Ligonier Ministries Defrauds Soli Deo Gloria Ministries In "Acquisition"

"Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known." Luke 12:1-2

I've been hearing for weeks from former Ligonier Ministries employees that Ligonier President Tim Dick is a shark. "Shark" is actually one of the less colorful descriptors among his nicknames but it's nevertheless very revealing of his character. For any who might have any lingering doubts that Tim Dick is a shark let this article now serve to dispel those doubts.

As a result of information that I received from more than one source, on August 18 I sent an email to Ligonier Ministries President Tim Dick, which in part stated:

Tim,

I've gotten an earful from your former employees. I'm shocked by what they've told me. Absolutely shocked.

You need to go Tim. You're a big liability to Ligonier Ministries. If you cared at all about RC's ministry you'd turn in your resignation. But you don't care about anyone but yourself. You'll never leave of your own accord. You'd only leave with some very strong incentive and even then I have my doubts. I think you're just the kind of man that would rather see Ligonier destroyed before you'd resign. For you it's not at all about Christian ministry, it's about lining your pockets and gratifying your ego.

Ligonier may not be able to be saved from your clutches, but there's another ministry in your clutches that I've just gotten wind of that probably can be saved, and it definitely should be. You know exactly what I'm talking about Tim. If you have any common sense at all (and I'm very doubtful of that) and you're the least bit interested in not being publicly exposed as a con artist you'll relinquish control of that ministry and restore control AND OWNERSHIP to the rightful owner that you stole it from.

I don't know that man personally that you stole his ministry from and we've not spoken, but I do know of his work, his expertise and his reputation. I hope to talk with him some day and get the story directly from him. But I know his story as it's been told to me by others (it's not a particularly closely guarded secret Tim) and it makes me very angry to hear how you've gotten away with ripping off a man who's a hundred times the man of God that you'll ever be.

You've totally screwed an honorable godly man. Restore to him what's rightfully his Tim and then no one like me will be in a position to publicly expose you as a thief. Take care of it however you like. Say it was all a big misunderstanding how those contracts got switched. "Oops, the secretary goofed! We didn't mean any harm." Say whatever you want to save face. It doesn't matter to me. What matters is that you cannot be permitted to get away with defrauding Christian ministers.

I'll give you ten days Tim to take care of it and to FULLY and COMPLETELY restore the man and make him whole. Otherwise I'm going public and I'm quite confident that there are others who'll quickly pick up on the story as well. Your name will forever be mud.

I'm giving you the opportunity to save face, but I'm not giving you long. If you take care of things properly it's very likely that this is the last time you'll ever hear from me or my blog. If you don't I'll be around for a long time yet to come.

Though we exchanged several subsequent emails Tim Dick has evaded my allegations and stalled for time. At no time did Tim deny my allegations or even plead ignorance. He just evaded talking about it. In order to send a message to Tim that he'd better take me seriously I began to publicly drop some hints as to my intentions in the comments section of my blog. I also emailed Tim with a link to that section so that he couldn't later plead ignorance and claim that I hadn't given him fair warning.

I know that Tim is paying attention because I've been receiving may hits a day from the Ligonier office from at least five different computers there. But even though I've got Tim's attention he's also done nothing to communicate with me his intentions, which is to say that his intentions are to do nothing. Perhaps Tim thought I was bluffing? If that's the case then Tim is a bigger fool than even I thought.

I gave Tim Dick a ten day deadline in which time he's only further evaded and stalled. Tim Dick leaves me now with no other option but to go public with one of the most morally offensive incidents that I've ever heard of being perpetrated by a parachurch ministry.

On 22 September 2004 Ligonier Ministries, the ministry of Reformed theologian Dr. RC Sproul acquired Soli Deo Gloria Ministries, the ministry of Dr. Donald Kistler. Soli Deo Gloria was a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, as was and is Ligonier Ministries. As such Soli Deo Gloria was "acquired," not purchased. *

Of the acquisition Dr. Kistler originally stated, "I cut my teeth on the Puritans studying under Dr. R.C. Sproul, and to work under him is a dream come true. I look forward to many years of fruitful ministry together, exposing people to the holy God the Puritans knew and served." However Dr. Kistler's "dream come true" soon proved to be a nightmare.

What few if any people knew at the time, and what Don Kistler certainly didn't realize at the time, is that Ligonier President Tim Dick had perpetrated a grand fraud. The fraud against Dr. Kistler is of such an ugly and shameful nature that of the small number of people that have since discovered it no one has been willing in the two ensuing years to confront it, let alone expose it. Allowing two years to lapse hasn't improved upon Dr. Kistler's prospects for recovering what was stolen from him, quite the opposite.

