Press.
Cruciform Press is an alternative publishing company designed from the ground up to operate in the digital marketplace. And it officially launches today.
This is a collaborative effort between Kevin Meath (book editor extraordinaire who has edited books for authors like C.J. Mahaney, Paul David Tripp and Dave Harvey), Bob Bevington (an entrepreneur and optometrist who also happens to co-author books with Jerry Bridges) and me. Together we see the need for a model of publishing that begins with, not extends to, the new realities of this digital world.
As a publisher getting its start at the cusp of the digital age, our model is slightly different from traditional publishers. We are focusing on books between 10,000 and 25,000 words (roughly 50 to 100 pages) and will offer them at great prices in print-on-demand, e-book and audiobook formats. And we intend to publish a new book on the first of every month.”
Cruciform Press Founders
As mentioned above, Cruciform Press was co-founded by Kevin Meath, Bob Bevington, and Tim Challies. Meath serves as the Publisher and Editor hat, Bevington is the Executive Director, and Challies is Strategy and Acquisitions.
We believe Kevin Meath is the Smoking Gun. Meath’s bio on the Cruciform Press website says it all. Here’s how it begins:
“Kevin has more than 25 years professional experience as an editor, including eleven years as chief editor for Sovereign Grace Ministries. He has worked on more than 40 book projects for the Christian market, and has edited for C.J. Mahaney, Paul Tripp, John Piper, Jerry Bridges, Joel Beeke, Richard D. Phillips, Scotty Smith, Dave Harvey, and many others. He has worked with Multnomah, Crossway, Reformation Trust, Shepherd Press, New Growth Press, Founders Press, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Revive Our Hearts, Focus on the Family, Desiring God, and others.”
Meath also features testimonials by the likes of C.J. Mahaney, Paul Tripp, Bob Kauflin, Dave Harvey, and Gary Ricucci. Also, you might be interested to know that Kevin Meath was heavily involved in the publication of Sovereign Grace Magazine. He writes:
“Sovereign Grace magazine was published for more than 20 years, most of that time as a bi-monthly. I served as Editor for the final seven years.
When it came time to plan an issue, C.J. Mahaney and I would work together to identify the issue theme, as well as the lead teaching articles and their respective authors. I would then work with the authors of the teaching, news, and testimony articles to bring the issue to completion, although sometimes I was also tasked with converting a sermon transcript or book chapter into an article on behalf of the author… The issues shown here included articles that later contributed to several books, including C.J.’s Humility: True Greatness, Living the Cross-Centered Life, and Worldliness, and Bob Kauflin’s Worship Matters.”
According to the testimonials link above, here are some of the projects on which Meath has collaborated:
When Sinners Say “I Do”: Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage – Dave Harvey
Love That Lasts: When Marriage Meets Grace – Gary and Betsy Ricucci
Songs for the Cross Centered Life – Sovereign Grace Music
Upward: The Bob Kauflin Hymns Project – Sovereign Grace Music
Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God: What Every Christian Husband Needs to Know – C.J. Mahaney
Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood (Foundations for the Family Series) – Wayne Grudem
Valley of Vision – Sovereign Grace Music
The Cross Centered Life (both editions) – C.J. Mahaney
Awesome God – Sovereign Grace Music
Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Becoming Man – Sovereign Grace Music
Preaching the Cross – Together for the Gospel by Mark Dever, J. Ligon Duncan, R. Albert Mohler, Jr., C.J. Mahaney (2007)
All We Long to Sing – Sovereign Grace Music
Pastoral Leadership for Manhood and Womanhood (Foundations of the Family) – Wayne Grudem and Dennis Rainey
Why Small Groups? – C.J. Mahaney
So, while Tim Challies is not best buddies with C.J. Mahaney, he is business partners with a former long-time SGM employee who collaborated with most of the bigger name SGM authors and musicians and retains good enough relationships with these SGM leaders that they provided him with the testimonials cited above.
I don’t know about you guys, but I confess to being rather shocked. Doesn’t it seem deliberately deceptive, to offer up a disclaimer worded just right so that your readers will think you’re an “outside observer” and not a “personal friend,” when the truth is that you run a publishing house with someone who has a decades-long history of membership in SGM as well as connections to just about all the key SGM books and materials the organization has put out?
Does it even matter whether Tim Challies is not C.J.’s “personal friend,” when he is business partners with someone – Kevin Meath - who has such an incredibly far-reaching SGM pedigree and continues to use endorsements by C.J. Mahaney and other SGM figures to boost his own credibility?
I mean, wouldn’t Mr. Challies’ words about his lack of a close relationship with C.J. have been completely meaningless if he’d gone on to disclose that he actually does have this other connection to Sovereign Grace Ministries?
