What CHRISTmas Is All About
...Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise...
Matthew 21:16 from Psalm 8:2
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Tebow Brings Christmas Cheer to Christians and Football Fans
Having grown up in Denver and also being a huge Denver Broncos fan all my life, I have to admit that I am thoroughly enjoying what is going on with our beloved Broncos. To put this in perspective I would like to share a little bit of history on this subject.
Along comes Tim Tebow. Drafted in 2010 as a Florida Gator, Tim Tebow was considered to be one of the best college players of all time and he was the only Sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and he led his team to two national titles. Many of the experts and football analysts have written Tebow off because his mechanics are considered to be flawed; and he does not have the attributes that many experts look for in a quarterback. Last year Tebow started 3 games toward the end of a dismal season and brought hope back to Denver. At the end of the season last year Denver's coach got fired; and John Elway became Vice President of Football operations and hired a new coach by the name of John Fox.
But what makes all of this so great is not just Tebow's ability to win a game but it's what this guy stands for and the testimony he has outside of football that makes him a polarizing individual that many either love or hate. As a Christian, I have a really hard time understanding why there is so much hate surrounding this guy. On his spare time he spends his days hanging out with kids that have disabilities and debilitating diseases. He spends much of his NFL fortune building hospitals in the Philippines. Video Link
My younger brother was born when I was about 12 years old, during a Denver Broncos game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos Orange Crush defense was famous at this time and they had an eight play goal line stand where they kept the Chiefs out of the end zone for eight straight plays and went on to win that game. I was not just a fair weather fan but enjoyed Broncos football through all the years of my youth.
In 1983, Denver drafted a Quarterback by the name of John Elway and during his first season I started attending the ntcc. For the first time in my life football was placed on a back burner and was one of the things in my personal life that I allowed the ntcc to take away from me. I was told that football was full of a bunch of proud overpaid arrogant people and was led to believe that watching football was a sin. For quite a few years, I deprived myself of the joy I once had in many areas of my life and from my personal favorite pastime which was football. After being deprived of even more important things than football, I began to break the sports rule in the ntcc and started paying attention to football once again. I would read the newspapers and follow the Broncos and John Elway who was considered to be the king of 4th quarter come backs. The Denver Broncos started to win consistently and made 3 trips to the Superbowl during my ntcc, years, losing all three games.
As my cult experience began to wear me down spiritually, I paid closer attention to the Broncos, watching John Elway engineer some of the greatest come from behind victories in NFL history. On Sundays, I'd go to the Recreation Center on Post and watch games on TV instead of soul snatching and at times I'd go to Department stores and watch games there. We all know how much of a sin it is to watch a football game on TV when souls are dying and going to hell. After 13 years of missing out on football, I finally left the ntcc and was able to watch football again. Thankfully, Elway had a 16 year career and I was able to enjoy some of the greatest moments in football history from the comfort of my own living room.
In the late 90's Elway and the Broncos, after losing 3 Super Bowls, finally started playing the best football ever. In Elway's 15th season, he led the Broncos on an unforgettable run to the Superbowl, beating many teams in the final minutes of the game. Superbowl 32 was played at Qualcom Stadium in San Diego, on my Birthday in 1998. Denver was a huge underdog to the Greenbay Packers and they beat the Packers 31 to 24 in what many consider one of the greatest Superbowls of all time. It came down to the last seconds of the game and was one of the greatest times of my life. Elway had one more season after this in which he led the Broncos to another victory in Superbowl 33 and won Most Valuable player that year retiring at the top of his game in a city where football was everything; and Broncos fans were on top of the world.
Since the retirement of Elway and the decline of the Broncos, many quarterbacks have come and gone; but none could live up to the expectations that we had from the Elway years. Denver's best coach ever, Mike Shanahan, was let go and Denver has struggled with very few playoff appearances and the Mile High magic seemed to be a distant memory.
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| Tim Tebow - well - Tebowing |
Along comes Tim Tebow. Drafted in 2010 as a Florida Gator, Tim Tebow was considered to be one of the best college players of all time and he was the only Sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and he led his team to two national titles. Many of the experts and football analysts have written Tebow off because his mechanics are considered to be flawed; and he does not have the attributes that many experts look for in a quarterback. Last year Tebow started 3 games toward the end of a dismal season and brought hope back to Denver. At the end of the season last year Denver's coach got fired; and John Elway became Vice President of Football operations and hired a new coach by the name of John Fox.
Denver chose to start Kyle Orton at the QB position because he was an experienced veteran and had a very good completion percentage. However Orton had a history of losing the biggest games and never could seem to win meaningful games. After Orton's dismal 4 loss and 1 win start to the 2011 season, Tim Tebow was given another chance. Down 15 to 0 in his first start of the 2011 season, Tebow led the Broncos to an 18 to 15 victory over Miami, becoming the only QB in the history of the NFL to be down by 15 points with only 2 minutes left to come from behind and win in this fashion. Tebow has won 6 straight games all very close and many coming from behind in the last seconds of the game to win in spectacular fashion. Last week Denver was losing 10 to nothing with just over 2 minutes to go; and it seemed completely impossible to even think about a 4th quarter comeback, but through strong will Denver came back and won.
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| Tebow Glorifying God |
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| Tebow - Commitment |
What seems to make Tebow so popular is his ability to generate belief and winning attitude among his teammates. Everyone around him believes in him and thinks very highly of him. He always gives credit to God first and then his teammates for all of Denver's victories. In spite of all the good we are seeing there are many people that hate Tebow. How dare he play football and live a Christian life at the same time. Does God really care about football? The only thing that I can contribute is my opinion. I believe that God blesses those that trust in Him. I believe that some spectacular things have been happening in Denver. I like everything I see in Tim Tebow and am enjoying this season immensely. I am glad to be in a free country and to allow myself the simple pleasures in life of being able to enjoy a game on Sunday. I know that it might seem like sensationalism to some and it might seem a little overboard to others to believe that God has his hand in the game of football, but it is a liberty that I enjoy and choose to believe. There are many more harmful things that people do with their spare time and this guilty pleasure seems to fit well within the realm of Christianity so I will continue to believe and root for the Broncos this weekend as they take on the Patriots at Mile High. Here's to the Broncos and Tim Tebow!!!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Mary Did You Know? by Mark Lowry
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Luke 2:35
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered [them] in her heart. Luke 2:19
Monday, December 12, 2011
Twelve Days Of Christmas
12 Days of Christmas by Relient K
Watch on YouTube
This version asks the questions, "What's a partridge? What's a pear tree?" and answers, "I don't know; so please don't ask me!" :o) Well, we also wanted some answers. So we looked up the lyrics on Wikipedia and found the chart [below] that attempts to interpret the well known lyrics of this old song.
Source Article on Wiki
| Gift | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| A partridge in a pear tree | Jesus |
| Two turtle doves | The Old and New Testaments |
| Three French hens | The three kings bearing gifts |
| Four calling [sic] birds | The four Gospels |
| Five gold rings | The Torah or Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament |
| Six geese a-laying | The six days of Creation |
| Seven swans a-swimming | Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit |
| Eight maids a-milking | The eight Beatitudes |
| Nine ladies dancing | Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit |
| Ten lords a-leaping | The Ten Commandments |
| Eleven pipers piping | The eleven faithful Apostles |
| Twelve drummers drumming | The twelve points of the Apostles' Creed |
We share this information with our readers to encourage them to celebrate the birth of Christ and to embrace new experiences. You may not like this song. You may not agree with the interpretation of the lyrics offered on Wiki. And that's fine. That's the point. There are some things that we as Christians must agree upon. For instance, we must all believe that Jesus is our Savior. But there are other things that can and should be open for discussion. That is the point we are making here.
We hope you enjoy not only this quest for knowledge but the entire Christmas season. Here's another video for those who enjoy a more traditional version of The Twelve Days Of Christmas:
Twelve Days of Christmas (Traditional)
Watch On YouTube
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Part 2 of Adultery on Demand
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| Trading Spouses - ntcc's way; but NOT God's Way! |
A. St. Louis, MO to be matched up with a recycled spouse.
B. Graham, WA to be matched up with a recycled spouse.
C. Phoenix, AZ to be matched up with a recycled spouse.
D. On the "revival" circuit to find a new spouse [ahem].
I know there are many in the ntcc that will not receive this; after all, in their eyes, we are just "negative and bitter X-ers that have an aXe to grind". While pondering all this, I couldn't help but think about
the complete disregard for the institution of marriage that is exhibited by the ntcc. The vows that a man and woman take are supposed to be for life; and God has much to say about the commitment of marriage.
