Called Into Ministry

I had been a high-functioning Mormon for sixty years when my wife and I began seeking Jesus as we never had before. Almost immediately, Jesus took our hands and mercifully pulled us in. This radical, supernatural act of God made us new in ways that were and are impossible to comprehend.

The wonder and simplicity of the Gospel blew my mind. It was like I had finally arrived among people who were like-minded, united, and at peace with God and each other.

Several months after my salvation, I commented about feeling called into ministry. This ministry evolved over the years as we attempted to honor God. He led us to a passage that guides us to this day.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17, KJV

The Few

After I announced the possibility of entering ministry, The Few declared war. They claimed to be Christian and perhaps they are. I was dumbfounded. I had been a high-level Mormon leader. As such, I never shared my faith. Oh, I believed it, sort of. But I never believed enough to shout the Mormon gospel to the world.

Everything changed when God made me new. I had a desire, a compulsion, a drive to boldly proclaim the salvation of God. I knew He prepared me for this work. I was and I am resolved to stay the course. I have kept my eye on the prize, never looking back.

After seven years of ministry, The Few, this group of antagonizes is still active. They publicly discourage people, Christian or otherwise, from hearing our ministry message. My correct response is to make no response at all. To do otherwise would show the world discord in the Christian body. I can’t, and I won’t do that.

Video

In early 2024 an angry pastor joined The Few. I will refer to him as Bob.

In my last year of Mormonism, I was in the throws of a faith crisis that eventually led me to Jesus. I was also politically active. I developed a second amendment group with chapters in several Idaho cities. At that time, I published a YouTube video. Bob recently reposted this video on FaceBook and claimed it proved me a liar. This video is about a founding member of The Few who was Bob’s mentor. There was some tension many years ago. Apparently, they’re not over it yet.

If you choose to view this video, remember that I produced it before God made me new. Is it right to judge me now according to my views while yet a Mormon? As a Mormon, I was sincerely confused about theology. All Mormons are lost, not all Mormons are liars. As you view this video, you will find no lies.

Pastoral Ordination

As of February 2024, Bob began contacting pastors in my hometown. His objective is to discredit me and my pastoral ordination. When this mess began spilling into the local church, I had to respond.

The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

Proverbs 18:17, ESV

My education is through a seminary that offers a three-year bachelors program. The credits I earn are transferable to many other seminaries. Upon meeting certain qualifications, I was ordained. My ordination came with the endorsement of pastors from two Pocatello, Idaho churches.

I am saddened that these accusations caused local pastors to refuse fellowship with me. In some cases, this refusal came before we met and before my ministry was introduced. None but my home church pastor know the details of this situation. I will not reveal identities or details because division in the church is wicked.

My Objective

I do not present this information to enlarge the debate. I will share this with pastors or lay Christians who need to know. This is my one-click response, my way of answering without wading back into the quagmire.

I know God has placed me in this ministry. Jesus said persecution will come from within and without the church.

¹⁶Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; ¹⁸And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. ²⁰For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. ²¹And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. ²²And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. ²³But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Matthew 10:16-22, KJV, emphasis added

Let persecution come. My mighty God has and will preserve me through it all. He has placed an open door before me that The Few cannot shut. As God opens doors before me, I will pass through each one for His sake.

I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

Revelation 3:8, ESV, emphasis added

My Heart Breaks

When I was a political columnist, I came to know what it meant to be hated. I exposed Senator Jim Guthrie, Representative Christy Perry, and Representative Kelley Packer, for corruption and misuse of power. I did so under the threat of legal charges. To stir up action against me, the radical left said my gun range was a compound where I trained Tea Party radicals to kill black people. Political enemies tried relentlessly to draw me into a physical confrontation.

When I left Mormonism, church leaders sent police as a tool of persecution. On one occasion, the church charged me with a crime. During court appearances, they spoke of six months of incarceration.

These persecutors meant nothing to me.

However, The Few are not political adversaries or cult leaders. They claim to be part of the Body of Christ. Per scripture, some may be a foot and others a hand. I am most likely nasal hair, the least of all. Whatever part we are, we must move and think as one in purpose for Christ.

My heart is broken. The Few insists that I submit to their authority instead of the authority of God and His word. As they insist, unity in the church dies.

I recently did a word study for “heretic”. I was surprised to learn it did not mean what I had always presumed. Heretic primarily describes one that creates disunion, division, and descension in the church. How or why does heresy apply to The Few? That is a question worth pondering.

Some Seem to Need a Battle

I once presumed this post to be finalized with the previous section. Recent events have compelled me to insert this addendum. Will this be the end of it? I pray it is over, but that will not be my decision.

After nearly a decade of enduring The Few, one rose up on August 9, 2024. He demanded to know what church I belonged to. Normally, I am not opposed to sharing this information. When people make this demand only to cause division in the church, I am not obligated to comply. Instead, this was my reply.

Sanballat and Geshen likewise resisted Nehemiah. Nehemiah’s response to them is my response as well.

² Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. ³ And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

Nehemiah 6: 2-3, ESV

The Few used this opportunity to create yet another social media dust-up. I was careful to not publically name these men. They, on the other hand, were quick to pile on and identify themselves. They mentioned my online behavior as a point of accusation.

Is it true that my online behavior has occasionally been out of line? Of course. In all honesty, I must concede that possibility. The Few inferred they intended to take their concerns before my church for possible disciplinary action. I wonder, have they got the biblical cart before the horse? Let’s take a look.

Grievance Resolution

¹⁵“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” ¹⁶ “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” ¹⁷“And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”

Matthew 18:15-17

I see three clearly defined steps for grievance resolution. I apply the remainder of this post equally to The Few, Mormon Leaders, Mormon Individuals, and my Mormon family.

Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone

If a single member of The Few desires to meet with me privately, I will greet him or her as a brother or sister. If we comply with this biblical imperative, I am confident Christian fellowship will be the result.

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two

Since step one has not been observed, this is a moot point.

Tell it unto the church

Since steps one or two have been neglected, this step would be premature.

Alternate Tactics

Instead of completing the above actions, The Few blocked me on their Facebook groups. Then they posted open letters in those groups where everyone could see them but myself. As of this writing, I have not seen the letters nor will read them if I get the chance.

The Few uploaded an inflammatory blog post that remains today. I have seen it and resolved to give no answer (Matthew 27:14).

Now, I must make a few difficult observations. I wish no offense to anyone.

Who made The Few rulers, judge and jury, enforcers, and punishers of us all? In my view, they are Joseph Smithy reflections of Mormonism. In every way imaginable, The Few are exact copies of the Mormon Stake President who excommunicated me and the militant little man who reigns in his stead. They are every Mormon prophet, apostle, and bishop who once micromanaged my life. The following describes them all, Mormon and dictatorial Christian alike.

God made Aaron to be the mouth piece for the children of Israel, and He will make me be god to you in His stead, and the Elders to be mouth for me; and if you don’t like it, you must lump it.

Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol 6, pages 319-320 & Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p .363

To the Mormons, I chose to lump it. To The Few … SAME! I will permit neither group of self-made dictators power or authority over my life. I refuse to be moved, modified, or shaped by your angry edicts. To The Few, you are not yet gods (little g), but I know a church that can help you become exactly that.

Intervention

Eric Johnson, of Mormon Research Ministries, saw the social media dust-up and gave me a call. I believe him to be a good man who genuinely desires the welfare of the body of Christ. I explained that I would not turn The Angry Few loose on my unsuspecting pastor.

He then asked if he could contact my pastor. He said his only intent was to ask questions and receive answers that may satisfy The Few. I agreed, with the provision that my pastor’s name and contact information not be given to any other person. He agreed.

Eric later told me that The Few had been informed of our agreement and understood. One would think this would pacify them long enough to get a report about my association with a local church. But no!

The accusations only intensified. The man who demanded my church affiliation had this to say, “I will re-up my warning to others about you.” Some people need a battle to fight. Without one, they appear to be lost.

The Few may continue to belittle and marginalize. When they publish accusations, I have little reason to be offended. In truth, I am probably worse than they imagine. If Paul was the chief of sinners(1 Timothy 1:15), then I am the chiefiest. Is that even a word? If not, it should be because it perfectly describes me. I have no reason to boast in myself and I boast not.

Causality

It is difficult to fully understand why forces combine to pollute the wonder and beauty of the Christian faith. Nevertheless, these are the facts, as I understand them.

A man from Boise, Idaho, whose name I cannot recall, left the Mormon faith and entered Christian ministry. He was endorsed by The Few. Later, he apparently failed the faith in some catastrophic way.

Shawn MaCraney left the Mormon faith and entered Christian ministry. He rose to notoriety through his call-in television program, The Heart of the Matter. He was endorsed by The Few. Shawn has fallen from the true faith and now reinterprets the Bible as Joseph Smith did before him.

Lee Baker left Mormonism and entered Christian ministry. He was also strongly endorsed by The Few. Lee later rejected Jesus as Messiah and now follows some radical Jewish rabbi.

Micah Wilder, Joseph Warren, and others left Mormonism and established Adams Road Ministries. The Few endorsed and partnered with them as well. Recently, it was revealed that Micah, Joseph, and three members of the ministry engaged in heterosexual and homosexual sin throughout the life of the ministry.

I have been likened to all of the above-mentioned former Mormons. At times I was called by the names of these fallen men. At other times, vailed parallels were drawn to implicate. The fact is, The Few and not I partnered with these failed ministries. Perhaps The Few are driven by a strange paranoia based on their past judgment failures. Maybe they have been driven mad by a sense of betrayal, I don’t know.

I do know, however, that to judge a person by association is wrong. Outside of our shared Mormon foundations, there is no commonality between myself and these failed ministries. It was The Few who fostered a close association with them, not I. Now, it seems that The Few have appointed themselves guardians over all former Mormons who engage in the work of the kingdom. Based on their past judgment failures, I question their right to judge at all.

These are my suspicions and I think they are true. We are all of the body of Christ. When the hand exacts a pound of the flesh from the foot, how can they not see that they harm their own body?

Hate is its Own Reward

My heart truly hoped that the last section would be the final section of this report. One man, representing The Few had my pastor’s contact information. He was given the go-ahead to contact him and ask any questions he desired. But no, no contact was made.

On August 12, 2024, I received the following text.

The Few could have spoken with my pastor and learned of my church and the amazing people who worship there. The Few could have learned details about my ministry that could never be decerned from their ivory towers, but no! Their stated objective was to ensure my ministry had oversight from a visible church. Now we know their stated and actual objectives were two different things.

Instead of getting objective truth from the source, they trusted a pastor who shoots anonymously from the cover of his keyboard. They would rather trust a coward who agrees with them than a man of God who knows. I suspect this hidden local pastor is the man referred to above as Bob.

Rather than returning evil for evil, I will allow them their tawdry victory. They probably can’t conceive of one simple fact, they cannot stop the work or my ministry.

And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

Acts 5:40-41, KJV

The Few are not to be hated or despised, they are to be pitied. They are to be lifted in prayer.

Summation

To sum up, I join Peter in this injunction to all Christians;

⁸To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, humble in spirit; ⁹not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 3:8-9, NASB

My prayer for us all is that we might honor the purpose for which we were called and inherit a blessing.