In August 2019, the blog section of the spiritual abuse website had 10,096 visits, with 5811 being unique. Below you will find the top ten read posts. This does not include our book giveaway announcements. With all of the publicity in the news media and on The Wartburg Watch about decades of unreported cases of child sexual abuse at Calvary Gospel Church in Madison, Wisconsin, all but one of these ended up pertaining to our series on sexual abuse and the United Pentecostal Church.
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The United Pentecostal Church makes it quite clear in their yearly Manuals that if a person is guilty of committing immoral conduct regarding sexual matters, that they are not eligible to be licensed. If such happens while they hold license with them, their license is to be revoked and never reinstated. In addition, such people are not supposed to be ministering in any of their churches, whether or not they hold license. Yet despite what appears to be very clear directives, one discovers that for years there have been men holding license who have been immoral, as well as people preaching in their churches who have been immoral.
Let’s go straight to the 2019 UPCI Manual. These four rules have been in place since at least 1991, with most of it being in effect since at least 1965. In their 1952 to 1957 Manuals, they had a reinstatement procedure in place for ministers who they believed had repented of adultery or fornication. Other immoral acts were not noted. The repentant individual would be silenced for two years and then could apply for a one year probation of being permitted to preach, followed by them being able to apply only for a local license. They were never to be allowed more than a general license. [1952 UPCI Manual screenshot] By the 1965 Manual or prior, this reinstatement process was no longer in place. (For information on their three levels of licensing, read this.)
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Article VII Section 9. Immoral Conduct. [2019 UPCI Manual screenshot]
1. For the purpose of ministerial membership in the United Pentecostal Church Internationalor for ministering in a United Pentecostal Church International church, immoral conduct shall be defined as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, incest, and/or any other sexual acts determined by the District Board to be perverted or immoral (Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9; I Corinthians 6:9; Romans 1:24-28). [Bold emphasis mine- This shows that even if one does not hold license, they should not be welcomed to preach in a UPC church.]
2. Any minister affiliated with our organization proven guilty of adultery or fornication, or committing any other immoral offense, shall forfeit his or her papers immediately. Immoral offense shall include sexual molestation of minors. [Note: The last sentence wasn’t added until the 2003 edition.]
3. In the event a minister confesses in writing to immoral conduct and surrenders his or her fellowship card, no trial shall be granted. In either case, such minister shall never be qualified for reinstatement into the ministry of the United Pentecostal Church International.
4. Any minister formerly affiliated with any other organization, (or any other minister) who has been proven guilty of committing the act of adultery or fornication, or committing any other immoral offense, either by confession or conviction, shall not be eligible for license or ordination in the United Pentecostal Church International.
Then under Section 10, Moral Obligations, it quotes two sets of Bible passages: I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 without any commentary.
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Last October I wrote about one such case from Colorado, where a former youth leader received his UPCI license after having allegedly committed an immoral act. He obtained it in a different state and is yet licensed today. There is another case from Colorado which I will be writing about, where another youth minister from this same church was able to retain his license for years after allegedly assaulting several boys. In February I wrote about a case in Texas where a licensed minister allegedly committed immoral acts in the 1980s while a pastor. He either turned in or lost his license and was granted another in 2004 in a different state, where he is currently the pastor of an affiliated UPCI church.
I’ve written extensively about Steven J. Dahl who, while he never held license with the UPCI, he has been allowed to preach at their churches after repeatedly sexually abusing Debbie McNulty and also going after his wife’s younger sister. One of the pastors at Calvary Gospel Church in Madison, Wisconsin signed for a man to apply for his local license after they had been informed he sexually assaulted a minor. He was granted license in 2014 and had preached at the church prior to then. Another man from Calvary Gospel Church, who was an assistant pastor, was stripped of his license and made to confess to adultery in front of church members. He moved to Illinois and later ended up as a family pastor and has preached numerous times at an affiliated UPCI church. I have heard of cases where licensed UPCI ministers have covered for the sexual immorality of a son and they were later able to obtain license. How many stories of sexual immorality have we heard through the years of people attending one of their Bible colleges and yet were later afforded licenses?
