Basilisk

You are the first person to ever come onto this forum defending Struthers who actually asked a good question. We all speak for ourselves here so since you asked me here goes.

>
But I would like to know where
> you (and others) are hoping this will end up.


A church movement humiliated by an expose documentary?

Since we have been posting here about the revolting and abhorrent consequences of the SMC leaders actions since 2011 (and a few earlier) to suggest we are excessively excited about, and pinning our hopes on, a BBC documentary – which is a possibility only emerging in the last few weeks - is unlikely. It may come.

Or a class action litigation bankrupting the movement?

Fascinating that you are worried about a class action. No one on here has mentioned that possibility ever. Have the lawyers in Struthers been giving you dire warnings? Thank you for the idea – we should get advice on that.

However bankrupting the movement through a class action would take a while. The present leadership looks set to achieve the bankrupting of the charity much more quickly. Particularly given 3 things:

1 The massive subsidy from the collection plate required for the school - which in the last set of accounts published was all the money given by all the churches. I'm not sure the leadership of Struthers will have enough time to think about a class action from us. They are much more likely to be bankrupted by a dodgy roof in Greenock or asbestos in the Falkirk church, or an unexpectedly big energy bill, or a poor school enrolment.

2 The schism where many high contributing members left the church in disgust and disappointment at the leadership's handling of the Speirs problem. Those sacked from the school and snack shops as a result may, through sudden unexpected unemployment, be lowering their tithes.

3 The determination never to acknowledge or resolve the pain caused by the leaders of the Struthers churches to people on this forum but dismiss it as “Satan moving against us because we are so holy and so righteous”. How do they think that plays with the potential parents considering sending kids to the school? Or people in their congregations who may yet have a shred of remaining decency and know they can't explain to their friends, family or themselves why the leadership are being so suicidally hard hearted over this. These people may also wonder what they would say to God if he asked them in this life or the next why they supported and enabled those committing this brutal harm supposedly in His name. Are these special leaders so important to His purposes they can no longer even say sorry?

Or the destruction of an entire Christian movement?

Once again friend basilisk you talk like you have been in Struthers too long. It is very familiar for preachers in Struthers to raise themselves to their full height, throw back their heads, raise a finger heavenward and squeal
“these bad people are hoping for the destruction of our whole movement!!”


One of the best ways this could "end up" is with you realising Struthers is a few rapidly declining churches – not a “movement”. In the very small town where I live there are 2 evangelical churches each of which have Sunday morning congregations with a larger attendance than all the Struthers Churches in the UK put together. In your questions you used the word "movement" 3 times. I invite you to calm down and not think of yourself or your wee church more highly than you should.

Another good way this could end up is with those in Struthers who still have a grasp on sanity realising it is not us posting on this forum, but rather the actions of the leadership which are killing this small set of churches. As ThePetitor accurately points out we are simply the witnesses prepared (and required by God) to tell the truth. It is not us who are killing this church and its prospects. It is not us who set up ministries and works which have caused division, declined and failed.

In particular it is not us who kicked out over the decades excellent and capable and godly people who could be helping you now but left over the years because to remain in integrity before God they could not submit to the idols in Struthers.

Only a few who have lost their internal moral compass really believe that the horrific and horrendous pain caused by the leaders actions and reported on this forum is justified by what Struthers claim to be and what Struthers claim to achieve. Why do about 500 or so other evangelical churches in Scotland share the gospel either more, or far more, successfully than you do but don't as a result have 200 long pages of testimony to the pain and suffering caused by their untrained and unbiblically appointed leaders who have no agreed pastoral guidelines to follow and no accountability but to what they “think” God is saying to them?

So how about this for how I hope it will end up:

Stop hurting people and deal with the harm you caused in the past then try to continue as a decent church.

If you cant do that then just stop it all and cease now.

Basilisk – do you believe Struthers is so unique and special we must lie about its sins and pretend they don't exist to help the work of God continue? If so who is asking us to do that? Do you think it is God or just the controlling, failure ridden and embarrassed Struthers leadership?

There are plenty churches around who can do things better than Struthers with the added bonus that they do not in the process damage lives and harm the souls of people. It may surprise you to know God was working in Scotland long before their was a Struthers and He will be working in Scotland long after it is gone and barely remembered.

