Contending For Truth - Ligonier Ministries Lawsuit Scandal

Ligonier Ministries Requires Biblical Instruction

2006-10-06T12:22:00.003-06:00

Will It Take a Balaam's Ass To Speak Before They'll Listen?

For most of my life I've professed Christ as my Savior, and for a number of those years I've also held to Reformed theology as what I believe to be the purest expression of the Christian faith. Because of Dr. RC Sproul's own commitment to Reformed theology, and the lucidness with which he expounds the Word of God, I've for years been appreciative of his labors through Ligonier Ministries, particularly for his books and his radio ministry. I give Dr. Sproul some credit in motivating me in "renewing your mind."

Imagine my shock at discovering that Ligonier Ministries doesn't practice what it preaches. Perhaps the most obvious example of that is their recent lawsuit against me. I wouldn't think it necessary for a layman like me with no formal biblical education to have to expound the Word of God to Reformed theologians like RC Sproul, but evidently that's the case.

Christians shouldn't be suing Christians. 1 Corinthians 6:1-7 not only states that plainly, it even explains why:

1 Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, matters of this life? 4 If then you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, 6 but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? (1 Corinthians 6:1-7)

If Ligonier Ministries as a Bible teaching ministry didn't know the Bible well enough to have figured that out before, then they've probably figured it out by now (whether or not they're willing to admit it is a different matter altogether). After the withering criticism they've come under in the past month they could've figured it out without ever reading the Bible at all. Even if Ligonier as a Bible teaching ministry had never seen 1 Corinthians 6 before, just good old common sense would've by now taught them that suing a fellow Christian isn't a smart public relations move. But even if I weren't a Christian (as some now ex post facto wish to allege in order to find some elusive biblical escape clause), or even if I were a "Muslim" as Doug Wilson has alleged, suing me would still have been an incredibly stupid move.

Prior to suing me hardly anyone had even heard of Frank Vance and his little dispute with Ligonier's President Tim Dick. Suing me has just turned my obscure little blog into front page news in the biggest newspaper in the United States. If I could afford to match Tim Dick's $230,000 salary (2004 figure, probably much higher now) I'd hire him as my PR director. Great job Tim (for me anyway -- not so good for Ligonier)!

RC Sproul's good pastor friend John MacArthur certainly seems to understand why Christians shouldn't sue Christians. In his Study Bible John MacAurthur says:

6:1 Dare. Suing another believer in a secular law court is a daring act of disobedience because of its implications related to all sin -- the displeasure of God: a matter against another....
6:4 ...the basic meaning is clear; when Christians have earthly quarrels and disputes among themselves, it is inconceivable that they would turn to those least qualified (unbelievers) to resolve the matter.
6:5,6. Shame. Such conduct as suing a fellow believer is not only a sinful shame, but a complete failure to act obediently and righteously. Christians who take fellow Christians to court suffer moral defeat and spiritual loss even before the case is heard, and they become subject to divine chastening.
6:7 why...not...accept wrong? ...Christians have no right to insist on legal recourse in a public court. It is far better to trust God's sovereign purpose in trouble and lose financially, than to be disobedient and suffer spiritually.

One of the reasons that we as Christians shouldn't "dare to go to law before the unrighteous" is because it's a lot like disrobing in front of strangers, or as others have put it, "it's like airing our dirty laundry for the whole world to see." Tim Dick and his defenders would argue that it was I who was responsible for airing Ligonier's dirty laundry by posting my articles on the internet. He'd argue that because of my blog anyone in the world could see his dirty laundry and that the Ligonier lawsuit was merely a method of pulling the dirty laundry off the line. In theory that might be true... in theory. In practice however that's completely ridiculous.

Prior to Ligonier suing me no unbeliever had any reason or inclination to go searching for my blog, and the same also applies to the vast majority of Christians. In order to search for something, anything, you first have to know that it exists. Then you have to know how to search for it. Prior to Ligonier suing me hardly any Christians knew about my dispute with Tim Dick, let alone any unbelievers. It's only because of the lawsuit that many thousands of people now know, including a lot of unbelievers who should've never found out.

I'm in no way pleased that so many unbelievers have now found out. In fact I'm very troubled by it. But there's only one reason they did find out -- the lawsuit. My blog comments brought some personal embarrassment to Tim Dick, but on an extremely limited scale. Even Tim Challies is now admitting this. However, Ligonier's lawsuit against me brought shame and reproach to the entire body of Christ and it also reinforces the preexisting biases of many unbelievers that "the church is full of hypocrites." As one "atheist (an agnostic when facing surgery)" put it:

So as you do, I had a little google. And lo, a whole can of worms came forth... and particularly slimy, wriggly ones at that, considering these are supposed to be the 'moral' people. The blogger, Vance Tribe, has issues with the financial management of Ligonier Ministries.

His criticisms are not only managerial, but spiritual and theological, and he's been unafraid of saying so on his blog. Ligonier Ministries is a massive moneymaking publishing affair largely exempt from tax and public scrutiny and it appears that in this instance, as they always do, the leeches have battened onto the credulous faithful. There's defrocked priests, nepotism, hypocrisy and greed, and bad behaviour by the bucketful if you don't mind wading through the sanctimony. Juicy.

It's a interesting story, and doubly so for bloggers, because this religious business is trying for prior restraint to stop blog criticism before it even happens. That has implications for many bloggers if it's successful. If they can do it, so can other churches, and a lot of churches have a lot to hide.

Christians shouldn't be giving atheists cause to rejoice over sin and hypocrisy in the church. Ligonier's lawsuit has brought shame and reproach upon many thousands of Christians and rather than repenting for it they've issued pubic statements full of excuses, self-justifications and more lies. Furthermore, by his actions Tim Dick has just reinforced in the minds of many the fact that he's a thin-skinned crybaby. No doubt the judge thought much the same. One of the running jokes now is that Tim Dick sued me because I called him a "nincompoop." Amazingly enough though it's not just a joke. Tim actually lists that in the lawsuit as one of the reasons he sued me!

Tim Dick is trying to make this whole thing out as a purely honorable act on his part in defending the good name of Ligonier. But anyone who's actually taken the time to read the lawsuit knows that Tim's motives were only about himself:

"8. VANCE has published several false statements about Plaintiffs on his blog including, but not limited to:"

"Plaintiffs" is plural, meaning both Tim Dick and Ligonier. Yet every single one of the thirteen alleged "false statements about Plaintiffs" are about Tim Dick, and practically all of them are only about Tim Dick, and if they refer to Ligonier at all (which is debatable) it's only by extension and the fact that Tim Dick is Ligonier's President/CEO/CFO. Tim Dick didn't act to defend Ligonier's honor. He sued me only because he's a thin-skinned crybaby who was too cheap to hire his own attorney to sue me. So he used Ligonier donor money instead to sue me.

One of the more remarkable aspects of Tim Dick's lawsuit is that he brought matters that are clearly of a religious nature before a secular court. For example:

f. VANCE's August 14, 2006 statement that "Incompetent and unqualified family members are to be found running around (or sleeping on the desk) everywhere in Ligonier, often in key positions, with little or no understanding or appreciation for the Reformed theology championed by Dr. Sproul.

j. VANCE's July 18, 2006 statement that "From everything I've heard, Tim Dick is a very corrupt man. Some have told me that based on his behavior they don't think there's any way he could be a converted Christian. To have such a man heading up an honorable Christian ministry is an embarrassment to the church of Jesus Christ."

l. VANCE's June 27, 2006 statement that "It would be one thing if Tim Dick were qualified for the position... it's self-evident that the man is as unfit to head Ligonier Ministries as is RC Sproul Jr to be a pastor."

Tim Dick alleges that those are "false statements." But no judge is just going to take Tim Dick's word for it, especially through some sneaky ex parte procedure. In order to grant Ligonier's request for a temporary injunction, and then a permanent injunction, the judge would have to first determine if my allegations were false by examining various evidence and the testimony of witnesses. Just one of many problems with doing so is the fact that the above statements touch on questions of faith and religion, and no civil judge in his right mind would get anywhere near trying to determine the veracity of religious opinions.

Judge Nelson likely knew her own jurisdictional limitations, both civil and ecclesiastical and she wasn't willing to touch this case with a ten foot pole. I don't know if Judge Nelson is a Bible believing Christian, but odds are she's not. It wouldn't surprise me if she was mystified over why a Christian ministry was bringing a religious dispute before the civil magistrate.

If nothing else this entire episode has proven to be a valuable learning experience for many other ministry leaders. If ever there was a practical example of the folly of Christians suing Christians this would be it. Unfortunately there are still some who in their pride, and their blind defense of Ligonier, won't take heed.

If there are those who remain sympathetic to Ligonier Ministries (and there are) the vast majority of them are smart enough to keep their unbiblical opinions to themselves. But there are a few noteworthy exceptions. In an article this coming week I'll give honorable mention to at least one of them.

RC Sproul Sinning By Silence

2006-10-03T07:46:00.002-06:00

"Could it be that too many of God's true children are sinning against God by guilty silence? When those whose eyes are opened by the touch of Christ become vocal and active God may begin to fight again on the side of truth. There are moral situations where it is immoral to say nothing and basely immoral to do nothing."
A.W. Tozer

Over a month has passed since Ligonier Ministries violated 1 Corinthians 6 with impunity and filed a lawsuit against me. In that time not one word has been publicly uttered by RC Sproul, the Founder of Ligonier and current Chairman of the Board, not to mention the official Minister for the ministry. In short, it's his ministry and he's nowhere to be heard from.

Ligonier Ministries and its senior management has come under withering criticism over this lawsuit and yet its founder hides in the home that his donors paid for, refusing to comment, refusing to provide leadership, and refusing to be held accountable.

By his month-long silence RC Sproul has sent a message -- RC Sproul appears to be in full agreement with the unbiblical and very foolish actions of his "senior management" -- Tim Dick and John Duncan. Furthermore RC Sproul appears to be in full agreement with the pathetic public statements issued by Tim Dick and Ligonier's senior management. To assume otherwise would be naive.

What was called for was thorough and unequivocal confession, contrition and repentance. Instead what we got were just more excuses, lies, cover ups, blame shifting and self-justification. As a donor-funded Bible teaching ministry Ligonier needs to do one of two things:

Publicly explain how its lawsuit is biblically defensible and why 1 Corinthians 6 doesn't apply to Ligonier Ministries or apply in this particular case.
Publicly acknowledge that Ligonier's lawsuit isn't biblically defensible, issue a public apology, and restructure Ligonier in such a way that such abuses can never happen again.

The public statements issued by Ligonier Ministries should have never been penned by Tim Dick and John Duncan. They should have come from RC Sproul. In the midst of such a crisis what's called for is strong principled leadership. Tim Dick has more than amply demonstrated that he is an unprincipled man. For RC Sproul to hide out in the midst of a crisis and fail to accept responsibility and exercise manly leadership only makes him look like an abdicator.

In his public statement Tim Dick "accepted responsibility" but he failed to admit any wrongdoing. At best all that Tim Dick has confessed to is that he might have "caused confusion," which is to say he doesn't think he's done anything unbiblical, unethical or sinful at all. Nor is Tim Dick willing to come to grips with the fact that he has terribly offended a large portion of Ligonier's donor base.

However the greater responsibility falls to RC Sproul, for it was he who appointed Tim Dick, a man who clearly has no professional or ministerial qualifications whatsoever. Worse yet Tim Dick has no moral and ethical qualifications. Tim Dick does need to accept responsibility for his own moral shortcomings and incompetency, but far more importantly RC Sproul must accept responsibility for appointing Tim Dick in the first place. RC Sproul must accept responsibility for the consequences to Ligonier and to the body of Christ as a whole for appointing an unprincipled nincompoop.

In the past several weeks many have asked the question, "When will RC say something? When will he issue a public statement?" Ligonier's supporters are looking to RC Sproul for leadership, but he's nowhere to be found. This only tends to confirm the suspicions that many now have that the problems at Ligonier don't just begin and end with Tim Dick.

Several prominent Reformed ministers are personal friends of RC Sproul and regularly share the podium with him at various conferences. These include John MacArthur, John Piper, Al Mohler, C.J. Mahaney, Mark Dever, and Ligon Duncan (brother to Ligonier General Manager John Duncan). I've received a number of emails from people who are mystified over the silence of these men regarding the Ligonier Ministries lawsuit. It seems that many people are having a hard time knowing what to think about the silence of these men. Many Christians look to them for leadership and from all appearances there doesn't appear to be any of that being exercised right now.

I've been asked repeatedly about that. All I can say right now is that I do find their silence at a time like this to be strange if not inexplicable. I'm reasonably confident that if it were anyone other than one of our own they'd have something to say about it. Reformed ministers find it all too tempting to criticize the failures of the leadership of Evangelicals and Charismatics and Fundamentalists. How they love to point out that "Bad theology produces bad leadership." The interesting thing about that though is that the Evangelicals and Charismatics and Fundamentalists themselves generally seem to do a reasonably good job of policing their own ranks. They're generally not afraid to hold one another accountable and, if necessary, publicly rebuke one of their own. But for some odd reason it seems that the Reformed leadership are often unwilling to hold one of their own accountable.

We can say the same of Christian publications that cater to Reformed Christians, such as World Magazine. World Magazine has yet to mention anything about RC Sproul Jr and his entire Session of Elders being defrocked. When's the last time anyone has heard of an entire Presbyterian Session of four Elders being defrocked? If that's not newsworthy for the Religion section of World Magazine then I don't know what is. If Ligonier Ministries suing me isn't newsworthy for the Religion section of World Magazine then I don't know what is. Yet once again Marvin Olasky and his "objective" editors have proven how compromised they are. They're eager to report on gay alcoholic Episcopal Bishops checking themselves into rehab, or the foolish public statements uttered by Pat Robertson, but they carefully avoid reporting on the scandalous lawsuit of a prominent Reformed minister and his ministry (and even of his son's defrocking). I'm sure it's just all a mere coincidence that that same ministry that World Magazine has turned a blind eye to also just happens to have spent many tens of thousands of dollars advertising in World.

I find it remarkable that the secular Press started contacting me just a week after Ligonier had sued me, yet the Christian Press is either too embarrassed, too intimidated or too compromised to devote one drop of ink to it. Now just this morning USA Today gave prominent mention to the Ligonier Ministries lawsuit in a front page article. Tim Dick is doing a wonderful job of making Ligonier famous. The problem is that it's the wrong kind of fame.

As for the silence of various prominent Reformed ministers, I hadn't particularly thought much about it until just this past week. My assumption was that they probably were doing something behind the scenes and that it might take some time before the rest of us knew what they'd been doing. But now that five weeks have transpired since Ligonier first sued me, and not one prominent Reformed minister has publicly challenged Ligonier over it (or for all we know even privately challenged them), despite two secular newspaper articles, dozens of blog articles and hundreds of blog comments, I have to admit that I'm growing increasingly concerned by the Reformed leadership's public silence.

Of course it could very well be that some or even all of these men have contacted RC Sproul and advised him to drop the lawsuit. But because they haven't publicly said anything we just don't know. For the sake of argument let's just assume that they all did contact RC Sproul and told him he needed to drop the lawsuit. That would've been the right thing to do, but would it have been adequate? Would that have been enough to fulfill their obligations as fellow ministers and personal friends of RC Sproul? No it would not. In addition, a rebuke of their friend and calling him to to repentance -- public repentance, is needed and also biblically mandated.

Ligonier's sins are public sins and therefore public repentance is necessary. Not only has that not occurred but through Ligonier's "senior management" we've heard nothing but excuses and more lies. RC Sproul isn't ignorant of what's been going on for the past month, and by permitting it to go on for so long, and by doing nothing to put a stop to it (at least that anyone can see) he's complicit in Ligonier's sins. That calls for public repentance and it calls for those closest to RC Sproul to call him to public repentance.

Again, it could very well be that some or all of those Reformed ministers have called RC Sproul to repentance (Matt 18:15-17). But if they have isn't it now more than obvious that he hasn't publicly repented? What are they to do now? Are they biblically permitted to maintain their silence in the face of a public scandal? To be silent about sin is to condone sin. The Reformed leadership needs to take cognizance of the fact that they're setting an example. RC Sproul has set an example that now communicates loud and clear that it's perfectly acceptable for Christians to be suing Christians.

If RC Sprouls' minister friends and associates continue to remain silent they'll be sending a very clear message that they agree with RC Sproul that it's perfectly acceptable for Christians to be suing Christians. The inevitable result will be that many of those who admire those Reformed ministers will follow their example and they'll come to believe that it's perfectly acceptable for Christians to sue Christians. They shouldn't be surprised when one day it's one of them who gets sued by another Christian and the plaintiff uses Ligonier vs. Vance to justify it.

Perhaps these Reformed ministers believe that it's still too soon to speak out publicly, and perhaps they may even be justified in their beliefs. The problem for them is that there are too many troubled Christians looking on who disagree and believe that too much time has been wasted as it is. The continued silence on the part of Reformed ministers is calling into question if any of them can be trusted. As one blogger put it, "This latest scandal has really made me wonder if there are any good ministries out there anymore." It's those kinds of doubts that will cause financial supporters to not just cut off Ligonier but also any other Reformed ministry that fails to speak out against the Ligonier scandal.

Some have suggested that I post the names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers of RC Sproul's preacher friends so that they can be contacted and asked what they've done to call RC Sproul to public repentance. After giving the matter much consideration I now agree that, in the interest of accountability, that's probably a prudent thing to do:

Dr. John MacArthur
Grace Community Church
13248 Roscoe Blvd
Sun Valley, CA 91352
phone: 818-909-5500
fax: 818-909-5712
receptionist@gracechurch.org

John Piper
Desiring God Ministries
2601 E Franklin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55406
toll free: 888-346-4700
phone: 612-435-2401
fax: 612-338-4372
mail@desiringgod.org

Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III
First Presbyterian Church
1390 North State Street
Jackson, MS 39202
phone: 601-353-8316
phone: 601-973-9104
mrb@fpcjackson.org

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
2825 Lexington Road
Louisville, KY 40280
phone: 502-897-4011
mail@albertmohler.com

C.J. Mahaney
Sovereign Grace Ministries
7505 Muncaster Mill Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
phone: 301-330-7400
email form

Mark Dever
Capitol Hill Baptist Church
525 A Street Northeast
Washington, DC 20002
phone: 202-543-6111
phone: 202-543-1224
fax: 202-543-6113
info@9marks.org

If you call or write any of these ministers please show them due respect: "Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren." (1Tim. 5:1) Here's an example of a letter that you might want to send them, or use for talking points if you call them. It might be useful at the top of your letter to include the names of all of them so they all know the others have received copies too:

Dear ____________,

My understanding is that you're a friend and ministry associate of RC Sproul and that you've spoken at some of the same conferences. As you no doubt already know Dr. Sproul's Ligonier Ministries sued a Christian blogger on August 25. That lawsuit was withdrawn "without prejudice" on September 27. What that means is that Ligonier reserved the option of suing Frank Vance again and in fact in an article in the Orlando Sentinel it stated that, "Ministry attorney Daniel Brodersen said Thursday that if the group does find Vance, it may file a new suit."