A preacher may fall into sin, be forgiven by God, be restored to the church, and even be restored to many areas of service, but this does not automatically entitle him to his former position of leadership. He must once again meet the qualifications of being blameless, having a good report, and so on. This takes much time, and in some cases total restoration may never be possible. …Moreover, some sins-such as child molestation, incest, and rape-may indicate deep personality problems that would permanently disqualify someone from many leadership positions. – David Bernard, January-March 1988 Forward
Prior to writing this article, I asked people in a couple of groups if they knew of someone in the UPCI who was able to keep their license even though people knew they had done something immoral. I quoted from the Manual what was considered as immoral. It quickly became evident that this is, and has been, an ongoing problem in this organization and many people have known about or witnessed it. Almost 20 different people responded. Two claimed to know of 11 cases. Two others mentioned knowing three cases. Several responded without giving a number. One mentioned a well-known evangelist and another mentioned a legacy minister. Another shared they knew of multiple cases but those had their licenses revoked. Yet another brought up where both a pastor and his son had molested people, with the son going on to obtain license (though not now holding one). The pastor is still licensed. A minister in a southern state was mentioned who was caught with a teenage girl and later started an independent church, which at some point was welcomed into the UPCI with him as a bishop and his son as pastor. Though not involving immorality, another mentioned a man being previously turned down for license in Ohio due to multiple marriages but after he started his own church, he was later granted license while married to his third wife. [This is another area to be addressed as the UPCI Manual has rules regarding marriage and divorce among its ministers.] I’ve heard that the Ohio District has had a number of cases of sexual immorality through the years as well as other problems.
Besides all these situations alleged by those who responded to my question, for many years I have heard directly from people, and also read posts by others, who have known of men retaining or gaining their license after sexual immorality. I recall reading that a man in Michigan still retains license after allegedly committing more than one act of sexual immorality. I know of something disgusting an ordained minister in the NJ/DE District did to a female church member. He did not lose his license, though District officials were aware of it. It should have caused his license to be revoked.
What good are these rules if licensed ministers and District officials are allowed to break and circumvent them? In an organization that states they have the ‘whole Gospel’ and ‘the truth’ and claims to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, how is it that these things happen and are allowed? Do Oneness Pentecostal pedigrees come into play? Is it because they give a nice amount of money to all the fundraisers in the organization? Is it because they have dirt on other ministers? Are they close friends with a District or General official? Are they married into the right family? I can find no excuse for allowing anyone in the United Pentecostal Church to hold license who has been immoral. I can find no excuse for allowing men to preach in their churches when they have been immoral. Their rules are clear. Either learn to abide by them with no wiggle room, or cut them out of your Manuals, because they are worthless if not followed. Instead, they give you and others a very false sense of security.
The United Pentecostal Church doesn’t appear to want to hear about these things, or from those who have survived sexual abuse in their churches. Last November, General Superintendent David Bernard deleted posts from and banned a woman on Facebook after having promised to look into a situation at one of their churches. He never got back to her. Just recently this month on the UPCI Facebook page, they removed the review section after some people were posting about these cases and how Calvary Gospel Church had hit the front page news of the Cap Times for unreported cases of child sexual abuse going back decades. Their Ladies Ministry Facebook page did the same thing after only one woman reached out to them in a review. At least they first made a response before shutting it down. Then there are people like UPCI Pastor J.R. Sellers of North Carolina, who wrote the following on August 23rd in a public Facebook post using his wife’s profile. This was his response to a quote from Jennifer Brewer’s book, Free: From Legalism to Grace Breaking Out of the United Pentecostal Church.