Good morning everyone. I’ve not been logged in for a while but I have been reading. I have share a lot and it has massively helped me but weirdly, it also took it out of me. I believe it has helped me on my journey to recovery - let’s call it that. That is the journey I am on. I have had therapy, counselling, you name it I have had it. Now is the time for admittance and support from other survivors. Falkirkbairn67 - I have no words. Your story is heartbreaking. It frightens me that we probably attended the church around the same time. And while they preached at me about cleanness, holiness and sin they were also covering up a horrific crime. I am so sorry for the pain and trauma you have suffered. I pray and hope that somehow you do find peace. X

Hi everyone. I’ve been catching up and reading all the recent posts of which there have been many. It’s great to see the Forum buzzing!! Thanks to you all for the thought-provoking and informative posts.

I would concur with what others have said in reply to FalkirkBairn re her harrowing experience whilst a teenage attendee of SMC. It is truly shocking to read your story, FalkirkBairn, but Thankyou so much for sharing it. As others have said, you are helping other people by relating it.

What is also shocking is that your experience is not unique. I know of two other incidents of a sexual nature which occurred in a different branch-church of Struthers, and both were also swept under the carpet. In one case, parents of the girl were not informed. I cannot say more: she would need to come onto the Forum and tell her own story. These incidents happened decades after FalkirkBairn’s. One wonders if there have been more cases, which have been swept under the carpet, and not brought into the light. The hypocrisy of Struthers is astonishing, when they major on calling out sexual sin in preaching and at deliverance meetings, whilst not bothering about other sinful behaviours.

TheGreek Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> That was definitely the way back then. Cover
> things up to protect the church "good name" and
> not give a damn about the suffering and harm and
> consequences on peoples lives.

TheGreek, it was not only the way back then. It was still the way in the years post-2000. Whether SMC have now decided to change their policies when dealing with such incidents, I do not know. Perhaps with a new set of leaders, replacing Hugh Black, Mary Black and Alison Speirs, the policies will be seriously examined. TheGreek, You also mention the newly appointed Board of Management directors and whether their decisions concerning church affairs could compromise their professional integrity. We shall have to wait and see how they handle things. I notice that the Board members are spread across all the different churches, more-so than before. The minister of the Welsh church in Neath, who is an independent financial consultant, is now on the Board.

But we know that things which happened in past years can still be exposed and scrutinised, as we see regularly on the media concerning various Child Abuse Inquiries, where incidences of abuse in boarding-schools and churches have come to light and some cases have gone to Court. Now we have the pending BBC investigation into SMC and a documentary programme about the Church. I agree with several recent posters that this investigation has nothing to do with the debate on “conversion therapy.” No, it’s about the spiritual abuse which has gone on for many years within Struthers churches!

Thanks everyone for the support I have received on this forum and I'm not suprised that they have been others treated the same and Struthers. And things covered up years after this happened to myself.

Since I spoke up and put my story in here alots happened but the best thing is I have refriended a few off the friends that I walked away those years ago . And the one thing I regret is not keeping in touch with them but that's also down to struthers.

The last week I have been going to put this up but life's got in the way.But I really feel this has to be said.

If anyone wishes to talk to myself privately .I'm more than willing to talk about this just pm .

I know talking and reading about things like this can open up memories of others what we hide away.As I did for years
..Just mind it wasn't your fault and you don't deserve any abuse any way mentally, Physically, sexually ,emotionally.
theres help out there. I can point you in the right direction to get help. You dont have to put up with it as I did for 15 years I know how hard it is to leave.
I'm a survior I'm not a victim. So please please anyone going through any abuse like I did from a young age until my early 30s . Please tell someone .Please ask for help.

Know this is nothing to do with Struthers but I have felt very deeply I had to say this

Thanks for reading
FalkirkBairn

Hi falkirkbairn everyone is here to help you, and support eachother.

Thank you Daisy69. I know your all behind me telling my story but there's alot more out them who is still suffering scared to speak up . But everyone no one needs to know who you are .We all need to speak up for what you witness if you don't talk up SMC will keep doing what they do .

Falkirk Bairn,

Thanks for your words of wisdom and your encouragement that other seek help and support if going through a rough time.

That is absolutely a good thing to do, whether you find that help in family, church, friends or through professional services. And that is of course Biblical as well – there are many verses about looking after and supporting one another, and none that say if you see others in need you should ignore them.

Basilisk,

You appear to be adopting a very superior attitude here, as you came on to tell others what to do, but do not seem to be prepared to answer questions that are directed at you.

Can I therefore ask again why you think the right approach here is to publicly ask the contributors to this forum to consider how they are going about things, but not to address a similar public request to the leaders of SMC?

Petitor brings up an interesting matter.

When wondering about someone's intent, read that person's posts in aggregate:

[forum.culteducation.com]

My favourite comment is this one:

"Why don't you talk to each other directly? It may lead to a resolution of the matter."

You've got to laugh.