To date Ligonier has issued two public statements, neither of which offer any apology for Ligonier's unbiblical and unchristian conduct. Regardless of Mr. Vance's allegations and methods I'm far more concerned about Ligonier's unbiblical response and the terrible example they've set and the terrible testimony for Christ that they've been.

As a personal friend and ministry associate of Dr. Sproul's I'm wondering where you stand on all this. Do you side with RC Sproul and Ligonier Ministries and believe that their actions can be biblically justified in light of 1 Corinthians 6:1-7? If not I'd like to know what you've done to encourage RC Sproul to issue a public statement of repentance. If you've already done that then I'd like to know why you haven't issued any public statements yourself. My concern is that your continued silence will be viewed as an endorsement of Ligonier's sinful behavior.

In the unlikely event that you're unaware of these significant events please see the following links:
Ligonier Ministries Sues Frank Vance
Public Statement by Tim Dick
Public Statement by Ligonier Senior Management
Ligonier Ministries: More Lies Exposed By Orlando Sentinel

You should also take note of the fact that on the front page of USA Today, October 3 edition, Ligonier Ministries was prominently mentioned in an article about lawsuits and bloggers. This Ligonier scandal requires immediate damage control and any continued silence by Reformed leaders such as yourself will likely only make things much worse.

Thank you in advance for your concern about this matter and for the godly leadership that I'm confident you will soon begin to publicly demonstrate. I appreciate receiving a timely response to the concerns that I've raised here.

Respectfully,

XXXXXXX

If you've been a donor to any of the above ministries, or you've supported these ministers or their ministries in any other way (purchased their books, attended their conferences, etc.) make that known in your letter or email. Demonstrating a personal connection makes it more likely that your letter will get by the screeners. As you receive responses from these men, please post those responses as comments to this thread, or if a response is very long then email it to me.

More Ligonier Lies: Exposed By Orlando Sentinel

2006-09-29T12:41:00.001-06:00

Newspaper Reports Ligonier Dropped Suit Only Because It Couldn't Collar Vance; Ligonier Tips Hand About Intentions To Refile Lawsuit

World Magazine Blog and Christianity Today Blog have both made passing mention of the Ligonier Ministries lawsuit story, but they have yet to commit a drop of ink to it in their magazines, this in spite of the fact that this story is more than newsworthy. Thank God however for the secular Press who obviously aren't so timid.

Today Orlando Sentinel staff reporter Rene Stuztman wrote a new article published in the Orlando Sentinel about the latest on the Ligonier's lawsuit against me:

Posted September 29, 2006

Sanford -- The Lake Mary religious group that sued a blogger, trying to limit what he could put on the Internet, has dropped its suit.

Ligonier Ministries Inc. voluntarily dismissed the case Wednesday against Frank Vance, who published remarks critical of the ministry and its president, Timothy Dick, on the Web site "Contending for the Truth."

That's because the group couldn't find Vance, so it couldn't officially notify him that he was being sued, something judges require to make sure defendants have the opportunity to defend themselves.

The group tried to find Vance, whom it accused of posting false and defamatory statements. It hired a private detective, companies that specialize in tracking e-mail and Internet postings.

It even sent Vance an e-mail, asking him to disclose his whereabouts, but none of that worked, according to court records.

Ministry attorney Daniel Brodersen said Thursday that if the group does find Vance, it may file a new suit.

Rene Stutzman, Erin Ailworth, Christine Dellert and Kristen Reed of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

What a story! It's almost better than a PI novel, Pinkerton Detective Agency and all!

"That's because the group couldn't find Vance" says it all. Nothing about, "We came to our senses and realized how inappropriate it was for a Christian ministry to be filing lawsuits, especially against professing Christians. It wasn't right and it's cost us dearly, especially among our loyal supporters. Regardless of what Mr. Vance has said about our President we regret what we did and express our sincere apologies." Tim Dick and his lying lawyers just blew a great public relations opportunity to show some Christian humility and contrition and instead just tipped their hand that this legal war is far from over.

Filing a new lawsuit is precisely what I expected that Ligonier would probably do, if only they are given the opportunity. This is exactly why I'm not responding to any demands for personal information.

There are several things that tipped me off that Ligonier's intentions over dropping this lawsuit was probably just a ruse:

The fact that they publicly announced that the lawsuit had been "withdrawn" when they hadn't even filed the legal paperwork yet.
The fact that after publicly announcing that the lawsuit had been "withdrawn" it took them a week to actually file the paperwork.
The likelihood that had there not been significant public exposure to their lies over "withdrawn" the lawsuit they likely never would have filed the paperwork at all to withdraw it.
The fact that once they did file the paperwork to withdraw the lawsuit they only withdrew it "without prejudice," thereby tipping their hand that they wanted to reserve the opportunity of suing me again.
The fact that at the same time that Ligonier publicly announced "having withdrawn" the lawsuit I started being daily bombarded with blog comments and emails from obvious Ligonier shills in what can only be characterized as a coordinated front to obtain my personal information.
The fact that a Christian attorney -- we'll call him Jack -- on Tuesday spoke with Ligonier attorney Dan Brodersen and discovered that Ligonier hadn't dropped the lawsuit last week, and hadn't even intended to drop the lawsuit at all. Jack told Brodersen that the lawsuit was groundless and that "it's going to ruin Ligonier. You have a professional responsibility to tell your client to drop it." Brodersen did NOT then say, "I realize that, Jack. In fact, we've already released a public statement saying that we've withdrawn the suit, and I'll be filing a the Voluntary Dismissal with the court soon." Instead, Broderson told Jack, "We haven't been able to serve Vance yet, and if we can't serve him real soon then we'll have to drop it. But we just got a lead on Vance so we might be able to serve him now."

The lies and the cover ups only grow and only continue to be exposed.

Ligonier Ministries has obviously learned nothing from this tragic saga. They're still out for their pound of flesh. They've repented of nothing, owned up to nothing, and learned nothing. They're still not getting it.

Ligonier Ministries still doesn't comprehend how offended most Christians are to see them suing a brother in Christ. Even if they want to now ex post facto allege that I'm not a brother in Christ their lawsuit would still be unwarranted and offensive because it's a horrible testimony for Christians everywhere. Furthermore Ligonier still doesn't comprehend how offended most Christians are that they have repeatedly lied about every single aspect in every single phase of this lawsuit.

As to Ligonier's claim that their attorneys emailed me, that could very well be true. If they did though they never identified themselves, nor did they specifically ask me to "disclose my whereabouts," at least in the conventional sense of that term. However, I do recall receiving several emails from an "Amber" offering to mail me a copy of the lawsuit. She seemed quite eager to obtain my address, but as I explained to her, my present location doesn't afford me the opportunity of readily receiving postal mail. I asked her to scan the case and email it to me. She declined, claiming that her scanner was broken.

I'm predicting that Ligonier's next move will be to call off the dogs who've been daily badgering me for personal contact information. They should already have figured out that won't work. In fact that strategy has just backfired by causing me to be just that much more suspicious. So they'll change the tactic from bad cop to good cop.

Their next move may be to hire a "Christian mediator." It might be an actual bona fide mediator, or it could be just another Ligonier shill. Either way it won't matter. Through the mediator they'll make appeals for "biblical reconciliation" and once I agree to enter into Christian mediation they'll just take the contact information that I'll be obligated to furnish to the mediator and use to file another lawsuit. The problem for me is that if I refuse to enter into mediation it'll make me look bad, but the potential consequences of agreeing to mediate would be far worse. So unless Ligonier first legally promises in writing to never sue me again there's no chance that I'll agree to being setup for another Ligonier lawsuit by a Ligonier ploy for "mediation."

Irrespective, the issue anymore isn't even about brokering some peaceful resolution between me and Ligonier Ministries. The issue is about Ligonier's very obvious and very public sins of suing fellow Christians and then repeatedly lying about that lawsuit. Everything else is just a side-show. Christians are a very forgiving people, if that is they see some indications of contrition and repentance. When will Ligonier repent?

Ligonier Ministries Lawsuit: Tim Dick's Public Statement

2006-09-28T20:21:00.001-06:00

If you haven't already done so let me recommend that you first read Ligonier Ministries: "Withrawal Of Legal Complaint" as it will put this article in the proper context.

In his Public Statement, Tim Dick says of the Ligonier Ministries, Inc. and Timothy Dick vs. Frank Vance lawsuit (case no. 06-CA-1669-16-K):

"On August 24, 2006 a complaint was filed in a Judicial Court of Seminole County, by Ligonier Ministries seeking injunctive relief because of the significant threats and allegations being made by a "blogger" under the name Frank Vance, whose true identity is yet unknown."

If Tim Dick had any common sense he would have made an attempt to ascertain my "true identity" (I assume by that he means my address, phone, etc.) before he sued me. Nevertheless, as everyone can plainly tell, that lack of identity information didn't prevent him from suing me anyway. Mr. Dick offers no explanation for why he sued a fellow Christian and thereby violated 1 Corinthians 6 with impunity.

"The decision to take this step was extremely difficult."

Yeah, sure Tim. There's just one problem with all that "extremely difficult" stuff. It's called your reputation. You've got quite a reputation for issuing legal threats against potential whistle blowers, especially employees that you kicked to the curb like so much rubbish. You've never found it "extremely difficult" to call up your attorneys and tell them to fire off a letter threatening to sue anyone who rubs you the wrong way. In the year you became Ligonier's President your judicious use of lawyers resulted in Ligonier's attorney bills exploding from zero to $64,350.00. The public doesn't know yet what Tim Dick's lawyer bills are for 2005 because as CFO Tim is way behind on getting the tax returns done.

"The intention of the complaint was simply to respond to the unfounded, slanderous attack of our accuser, and to seek an objective response."

Such a claim is absurd on its face. One doesn't file a lawsuit for an injunction to "respond" or "to seek an objective response." In this case Tim Dick sued for an injunction to completely silence me as a whistle blower in what is commonly known as a SLAPP lawsuit.

"I attempted to resolve this in private, as my beliefs require. Each time I refuted the accusations, he refused to listen."

At no time did Tim Dick "refute the accusations." Let him now produce the evidence in the form of the original emails, or any other documentation he possesses, in which he refuted any of the allegations that I brought privately to him. I have copies of all my email correspondence with Tim Dick. At no time did he ever "refute the accusations," particularly of the most serious allegation that he'd defrauded Don Kistler in the Soli Deo Gloria acquisition. If he had just once ever said, "Frank, you're mistaken. It never happened," that would have been the end of it and I never would have gone public. This wasn't an issue of I "refused to listen." It was an issue that Tim Dick evaded either admitting or denying the allegations. He was responsive and timely in answering many other questions, but on the SDG issue he consistently evaded an answer. He evaded, he stalled for time, and then when I issued him a ten day deadline he immediately filed a SLAPP lawsuit to silence me.

"My denials were then used by the accuser to perpetuate his blog commentary. At that point, I stopped interacting with the accuser, who again escalated his attack, continuing to exhibit, by his public and private conduct, a testimony inconsistent with that of a Christian."

At best Mr. Dick appears to be terribly confused about the chronology of events, and at worst he is once again lying. It appears that this statement is referring all the way back to when he first started emailing me out of the blue, back in May. I found his behavior to be irrational if not bizarre, and completely inconsistent with how the President of a prominent and highly respect ministry should be conducting himself. I soon discovered that Tim has frequently engaged in this same behavior with a number of other bloggers as well. So I took our email exchanges and created an article from them. I find it more than just a little ironic, and certainly hypocritical, that someone like Tim Dick thinks himself qualified to judge my "testimony inconsistent with that of a Christian." But then I should also expect someone like Tim Dick to play the "he must not be a Christian" card. That's the only card he's got to play if he wants to justify suing me while ignoring the biblical prohibitions of 1 Corinthians 6.

"In light of Don Kistler's statement and our concern for the health of the church, I have asked that our complaint be withdrawn."

Why isn't the Kistler statement posted anywhere other than on Challies? Why didn't Ligonier post it on their own web site? Is there a legal reason they're afraid to do so? Why was the Kistler statement posted on Challies on September 21 and then the very next day the announcement was made public that the lawsuit "had been withdrawn"? Is that all just a coincidence? Is the timing of that all just a big coincidence? How very convenient that the SDG fraud allegations will never be able to be examined under by discovery and under oath.

Tim Dick should have thought about "the health of the church" before he sued me, not after. This lawsuit has brought reproach not just upon Ligonier ministries but on the body of Christ as a whole. I've already seen blog comments from unbelievers shaking their heads at those foolish and thin-skinned Christians who will file a lawsuit at the drop of a hat rather than resolve their disputes privately. I hope that Ligonier's lawsuit won't prove to be a stumbling stone of offense, but the fact is that Christians and non-Christians alike are greatly offended. Some are evidently even now offended by the very Reformed theology that Dr. Sproul espouses. In their minds if this is the fruit of Reformed theology they don't want any part of it. As one commenter put it:

"This episode and others have made me rethink the reformed position. There are enough verses in scripture to make me rethink it but mainly because these people think they are elect, they think they can live and act anyway they want? They think they can lie, spin, take donor money to live in luxury? They think they are not accountable to anyone? They have made a mockery of God's Word and don't even seem to see it. They have sown seeds of confusion and chaos...on purpose."

It's hard for me to even know how to respond to that commenter. I've been a Christian most of my life, and I long ago embraced Reformed theology. But I've also seen a great deal of pride in my Reformed brethren, and it saddens me. How we love to study, but when it comes to putting it into practice the orthopraxy and orthodoxy are too often divorced form one another. The best I can hope to do is to tell that commenter "The theology is sound, even if the life of the one who preaches it isn't. The message is still correct even if the messenger is flawed. Our faith isn't in any man, but in Christ alone -- Sola Christos." But it's not just RC Sproul's Ligonier Ministries that's being a stumbling stone of offense. At least one other professing Reformed minister is claiming that it's perfectly acceptable to sue me, and there may be others. But just as significant are all the prominent Reformed ministers who've looked on and said absolutely nothing, challenging nothing, sinning by their silence, and all the while the world looks on in amazement.

"I regret any confusion this may have caused to our constituents, staff, Board of Directors and our friends and colleagues in the Christian community."

The problems that you have caused Tim are a whole lot bigger than mere "confusion." This is called "sin" and you more than anyone else are the responsible party.

"As the President and CEO of Ligonier Ministries I accept full responsibility for the decision and consider the matter closed."

Whoa! Hang on there Tim! You consider it closed? Have you considered that maybe you'd better ask your "constituents" if they consider it to be closed?

If it's "closed" then why was the lawsuit withdrawn "without prejudice"? If it were really closed you would have withdrawn it "with prejudice" so that you couldn't sue me again. Based on that alone I have serious doubts that you really consider this to be "closed." If you really wanted to send a message that you'd learned your lesson -- that you'd repented -- you would have had that lawsuit dismissed with prejudice. Instead you've reserved the right to re-file a lawsuit against me anytime you want, when no one is paying attention, especially me. Maybe next time even the Orlando Sentinel won't be paying attention.

You didn't withdraw the lawsuit Tim because you had a sudden epiphany and were pricked in your conscience and recognized how unbiblical your conduct was. You did it only because you came under withering criticism and you started losing financial supporters in droves. If you could sue me again and keep it all hush-hush I have no doubts that you'd do it in a heartbeat.

You haven't repented Tim, and you haven't even owned up to anything. Accepting responsibility without admitting you've done anything wrong is a charade. You've practically ruined Ligonier Ministries and this is the best contrition you show? All you've done is offer cheap excuses and self-justifications. At best all you've owned up to is causing "confusion."

"I pray that in the days ahead, God will be glorified as we continue to serve Him."

I pray so too Tim, but I can assure you that God isn't being glorified by your self-justifying Public Statement. This is a complete sham and only adds to the evidence that you are entirely unfit to oversee a Christian ministry.

Ligonier Ministries: "Withrawal Of Legal Complaint"

2006-09-27T21:23:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday September 20, 2006 Lignonier Ministries posted a "Withdrawal Of Legal Complaint," as well as a "Public Statement From Tim Dick", on their web site. Two days later on Friday September 22 at 5:27 (EDT) I received an email from Tim Dick which included links to Ligonier's two public statements regarding the lawsuit itself, as well as the alleged "withdrawal" of their "legal complaint" against me. I say "alleged withdrawal" because as of the date of this article the court has yet to receive any paperwork from Ligonier Ministries motioning the court to withdraw the lawsuit.

It's good that Tim emailed me those links because without them it'd be impossible to find those documents. Even though the lawsuit against me is a very public matter they've very carefully avoided drawing anyone's attention to it by not posting any links to those documents anywhere on their web site. Obviously Ligonier is ashamed and embarrassed of what they've done, and they should be.

In a subsequent article I'll address Tim Dick's Public Statement. In this article I'll comment on Ligonier's "Withdrawal Of Legal Complaint":

"On August 24, 2006, Ligonier Ministries filed a legal complaint and a request for an injunction since no ecclesiastical court could be found."

"Legal complaint" is just another way of saying "lawsuit," although for some odd reason Ligonier has been careful to avoid the use of the term, correcting anyone who calls it a "lawsuit." They've also termed their lawsuit an "injunction," again refusing to acknowledge that an injunction is in fact a lawsuit. Additionally, they've also avoided acknowledging that they've sued me for defamation and that they're seeking monetary damages.

The excuse that they sued me because they were unable to identify a suitable "ecclesiastical court" is a sham which in no way absolves them of their Christian duty to not file lawsuits against Christians (1 Corinthians 6). Furthermore, as I've already explained there are multiple Christian organizations readily available which specialize in Christian mediation. Ligonier did have biblical alternatives readily available for resolving this dispute and for them to claim otherwise demonstrates either gross ignorance or blatant deception.

"The filing was an attempt to stem the slanderous and reckless allegations being made about Ligonier and its leaders on the Internet by an individual known as Frank Vance, whose true identity is still unknown to us."

