I believe his unique relationship to my father, John Ortberg Jr., is the sole reason why John Jr. went out of his way to protect his secret and facilitate his continued contact with children. John Ortberg said in an email that no such restriction exists. I weep for the Ortlands as the continued involvement in Christian ministry has obviously cost them a great deal of pain. Ortberg also used the term “virtuous pedophile” in referring to his youngest son — a claim Rev. Her brother was asked to step down, the family and church were approached, then the investigation was not thorough, putting others at risk. He does not know if there was any misconduct at Menlo Church. According to the church’s elders, the investigator did not speak to any parents whose children had contact with the volunteer. In early February 2020, ChurchLeaders reported that Pastor John Ortberg had returned from “personal leave” after allowing a church volunteer (now known to be his son, Johnny) to serve in children’s ministry for months, even though Ortberg knew the man was sexually attracted to children. Cliffe later broke with the family after being interviewed by Alvarez. Some pastor he is! Menlo Church and its senior pastor, John Ortberg Jr. have not protected their congregation’s children. In the ancient world children were routinely left to die of exposure — particularly if they were the wrong gender (you can guess which was the wrong one); they were often sold into slavery. He avoided me. In response, the church placed John Ortberg on leave in November — although it kept that information from the congregations for more than a month. The third word is surrender. At that point, Lavery chose to keep the reasons for the break confidential. Once Ortberg was convinced the volunteer was telling the truth and was not a danger to others, he prayed for the person and offered a referral for counseling and then allowed the volunteer to continue working with children. Cliffe, who has a young son, said she believes her friends can no longer be trusted. Though she may forget, I will not forget you," Ortberg quoted Isaiah 49:15. Family members told Lavery that Johnny was having a hard time understanding Lavery’s gender transition and that Lavery should “be gentle” with him. Things started out well, said Lavery. A spokesman for the church’s elder board described Alvarez as a respected investigator. Thank you for your patience. Pastor John Ortberg in 2019. The investigation closed just after Christmas. Lavery was not convinced by the investigation. Megachurch pastor John Ortberg kept a family member’s attraction to children secret. 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Lavery said Rev. John Ortberg is the senior pastor of Menlo Church in the San Francisco Bay Area. Nicole Cliffe, a writer and family friend, said she hopes John Ortberg will step down. Check the updated Commenting FAQ for more information. The choices kids make play a large part in forming who they grow to be as adults. Then finally, an open letter. Lavery believes the church’s elders and John Ortberg have worked primarily to protect their reputations, rather than finding the truth. Pastor John Ortberg offers encouragement and advice for helping your teen discover God's direction for their life as they leave home. I go to church. But there is always the realization that God is, and He is good," she said. I know there is a way forward, but the consequences for the family will last a lifetime. John Ortberg is a pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, California. Lavery reached out and invited Johnny and Lavery’s sister, Laura Ortberg Turner, to visit the apartment that Lavery shares with Lavery’s spouse, Grace, who is also trans. The choices kids make play a large part in forming who they grow to be as adults. Ortberg was born in Rockford, Illinois. Laura Ortberg Turner, guest blogger | … She said she worried the Ortbergs would never have warned her about possible risks to her son — choosing to protect their secrets rather than watch out for the best interests of others. “I noticed that my brother would no longer use a name or pronouns to refer to me,” Lavery told Religion News Service (RNS). Cliffe believes John Ortberg has betrayed the trust needed to be a pastor. I don’t believe it does, since they’re choosing to reject the way that God made them. John Ortberg baptized her. Ortberg insisted on keeping the matter secret and urged Lavery to show compassion to Johnny. Menlo Church elders have made a similar statement. John Ortberg, a popular evangelical author and megachurch pastor, betrayed a “ bond of trust ” by allowing a church volunteer who admitted being attracted to minors to still work with children, according to a statement from the elders at the Bay Area church he leads. Ortberg was first asked to go on personal leave from the church on Nov. 22, 2019, while an investigation of concerns raised by a third party about a then unidentified church … “I had entered that phone call thinking surely we will be wanting the same thing, which is for Johnny to get treatment and to not be alone with children,” Lavery told RNS. I pray. There is nothing remotely biblical about the transgender and “gender preference” nonsense that is currently in vogue in our culture. She said her son has never expressed any concerns about his coach. Thank you for reporting it. I had to work out who was who and who was what as the constant use of Last Name made understanding it difficult at first. Lavery said Johhny told Lavery that for years he had experienced sexual attraction to children but never acted on that attraction. The first is a word that is "clichéd but true," and that is "love." While a student, Lavery appeared on Jeopardy!, Show #5816 of Monday, December 21, 2009, and finished in third place. (Lavery) put (Lavery’s) whole life aside to attempt to protect children.”