In addition, this document further proves knowledge of Chantry’s crimes by Earl Blackburn, the most powerful leader in ARBCA over the past 20 years. He has been at the center of the cover-up. He is the senior pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana. He should be removed from ministry. His church should also be removed from the Southern Baptist Convention unless there is radical change.
Blackburn has adamantly stated he had no knowledge of any allegations of child abuse against Chantry. It is a blatant lie. He knew everything and had all the incriminating evidence from Lindblad.
-Brent Detwiler, “Don Lindblad’s Recently Discovered Review of Informal Council Investigation for Chairman Earl Blackburn Proves Intentional Cover-Up of Tom Chantry’s Crimes by Marcus “Mike” McKnight, Tedd Tripp and Rich Jensen.”
After former ARBCA pastor Tom Chantry’s two trials many of the men who were allegedly involved in the coverup of Chantry’s crimes retired, pulled their church out of ARBCA, or removed their church website from the internet. I won’t speculate on the reasons for their actions.
ARBCA’s (The Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America) membership dropped from a high of 85 churches to about 11 churches. ARBCA recently changed their name to “Confessional Baptist Association” (CBA) and I will speculate on the reason for that – so potential new members who visit one of their churches and then goes home and Googles “ARBCA” won’t read all the stories of their horid past.
Earl Blackburn, one of the top leaders in ARBCA for many years, decided to retire in 2019 (see my post on Blackburn’s retirement here.) He returned to North Carolina, the state he was born and raised in.
It seems to me that ol’ Earl just isn’t happy unless he occupies a position of authority, so he ran for a seat on the Elkin, NC School Board.
After the election I checked out the Elkin Tribune and regrettably, I must inform you that Blackburn was elected. I left a comment on the article concerning Blackburn’s victory and shortly thereafter someone anonymously replied to my comment.
Obviously I cannot say who left the comment, but I can say that I received numerous anonymous emails while covering the Chantry trials, accusing me of lying and breaking several of the Ten Commandments. Were I to guess I’d say these were from ARBCA leaders. Nameless and spineless is their M.O.
I checked back a few days ago and “libel inc” edited his comment. Perhaps a certain someone is getting some questions from the good people of Elkin? I’m accused of being a liar, but there is nothing to back up the accusation by “libel inc.” In my opinion, ARBCA leaders were a pack of lying thugs. This reminds me of what Judge Astrowsky said during the first Chantry trial:
“Throughout the trial, the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches investigation into Chantry’s misconduct was mentioned. During that investigation more than 20 years ago, nothing was reported to the police. Tuesday, Judge Astrowsky warned both counselors to not derail too much into ARBCA as they are not being tried in this case. ‘If this were a trial of ARBCA, they’d be convicted,’ he said. ‘But that’s not what this trial is about.”
-Verde News, August 18, 2018 (Page no longer available, but quote may be found here.)
Below is a screenshot of the updated comment by “libel inc.” Again, there is no proof of me lying, just groundless character assassination with an appeal to North Carolinian’s mental prowess. (I will say that most North Carolinians are likely not as easily duped as the majority of ARBCA members were, but their votes were cast with no idea of Blackburn’s past.)
A woman whose acquaintance I made while covering the trials of former ARBCA pastor Tom Chantry has a blog called “Ephesians 5:11.” It is an excellent compilation of many documents pertaining to the trials. Below, in her words, is the purpose of her blog:
I’m a former member of two ARBCA member churches whose desire is to uphold the 9th commandment by promoting truth. My blog is intended to be a reference for those who are seeking truth regarding ARBCA and Tom Chantry. I pray it will be helpful, especially to members of current and former ARBCA member churches.
Again, to quote Brent Detwiler, “Earl Blackburn [was] the most powerful leader in ARBCA over the past 20 years. He has been at the center of the cover-up [in the Tom Chantry case].