Stemming the allegations could have been easily accomplished had Tim Dick just answered my questions in the negative regarding the Soli Deo Gloria acquisition, "Did you defraud Don Kistler?" Tim repeatedly evaded answering that question, even though we exchanged multiple emails. Had he just simply said, "No, it never happened" then I never would have gone public. Just so Tim would know I wasn't bluffing about giving him a deadline of ten days to correct the SDG issue I posted a comment on August 21 on my blog and also emailed Tim Dick a link to that comment:

"For example something that Tim Dick perpetrated a couple years ago was just brought to my attention (keep those emails coming folks). This is VERY significant news that only confirms that Tim Dick has earned his reputation for being a "shark." This past Friday Tim and I dialogued via email about it. I told Tim about what I now know about how he defrauded a minister. The incident is extraordinarily troubling and if publicly exposed would be devastating not just to Tim Dick personally, but to the entire Ligonier organization. I don't want to see Ligonier harmed. Just the opposite. But I can't in good conscience just stand by and not blow the whistle on a lying thieving con artist like Tim Dick.

"I've communicated my concerns to Mr. Dick along with a proposed resolution. He hasn't got much time. If Tim fixes it then I've committed to not say anything more about it. But I don't give Tim much credit for common sense so don't be surprised if he leaves me with no other choice but to expose it all here. We'll see what happens. Stay tuned."

Tim continued to ignore me and thus he gave me no choice but to go public. He refused to deny the allegations that had been brought to my attention by several men who had first-hand knowledge of what they believed to be an acquisition by fraud of Soli Deo Gloria, a fraud which they blamed entirely upon Tim Dick. Had Tim even once just said, "Frank you don't know what you're talking about. Your sources are misinformed" I never would have gone public. But Tim didn't do that. Rather than denying the allegations he instead used the ten-day deadline as a window of opportunity to SLAPP me. Moving our dispute into the civil courts rather than seeking to resolve it privately as Christians proved to be fatal, not just for Tim Dick personally, but for the entire Ligonier organization. The damage that he has caused Ligonier by his foolish and reckless behavior could prove catastrophic.

As to my "true identity," any such newfound Ligonier excuses obviously didn't hinder Ligonier's ability to sue me. As to these new allegations that I've been operating under an assumed name see my response here.

"The accuser's malicious attacks culminated with the accusation that Ligonier defrauded Soli Deo Gloria, in our recent acquisition of it. This has been categorically refuted by Don Kistler, SDG's founder."

I'll have to reserve comment on the Kistler statement until it can be thoroughly investigated and shown to have actually originated from Don Kistler, and if Dr. Kistler himself did produce it that he wasn't coerced into it. It would be nice if I could say there isn't a cloud of suspicion hanging over that statement, but there is, and I'm far from the only one who's suspicious about it. Among the cloudiness in the Kistler statement is the issue of Dr. Kistler's stroke which allegedly prevented his timely response to my allegations. Yet as of August 20 Dr. Kistler had been released from the hospital and was already publicly posting comments about his recovery. Strokes can be quite serious, but from some accounts Dr. Kistler's health couldn't have been nearly as severely impacted by the stroke as certain Ligonier "senior management" have been leading us to believe. To at least one caller John Duncan described Dr. Kistler's condition as precarious. This has made for an effective cover story as to why it's taken so long for the Kistler statement to be released, but those who are aware of Dr. Kistler's remarkable recovery know that the cover story lacks credibility.

If the cloud hanging over the Kistler letter can be removed then I'll make a point of issuing an apology to Don Kistler. However, no one should expect me to issue an apology to Tim Dick. By refusing to deny the allegations that were brought to me by several credible witnesses Tim Dick brought everything on his own head. Furthermore he could have and should have gotten Don Kistler's statement to me prior to my August 28 deadline, rather than waiting an entire month to arrange for it. Again, everything about the Kistler letter is suspect, but hopefully that can all be cleared up.

"Threats to Ligonier and its leadership have continued to escalate, with the accuser issuing deadlines for Ligonier to answer his non-credible charges. At one point our president was told he had “put a knife to his own throat,” by ignoring the accuser."

If the SDG allegation was "non-credible" then Tim Dick should have just said so. He should have denied the allegations, but he never did. As to the "knife to your own throat comment," I did in fact use that figure of speech, and that's all it was, a figure of speech. Here's what I said in one of my August 18 emails to Tim:

"Tim, you're a bigger fool than I thought. Playing dumb or ignoring me is like sticking a knife to your own throat. You understand perfectly well what I'm talking about, which is exactly why you addressed everything in my email with the obvious exception of the most important issue of all, your theft of SDG by fraudulently switching the contract. Ignore me at your own peril... Ten days Tim."

For Tim to now make an issue of that only underscores how thin-skinned he is, and it's consistent with his suing me for defamation for calling him a "nincompoop."

" Throughout this entire ordeal, numerous emails and posts refuting the accuser were ignored by him."

What emails? I've already gone on the record flatly denying that I ever received any emails of any kind from anyone at Ligonier, Tim Dick or otherwise, "refuting the accuser." As for blog comments, yes I received a number of those, specifically from "Passerby" who claimed to be "Ligonier senior management." However, Passerby refused to give himself any credibility by identifying himself by name or to even privately email me as I suggested he do so that we could dialogue. It was I who sought an opportunity for fruitful dialogue. Passerby repeatedly ignored my publicly-posted offers. Moreover for Passerby to now claim that his rantings could in any way constitute "refuting" is absurd.

"Mediation through ecclesiastical means is always preferred. On at least six occasions, we have sought information from the accuser as to how we might contact his pastor or session. The accuser has refused all requests, publicly scoffing at the notion."

How very godly of them to only now make an appeal to Christian mediation a month after they'd already sued me! Yes, I did refuse to furnish the name of my church and pastor, and I also explained why.

"Having withdrawn the complaint, we ask friends and fellow believers to pray that we will have wisdom as this matter comes to a peaceful end."

That statement was posted one week ago and publicly released two days later. "Having withdrawn" is past tense meaning that as of a week ago it had already been done. A prerequisite for withdrawing a lawsuit is to file the necessary motion with the court so the court can then act upon it. My legal counsel informs me that it would've taken Ligonier's attorneys all of just a few minutes to draw up the necessary paperwork. But to do that it would've first required Tim Dick calling his attorneys and telling them to withdraw the lawsuit. Did that ever happen? Then it would take a day for the mail to arrive at the court, or approximately thirty minutes if Ligonier's lawyers hand delivered it to the court. Ligonier didn't say, "We're going to withdraw the complaint but it might take us a week or three before we get around to it." They publicly announced that it was withdrawn. No doubt the next Ligonier public statement will be all about blaming their attorneys.

The fact that an entire week has gone by after Ligonier's "senior management" publicly announced that the lawsuit had already been withdrawn, and they haven't so much as even filed the paperwork with the court yet, only further undermines the credibility of Ligonier's "senior management." Either they have once again lied, or they are bunglers (and probably both), but neither is befitting for the management of a donor-supported $10 million ministry.

In conclusion I'd assert that Ligonier is in desperate need of a major upper management shakeup. Tim Dick has more than proven that he's unfit to oversee a Christian ministry. He lacks both the ministerial and professional qualifications. Family connections do not a ministry CEO make. But there are others who are complicit in the Ligonier lies and cover ups as well, including John Duncan. They too must go. Ligonier's staff also include at least one who publicly boasts of squandering the salaries they receive, thanks to the financial support of Ligonier donors, on drunk binges and fornicating.

It's time for some major house cleaning. It's time to haul out the trash.

Then there's the matter of the outrageous "compensation" being taken by the Sproul and Dick families, between them over $1 million/year combined. For the Board of Directors to continue turning a blind eye to so many abuses is inexcusable. Just as extraordinary is the silence of RC Sproul himself during this time of crisis. Unless RC Sproul acts swiftly and decisively, and unless RC Sproul himself issues a public statement, Ligonier's credibility will continue to erode. RC Sproul's silence for the past month only sends the message that he fully supports and condones the behavior of his son-in-law.

Please note that Frank Vance's articles are now hosted at Ministry Watchman. New comments are no longer being accepted here.

More Ligonier Lies: Ligonier Ministries Has "Withdrawn Complaint"

2006-09-25T12:32:00.001-06:00

For the past two weeks (and particularly last week), Ligonier Ministries' supporters have lit up Ligonier's phone lines. Most of them had just one thing on their minds: "How can you as a Christian ministry violate Scripture with impunity and sue a fellow professing Christian?" Offended by such unbiblical and unchristian behavior, Ligonier donors not only called in to complain in droves but they also started dropping their financial support.

The initial response of Ligonier "senior management" (Tim Dick, John Duncan and possibly others) was to instruct their customer service reps to tell callers: "There is no lawsuit. We're not sure where that story came from." That of course was a bold-faced lie, and, evidently, few Ligonier supporters bought it, instead declaring they would stop contributing while the scandal continued.

So early last week, under withering criticism, Ligonier senior management backed up, regrouped, and instructed their employees to stop saying anything about the lawsuit. Instead, employees were permitted to say only: "I am not able to comment on that at this time. It would be best if you e-mailed customerservice@ligonier.org." Callers who insisted on speaking with someone were referred to the voicemail of the "frontline manager."

Through it all, at no time did Ligonier Ministries or Tim Dick ever admit that they had filed a lawsuit against me, a fellow Christian. In fact they repeatedly denied that the nature of their actions against me constituted a lawsuit. At best, in their communications to customer service reps, they attempted to portray their actions as something other than a lawsuit by countering that "it is only an injunction," to stop publication of my blog without admitting that an injunction is just one kind of relief requested by a formal lawsuit. Ligonier also evaded mentioning that they have sued me for damages:

"This is an action for damages in excess of $15,000.00, exclusive of costs, interest, and attorney's fees, and for temporary and permanent injunctive relief based upon common law defamation..."

Then, suddenly late this past Friday that changed, or at least some of the story changed. I received the following email from Ligonier's President Tim Dick:

From: "Tim Dick" tdick@ligonier.org
To: "Tim Challies" tim@challies.com, worldblog@gmail.com, "Frank Vance" advancemyten@yahoo.com
Subject: Statement links
Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:27:37 (EDT)

The following links will take you to public statements from Ligonier Ministries Sr. staff and CEO. Please feel free to post at your discretion.

Public Statement by Ligonier Senior Management

Public Statement by Tim Dick

Timothy A. Dick
President and CEO

Ligonier Ministries
400 Technology Park
Lake Mary Fl 32746

The links that Tim Dick furnished lead to two statements, one from "senior management" and one from Tim Dick. According to Ligonier's senior management they have (past tense) "withdrawn the complaint" against me. So now at least they're acknowledging that they have taken legal action in court against me. Furthermore, they're claiming as of September 22 that it's been "withdrawn."

The fact that Tim Dick waited until after 5 PM eastern time on a Friday to send this email struck me as opportunistic, especially in light of the fact that those links might have been posted two days prior: see "9_20_2006" in the URL (on the other hand it's possible the links were backdated for some reason). Delaying notice of that information until late Friday meant that it would be impossible for anyone to contact the court and verify whether or not the lawsuit had indeed been withdrawn.

Anyone who has to deal with PR issues knows that if you want to bury a story you wait until late Friday afternoon to release it. That results in the least possible news coverage because people are busy with other things over the weekend. Furthermore, Tim's email was sent to only three sites, further limiting its coverage. Additionally, there is no way to find those statements on Ligonier's web site; there are no links to them anywhere on Ligonier's web site, and a search for them by title produces nothing.

Under the circumstances, there is simply no way that I can view the timing of this as mere coincidence. Tim Dick's email has shady written all over it. Given the month-long wait for any public statement from Ligonier about the lawsuit, a couple of other blogs were extremely eager to post the content of Tim Dick's email on Friday, and they did so without making any effort whatsoever to verify it. However, I knew better than to trust a guy like Tim Dick. No, I'd just have to patiently wait until Monday morning to verify if Tim Dick was telling the truth about his having "withdrawn" the lawsuit. Only later would it be appropriate to comment on the other aspects of the Ligonier statements.

Monday has come, and as of the time of this posting it's been determined that the Florida clerk of the court where Tim Dick and Ligonier sued me has nothing in the case file indicating that Ligonier has filed anything with the court asking that the case be withdrawn, nor has the clerk received anything in this morning's mail, nor has anything been deposited at the court clerk's desk where attorneys hand deliver motions and pleadings. Let me repeat: not only did Ligonier and Tim Dick not file anything last week to dismiss their lawsuit against me but the clerk of the court couldn't find any such thing even today. Thus for Ligonier and Tim Dick to say that the lawsuit "was withdrawn" (past tense) is patently false. This is evidence of just more Ligonier Lies.

In fact, Ligonier proved it had no intentions whatsoever of withdrawing the lawsuit at least as late as last Thursday. According to the case file at the court, on September 21 at 8:30 a.m. Ligonier attempted once again to have another ex parte hearing with the judge, specifically on a "Motion For Assistance In Determining Proper Method To Effect Constructive Service Of Process." So as of last Thursday they weren't looking to drop the case at all but rather how to move the case forward more quickly.

These facts are documented and accessible to the public as part of the court's permanent file on Ligonier's lawsuit. In fact the court clerks say that they've been fielding quite a few calls about this particular lawsuit. When I asked about the case this morning the clerk immediately responded, "Ah yes, the world-famous Ligonier Ministries lawsuit. We've been getting calls about this from all over the country. We're all pretty amazed by how much attention this case has attracted."

Adding to the list of Ligonier lies is this new lie submitted as a comment by a Ligonier customer service rep to Jen's Gems that "the lawsuit that you have posted was withdrawn much earlier this week. Vance has not shared this. There is a lot that he has chosen not to share."

As far as my "sharing" information, it's a little hard to "share" things that no one has ever bothered to "share" with me in the first place. It's a lot like getting sued and having the plaintiff lie to the judge and say, "it is impossible to contact him or to serve him with the Verified Complaint or the Instant Motion. Moreover, counsel was not able to provide the Defendant with notice and an opportunity to be heard regarding the request for temporary injunctive relief for the same reason." Ligonier tried to rush the judge to issue a temporary injunction, but they knew I'd object and that any legal objections would only delay what they wanted to get immediately. So they asked the judge to make a ruling without me even having the opportunity to make a defense for myself. That's called an "ex parte" hearing and they lied to the judge in an effort to get it. Thankfully the judge didn't buy it. Ligonier and their attorneys now need to think through very carefully the probable consequences of lying to Judge Nelson.

Speaking of "sharing" things with my readers, I would like to have been able to have "shared" the fact that Ligonier sued me on August 25, but I wasn't able to do that until I found out about it eleven days later, not from Ligonier Ministries but from the Orlando Sentinel. I would like to have been able to "share" with everyone that "the lawsuit that you have posted was withdrawn much earlier this week." There's just one problem. Once again I was never informed, and then when they did inform me it just happened to have been after the court was already closed for the weekend. In coming days there will be much more to "share" about all of this even beyond the fact that the lawsuit was not withdrawn last week as falsely claimed by Ligonier.

The public statements by Tim Dick and Ligonier "Senior Management" contain more lies than the false claim of the lawsuit being dismissed, and I will respond to them in detail over the next few days. I wish I could agree with Tim Dick when he says that he "considers the matter closed." However, nothing about this matter is closed or is likely to be any time soon so long as Ligonier's leadership continue with their lies and cover-ups.

With this latest report Ligonier donors are bound to be even more outraged than they were before. They should know that the Ligonier Board Of Directors is slated to meet sometime in the next week or two. If you haven't already done so you should consider contacting the Board members and conveying your concerns. Don't be afraid to make demands -- since you are a stakeholder the Board is accountable to you. However, let me point out that demanding only the firing of Tim Dick is unlikely be an adequate remedy since John Duncan as General Manager may wind up taking his place. That would be no kind of solution at all, and in fact that kind of medicine may prove worse than the disease.

Ligonier Ministries Employees Instructed To Lie?

2006-09-21T15:23:00.001-06:00

On September 18 I received the following comment posted to Ligonier Ministries Board In the Dark About Lawsuit:

Practicing Attorney said...

Talked with two Ligonier reps today. Talked with the second rep to confirm the story of the first. The two witnesses -- whose names I will keep to myself for the time being to protect the innocent -- said the same thing, so I regard what I report below as confirmed according to biblical standards of evidence: It seems that there was a staff meeting today about your blog and what Ligonier was going to do about it and what staff were supposed to say about it.

The customer service reps were told:
(1) Ligonier is still trying to figure out what is the Christian way to handle it. When asked: Isn't it a little late to try and figure out the Christian way after already filing a lawsuit?

The response was:
(2) There is no lawsuit, and they're not sure where that idea came from. It's only a "injunction" -- kind of a way to ask the court what to do, because blogs are new, and we're not sure what to do. When asked for an official statement from Ligonier:

(3) Told the ministry is working on one. Things are moving so fast... we have to make sure we cover everything in the statement... so we're still working on it. Don't have anything official yet.

When asked who informed the customer service reps of the above:
(4) Senior Manager John Duncan

It appears, Frank, that you have them running and running scared. Who was it that taught the biggest lies are the most effective? Was it Lenin? In any case, the leadership at Ligonier are sinning, and they know it, and they cannot defend it, and they don't want to repent, so all they have left is an effort to hide behind a big lie: there is no lawsuit. The truth, of course, is otherwise, as even the pagan press noticed. Ligonier has filed a complaint against you and a motion for an injunction; i.e., they have sued you.

That Ligonier still won't admit to even what is on the public record tells me that more heads than Tim Dick's need to roll. No wonder the Ligonier board isn't aware of the lawsuit.

Then the next day I received an email from "Joe Lawyer" informing me of a very similar phone conversation that he'd just had with a Ligonier customer service representative. I repost his email here with his permission:

Dear Mr. Vance,

Let me confirm the testimony of Practicing Attorney. The same thing happened to me too. I called Ligonier to find out if they'd ever published anything on 1 Corinthians 6:1-7. "Bob" (I'm using a fictitious name to protect him from Tim Dick's retaliation) told me "No I can't help you with that." I asked Bob if others were calling in and asking to get Ligonier materials on 1 Corinthians 6. He said, "Yes and we've been instructed to just say 'No I can't help you with that'." I asked Bob to explain how Ligonier could think they could be filing lawsuits against other Christians and not be transgressing biblical law? Bob said, "I can tell you that this isn't a lawsuit. It's an injunction. I can also tell you that there's no lawsuit because the blogger hasn't been legally notified."