It's plain to see that divorce and the breaking up of families is a huge problem in the ntcc. There are wives and husbands that are in the ntcc that have put away their spouses and are now on their 2nd, 3rd and 4th marriages in what obviously is commonplace in the ntcc.
This is nothing more than spouse swapping! The men and women of the ntcc might as well throw their car keys in a big bowl and have a drawing; whoever pulls out your keys is the one you drive home with!
In ntcc if you get tired of your spouse, not to worry; the ntcc leadership can (and will) match-make you with a recycled spouse; everything will be okay! I have to wonder if folks in the ntcc even read their bibles; or do they just refuse to believe in the scriptures that deal with divorce and adultery? Instead they listen to false doctrines of men that make them adulterers and adulteresses. They buy into the li(n)e that if Pastor says it's okay, it's okay. I wouldn't want to get marriage counsel from an adulterer.
A little over a year ago, I came to God just as I was. I didn't prepare my life or try to change what I was; but in the realization of my spiritual condition, I asked for forgiveness and experienced salvation. Prior to this, I had forsaken God and chose to live a life contrary to that which I knew to be true. God had mercy on me and not only forgave me but also gave me a wife.
I saw many in the ntcc treat their wives like a dog that peed on their carpet or like property or even worse, but few that really lived an example of love for one another. I love my wife. She is the most important person on this earth to me. I have no desire to control her or to manipulate her. I was serious about the vows that we took; and I plan on spending the rest of my life with her. By the grace of God our marriage will be a biblical one; and we will not disregard God's word and become dissatisfied with what God has put together.
In the ntcc men have found their vows to be meaningless and chosen to dump the wives that they were joined together with so that they could move on to a different situation.
I think the CULTure in the ntcc creates an environment that makes women slaves to preachers that have been taught to believe that they are a god to their wives. They are taught to treat their women with little or no respect.
When a woman is abused sexually, physically, mentally or spiritually and she tries to get help from the ntcc leadership, more often than not, she is not believed; and she is expected to continue allowing that man to abuse her.
When women try to seek help at a time when they have been betrayed by their husbands, the ntcc leadership will often blame them for being "too fat and undesirable" to please their husbands; which are, in many cases, also "fat and undesirable" themselves.
This type of behavior is not what you would find displayed in a Christian church! Why do ntcc'ers have such a hard time believing that they are in a cult? Why are we made out to be "the devil" and "haters of God", when all we do is point to the sad truth of what the ntcc is all about?
To those that are in the ntcc that read this blog, please think really hard before you allow someone to influence and destroy your relationship with your family! Love and cherish the wife or husband that God gave you and seek not another. Honor your vows. If the unbelieving wife (or husband) is pleased to dwell with you, don't put them away and marry another spouse. The unbeliever is sanctified by the believer.
Don't allow the ntcc to decide for you that your spouse is an unbeliever and needs to be put away! Just because someone wants to serve God in a church other than ntcc, that does not mean they have departed from the faith. There is no biblical grounds for the ntcc spouse to divorce them.
Beware of the Pharisees. Beware of the wedges that they try to drive in between families, recommending divorce simply because one person wants to serve God in a different church! As the bond of marriage is destroyed so also is the family destroyed. Once the family is destroyed there is very little that can be done to restore it, especially when a man DX's* his wife for a newer model; or the wife does the same.
*[DX is military jargon for Direct eXchange, substituting one like thing for another. That's fine for a jacket that doesn't fit but inappropriate treatment of a life partner as God intended your spouse to be.]
Before deciding to allow ntcc to destroy your family, do yourself a favor. Get to a movie theater and watch "Courageous". Those vows are meant to be sacred! If you can't afford to go to a theater, the DVD will be released soon. In the mean time check the local library or at least pick up a copy of "Fireproof" and watch it. Never leave your partner behind.
Courageous Movie Trailer: Video Link
Fireproof:
Salt and Pepper - Video Link
Please note:
A marriage as God intends does not include any form of abuse.
If two are one, how can one abuse oneself? Will you yell at yourself or punch yourself? That is not natural. If you are in an abusive relationship, please remove yourself to a safe environment and seek help, preferably OUTSIDE the ntcc. Too many people have sought help from the ntcc leaders and have been further abused by their poor counsel to "stay and obey" even when physical abuse was present. That is not God's plan for you, His Beloved.
What if you are guilty of adultery as defined by the gospels?
Matthew 5:32
Matthew 19:9
Mark 10:11-12
Luke 16:18
REPENT
NAME THAT SIN
ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU
MAKE AMENDS AS HE DIRECTS YOU
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Your families are counting on you. Choose life.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!
This is the time of year when people think about all of the things that they have to be thankful for. We would like to share some of the things that we are thankful for. We can all be thankful for this life we have been given for truly it is a gift from God and every breath we take is not owed to us but it's a gift. Looking at the necessities in life as a gift from God can put things into perspective a little bit because there are some people that do not know what bridge they are going to sleep under from night to night. We are thankful that we have a roof over our heads, food on the table every day, clothing, and for the many things that can easily be taken for granted, such as: electricity, transportation, furniture and appliances all in a house that we call home.
We also have been given a good job that pays well and provides benefits. We live close to work so that we don't have to waste a lot of time and money commuting. We have two vehicles so that if one breaks down we can still get around. My job is one of the better jobs in the industry in which I work. Most people in my profession are required to travel a lot and are away from home for weeks at a time and if they don't do that, they are not paid very well. I am thankful that I get to spend every night at home sleeping in a warm bed and I get weekends off. Every week, my wages are deposited into my bank account and we are able to pay for all the things we need and some of the things we want. We also are able to save money.
I am also very thankful for my wife. Some people live their entire lives without finding true love or without being with the one person they were meant to be with. My life would not be complete and right now I'd be lost and doing my own thing if it were not for her. Human compassion is a gift that many people overlook. We all have a need to be loved by others. God's love is great and nothing can match it, but we all need to be loved by others. My wife understands me, cares for me and builds me up in so many ways. Sometimes I don't love myself, but I can always depend on her love, every day. It gets me through the hard times. Of everything I have in this world, I am the most thankful for the love that we have for each other and the companionship we share.
We continue to blog because we have found that many of the gifts that God has given us, were withheld from us while we were in the ntcc. We think it is important to share with everyone that follows this blog that without freedom, everything is in vain. God does not want folks to be miserable and God has promised so many things to those that love him. We used to listen to the preacher tell us about all the promises in His word that were ours. We strove to obtain those promises but we were not allowed by the men and women we loved to obtain these promises. To put it bluntly, we were used by the ntcc, and when the ntcc was finished with us we were discarded. We jumped through all the hoops and kept our part of the bargain, but the promises were kept from us. We were not allowed to share in the spoils that were accumulated in battle. We stayed in Egypt the whole time we were a part of the ntcc. We never murmured or complained and when they kept taking away the straw we continued to make more bricks than ever. We built a financial empire for people that were using our willingness to work and build for their own interests.
In spite of all this, we have had no choice but to use it all as a learning experience. Much of what we went through is in the past now but we relive it in our minds and we have to continue on in life in spite of what we did. It seems like we have warned people until we are blue in the face but much of it is to no avail. That's the way it seems, but we still think it's worth it if one person finds freedom. Freedom always comes with a price. Salvation is free, the price has been paid for us. Unfortunately there are those that want to profit from this. There always will be. So what do we do? We choose to keep our eyes on the prize that is before us realizing that the author and finisher of our faith is not someone in Graham that is collecting all our tithe and living high on the hog off of everyone else's work while being praised and worshiped by men. God's promises are obtainable and when we put our faith in the one that really cares about our future, our freedoms can be enjoyed, and we can have the things in this life and in the life to come, according to God's promises. The ntcc leadership does not have a monopoly on monetary blessings. In reality they have obtained wealth through much deception and good people have given large portions of their livelihood under false pretenses to these false prophets. I'd rather earn my living then to get rich through deception.
