At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.

Matt 24:11

When Jesus said "many false prophets will arise and mislead many", he meant "many". Not just a few.

I've had to re-calibrate my caution meter because of recent reports of abuse and cover-up. IHOPKC. Even reports of spiritual abuse and cover-up within the FAI community hit very close to home. This is especially hard because I've been personally invested in that community.

What makes this especially tragic is many good things have come out of communities like those mentioned above. This leads to confusion and a host of mixed feelings.

To be fair, these allegations have not yet been substantiated by third party investigations. So far, these organisations have only dealt with this internally. That should raise a red flag. The allegations go back years without any official or public response from the organizations in question.

And then there's the matter of the alleged victims who've been subjected to spiritual, physical, or verbal abuse, or shaming within a community that was designed to protect and feed the flock.

The testimony of professional counselors like Dianne Langberg, journalists like Julie Roys, and other caregivers who work with the wounded suggest that this is a very real and significant problem that infects many church ministries.

At this point, I've become cautious. Particularly of high profile ministries with international reach.

Wherever there is money & power gained through religious position, there will be self-interest & hypocrisy.

- Julie Roys

Whenever God’s people fail to speak truth, expose the deeds of darkness to light, and function as a refuge for the abused, afflicted, and needy they have not only failed you [the abused] but have failed our God as well, for they look nothing like Him.

- Diane Langberg

"A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Cor 13:1-5

 

Update: Frontier Alliance International (FAI) released an important update this morning Dec. 3, 2023.

Founder and President Dalton Thomas Lifsey tendered his unconditional resignation from his leadership role within our organization on November 20, 2023. This resignation was effective upon its submission with no possibility of Dalton being restored to a leadership or ministry role within FAI.

- FAI Board of Directors