What does this sort of obfuscation tell us about Tim Challies’ ability to ”think biblically”?
At the very least, it seems to me someone’s a little bit confused about what the Bible actually teaches about truthfulness. In God’s eyes, it’s not enough to adhere to the technical truth. (Just check out how Abram and Sarai got themselves into trouble when they told a story that was technically true – Sarai was indeed Abram’s half-sister – but not the full truth.)
I’m bummed. I have had a considerable amount of respect for Tim Challies in past years. I actually did used to believe that he was someone who had some good thoughts about “thinking biblically.” Now, though? Not so much.
March 8th, 2013 at 11:30 am
Interesting read: ‘UNC, the Vatican and Sovereign Grace Ministries: When PR trumps concern for victims’ — http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2013/03/06/unc-the-vatican-and-sovereign-grace-ministries-when-pr-trumps-concern-for-victims/
And I am more than interested to learn what took place during the first court hearing this morning. Were any of you there?
March 8th, 2013 at 11:56 am
One other thought – If you’re as nice to your kids are you are to the lot of us, can we come live with you? Can I have a pony, too? ;-)
March 8th, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Kris,
I just want to again say, thankyou, for discussing and defining your “moderator hat.” Who knew you and Guy would be operating a site such as this—to bring to light yearrrrrs of PATTERNS of spiritual, emotional, and sexual abuses within SGM.
You used the word TWISTED in a paragraph above—this word so encompasses much of the culture, doctrine and standard of operation in SGM. I find myself nodding in agreement where you wrote: “While I could analyze SGM’s dysfunction all day long, there’s a line that I don’t want crossed, which is the line where people start to too closely identify SGM’s TWISTED approach to certain basic Christian doctrines with the actual doctrines themselves.”
And, we all must ‘go with our gut.’ That is the chorus in our household, after almost 20 years of SGM. Our ‘gut’ is our voice from deep within…and we are paying attention (instead of the years it was silenced).
*************************************
Hoping to hear about the court session today along with all of you~
March 8th, 2013 at 2:12 pm
I was thinking about how inbred the ads for Calvinista books are – the same people writing pretty much the same thing about each others’ books. So here’s a little parody of a typical ad. (I also posted this on another site under a similar topic.)
THE GOSPEL IS THE GOSPEL
How The Gospel Itself Is The Gospel
By Reformed Big Dog
Published By Crossway
$30.00
JOHN PIPER: What a joy this book is! In a gospel-saturated way, Big Dog shows us how the gospel itself IS the gospel. He clears up all of the confusion which has unfortunately clouded this important subject.
LIGON DUNCAN: Nourishing and robust. This may be Big Dog’s finest work this month.
ALBERT MOHLER: I’m already on my tenth reading. This book can change an entire culture. In an age when there is so much confusion about what the gospel is, Big Dog goes right to the heart of it: The gospel itself is the gospel. He takes a complex subject subject and simplifies it without losing any of its nuance.
C.J. MAHANEY: This book isn’t hard and it’s only 20 pages, so I really enjoyed it. Nothing is more important than the gospel, so it’s a relief to know that the gospel is the gospel. Hits a home run!
J.I. PACKER: After writing blurbs for over 50,000 books, I’m gratified that Big Dog has written such a short one. Though I didn’t get through all of it, I can recommend it unreservedly.
MARK DRISCOLL: Incisive, concentrated, and subtly sexy. This book is like a roundhouse punch to the solar plexus, which is what I’ll do to yours if you don’t like it.
MARK DEVER: Soaked in the gospel. This book is all wet, but in a good way.
March 8th, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Bravo Zulu JeffB!
March 8th, 2013 at 2:42 pm
The Wartburg Watch has an additional post up today about Crossway’s response to the church having a registered sex offender as an usher. Looks like Crossway and Mickey Connelly did the typical SGM spin.
March 8th, 2013 at 2:55 pm
#154 --JEFFB — best laugh all week! Thanks.
March 8th, 2013 at 3:22 pm
Steve240 #156,
I am sick to my stomach. I hope the letters get added to the evidence in the lawsuit.
March 8th, 2013 at 3:44 pm
Jeff- hilarious, and very clever.
March 8th, 2013 at 4:23 pm
@Jeff #154: “This may be Big Dog’s finest work this month.”
Excellent!
@Steve #156: “Looks like Crossway and Mickey Connelly did the typical SGM spin.”
I still think the best approach would have been full disclosure to the church. From a purely pragmatic view, it just avoids any possible controversy down the road when someone who wasn’t aware “needs” to be made aware. “Kevin? Oh, you mean that man who greeted our children at the door over the past couple years?” Yeah, it should be obvious that could cause some problems in the church.