Where were we? Oh yeah, Thanksgiving. I'm thankful, (and I really mean this with all my heart), not to be a part of this system. We have heard testimony after testimony of people that have left the ntcc and received the promises that were kept from them while in the ntcc. I'm sure that many folks think that we should just "get on with our lives" and "let God take care of them" but this is all part of the healing process for us. We want others to be able to "get on with their lives" also and as long as they are under the ntcc cloud of deception, they will never be able to get on with their lives. So please forgive us if we continue in our "futile" efforts to warn people to avoid the mistakes we made. There are times when I want to say, "We've done all that we can do", "They have made their choice", "They have heard our warnings and chosen to live a lie". Then there are times like right now when we reflect on all the things we have to be thankful for and we realize that there are people trapped in a cult that are so brainwashed that they won't listen to reason, and you think maybe we can help someone in a small way and when that person has been used up by the ntcc and discarded after giving all they have to give, maybe they won't blame God and they can find their way back to Him as I did.
Please take the time to watch the youtube video below this paragraph. It is very moving and while it might seem like a stretch, it reminds me of what I went through in the ntcc. I had the same kind of unconditional love toward those who I trusted with my eternal soul. It didn't matter if they blasted me from the pulpit, I loved them. As their love seemed to diminish I kept hoping that the love I had for them would be returned to me. Even though I didn't understand their actions I kept trusting them and believing in them. When they were done with me, not one of them loved me enough to try to help me. They quickly forgot about me and lied to themselves and everyone we loved, even though they had pictures and memories of all the good times. As I felt the gloom and hopelessness of their rejection, I could only blame myself. What did I ever do? Unfortunately for me, I thought that their love was God's love. But I was so wrong. Their love was conditional and God's was unconditional. I've heard them say, "leave him alone", never thinking it would be me. I watched as others reached the end of their usefulness and were thrown out with the garbage, thinking that it would never be me. All of the good is quickly forgotten. We are no longer part of the "family". We are now enemies.
You wanna know what I'm really thankful for? I'm very thankful that this is not God's attitude. I'm thankful that God doesn't forget about us, like people forget about their pets. Some people keep their dogs chained in the backyard to a doghouse and they tell people "this is my dog". If the dog is lucky it might get some scraps after dinner and enough water to survive another day. I'm thankful that I'm no longer chained to an ntcc church. I'm thankful that all my endeavors in life are not being used to pay for real estate acquisitions or amenities for the elite few in Graham Washington that bind heavy burdens on others but will not so much as lift one finger to help you. I'm thankful that I don't walk around looking down my nose at the poor and crippled as the dregs of society while feeling smug because I'm being praised by people that I have used and deceived. I am thankful that my wife and I have escaped from a destructive cult and have been allowed to reunite and be together as was our desire 21 years ago. I am thankful that God has seen fit to love us and care about us and extend His grace and mercy to us in spite of everything we have been through. We are also thankful that there are many others that have taken up this cause and done their part to help others find freedom. I have learned so much from the ntcc but unfortunately what I have learned from them is how NOT to treat others, how NOT to be fake, How NOT to follow a man instead of God. We are grateful and forever thankful that "Many waters can not quench love, neither can the floods drown it". Song of Solomon 8:7
Monday, November 21, 2011
Part 2: Defend Against Enemies Foreign And Domestic:
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| Some of Don's Medals |
A Former ntcc Minister said...
Ya, Anonymous, I remember my Pastor telling me to get out of cleaning duties and get out of having to go to the field, get out of taking a course, get out of going on a trip, etc. Anything that interrupted their precious soul-snatching time he wanted me to get out of. My NCO was not even requiring me to clean anything once, just do my duty as an NCO and watch two subordinates clean after hours in the barracks. It was my turn. I was so loyal to my pastor that I kept going back and forth telling him what the NCO told me then he finally told me to tell him something like "I'm trying to get out of this." I told him that and I think his words were "go, Corporal." So I left, and as I recall, he was mad at me for leaving. What a great "Christian" testimony to my fellow Marines- a slacker, a skater, trying to shirk my responsibilities.
July 05, 2011 6:51 PM
A Former ntcc Minister said...If a man asks you to go with him a mile, tell him "No, I am trying to get out of this so I can go soul-snatching for my incorporation."
This is of course not what Jesus said.
July 05, 2011 6:52 PM
Anonymous said..."Ya, Anonymous, I remember my Pastor telling me to get out of cleaning duties and get out of having to go to the field, get out of taking a course, get out of going on a trip, etc."
The pastors in NTCC basically would try to get you to be negligent of your duties that you promised to uphold when you swore into the military. You were told to get out of going to the field, being on barracks duty, mess hall duties, and any other unit functions. Then you would stay up with him and others within the servicemen's home and be late for PT or formations. You would skip getting ready for an inspection or ironing your BDUs in order to stay out there. Your PFT takes a hit, your reputation among NCOs and Staff NCOs takes a hit, and you should have had been written up under an Article 15 or some UCMJ reprimand.
July 06, 2011 9:54 AM
Jeff said...Yeah, the NTCC sucks. You'll be a whole lot better off sticking with the military and forsaking the NTCC. I'm not taking about forsaking God, just the NTCC because the NTCC is hardly a Godly organization. Military vs NTCC:
1. An organization that pays a retirement: Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
2. People who care about you and aren't interested in your money:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
3. An organization that provides health care:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
4. An organization that provides Dental:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
5. An organization that provides paid leave:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
6. An organization that provides great college opportunities:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
7. An organization that provides substantial tuition assistance:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
8. An organization that cares about your family with true family oriented programs:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
9. An organization with potential promotions for more than 5 people who aren't your family members:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
10. An organization that considers women of value for activities and positions other than cleaning, cooking, and having sex:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC. If you are a woman in the military you are considered to be someone with a brain who has the mental capacity to do things like vote and discuss elections. Try doing that with RWD ladies? I rest my case.
11. An organization where you can advance for reasons other than who you know:
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
12. An organization where you can advance for reasons other than you being a brainless suck up.
Definitely the Military and certainly not the NTCC.
Does the NTCC offer anything? I used to think spiritual guidance but now I know that is not the case. I guess the NTCC doesn't offer anything.
Jeff
July 06, 2011 10:24 AM
Comments from: Here
It is important to note these comments were made by former ministers and members of ntcc who served in the U.S. Armed forces.
Ange says,
I personally remember ntcc's boy Friday, keith a. gandy, telling my late husband, Eric J. Barden, and me about something that happened to kag. When he was in the military kag had a duty as a mail clerk. This military obligation was cutting into the seven-days-a-week ntcc schedule. So gandy went to his 'pastor' for advice. According to gandy, 'pastor' [davis] told kag to "drop the ball" -- purposely mess up his military responsibility so his superiors would no longer rely on gandy to perform his mission. gandy complied and deliberately failed in his military obligation. According to gandy, it 'worked'; he was no longer required to do this military function.
This is a second testimony of ntcc ministers telling people to fail their military obligations in order to benefit the cult.
There are also countless testimonies of the rigorous mandatory ntcc scheduled requirements of servicemen that have caused them to go for prolonged times without adequate sleep. Some have testified of actually getting into car accidents due to falling asleep at the wheel because their ntcc 'pastor' kept them awake despite military duties.
For more on the topic of how ntcc abuses military members, see Don's Story.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The Ballards: True Friends
Throughout the course of this blog we have pointed out a lot of bad things that we went through while part of the ntcc. We have been truthful about many of the people we have been around and also about ourselves. In doing this there has been good that we've overlooked and that seems to get swallowed up in the negative aspects of what we all went through. The purpose of this blog has been to educate and awaken people to the true nature of our experiences in the ntcc and to use this as a tool to help people wake up and see what is really going on. As in any media outlet the negative aspects draw more attention than the positive. Were there any positive things to report about the ntcc? There actually were some very positive experiences and there were good people and memories that I will cherish all my life. For myself and many others the good that we experienced was overtaken by the unquestionable wrong actions of a few that have corrupted the whole lot. In this post I want to focus on some of the good times and two good people that allowed me to be a special part of their lives.
Rodney and Lisa Ballard took over the Servicemen's Home and church in Augusta Georgia toward the end of my tenure with the ntcc. I quickly became friends with them and we went through some of the wildest and greatest adventures that I ever would experience in the ntcc. I'm not going to rehash the past or get into specifics about the good or the bad; but I want to say this:
While they did not fit into the mold of an ntcc pastor and wife in a perfect way according to the ntcc leadership, they did more to help me at a time in my life when I really needed help, then they will ever know.