Dr. Kistler's ministry was stolen from him by, quite literally, nothing more than a cheesy sleight of hand trick. After weeks of contract negotiations a final version of the contract was agreed upon by all parties. However, when it came time for the signing of the final contract, unbeknownst to Don Kislter, Tim Dick secretly switched contracts. The textual difference in that switched contract was small enough to have easily escaped the notice of everyone, yet the implications for Don Kisler were immense.

Contained in the mutually approved contract was a reversionary clause, meaning that at any time Don Kistler could exercise his right to reclaim full control of his ministry, with or without cause, and with no penalty or cost to himself. In the contract that Tim Dick surreptitiously switched at the signing ceremony that clause had been removed. The practical effect of Tim Dick's fraud meant that Dr. Kistler had his ministry stolen from him.

Soli Deo Gloria's primary presence on the internet is currently through the Ligonier web site. However, SDG has maintained its former web site, yet more evidence of Dr. Kistler's intention of potentially exercising the reversionary clause that he believed was still in the contract that he signed.

Dr. Kistler was Founder and President of Soli Deo Gloria Ministries. He had devoted some twenty years of his life to this Christ-honoring ministry. Yet by Tim Dick's treachery he had it all stolen from him in exchange for the privilege of becoming nothing more than the "managing editor" of Soli Deo Gloria and an employee of Ligonier, with no ability to reclaim his ministry should things not go as planned with Ligonier. Don Kislter is no fool and he would have never done such a thing of his own volition. It happened only because of Tim Dick's betrayal.

Given the esteem with which Dr. Sproul is held in the Reformed community it's understandable why no one in the know has been willing to personally expose such wickedness. Shedding light on this fraud, even if the only guilty party were Tim Dick, cannot but reflect very badly on Ligonier Ministries and, therefore, on Dr. Sproul himself.

It's doubtful that Dr. Sproul in two years hadn't become apprised of the fraud. In point of fact RC Sproul was apprised not long after the fraud was perpetrated. Furthermore Dr. Sproul has made no effort to correct the fraud that was perpetrated by his son-in-law against Dr. Kistler. RC Sproul was probably not complicit in Tim Dick's fraud, and probably had no prior knowledge of it. However his silence in the matter since he's discovered it has deeply troubled the hearts and minds of those who have also learned of the fraud.

The Ligonier "acquisition" of SDG looked like it should have been a win/win for everyone. However, Dr. Kistler's desire to "pursue his vision to expose contemporary Christians to the literature of Puritan writers" hasn't been aided by the Ligonier "acquisition." In fact his vision has been undermined.

From all accounts Don Kistler is a man of impeccable integrity who'll not compromise his convictions. Dr. Kistler is an ordained Teaching Elder in the RPCGA, the Reformed Presbyterian denomination that defrocked RC Sproul Jr. Even though Dr. Kistler anticipated that there might be serious repercussions, he voted, along with every other Elder in RC Sproul Jr's Presbytery, to defrock RC Jr. That vote was a unanimous one, so that should leave little doubt in the minds of the public as to how overwhelming the evidence must have been.

No doubt that was a very difficult decision for Don Kistler to make. Just imagine how hard that must have been to vote to defrock the son of one of your best friends and the son of your own boss. But Dr. Kistler is a man of conviction and he didn't shy away from doing the right thing. RC Sproul and Don Kistler were friends for many years. But from all accounts Dr. Kistler is now disdained by Dr. Sproul and persona non grata at Ligonier. I'm told that Dr. Sproul has barely spoken a word to Dr. Kistler since he voted to defrock his son. Tim Dick has now pulled out all the stops in retaliation against Dr. Kistler.

As President and Founder of Soli Deo Gloria, Dr. Kistler had complete freedom to pursue his Puritan vision, speaking in an average of forty different venues per year, including preaching in many churches all across America. Dr. Kistler is considered by many to be the leading expert in the world on the Puritans. As a public speaker and preacher he was highly sought after. Now he's just a Ligioner lackey with his entire life being dictated by the very man that defrauded him. Don Kistler must now seek authorization from Tim Dick for everything he does, including even where he preaches on Sundays. Ligonier treats Dr. Kistler as an indentured servant, requiring that he hand over the honorariums that he earns for speaking, including honorariums he receives for preaching on Sunday.

It would be naive to suppose that Dr. Kistler's days at Ligionier aren't numbered. The only reason he hasn't already been fired is because it would only be too obvious to everyone that his firing was purely retaliatory. Ligonier needs a good reason to fire Don Kistler and Don Kistler isn't the kind of man to give them a good reason.