Hi Jereme. This is Sondra’s husband, J.R. Yes, I am a UPCI, Apostolic to the core pastor. I read the blurb in your wife’s best seller that the UPCI made her ashamed of her body and her curves and that she was never able to express herself. I thought I might warn you as her husband that now she is liberated to express herself with her body and her curves you better keep an eye on her next pastor because he might be enjoying her curvy expression a little too much and be like one of those pervo pastors that are being outed on your favorite spiritualabuse.org website. In this case my friend you may be out in the cold and she will have to write another best seller about a different kind of abuse. 😂– J.R. Sellers, Pastor of Spirit of Life UPC, Kinston, NC
It is extremely disturbing to see one of their ministers openly suggest and then laugh about the possibility of a woman being assaulted. Apparently, the United Pentecostal Church has quite a ways to go when it comes to getting rid of the thought that a female is responsible for any man sexually assaulting her. There is going to come a time when the United Pentecostal Church will be forced to openly address the multitude of sexual issues that have been present in their churches for decades.
Connie Baker, a licensed professional counselor in Oregon, shares her thoughts on sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church and whether these assaults happen more there as compared to other churches. In June she released a new book, Traumatized by Religious Abuse: Courage, Hope and Freedom for Survivors.
EDIT: Since this article was written, at the 2019 UPCI General Conference, they passed a position paper on Abuse and Sexual Abuse.
You will find a complete list of articles in this series by clicking here.
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This has been a busy year with new books revolving around spiritual abuse and sexual abuse, as well as a three memoirs from former United Pentecostal Church members. This is not an exhaustive list of new books. I previously shared about Ronna Russell’s UPC related memoir that came out in April, The Uncomfortable Confessions of a Preacher’s Kid, so let’s start with the next memoir that was just released this month. I have provided links that will take you directly to Amazon so that you may read more about these books, as well as place any orders. Some may also wish to check out the more extensive book and DVD lists that we have had available on our website for years.
Free: From Legalism to Grace Breaking Out of the United Pentecostal Church by Jennifer Brewer is available in Kindle and paperback. Like Ronna Russell, it is her first book. Here is a quote: “So, here it is; my journey out of the United Pentecostal Church organization. The church that claims they have the ‘whole gospel’ and unique revelations given to them from God himself. The organization that has had its hold on way too many of my loved ones for far too long. . . Here is how I overcame the fear of leaving, the fear of hell and the severe oppression I felt as a girl growing into a woman living out this religion’s strict standards. This is my story of overcoming the feelings of inadequacy, and ugliness.”
Let’s Go to California: The Story of the Singing Holley Family by Margaret Toedy Duke came out in May and is another memoir that deals in part with the United Pentecostal Church. Available only in paperback and just over 100 pages, this book is in dire need of an editor. Still, for those who want little bits of UPC related commentary, the price is under $4.00. Here is an excerpt that mentions the UPC: “We were picked on and criticized for the way we looked by some church members. On one occasion back east a preacher cancelled our revival two days before we were to start because one of his members told him that he saw us looking worldly. Marble had a scarf around her neck tied in a pretty flower bow. The man said it was a choker and that was frowned upon in the UPC church. …Another minister cancelled us because my hair ‘looked cut.’ My hair had never been even trimmed. Another church cancelled us because Jerry’s hair was real curly. It seemed everywhere we turned, we were giving our all for something that was giving us nothing in return.”
Traumatized by Religious Abuse: Courage, Hope and Freedom for Survivors by Connie A. Baker was released in June in both formats. The author “covers in depth how religious ideas are often used to manipulate followers and how fear, shame, guilt, and superstition can be leveraged for control. She points out that spiritual and religious abuse is not confined to any one type of religion or cult. This dynamic of abusive behavior can be found in many types of spiritual communities. She writes from the perspective of a professional therapist who teaches and counsels survivors, and from her own perspective from being a survivor of religious abuse.”
Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused edited by Brad Hambrick, was also released in June and has several contributors, such as Rachael Denhollander and Diane Langberg. This offering is unique in that the book is available for free in PDF as well as ebook formats and there are twelve accompanying videos available for free. The paperback is only $4.99. “Is your church prepared to care for individuals who have experienced various forms of abuse? As we continue to learn of more individuals experiencing sexual abuse, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse, it’s clear that resources are needed to help ministries and leaders care for these individuals with love, support, and in cooperation with civil authorities. This handbook seeks to help the church take a significant step forward in its care for those who have been abused.”
Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse: Creating Healthy Christian Cultures by Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys was released August 12 after being released in the U.K. earlier this year. It is available in both paperback and Kindle formats. A lengthy preview of this book is available on Google. “Drawing on a combination of extensive research, individual testimonies, and years of hands-on experience, Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys describe clearly the nature of spiritual abuse, and the best ways of countering it. Recovery is possible. But – how do we prevent spiritual abuse in the first place? What can leaders do to create safer places? Is there a link between theological ideas and harmful behaviors? How can leaders create opportunities for spiritual and emotional flourishing?”
We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis by Mary DeMuth was released August 13 in paperback and Kindle. “In the throes of the #MeToo movement, our response as Christians is vital. God beckons us to be good Samaritans to those facing trauma and brokenness in the aftermath of abuse and provide safe spaces to heal. DeMuth advocates for a culture of honesty and listening and calls on the church to enter the places where people are hurting. In the circle of that kind of empathetic #WeToo community, the church must become what it’s meant to be—a place of justice and healing for everyone.”
There are two books due to be released September 10th and both are authored by Rachael Denhollander.
What Is a Girl Worth?: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics will be available in both hardcover and Kindle formats and may be pre-ordered. It “is the inspiring true story of Rachael’s journey from an idealistic young gymnast to a strong and determined woman who found the courage to raise her voice against evil, even when she thought the world might not listen. This deeply personal and compelling narrative shines a spotlight on the physical and emotional impact of abuse, why so many survivors are reluctant to speak out, what it means to be believed, the extraordinary power of faith and forgiveness, and how we can learn to do what’s right in the moments that matter most.” #WhatIsAGirlWorth
How Much Is a Little Girl Worth? will be available in hardcover. This children’s book “is Rachael Denhollander’s tender-hearted anthem to little girls everywhere, teaching them that they have immeasurable worth because they are made in the image of God. Armed with this understanding, girls will develop confidence in their own value and blossom into women who can face any challenge life puts in their path.” Below are my thoughts on it, looking at it through the eyes of what many United Pentecostal churches instill in children.
For me, the book is worth obtaining simply for the author’s letter to readers. Be sure to not pass that by when reading it. Here is a partial quote: “There are many voices competing to tell our daughters what they are worth, and most of them would teach our girls to define their value by something outside of themselves. By what they can do or what they wear or how they look or who their friends are.”
I was once part of an unhealthy abusive church. They had numerous rules for females. Forbidden to wear make-up and jewelry, they also were never to cut their hair or wear pants. For school settings, children were not to wear gym clothing or attend dances. Their value and identity was tied in with how well they followed the rules and those who were caught breaking them might be reprimanded, shamed, removed from activities/positions, and even shunned. They caused some to not be able to participate in or pursue certain interests or careers. While some developed a prideful attitude because they could be picked out of a crowd due to these outward differences, others hated that they looked different.
The voices from this church group were instilling in young impressionable children that their value was intricately tied to following these mandates and that it fell upon them to keep males from lusting after them…even adult men. As one person recently shared regarding their childhood sexual abuse, her church leadership “made me take responsibility as if I was the one at fault.” This book speaks out against such harmful messages to children and lets them know that their worth and value never rests upon such things. Indeed, a girl is “worth more than . . . protecting a name” or, I might add, a church/denomination.
The illustrations I found to be very pleasing and even soothing to the eyes. The pages are filled with color and illustrations of little girls in various settings. The messages contained therein are positive. Every child should feel and know that they are “worth fighting for” and that “nothing can make [them] worth less.” #HowMuchIsAGirlWorth
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This is Part 23 of an ongoing series of articles pertaining to sexual abuse and the United Pentecostal Church. It is the eighth article addressing Calvary Gospel Church in Madison, Wisconsin and Steven J. Dahl of the Pentecostal Lighthouse Church in Oconto. As you read this article, keep in mind that I must call what I am sharing to be allegations because no one has [yet] been arrested, charged or convicted of a crime. It’s what happens when people fail to report child sexual abuse to police or CPS. It doesn’t mean I do not believe the reports of these survivors, of which there are many. I do believe them, stand firmly with them, and support them.