Much was said about over-familiarity; and members were very seldom allowed to become a friend or an equal with the Pastor of a church. Much of this stemmed from a separation that was said to be necessary between a pastor of a church and the members of that church but the real purpose of this separation was so that the preacher would be revered and would be able to have much influence over a person's life. This separation was necessary and conducive to manipulating a congregation into financial and spiritual submission according to ntcc standard operations. You supposedly can not correct a person if you are friends with them.
I can say that the Ballards broke this rule and allowed me to be a part of their world; and we became good friends and had more fun and touched many lives in a good way. We were living under a very strict set of guidelines that made life difficult and presented many financial challenges. An ntcc preacher is placed at a great disadvantage in that so many of the rules that exist keep them from being human and doing things that normal people do and one of those things is sharing emotion and establishing friendships. For the first time in my life in the ntcc we put a lot of the rules and policies aside and were real.
The Gospel was preached through love and the Ballards never exalted themselves to a lofty place of reverence and unobtainable perfection that many others presented. They were far from perfect; and we all did things that were not honorable in the eyes of the Borg; but we survived the best we could under a system that makes many people slaves and limits them to life of under-achievement.
After becoming great friends with the Ballards I came down on orders for Ft. Eustis Va. This would be my last assignment in the Army and my last stint with the ntcc. My next pastor was a company man and I don't mean this in a negative way because he too, was under the same system of structure and routine that zapped me of all my desire to be a part of the ntcc any more. All of the ntcc pastors I've had, deal with this pressure in different ways. I had seen every side of the ntcc that you could see; and my mind, my heart and my desire to have normal relationships made me realize that I had to escape ntcc. I stayed in contact with the Ballards which was another sin which you are not supposed to commit in the ntcc.
They confided in me and only me, to my knowledge, that they were going to leave the ntcc. At first I was horrified at the thought; but the more I thought about it, the more
We did things in those days that I'm not proud of and things that nobody would ever understand; but through it all, the kindness and friendship of a former ntcc preacher and his wife has stood the test of time; and because of this I am forever grateful!
 |
| Hephzibah ntcc church in Augusta, Georgia |
Rodney and Lisa Ballard took over the Servicemen's Home and church in Augusta Georgia toward the end of my tenure with the ntcc. I quickly became friends with them and we went through some of the wildest and greatest adventures that I ever would experience in the ntcc. I'm not going to rehash the past or get into specifics about the good or the bad; but I want to say this:
Rodney and Lisa Ballard would do anything to help a person out; and they would never do anything to harm a soul.
While they did not fit into the mold of an ntcc pastor and wife in a perfect way according to the ntcc leadership, they did more to help me at a time in my life when I really needed help, then they will ever know.
They broke one of the cardinal rules of the ntcc and that was that they became a friend to me.
Much was said about over-familiarity; and members were very seldom allowed to become a friend or an equal with the Pastor of a church. Much of this stemmed from a separation that was said to be necessary between a pastor of a church and the members of that church but the real purpose of this separation was so that the preacher would be revered and would be able to have much influence over a person's life. This separation was necessary and conducive to manipulating a congregation into financial and spiritual submission according to ntcc standard operations. You supposedly can not correct a person if you are friends with them.
Jesus called His disciples friends.
I can say that the Ballards broke this rule and allowed me to be a part of their world; and we became good friends and had more fun and touched many lives in a good way. We were living under a very strict set of guidelines that made life difficult and presented many financial challenges. An ntcc preacher is placed at a great disadvantage in that so many of the rules that exist keep them from being human and doing things that normal people do and one of those things is sharing emotion and establishing friendships. For the first time in my life in the ntcc we put a lot of the rules and policies aside and were real.
The Gospel was preached through love and the Ballards never exalted themselves to a lofty place of reverence and unobtainable perfection that many others presented. They were far from perfect; and we all did things that were not honorable in the eyes of the Borg; but we survived the best we could under a system that makes many people slaves and limits them to life of under-achievement.
After becoming great friends with the Ballards I came down on orders for Ft. Eustis Va. This would be my last assignment in the Army and my last stint with the ntcc. My next pastor was a company man and I don't mean this in a negative way because he too, was under the same system of structure and routine that zapped me of all my desire to be a part of the ntcc any more. All of the ntcc pastors I've had, deal with this pressure in different ways. I had seen every side of the ntcc that you could see; and my mind, my heart and my desire to have normal relationships made me realize that I had to escape ntcc. I stayed in contact with the Ballards which was another sin which you are not supposed to commit in the ntcc.
They confided in me and only me, to my knowledge, that they were going to leave the ntcc. At first I was horrified at the thought; but the more I thought about it, the more
my inner most being desired freedom:
- mental freedom
- physical freedom
- normalcy
- and a chance to think for myself!
I have to thank the Ballards for this; because they helped me escape from something that controlled me beyond the limits that Jesus would ever impose upon someone.
- It took years for my mind to heal; and now I have experienced salvation through grace and mercy that has brought unspeakable happiness and joy to my life!
- I have a wife who I love and want to spend all the days of my life with.
- I have a great job and have peace in my heart.
- I wake up and pray to the God I love and enjoy reading His word.
- My situation is better than it ever has been and my relationship with God is at its best when I'm able to fulfill my service to Him out of the freedom of my own heart and desire as opposed to the robotic motions that were dictated to us by those who had no interest in our spiritual well being.
We did things in those days that I'm not proud of and things that nobody would ever understand; but through it all, the kindness and friendship of a former ntcc preacher and his wife has stood the test of time; and because of this I am forever grateful!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Michael Fontenot - Child Rapist and Former NTCS Faculty Member Exposed by Bruce Smith on The Mountain News - WA
Bruce Smith, the reporter who did a five part series on the ntcc for The Dispatch, now has his own online News Site, called The Mountain News, WA. We have included it in our "What's New On the Blogs" sidebar feature that shows new posts as they appear. Bruce Smith's detailed work can be found at:
Michael Fontenot, Former NTCC Minister, Staff Member and Convicted Child Rapist Read More>>
Michael Fontenot, Former NTCC Minister, Staff Member and Convicted Child Rapist Read More>>
Friday, October 7, 2011
Kill the Whistle-blower, Promote the Adulterer: Sin the ntcc Way aka The Gossip Column
When Roland Moreno reported Phil Kinson's adultery with a whore, the ntcc began a calculated program to run the Morenos off, to cut them off and destroy their credibility within the ntcc.
ntcc does not want truth-tellers who blow the whistle on sin.
But ntcc does want adulterers like Phil Kinson and Rodger Davis.
So ntcc calls truth tellers "gossipers". But then davis and kekel get up and "hide behind the pulpit" while spreading some of the biggest lies you will ever hear and hide online behind names like "The Whirlwind" to spread libel (written lies) about people.
Here's some of a comment we made in response to Nicole B.'s comment on a previous post. It addresses the difference between gossip and truth telling by calling sin a sin:
You're so right, Nicole. First of all, the ntcc leaders really do gossip all the time. Just ask anyone who has spent time around the board members and their wives and you will know what gossip is.
Secondly, there is a time to air the dirty laundry; and it is not the sin of gossip. The apostle Paul plainly wrote openly about the man who had sex with his father's wife. Paul told the Corinthians to put the man aside so the man would repent. Once he did repent, Paul instructed the Corinthians to receive the man again into the fold.
In ntcc, it does not work that way. They ran off Moreno because he exposed Phil Kinson's adultery with a whore.
But they promoted the impenitent adulterer Phil Kinson.
ntcc is run by an impenitent adulterer, rodger davis. Who will run you off if you don't kiss his butt.
That's the bottom line, folks. Pun intended.
But it's not how God operates. God wants people to confess their sins, not make excuses like "it's not adultery if you wear a condom".
God wants to forgive, not treat people so bad they murder their families and kill themselves.
ntcc hides the sin of their family members, while attacking real Christians even to death.
God sees this. Will you? Will you admit that it is not gossip to expose sin and support the person who has the Godly integrity to call adultery a sin? Or will you continue in the ntcc excuse cycle, 'Pastor says...'
We fear for those of you who continue in the sins of these ungodly hypocrites. Evil communications corrupt good manners. Don't you think you should stand for Jesus MORE than you bow to davis and kekel????
Telling the truth to get people to repent used to be called preaching. ntcc wants you to live in fear to their cult phrase 'gossip' while they go around and actually gossip spreading slanderous lies and libel.
People, God does not want you to be blown about by all the false doctrine put out by groups like the ntcc. Grow up in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Get in your bibles and apply what you see. Stop looking to davis and kekel to wipe your nose and tell you what to do.
