I got a call from an Evangel University staff member yesterday after my article came out about a former teacher there quitting. Read the article by clicking here.
I had no idea who she was, but Grant Olson, an outspoken advocate of accountability at James River Church, contacted me bright and early Tuesday morning to inform me. “Give her my cell number,” I told Grant. “Her Facebook account is locked up tighter than Ft. Knox. No way to friend request.”
At first, I thought she was another refugee
I get communication and friend requests from a growing community of A/G Refugees, those hurt by the Assemblies of God in some way. Controversies and chaos surround the movement, exacerbated by a men’s conference controversy hosted by JRC and fueled by Grant Olson’s public cry for repentance by the megachurch leader, John Lindell. Click here for more.
Consequently, JRC staff members, former Evangel University professors, A/G Headquarters workers, and others are coming out of the woodwork to share their stories of mistreatment.
Click here for an outside overview of church abuse.
She was an insider!
But she wasn’t a person seeking refuge from abuses of authority. She was an insider seeking clarification!
“I work at Evangel University; I get a lot of articles from your website because of my line of work,” she said. “This may be awkward.”
“First of all, thank you for contacting directly,” I said. “Most people don’t have the guts to do that, especially when things could get awkward.”
“How does it feel to be talking to Johnny Rooster?” I asked.
She laughed. “I feel kind of privileged, for sure,” she admitted.
“Why did you post the article on WTF news?” she bombed ahead on the phone as I drove past James River Church on US 65.
I have been mistreated and I write about it
I write content and my story is so involved inside the A/G that many fellow Christians cringe at the thought of talking about what I talk about, while many others cheer me on.
The Evangel employee on the phone was willing to engage the source. “Nobody put me up to it,” she said. “This is a call from me being curious.”
Bully for her!
“It will make me happy if you share what I tell you with everyone you know,” I replied in my dad voice. “But if you feel you can’t do that, it’ll make me sad for you that you feel that way about your coworkers.”
Indeed, I know full well how Christians at Evangel and the rest of the Assemblies of God culture can be. I’ve written about my experiences at Evangel, James River Assembly, and writing for the A’G Headquarters in the Christian County Trumpet opinion blog I publish. Click here for the site. Cruise around in there, and you’ll find plenty of controversial Christian based posts!
My response to the WTF page
“I post my content on the WTF page because I hang out in the bars and in the churches for the same reasons; to observe people and encourage and inform them,” said, bluntly. “WTF pages are the ‘bar scene’ of social media, and they need to know I’m not knocking Christianity; I’m just questioning the methods some Christian leaders use.”
The caller mentioned another Facebook page, with the phrase “leaving James River” in the name.
“I’ve never heard of it,” I said.
That surprised her.
(I looked up the page later; I’m not a member, so I didn’t see the stuff. Not that interest. I just share my story and don’t gossip.)
“I don’t come out to condemn the church; I come out to share my story and let readers decide what they think based on my experiences. Everyone has a different perspective,” I told her.
I added that I have several books out there about friendship and Christian men, including “Unlikely Friend” and “Divorced Christian Dad” by John Cockroft (my birth name) on Amazon.
“I’m not a crabby old guy. I feel young. I am active. I think for myself. I’m not into church membership, or tithing, but I give to people in need as I see fit. I’m not anti-church or pro church: I’m active in my present church because I love people and I want to be there. I love God and want to serve Jesus, but I don’t like names of people on buildings, like at Evangel. It’s pride and self-attention that does that.”
We parted more agreeable than not. “Sleep peacefully at night,” I said before hanging up.
Johnny Rooster publishes his opinion in his blog. You just read some of it.