I moved out of the St. Louis area a few months after the return of the celebrity minister to the FCCF pulpit, but I took the upset, pain and anger over the treatment of the victims with me. It weighed heavy on me for over six years, until I began my effort to put the … Read more
Is help that comes with restrictions helpful? Can the scars of abuse be dealt with in 6-12 counseling sessions? Should the church have offered to pay more than what insurance wouldn’t pay? What if the victims aren’t insured? If you re-victimize the survivors by forcing these restrictions, is that helpful or hurtful? If you fire … Read more
There were eleven or twelve elders in 2012 when the vote to change the bylaws occurred. Five resigned because of the bylaws change. Seven elders remained at the time the news of Brandon’s arrest came out. Were you aware of the elders decline? Did the people in the pews realize the change and recognize the … Read more
So, we all moved on, scars and all. From the book: “Steve’s returning sermon focused on the God of second chances. Ironically, we were forced to stand by our convictions, and Everyday Fellowship gave us a second chance at building a true and lasting church family, no matter how small. The ministers who were let … Read more
It wasn’t long after the celebrity minister’s return that pink slips went out to three remaining ministers. Did they feel betrayed? Did they feel hurt by the church after years of service? What did this mean for the victims of abuse? Their avenue of support was no longer available, because the plan the church elders … Read more
So, the church split; and, as the elders requested, we all ‘moved on,’ except for the survivors. There was no ‘moving on’ for them. What was the church doing for them? From the book: “The six months went by in a split-attention sort of way as Everyday Fellowship continued to grow closer as a church … Read more
The hard realization that reform would not be part of the future of FCCF saddened me. I watched the downward spiral of the church I loved and served for over a decade. There was no going back. From the book: “The Truth and Reform FCCF members began gathering in the sanctuary of a nearby church … Read more
When forced into a corner, do narcissists switch to playing a victim? When confronted with truth, to abusers throw up the argument that they are the victim instead of the victimized person? Did the elders play into the charade? I’m just asking. “On July 22, the elders informed Steve of their decision to give him … Read more
The church elders released a letter to FCCF members on June 21, 2015 to which Titus offered the perspective of the victims and their families he had interviewed. Titus’s rebuttal statements are in bold. Partial truth is not truth. From the book: “Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We’re blessed. First Christian Church of Florissant … Read more
The changeover from a traditional church model to that of an industrial complex model re-prioritized the elders’ duties to see to the needs of the senior pastor. Once the connection between the elders and the church body gets rerouted to encircle the senior minister, how do those in the pews break through to be heard? … Read more