Looking for Grace

Well, we have finally arrived!

This episode officially marks the beginning of a true deep dive into the GRACE Report and what it had to say about so many topics and all the recommendations that were made.

Given that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, it seemed appropriate to start this journey with what the report writers had to say about Greater Grace and their treatment of and attitude towards women.

CONTENT WARNING: this episode does contain statistical data regarding domestic violence and related issues and a reference to sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been impacted by domestic violence and need help, there are resources available such as the Domestic Violence Hotline, which is open 24/7 at 800-799-7233.

In the very first spotlight segment "Heroes of the Faithful", we will be looking at the story of a man named Steve whose character and courage set him apart in the time of the Christian Research Institute investigation and subsequent writing of the Martin Report.

Steve would likely not consider himself to be a hero of any kind, but it's his belief in what was right and his willingness to take action to stand for that belief, even at a personal cost, that make his story even more worth taking a look at.

If you know someone who you think should be nominated for this spotlight segment, please reach out at [email protected].

This week, we will be taking a closer look at a series from this summer on the Grace Hour Show about Flawed Heroes. From the absurd to the maddening, we will discuss what does and does not qualify as a character flaw-and the idea for a new segment for the podcast that was inspired in large part from this series.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode does contain conversation regarding self-image, mental health issues, and self-harm. Please only listen with care. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available any time by calling or texting 988.

This week I was delighted to be joined on the podcast by Melissa.

Melissa's time with "the ministry" began in Wiscasset under Carl and wove it's way through South Berwick and Lenox before her journey led her away for a time. She then found herself back in Baltimore with "the ministry" under Tom Schaller.

In this conversation we talk about her life experiences and explore the differences in being with The Bible Speaks under Carl Stevens and Greater Grace under Tom Schaller. We also talk about what leaving looked like, and all the lessons she has learned along the way.

Melissa is kind, warm, and insightful, and had so many wonderful and wise things to share-I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

If you have stories you'd like to share, please reach out at [email protected]

In this episode, we will be taking a look at what the church's response should be when a convicted child offender wants to join their faith community, or when a member of their faith community is convicted of an egregious crime against children and wants to remain an active part of the faith community.

Specifically, we will be looking at this through the lens of how church leaders in Pawley's Island Community Church and Greater Grace World Outreach handled these requests-and what the results of those decisions were. We will also be looking at what organizations such as GRACE recommend in response to these situations.

CONTENT WARNING: this episode contains multiple references to sexual crimes against children. Please take care if you choose to listen.

Reporting credit for this episode goes to: Tim Whitaker of Tim Whitaker Speaks, The Post & Courier News/SC, WCBD News/SC, WMBF News/SC, ABC4 News/Charleston, and Fox News/Baltimore.

Constructive feedback, stories, or just a hello can be sent via email to [email protected].

Here we are-we have arrived at the big split of May 2005 at the Chicago conference after over a year of chaos, division, battles for power, and failed attempts at peacemaking.

In this episode, we will not be looking at just the Chicago conference itself, but the lens through which the lead up and result was framed by Baltimore leaders. We will also explore how this was just the beginning of a pattern that has continued to this day.

Constructive feedback, stories, or just a hello can be sent via email to [email protected].

For this episode I am joined by a special guest who is not only a great friend of this podcast but an excellent writer in her own right. Becka from the Grumpy Bex blog is here to help me break down the recent Doctrinal Clarification presented by Greater Grace.

We discuss what they clarified, what they didn't, and all the missed opportunities and pitfalls we spotted along the way. This episode is a bit longer than most, but it was a great conversation and one I hope you all enjoy listening to as much as we enjoyed having.

Becka's work can be found on Substack at https://substack.com/@grumpybex -be sure to go give her a follow, as she's doing phenomenal work!

In this episode, we explore not only what happened in the immediate aftermath of Tom Schaller being named head of Greater Grace, but also what being handed great power can reveal about people's true character. As Maya Angelou once said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."

Welcome to part three of the series on how Greater Grace came to change hands from Carl Stevens to Tom Schaller.

In this episode, we take a look at how things went from seeming unity at Sandy Cove in February to rifts and schisms all over the place as a power struggle took place over who would actually become Carl's successor as head of Greater Grace.

Most people who have had interaction with Greater Grace, the GRACE report, previous message boards, or have even looked into the organization from the outside have seen or heard about Sandy Cove.

In this episode, we are going to take a deeper look into this conference-it's intent, what was discussed, the implications and takeaways, and how it what was meant to be the beginning of re-solidifying the alliance between Baltimore and the affiliations would instead become something entirely different.