I thanked Bob for at least admitting that Ligonier had filed for an injunction and then explained that it's impossible to file for a legal injunction without there being a lawsuit. I then pointed out the dishonesty of telling people that because Mr. Vance hadn't been legally served there wasn't a lawsuit. Ligonier's failure to notify Mr. Vance doesn't nullify the suit. I also told Bob that I'd contacted the court and verified that Ligonier had sued Mr. Vance and they hadn't just sued for injunctive relief they also sued for defamation. I explained to Bob that his boss had lied to him and that whether he intended to or not every time he told a caller "There's no lawsuit" he was aiding and abetting a lie. Bob said, "I don't really know much of anything about it myself. I'm just repeating what I've been told to say. Please take what I said as just ignorance. I wish I could say what I think about all this but I just can't."

I asked Bob if he was a Christian. He told me he was. I told him as Christians we need to obey those in authority over us including the boss at work but we can't obey them if what they tell us to do is sin. "What your boss is ordering you to do Bob is to repeat lies and deceive Ligonier supporters. Maybe you didn't understand that before but now you do. Now you can't just say 'I didn't know, I was ignorant.' What are you going to do about it now? Are you going to continue lying?" Bob said, "I wish I were free to answer your questions. I'd like to be able to say what I really think but I just can't." Bob said I should email the customer service manager Jay Ward and tell him my concerns.

Mr. Vance not only is Ligonier Ministries transgressing scripture by suing you now on top of that they're also lying about it and saying they haven't sued you all. This is outrageous and the kind of corporate duplicity I'd expect out of Enron, not a Christian ministry. When I first discovered your web site I thought you must have been some kind of a crackpot but if anything you've only been too gracious to Ligonier. Things are even worse than you've told us. This is corrupt organization and if it weren't for you pulling the alarm I think it'd only have been a few more years and we'd have probably seen another Jim Bakker scandal. It needs to be nipped in the bud now before it gets worse.

I can't support ministries that I can't trust and Ligonier has totally violated my trust. I won't put up with being lied to by Christian ministries. I don't know which is worse, filing a lawsuit against a Christian or lying about it and saying they didn't do it. Thanks Mr. Vance for everything you've done. May Ligonier repent and may God be glorified.

So on top of everything else Ligonier Ministries is training young men and young ladies in the pagan arts of promulgating lies and corporate cover ups. For those who have any lingering doubts about the fact that Ligonier Ministries has filed a lawsuit against me here is the proof (and here's an alternate site as well)

I've received multiple emails from Ligonier fans and supporters asking what they could do. Many have wanted to directly contact Ligonier decision makers but have had no idea how to go about it. Like a lot of multi-million dollar Christian ministries the Ligonier decision makers don't make themselves accessible or approachable, and that only magnifies the accountability problems. I've received multiple reports that Ligonier supporters have been refused the contact information for Ligonier officers and board members, and they're given no assurances that anyone other than Tim Dick will read their mail. So much for accountability.

While it's probably a good idea to contact Tim Dick, or at least cc him on all correspondence, it'd likely be a total waste of time if you were to contact him alone. Mark and Jennifer Epstein know this from personal experience. When confronting Tim Dick he's just likely to say the equivalent of, I don't need your money anyway. Just shut up and go away.

The Ligonier decision makers are the officers and board members. After receiving multiple requests for this information I've furnished their contact information here:

Ligonier Ministries
400 Technology Park
Lake Mary, FL 32746
Toll-free: 800-435-4343
Local: 407-333-4244
Fax: 407-333-4233

Customer Service Supervisor: Jay Ward
email: customerservice@ligonier.org

John Duncan: Senior Manager

Tim Dick, CEO, President, CFO
2741 Deer Berry Ct
Longwood, FL 32779-3071
407-333-4106 (home)
321-299-2615(cell)
email: tdick@ligonier.org

Ligonier Ministries Board Of Directors:

Dr. R.C. Sproul, Chairman Founder & Chairman, Ligonier Ministries, Inc. Lake Mary, Florida
R.C. Sproul
2741 Deer Berry Ct
Longwood, FL 32779-3071
407-333-4106 (home)

Mrs. Vesta Sproul, Director Co-founder of Ligonier Ministries, Inc. Lake Mary, Florida
Vesta Sproul
2741 Deer Berry Ct
Longwood, FL 32779-3071
407-333-4106 (home)

Mrs. Pat Dizney, Director Entrepreneur Orlando, Florida
Pat Dizney
1110 S.W. Ivanhoe Blvd, Apt 31
Orlando, FL 32804
407-841-2264 (home)

Mr. Stephen Levee, Director Real Estate Developer Madisonville, Louisiana
Steve Levee
324 Robinhood Rd
Covington, LA 70433-4763
(985) 809-1717 (home)

Mr. Greg Miseyko, Director Investment Management Consultant, Morgan Stanley Deerfield Beach, Florida.
Gregory Miseyko
63 Little Harbor Way
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441-3606
(954) 596-2111 (home)

Mr. Archie Parrish, Director President, Serve International, Inc. Atlanta, Georgia
Archie Parrish
Serve International
P.O. Box 71716
Marietta, GA 30007
770-642-2449 (office)
http://www.kingdomprayer.org/

As people pass along additional contact information I'll update it here. A combination of letter writing, emails and personal phone calls is probably the most effective method of getting their attention.

The most significant of all decision makers are the Ligonier financial supporters, the "stakeholders" themselves. Think seriously about contacting other Ligonier supporters that you know and informing them. Don't be dissuaded by those who might accuse you of "gossip." By definition sharing your biblically-based concerns with friends over something that's already public information can't be gossip. Ligonier financial supporters in particular have a right to know what it is they're supporting. Do responsible Christians give money to winos and drug addicts which will only further enable their sinful conduct? In the same way Christians should think very seriously about whether they want their tithes and offerings going to an organization to be used for an unbiblical and sinful lawsuit.

Ligonier Ministries Board In the Dark About Lawsuit

2006-09-18T13:11:00.001-06:00

Was the Ligonier Board Of Directors consulted prior to Tim Dick filing his lawsuit against me? Is the Ligonier Ministries Board Of Directors completely in the dark about it's lawsuit that they as Board members bear legal responsibility for? Based upon what's just been reported to me that certainly appears to be the case.

I received an email from a gentleman that I found to be most troubling in its ramifications. With his permission I repost it here. However, he did ask that I not use his name, so I'll just refer to him as Jeff. Jeff raises some significant concerns and where applicable I've linked some of his statements to articles that support what he's saying:

Dear Mr. Vance,

Thanks for shining some light on this Ligonier fiasco. I'm sure I'm not the only Ligonier supporter who's been concerned for a long time about the direction that Ligonier has taken. It all seems to coincide with when Tim Dick became president and it's all been downhill from there.

Over the weekend I tried to call three of the Ligonier board members. I was glad to find those phone numbers on your blog. Two them I only got answering machines for but one I did get through to. I'm not sure if he'd appreciate my repeating his name so I won't. What's important is what he told me and I think it's important that your readers know it too.

I asked him if he thought it was right for Ligonier to be suing a brother in Christ? He said he didn't know what I was talking about. He said he didn't know anything about Ligonier filing any lawsuits. So I gave him instructions on how he could find the story online including the Orlando Sentinel article. I asked him how could a Ligonier board member be in the dark about something so significant that's wrecking Ligonier's public reputation? He said, "We as the board only talk about two or three times a year. The Ligonier office doesn't really tell us much of anything. I guess I'd better make a few calls and figure out what this is all about." He asked me to call him back in a few days when he hopes to have some information about it.

Mr. Vance I've served on some corporate boards including a few nonprofits and I know a few things about how corporate boards are supposed to operate. I know this isn't the way it's supposed to be done but I'll also have to admit that in my experience many corporate boards don't do things correctly. I won't say that what Tim Dick is doing is illegal but what he's doing is a major abuse of the process. CEOs and Presidents of relatively small nonprofits like Ligonier don't go filing lawsuits and especially the kinds of lawsuits that are likely to draw a lot of bad PR, not without first talking to their board members about it. That's why boards exist, to give accountability and prevent Presidents and CEO's from making major decisions that could potentially turn into public relations disasters and destroy the organization.

One of the significant functions of a board of directors is to act like a court of appeals both internally for interceding in significant staff disputes and externally to protect the interests of shareholders. With nonprofits we refer to the donors as "stakeholders." In Tim Dick's case he obviously violated that principle. He bypassed the Ligonier board as his court of appeals and betrayed Ligonier's stakeholders in the process. Stakeholders have a right to know that their donations aren't being wasted on frivolous and expensive litigation. Tim Dick is insubordinate to his board and he needs to be severely reprimanded.

If I served on Ligonier's board I'd immediately move to have him fired and find a new CEO and that new CEO wouldn't just be another Sproul family member. I'd also demand that Vesta Sproul resign as a board member. Obviously she's in cahoots with Tim Dick and she too has betrayed the Ligonier board and the stakeholders.

I think that the Ligonier board itself bears responsibility for the gross mismanagement of Ligonier. A corporate board bears responsibility for governing the corporation that they serve. Corporate boards can and usually do delegate their authority to manage the corporation's day to day affairs to the corporate officers that they hire, such as Presidents and CEOs. They don't give up their governing responsibilities they just delegate them. But they always retain control. Telling a stakeholder like me "We only talk two or three times a year" is inexcusable. In a very real sense the corporate board protects the public from the sorts of abuses that can easily be committed by corporate officers. It's supposed to function as a system of checks and balances. The Ligonier board has failed the public miserably. Each board member bears direct responsbility and if they're not willing to do their job they should resign. If they fail to insist that the corporations officers be accountable to the board then they're guilty of gross negligence and they can be held personally and legally liable for the damages that result from their negligence.

A Christian board of directors bears an even higher responsibility. Not only do they serve the interests of stakeholders they have to go about it biblically. They have to obey not only the laws of the land they must obey biblical laws too. If they're too ignorant to know what the Bible requires then they have no business serving as board members of a Christian organization. I've had to resign from more than one Christian board because my fellow board members were unwilling to hold our corporate officers accountable. If I didn't do that then I could have been held legally liable for the misdeeds of the officers and the negligence of my fellow board members. Corporate boards aren't just supposed to rubber stamp what the CEO and other corporate officers decide to do and what they decide they want to tell us what they've done after the fact.

If corporate officers refuse to hold themselves accountable to their boards and if corporate boards are negligent about holding their officers accountable then it falls to the stakeholders to hold them both accountable. As a Ligonier stakeholder I'm going to do that and I hope every other Ligonier stakeholder does that too.

Thanks Mr. Vance for doing what should have been done a long time ago. This lawsuit against you only proves how out of control Ligonier has become. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

I appreciate Jeff for writing to explain from personal experience the responsibilities of a corporate board member, as well as the responsibilities of corporate stakeholders should a corporate board fail to competently discharge its responsibilities. It appears to me that Ligonier's Board is in fact probably little more than a rubber-stamping committee. This lawsuit debacle could have never happened had the Ligonier Board been fulfilling their corporate obligations. This isn't to say however that Tim Dick is off the hook. Tim Dick bears responsibility for keeping his board in the dark about his actions. He should have first gone to his Board to seek their authorization to file this unbiblical lawsuit. RC Sproul bears significant responsibility as well. After all it was RC Sproul who pushed to have Tim Dick hired by the Board Of Directors as President/CEO/CFO of Ligonier, and this in spite of Tim Dick's obvious lack of professional and ministerial qualifications.

It's late for the Ligonier Ministries Board Of Directors to intervene, but it's still not too late. Ligonier's Board needs to immediately take decisive action to rein in the abuses of Tim Dick. The Ligonier Board's second order of business should be to promptly issue a public statement expressing their regret to Ligonier's stakeholders for their governing negligence. In doing these things Ligonier's Board could do much to restore donor confidence. Absent these things Ligonier's support base will probably dry up.

The Tim Dick Name-Calling Side-Show

2006-09-14T12:31:00.001-06:00

Ever since I found out from the Press that I'd been sued by Ligonier Ministries, I've been trying to move the ball down the field and stay focused on the big issues at hand. As far as I can see there's no issue that even comes close to the significance of Ligonier Ministries' blatant violation of 1 Corinthians 6. But of course there are others who'd disagree, and it shows in their words and deeds. Among them there are some who keep attempting to divert everyone's attention to irrelevant side-shows. One such side-show that keeps getting played like a cheap violin is my alleged "name-calling" against Tim Dick.

Some will undoubtedly disagree with me on this but I firmly believe that there's a time and a place for name-calling, and there are plenty of biblical examples to support it. Not that it should be done routinely, or against just anyone. No, I believe such occasions should be uncommon and well thought out.

They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them. Proverbs 28:4

My contending with Tim Dick was planned and calculated to achieve a certain objective. I'd contend that based upon what I already knew of Tim Dick that a little name-calling was the only effective means of smoking him out of his cave. Furthermore the name-calling was fact-based, not ad hominem. I knew that based upon Tim Dick's reputation that he's a very proud man. He only confirmed that to me by his repeated appearances commenting on various blogs where he'd been mentioned, and even on some where he hadn't been mentioned at all.

Proud men can't stand being called names and they're often incapable of just ignoring it. Ignoring it would've demonstrated wisdom and humility on Tim Dick's part. Ignoring it would've put me to open shame, as most people would've just viewed me as vindictive or a crackpot. By responding with a defamation lawsuit however Tim Dick not only demonstrates the magnitude of his own pride, he also demonstrates a spirit of folly.

What I anticipated from the prodding was to receive a very threatening email from Ligonier's attorneys. That in and of itself would have made a significant story, confirming what I've been told by others -- that Tim Dick has repeatedly used the threat of litigation against potential whistle blowers.

What I got instead was even much bigger -- a full-blown lawsuit, bypassing entirely the customary prior threat. So the story is even far more significant than I'd anticipated. Now there can be no doubt in anyone's mind what Tim Dick is made of. The lawsuit is the story, not the name-calling that some have tried to argue was the reason that Tim Dick filed litigation over some alleged "defamation."

There are some who have contacted me and told me that they don't condemn what I've done. Some are even very grateful, especially all the former Ligonier employees. But some also say, "Frank I just wish you wouldn't call Tim Dick names. It detracts from the story." Their concern is that the name-calling could be interpreted as ad hominem, and at least for some even "unChristian." If it were ad hom then I could understand the offense taken. However it's not ad hom at all.

Every name that I've uttered describing Tim Dick's character are names that he's commonly referred to by those who have worked with him and worked for him. Some are even very colorful nicknames, one of which I do regret publishing because of the offense it caused some readers. In the same way that I've alleged that Tim Dick defrauded Don Kistler based upon the testimony of several witnesses, I've also repeated the descriptive names that others have frequently uttered about Tim Dick to describe his shady and disturbing personality.

Producing people in court to testify that they too have used the very same words, phrases, and nicknames to describe Tim Dick's character will be part of my legal defense. Multiple witnesses will step forward to say under oath, "Yes judge, I've many times openly referred to Tim Dick as a ______ and a ______ and a ______. Mr. Vance is only repeating what he's heard a lot of others say." That parade of witnesses is going to get real embarrassing for Tim Dick. It's impossible to defame someone when you're only repeating what everyone else has already said about a guy they personally know.

By virtue of being Ligonier's CEO Tim Dick is a public figure. Public figures are far more open to scrutiny and criticism than private citizens, especially a man who manages and directs an organization that is legally classified as a "public charity" and a "public trust." It doesn't get much more "public" than that. Tim Dick as a public figure has earned a reputation with virtually everyone that he personally deals with for being all the things that I've repeated of him through those descriptive terms. The only reason that I'm being singled out to be sued isn't because I've "defamed" Tim Dick. Tim Dick by his own conduct and reputation has defamed himself long ago. All I've done is brought out what is well known and well established from a limited circle into a little larger circle. But it's now Tim Dick's own lawsuit which has now brought his reputation out into the public eye at large.

Michael Metzler, as usual, has some good observations about this:

On this analysis, I think that we can certainly include someone like Tim Dick in the category of oppressor, if Frank Vance is correct about him. Therefore, some “name calling” can be biblically justified in this context. I think this is important. There is a time and place to speak harsh words towards another Christian. However, I would like to point out another complication in this situation that might mitigate the need for this kind of justification. Vance was clearly using the powers of a Christian investigative journalist. Vance was interrogating Tim Dick. And the interrogation worked. Through the use of prodding name calling, something only a man like Tim Dick would respond to on Vance’s take, Vance was able to not only get Dick to threaten litigation, but to actually file the suit! Vance has thereby proved for us one of his more significant claims about Dick. Interrogation can be risky business, as the movie A Few Good Men shows us; but in the end, if the investigator’s hunch is correct and the interrogation works, then the investigator “get’s off the hook.” That’s the way it works and that is how it should work here. Thus, Vance’s original behavior can be justified through an altered form of a “serrated edge” argument and also independently by the employment of investigative interrogation. Vance smoked Dick out of his cave for the entire world to see; to rejoice in the fact that you know Dick and Ligonier Ministries would file a law suit like this while also refusing the method of how this truth came about does not make sense in this case. A few mild actions of name calling comes with the territory here, and given who Tim Dick is showing himself to be, they have New Testament sanction.

There's a noteworthy exception however to the name-calling which I'll deny having ever said:

"In the past five months, Vance's blog has described Dick as part of a 'family of nincompoops,' 'a very corrupt man' and aa lying, thieving con artist,' according to the lawsuit. Orlando Sentinel

Thanks to Tim Dick and his attorneys I have yet to see the lawsuit, but I'll assume that what the reporter is stating is an accurate read of it. However, I never "described Tim Dick as part of a 'family of nincompoops'." Here's what I said:

"If you've followed some of my other articles here you know that I've been amazed by the family nincompoops that Dr. Sproul has entrusted his ministry to, such as Ligionier Ministries President Tim Dick, who also happens to be Dr. Sproul's son-in-law and RC Jr's brother-in-law. But Tim Dick is hardly the only evidence of nepotistic buffoonery at Ligonier Ministries. Incompetent and unqualified family members are to be found running around (or sleeping on the desk) everywhere in Ligonier, often in key positions, and generally with little or no understanding or appreciation for the Reformed theology championed by Dr. Sproul."

If I'm going to be accused of defaming Tim Dick I'd at least like to be quoted accurately.

Ligonier Ministries Lawsuit: Did They Have Other Options?

