Michael Brown’s Elders Reject Firefly Report’s Characterization

The Michael Brown Me Too report came out, and it confirmed what was already known but failed to substantiate the more salacious allegations against the famed apologist. 

According to the Christian Post:

The group, officially called the Elder Accountability Team, includes: Jonathan Bernis, president and CEO of Jewish Voice Ministries International; Raleigh Washington, founder and pastor emeritus of Rock of Our Salvation Evangelical Free Church in Chicago, Illinois; Leif Hetland, founder and president of Global Mission Awareness and Leif Hetland Ministries; and Mark and Nicki Pfeifer, lead pastors of Open Door Church in Chillicothe, Ohio.

“It is the position of the Elder Accountability Team that the LOF Board should have been officially contacted to seek a proper Mathew 18 process since these allegations resurfaced 5 years ago. Instead, these allegations, which could have been resolved with proper Biblical Due Process, were relitigated with accusations, judgement and sentencing by a jury on social media,” the elders said in a statement included in a 27-page response to the Firefly report on Monday.

“This process is unbiblical and has caused irreparable damage to Dr. Brown’s credibility and ministry. We believe all who are responsible for this miscarriage of Biblical Due Process should search their hearts before God and pursue a biblical resolution to these unresolved issues.”

The “accountability team” rejects the careless use of sexual misconduct and sexual abuse, widely used in the report and views it as a smear.

Analysis

Michael Brown’s allies have a valid grievance, in that the report failed to substantiate a sexual sin of Michael Brown. In its own admission, they did not even establish or confirm sexual intent on Brown’s part, which is wild considering he was kissing and touching butts. These elders beat around the feminist bush in their call for due process.

However, as is common in charismatic circles, elders have a tendency to circle the wagons for celebrity pastors and hasten their restoration. Michael Brown’s qualifications, or lack thereof, as a minister have little to do with these allegations and far more to do with his doctrinal deficiencies and defense of wolves.