Stephen Deere

[Joanna May @jburn]

Say it with me: there is no “restoration to ministry” after the abuse of a child.

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@bozlawpa @EricVolz @bozlawpa For an investigation to be seen as truly independent, and to encourage participation from victims and witnesses, is it important for investigators to be transparent about who has retained them? Does this letter, or other info from @ihopkc, provide that transparency?

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@EricVolz I regret missing question time. But a detail seems to be missing from Ms. McNamara’s letter. She states that she has “been retained,” but does not specify by whom. Can you confirm that her engagement is directly with @ihopkc and not through another entity or individual? Thanks!

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joel7Richardson @aedeere Anytime. Your boldness in addressing this unfolding tragedy and deception is strengthening those who might otherwise remain silent, providing a path from pain towards healing.

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joel7Richardson @aedeere One of the things that stood out to me was the absurdity of the proposed title of the book, "Between IRAQ and Hard Place".

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joel7Richardson @aedeere Hey Joel, I spoke with Paul personally about his meeting with Saddam. He tried to persuade me to help him write a book about it. Nothing ever came of these meetings. There wasn't much to write about. Clinton did not send him. Paul's true gift was creating his own mythology.

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joannathelee Doesn’t this contradict the entire Bible and its multiple stories of bringing redemption from people following explicitly forbidden processes? What authority allows you to limit God’s redemptive power? And whose outcome are you referencing? @EricVolz @ihopkc

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joannathelee Hasn’t IHOPKC, led by Mike Bickle, made adhering to Matthew 18 impossible by refusing meetings and having their Chief Secretary of Propaganda publicly dismiss an invitation to meet with a journalist covering IHOPKC scandals? @EricVolz @ihopkc

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joannathelee Do you think criminal activity is always easily identifiable? Do you believe that most people can legally define an “enterprise,” “enterprise affairs,” “predicate acts,” “interstate commerce,” and “intent?” @EricVolz @ihopkc

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joannathelee Couldn’t the misuse of funds, or unspecified criminal abuse, have either stemmed from a top-down style of leadership or enabled other misconduct, or both? Can you enlighten us as to why you have precluded this as a possibility? @EricVolz @ihopkc

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joannathelee So, it’s best practice to put the people who created the allegedly unhealthy environment in charge of “TRUTH and RECONCILIATION,” and then to expect people who’ve been abused or traumatized to re-enter that environment for healing? @EricVolz @ihopkc

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joannathelee Don’t honest investigations often turn up additional facts which merit individual scrutiny and change the nature and direction of the investigation? Or you think investigations are exclusively linear processes? @EricVolz @ihopkc

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joannathelee Parallel investigations occur all the time, don’t they? How does the ability, or inability, to substantiate one category of allegations invalidate other categories of allegations? @EricVolz @ihopkc

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joannathelee Haven’t the allegations upended worlds? Aren’t muddy emotions natural? Same for confusion? Can public expression of emotions bring clarity? Doesn’t it help people to know they aren't alone? @EricVolz @ihopkc

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@Joannathelee Correction. These are separate — but potentially related — categories of allegations, a crucial distinction. And why would you limit it to four? Is that assumption? @EricVolz @ihopkc

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@EricVolz Given your own admission of the deeply interconnected nature of Mike Bickle's response to the allegations and IHOPKC’s reputation and future, how is it feasible to separate IHOPKC and Mike Bickle’s interests in this crisis management situation?

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@EricVolz Isolated paragraphs introduce considerable ambiguity. Some aspects of attorney-client relationships will apply. Others won't. Which ones? Privilege? Partial transparency can obscure crucial omissions and misrepresentations. For example, what's the date on this letter?

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@EricVolz Crisis Management Essentials

Heralding attorneys' presence as a "good thing" is like proclaiming that porcupines make excellent foot stools.
Don't demean scrutinizers and expect less scrutiny.
Denying that you spin, denies your purpose.
Avoid becoming part of the crisis.

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@bozlawpa @EricVolz Not totally unprecedented. Missouri's Sunshine Law requires governments, and some private organizations, to release un-redacted engagement letters. Shouldn't a church be as transparent as the government? See screenshots below of an engagement letter released via the Sunshine Law.

[Stephen Deere @stephencdeere]

@reachjulieroys @ihopkc Don't NDA's typically contain exceptions that say: "Ok, to break glass if issued a subpoena?" Without that exception, doesn't the NDA risk being unenforceable, regardless of a subpoena, b/c it violates public policy?