However, Steve, what is the “typical SGM spin” you’re seeing in the letter? As I read it, I didn’t so much think they were trying to “spin” something as much as frankly saying, “This is how we think about things as your pastors (flawed as that thinking may be). We consult attorneys for advice and withhold some information from the church when we think you won’t be able to handle it.”
It would be interesting to know whether any of those care group members ever asked about whether the entire congregation should be informed and what kind of reasoning they might have been given for not doing so.
There is also some ridiculous thinking going on if the pastors think, “Well, he’s given us his word, but we should probably get this agreement in writing for added security.” If a man will break the promises he gives with his mouth, he’ll also break the ones he puts in writing. The written document just seems like legal cover for the pastors and the church -- not unwise, but not improving security either.
March 8th, 2013 at 4:24 pm
CJ is gone:
http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/blogs/sgm/post/SGM-Board-A-Note-of-Thanks-to-CJ-Mahaney.aspx
March 8th, 2013 at 4:43 pm
@Joel….more like “kind of” gone
March 8th, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Why not April 1st? No repentence, more spin…
March 8th, 2013 at 4:57 pm
It wouldn’t be Friday at 5:00 without an announcement from SGM, trying to bury a story.
March 8th, 2013 at 4:58 pm
Guy #162:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pKymngWgJw
March 8th, 2013 at 5:04 pm
I am sure Captain CJ will still influence the direction and leadership of The SSGM Titanic until he finally sinks. Does not look like he is moving to a retirement village in Florida.
March 8th, 2013 at 5:12 pm
Jenn #162
Hilarious!!
I lurk and read, and I have posted maybe only 2 or 3 times, but this was just too perfect to resist! Thanks for a great laugh in the midst of my busy day!
March 8th, 2013 at 5:43 pm
Haha… Very predictable, Friday afternoon announcement.
March 8th, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Funny how they uprooted all those people and moved SGM headquarters, the music stuff, and the pastors college all to Louisville if C.J. is really to be just one pastor of just one of SGM’s
103,90, 70 churches.March 8th, 2013 at 5:45 pm
I agree that CJ will never totally be ‘gone’. His influence is kind of like the stubborn glue on fly paper. He will still preach and teach. He will still be involved in the PC. He will still guide and direct other men inside and outside SGM..
Still, this is a breathtaking announcement and one that seriously effects the other SGM employees and families near and far. And, I am absolutely certain it would not be happening if there wasn’t a massive break-down of confidence in his leadership undergirded by a massive leakage of funds.
But, it took about a year longer than the American Civil War. And, reconstruction will take a lot longer, too.
March 8th, 2013 at 6:03 pm
Do you think the SGM “board” was hoping their announcement about Cee Jay would come out the same day as this?
Or was that a “Sovereign” slip on their part?
March 8th, 2013 at 6:08 pm
If you go to the Wartburg Watch they posted this as part of the Crossway announcement:
I added the bold to the above.
They are stating the information previously posted online (presumably by this one person on her Facebook and at Wartburg Watch was “not accurate” though what they said in their statement about this person and what he did matches up with what was posted. It is an attempt to “spin” and say it isn’t true even though it was.
March 8th, 2013 at 6:17 pm
Isn’t this announcement of CJ stepping down another typical SGM spin? They are making it sound like this was all planned etc. It will be interesting to hear what Brent has to say about this.
March 8th, 2013 at 6:19 pm
This is what gets me:
What? “as these things things occur”? We were only “served” with information when you couldn’t hide it any longer.
How many times did we hear that revealing information was withheld because “it wouldn’t serve the congregation”?
Don’t believe the best. Believe the evidence.
March 8th, 2013 at 6:23 pm
I’m glad that a trial by jury is scheduled.
Is 20 days a long time for a juried trial of this type?
March 8th, 2013 at 6:27 pm
Remnant 175 …seems long to me but, maybe she needs to block of the time and end early if they don’t need all that time?
March 8th, 2013 at 6:46 pm
VB #171
So SGM 1st Amdmt scuttle attempt was foiled? Plenty of time to settle OOC? Or, more time for others to come forward that have been “scuttled” in the past and present? More time, more stalling, more $ that the SGM faithful will yank out of their gifts to further the SGM flavor of integrity. Anyone having a problem reading the handwriting on the wall? (Daniel 5: 24-28, divided and given). Anyone want to take up a SGM offering about now? What about a heavy golden parachute for CJ? More of your SGM money is needed to keep CJ smiling, hurry, time is short… There is always the half-off sale: tithe a MANDATORY 5%, instead of a tithe (10%, which is NOT required either). The spin continues, more sequels… Which puppets will step up and who will pull the strings. And then there is the future screenplay and movie rights to think about.
