In case you missed the ECC announcement and want to hear it for yourself...

Welcome to De-Commissioned, a place for former members of the Great Commission movement (aka GCM, GCC, GCAC, GCI, the Blitz) to discuss problems they've experienced in the association's practices and theology.

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[Isthisreal?]

Linda, since you care so much about my opinions. Yes, I believe the BOT. Yes, Mark should be rescinded. Correction:  All locations have appologized to the victims. Not 9, not 5 but 3. Carry on....

[Linda]

I hadn’t realized that the church had contacted the women and personally and privately apologized.

Also, how do you know how many victims there are? I didn’t see that number in the report.

[Linda]

This just in. No personal apologies made as of today.

[Barb]

Linda, since you care so much about my opinions. Yes, I believe the BOT. Yes, Mark should be rescinded. Correction:  All locations have appologized to the victims. Not 9, not 5 but 3. Carry on....

Of the five victims I know, not one of them has received a personal apology from Mark Darling, Mark Bowen, Brent Knox, or Evergreen. A one sentence apology from the pulpit preceded by or followed by profuse praise of Mark Darling does not qualify.

[Badger]

Correction:  All locations have appologized [sic] to the victims.

LOL...  Because saying I'm sorry in front of people counts as an apology.  It doesn't have to be said to the victims Linda.

[Badger]

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them give an open apology to those you wish to continue to lead;then come and offer your gift. - Matthew 5:23-24 - Badger's Amplified NIV version.

[OneOfMany]

I find it reprehensible that the women were not informed before the church at large. This shows an utter and complete lack of repentance. Shame on Evergreen and the Rock. Brent Knox and Mark Bowen. Are you listening?

[Phoenix]

I find it reprehensible that the women were not informed before the church at large. This shows an utter and complete lack of repentance. Shame on Evergreen and the Rock. Brent Knox and Mark Bowen. Are you listening?

Point of information here, not a defense.  In fact I believe they should have got an advanced copy.

1.  The advanced update would have had to been brokered via Joan Harris.
2.  The pastors cannot apologize to the women directl when they do not know the identities.  Again, Ms. Harris would have to help.

[Linda]

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them give an open apology to those you wish to continue to lead;then come and offer your gift. - Matthew 5:23-24 - Badger's Amplified NIV version.

😂😂😂

Thanks for the laugh in an otherwise very sad discussion.

[OneOfMany]

I find it reprehensible that the women were not informed before the church at large. This shows an utter and complete lack of repentance. Shame on Evergreen and the Rock. Brent Knox and Mark Bowen. Are you listening?

Point of information here, not a defense.  In fact I believe they should have got an advanced copy.

1.  The advanced update would have had to been brokered via Joan Harris.
2.  The pastors cannot apologize to the women directl when they do not know the identities.  Again, Ms. Harris would have to help.

I disagree. They knew at least three of the victims without Joan Harris helping them out. They did not bother to apologize to even those women whose names they knew. Disgusting.

[KnowingGod]

The pastor in LA is a dear man, sadly, his wife has fought an eating disorder for many years, and from the pulpit this pastor told us he was stepping down for his wife, to be there, to support her through her current health trial. 
[/quote]

That’s what he was “encouraged” to say by the other pastors as a way to distract from the real reason to not make the rock look bad or create division. Once again the wife was the scapegoat and blamed.

[looking4answers]

The pastor in LA is a dear man, sadly, his wife has fought an eating disorder for many years, and from the pulpit this pastor told us he was stepping down for his wife, to be there, to support her through her current health trial. 

That’s what he was “encouraged” to say by the other pastors as a way to distract from the real reason to not make the rock look bad or create division. Once again the wife was the scapegoat and blamed.
[/quote]

I know what those other reasons were as well, but I felt I needed to clarify because you made it sound like his wife having health problems was just gossip, and it was part of the reason he was taking leave.  No one blamed her at all.  I also clarified that there are not 50-75 people attending The Rock like you said.  I think it would be really helpful for the forum if only what was actually known was written about.   

