How Deep Will This Hole Get?

NASS said: "After all, about 10 years ago, when a certain staff minister was caught embezzling money from the church and doing other things he shouldn't have been doing, AR fired him. Then when he couldn't get a job at the seminary because BBC gave him a bad recommendation, he turned around and sued the church for "defamation of character." Instead of standing their ground (what court in the land wouldn't side with BBC in this matter?), AR reportedly had the church pay him off to the tune of $500,000. After all, we wouldn't want the great Bellevue to suffer any "negative publicity." In this case, I believe AR was wrong.Bellevue, like many organizations, has always been very concerned with appearances, and they've never been above sweeping something under the rug that might potentially harm their reputation. There were plenty of things "swept under the rug" at Bellevue over the years. I've always said SG had to replace the carpet in his office when he got here because of the big lump that had accumulated underneath it over the years."

"But PW was not the only staff minister who has strayed. Somehow the "Biblical Guidance" department always seems to be involved. Is that ironic or what? I've been in contact with a man who claims his wife was involved in an affair with the pastor of their church in another state. This pastor had been there for 25 years, but when the heat got too hot there, he ended up in Memphis -- and was soon employed by BBC. He lasted there about a year -- until this man and a group from his church confronted him (reportedly with the "love" letters he'd written to this man's wife) and called Bellevue. Instead of dealing with the situation, Bellevue let him quietly retire. No one is sure if he's moved on to another "ministry" or what. He seems to have dropped off the radar screen. But this is just another example of how churches and other organizations frequently sweep distasteful things under the rug. It's all about maintaining their "image." commented on The Cakes Report

GMOMMY said: "... it is absolutely true about the cash settlement to the minister who had an affair and misappropriated church money. I was very close to him before this came out...(during the time he was having the affair he was actually working with my husband) The "other woman" was a SS friend of my niece. I didn't hear about the pay off until years later...but it now fits with confusing phone calls I had with the minister's wife.I got confirmation from a BBC man who was a deacon and had very close ties with the seminary.There is no confirmation about who actually suggested the settlement or at what point Bro R gave the OK (it was $500,000) but it did happen. During a time when many of us were working together believing we could resolve the issues tearing down the trust....one of our truth seeker friends had a background in finance, budgets and non profits....he took the budget handout along with the questions answered at the budget meeting and explained how money from certain areas could easily be moved around and not bust the budget or raise a red flag." commented on The Cakes Report (mysteriously deleted)