2006-09-12T11:02:00.001-06:00

Conflict resolution. It's something that each of us, to greater and lesser degrees, must routinely participate in. Whether it be in mediating peace between our children, making peace with colleagues at work, making peace with church members, or even with a stranger out on the road who shakes his fist and makes an obscene gesture because we forgot to signal, we daily are called to resolve conflicts. We're called to be peacemakers:

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 12:18

Some people are very good with conflict resolution and others seem quite adept at taking relatively minor disputes and turning them into virtual scorched-earth civil wars.

Conflicts between people, as well as conflicts with the institutions that people manage, are inevitable. More important than any conflict is the issue of how the people involved in a conflict will work toward a peaceable resolution.

Of all people Christians should be the most adept at the peaceable resolution of their conflicts. But this is often not the case. Of all people Christian leaders, the Pastors, Elders, preachers and theologians, should be especially gifted at conflict resolution. For good or for ill they lead by their example. Sadly too often the example of conflict resolution set by Christian leaders is very poor. In fact the example that some Christian leaders set in conflict resolution is nothing short of deplorable. The Ligonier Ministries vs. Frank Vance lawsuit is an excellent example of that.

Pastors, preachers, teachers and ministry leaders "must be blameless, of good behaviour, temperate, prudent, respectable, not pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money" (1 Timothy 3:2,3,7). A Christian leader who lacks such character will prove himself incapable of managing conflicts well, and may actually make conflicts much worse than they started out to be.

Such a man is likely to find himself frequently at odds with his own church or ministry staff, his church members, and perhaps even with those outside his church or ministry. His testimony for Christ will inevitably suffer, and through the strife that he causes he may even bring reproach to the name of the Lord. It's this very last issue that causes me by far the greatest concern in the civil lawsuit of Ligonier Ministries against me. The major problem here isn't what this lawsuit will do to my reputation, or even what it will do to Ligonier's reputation (albeit it will be far more devastating to theirs than mine). The major concern I have is what this lawsuit will do to the reputation of Reformed Christianity. Even more significant, this lawsuit can in no way bring honor to Christ, and it's very likely to accomplish just the opposite.

Ever since finding out through the Press that Ligonier Ministries has sued me I've found it quite difficult to process what this all really means. It's not that I don't understand how lawsuits work, or the objectives of plaintiffs and defendants. It's that I just can't comprehend how a Bible-professing Reformed Christian ministry, headed by the most well-known and esteemed Reformed theologian of our day, RC Sproul, could blatantly violate the Bible which Ligonier Ministries says it believes:

Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, matters of this life? If then you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud, and that your brethren. 1Corinthians 6:1-8

The reasons why Christians shouldn't sue Christians are self-evident and hardly even needs commentary. Nevertheless there have been many Christian commentaries written condemning the practice of Christian suing Christian. The Reformer John Calvin had quite a bit to say on the subject. Indeed, even RC Sproul himself has had much to say:

1 Cor. 6:1 Paul appears to change the topic from the evils of immorality to the problem of lawsuits among Christians. It is important, however, to notice the connection. In the first place, the topic of immorality has not been abandoned, but will recur in v. 9. Secondly, the failings of the Corinthians with regard to lawsuits are an expression of the problem already discussed in ch. 5, namely, a weak doctrine of the church... If the Corinthians understood the relation between the Israelite community and the Christian fellowship (5:12, 13 note), they would realize it was absurd for believers to go outside the church to solve their disputes.

6:7 Nevertheless, if the Corinthians understood the serious implications of all the improprieties in their church, and if they appreciated the qualities that should characterize believers (cf. 12:4-7), they would much sooner bear injustice than bring disgrace upon the Christian community by publicly exposing their misdeeds in the civil courts.

New Reformation Study Bible, R. C. Sproul General Editor (2005)

Given RC Sproul's own disdain for Christians suing Christians how then can it be that his ministry would now violate the very principles that he espouses? The only conclusion I can come to is that there is a grave moral and logical disconnect between the orthodoxy and their orthopraxy of Ligonier Ministries.

Here's what Matthew Henry had to say of this passage in his commentaries:

"Christians should not contend with one another, for they are brethren. This, if duly attended to, would prevent many law-suits, and end many quarrels and disputes. In matters of great damage to ourselves or families, we may use lawful means to right ourselves, but Christians should be of a forgiving temper. Refer the matters in dispute, rather than go to law about them. They are trifles, and may easily be settled, if you first conquer your own spirits. Bear and forbear, and the men of least skill among you may end your quarrels. It is a shame that little quarrels should grow to such a head among Christians, that they cannot be determined by the brethren. The peace of a man's own mind, and the calm of his neighbourhood, are worth more than victory."

Indeed any alleged harm that I might have caused Tim Dick, and by extension Ligonier Ministries, and by further extension RC Sproul, is a mere "trifle," especially when compared to the enormity of the injury that will come upon the testimony of the Lord Jesus as a result of this lawsuit. Matthew Henry is correct when he says, "They are trifles, and may easily be settled." Why then would Ligonier Ministries choose instead to sue? Did they honestly think that there was no other way -- a biblical way -- to resolve our dispute? If they didn't then it begs the question: How could a Christian ministry that expounds Reformed theology in such a scholarly way be so woefully ignorant in this particular area?

Short of suing me, and therefore violating Scripture with impunity, did Ligonier Ministries have any other options? I can think of two, and perhaps there are more (commenters are welcome to offer additional biblically-based suggestions):

1. Tim Dick could have responded to the allegations.

Had Tim Dick responded rather than altogether evading the allegations that he'd defrauded Don Kistler in Ligonier's "acquisition" of Soli Deo Gloria Ministries, none of this would have ever happened. Tim Dick could have responded in one of two ways, and either response would have steered us down an entirely different path:

A). Tim Dick could have denied the allegations. Had he denied the allegations by simply saying, "Frank you're completely wrong and what you've been told by all those witnesses isn't true," then I would not have, and I could not have in good conscience, gone forward with publishing the Ligonier Ministries Defrauds Soli Deo Gloria Ministries In "Acquisition" story. It would have been an issue of Tim Dick's word versus the witnesses, and in my mind that wouldn't have been sufficient enough to justify going forward with the story. But Tim never did that, and to this day he has yet to deny the allegations.

B). Tim Dick could have admitted to the allegations. Had Tim Dick confessed to the fraud allegations I would have taken this as a very positive sign and, again, I would not have, and I could not have in good conscience, gone forward with the story, provided however that at the same time he would have offered assurances of a prompt and full resolution and restitution with Don Kistler.

Tim Dick however did neither one. He neither admitted any wrongdoing, but neither did he deny it. In fact he just evaded answering the allegations at all. He never evaded talking about other unrelated issues (thereby attempting to change the subject and even stall for time), but never would he so much as even acknowledge that I was alleging that he'd committed a serious fraud, all this in the course of several email exchanges.

2. Tim Dick could have suggested that we resolve the dispute through Christian mediation.

If Tim Dick and Ligonier Ministries lacked the ability and resources to resolve this dispute themselves they should have suggested entering into formal Christian mediation or perhaps arbitration. One organization that offers such services is Peacemaker Ministries, run by Christian attorney Ken Sande. Peacemaker Ministries is committed to resolving disputes between believers biblically, which means without resorting to the civil courts. Other options for Christian mediation are also available, all of which appear to be biblical, and they can even be legally binding in the form of what is known as "binding arbitration." Had this been suggested it's very likely that I would have accepted the offer.

Instead I was hit with a lawsuit with no prior warning, or even any notice after I'd been sued. I find this remarkable in light of the fact that I was more than fair with Tim Dick in issuing him prior notice, a full ten days advanced warning, of the consequences should he fail to address the fraud allegations. Tim Dick only used my fairness against me by immediately filing a lawsuit in which he asked the judge for "prior restraint" (which obviously didn't work). Tim Dick's intentions were clear, to silence me via what can only be construed as a SLAPP lawsuit, going so far as to even petition that the judge issue a "prior restraint" of my freedom of speech.

Not only did Tim Dick not warn me that if I didn't cease and desist that he'd file a lawsuit, but once he filed the lawsuit he didn't even tell me about it! I first heard about it from the Press one week later! To this date neither Tim Dick nor his attorneys have informed me in what court I've been sued, case number, nothing. Not only is this morally unethical it's even legally unethical.

If Ligonier's lawsuit is successful it will only serve to have a chilling effect on free speech for all bloggers and webmasters. It will only serve to intimidate other whistle blowers who serve the public interest by exposing organizational fraud and corruption in organizations that refuse to be held accountable, and that for practical reasons simply cannot be held accountable, through any other methods than this form of public exposure.

But even if Ligonier's lawsuit fails (and First Amendment legal experts have all told me that will likely be the outcome) it still might serve to have a chilling effect because of the fear that many bloggers will now have, because of the publicity of the Ligonier case, that they too might find themselves the subjects of a lawsuit. Even frivolous lawsuits can serve to chill free speech. Multi-million dollar corporations can easily silence (and they often have) a whistle blower by the threat of a lawsuit, even if such a suit had no legal merit.

Ligonier's lawsuit is biblically frivolous and I plan to prove in court that it's also legally frivolous and an abuse of the legal process. This isn't to say that if I had it to do over again that I wouldn't do a few things somewhat differently. It is to say however that there's absolutely nothing here worthy of being sued over and, moreover, biblically it's absolutely forbidden. Those who continue to speak out in support of Ligonier in these efforts are supporting the evisceration of the Bible itself.

Ligonier Ministries Lawsuit, Recapping The Week

2006-09-08T16:31:00.001-06:00

I was first informed that Ligonier Ministries had sued me exactly one week ago on September 1. I have yet to be legally served, or even notified in any fashion whatsoever, by Ligonier Ministries or their attorneys. I don't know the court where I've been sued, case number, nothing. The Press told me that Ligonier told the judge that it was "impossible" to contact me, which of course is untrue. I only heard of the case from the Press, specifically Rene Stutzman of the Orlando Sentinel.

The aftermath of the Tim Dick / Ligonier Ministries lawsuit against me has truly been remarkable. I'll recap a few of the more significant things that have happened this week. Being the fair-minded man that I am I'm also providing fair warning to Tim Dick for the Battle Royal that he's in for. Let it never be said that Frank Vance was unfair, even to an opponent. I gave Tim Dick ten days to remedy his fraud against Don Kistler and told him exactly what would happen if he didn't. Apparently he thought I was bluffing. That was the first of his colossal blunders. Suing me was colossal blunder #2. With this article he may want to believe once again that I'm bluffing. That will be colossal blunder #3.

Item #1, The Internet Stuff

My little blog has seen an increase in daily visitors by many orders of magnitude. Dozens of blogs and web sites are now linking to me. Some of those sites bring quite a bit of traffic. For example, Instapundit averages 121,168 visitors a day and over 6000 per hour. Some of the Christian Press blogs have picked up the story too, including Christianity Today and World Magazine.

Item #2, The Press Stuff

I'm told by Press and First Amendment law experts that this case is certain to draw national attention, particularly when it goes to trial. I've been told by the same people that it's a true "David and Goliath" story. The Press loves it because they know the public loves David and Goliath stories. It's self evident that mighty Ligonier Goliath with it's multi-million dollar budget and fat legal war-chest is suing an average David with a SLAPP lawsuit just because David is a whistle blower. Employers and big corporations hate whistle blowers because they hate exposure and the accountability that comes from it. But the Press loves whistle blowers, and they know the public loves them too. Whistle blowers are viewed by most people as heroes.

Any way you slice it this is a losing proposition for Ligonier. Even if they win the legal case (and I'm told by the legal experts that's extremely unlikely) their name will go down in history as "those crybaby Reformed preachers who are so thin-skinned that they won't hesitate to sue if anyone so much as calls them a nincompoop."

Item #3, The Legal Stuff

I've received this week multiple emails from attorneys and First Amendment lawfirms all asking if they could represent me. Ironically one of those firms is quite literally in Ligonier's back yard, and they've got quite a reputation when it comes to First Amendment law. This must be a significant case because all the attorneys that have contacted me this week have offered to handle it pro bono. They've all confirmed to me that one of the reasons they want this case so much is because they intend to set a precedent with it and they're dead serious about winning. They'll take it all the way to the US Supreme Court if necessary. One of the lawyers who contacted me this week routinely prepares cases to go before the Supreme Court, including First Amendment cases. He too is eager to help in the case, and he like the others offered to do it pro bono.

If part of Tim Dick's strategy was to use Ligonier's significant financial assets as a legal war-chest to drag me through expensive litigation that I couldn't afford, and force me to quickly settle (the SLAPP lawsuit strategy), then Tim Dick made another colossal blunder. The reality is that it is Ligonier that's going to be financially hurt by this. Ligonier's donors should think very carefully if they want their contributions squandered away like that.

In 2004, the first year in which Tim Dick assumed the position(s) of President/CEO/CFO (talk about a lot of unchecked power in one guy's hands!), and the same year in which RC Sproul effectively ceded his governing power to Dick, Ligonier went from spending nothing on attorneys to suddenly spending $64,350.00 (this according to Ligonier's tax returns). I don't know if I'm the first person that Ligonier has ever sued, but I do know that under Tim Dick there have been a number of others that received very threatening letters from Ligonier's attorneys. Tim Dick routinely uses lawyers to intimidate and bully his way, especially when it comes to shutting up whistle blowers.

Just imagine, Ligonier Ministries is about to go down in history not because anyone remembered them for being some of the preeminent contemporary luminaries of Reformed theology, but because they lost as the Plaintiff in a landmark First Amendment case that set a precedent for all other bloggers. I can't think of anything more tragic than for Tim Dick to leave that as his legacy for Ligonier Ministries. "Ligonier vs. Vance" will become a common household phrase and the first thought of every blogger and webmaster as they sit down at their computer.

The way things have shaped up this week I can easily assemble a formidable law team of America's top First Amendment legal experts, all at no expense to me, and bury Ligonier in the legal nightmare of their life. As it goes to trial it will likely become a major media event. All anyone has to do to get lots of Press attention is to mention that freedom of speech is being threatened by a multi-million dollar corporation.

Is any of this what I personally really want to see? Do I want to become famous like this? To be perfectly honest about it that might actually be fun, but if it means that Ligonier Ministries gets destroyed in the process (and that likely would happen) then that would tend to dampen my enthusiasm. I have no interest in seeing Ligonier Ministries harmed. The problem isn't Ligonier, the problem is Tim Dick. Those who accuse me of being motivated by bitterness or "grandstanding" or having a vendetta against RC Sproul simply don't know what they're talking about. Those who know Tim Dick know that he's unfit to govern a ministry of any kind, let alone Ligonier. He needs to step down and go find a job that he's competent to do and where strong personal ethics aren't obligatory.

If Tim Dick doesn't have any more common sense but to insist on going through with this lawsuit, a lawsuit which will likely be the ruin of Ligonier, then I'm not about to make it easy for him either. The fact is that by his own folly Tim Dick has backed Ligonier into a corner to take a shellacking. Right now it's entirely up to Tim Dick where we go from here. Given Tim Dick's foolish behavior thus far I'm only anticipating more folly in the future. Common sense is clearly not ruling the day at Ligonier.

Item #4, The Biblical Stuff

"Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment." (James 3:1) While I certainly have biblical obligations on me, there's no question but that there's a much greater obligation, a "stricter judgment," on Ligonier Ministries. What they've done by circumventing 1 Corinthians 6 is wholly inexcusable, regardless of what I've done. Some have attempted to fabricate easy escape clauses, claiming that my conduct proves that I must not be a Christian and therefore Ligonier isn't barred by 1 Corinthians 6. Without even knowing me apparently such men are eager to consign me to Hell, all the while railing against me for being "judgmental." In their blindness they can't see the magnitude of their own hypocrisies.

On World Magazine Blog Mark asks the question, "Did anyone within the Ligonier heirarchy approach Mr. Vance with the offer of arbitration before filing a lawsuit?" (comment 77) The answer is no, they made no such attempts. The lawsuit came as a complete surprise and shock, with no prior warning, and as I've already stated, even without any notice whatsoever after they'd filed it. What they've done isn't just unbiblical it's even legally unethical.

I've been asked, "Prior to publicly posting your allegations against Tim Dick of his fraud were attempts made to comply with Matthew 18:15-17?" The answer is yes. In the two years prior several godly men have repeatedly made biblically based attempts to bring Tim Dick back to he negotiating table to right Tim Dick's wrong. For two years he evaded and dodged responsibility. Tim Dick has never denied what he's done. Tim Dick is still not denying what he's done. Four simple words would now create a real problem for me, "I didn't do it." But Tim Dick can't say that without impugning the good names of those godly men who are witnesses to his fraud.

I've been asked, "Where is the evidence? Where's the proof to back up your allegations?" The evidence is the testimony of several godly men who have first-hand knowledge. Tim Dick has repeatedly been confronted with that testimony. He's never denied it and he's not denying it even now. The burden isn't on me or those godly witnesses but on Tim Dick to deny the charges. Given the multiple witnesses who have accused Tim Dick of defrauding Don Kistler, and Tim Dick himself refusing to deny the charges when repeatedly confronted with them, that makes for a very strong prima facia case. The fact that Tim Dick has now SLAPPed me only serves to confirm that. As Carson Allen commented at Challies (#44), "So why didn't somone from Ligoner just rebut Vance and get it over with. They can turn out hundred page books rebuting the grandest of heretics (rightley so); but they find it dificult to do the same with Frank."

Some may counter, "But how do we know you're telling the truth? You haven't named those witnesses, and they haven't come forward to testify directly themselves." Fair enough. Those witnesses have at this time chosen to remain unnamed while they work to resolve matters with Tim Dick "in house." I believe that I'm duty bound to not publicly name them, or any of my sources for that matter. None of them asked me to do this, but none of them have asked me not to either, and they haven't contacted me since to tell me to stop. I won't say that they necessarily condone what I've done. I don't honestly know, but I think it's safe to assume that if they wanted me to stop they would've informed me by now.

It's been confirmed to me this week that the exposure that's come because of this blog has compelled Tim Dick back to negotiating table. Considering the fact that Tim Dick has evaded responsibility for two years that's a very positive sign... maybe. On the other hand Tim may just be stalling for time. Tim Dick has asked at least one significant insider, "What should I do?" He was told, "Give Don back his ministry." Don Kistler has a significant investment in Soli Deo Gloria Ministries, some twenty years of his life's work. That investment in legal parlance is called an "intellectual property right."