March 8th, 2013 at 7:32 pm
Thinking about CJ stepping down. Just comparing this to Apple when Steve Jobs stepped down in 1985. Apple lost its magic. They had no inspirational leadership, no new ideas. The next generation of leaders were kinda boring. Nothing new to market. I see a simularity in SGM. There is nothing new under the sun. They don’t have that charismatic leader stepping up. Most of the PC grad clones will be lost without their fix of CJ. Mediocraty will set in. Baptists, Presbyterians, and Neo Calvin organizations will try to model what CJ did. They will take market share from SGM. Within 10 yrs SGM will be bankrupt. This is a worldly model of how they are set to fail. But I believe God will not even let them get this far. He is revealing their sin. God’s sheep are waking up and see that these men charismatic and boring can’t be trusted. The local PC grads are betraying God’s people will communicating SG lies, Lies and Gospel do not mix. CJ won’t be able to come back in 10 yrs and save SGM. Matter of time folks. Shows over here. Leave your SGM idols behind and go home.
March 8th, 2013 at 7:36 pm
Thanks for the comments on my Book Ad Parody (#154).
I just found out that, oddly enough (or maybe not so), Tim Challies yesterday posted an article called “Gospel-Centered Everything,” about all the books that have titles that say “gospel-centered” or its equivalent. Even he admits that it is sometimes nothing more than a “sales strategy,” but most of the article is about how great all of this is. Then, at the end, not surprisingly, he lists all the books he could find on the subject, with links to Amazon.
I realize that there are some who have no interest in going to his site, but the link is below. Here are a few titles that I found amusing -- only because “gospel” is attached to them:
“Gospel-Powered Humility,” by William Farley (I guess Mahaney missed out by not adding “gospel” to the title of his book on the subject.)
“Conduct Gospel-Centered Funerals,” by Brian Croft
“Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-Centered Adoption and Orphan Care,” by Tony Merida & Rick Morton
http://www.challies.com/articles/the-gospel-centered-everything#more
March 8th, 2013 at 7:57 pm
Gospel Centered toilet paper was a big fail. I just heard on the radio today-seriously-that a Swedish (I think, could be another country) company unrolled (ha ha) a new toilet paper that had gospel verses printed on each sheet. But it did not get a good market response as people did not seem to want to wipe then flush the word of God.
March 8th, 2013 at 8:00 pm
Sorry, it was Finland.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/finnish-company-apologizes-for-printing-bible-quotes-on-toilet-paper/article9255872/
March 8th, 2013 at 8:13 pm
I just wonder how long before CJ will at odds with the new Ex Dir of SGM,(probably Prater) who will then step down ‘to care for his family and his home church’ and the board will be so glad that they have CJ to beg to return to the leadership position. How long???
Former SGM leadership will be piling up at CovFel where there are already yonder too many pastors for the dwindling congregation.
March 8th, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Jenn G @165 — Very, very funny and so very appropriate.
Argus @169 — I also had to laugh at your crossed-out total of churches in SGM. (70 and counting down)
March 8th, 2013 at 8:24 pm
Diego @178 — I see that you and I @182 have similar ideas concerning new leadership. I hadn’t read that far when I posted.
March 8th, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Oswald,
it’s just that they are so predictable.
You see the SG posts on facebook, you hear the same things on Sunday. They can only communicate what the bishops tell them to say. Now there is no pope. There is no “transfer”, only a carcus of a business plan. They tell their members: They are serving and caring for the sheep…the enemy is responsible for the attacks on SG…count it a joy when you have troubles…trust your pastor…we have two years to get out of SG if it gets worse…I love what they have done with the polity…we are blessed to be part of such a mission… Meanwhile the true church, the people have no authority, misguided and negligent pastors, (yeah, you would do it different crossway next time. I pray to God you have no next time Mickey.) So these incompetent pastors get to practice on God’s sheep, make mistakes, say oops, I’ll do it differnt next time. Know all allogations are true but take no responsibility,… but everyone makes mistakes. Come on people. God’s church is not made up of a bunch of lab rats. God’s people are not to be practiced on. Where are the competent pastors. Where are the pastors who care for God’s people. MAYBE IF THE POLITY ALLOWED FOR THE CHURCH TO CHOOSE LEADERS WHO KNOW THEM. THAT ACTUALLY MEET BIBLICAL STANDARDS NONE OF THIS WOULD HAPPEN. PC PASTORS GO FIND A BROOM TO PUSH AND A CARE GROUP TO LEAD. YOU ARE INCOMPETENT TO LEAD CHURCHES. YOU ARE DOING DAMAGE TO GODS PEOPLE.
March 8th, 2013 at 8:46 pm
Someone asked if 20 days is a long trial. It is not terribly long but longer than the norm in this kind of situation. (From what I’ve been told.)