Let the Spirit lead you. Isn't that what the Bible says of the children of God? They are to be Spirit led, not spoon fed by hypocrites like Phil Kinson who can't keep his 'johnson' behind his zipper, that 3rd brownie out of his mouth, his hands off a 13 year old girl's butt, or even keep his marriage vows. Come on people. You don't need to follow a "leader" that can not control his own fleshly appetites. Get real. Look to GOD for your direction. He will start by bringing you out of the controlling ntcc cult.
Be sure to click into the title of this post or the comments link below to see the comments that go with this post. There is much meat to digest.
To Return To The Full Series About The
Loss Of The Moreno Family Click Here
ntcc does not want truth-tellers who blow the whistle on sin.
But ntcc does want adulterers like Phil Kinson and Rodger Davis.
So ntcc calls truth tellers "gossipers". But then davis and kekel get up and "hide behind the pulpit" while spreading some of the biggest lies you will ever hear and hide online behind names like "The Whirlwind" to spread libel (written lies) about people.
Here's some of a comment we made in response to Nicole B.'s comment on a previous post. It addresses the difference between gossip and truth telling by calling sin a sin:
You're so right, Nicole. First of all, the ntcc leaders really do gossip all the time. Just ask anyone who has spent time around the board members and their wives and you will know what gossip is.
Secondly, there is a time to air the dirty laundry; and it is not the sin of gossip. The apostle Paul plainly wrote openly about the man who had sex with his father's wife. Paul told the Corinthians to put the man aside so the man would repent. Once he did repent, Paul instructed the Corinthians to receive the man again into the fold.
In ntcc, it does not work that way. They ran off Moreno because he exposed Phil Kinson's adultery with a whore.
But they promoted the impenitent adulterer Phil Kinson.
ntcc is run by an impenitent adulterer, rodger davis. Who will run you off if you don't kiss his butt.
That's the bottom line, folks. Pun intended.
But it's not how God operates. God wants people to confess their sins, not make excuses like "it's not adultery if you wear a condom".
God wants to forgive, not treat people so bad they murder their families and kill themselves.
ntcc hides the sin of their family members, while attacking real Christians even to death.
God sees this. Will you? Will you admit that it is not gossip to expose sin and support the person who has the Godly integrity to call adultery a sin? Or will you continue in the ntcc excuse cycle, 'Pastor says...'
We fear for those of you who continue in the sins of these ungodly hypocrites. Evil communications corrupt good manners. Don't you think you should stand for Jesus MORE than you bow to davis and kekel????
Telling the truth to get people to repent used to be called preaching. ntcc wants you to live in fear to their cult phrase 'gossip' while they go around and actually gossip spreading slanderous lies and libel.
People, God does not want you to be blown about by all the false doctrine put out by groups like the ntcc. Grow up in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Get in your bibles and apply what you see. Stop looking to davis and kekel to wipe your nose and tell you what to do.
Let the Spirit lead you. Isn't that what the Bible says of the children of God? They are to be Spirit led, not spoon fed by hypocrites like Phil Kinson who can't keep his 'johnson' behind his zipper, that 3rd brownie out of his mouth, his hands off a 13 year old girl's butt, or even keep his marriage vows. Come on people. You don't need to follow a "leader" that can not control his own fleshly appetites. Get real. Look to GOD for your direction. He will start by bringing you out of the controlling ntcc cult.
Be sure to click into the title of this post or the comments link below to see the comments that go with this post. There is much meat to digest.
To Return To The Full Series About The
Loss Of The Moreno Family Click Here
Friday, September 30, 2011
Phil Kinson's Adultery Impacts Moreno Murders: Roland Moreno Tragedy Begins to Unfold 8 Years After The Former New Testament Christian Church Member Allegedly Murders His Pregnant Wife, Young Child, Confesses to NTCC Pastor Jake Espinoza and Then Takes His Own Life.
This is a very tragic story and we take no pleasure in stories like this. It's very sad that this tragedy ever happened and there are no words to describe how something this horrible could have happened as the result of a person being involved with what many consider to be a Christian Church. The New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. masquerades as a "non-profit" Christian church but they are a very deceptive cult that has a long history of behavior and actions that are not Christ-like.
We have been following some comments on Chief's Blog by an anonymous commentator that states that Roland Moreno was a member of the New Testament Christian Church in Okinawa, Japan. The details shared anonymously by this person were that Roland was asked by his ntcc 'pastor', Phil Kinson, to give him a ride to "retrieve his wallet" and the place where Roland drove Phil Kinson to retrieve his wallet was a whore house. It was shared that after Roland reported Phil Kinson for being at a whore house, it was "the beginning of the end" for the Moreno family but not for the Adulterer [Phil Kinson]. While Phil Kinson was moved from Okinawa, Japan, he was quickly promoted to overseer status.
Moreno was ostracized, black-listed and the whole mess was brushed under the carpet. After carrying this burden around and being treated worse than the perpetrator of the adultery and sharing details of this with others, Roland Moreno reportedly shot and killed his pregnant wife and young child. He then called his ntcc pastor, Jake Espinoza, and confessed to killing his family. While it has been reported that Roland was seeking forgiveness, we don't know all the details of this phone conversation. Roland Moreno reportedly then turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger, allegedly ending his own life.
Also on Chief's Blog, Rev. Mathew Reed, who was also a former ntcc pastor of Roland Moreno, verified that most of the same details given by the anonymous person on Chief's Blog were also shared by Moreno with him. Pastor Reed added that Moreno told him the details of Phil Kinson's adultery and the aftermath that took place in his own life.
Roland Moreno told Rev. Matt Reed that
Phil Kinson said:
"It's not adultery if you use a condom!" -- Phil Kinson
Phil Kinson went on to bigger and better things in ntcc, pastoring their seminary's mega-chapel in Graham, Wa. while J.R. Ashmore took over the church in Okinawa. Moreno's life was made miserable by Ashmore; who treated Moreno worse than Kinson; who was promoted. Later, Former ntcc Pastor Mathew Reed confronted R.W. Davis the founder of New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. about Phil Kinson's admitted adultery.
Here is a comment that Pastor Reed left on Chief's blog:
MDR here. After reading the latest posts, I decided it was time to chime in. First let me say that I never wanted to go public with this, but evidently it's already out there and I didn't realize how many others know about it too.
After I became Roland's pastor, he told me he needed to talk to me because something was heavy on his heart. Let me just say that what you've read here is almost exactly what he shared with me.
I carried this for years and finally took it to RWD [R. W. Davis] in 2005, and told him I had a problem with his leadership. I pointed to the adulterer [Philip Arthur Kinson] and told RWD I couldn't understand how that he exalted that man to an overseer position.
[Rodger Wilson Davis] RWD had previously gotten up in conferences and made it abundantly clear if you committed adultery as a minister in his organization, that you would have your license taken from you, he would expose your sin to your wife, and you would never be a leader in his organization.
It bothered me because it was clear to me at that point that RWD would change the rules to fit his own agenda. After I approached RWD about this, his treatment toward me definitely changed.
NTCC resembles the church of Laodicea in every respect. It is filled with adulterers, adulteresses, and money-hungry thieves.
I can say this one thing: Thank God we are free and we rejoice in this fact every day, that we can serve God under His wonderful grace and not under the bondage of their manmade laws.
mdr
After speaking with Pastor Reed on the phone, Chief posted his thread entitled: "Oh the Hypocrisy that Drove a Man to Murder and Suicide". This thread gives an account of details that Pastor Reed shared with Chief via phone conversation and includes a link to a news report of the tragedy.
From Chief's blog [text in brackets added for clarity]:
This is a tough one. Not quite as easy as I [Chief] expected but nevertheless, here we go. There was a man in the NTCC by the name of Roland Moreno. Roland personally observed his NTCC pastor leaving a whore house in Japan. Roland confronted the pastor and a heated confrontation erupted between Roland and his pastor concerning the obvious impropriety and truly unchristian-like conduct committed by the supposed "man of God" [Philip Kinson]. According to the account which I was personally told, the pastor [Phil Kinson] said that his conduct didn't classify as adultery because he wore a condom during his sexual act with the whore. This pastors name was Phil Kinson!