Regardless of what I say there are those who have criticized me and even called me a liar. They've already made up their minds in spite of the prima facia evidence. To those people I would say take notice how the allegations are only corroborated by the fact that Tim Dick has yet to publicly or even privately deny the allegations. All it would take to publicly humiliate me is four little words from Tim Dick, "I didn't do it." But the best Tim Dick can come up with is an unbiblical SLAPP lawsuit in an attempt to shut me up. For the naysayers I would urge you to contact Tim Dick yourself and ask him, as I asked him, and see if you can get a straight answer.

Some have inquired, "Since it was Don Kistler who was defrauded why hasn't Don Kistler stepped forward and made a public statement?" The answer to that should be self-evident. Given what's just happened to me isn't it obvious what would have happened to Don Kistler? He too would have been SLAPPed, and he well knows it. But if Don Kistler hasn't been defrauded then no harm could come to him by stepping forward now and saying so. Take notice of the fact that Don Kistler hasn't done that.

On Christian blogs and other web sites opinions on this seem fairly consistent. At least some seem to be in agreement in thinking that what I've done is wrong, and they claim Matthew 18:15-17 in defense of condemning my actions. For outside observers it'd be easy to make such assumptions, but what they don't understand is that all attempts to employ Matthew 18 with Tim Dick have failed. Christian blogs also seem perhaps even more concerned over the fact that Ligonier has blatantly violated the prohibitions of 1 Corinthians 6, and they should be troubled over that. Ligonier's actions set a deplorable example for a Bible-believing Christian ministry.

Bloggers with far more readers than I've had have routinely said critical things of Billy Graham's ministry, and many other Christian ministries, but they all know better than to sue over it. Rather than being thin-skinned they just wisely ignore it. Even if it could be shown that I was wrong, any alleged wrong on my part can in no way justify Ligonier's much greater sin and folly.

Item #5, The Practical Implications of Ligonier Ministries Attempts To SLAPP (Silence) Frank Vance

Even if Ligonier's lawsuit were to prevail (and the odds of that are remote) Ligonier Ministries has little likelihood of preventing the facts from still being reported. I've been anonymously contacted by several bloggers who tell me that they've already mirrored my blog and are prepared to bring multiple sites up the moment this blog disappears. "If your site goes down we'll put up ten more to replace it." One such web site, I'm told, is outside the United States and therefore outside the jurisdiction of US courts. This isn't anything that I've solicited or instigated, and it's outside my own control. If need be I could ask them not to do so but since they're people I don't know I can't make them do anything one way or the other.

Even if Tim Dick is "legally" successful he's already lost. Everyone already knows, and all his lawsuit has done is magnify his own exposure. Foolish move. Once it officially goes to trial the exposure will only ratchet up several orders of magnitude, and very likely into a national media event.

Any way you slice it this is a no-win for Tim Dick, but I'm not the least bit concerned for Tim Dick. I am concerned however for all the damage that will befall Ligonier Ministries.

Ligonier Ministries Sues Frank Vance

2006-09-05T12:25:00.002-06:00

I was recently warned that this might happen. Now it has. Tim Dick and Ligonier Ministries have sued me somewhere, apparently in Florida. I say somewhere because I haven't been contacted by Tim Dick, Ligonier's attorneys, or anyone else who'd have legal responsibility for notifying me, with any specifics.

This past Friday, September 1 I received an email from Orlando Sentinel reporter Rene Stutzman. Rene asked me to contact her for an interview. You can see the first of her stories on the Ligonier Ministries vs. Frank Vance lawsuit here. The Orlando Sentinel may very well have additional stories about this. If they do I'll be sure to update my blog and provide links to those articles as well.

In her article Rene says, "Vance learned about the lawsuit from the Sentinel," which is true. Rene informed me that Tim Dick and Ligonier Ministries filed its lawsuit on Friday, August 25.

In light of how many emails that Tim Dick has sent me in the past, and the fact that I've responded to each and every one of his emails, I find it more than just a bit strange that he wouldn't even attempt to inform me that he's filed a lawsuit against me. My understanding is that when someone sues you they have a legal obligation to make a reasonable effort to notify you of the lawsuit. Rene Stutzman informed me that Tim Dick and Ligonier told the judge that it was impossible to contact me. Of course that's a blatant lie.

So what's Tim up to? Is this part of some duplicitous legal strategy to win a lawsuit against me that I have no knowledge of? An attorney friend informs me that what Tim Dick is doing by suing me, and then not informing me of the suit, is that if I don't show up to defend myself (and it would be hard to show up for a lawsuit that one had no knowledge of) he just might win by default. It's highly unethical but who ever said that Tim Dick has any ethics? Did I mention that another one of Tim Dick's nicknames is Tim "Tricky" Dick?

Tim Dick is a creature of habit, which makes him all too easy to predict. Since moving up two years ago from Ligonier Executive V.P. to President/CEO/CFO, Tim Dick has successfully silenced whistle blowers and anyone else who'd hold him accountable by issuing threats of litigation. All it seems to take to silence disgruntled employees, former employees, and other whistle blowers is a threatening letter from Ligonier's attorneys. This is the Tim Dick way. Evade accountability and if anyone presses a matter too hard then just sue them. With Ligonier's multi-million dollar budget they've got an almost unlimited war chest for law suits, and Tim well knows it.

It's expensive retaining law firms, but Tim Dick probably just considers it "the cost of doing business." Ligonier's 2004 990 tax return (the most current year available) shows Ligonier paying $64,350 in "legal fees." Those are legal fees that Ligonier donors pay for. Prior to 2004 and Tim becoming President, Ligonier's tax returns back through 1999 don't indicate that Ligonier had ever hired a law firm at all. Under Tim Dick's new litigious direction donors can expect to have to pick up numerous attorney fees. It's just the way that Tim does things.

Could something short of a lawsuit have resolved our differences? Absolutely. I sent multiple emails to Tim Dick informing him of my knowledge of the fraud that he perpetrated against Don Kistler in Ligonier's "acquisition" of Soli Deo Gloria Ministries. I asked him if he had anything to say about it, any defense at all. If there was no substance to the allegations then Tim could have and should have refuted them. Tim replied to each of my emails. However not once did he even come close to broaching the SDG subject. Instead, he evaded it by talking about other things quite unrelated. If Tim wasn't guilty as charged why didn't he ever just say so? Why won't he say so now? After having exchanged multiple emails, all to no avail, I issued a final demand to Tim Dick:

"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."

Tim did respond, but only to stall for more time. He never denied the allegations, but he also never made any commitment to make things right with Don Kistler.

Tim Dick's latest strategy with me (litigation) only proves how foolish he really is. Tim's hoping to shut me up but all he's doing is gathering media attention for my blog. Thanks Tim! If you think I'm intimidated and that I'm going to now cave in think again.

The Press seems very interested in this case because it's a First Amendment freedom of speech issue, and few things are of such strong personal interest to the Press as freedom of speech. Even more significant is the fact that you asked the court to issue the equivalent of a prior restraint on my free speech. Rene Stutzman tells me that's unusual and that judges seldom if ever grant those. You're even more arrogant than I thought Tim.

At this time I'm weighing my options and haven't decided what my next move is. One thing is for certain though, I won't be backing down. If Tim Dick wants a fight then I say "Bring it on."

If this blog does go down it won't be because I've gotten scared, and it wouldn't happen without my first issuing a public statement. If the court orders me to take it down then we'll cross that bridge when we get there, but as far as I can tell we're still a ways off from having to cross that bridge. If for some reason this blog does happen to disappear it's not at all unlikely that you might just happen to find other mirrored sites pop up. After all I have made a few new friends that have already told me they'd be willing to pitch in and help. Google Blog Search might come in handy.

There's a lot more that I could say about this, but for the sake of not tipping my hand I'll keep it to myself for now. Feel free to comment or ask questions. However please understand that if I don't answer a question, or if I don't post your comment, it's likely because I'm just trying to not harm my position. Emails are always welcome.

Ligonier Ministries Defrauds Soli Deo Gloria Ministries In "Acquisition"

2006-08-28T06:00:00.002-06:00

"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.

___________
* 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

RC Sproul Jr to Speak at Ligonier Ministries Conference. AGAIN!

2006-08-14T13:57:00.006-06:00

I've been an admirer of Dr. RC Sproul for years. God has obviously gifted and equipped the man, and he's been faithful to "preach the Word in season and out of season." However given the way that he's responded to the defrocking of his son, RC Sproul Jr, I've grown increasingly disillusioned with Dr. Sproul and must now question the man's wisdom (I'd much rather question his common sense than his integrity).

If you've followed some of my other articles here you know that I've been amazed by the family nincompoops that Dr. Sproul has entrusted his ministry to, such as Ligonier Ministries President Tim Dick, who also happens to be Dr. Sproul's son-in-law and RC Jr's brother-in-law. But Tim Dick is hardly the only evidence of nepotistic buffoonery at Ligonier Ministries. Incompetent and unqualified family members are to be found running around (or sleeping on the desk) everywhere in Ligonier, often in key positions, and generally with little or no understanding or appreciation for the Reformed theology championed by Dr. Sproul.

It would seem that Dr. Sproul's priorities for his ministry have been seriously compromised by his willingness to use Ligonier as a form of job security for family members. Salaries and "perks" for family members at Ligonier are lavish and multiple times above and beyond what people of such meager job skills and work ethics could hope to secure outside of Ligonier. Ligonier's credibility has suffered as a result, but it hasn't caused Dr. Sproul to change course.

Doubly compromising Ligonier's credibility is the question of RC Sproul Jr's defrocking. As a father of several sons myself I've really tried to be sypathetic to Dr. Sproul over the shame and humiliation that "Precious" has brought on his family, especially on his father. But I'll have to admit I can't be empathetic because none of my children have ever done a thing to cause me anything that even remotely approaches that kind of public scandal. It's a tough situation that I wouldn't wish on any father.

I've tried to put myself in Dr. Sproul's shoes and I've wondered, "What would I do?" One thing I'm confident that I wouldn't do is to jeopardize my internationally respected ministry by parading out on the stage and putting behind a minister's pulpit my defrocked son. That should be especially the case given that RC Sproul Jr continues to show no signs of repentance or remorse. At best all the RC Jr has done is to hide some of the more embarrassing evidence, such as removing his trashy "novella" Ligonier Tales, from the Highlands Study Center web site (someone has reposted Ligonier Tales, however). What's called for in RC Jr's case is some "tough love." Dr. Sproul may love his son very deeply, but what "Precious" really needs is a good paddling, not just more coddling.

If you've followed my brief blogging career you know that my very first blog article came about as a direct result of RC Jr's appearance at the 2006 Ligonier Ministries National Conference. I'd posted some comments on Tim Challies' forum about that. It became a hot topic of discussion. In just a matter of days Challies logged over 4000 visitors to just that one thread that I started, far more than he'd ever experienced before in such a brief period of time. Shortly after that Challies jettisoned his forum altogether, offering at the time some very suspicious (and very lame) excuses.

It's unlikely that I would have ever started this blog at all had it not been for Tim Challies. Thanks Tim! Ligonier has you to thank!

Apparently Dr. Sproul learned nothing from the last time that he invited his defrocked son to speak. Ligonier Ministries has announced their 2007 National Conference. As always the lineup of speakers is impressive, that is until we come to "Our Special Guest, R.C. Sproul, Jr."

A lot of folks were upset before that Dr. Sproul put his son behind a pulpit so soon after he'd been defrocked. Ligonier lost credibility over that and many questioned Dr. Sproul's wisdom. Dr. Sproul and Ligonier's credibility can't help but be damaged again by RC Jr speaking at the 2007 conference.

Has anything, anything at all, changed since March 2006 and the last Ligonier Conference? Has RC Sproul Jr repented publicly, or even privately, to all those Saint Peter Presbyterian Church members that he tyrannized? Not as far as anyone can tell. Has RC Sproul Jr even been reordained? No, he hasn't, and it doesn't look like he ever will be.

In fact RC Jr's ministerial status is one of the strangest things about this entire debacle. RC Sproul Jr is defrocked, but according to the CREC and their goofy Report "he shall not be required to fulfill the process for ordination and shall be considered ordained within the CREC accordingly." If anyone is capable of explaining that in terms that the average human being from planet earth could comprehend I'd really like to hear it. It's not just incomprehensible it's crazy and bizarre.

To paraphrase a comment I saw recently on another blog, everywhere else in the world RC Sproul Jr is defrocked. But in the loony world of Doug Wilson's CREC he's 'considered ordained'. It's like saying that everywhere in the world Idi Amin is a murderous dictatorial thug and rapist. But in Libya he's a dignitary with a clean record.

Now, on top of everything else, it looks like Ligonier has gone and plagiarized the name of my blog, "Contending for the Truth." Could this be a mere coincidence that they picked that name for their 2007 National Conference? Unlikely. I'd sure like to know who the genius is who came up with that cute idea. Tim Dick? Or maybe the Ligonier "Director of Conferences," Tim Dick's 22 year old son Ryan (aka "partyboy")?

Kevin Swanson and RC Sproul Jr Team Up to Offend Home Schoolers

2006-08-11T17:37:00.002-06:00

As a home school father I've attended with my family various book fairs and home school conferences, so it's inevitable that somewhere along the line we would have heard RC Sproul Jr speak. I'll have to admit that I liked what I heard. In fact I was really impressed by what Mr. Sproul shared. He seemed sincere. But my life experience has also taught me that talk is cheap and that there are many preachers that don't practice what they preach. That's certainly proven to be the case with RC Sproul Jr. If Sproul were a man that practiced what he preached he never would have managed to get himself defrocked.

In the time since Sproul's defrocking he's come up regularly as a topic of discussion in our local home school group as well as our church. We've had some lively discussions. Some families initially were very supportive of him and critical of the RPCGA for having defrocked him. Some believed that the CREC would "clear RC Sproul Jr's name." But it didn't work out that way. If Doug Wilson and the CREC weren't capable of clearing Sproul's name then no one ever will.

At this point everybody in our home school group has come to realize that RC Sproul Jr deserved being defrocked. Now our only remaining concern is when will Sproul get the hint and take up another line of work?

There remain a few Sproul diehards, men who are fiercely loyal, largely because they're close personal friends of Sproul. They're the kind of men who'll put personal friendship above principle. They're so loyal to Sproul that they'll even jeopardize the credibility of the Christian home school movement to defend their pal. Among them are Doug Wilson, Doug Phillips and Kevin Swanson.

It's taken a number of years and a lot of hard work for home schoolers to establish credibility. That credibility was earned long before lads like Sproul and Phillips and Swanson arrived on the scene to mass market their wares. The old-timer home school leaders didn't home school to make a buck. Some of today's home school leaders smell a buck and are cashing in. With that kind of leadership there's just bound to be compromising.

The last thing the home schooling community needs is compromised men lousing things up for us. It's not just RC Sproul Jr who's lousing up the credibility of home schoolers everywhere. By stubbornly and obstinately (and blindly) supporting the defrocked Sproul, Doug Wilson, Doug Phillips and Kevin Swanson are also lousing up our credibility as home schoolers.

On February 23 I emailed Kevin Swanson, who's the director of the Christian Home Educators of Colorado (CHEC), over my concerns that CHEC had a defrocked minister listed as their keynote speaker for their big summer conference. Given that almost a month had passed since RC Sproul Jr's defrocking on January 26 it seemed to me that they'd had plenty of time to get the news and decide whether or not they were going to keep him on the roster. I wanted to know what their plans were, and I wasn't the only one. Everyone in our home school group wanted to know too:

Pastor Swanson,

I write to you because of our common interest and support of home schooling, and for maintaining the purity and peace of the church. Our rather large family is grateful to you and CHEC for the what you represent and the work you do. We're starting to have some successes in our own little church with convincing other families of the importance of home education, but it hasn't been easy to break through the ingrained statist traditions.

Now we've run into a snag, and I'm sad to say that the public impression you and your organization are making is part of our problem. It's been brought to our attention that you are hosting a home school conference, as well as a family conference, that RC Sproul, Jr. is also a speaker at. Since you're probably acquainted with Mr. Sproul, Jr. I need not point out to you that he was recently deposed from office by his Presbyterian denomination, the RPCGA.

We are Reformed and would probably be in a Presbyterian church, if there were any good ones around us. We have high regard for Presbyterian government, and so do most Presbyterians. It's not a minor thing for a Presbyterian denomination to defrock one of their own Elders, and as I understand it the charges against him were grievous in nature.

Just as troubling is the fact that Mr. Sproul, Jr. appears to be functioning in open rebellion to the denomination that stripped him of his ordination by continuing to serve as "Elder," merely by the majority vote of his own congregation. Even though we're not Presbyterians ourselves, we know better than that, and certainly Mr. Sproul Jr knows better too. As a Presbyterian minister yourself I'm sure you're well aware that Mr. Sproul Jr has no authority to call himself a "pastor." Why then are you advertising him as "a pastor of Saint Peter Presbyterian Church in Southwest Virginia" for your Renewing the Family Conference?

What we can't comprehend is why are you having a defrocked man speak at your conferences at all? How can you do such a thing? We don't know if you're asking Mr. Sproul Jr to speak at your conferences merely because you're friends, but if that's the case you should know better than to allow your personal friendships to trump your own principles.

It's impossible for me to explain what you're doing to our friends at church, including to those who have expressed an interest in home schooling and are now checking it out, to our homeschool group, and the incredible confusion you're causing us. None of us can figure it out. It looks bad because it is bad, and it's made worse by the fact that you haven't made any public statements on your blog, or anywhere else that we've seen.

Perhaps you haven't bothered to read the public documents on the defrocking of RC Sproul, Jr. Perhaps you believe by neglecting to do so you can avoid having to make a determination about what your moral obligations are. If that's so then I'm even more disillusioned and disappointed, because that would be a matter of willful ignorance.

This isn't a minor issue. It's a matter of being consistent with what you publicly state about the values you claim to hold dear. I'd really like to know what you're thinking about all this. Please do respond at your earliest convenience.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Frank Vance

To his credit Mr. Swanson did respond:

Dear Frank,

We too are concerned about RC Jr, and the situation relating to the RPCGA...

Here are several notes to be made, and lessons we have learned thus far from this sad situation.

1. We solicited RC's participation and advertised his participation in our events prior to knowing anything whatsoever about any "trouble in River City."

2. We do not require a man to be a pastor to be a speaker for our events.

3. I trust you have called R.C. Jr., and you have been in contact with the Presbytery of the RPCGA handling this over the last week or two, and you know that he has been "deposed without sanctions." Our OPC Book of Church Order indicates this as a legitimate way to remove a man from office. This is done for "reasons other than delinquency in faith or life." Please reference F.O.G. XXVI.2, 3

4. We have learned to never trust the ever-present bloggers with agendas. The "Flesh" is horrifically present on the web and pours out like a sewer into the minds and hearts of thousands (especially within the reformed world).

