Woman With Red Hair, Crying. Public Domain

“There are none so blind as those who will not see abuse right before their eyes.” link

This weekend was a pivotal moment in my sixteen years of blogging. I joined a discussion with a group of survivors who had been sexually abused as children. My part in this situation is now completed. There is more ongoing, but I cannot say anything until the story is finished. That should happen within the next couple of months. I know you will understand when I can speak freely. I believe this time will help some survivors feel like they are being heard. Since December, I have been working on this project. It is back to normal until this story is told publicly. I have sensed God’s timing and direction as this has progressed. Thank you for being patient. This will be worth it.

Nepotism doesn’t work in the church.

This is one more story that illustrates a TWW axiom. Churches and ministries with moms and dads running the show should not allow their children to be part of the same ministry. When bad things happen to Junior, such as being accused of sexual abuse, Mom and Dad tend to protect him. In February 2023, I wrote Jackson Gatlin, the Youth Pastor of The Vineyard Church, Duluth, Accused of “Misconduct,” Is Suspended, Along With His Father and Lead Pastor Michael Gatlin.

• I do not believe pastors should hire family members to work for them. Even supervising a family member as a volunteer can lead to problems. Here is an example of how it can go wrong. John Ortberg Resigns from Menlo Church.

In another post, I wrote:

…I have seen this sort of thing happen time and time again. Moms and dads like to protect their kids, even when the kiddos grow up and develop particular sexual predilections. I, for one, am opposed to creating a mom-and-pop shop model to replace independent church leadership based on Biblical relationships instead of nuclear family units. Even Jesus did not call His own brother, James, to be one of the Twelve. Later, James would become a leader in the church as well as a martyr.

This story eventually demonstrated how a church can deal with the fallout and do the right thing. That does not mean that there won’t be deserved repercussions. This post is a follow-up that demonstrates that church members should beware of churches that hire families.

The story of Brenda (Mom), Dad (Michael,) and Junior (Jackson.)

The basic story is this. Michael Gatlin and his wife, Brenda, ran Duluth Vineyard. They hired their son, Jackson, to be a youth pastor. Eventually, allegations arose that Jackson had sexually abused multiple young girls in the church. The church leaders immediately hired GRACE and Guidepost Solutions to conduct an investigation.

In March 2023, I wrote Brenda Gatlin Has Resigned. Vineyard USA, Within 1 Month, Responded Thoroughly to the Accusations of Abuse at Vineyard Duluth! They Are an Example of How It Should Be Done! I wrote:

On 2/6/23, I posted Jackson Gatlin, the Youth Pastor of The Vineyard Church, Duluth, Accused of “Misconduct,” Is Suspended, Along With His Father and Lead Pastor, Michael Gatlin. I was concerned about the church’s response, apparently referring to the potential accusations as “misconduct.” As you will see, the church leaders responded quickly to deal with this matter appropriately.

On 2/10, I reported Vineyard USA Responds to Pastors About the Allegations of Sexual Abuse at Vineyard Duluth. Brenda Gatlin Has Been Placed on Leave. They requested help from GRACE. The leaders also spoke of concern for the victims.

On 2/15, I posted (a 1/2) Update on the Vineyard Church, Duluth. Jackson Gatlin Has Been Terminated, and the title speaks for itself. Jackson reportedly refused to talk to GRACE.

On 2/24, I posted (2/2) Update: The Vineyard Church Duluth Pastor, Michael Gatlin, Resigns and a Commenter Who Gets It, another title that speaks for itself. But, unfortunately, he also reportedly refused to talk with GRACE.

On 2/27, the following letter was published by Vineyard USA: Update Regarding Brenda & Michael Gatlin. (They both resigned.)

Jackson Gatlin is sentenced to prison. His youngest victim was 12, and Pastors Mom and Dad tried to protect their son.

Yahoo News posted Former Duluth youth pastor sentenced to prison for sexual abuse of students.

A former Duluth youth pastor has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for sexually assaulting multiple young girls during his time at the church.

Jackson Michael Gatlin, 36, was sentenced to 156 months in prison on Monday after pleading guilty to five counts of criminal sexual conduct on Nov. 6. He must also register as a sex offender.

Charges had been filed against Gatlin in early 2023 after multiple women came forward saying they had been sexually assaulted by him when they were children, the youngest being 12 at the time of the abuse.

…One of the earliest recorded sexual abuse cases dated back to 2007, when the victim was 16. She says he brought her to his home and assaulted her.

She managed to escape and call her mom, and when her mother brought this incident up to Brenda Gatlin, she allegedly responded by saying: “We know your daughter has issues,” and hung up the phone.

Although the church was transparent, civil lawsuits have been filed against it, the denomination, and the Gatlins.

The church leaders were transparent about the investigation’s results, publicly posting updates. Here is one such transparent and comprehensive update: OUR RESPONSE TO MISCONDUCT. After a shakey first start, the church leadership demonstrated their commitment to seeking the truth and keeping their website pages updated. If one visits this page, they will find enough information to keep them busy for hours. To this effort, I say, “Well done.” Note that civil lawsuits were filed against Jackson, Michael, Brenda, Duluth Vineyard and Vineyard USA.,

As a church community, we face a heartbreaking and very serious situation. Our former pastoral assistant (Jackson Gatlin) has pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct. Five criminal complaints were filed against him. We have also received an independent investigation report from Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE) finding extensive abuse by both Jackson Gatlin and our former senior pastors (Michael and Brenda Gatlin). These findings include sexual misconduct, cover up, abuse of pastoral or spiritual power, and emotional abuse. Civil lawsuits have also been filed against Jackson, Michael, Brenda, Duluth Vineyard and Vineyard USA.

