Pastor confesses "adultery" to congregation 20 years ago - molestation victim confronts him

[Bluebirdbluebell]

And the Houstons of Hillsong can be added to list, as well as the Falwells. 

[hoipolloi]

Maybe having a church leadership with two or more related adults should be an automatic red flag for conducting abuse investigations, not to mention financial shenanigans.

Additionally, if people are looking for a new church, they should steer clear of any that have multiple family members on staff.

[livinginthelight]

An interview with Lowe's victim and her husband. She had never even told her husband until May 9th, after her brother told her what he saw and she began to realize the truth of what had happened to her. All these years she had been feeling guilty because her husband thought she was a virgin when they got married and in her eyes she wasn't.

She is an absolute rock star.

https://nypost.com/2022/05/31/indiana-woman-describes-how-pastor-john-lowe-groomed-her-for-abuse/

[livinginthelight]

Here is another story, this time with interviews with her brother and mother.  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10861503/Family-claims-pastor-took-teen-girls-virginity-caught-bed-14.html

Lowe's wife has resigned from the church as well.

Edited June 1, 2022 by livinginthelight

[Sarcastically spinster]

On 5/30/2022 at 5:07 PM, hoipolloi said:

Maybe having a church leadership with two or more related adults should be an automatic red flag for conducting abuse investigations, not to mention financial shenanigans.

Two related adults, IMO, isn't an automatic red flag, especially if there are multiple other leaders.  It can happen pretty naturally without necessarily being nepotism, especially if they're related by marriage.  A younger assistant pastor working with an older senior pastor who is mentoring him, naturally spends time with the family, ends up marrying one of the daughters.  Related people are often already known to the church, and many churches, like any other employer, choosing between equally qualified candidates, are more ready to hire someone they know than someone they don't.  

Two related adults on church leadership is a yellow flag more than red, IMO, just like it would be in any other business.  More than that is pretty suspect.  If there's other church leadership with similar levels of influence in the church that *aren't* related to prevent centralization of power, if the people in those roles actually have the qualifications for what they're doing, then it doesn't usually get unhealthy, from what I've seen.  More than two, though, and it would be quite the fluke for that to be happening without nepotism involved.  

[Howl]

4 hours ago, Sarcastically spinster said:

Two related adults, IMO, isn't an automatic red flag, especially if there are multiple other leaders.

The red flag is an authoritarian pastor -- when these personality types install their family members in church positions, it's done to consolidate and maintain control and power.    

Same dealio for authoritarians in other positions, like autocrats and despots. Family members are the most loyal of all loyalists.  Our ex-president, who immediately installed family in various positions of influence in the WH, is the perfect example of this. 

[livinginthelight]

Aaaannnd....yet another woman comes forward with allegations against Lowe's son Jeremiah. This woman was married to him. She feared for her life, and yet John and his wife hid behind the Bible in attempts to keep her in the marriage. You can find Abbey Plummer's page on FB to read the letter and see the pictures. It is set so the public can read it, as is Jessi Kline's FB page. Jessi is the first woman to come forward with allegations that Jeremiah molested her as a child. Jessi's page has a lot of information on it.

https://churchleaders.com/news/425956-another-woman-alleges-abuse-pastor-john-jeremiah-lowe.html

Edited June 3, 2022 by livinginthelight

[Howl]

1 hour ago, Howl said:

The red flag is an authoritarian pastor -- when these personality types install their family members in church positions, it's done to consolidate and maintain control and power.    

I should add to this, there are always enablers, and if a person is not a loyal enabler, they're gone. Often the enablers are compliant, rubber stamp elders.  This leaves only people who are loyal to the pastor or the pastor and family.  

[treemom]

Oh I am very curious if there will be protesters there tomorrow.  I am in Chicago for the weekend with my (grown) kids, or I would drive down and gawk when I drove by and report back.  Will keep you appraised if anything interesting pops up in the local news.

[treemom]

Ha.  I was a little tipsy from ouzo when I posted that.  I'm not sure why I thought that was worth sharing 

[Cults-r-us]

On 6/3/2022 at 4:38 PM, Howl said:

I should add to this, there are always enablers, and if a person is not a loyal enabler, they're gone. Often the enablers are compliant, rubber stamp elders.  This leaves only people who are loyal to the pastor or the pastor and family.  

My workplace is like this. Authoritarianism and narcissism are two sides of the same coin. And you are correct about the enablers. My boss only likes people who are completely non-threatening (e.g. dumb, so dumb) but also complicit.

[Howl]

5 hours ago, Cults-r-us said:

Authoritarianism and narcissism are two sides of the same coin.

That is such an important point and so true.  My late mom pointed out that once people with controlling personalities gain any type of power, they will never, ever let it go.  Exhibit #1: D. Trump. 

[hoipolloi]

2 hours ago, Howl said:

My late mom pointed out that once people with controlling personalities gain any type of power, they will never, ever let it go. 

Or, as a friend likes to say, stupid people are rarely stupid about holding on to their power.