5. Presently, we are in a bit of holding pattern, as we are concerned about the way conflicts are handled in the reformed world, and the presence of flesh everywhere we look. We are studying the case, and whereas we cannot try the case in a formal judicial setting, we hope to gain some wisdom as to how we can arrange a future relationship with RC Jr.

In short, our session of elders are grieved.

I do thank you for taking the time to communicate with us and I wish God's blessing on your family.

Sincerely,
Kevin Swanson

Dear Pastor Swanson,

Thank you sir for your prompt and gracious reply. This is indeed a very sad situation.

I quite agree with your analysis of various blog commentary. Yes, there's a lot of derogatory things I've seen as well. But I'm equally concerned about the propensity of some to want to just sweep it all under the carpet.

I'm equally concerned about the issue of homeschool groups and others hosting a newly defrocked minister for speaking engagements. I think it sends the wrong message, a stamp of approval if you will. It's also causing a lot of people a lot of confusion. We can't help but look to pastors as moral leaders, and when our moral leaders fail to act decisively and consistently with the judgment of a Presbyterian denomination that, for the most part, appears to be widely respected, it can't helped but cause a lot of disillusionment.

Being deposed as an Elder is no minor thing, irrespective of whether or not it was done "without sanctions," as you say. Before you draw conclusions about that though I'd recommend you study the RPCGA's BCO, as have I. I don't think you'll find similar language in there. They seem to treat deposing itself as a very serious "sanction," about as serious a sanction as it gets for a minister.

In trying to sort this all out (which is one reason I went to all the trouble of reading the BCO) I've tried to stay away from the blogs and rely instead on the RPCGA's own official documents. The only place I've found them thus far is at http://hushmoney.org/RC_Sproul_Jr-defrocking-docs.htm

If you haven't reviewed them I would urge you to do so.

Thank you Pastor Swanson for demonstrating that you are indeed concerned over this matter, as are we. You and your church will be in our prayers, as we know that you have some very difficult decisions to make.

Thank you for having taken the time out of your busy schedule to speak with me.

Frank

It turns out that I was completely wrong to have thanked Kevin Swanson for "demonstrating that you are indeed concerned over this matter, as are we."

In the end my concerns, and the concerns he heard from others as well, didn't in any way serve to dissuade Kevin Swanson. He and his CHEC board of directors went forward with their decision to have RC Sproul Jr speak at their Denver home schooling convention. Swanson's friendship with RC Sproul Jr is more important to Kevin Swanson than maintaining the integrity and reputation of Christian home schooling.

I've heard several reports that numerous CHEC members are very displeased with their board of directors, and in particular with Kevin Swanson. Swanson should think seriously about stepping down as director for CHEC.

There's another chapter to this story, but I'll save that for another day.

Has Ligonier Ministries President Tim Dick Lost It?

2006-08-03T12:24:00.001-06:00

For the latest Tim Dick scandal see Ligonier Ministries Defrauds Soli Deo Gloria In "Acquisition"

Ligonier Ministries President Tim Dick recently posted another peculiar blog comment. For being such an important guy who gets paid a lavish salary ($230,098.00), Mr. Dick seems to have an awful lot of spare time on his hands.

This time Mr. Dick's blog comment appeared on Post Tenebras Lux. There he claims that the "mention" of various web sites on Post Tenebras Lux "astonishes me." Yet the alleged web sites which so offend Tim Dick had never been "mentioned" on Post Tenebras Lux, either by me or by anyone else.

Tim Dick keeps popping up in various places on the internet to defend himself where no one has even been talking about him! This hasn't been the first time that Tim Dick has done this, and it probably won't be the last. It would seem that Tim Dick must be hearing voices:

David,

Wow, you are a breath of fresh air. What a novel approach you present to evaluate how the Church situation with Saint Peter should be handled. That is a difficult, and delicate situation to work through and the last place to look for accurate information is the web, especially the blog world.

I'm impressed with your one rule that anyone is free to attack [you], but not others.

The fact is that the sites mentioned to you for the best information astonishes me. The discussions of so called "facts" about me personally, and Ligonier Ministries, are as far from the truth as they could possibly be.

Again, let me emphasize, as to the posts that speak specifically to me and Ligonier. This is to not "alarm" anyone.

Personally, I will gladly sit down face to face with anyone who wants to discuss any of the allegations made against me and my proported gross mismanagement of the affairs of Ligonier Ministries.

For anyone who has had any concern because of the unabashed slander on the web, please contact me to clarify any concerns.

Thank you again for the calm, sound approach to these matters and this will now be my second, and only post to a blog and I assure you that I won't respond electronically to this post.

I will also speak to you David if you want evidense of the facts that I have to refute the allegations that have been made prior to your posting this, if you choose to do so.

Also, on another post on your site, Ligonier Ministries introduced a new Publishing division called "Reformation Trust". We will focus on new projects with authors other than just R.C., in fact we have one being released this fall by Dr. Steve Lawson, with many more in the works. I hope it takes a while for us to become "established" so that we maintain credebilty for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Tim Dick

9:36 PM

I responded to Mr. Dick with the following:

Mr. Dick, I'm surprised to see you posting here. I'm especially surprised to see you say this, "The fact is that the sites mentioned to you for the best information astonishes me." Was Ligonier Ministries even mentioned here? Was your name mentioned here? Did anyone mention any web sites or links to anything where you or Ligonier are discussed? No, they didn't.

If you're concerned about defending yourself as President of Ligonier why not make an appearance on those blogs where you actually are being discussed, say like Ligonier President Tim Dick Honors Me or Clearing the Air About Ligonier Ministries. There's no value in trying to defend yourself on this blog, especially when you haven't even been discussed. All you're doing is drawing attention to yourself when no one was even talking about you in the first place. Are you really sure that's what you want to do?

10:10 PM

The moderator promptly removed my response, while at the same time also confirming that Tim Dick hadn't even been discussed on his site:

Frank,

I deleted your post regarding Mr. Dick. As you noted in the post that I deleted, Mr. Dick was not even being discussed on this site.

My blog is largely intended to be constructive (which can include your raising questions about the CREC), but I do not intend to allow my blog to be a forum for negative personal comments.

David

11:03 PM

Is Tim Dick delusional? Is he suffering from symptoms of paranoia? Is he hearing voices? Why does he show up in places to defend himself when no one was even talking about him there? Very strange.

Had Tim Dick never emailed me to complain about blog articles that had nothing to do with me, or in the one case where it was an article that I wrote it had nothing to do with him, Tim would have stayed completely off my radar. I didn't know who the President of Ligonier Ministries was, and I didn't know he was RC Sproul's son-in-law, or RC Sproul Jr's brother-in-law, and I wouldn't have cared. I wouldn't have known about Hammerman's blog (or at least it would have probably taken me a lot longer to stumble across it myself). I never would have said a thing about Tim Dick. Instead he emailed me for no other reason than to vent his spleen over foolish things like this:

"I would consider posts that do not have the courage to do so under a 'real name', i.e. Hammerman. Were is the courage, this cowardly approach leads to loose lips, per se, where the author says anything with out accountability to substantiating the underlying truth to support slanderous comments.

"There basically was no truth to the post about Jr.'s being deposed by his family. If the author wanted to be truthful about his content he simply could have called, I would give him the true answer, which is that I made the decision and I'm not on the board and the author has no clue what is required to produce a monthly 64 page devotional magazine."

Such juvenile behavior is wholly unbecoming of a President of a respected multimillion dollar parachurch ministry. Doesn't an important guy like Tim Dick who's pulling down a fat six-figure salary and living in the Ligonier "mansion" (paid for courtesy of Ligonier Ministries donors) have better things to be doing with his time than blogging?

It's never made any sense to me why Tim Dick has repeatedly complained to unrelated parties about the exposés about him, rather than going directly to the sources of the exposés. In the case of the Hammerman article I verified that Mr. Dick has never contacted Hammerman. Yet Mr. Dick feels perfectly justified in venting his spleen to me about a blog that I didn't even know about at the time. The places that Tim Dick shows up to defend himself often haven't ever mentioned a word about him or Ligonier Ministries at all. It's as though he's hearing voices coming from everywhere -- people taking about him even when they're not.

Dr. R.C. Sproul, you're risking your life's work by continuing to entrust it in the hands of a man who's showing all the signs of being mentally unstable. It's well known that your health isn't good, and it's well known that Tim is the "heir apparent" of Ligonier. Tim is a novice in Reformed theology and he doesn't share your passion for Reformed theology. As one who's admired your work for years I'd urge you to get rid of Tim, or at least put him in a position where he can't cause you and your ministry any further harm. The world still very much needs the teachings of Ligonier Ministries, and Ligonier can't survive your own passing if it's left in the hands of a man of such poor character as Tim Dick.

R.C. Sproul Jr Defender Admits He Was Wrong

2006-08-01T20:50:00.001-06:00

It's not everyday that a defender of RC Sproul Jr can admit that he was wrong. In fact it hasn't hardly ever happened yet, at least that I know about. When it does happen it's worth publicly noting.

Blogger Carson Allen is truly to be commended. Hopefully others will soon start following Carson's noble example. Really, it's not all that difficult. Just take a deep breath, gulp, and say, "I was wrong."

I've posted several comments to Carson's blog in the last few months, including a few which he's either not seen or perhaps even ignored. A few days ago I posted this comment to his article, Presupositions Apologetics Is Biblical":

Thanks for the article Carson. Glad to hear that you're a presuppositional apologist. Me too. However presuppositions that are devoid of scriptural or factual support can quickly just turn into Jean Dixon-like prognostications. Take for example this presupposition: "Bottom line: The C.R.E.C. will exhonarate the defroked R.C. J.R. they will bring there plight before the reformed world for all to see and make a decision for themsleves. You must be willing to at least hear the other side of the story." Well, actually that was a prediction. The presupposition on which it was based was "The charges against RC Sproul Jr are fraudulent and therefore he's innocent." That presupposition led you to make the prediction that the CREC would "exonerate" Sproul. But the CREC didn't exonerate Sproul did they? We've all now heard "the other side of the story" and it's a story that doesn't seem to differ in any significant way from the RPCGA's Declaratory Judgment.

So what went wrong Carson? Was your presupposition wrong? Or could it be that the presupposition was correct and the CREC acted contrary to it? Are you now prepared to abandon your presupposition and admit that you were wrong, or will you continue to argue that your presupposition is correct and everyone else is wrong?

Then today I received the following email from Carson:

Dear Vance

My presupposition was never that the accusations by the R.P.G.A. where fraudulent. Please consider the following.

1. I have only met R.C. J.R. once in my life. He came and spoke at a local Church in my Town in 2002. I still attend that church. I would have never found this Church had it not been for R.C.J.R. coming and speaking there. By the Grace of God I have formed many life long relationships with those of my church body.

2. I have no clue of what relay hapens at the Highlands Study Center or S.P.P.C. Obviously you do.

3. I just couldn't Bare the thought that J.R. Would be such a tyrant that you and others accuse him of being. I have read all of his books, and the book "Bound for Glory" completely changed my life.

So if he is the tyrant that you say he is, I believe he needs to repent. He has caused me to stumble. I looked up to him, and I don't even know him. I would love to have a cup of coffee with him one day and ask him some questions. I just wish he would publicly come forth and repent. I also believe it is unfair to use the tithes of s.p.p.c. to fund the Highlands Study Center without them knowing. If they want to then great, but if not, there is some explaining to do.

Be that as it may; I will no longer come to the aid of his defense, because I don't know enough about him to do such.

Thank you and God Bless

Carson Allen

I emailed Carson back and said, "You're a brave young man. It takes a big man to be able to admit that he was wrong. I commend you for that."

It's a pity that there aren't more young men with Carson's integrity. Carson probably has a good pastor/shepherd who's a humble man that sets a good example for his flock. You can tell a lot about a pastor by the behavior of his flock. If a shepherd is humble, compassionate and caring generally his flock will be as well.

But if a shepherd is proud, self-righteous, and defensive with a big plank in his eye generally his flock will be as well. From everything I've heard of the foolish self-righteous defenses that have been thrown up by the followers of RC Sproul Jr it's obvious that he and his followers fall into the latter category.

I'm much encouraged by Carson's reversal. Now if we could only get Doug Wilson to admit that he's all wrong about RC Sproul Jr. Okay now Doug, try this. Really, it's not all that difficult. Just take a deep breath, gulp, and say, "I was wrong."

Ex- Ligonier Ministries Employee Writes In

2006-07-18T12:37:00.001-06:00

I recently received a cordial email from an ex- Ligonier Ministries employee who's also posted a comment here previously under the name "Sophocles." In his email he identified himself by name and it wasn't hard for me to verify that name as being a former Ligonier Ministries employee. I found his email most interesting and so I repost it here, less his real name:

Dear Mr. Vance,

First, I want to tell you that I truly admire your stand regarding Tim Dick and Ligonier Ministries. I know you are getting reliable information from former Lig. employees.

I am the author of the Sophocles post on your website. It has come to my attention that this particular post is being imputed to other former Ligonier employees and not myself. This post is entirely true but could have a negative effect on other individuals. I did not realize this would happen when I wrote what I did. Could you please remove this post from your site?

Again, I am very happy you are doing what you are doing and holding these tyrants accountable. I support you in your efforts. I just came to realize that I should have offered this information in a way that is more responsible - perhaps through email correspondence.

I wrote those comments in a rash manner, although true, but I did not know at the time my words would be attributed to others - former employees who still have dealings with Ligonier. Ligonier has lied about my record and I hope they do not destroy the reputation of others because of something I wrote. Ligonier is not above lying to protect themselves. There are many fine people who have worked there.

I now realize that your sources (ex-Ligonier employees) have more wisdom than I do. I should not have posted directly to your site.

I do appreciate very much what you are doing. I hope I can continue to email you. There are more deeply troubling and disturbing things about Ligonier I want to share but I don't know how to go about it at this time.

You seem to be genuinely concerned for the truth. Thank you for holding these guys accountable. Perhaps I could call you at your convenience?

Cordially,

Sophocles

Of course it's hard to know for certain if this person who emailed me is actually who they say they are, or perhaps just a Tim Dick shill just trying to get me to remove a post that exposes Tim as a selfish money-grubbing louse (but obviously it couldn't be Tim Dick himself because this person knows how to spell). Nevertheless I still take him at his word that he is who he says he is. Here's my response:

Sophocles,

Thanks for your email. I'm in no way surprised that Tim Dick and perhaps others are attempting to sniff out my sources by falsely blaming others for your post. That's only too consistent with what I've heard of Tim Dick's tactics. To him violating the ninth commandment is only a useful strategy toward the goal of uncovering the facts, even if he hurts many people in the process.

The stories I've heard about Tim Dick's lying and cheating and stealing just boggle the mind. The fact is that removing your comment now isn't a remedy and it won't stop Tim Dick's witch hunt. In fact it's likely to only embolden him the more. If he sees me deleting comments he'll take it as a sign that his tactics are working. I don't think that's a smart move.

Rather than just deleting your comment let me propose something a whole lot more effective. Why don't you write a story as "Sophocles" and I'll post it on my blog? Part of your story can be about Tim Dick's duplicitous strategy of blaming others for your comment here.

Frank

Thanks Frank! I will consider that. By the way, have you had any more emails from Tim Dick? I wondering what the current status is.

Sophocles

Thank you Sophocles! I really hope you will seriously consider it. From everything I've heard Tim Dick is a very corrupt man. Some have told me that based on his behavior they don't think there's any way he could be a converted Christian. To have such a man heading up an honorable Christian ministry is an embarrassment to the church of Christ Jesus.

No, I haven't heard any more from Tim. However, I did notice that he posted something really weird on Little Geneva.

Frank

I hope to hear more from Sophocles, as well as other former and perhaps even current Ligonier Ministries employees. As I've done in Sophocles' case I'll do for others and never use real names, unless I'm specifically asked to.

There appears to be a number of current and former Ligonier employees who are disgusted by all the corruption being perpetrated by Tim Dick, but who may not have the courage to confront Mr. Dick himself about it, or to take it to Dr. R.C. Sproul, for fear of retaliation. Well here's a format for getting the word out and for holding corrupt and evil men like Tim Dick accountable.

I invite all current and former Ligonier Ministries employees and other insiders to submit their comments and articles to me at frank.vance@gmail.com

Holding Ecclesiastical Tyrants and Scammers Accountable

2006-06-27T10:55:00.002-06:00

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.

Ligonier Ministries President Tim Dick Honors Me

2006-05-24T05:14:00.003-06:00

It's not every day that I receive personal correspondence from the Presidents of esteemed Christian ministries. In fact it's never happened before. But in recent days I've been honored to have been contacted by Mr. Tim Dick, President of Ligonier Ministries, and not just once but twice!

Now I know perfectly well that Mr. Tim Dick doesn't intend to honor me, but I just can't help but feel honored about the whole thing. What an incredible thrill! I've just got tingles all over!

Why would the President of Ligonier Ministries go to all the trouble of expending his valuable time talking to me? I guess my little 'ol blog must be causing a much bigger stir than I'd thought!

Tim Dick asked me to keep his emails confidential, and this after he ridicules anonymous bloggers as "cowards" and he asks, "Where is the courage?" So now I'm really confused, Mr. Dick. You ask me to keep the content of our email exchange confidential, but you're also opposed to the cowardice of people who want to maintain their confidentiality. Well I've got a solution for that. Don't be a coward, Mr. Dick! What you've said to me really needs to be out in the public eye for all to see, and let's not change any names or any of that sissy stuff. Be a man! Strap on a pair Mr. Dick! Let's use your real name!

Oh, and the thing about your asking me to keep our emails confidential, well, I never gave you an answer about that -- until now. The answer is "no."

From: "Tim Dick" tdick@ligonier.org
To: "Frank Vance" advancemyten@yahoo.com
Subject: What is any discussion by unrelated parties accomplishing to restore Dr. Sproul Jr.?
Date: Tue, 16 May 2006 21:08:59 -0400

Mr. Vance,

I find all the "chatter" on the internet lacking more credibility than R.C. Sr. and Jr. could possibly loose because of the recent actions. Many posts on various site build on prior posts which assume they are to accurate. I'm not trying to defend either of the Sprouls but I will defend Ligonier and to some extent, World. First, as is evidenced in your poll to approve or disapprove of Jr. speaking at the conference, it is laughable that you first show % responses and then only 7 votes were cast. Second, I would consider posts that do not have the courage to do so under a "real name", i.e. Hammerman. Were is the courage, this cowardly approach leads to loose lips, per se, where the author says anything with out accountability to substantiating the underlying truth to support slanderous comments.