The Christian Post offered Duluth Vineyard, Vineyard USA, to discuss accountability for sex abuse as they face multiple lawsuits.

Both The Vineyard Church and Vineyard USA, have been named in nine civil lawsuits alongside Jackson Gatlin,

The church claims that the mothership, Vineyard International, sought to protect the Gatlins.

Kliewer (ed. note: the interim lead pastor at Duluth) highlighted several ways in which he believes Vineyard USA appeared to prioritize the perpetrators of abuse instead if the alleged victims and recommended 20 actions Vineyard USA could take to better address the issue of abuse in the organization including radical transparency.

Here are other recommendations by Kliewer.

Other recommendations include: a public acknowledgment and apology for past failures; offering private apologies and making amends with survivors and churches that are willing to engage; dedicating a main session at the next National Conference to confession, lament, and a call for repentance regarding past mishandling of abuse; gender diversity in leadership; and investing in trauma-informed training.

An example of the problems with nepotism in the church.

In the CP post, Kliewer references Brenda Gatlin’s attack on GRACE. I found this response fascinating. Brenda’s RingCentral Message 1/6/223:17 pmm to John, Brian, Casey & Michael:

…The way this is being handled is not biblical. The way
you have determined to navigate through this process does not seem biblical. I get it. I
understand what you are hoping to accomplish. But clearly, we do not respond to someone in
our community who has sinned or been accused of sinning EVER…the way you are
recommending everyone responds to this.

…The lack of wisdom around your decision and instructions is appalling to me. The cold
calculated way you are treating Jackson and the instructions you are giving him are only harmful
to him, to us, and to our relationship with the community we have laid our life down for over 25
years. I could not disagree with you more. And I do not think you will be able to walk through this
without our leadership.

…Robb Morgan and I have discussed this and surely you are aware that Vineyard USA will not be
working with GRACE anymore for several reasons that you are aware of. I will never
recommend someone to GRACE because I would never want them to experience what we are
experiencing and I refuse to believe that we, God’s Spirit led people, can not come up with a
more biblical way to navigate a difficult situation.

..,through. I am heartbroken in every way. I am grateful for
Jackson’s honesty, (he can remember, confess, and acknowledge his wrongdoing already. Did
anybody think to ask him?) humility, authenticity, closeness to Jesus, and his transparency with
us. I know he is getting a message that the church is not safe, he must not be called to ministry,
and he will not be able to trust, directly from the way you are handling this. He is able to express
those things. He did not leave his house for 2 weeks and has come to our house a handful of
times. He does not feel “safe” leaving his home and you have extinguished his community and
support system.

This response is a clear example of why nepotism is dangerous in the church. Amid the developing truth of Jackson’s misconduct, Brenda does not mention the victims in her response. She is far more concerned about her boy, Jackson, not feeling safe when he leaves home. She failed in her duty as a leader in the church who should have cared about the victims. She will now be worried about those victims. Some are suing her as well as her husband.

The Vineyard Mothership (USA)

Here is their take on their response to Duluth Vineyard. Transparency Update. My hope is they respond better to the criticism that they supported the pastors over the abused.

To proactively address the lack of information or misinformation and promote transparency, we have created a summary outlining Vineyard USA’s ongoing efforts, as well as the mistakes we believe Vineyard USA has made in this process.

…We are called to support victims of abuse—to listen intently to their stories, offer unwavering compassion, provide resources for healing, and advocate for justice. We are also called to extend grace and mercy to those who have caused harm, offering accountability and forgiveness while providing opportunities for repentance and restoration, recognizing that even the most broken can find redemption through the cross of Christ.

This tension is further complicated when considering the needs of a local church navigating the impact of trauma and pain – to provide practical support, resources, pastoral care, and community as they navigate the complexities of justice and reconciliation. And, we are responsible for providing leadership to the wider Vineyard movement – to provide appropriate updates and address any systemic issues of abuse and power dynamics within our family of churches.

This work calls us to humility, to recognize our own mistakes and limitations, and to welcome constructive criticism. It demands discernment, enabling us to navigate complex situations with wisdom and grace as new information, challenges, and insights arise. And, it requires courage—the courage to speak truth, pursue lasting change, and attend to the safety and well-being of the most vulnerable.

What I learned from this.

• There is a reason nepotism is a negative word. Parents who are the heads of churches should not hire family members.
• Vineyard Central needs to prohibit nepotism. Will they? Do they have too much of it already?
• Even though the church leadership eventually responded well, their response did not protect them from lawsuits. I believe a time is coming in which companies that insure churches will not cover churches for sexual abuse lawsuits. Unfortunately, there are too many, and I predict many more will come. I believe that churches have only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sexual abuse.
• Of course, those who want to hide things will not be willing to talk with GRACE. They seek the truth and will ask hard questions. Those are the hard questions that many in the church are reluctant to answer.

I wish the leaders of Duluty Vineyard Godspeed as they seek to transform their culture in light of this tragedy. I commend their honesty and transparency as they move forward.