[KnowingGod]

I’ll end my time on this forum by saying It would be good for some at the rock to not gossip about former members after they leave... mainly about why they left usually saying the typical “they were bitter, hard hearted, etc..” when in reality they were spiritually abused. Which I know isn’t recognized as a real thing within the main leadership, and from what Jeromy D has stated about it on this forum. Praying for true repentance from Mark, and a fresh wind of reform within the walls of evergreen and the rock where idol worship of pastors and leaders is replaced with true worship of the One True God. I also pray that members will research for themselves who the founder of GCC (Jim McCotter) truly was, a false prophet and self proclaimed Apostle. Just because Joseph Smith isn’t still teaching in Mormon churches doesn’t mean his influence and false teachings still arent followed. The same is true with McCotter and his his false teachings and influence (personal revelation from God on how to restore the New Testament church and self appointed Apostleship over the churches or “works” that he began) within the walls of GCC churches who are pastored from those directly taught under McCotter like Mark Darling, Brent K, Dennis Clark etc.. Mark being removed helps that influence go away, but as long as Brent (who views himself as a modern day Moses in terms of authority according to him) McCotters influence will remain inside evergreen Bloomington. Without a Bringom Young, Jospeh Smith’s teachings were for nothing. The same hold true from pastors within GCC who were directly taught and trained under the “Apostle” McCotter Himself. I wish former GCCers healing on this forum and for God to lift the evils of deception from those still under the wolves in sheeps clothing.

Goodbye

[Linda]

I totally agree with your assessment, KG, that it would be wise for people to not speculate on former members or their reasons for departure.

All this talk about "slander and gossip and guessing and speculation" reminded me of something I heard about the van Dycks.

A couple years after John and Suzanne returned, and let's stop there for a minute and remember why they returned:

On January 12th, Suzanne wrote: "August of 2003: after learning from Mark Bowen (ECC pastor) that Mark D. did not follow through on my therapist's therapeutic recommendation (see earlier post about Mark Bowen agreeing that Mark D. should and would do both recommendations), we decided to leave GCM, Rock Berlin and Evergreen."

And let's refresh ourselves as to what the earlier post mentioned was:

January 11, 2018, Suzanne wrote: "The people present at the meeting in which I confronted my abuser Mark Darling were: my therapist, Mark & Kathy Darling, Mark Bowen, John van Dyck and myself.

Mark Darling brought Kathy Darling along.  To the best of my remembrance John (husband and ECC pastor at the time) and I did not know about that beforehand.  Mark Bowen being present was not my request  but I agreed to it, and all these years later, I am grateful he was as he is now complicit.  He heard about the abuse (some of it) and verbally agreed to the therapeutic care plan for Mark Darling that my therapist recommended. The therapeutic care plan:

1.  stepping out of ministry for a time and
2.  engaging in therapy,

was never implemented by Mark Darling.  Some time later when John van Dyck asked Mark Bowen if Mark Darling had done the care plan, Mark Bowen answered, "No, Mark [Darling] doesn't  think he needs to."

And, as long as we mentioned their reasons for leaving, let's take a minute to remember that the BOT report corroborated Suzanne's statements: "From the Investigator's report: "ECC failed to take appropriate action in response to misconduct allegations." In 2001, the four Evergreen pastors, Mark Bowen, Brent Knox, Doug Patterson, and John van Dyck made aware of SVD's concerns about Mark Darling's conduct acknowledged those concerns, and engaged with Mark Darling in a process over the course of several months in a good faith effort to address her concerns, but failed to follow through and implement appropriate corrective action regarding Mark Darling's conduct..."

Back to my point, as a member of ECC at the time, I had no idea any of this was going on. None. Zippo. Zilch.

I heard at the meeting explaining their departure that John and Suzanne had been in counseling prior to Berlin and that the ECC powers that be should never have let them go. I assumed it was marriage counseling. Turns out, it was counseling about Mark Darling's inappropriate behavior.

After that meeting, I started hearing rumors about the van Dyck's. The talk when their name came up was "It is so sad that John and Suzanne have sold out to the world and are now into making big money in real estate."