. But the relationship between the two had become strained after Lavery publicly came out as trans earlier in 2018. An outside panel found that the allegations against Hybels were credible. In 2014, Menlo left the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to join a breakaway denomination called ECO, A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. These kinds of investigations are not independent. Video screengrab via Focus on the Family. The controversy that ensued tarnished the reputation of the father, who’d built a career as a friendly, nonconfrontational evangelical pastor who had mostly avoided culture war battles while promoting seeker-friendly evangelism and conservative values of family and sexuality. From 1985 to 1990 he served as senior pastor at Simi Valley Community Church, and then from 1990 to 1994 at Horizons Community Church (now Baseline Community Church) in Claremont, California. Since the church wanted the investigation to be independent, with no ties to their pastor, church leaders did not contact GRACE – a leading evangelical group whose name stands for “Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment” — because the group’s founder had previously worked closely with the Ortbergs in their efforts to investigate the alleged misconduct by Hybels. When Lavery first told Cliffe about the conversation with Johnny, Cliffe said she told her friend to go slow. In November 2019, he sent a note to team members saying he had stepped down because of a family crisis. John Ortberg, megachurch pastor and author, apologized for not banning a volunteer who confessed to being attracted to children. It’s not healthy for Johnny.”. But the son assured his father that he had never acted on that attraction. He is the bestselling author of When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box; The Life You've Always Wanted; and If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. John’s teaching centers around how faith in Christ can impact our everyday lives with God. Church elders hired an employment lawyer named Fred W. Alvarez, a partner at Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP, to look at the concerns raised by Lavery. When Rev. Lavery was quick to insist Lavery knows of no specific instances of misconduct by Johnny. “When my son first spoke to me, I should have immediately asked our church elders for counsel and I should have exerted my full influence to ensure that he did not volunteer again at any event with children and youth.”, The pastor also said the church had “extensively investigated” the situation and found “no misconduct or allegations of misconduct towards anyone in the Menlo Church community.”. Yet given the scope of Johnny’s work with kids — which included years of mission trips to Mexico — Lavery believes a lengthy and thorough investigation should be in order. A spokesman for the church’s elder board also told RNS that the investigator decided not to interview the volunteer, deeming it unnecessary. Secrets Ultimately Revealed by Ortberg’s Daughter Mallory, Who Now Identifies as a Transgender Man Named Daniel Lavery. Thus it is Biblical. Alvarez’s official bio describes him as an employment lawyer whose practice focuses on defending employers but lists no expertise in working with churches or abuse. He attended Azusa Pacific University, a private, evangelical Christian university in California. . Church leaders do not expect the volunteer to have any future role at the church, according to a spokesperson for the elders. Your Magnificent Chooser. He has also studied at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. “In the years that he has coached my teammates and me, not only has he been an excellent coach, but also a great person who everyone could share a laugh with,” Tao said. "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Another example of protection of leaders and organization over people in the church. John Ortberg not only did not prevent the volunteer from working with children, he supported this person’s work with children. Video screengrab via Menlo Church. Lavery wrote in Lavery’s initial 2019 email that Lavery hoped Menlo’s leadership would conduct a “robust, thorough inquiry” into the matter. Once the investigation closed, the results found that there was no indication of wrongdoing,” the church’s elders told RNS in a statement. Church elders reprimanded the Rev. The investigator, Cliffe said, acted surprised and told her he had not known of the restriction. He said he also urged anyone who had knowledge of wrongdoing to report it to authorities. Hybels either is, or is not, rightly accused. The teacher squatted down further, looked into his eyes, held his hands, and said to him, "You know what, my mom died when I was about your age too." But after having children, she recognized how deeply God loves and delights in her. After… After the initial Menlo investigation, the Rev. The church cited theological differences in the break, which came after years of dispute in the PC(U.S.A.) over sexuality, and, Lavery wrote in Lavery’s initial 2019 email that Lavery hoped Menlo’s leadership would conduct a “robust, thorough inquiry” into the matter. Simply too inconvenient perhaps? Editor’s Note: Some of the references to Daniel Lavery have been changed to match MinistryWatch’s … God is exposing things. In what Menlo Church’s elders would later call “poor judgment” and a betrayal of trust, the megachurch pastor did not notify the church’s staff of the volunteer’s admitted attraction to minors. Shira M. Berkovits, president of Sacred Spaces, an organization that seeks to “prevent and respond to sexual abuse and other abuses of power” in Jewish communities, said there are plenty of opportunities for volunteer work that do not involve contact with children. “I became convinced that my parents do not have my brother’s best interests at heart,” Lavery said. And that’s a dangerous, dangerous situation for any parent who has a child in that congregation.”