Roland was somehow able to provide notification to the NTCC leadership concerning Kinson's misconduct and Mr. Kinson was later removed from Okinawa Japan and replaced by another minister. This is when Roland's big troubles began. The minister that replaced Mr. Kinson was Mr. [James Ross] Ashmore, and Mr. [James Ross] Ashmore promptly proceeded to blacklist and ostracize Roland Moreno. Never again was Roland Moreno treated justly by the NTCC leadership. The NTCC leadership to include R.W. Davis systematically targeted Roland Moreno and his wife from that point forward. Word to the wise; (At which point in time you elect to challenge the authority, credibility or morality of an NTCC pastor, you better be prepared to promptly leave the New Testament Christian Church for good). You'll never win that battle and Roland had to find that out the hard way.
At a later date, M.D. Reed had the fortitude and courage to confront R.W. Davis directly concerning this scandal. Pastor Reed wanted to know why RWD would promote Mr. [Phil] Kinson (who was known to have committed adultery) to the position of overseer within the New Testament Christian Church. R.W. Davis pointed his finger in Pastor Reed's face and essentially scolded Pastor Reed for involving himself in another man's adulterous affairs. M.D. Reed posted a statement on this blog, where you can read it on the previous thread.
Ultimately Roland Moreno was blacklisted by the NTCC leadership because he uncovered Mr. Kinson's sin. The blacklisting obviously occurred because Kinson is the son-in-law of an NTCC overseer [Jim L. Johnson] and in case you haven't figured it out yet, the NTCC is a family business. This resulted in Roland succumbing to extreme depression which caused him to [allegedly] take the life of himself and his family. Plainly put, "The NTCC leadership drove Moreno mad".
Attached below is a news article which addresses Mr. Moreno's death.
http://www.texnews.com/1998/2003/texas/texas_Police_se925.html
This is a true story which has been verified by the credible and reliable. I was told this first hand and to the best of my knowledge I'm reporting factual information. Make no mistake; double standard hypocrites who preach fire and brimstone will eventually be found out. This is tragic and truly sad for all parties involved. These crooked preachers need to do the honorable thing and leave the pulpit and stop judging everyone but themselves.
I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints (Mr. Moreno's blood and the blood of his family is on the hands of the NTCC leadership)
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
In a comment left by Pastor Reed on Chief's thread, MDR also answered an anonymous comment that stated:
Anon said "I suggest to you that if Kinson committed this act, its possible that Gods grace just might be sufficient to forgive him of that heinous sin."
MDR said...
Once again, you try to deflect the topic from the real issue. Davis exalted this piece of work to a leadership position after HE SAID that would never happen in HIS organization.
If a man repents, that's between him and God, and I definitely don't have a problem with that. I told Davis that when I came to him about this situation. God's grace IS sufficient.
But I saw how Roland's wife, Maria, was treated in that conference, when Davis got up and unmercifully plowed her in the ground just because she wanted to stop and look at some of God's beautiful creation. He said that she should care for souls as much as she likes those horses. (I wonder if Davis, the Kekels or you ever had those thoughts when you're in the diamond stores or furniture marts. Hmmmm! Hypocrite!) [Yellow highlights added by Don and Ange for emphasis.]
After that service my wife and I were at the Moreno's van consoling Maria, who was crying uncontrollably because of what Davis said to her in that service. She asked me, "Pastor Reed, why did he say that to me? I've done nothing wrong."
And let me just say for the record, both Roland and Maria cared passionately for souls and brought many people to church. I would say they cared about souls far more than any of you hypocrites who deserve to be thrown on a dung hill.
You can try to brand Moreno as a nut, but you're the real nut job, and you're in a basket full of nuts. You'll never convince me that the unfaithful pastor/husband's [Phil Kinson's] actions and the subsequent treatment by other leaders [James Ross Ashmore and Rodger Wilson Davis] in the NTCC didn't have a part in Rolands mental demise.
The Morenos were among the most wonderful people that my wife and I have ever known, and anyone who knew them knows what I'm saying is true.
mdr
Ironically, in yet another tragic story, Pastor Jake Espinoza, who reportedly spake with Moreno on the phone just before he pulled the trigger which ended his own life, had a similar tragedy in his own family according to this unverified story submitted as a comment on Chiefs blog:
I heard the same story from somebody close to the espinosas.
Apparently their younger brother suffered from some type of mental illness and had a shoot out with the washington police.
He tried to kill his girlfriend and baby, but she was able to get away and call the police. I'm not sure if he killed himself or the police killed him.
Maybe you can find more factual info in the archives of the news there in puyallup because I wasn't around when that happened. I think the year was 07 or 08.
We have followed this story and decided to summarize what was shared in this thread so that people that search this story can find public details as reported by those close to this tragedy. We hope that people in the ntcc or those that consider attending the ntcc do a thorough examination into the affairs of the ntcc before deciding to attend.
Related Threads:
We have been following some comments on Chief's Blog by an anonymous commentator that states that Roland Moreno was a member of the New Testament Christian Church in Okinawa, Japan. The details shared anonymously by this person were that Roland was asked by his ntcc 'pastor', Phil Kinson, to give him a ride to "retrieve his wallet" and the place where Roland drove Phil Kinson to retrieve his wallet was a whore house. It was shared that after Roland reported Phil Kinson for being at a whore house, it was "the beginning of the end" for the Moreno family but not for the Adulterer [Phil Kinson]. While Phil Kinson was moved from Okinawa, Japan, he was quickly promoted to overseer status.
Moreno was ostracized, black-listed and the whole mess was brushed under the carpet. After carrying this burden around and being treated worse than the perpetrator of the adultery and sharing details of this with others, Roland Moreno reportedly shot and killed his pregnant wife and young child. He then called his ntcc pastor, Jake Espinoza, and confessed to killing his family. While it has been reported that Roland was seeking forgiveness, we don't know all the details of this phone conversation. Roland Moreno reportedly then turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger, allegedly ending his own life.
Also on Chief's Blog, Rev. Mathew Reed, who was also a former ntcc pastor of Roland Moreno, verified that most of the same details given by the anonymous person on Chief's Blog were also shared by Moreno with him. Pastor Reed added that Moreno told him the details of Phil Kinson's adultery and the aftermath that took place in his own life.
 |
| Phil Kinson said about his sex with a whore: "It isn't adultery if you wear a condom!" So rest easy, Debbie Johnson, Feel-Good-Phil wasn't really cheating on you; just ask him; and he will tell you! *wink* NOT! |
Phil Kinson said:
"It's not adultery if you use a condom!" -- Phil Kinson
Phil Kinson went on to bigger and better things in ntcc, pastoring their seminary's mega-chapel in Graham, Wa. while J.R. Ashmore took over the church in Okinawa. Moreno's life was made miserable by Ashmore; who treated Moreno worse than Kinson; who was promoted. Later, Former ntcc Pastor Mathew Reed confronted R.W. Davis the founder of New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. about Phil Kinson's admitted adultery.
Here is a comment that Pastor Reed left on Chief's blog:
MDR here. After reading the latest posts, I decided it was time to chime in. First let me say that I never wanted to go public with this, but evidently it's already out there and I didn't realize how many others know about it too.
After I became Roland's pastor, he told me he needed to talk to me because something was heavy on his heart. Let me just say that what you've read here is almost exactly what he shared with me.
I carried this for years and finally took it to RWD [R. W. Davis] in 2005, and told him I had a problem with his leadership. I pointed to the adulterer [Philip Arthur Kinson] and told RWD I couldn't understand how that he exalted that man to an overseer position.
[Rodger Wilson Davis] RWD had previously gotten up in conferences and made it abundantly clear if you committed adultery as a minister in his organization, that you would have your license taken from you, he would expose your sin to your wife, and you would never be a leader in his organization.
It bothered me because it was clear to me at that point that RWD would change the rules to fit his own agenda. After I approached RWD about this, his treatment toward me definitely changed.
NTCC resembles the church of Laodicea in every respect. It is filled with adulterers, adulteresses, and money-hungry thieves.
I can say this one thing: Thank God we are free and we rejoice in this fact every day, that we can serve God under His wonderful grace and not under the bondage of their manmade laws.
mdr
After speaking with Pastor Reed on the phone, Chief posted his thread entitled: "Oh the Hypocrisy that Drove a Man to Murder and Suicide". This thread gives an account of details that Pastor Reed shared with Chief via phone conversation and includes a link to a news report of the tragedy.