All this to say, when you hear "rumors" from people "in the know", don't believe them. Go talk to the person the rumor is about, or say nothing and just wait and see.

[Isthisreal?]

Valid point. "I heard this"...."I heard that"...The fact that you started hearing rumors isn't a rumor of course. Decades of gossip-rumors-must know opinions- partial truths-slander- GCC obsessions-rude emails by anonymous people on this forum "in the know" doesn't count though...No gossip going on here!

[Linda]

On January 12th, Suzanne wrote: "August of 2003: after learning from Mark Bowen (ECC pastor) that Mark D. did not follow through on my therapist's therapeutic recommendation (see earlier post about Mark Bowen agreeing that Mark D. should and would do both recommendations), we decided to leave GCM, Rock Berlin and Evergreen."

And let's refresh ourselves as to what the earlier post mentioned was:

January 11, 2018, Suzanne wrote: "The people present at the meeting in which I confronted my abuser Mark Darling were: my therapist, Mark & Kathy Darling, Mark Bowen, John van Dyck and myself.

Mark Darling brought Kathy Darling along.  To the best of my remembrance John (husband and ECC pastor at the time) and I did not know about that beforehand.  Mark Bowen being present was not my request  but I agreed to it, and all these years later, I am grateful he was as he is now complicit.  He heard about the abuse (some of it) and verbally agreed to the therapeutic care plan for Mark Darling that my therapist recommended. The therapeutic care plan:

1.  stepping out of ministry for a time and
2.  engaging in therapy,

was never implemented by Mark Darling.  Some time later when John van Dyck asked Mark Bowen if Mark Darling had done the care plan, Mark Bowen answered, "No, Mark [Darling] doesn't  think he needs to."

And, as long as we mentioned their reasons for leaving, let's take a minute to remember that the BOT report corroborated Suzanne's statements: "From the Investigator's report: "ECC failed to take appropriate action in response to misconduct allegations." In 2001, the four Evergreen pastors, Mark Bowen, Brent Knox, Doug Patterson, and John van Dyck made aware of SVD's concerns about Mark Darling's conduct acknowledged those concerns, and engaged with Mark Darling in a process over the course of several months in a good faith effort to address her concerns, but failed to follow through and implement appropriate corrective action regarding Mark Darling's conduct..."

I don't want this point to be lost.

From the start, Suzanne said she and John LEFT BERLIN BECAUSE THE CORRECTIVE PLAN DEVELOPED BY THE THERAPIST WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED.

In their report, the BOT acknowledged that in 2001 Mark Bowen, Brent Knox, Doug Patterson, and John van Dyck were aware of concerns of improper behavior and "FAILED TO FOLLOW THROUGH AND IMPLEMENT APPROPRIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION REGARDING MARK DARLING'S CONDUCT". (John, of course, left over this inaction.)

4 LEAD PASTORS HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS SINCE 2001.

This is no small thing.

Addendum:

The fact that you started hearing rumors isn't a rumor of course.

No, it's not a rumor. Several people actually said these things to me. That is a first person account. I actually heard it, so it's not a rumor.

[Badger]

Valid point. "I heard this"...."I heard that"...The fact that you started hearing rumors isn't a rumor of course. Decades of gossip-rumors-must know opinions- partial truths-slander- GCC obsessions-rude emails by anonymous people on this forum "in the know" doesn't count though...No gossip going on here!

So, if Linda "heard" something first hand at an Evergreen meeting and recounts what she heard that constitutes a rumor and slander?

Oh the GCC definitions of gossip and slander and slanter and rude and partial truths and obsessions just keep getting better.

Keep it up Isthisreal?, you're making your cult proud.

[GodisFaithful]

The sad thing is that many people at Evergreen were told lies at a meeting as to why the Van Dykes left. Mark Darling and Mark Bowen knew why the van Dykes were leaving and they got up in front of people, some I am sure who had contributed money to the Berlin mission, and told bold face lies in order to cover their own reputation. They thought that would work and the truth would be buried forever but God is not mocked. All those pastors decided to go along with Mark Darling's decision that he did not need help in the area of being inappropriate with women in his church. The layers of cover up are really awful. Mark Bowen received multiple reports of inappropriate behavior about Mark Darling from women and he did nothing. He covered for Mark Darling. And he has the audacity to say that he goofed up because of his temperament. What a joke! Why is there any respect for a pastor who makes excuses like that for failing multiple women in his church and covering up the truth.

