Holding Ecclesiastical Tyrants and Scammers Accountable

I received an encouraging comment from JoeReformed asking me to post more articles similar to Ligonier President Tim Dick Honors Me. It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that a man with Tim Dick's obnoxious personality would make so many enemies.

Had it not been for the fact that Tim Dick wrote me twice I might never have posted an article about him at all. That's often how things like this get started, and it still amazes me that the President of a well-respected ministry would want to provoke a fight with me. If Tim would do that to me, someone that he doesn't know from Adam, just imagine what the man is capable of doing to his own employees!

If I have a beef at all it's not with Dr. Sproul personally, but just with some of the decisions he's made, such as defending his defrocked son and claiming that the charges against him were "fraudulent," and such as making his son-in-law the President of Ligonier. It would be one thing if Tim Dick were qualified for the position. I had some doubts about that before, but after his bizarre email exchange with me it's self-evident that the man is as unfit to head Ligonier Ministries as is RC Sproul Jr unfit to be a pastor.

JoeReformed requested that I write more articles about Ligonier Ministries and Tim Dick. The problem is that I really just don't have much more to say about it. That's not to say that more probably doesn't need to be said, just that I'm not the one best qualified to say it, since I'm not an insider.

However, I'm willing to permit this blog to be used as a forum for articles by insiders, such as current and former Ligonier employees, donors, etc. If any would like to write an article themselves (either real or assumed names acceptable) feel free to submit it to me at advancemyten@yahoo.com and I'll review it for posting here.

My one and only motivation is accountability. If that's your motivation too, and you've got something to contribute here in furtherance of Joe Reformed's request, feel free to submit it.

Accountability is seriously lacking in far too many parachurch ministries. For that matter accountability seems to also be lacking in far too many churches too. Sometimes the only effective means of restoring accountability is public exposure, and blogs like this one bring results.

A great example of this is what's going on out in Moscow Idaho with Doug Wilson and his boutique "confederation" the CREC. Former Christ Church member Michael Metzler is holding Doug Wilson's feet to the fire over the CREC's exoneration of defrocked minister RC Sproul Jr, as well as Wilson's 8 month cover up of his double-pedophilia scandal. Had Wilson dealt properly and honestly with Metzler months ago he wouldn't be now facing all the public criticism.

• Donors have a right to have full disclosure about the ministries that they support and assurances that the funds that they contribute won't just be squandered to improve the personal lifestyles of that ministry's officers.
• Job interviewees have a right to have full disclosure about a potential ministry employer before they become ministry employees.
• Christians have a right to have full disclosure about a pastor before they move half way across the country to join his church.