There basically was no truth to the post about Jr.'s being deposed by his family. If the author wanted to be truthful about his content he simply could have called, I would give him the true answer, which is that I made the decision and I'm not on the board and the author has no clue what is required to produce a monthly 64 page devotional magazine.

Third, the post about World magazine is absurd, our budget for "space ads" for 2006 was $0.00, for any magazine. Quite frankly, this is one reason I made the decision to discontinue our forums, too many people have to much time on their hands and say whatever they want with apparent confidence they are truthful.

Unfortunately there is little charity being demonstrated for these men and the organizations they are associated with. I have handled discussions regarding this issue and I'm sure I don't know everything that happened but, as a former deacon in the PCA, too often we react to information that may be more complicated than the "selected" topics that make it to the internet.

I am not trying to defend anything other than proper church governance which, unless you or any other commentator is an officer in that denomination, you can not reflect all of the truth, and possibly should not if you are.

Since I am not aware of how to actually post information like this I ask you not to post this communication as it is intended to be confidential.

Tim Dick
President

Ligonier Ministries
400 Technology Park
Lake Mary Fl 32746

www.Ligonier.org

From: "Frank Vance" advancemyten@yahoo.com
To: "Tim Dick" tdick@ligonier.org
Subject: Re: What is any discussion by unrelated parties accomplishing to restore Dr. Sproul Jr.?
Date: Sat, 20 May 2006 17:11:35 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Mr. Dick,

Thanks for your email. I'm honored that you would want to speak with me.

As to your question, "What is any discussion by unrelated parties accomplishing to restore Dr. Sproul Jr.?", I would just say had RC Sproul Jr responded in humility and repentance to being disciplined by his Presbyterian denomination, I seriously doubt any of us would be seeing what we now witness on the internet. I think we've all got better things to be doing with our time. Nevertheless it's an important issue that warrants discussion.

As one whose family was personally victimized by ecclesiastical tyranny in a manner all too similar to the way the RC Jr attacked the Austin family I'm pleased to see that he was held accountable. That would have never happened in our own situation, had we been in a real Presbyterian church.

I've been a great admirer of Dr. Sproul (Sr.) for years. Seeing him publicly state, through Pastor Shaun Nolan's web site that the charges against his son were "fraudulent" is troubling, and I believe that it was extremely unwise. Clearing R.C. Sproul, Jr's Name

I hope it doesn't harm his reputation. However, I don't see how any good can come of it. A respected Presbyterian denomination acted according to the very BCO that RC Jr swore to obey, based upon substantive evidence, including the fact that RC Jr stole the tax ID number of the ARP, and for "abuse of office." RC Jr even confessed to these things. That's nothing minor to just disregard, and in light of the evidence they have in hand, and RC Jr's own confession, I don't understand how Dr. Sproul can just sweep that aside and call it "fraudulent."

If the CREC's Pastoral Commission Report finds that the testimony wasn't fraudulent, is Dr. Sproul planning on making a public apology for impugning the good name of the RPCGA?

> First, as is evidenced in your
> poll to approve or
> disapprove of Jr. speaking at the conference, it is
> laughable that you first
> show % responses and then only 7 votes were cast.

Did you vote? If not why not? Probably for the same reason that most people who view such posts don't vote. That link received over 4000 hits before Tim Challies took the site down. Lots of hits, few votes. The reason only 7 out of 4000 people voted is probably because in order to vote you have to first create an account, and most people won't go through the trouble of doing that. The real story isn't how few people voted but how many people viewed the thread in a very brief timeframe.

> Second, I would consider
> posts that do not have the courage to do so under a
> "real name", i.e.
> Hammerman. Were is the courage, this cowardly
> approach leads to loose lips,
> per se, where the author says anything with out
> accountability to
> substantiating the underlying truth to support
> slanderous comments.

I can't address your concern about your belief that anonymous blogs lack credibility. I don't share such concerns because I can well appreciate why some people choose to remain anonymous. What matters to me is the substance of the allegations. If the allegations are true they can't be "slanderous." My own research indicates that most of what's appeared critical of RC Jr is true.

> There basically was no truth to the post about Jr.'s
> being deposed by his
> family. If the author wanted to be truthful about
> his content he simply
> could have called, I would give him the true answer,
> which is that I made
> the decision and I'm not on the board and the author
> has no clue what is
> required to produce a monthly 64 page devotional
> magazine.

What article are you referring to? There's no such article on my blog. Why address your concerns to me rather than the author of the article?

> Third, the post about World magazine is absurd, our
> budget for "space ads"
> for 2006 was $0.00, for any magazine. Quite
> frankly, this is one reason I
> made the decision to discontinue our forums, too
> many people have to much
> time on their hands and say whatever they want with
> apparent confidence they
> are truthful.

Just out of curiosity why is your advertising budget for the year $0.00? Have you disclosed that to World? If they don't know that then they could easily be operating under the assumption that you will be spending more in ad revenue soon, and they could be quite concerned about not doing anything to jeopardize that.

> I am not trying to defend anything other than proper
> church governance
> which, unless you or any other commentator is an
> officer in that
> denomination, you can not reflect all of the truth,
> and possibly should not
> if you are.

Tim, those are two of the most common assertions I've read in response to this whole RC Jr scandal:

1. "I'm not trying to defend RC Sproul Jr, but. . ."
2. "Unless you know the whole truth about the entire story you don't get to have an opinion about it or express your opinion."

I respectfully disagree with your logic.

Nevertheless, I'm appreciative that you took the time to contact me, and I'm more than open to continuing this dialogue.

Yours in Christ,

Frank Vance

From: "Tim Dick" tdick@ligonier.org
To: "Frank Vance" advancemyten@yahoo.com
Subject: What is any discussion by unrelated parties accomplishing to restore Dr. Sproul Jr.?
Date: Sat, 20 May 2006 23:19:39 -0400

Mr. Vance,

My response was in no way meant to honor you nor to give credibility to your commentary. Whatever you and your family went through has nothing to do with R.C. Sproul Jr., unless of course you are/were members of Saint Peters Church. Worthy discussion obviously has an elusive definition. We all should have better things to do with our time. If this is an important issue, that by itself does not make it a worthy issue to discuss in such an unruly mode as the internet. For all I know you could all be anti-Calvinist preterits taking advantage of this situation to further your cause at R.C. Jr.'s expense. As to your comment about R.C. Sproul Sr., again, you are not stating any opposition based on first hand knowledge and or direct communication with either parties. If in fact you had such access, you would probably arrive at the same place R.C. Sr. did. How this has been dealt with "on-line" is as unwise as anything for handling such a situation.

The speculation that the RPCGA is a respectable denomination is, at best, speculation.

I see that you don't want to be responsible for your postings appearing on "badlands" which you" sweep under the rug" which you try to hide behind in your defense. My own experience does not speculate that the RPCGA is a respectable denomination, nor am I concerned with this. Your assumption of such as with your allegation of "a stolen EIN" is an exaggeration of what actually occurred. Does that mean I don't admit the ARP ID # wasn't used, of course not. Nobody is trying to "just sweep this aside", it just seems that you and others don't really care about the truth.

An example of this is your question about my voting on your article as to should R.C. Jr. be allowed to speak at the National conference or not, justifying your logic that only 7 votes were tallied out of 4000 hits again displays your lack of credibility and logic in such a discussion. Your question of an apology forthcoming is consistent with your lack of knowledge of the truth.

As for your other questions, of course I did not vote, why would I? On the other hand, your logic is weak, if considered logic, as to why you disagree with my position of anonymous postings as well as yours is consistent with those who lack courage.

Finally, I am not surprised that you so casually brush of the comments on anonymity and "posts that you are not aware of" as they are all on one site, and or linkable from one site, which demonstrates a lack of ability to address such an argument with any logic what-so-ever.

Mr. Vance, don't be "honored" by response, because none is intended. Unfortunately you provided no refutation to my response and as such, again expect you to keep this communication private and confidential, I don't need and nor seek, any "cyber world" exposure. In fact, this is my final
response to any "cyber chatter". Good night.

Tim Dick
President

Ligonier Ministries
400 Technology Park
Lake Mary Fl 32746

www.Ligonier.org

From: "Frank Vance" advancemyten@yahoo.com
To: "Tim Dick" tdick@ligonier.org
Subject: Re: What is any discussion by unrelated parties accomplishing to restore Dr. Sproul Jr.?
Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 08:00:32 -0700 (PDT)

--- Tim Dick wrote:

> Mr. Vance,
>
> My response was in no way meant to honor you nor to
> give credibility to your commentary.

Dear Mr. Dick,

Thanks again for honoring me with yet another reply. I know you're not wanting to honor me, but you are. It's not everyday that I receive emails from the Presidents of such highly esteemed Christian organizations as Ligonier Ministries. I'm really just too honored.

> Worthy discussion obviously has an elusive
> definition. We all
> should have better things to do with our time.

That's where I'm confused, Mr. Dick. If you've got better things to be doing why do you keep sending me emails? Obviously this is all a lot more important than you're willing to admit.

> If this is an important
> issue, that by itself does not make it a worthy
> issue to discuss in such an
> unruly mode as the internet.

So what would be a more appropriate venue? World Magazine? I'd agree with that! But that's just the problem, Mr. Dick. You've bought their silence. If World weren't so compromised by your advertising boodle your buddy Marvin Olasky would permit at least some little snippet to appear somewhere in World's pages. But Olasky is so compromised by your payola the RC Sproul Jr scandal won't ever see a drop of ink in World. So don't be surprised that the angst of people like me over the Christian media's silence on this issue spills over onto the internet. A smart move on your part would be to stop trying to kill this story as a World Magazine article.

> For all I know you
> could all be anti-Calvinist
> preterits taking advantage of this situation to
> further your cause at R.C.
> Jr.'s expense.

And for all I know you could be a 33rd Degree Mason who makes burnt offerings to Lucifer, and that you're involved in some kind of bad-spelling secret society. But unlike you, Mr. Dick, I'll not digress into such unproductive speculation.

> As to your comment about R.C. Sproul
> Sr.,again, you are not
> stating any opposition based on first hand knowledge
> and or direct
> communication with either parties.

Perhaps so Mr. Dick. Perhaps I don't have the kind of first hand knowledge and direct communication that you have. So the obvious logical conclusion of all that is that I'm not permitted to have an opinion, and I'm not permitted to express that opinion, unless that is my opinion happens to jibe with yours. Then I'm sure I'd be permitted by you to express my no-first-hand knowledge opinion.

Truth be told, Mr. Dick, you're just opposed to free speech, or at least any speech that is contrary to your own. You're attempting to stifle my right to express my opinions on the weak premise that I don't personally know RC Sproul Sr and RC Sproul Jr, and therefore I'm not entitled to have an opinion. If your logic ruled the day then no one would be permitted to express an opinion on much of anything, because most of us don't personally know many of the people that we express opinions about.

Perhaps I don't personally know RC Jr, but the RPCGA certainly knows him, and they knew him well enough to know that he was unfit to be an ordained minister of the gospel. So they did the wise and prudent thing and defrocked him. My opinions come from my read of the public records of that case, and to tell me that I don't have the right to express my opinions because I don't personally know RC Jr is as absurd as to tell me I don't have the right to express my opinions about Hillary Clinton because I don't personally know her.

> If in fact you
> had such access, you
> would probably arrive at the same place R.C. Sr.
> did.

You mean as in RC Sproul Sr's opinion that the charges against his son were "fraudulent"? So what's RC Sr's opinion on the issue now that the CREC hasn't cleared RC Sproul Jr's name? What's his opinion now that the CREC pretty much confirmed what the RPCGA said about Jr? The CREC Commission doesn't agree with Dr. Sproul that the charges were fraudulent. Is Dr. Sproul planning on making some formal public apologies for slandering the good name of the RPCGA?

It's just come to my attention that Dr. Sproul also threatened Whitefield Seminary and demanded that they take his picture off Whitefield's web site, even though he'd previously granted them permission to use his picture. It's real obvious why he would do such a thing, since Whitefield is affiliated with the RPCGA. Such petty behavior is completely unbecoming of an esteemed Reformed theologian. Is Dr. Sproul also planning on tearing up his Whitefield degree and returning it? Just how low will this pettiness go?

> How this has been
> dealt with "on-line" is as unwise as anything for
> handling such a situation.

I couldn't agree more. It's just terrible the way that Dr. Sproul has made a fool of himself on the internet. I feel really bad about it because up until now I really respected him. But I think he'll find that Christians are very forgiving people. I'm certainly a very forgiving man. All Dr. Sproul needs to do is publicly apologize for it and it'll soon be forgotten. But if Dr. Sproul conducts himself in the same manner as his son, I don't think we'll be seeing him make any public apologies. Where did RC Jr learn to be such a proud, arrogant, impenitent man? As they say, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." I may not know the Sprouls personally, but it's not unreasonable of me to ask such questions.

> The speculation that the RPCGA is a respectable
> denomination is, at best,
> speculation.

Sounds to me like the old "if you don't like the message kill the messenger" routine.

> I see that you don't want to be responsible for your
> postings appearing on
> "badlands" which you" sweep under the rug" which you
> try to hide behind in
> your defense.

What are you talking about? Please be specific in your allegations. What "postings" are you referring to? Please provide URLs to substantiate your accusations, and please be specific about the allegation because I'm just not getting your drift.

> My own experience does not speculate
> that the RPCGA is a
> respectable denomination, nor am I concerned with
> this.

Why would you bring up topics that you say you're not "concerned with"? Quite obviously you are concerned, concerned enough to take a hit and run shot at the RPCGA, and true to your modus operandi you provide no specific testimony about your "own experience," just a backhanded inference.

> Your assumption of
> such as with your allegation of "a stolen EIN" is an
> exaggeration of what
> actually occurred. Does that mean I don't admit the
> ARP ID # wasn't used,
> of course not. Nobody is trying to "just sweep this
> aside", it just seems
> that you and others don't really care about the
> truth.

I'm very interested in the truth, Mr. Dick, and I've tried to get all sides of the story before making any public comments. But that's also part of the problem -- getting all sides of the story. There's folks out there like you who say, "You're not telling the truth." But they refuse to give any specifics of "what actually occurred," or at least what they think actually occurred. Like all other RC Jr defenders, you speak with an air of authority, as one in the know, as one who has reviewed the evidence. But when you're challenged to put up or shut up, the best you can do is to resort to ad hominem. Just like all the other RC Jr defenders you say things like, "Your assumption of such as with your allegation of _______________ is an exaggeration of what actually occurred." But then you refuse to specify what "actually occurred."

I wouldn't deny that I haven't heard your side of the story, so feel free to correct my understanding of things. I'm quite open to that. But don't expect me to cease expressing my opinions on the matter based on your juvenile logic, "I have first-hand information and you don't, which means I get to have an opinion and you don't. And I'm not going to tell you what I
know either, I'm just going to tell you that you don't get to have an opinion."

> Mr. Vance, don't be "honored" by response, because
> none is intended.

I realize that none is intended. But still I can't help but be honored that you would go to all the trouble of contacting me and expressing yourself, even if your expressions are remarkably juvenile for the "President" of a prominent and well-respected ministry. Quite frankly, Mr. Dick, it's just made no sense to me why the President of Ligonier Ministries would go to all the trouble of contacting little 'ol me. So I did some checking up on you and found out about the nepotism. Now it all makes sense! You're the son-in-law of Dr. Sproul.

By the way in which you've communicated with me it's obvious that you can't be a particularly intelligent or talented man. That's what had me so confused. I couldn't figure out how you managed to land such an important job working with such brilliant people as Dr. Sproul when you're obviously such a dim bulb.

Here's something else I'm really confused about. If it's true that you fired your brother-in-law as Editor of Tabletalk, why are you now so defensive of him? Are you suffering from some pangs of guilt over firing him?

Frank Vance

Mr. Dick, looking back over it I realize now that I didn't give nearly as full an answer to the question in your subject line, "What is any discussion by unrelated parties accomplishing to restore Dr. Sproul Jr.?" as I now wished that I had. So let me remedy that now. I don't want to see Sproul Jr restored. Why do you want to see him restored? Weren't you the one who fired him from Ligonier Ministries? Why are you now pretending like you care about him? RC Jr is unfit to be a minister of the gospel. The RPCGA declared that he was "not qualified" to be a minister. The man needs to go find himself a job that he's capable of doing because obviously he's not capable of being a pastor. Why don't you consider offering him some kind of job? Maybe stocking shelves in the Ligonier warehouse? Receptionist? There's got to be something you could find for him to do. Whatever you do though, don't make him the bookkeeper (I've read that he's got some real creative bookkeeping methods).

When it comes down to it the RPCGA's defrocking of RC Sproul Jr isn't a whole lot different from what you did when you declared RC Jr not qualified to be the Editor of Tabletalk. No one interfered with your decision to fire RC Jr from Ligonier Ministries (in fact a lot of people were really happy to see him go). Why are you meddling in the RPCGA's decision to depose him as a minister? It seems to me that the RPCGA is in a much better position to be able to determine RC Jr's lack of qualifications for the ministry than anyone else, and they're certainly a whole lot more qualified, and a whole lot more objective, than you are Mr. Dick.

Mr. Dick, before you start imposing your big fat, um, nose into the RPCGA's business and demanding that RC Sproul Jr be "restored," let me suggest that you quit being such a hypocrite and first "restore" RC Jr as Editor of Tabletalk.

Thank you Mr. Dick for, as the President of Ligonier Ministries, honoring me with your emails. My skin is still tingling from the whole experience. I hope to hear from you again soon.

Families often have pet names for family members. In the Sproul family RC Jr's pet name is "Precious." When RC Jr worked at Ligonier the employees, being most amused by his pet name, couldn't help but refer to him as "Precious." Of course they did so only behind his back. RC Jr wouldn't appreciate non-family members calling him "Precious" to his face.

Tim Dick has a nickname too. Although no one is absolutely sure where Tim's nickname came from, everyone seems to be in agreement that it didn't come from his mom and dad. Tim's nickname seems to have come from the Ligonier employees, and just like RC Jr it's not a nickname that they would ever speak to his face. Tim Dick's nickname (and I'm not making this up) is "Dickhead." Hmm, I wonder why they call him that?