No wonder the BoT gave a very simplified summary of the investigation. It is so incriminating of the pastors who were involved in this.

Of course I wish this would lead to significant changes in the leadership structure at Evergreen, so that pastors cannot so easily abuse their power and their people. But if there is no genuine repentance, there will be no significant change. The leadership at the top will stay the good old boys club who cover for each other in a pinch. Even Brent and Mark Bowen's talks were all about damage control and covering for themselves, downplaying any sin or wrong doing, and even covering for Mark Darling by going on and on about how much they admire and appreciate him while he is completely unrepentant. All Mark Bowen said was that Mark Darling is in denial. Oh really, is that all? He is unrepentant. And lying. Why don't they just say what everyone can see? Mark Bowen never acknowledged doing anything wrong or sinful on his part. He talks like a CEO who is pushed to realize that his organization needs a little tweaking. He made light of the situation.

It made me really sick listening to Mark Bowen and Brent Knox make excuses. They are showing themselves to be pastors who are experts at making excuses for sin. What examples of Christ-like character they are not! Church members are going to have to figure out how not to follow their example.

[Badger]

It made me really sick listening to Mark Bowen and Brent Knox make excuses. They are showing themselves to be pastors who are experts at making excuses for sin. What examples of Christ-like character they are not! Church members are going to have to figure out how not to follow their example.

Well said!!

A Warning Against Hypocrisy

1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.4They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteriesa wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

8“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.  - Matthew 23:1-12 (emphasis Badger's)

[Watching]

The sad thing is that many people at Evergreen were told lies at a meeting as to why the Van Dykes left. Mark Darling and Mark Bowen knew why the van Dykes were leaving and they got up in front of people, some I am sure who had contributed money to the Berlin mission, and told bold face lies in order to cover their own reputation. They thought that would work and the truth would be buried forever but God is not mocked. All those pastors decided to go along with Mark Darling's decision that he did not need help in the area of being inappropriate with women in his church. The layers of cover up are really awful. Mark Bowen received multiple reports of inappropriate behavior about Mark Darling from women and he did nothing. He covered for Mark Darling. And he has the audacity to say that he goofed up because of his temperament. What a joke! Why is there any respect for a pastor who makes excuses like that for failing multiple women in his church and covering up the truth.

No wonder the BoT gave a very simplified summary of the investigation. It is so incriminating of the pastors who were involved in this.

Of course I wish this would lead to significant changes in the leadership structure at Evergreen, so that pastors cannot so easily abuse their power and their people. But if there is no genuine repentance, there will be no significant change. The leadership at the top will stay the good old boys club who cover for each other in a pinch. Even Brent and Mark Bowen's talks were all about damage control and covering for themselves, downplaying any sin or wrong doing, and even covering for Mark Darling by going on and on about how much they admire and appreciate him while he is completely unrepentant. All Mark Bowen said was that Mark Darling is in denial. Oh really, is that all? He is unrepentant. And lying. Why don't they just say what everyone can see? Mark Bowen never acknowledged doing anything wrong or sinful on his part. He talks like a CEO who is pushed to realize that his organization needs a little tweaking. He made light of the situation.

It made me really sick listening to Mark Bowen and Brent Knox make excuses. They are showing themselves to be pastors who are experts at making excuses for sin. What examples of Christ-like character they are not! Church members are going to have to figure out how not to follow their example.

You nailed it.  Thank you, GIF.   After listening to the cookie-cutter messages from Mark B and Brent, and hearing no remorse or repentance for their own behavior, I'm repulsed.  I'm curious how the message was delivered at New Hope since a recorded BOT report is not online.  Doug Patterson was a part of this mess from the beginning and I'd love to hear how he handled that message.  Anyone that was at that service care to share?