. Instead, the meeting would shatter their family to pieces. Then Ortberg, a popular speaker and evangelical leader who played a key role in drawing public attention to allegations of misconduct against Bill Hybels, the legendary founder of Willow Creek, returned to the pulpit and the church hoped to move on. It "always starts off small," Ortberg said. Instead, Ortberg, the lead pastor of Menlo, kept what he had learned about the volunteer secret from his congregation. Some group members believe it is safe, even healing, for people with this attraction to work with children. I agree with calling things out but there has to be another reason behind it. God used the reality of her looking after her children to shape her into her future self, she said. “It is important to note that sexual attraction to children does not mean that a person will act on that attraction, and one who admits to the attraction and is seeking qualified treatment from an expert, has begun the necessary work. John Ortberg has denied this allegation, saying he has never considered his son a threat to himself or others. It makes me wonder why Ortberg is still a pastor — anywhere. No one in the church or the community would have known they or their children were at risk. A spokesman for the church’s elder board described Alvarez as a respected investigator. Instead, tells the child to “shut up” and heads into the office when it’s obvious that’s where the child emerged from. “His silence and secrecy put my child in harm’s way,” she said. Lavery said Johnny has also insisted that he has never harmed anyone. The congregation member, who volunteered with youth and children at the Bay area megachurch and in the community, had been experiencing “an unwanted thought pattern of attraction to minors” and needed the pastor’s support. As a parent, you may struggle to let go of your young adult child as you're concerned about their future choices for a career and spouse, and their spiritual well-being. John Ortberg Net Worth|Salary As of 2020, Ortberg is estimated at a net worth of between $100,000-$1 million. The Hybels situation was long enough ago that I believe it was before he found out about John Ortberg the III’s sexual “interests”. “It was then I learned the reason my brother had been avoiding me was not only because of my transition, but it was because everyone else in the family knew that he was a pedophile. Alvarez’s, Since the church wanted the investigation to be independent, with no ties to their pastor, church leaders did not contact GRACE – a leading evangelical group whose name stands for “Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment” — because the group’s founder had previously worked closely with the Ortbergs in their efforts, The investigation closed just after Christmas. Still, Lavery’s brother continued working with kids. “I don’t know how you can investigate 16 years of volunteer work in about five weeks over the Christmas holidays,” Lavery said. It seems like this discussion ought to include inputs from Safe Sport trainers and advisors. And allowing your children to become who they are "requires on our part a very deep surrender.". She asked if he got his suit for Easter. In the summer of 2018, a volunteer at Menlo Church came to the Rev. ... As a parent, you may struggle to let go of your young adult child as you’re concerned about their future choices for a career and spouse, and their spiritual well-being. In the November email communicating this news to Menlo Church staff, Lavery wrote, “Last Friday, my younger brother John Ortberg … In 2014, Menlo left the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to join a breakaway denomination called ECO, A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. For example, Johnny Ortberg served for years as a coach with the Gunn Control, an Ultimate Frisbee team made up of students from Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto, California. Sarah, that is certainly one way to look at it. She described the whole situation as profoundly sad. Great! That decision left both congregation members and other organizations where the younger Ortberg had volunteered in the dark, said Jimmy Hinton, a pastor and child abuse prevention advocate. I have sung ‘Be Thou My Vision’ and celebrated Communion on a beach, while weirded-out Californians tiptoed around me. Hi. Ortberg experienced the pain for a few minutes when one of her daughters went missing in Disneyland years ago. Ortberg said God seemed distant, and at time disappointing, to her before she became a parent. The Willow Creek founder, who denied any misconduct, resigned in 2018, followed by most of the church’s leadership. Is it “biblical” when someone whom God created denies the gender that God assigned them at birth? "But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him," she