Tim Dick's theft of Soli Deo Gloria, as well as his daily despicable treatment of Dr. Kistler has placed Dr. Kistler under extraordinary stress. That stress no doubt proved a significant factor in Dr. Kistler's recent stroke, which he suffered on 8-15 (first reported on The Puritan Board, a site where Dr. Kistler has regularly participated). Dr. Kistler is now at home recovering. His physician has no doubt ordered him to avoid all stressful situations. Stroke victims know all too well how important it is for them to avoid stressful environments. Provided that Dr. Kistler doesn't further subject himself to the outrageous abuses that he's suffered for months under the tyrannies of Tim Dick, his recovery prospects are probably quite good.

Nothing would suit Tim Dick better then to force Dr. Kistler to resign, thereby abandoning his ministry of twenty years to the complete and unfettered control of Tim Dick. With Dr. Kistler's stroke Tim is no doubt licking his chops. He's already defrauded Dr. Kistler. Now he's just waiting for the ideal moment to move in for the final kill. One might suppose that given that RC Sproul has had his own problems with strokes (two serious stokes so far) that Tim Dick would now become sympathetic to Don Kistler. But remember that we're talking about Tim "the shark" Dick, and we all know what sharks do when they smell blood in the water.

There's a remedy for all of this. The remedy includes making Don Kistler whole and restoring full control of Soli Deo Gloria to him. Soli Deo Gloria should also be placed back under its original Board Of Directors. The remedy also includes Dr. Sproul firing his charlatan son-in-law. Hucksters and con artists can't be permitted to preside over Christian ministries. Nothing short of these things can right this terrible wrong.

Tim Dick is responsible for the original fraud, so there's no realistic chance that Tim will be the one to correct it. RC Sproul has known about it a long time and he hasn't corrected it either. It therefore falls to the Ligonier Board Of Directors. Big problem there though. Vesta Sproul sits on the Ligonier Board of Directors and exercises tremendous influence. In all likelihood the only thing that's likely to bring justice is a public outcry against Ligonier Ministries.

Dr. RC Sproul has been a gift from God to the Reformed community. However, the manner in which he's governed his family and his ministry has been far from commendable. Dr. Sproul's credibility in recent months has suffered greatly, especially over his public statements about the defrocking of his son. In alleging that the charges against his defrocked son were "fraudulent" he slandered the good name of a Reformed Presbyterian denomination. Dr. Sproul via Shaun Nolan asserted that: "the Confederation of Reformed Evangelicals (CRE) is conducting a detailed examination of the charges. What this means is that the trial they did not receive is being conducted by a third party. The results, soon to be released, will then be examined by other groups for the purpose of validating conclusions and clearing the name of the men involved." Those who have followed the RC Sproul Jr scandal know that the CREC didn't conduct a trial and they didn't clear RC Jr's name at all. In fact the CREC Report only confirmed the RPCGA's Judgment by saying, "It is our finding that there were significant pastoral mistakes, errors and sins by the former Session."

The esteem with which I formerly held RC Sproul has eroded and continues to erode. I doubt I'm alone, and this latest revelation about Tim Dick's fraud, and Dr. Sproul's failure to correct it, won't improve Dr. Sproul's image; unless that is Dr. Sproul acts swiftly and decisively. Christians are a very forgiving people. Should Dr. Sproul make full restitution to Dr. Kistler, and should he issue a public apology to the RPCGA, as well as to those that he effectively accused of being false witnesses, I'm sure that he'll receive a very favorable response.

RC Sproul and the Ligonier Board of Directors now bear full responsibility for exercising their authority to right this horrible wrong and to restore to Dr. Kistler what is rightfully his.

Dr. Kistler please know that you're in my prayers and, no doubt, in the prayers of many. May your health recover quickly. May God fully and completely restore to you what was stolen from you. May justice prevail.

Comments are welcome, particularly from insiders who wish to furnish additional details about this tragic story. Posting under an alias is permissible, however anonymous comments are not permitted.





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* See Can a 501(c)(3) Organization Be Sold?

As a CPA friend explained it to me a 501(c)(3) tax exempt charitable organizations cannot be "sold" per se because the tax code prohibits the employees and officers of 501(c)(3) organizations from receiving a "private benefit" or "personal inurement." See Can a 501(c)(3) organization be sold?

"No part of the net earnings of a section 501(c)(3) organization may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual." Inurement/Private Benefit - Charitable Organizations