From Chief's blog [text in brackets added for clarity]:
This is a tough one. Not quite as easy as I [Chief] expected but nevertheless, here we go. There was a man in the NTCC by the name of Roland Moreno. Roland personally observed his NTCC pastor leaving a whore house in Japan. Roland confronted the pastor and a heated confrontation erupted between Roland and his pastor concerning the obvious impropriety and truly unchristian-like conduct committed by the supposed "man of God" [Philip Kinson]. According to the account which I was personally told, the pastor [Phil Kinson] said that his conduct didn't classify as adultery because he wore a condom during his sexual act with the whore. This pastors name was Phil Kinson!
Roland was somehow able to provide notification to the NTCC leadership concerning Kinson's misconduct and Mr. Kinson was later removed from Okinawa Japan and replaced by another minister. This is when Roland's big troubles began. The minister that replaced Mr. Kinson was Mr. [James Ross] Ashmore, and Mr. [James Ross] Ashmore promptly proceeded to blacklist and ostracize Roland Moreno. Never again was Roland Moreno treated justly by the NTCC leadership. The NTCC leadership to include R.W. Davis systematically targeted Roland Moreno and his wife from that point forward. Word to the wise; (At which point in time you elect to challenge the authority, credibility or morality of an NTCC pastor, you better be prepared to promptly leave the New Testament Christian Church for good). You'll never win that battle and Roland had to find that out the hard way.
At a later date, M.D. Reed had the fortitude and courage to confront R.W. Davis directly concerning this scandal. Pastor Reed wanted to know why RWD would promote Mr. [Phil] Kinson (who was known to have committed adultery) to the position of overseer within the New Testament Christian Church. R.W. Davis pointed his finger in Pastor Reed's face and essentially scolded Pastor Reed for involving himself in another man's adulterous affairs. M.D. Reed posted a statement on this blog, where you can read it on the previous thread.
Ultimately Roland Moreno was blacklisted by the NTCC leadership because he uncovered Mr. Kinson's sin. The blacklisting obviously occurred because Kinson is the son-in-law of an NTCC overseer [Jim L. Johnson] and in case you haven't figured it out yet, the NTCC is a family business. This resulted in Roland succumbing to extreme depression which caused him to [allegedly] take the life of himself and his family. Plainly put, "The NTCC leadership drove Moreno mad".
Attached below is a news article which addresses Mr. Moreno's death.
http://www.texnews.com/1998/2003/texas/texas_Police_se925.html
This is a true story which has been verified by the credible and reliable. I was told this first hand and to the best of my knowledge I'm reporting factual information. Make no mistake; double standard hypocrites who preach fire and brimstone will eventually be found out. This is tragic and truly sad for all parties involved. These crooked preachers need to do the honorable thing and leave the pulpit and stop judging everyone but themselves.
I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints (Mr. Moreno's blood and the blood of his family is on the hands of the NTCC leadership)
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
In a comment left by Pastor Reed on Chief's thread, MDR also answered an anonymous comment that stated:
Anon said "I suggest to you that if Kinson committed this act, its possible that Gods grace just might be sufficient to forgive him of that heinous sin."
MDR said...
Once again, you try to deflect the topic from the real issue. Davis exalted this piece of work to a leadership position after HE SAID that would never happen in HIS organization.
If a man repents, that's between him and God, and I definitely don't have a problem with that. I told Davis that when I came to him about this situation. God's grace IS sufficient.
But I saw how Roland's wife, Maria, was treated in that conference, when Davis got up and unmercifully plowed her in the ground just because she wanted to stop and look at some of God's beautiful creation. He said that she should care for souls as much as she likes those horses. (I wonder if Davis, the Kekels or you ever had those thoughts when you're in the diamond stores or furniture marts. Hmmmm! Hypocrite!) [Yellow highlights added by Don and Ange for emphasis.]
After that service my wife and I were at the Moreno's van consoling Maria, who was crying uncontrollably because of what Davis said to her in that service. She asked me, "Pastor Reed, why did he say that to me? I've done nothing wrong."
And let me just say for the record, both Roland and Maria cared passionately for souls and brought many people to church. I would say they cared about souls far more than any of you hypocrites who deserve to be thrown on a dung hill.
You can try to brand Moreno as a nut, but you're the real nut job, and you're in a basket full of nuts. You'll never convince me that the unfaithful pastor/husband's [Phil Kinson's] actions and the subsequent treatment by other leaders [James Ross Ashmore and Rodger Wilson Davis] in the NTCC didn't have a part in Rolands mental demise.
The Morenos were among the most wonderful people that my wife and I have ever known, and anyone who knew them knows what I'm saying is true.
mdr
Ironically, in yet another tragic story, Pastor Jake Espinoza, who reportedly spake with Moreno on the phone just before he pulled the trigger which ended his own life, had a similar tragedy in his own family according to this unverified story submitted as a comment on Chiefs blog:
I heard the same story from somebody close to the espinosas.
Apparently their younger brother suffered from some type of mental illness and had a shoot out with the washington police.
He tried to kill his girlfriend and baby, but she was able to get away and call the police. I'm not sure if he killed himself or the police killed him.
Maybe you can find more factual info in the archives of the news there in puyallup because I wasn't around when that happened. I think the year was 07 or 08.
We have followed this story and decided to summarize what was shared in this thread so that people that search this story can find public details as reported by those close to this tragedy. We hope that people in the ntcc or those that consider attending the ntcc do a thorough examination into the affairs of the ntcc before deciding to attend.
Related Threads:
1) Moreno Tragedy: Click Here
2) Updated: Kinson, Kinson, You Too Have Sinned: Click Here
3) Full Series About The Loss of
The Moreno Family Click Here
2) Updated: Kinson, Kinson, You Too Have Sinned: Click Here
3) Full Series About The Loss of
The Moreno Family Click Here
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Another NTCC Victim: Cori Lewis Murdered by Kelly E. Merz; Former NTCC Lay Pastor of New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. Cult Confesses to Murder, Leads Authorities To The Body Of Cori Lewis, Whom He Buried In A Shallow Grave In Graham, Washington Not Far From The NTCCA Bible School aka NTCS Seminary Compound
On the 13th of September, 2011 former Graham lay pastor Kelly Merz of the New Testament Christian Churches of America (NTCCA), Inc Seminary (NTCS) was arrested and charged with first degree murder in Graham, Washington where the body of his 33 year old female roommate was found in a shallow grave. Merz confessed to his former wife, Cherlyn, and later to police that he had shot Cori Lewis in the head and buried her under a few inches of soil and debris in Graham, Washington. This tragedy has been covered extensively by Bruce Smith of The Mountain News -- WA:
"A": Story by Bruce Smith and Photo of Grave Site: Click Here
Google Satellite Image Showing Location Of Grave Site Near
The New Testament Christian Churches of America Seminary
Located in Graham, Washington State:
View Map on Google
["A"] New Testament Christian Churches Of America Seminary
["B"] Grave Site Where The Body Of Cori Lewis was recovered
Blue Line shows the 3.2 mi route between the NTCCA - NTCS and the grave site
Merz is a former lay pastor of the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. and had relocated to the Graham, Washington area to attend the NTCCA's seminary or bible school, the "church behind the fence" situated on the Orting-Kapowsin Highway between 210 St. East and 224 th in Graham, Wa.
Original Dispatch News Series on NTCC by Bruce Smith. Update 2-28-14
Originally these links above brought one to the Five Part Series on NTCC. Written by Bruce Smith and published by The Dispatch, each article had multiple pages of reader comments offering a comprehensive look into the "church behind the fence" the NTCC. The series and reader comments have subsequently been removed by The Dispatch original site; but for a time they are available by clicking on the numbered articles below. You may want to check out the few archived pages of reader comments published below each story. And you may also want to grab a cup of coffee or Pepsi before you begin reading . ;-)
This overview is an updated version of the original Five Part Series done by Bruce Smith for his own online news service:
The Mountain News -- WA.
Several new photos are in the article and some previously undisclosed information appears as well a hint of more stories to come.
Ange says,
When I met and knew Kelly Merz and his then-time wife Cherlyn in 1994-1995, they were happily married (for around, at that time, 10~11 years) and living in Fayetteville, North Carolina where they both faithfully attended the ntcc's Ft. Bragg Servicemen's Home and Church services at 3324 Rogers Drive.
The couple relocated to the Graham, WA area to attend the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. Seminary / Bible School (NTCCA NTCS BS). They also began acquiring real estate properties that they rented to fellow NTCC bible school students, a practice that continues to this day, despite both Merz having left the NTCC. If you know NTCC, you know that it this is never heard of; people "in" "the organization (NTCC) DO NOT have contact with those who have left. In religious circles this practice is called "disfellowshipping" or "shunning".