quoted 2 Samuel 14:14. Inside Menlo Church, where congregants recently learned that their senior pastor kept secret that a volunteer who worked with children had confessed his attraction to minors, and also that the volunteer was his son. Last July, John Ortberg, Menlo Church’s then lead pastor, resigned over how he managed his son’s access to children in the church even after he learned of his son's sexual attraction to minors. Let us pray to be His Light. Born Mallory Ortberg, Lavery grew up in northern Illinois and then San Francisco, one of three children of the evangelical Christian author and former Menlo Church pastor John Ortberg and Nancy Ortberg, who is also a pastor and the CEO of Transforming the Bay with Christ. John Ortberg is the senior pastor at Menlo Church. John Ortberg is an evangelical Christian author, speaker, and senior pastor of the Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California, a megachurch with … He and his wife Nancy, have three children. It was 18 years ago that she gave her first Mother's Day message at Willow, she recalled. Join over 250,000 others to get the top stories curated daily, plus special offers! "Although I like for a magic wand or a simple series of defining moments to be the stepping stone for me to be that person, what I found is that often growth is found in the mundane things of life and in the incremental steps that you take to shape yourself with God into the image of Christ," she said. John Ortberg seeking help. DC Talk’s Kevin Max says he’s an ‘exvangelical’: 'Deconstructing' and 'progressing', ‘Existential threat’: CCCU fights LGBT students' Title IX lawsuit targeting Christian colleges, Zachery Tims' ex-wife Riva weds ‘best friend’ and ‘heart-centered financier’, Biblically responsible investing is not what you think it is, US bishops end 'dispensation’ excusing Catholics from attending mass, Rock Church suspends indoor services after staffers test positive for COVID-19, Atlanta megachurch pastor Olu Brown announces retirement at 43, Evangelical ministry donates bomb shelters to Israeli communities near Gaza border. Yet prayer is needed. Ortberg asked the congregation. The younger Ortberg has also ended his role in volunteering with the Ultimate Frisbee team. There is a huge conflict of interest in this case with the pastor’s own son being the one under scrutiny. My politics have not changed; the fervency with which I try to live them out has.”. That kind of review cannot be done quickly, Lavery said. John Ortberg, Jr. (born May 5, 1957) is an evangelical Christian author, speaker, and senior pastor of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California, an ECO Presbyterian church with more than 4,000 members. Cliffe also said she spoke with Johnny Ortberg, trying to convince him to end his volunteer work and to seek treatment. Then, according to Lavery, Johnny turned to Lavery and said, “I have something to tell you.”. He underwent a brief restoration process. The California megachurch recently rocked by revelations its former pastor, John Ortberg, had allowed a volunteer with an attraction to children to. Having all of us and every group of leaders in churches start from scratch as we react to yet another instance of potential risk isn’t very professional. Lavery hoped the two could reconcile. Lavery recalled Lavery’s father saying Lavery’s brother “would have no reason to live” if he could not continue his volunteer work. She said Lavery’s concerns have been dismissed in part because of Lavery’s transition or have been seen as the biased comments of an estranged child angry at John and Nancy Ortberg. In that moment what happened "so utterly unexpectedly" is that "while we expect teaching to flow from a woman of my age to an 8-year-old boy, there was a kind of mutuality and reciprocity that happened. I also hope that Johnny is being watched as it seems like he would be tempted to harm himself. Ortberg declined to answer a question about whether he remains fit to serve as a pastor or spiritual leader, saying decisions about his future lie in the hands of ECO and the Menlo Church elders. I didn't know how I would ever get there.". “In the most charitable reading possible, my parents have acted with unconscionable disregard for their responsibilities as leaders, ministers, and parents.”. Ortberg took a leave of absence and was reprimanded by the church in early 2020. “Again, I am deeply sorry about my poor judgment and acknowledge that I betrayed my sacred trust as Senior Pastor,” he said in the statement. We don’t know these people. John Ortberg Is My Dad, But Don't Call Me a PK My siblings and I managed to avoid the perils that come with having famous Christian parents. During interviews with staff, the investigator did not ask specifically about the volunteer’s conduct or reveal there were any concerns about the volunteer. It’s good Lavery had the courage to call out Jonny Ortberg, and perhaps too that their parents called out Bill Hybels. Instead, she said, he needs time for self-reflection and to make amends for his decisions. Posted on October 29, ... Children. The issue came to light when the volunteer, Ortberg’s son, John Ortberg III, confessed their desires to Ortberg’s other son, Daniel Lavery. If he says he is a man, let’s honor his word. “It’s not safe for children. Motherhood a 'Two-way Street' Former Willow Creek Pastor Shares, Do you want award-winning journalism with a, Baylor U opens door for recognizing LGBT student group, says sexuality stance remains unchanged, Texas Gov. Pastor John Ortberg had returned from “personal leave” after allowing a church volunteer (now known to be his son, Johnny) to serve in children’s ministry for months, even though Ortberg knew the man was sexually attracted to children. A spokesman for the Menlo Church elders said John Ortberg has not used that term in their conversations with them. Featured Book. The second word is "future self," she shared. The church also barred the volunteer from working in its children’s ministry and said the volunteer no longer has a role at the church. 