Cheryl, in her Ephesians 5:11 blog has done an excellent job of compiling the facts of Blackburn’s involvement in the Chantry case. You can access her truthful information on Blackburn here.
That’s not all, Corey Smith, the youngster who took over Blackburn’s job after he retired, demonstrates his lack of discernment by featuring Blackburn in a conference for young adults! I wonder how much cash Blackburn will be paid for this?
You just can’t keep an evil snake down, until they breathe their last. Then they find themselves where I briefly was 25 years ago. In a dark hole where the only company is an unhappy demon who is much more powerful then they. This justice is permanent in a way we have a hard time to imagine.
First?
Yet again, more high-ranking leaders skate. How sad. Todd and Dee, I’m so sorry for the nasty, untrue comments.
The deceitful putting on the whole armor of God? The belt of truth?
Do cowards wear the bodyarmor or bulletproof vest of righteousness?
Do pigs really wear lipstick?
You know what they say about ad hominim attacks: only those who have already lost their argument use them.
Notice, your anonymous accuser doesn’t provide any information to back up his claims. Instead, he calls you a liar and heavily implies that your state residency has something to do with your believability.
ES,
“‘If this were a trial of ARBCA, they’d be convicted,’ he said.”
Thugs Anonymous.
I sure hope this post gets known by his fellow board members.
Todd
Are those comments still open. I would love to comment that I, as a North Carolinian, believe this to be true!!!
Some corners of the American church are dark and scary because idolizers defend their idols to the bitter end. Some even hold onto potatoes after they become too hot to handle, eventually getting burned. They then distance themselves from those they once-admired and it becomes “Chantry who?” … “Blackburn who?” A lot of churchgoers in America ain’t got enough spiritual sense to discern truth from error, genuine from counterfeit, bad-boys from good-boys. So, the beat goes on … but only on this side of eternity.
Last I checked comments were still open.
https://www.elkintribune.com/news/36566/republicans-sweep-elkin-school-board-election
America is in a mess. From local school boards to Congress, a lot of rascals won seats of power recently.
Todd Wilhelm,
A certain attempted commenter has a history with this blog, and neither comment was allowed. 🙂
Ava Aaronson,
Well, yes.
I told ya!
Because that would mean admitting that years or decades of your belief system was wrong. You know, the one you organized your life around. And that’s just too tall of a hill to climb for most.
“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
(Proverbs 16:18)
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
(Proverbs 11:12)
HTML hiccup.
One of Elkin’s Seven Mountains has been Conquered.
Remember the Seven Mountains Mandate?
POWER seized and held by “Ten GODLY Men” at every level?
Birds of a feather … they all find each other.
It would be as brutal a dictatorship as any the world has seen.
Sounds like The Gospel Coalition
And after a generation or two of such a Godly Christian Nation, the name “Jesus Christ” will acquire the exact same baggage as the name “Adolf Hitler”.
Remember the ending scene in Left Behind: Volume 12 (according to Slacktivist)?
Christ has returned in POWER and Glory, casting all who are not Saved (like the two Author Self-Inserts) into Eternal Hell and Recreating the World for the MIllenium. The two ASIs are walking away from the Throne with their Crowns of Glory; one turns to the other and says “Now we can finally have a CHRISTIAN Nation.”
In Professor Tolkien’s terminology:
They have been in the Timeless Halls.
They have received a New Arda – no, a New EA (“All-That-Is”) – from the Hand of Eru Iluvatar Himself.
And the only thing they can think of is how this gives them POWER to carry out their Agenda.
In Godliness and RIGHTeousness, of course.
Sunk Cost Fallacy, the con man’s greatest friend.
“Today the Elkin School Board, TOMORROW THE WORLD!”
As of now, THEY NEVER EXISTED.
doubleplusungood ref doubleplusunperson.
memhole.
RANK HATH IT’S PRIVILEGE, LOWBORN!
“THOU WAS ALTOGETHER BORN IN SIN, AND DOST THOU TEACH US???????”