May 29, 2016
Dear Pastor Brown,
I appreciate your phone calls and attempts to contact me in response to my request. To be honest, I’ve avoided answering because I feel more needs to be said than can be expressed in a phone call. What I say from here on, I do with no malice or ill will. Please take it with all due respect.
I have never been the person that “goes with the flow” and accepts what is unjust without being brutally honest. Although I’ve tried to just be quiet and respectful and concentrate on my daughter, I truly feel in my spirit that the Lord is calling me to say to you what others won’t. What others are afraid to say. I fear only one; our Heavenly Father. He is the one that I will face when it is my time for judgment. The Bible talks specifically of children in Matthew 18:6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones-those who believe in me-to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” I don’t want to have to explain why I allowed children that He blessed me with, be harmed by any school or even church while I sat silently, doing nothing.
I’d like to give you some background, though you never asked. After noticing the nonsense assignments coming home from public school, I spent literally 1000’s of hours researching what is going on in public schools. What I discovered kept me up night after night worrying about not only my children, but the future of humanity. I began networking with other concerned parents, having discussions with state representatives (some pretty tense), meetings with school administration and had frank discussions with teachers to gain insight information on common core. I even started a blog to chronicle our experiences and share information. KCA was the light at the end of the tunnel for me and I shared how wonderful our experience was and urged others to seek a Christian private school as well. Now sadly, I must share my feelings of betrayal with the blog members.
After our move to Port Orchard, my daughter attended a public school for ONE WEEK in Port Orchard before I decided that I could not continue to send her in good conscience. She was miserable, the other students I saw were miserable and what I saw in that week was enough to lose hope in the ability of public schools to educate. My husband and I made the choice to look into private schools. That is when we found KCA. Although, not state of the art by any means, when we toured the school, I was amazed by not only the depth of knowledge these children had, but the genuine sense of mutual respect between staff and student really stood out to me. We enrolled her and paid tuition for the year that day. I have to tell you at that moment the weight of the world was lifted from my shoulders. I knew she would be in good hands.
Jasmine was happier, more engaged in learning (always giving me fun facts about science) and her class became a second family to her. Mrs. Graf’s assessment was that she was progressing far better than expected, but had issues with confidence. I slowly started seeing my little girl gaining that confidence and BAM! One snap decision by you after 46 days as Lead Pastor sent us back several steps. This year had been one of promise and progress to one of major disappointment — the feeling that it was another wasted year. Any growth she had made has been dashed by the confusion of switching curriculums at the end of the year. I, along with many other parents I’ve spoken with feel left in the lurch with NO idea what to do for the next school year.
You cited financial reasons and made the claim that the church would’ve “gone under” had the choice not been made. I’d like to ask if the church was under such financial strain, how could it afford to renovate with the new decor aimed towards children? The custom walnut tables were not cheap. I’ve confirmed with a professional that the cost was likely around $3,000. Several sources have confirmed you being made more than one offer of the cash needed for the school, along with other offers to sustain the school through the year and you refused. Why? My suspicion is that you will be expanding the child care center. The potential for increased monthly revenue is definitely more profitable than the measly school tuitions that were received yearly. My problem is this. Church isn’t about making a profit, it’s to serve the community. To spread the word of our Lord and Savior. Do you think that God would chose profit over his precious children? Are you of the belief that he with the wealthiest or biggest church is guaranteed a spot in Heaven? I have to say honestly, I’m not sure I can walk into another church again, after doing research on the profit mindset and the several seminars offered on the “turnaround church” and becoming “unstuck”, etc. I now know now that the profit is truly the priority…not leading souls to salvation or ministering and outreach to children or anyone that is not profitable. The title of Pastor alone doesn’t give you a free pass -- as the Bible says, “judgement will begin in the house of God”.
You arrived at this decision seemingly overnight, made arrangements for our children, all without even mentioning to parents that there was a financial issue. Not only did you commit what equals fraud, you violated our parental rights.
I have a keen ability to research and a few things don’t pass the truth test. The first thing I caught was about five minutes into our meeting. I asked you if the children would be separated from their teachers and you said you didn’t know. But you did know. You knew that the students would be separated from classmates and teachers. Secondly, for a church that is allegedly struggling financially, I find it surprising that it is listed on the FIRST PAGE of the NW Ministries directory of Largest Churches. I find your involvement in the Recalibration COHORT Program interesting as well as your actions lining up with the information I’ve read from sources like Troy Jones and Don Ross on “the turnaround church”.
Before you made this snap decision, did you spend any time with these children? Did you make any attempt to get to know them, their life experiences or would that have been to uncomfortable for you to do knowing full well, you were going to adversely affect their life? I had was able to volunteer for field trips and I got to know some of these wonderful children and truly enjoyed them and their different personalities. I heard of some of their life stories, some of them tragic. This school was a blessing and a constant in their lives. Does the image of my daughter in tears clutching Mrs. Graf in that meeting affect you in any way or does the almighty dollar justify your choices in your mind? Choices you had NO RIGHT to make without consultation of parents.
I attended the Seabeck KCA retreat and saw several children (including my own) break down into tears as it marked the close of the year and finality for them. The end of hope, stability and the start of uncertainty. I couldn’t help but notice that you were not in attendance.
I also read the article in the Port Orchard Independent and was STUNNED to say the least at your version of events. In case you were unclear when I left our meeting on Good Friday, and even now… I am not a willing participant, I am not happy and frankly feel like you sold our children out. Any progress academically that Jasmine’s made has been counteracted by your choice to profit above children. That article was equal to you “kicking us while we were down”.
In my humble opinion, you’d be better suited for a sales position as you clearly don’t grasp the gravity of the decisions and the influence you carry in a Pastoral role. Men in your position are sought for counsel, trusted with closely held personal information and looked to for leadership and guidance. Held in in high regard. How can a man who doesn’t even follow scripture lead a congregation?
A Pastor should be abounding with integrity, full of the Holy Spirit and honorable. Not tempted by greed and power; willing to intimidate and cheat both staff, children and parents to make himself look worthy to others doing the same by returning a larger profit. That is not Godly. It is an abomination.
I cannot support you leading any church with a sinful and greedy heart. As more church members find out about this situation, I think the outcry for your resignation is going to grow, as will the mistrust of leadership and the blatant emphasis on profiting instead of doing God’s work. If you truly cared for the church, you’d quietly resign now before more damage is done. You claim that you have been transparent, yet I have not received the financials and meeting minutes that I requested to show your justification for closing the school and disrupting many families lives. You are transparent, but only because I see past the facade. I feel you and the “men of profit” you hold in such high regard, need to resign, re-read the Bible and more importantly, repent. Continuing on your current path is sinful and immoral. If you are driven by money, I suggest you find a career in the private sector.
Many realize the times that we are living in. We all are sinners…every one of us will be judged. Many will be saved through repentance and the Grace of a forgiving God. Many cast into the lake of fire for defying the word and commandments of the Almighty without regard for the consequences.
And here I will close. I will say that I am grateful for ************taking in the children that YOU threw out like garbage. None of us chose to send our children there, but we thank them for taking them in and doing the best they could under the circumstances.
Regards,