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The investigator did not speak to any outside group where the volunteer had a role working with children. “Safe Sport” is a nationally recognized program for training coaches and volunteers who work with youth. But in June, believing the church had failed to do so, Lavery posted the email to the church elders — this time revealing Johnny’s name — on social media. Such training specifies rules for how volunteers interact with youth and how both organizations and individuals should handle these situations. Here’s another. She shared a story to introduce the theme of her message for Mother's Day 18 years later. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? However, even as such a person may be doing the work, they should still not be given a position which provides them with access to children.”. Oddly written until I realized you were avoiding pronouns. Ortberg for poor judgment and sent him through a “restoration program” that included apologizing to staff. How do we honor God by disrespecting someone who has a clear voice and a strong moral compass in this incredibly painful family situation? As a parent, it’s hard to let go of your young adult child. I also don’t understand why people continue to attend churches where the leaders are not fit for ministry. From the moment the baby comes out of you and they clip the umbilical cord, it becomes a space between you and the baby, a space that gives your child the opportunity to become his or her own self, she added. Dallas Willard, the famed Christian philosopher who died recently, had a tremendous influence in her and John's life, she said, and quoted him: "God has yet to bless anyone except where they actually are, and if we faithlessly discard situation after situation, moment after moment, as not being 'right,' we will simply have no place to receive his kingdom into our life.". “I am deeply sorry for my shortcomings in handling this situation, and for not fully considering the legitimate concerns of our congregation and my responsibility to ensure the safety and security of everyone who comes through our doors,” Ortberg said in the statement. "God has used motherhood to shape me in some of the most significant and profound ways ever," she said. Still, she was angered by the church’s handling of the situation and especially at the Rev. "There is no promise of certainty in surrender; it may lead to difficult times. Why is this man still behind a pulpit? "Do you trust God with what you love the most?" Ortberg refused to act, Lavery wrote the initial email to church leaders expressing HIS concerns, . If that were odd then I would change, but like I said that is just how we do. He did not notify the church’s elder board. The email (forwarded from Red Dawn on July 13) does not contain any specific refutations and only … The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. When we look at the biblical qualifications for an overseer/elder/pastor in 1 Timothy 3:4-5, it says: “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity and keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?”. Carla, I was thinking the exact same thing when I first read this. Already, people are talking about 2021 as a time of reckoning for the evangelical church. After hearing this admission, Ortberg asked if the volunteer had ever acted on that attraction. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Motherhood is a "two-way street" says Nancy Ortberg, a former teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, who was the guest speaker on Mother's Day at the church. *Some of the references to Daniel Lavery have been changed to match The Roys Report’s policy. 16 years of volunteer work with minors is going to take a long time to investigate properly. All three siblings met at Lavery’s apartment and visited for a while before Turner, a writer and former RNS columnist, left. The investigator did not speak to any other volunteers who worked alongside the younger Ortberg. His. Church elders, John Ortberg returned to the pulpit in March, with. Before coming in 2004 to Menlo Church, a San Francisco-area congregation of about 5,000, John Ortberg and his wife, Nancy, had been teaching pastors at Willow Creek Community Church, one of the nation’s largest churches, in the suburbs of Chicago. Bob Smietana July 6, 2020. Cliffe also worries about the fallout for her friend, Lavery. According to church officials, Ortberg learned in July 2018 that his youngest son, Johnny Ortberg, was attracted to children. The two had been close in the past, said Lavery, an author and Dear Prudence advice columnist for Slate.com. Little children they say do not like to be hugged by the old people so I don’t do it. (Turner declined to be interviewed for this article.) But one does question why the longest serving elder, and a woman, seeing a child crying and clearly upset outside of John Ortberg’s office, clothes clearly is disarray, and showing no compassion towards the child. Bob Smietana is editor-in-chief at Religion News Service.