Although the Merz divorced in 2004 after 20 years of marriage, they had enough of a friendship that Kelly called Cherlyn and tearfully confessed to killing his roommate, a 33 year old woman named Cori Lewis.
This is an unspeakable tragedy that, in our opinion, is related to the Merz' long-time involvement in the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. Too many stories exist of ntcc putting extreme pressures on people. Years of ntcc stress has caused many people to change drastically from who they were when they came into the ntcc. One woman has shared that she was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stess Disorder) after her years of involvement with the ntcc. We believe that is also likely in this situation.
Racism In Your NTCC (And Its Deadly Consequences):
For those who don't know them, Kelly Merz is a white man; and Cherlyn is a woman of color. That should not matter. But for those who know ntcc, they will understand what that means:
NTCC brags about being "a church of all nations". But the ugly truth is that the NTCC has a well-documented history of putting down African Americans. This prejudice stems from the head of the NTCC, rodger wilson davis and his son-in-law, NTCC CEO, michael craig kekel. From the pulpit and lectern racial slurs have abounded to include:
Sadly, that is not the case.
Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Cori Lewis, who, in our opinion, is yet another victim of the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc.
Related Stories:
The Moreno Tragedy Click Here
"The Moreno Tragedy" discusses on this blog the ntcc pressures that drove Roland Moreno to shoot and kill his pregnant wife, 5 year-old son, and then himself. Eerily, almost exactly eight years to the day, the Moreno Tragedy of death following ntcc duress is repeated in the murder of Cori Lewis.
Click on the labels below to see more related stories on this blog:
"Moreno" and "Murder"
The Cori Lewis Tragedy has also been covered extensively by Bruce Smith on The Mountain News -- WA in (to date) four related articles:
1) Body of homicide victim found in a shallow grave on 86th Ave in Graham; local residents provide critical information to police
(same story as "A", above)
2) Update on Lewis homicide: Shooter had strong ties to Graham
3) The New Testament Christian Church of Graham: an overview
(same story as "B", above)
4) Update on Kelly Merz – an interview with his brother, Keith Merz
Further discussion of this tragedy took place on a site called Dreamin' Demon: Real. Life. Horror: Their article included many references including (1) to the Pierce County Court Database on Kelly Merz, and another (2) to the Prosecutor's Press Release- Removed. The Dreamin' Demon article emphasized Merz sexually violating Lewis' remains. Click below:
Man Confesses To Kissing Victim’s Genitals After Murder
To return to the series about the loss of
The Moreno Family Click Here
"A": Story by Bruce Smith and Photo of Grave Site: Click Here
Google Satellite Image Showing Location Of Grave Site Near
The New Testament Christian Churches of America Seminary
Located in Graham, Washington State:
View Map on Google
["A"] New Testament Christian Churches Of America Seminary
["B"] Grave Site Where The Body Of Cori Lewis was recovered
Blue Line shows the 3.2 mi route between the NTCCA - NTCS and the grave site
 |
| 3.2 mi from the grave site to the NTCCA - NTCS New Testament Christian Churches Of America Seminary Compound in Graham, WA "the church behind the fence" |
Merz is a former lay pastor of the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. and had relocated to the Graham, Washington area to attend the NTCCA's seminary or bible school, the "church behind the fence" situated on the Orting-Kapowsin Highway between 210 St. East and 224 th in Graham, Wa.
Pic Of Google Street View of The Church Behind The Fence, NTCC, Inc.
 |
| "The Church Behind The Fence" NTCC Inc. NTCS |
Original Dispatch News Series on NTCC by Bruce Smith. Update 2-28-14
Originally these links above brought one to the Five Part Series on NTCC. Written by Bruce Smith and published by The Dispatch, each article had multiple pages of reader comments offering a comprehensive look into the "church behind the fence" the NTCC. The series and reader comments have subsequently been removed by The Dispatch original site; but for a time they are available by clicking on the numbered articles below. You may want to check out the few archived pages of reader comments published below each story. And you may also want to grab a cup of coffee or Pepsi before you begin reading . ;-)
Temporarily Available At:"B": Overview of The New Testament Christian Church - Current as of 2-28-14
Article #1: A Look Within The "Church Behind The Fence" --} #1 Click HereArticle #2: Life And Worship In The New Testament Christian Church [NTCC] --} #2 Click Here Article #3: NTCC: Is It A Cult? --} #3 Click here Article #4: A Deeper Look Into NTCC: Following The Money [An Impossible Task?] --} #4 Click HereArticle #5: A Deeper Look: Sexual and Marital Relationships in the NTCC --} #5 Click Here
This overview is an updated version of the original Five Part Series done by Bruce Smith for his own online news service:
The Mountain News -- WA.
Several new photos are in the article and some previously undisclosed information appears as well a hint of more stories to come.
Ange says,
When I met and knew Kelly Merz and his then-time wife Cherlyn in 1994-1995, they were happily married (for around, at that time, 10~11 years) and living in Fayetteville, North Carolina where they both faithfully attended the ntcc's Ft. Bragg Servicemen's Home and Church services at 3324 Rogers Drive.
The couple relocated to the Graham, WA area to attend the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. Seminary / Bible School (NTCCA NTCS BS). They also began acquiring real estate properties that they rented to fellow NTCC bible school students, a practice that continues to this day, despite both Merz having left the NTCC. If you know NTCC, you know that it this is never heard of; people "in" "the organization (NTCC) DO NOT have contact with those who have left. In religious circles this practice is called "disfellowshipping" or "shunning".
Although the Merz divorced in 2004 after 20 years of marriage, they had enough of a friendship that Kelly called Cherlyn and tearfully confessed to killing his roommate, a 33 year old woman named Cori Lewis.
This is an unspeakable tragedy that, in our opinion, is related to the Merz' long-time involvement in the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. Too many stories exist of ntcc putting extreme pressures on people. Years of ntcc stress has caused many people to change drastically from who they were when they came into the ntcc. One woman has shared that she was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stess Disorder) after her years of involvement with the ntcc. We believe that is also likely in this situation.
Racism In Your NTCC (And Its Deadly Consequences):
For those who don't know them, Kelly Merz is a white man; and Cherlyn is a woman of color. That should not matter. But for those who know ntcc, they will understand what that means:
NTCC brags about being "a church of all nations". But the ugly truth is that the NTCC has a well-documented history of putting down African Americans. This prejudice stems from the head of the NTCC, rodger wilson davis and his son-in-law, NTCC CEO, michael craig kekel. From the pulpit and lectern racial slurs have abounded to include:
- slinging out the N* word
- teaching that "a white man who marries a black woman has low self-esteem"
- white-black "inter-racial marriages" "limit the ministry"
- rap music is "monkey" music
- corn rows or braids were forbidden
- a PONTIAC is just a "Poor Old N*gger that Thinks It's A Cadillac"
- and more
Sadly, that is not the case.
Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Cori Lewis, who, in our opinion, is yet another victim of the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc.
Related Stories:
The Moreno Tragedy Click Here
"The Moreno Tragedy" discusses on this blog the ntcc pressures that drove Roland Moreno to shoot and kill his pregnant wife, 5 year-old son, and then himself. Eerily, almost exactly eight years to the day, the Moreno Tragedy of death following ntcc duress is repeated in the murder of Cori Lewis.
Click on the labels below to see more related stories on this blog:
"Moreno" and "Murder"
The Cori Lewis Tragedy has also been covered extensively by Bruce Smith on The Mountain News -- WA in (to date) four related articles:
1) Body of homicide victim found in a shallow grave on 86th Ave in Graham; local residents provide critical information to police
(same story as "A", above)
2) Update on Lewis homicide: Shooter had strong ties to Graham
3) The New Testament Christian Church of Graham: an overview
(same story as "B", above)
4) Update on Kelly Merz – an interview with his brother, Keith Merz
Further discussion of this tragedy took place on a site called Dreamin' Demon: Real. Life. Horror: Their article included many references including (1) to the Pierce County Court Database on Kelly Merz, and another (2) to the Prosecutor's Press Release- Removed. The Dreamin' Demon article emphasized Merz sexually violating Lewis' remains. Click below:
Man Confesses To Kissing Victim’s Genitals After Murder
To return to the series about the loss of
The Moreno Family Click Here