Just as the church has authority to examine and approve ministerial candidates, so it has authority to remove someone from a ministerial position if he no longer meets God’s requirements. Actually the person disqualifies himself by his actions, and the church simply recognizes this fact. Solomon permanently removed Abiathar from the high priesthood, a hereditary role explicitly ordained by God, because of his rebellion (I Kings 2:26-27). – David Bernard, January-March 1988 Forward
Today is a day of reckoning, a time for light to shine into the darkness found within Calvary Gospel Church. No more can certain alleged crimes, sins and the mishandling of child sexual abuse be kept from its members. While the leadership of John Wesley Grant and his son, Roy Grant, have controlled what information has been shared with members, they cannot control what is happening today because it has reached outside their walls and gone public for the world to see. While they may be able to manipulate and pull the wool over the heads of some who enter their church doors, they will not be able to do so as the public learns of decades of horror that some members have suffered.
They have had more than a year to come clean, to admit they failed to protect children and to report crimes against them, but instead of reaching out in humility to those harmed, they have attempted to create an us versus them mentality among its members, crying out how they are not a cult, and going so far as to read Scriptures just last Wednesday and proclaim that the survivors who have come forward have brought damnation upon themselves. More than a year ago their response was similar when they further victimized survivors by claiming this was a spiritual attack, saying they [the survivors] needed to ask themselves what part they played in why their sexual abuse happened (as if young children play a role in their sexual assault), and have claimed that they always report these cases to the police and that parents didn’t want to report them when police were contacted. This is simply not true. When Debbie McNulty, one of the survivors, went to report her case last year, she discovered that the church had not reported any cases of sexual abuse to police.
We know that Calvary Gospel Church and its leadership have been aware of the articles and blogs written about them. They shut down the review section of their church Facebook Page last year after some former members started leaving negative reviews there. They have deleted comments that some have left on their posts. The same happened with Steven Dahl and he even removed the Facebook Page for his church, changed what was written on his profile, and made it so only friends could comment. The website for his church disappeared as well. He also did not reach out to his alleged victim, Debbie McNulty. He has previously claimed that this was a spiritual attack on him and that he was praying that God “Avenge me of my adversaries.” [scroll down for this comment] He periodically posts about people needing to forgive others, as early as yesterday.
It has come to the place where Katelyn Ferral, a reporter from Capital Newspapers, has heard the voices of the survivors crying out, saying there is something very wrong at this church. She initiated an investigation and her article was released today. Police Chief Mike Koval is now involved in this situation as well. Later today at 11:15 am, at the State Capitol, Senate Parlor, “Wisconsin Senator Lena Taylor, Representatives Chris Taylor and Melissa Sargent will be joined by survivors of childhood sexual assault, the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, (WCASA), the Wisconsin Chapter of The National Association of Social Workers (WI-NASW), and the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) to introduce two major victim rights and child protection bills.” [link] These bills “would significantly reform Wisconsin’s mandated reporting law on child sex abuse and eliminate the civil statute of limitations on child sex crimes.” One would close the current loophole that allows clergy to claim clergy privilege and not report cases of child sexual abuse. The bills need your support and they need to be passed. Debbie McNulty and Rebecca Martin Byrd spoke boldly at this event and afterward they were interviewed by more than one news source. This is just the beginning.
I have been up all night in anticipation of today’s events. My heart goes out to all the courageous people who have stepped forward to shine a light where darkness has prevailed for far too long. May your voices prevail and be heard and may the lies of others be exposed.
I call on David Bernard, the General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church, as well as James D. Booker, the Wisconsin District Superintendent, to fully investigate this church and its leadership. Let’s see actions to go along with what you wrote in the 1988 Forward article. I also call on David Bernard to review how United Pentecostal Churches are handling, and mishandling, sexual abuse cases. Introduce a resolution for the organization to take a strong stand against sexual abuse, take action against ministers who fail to report or who cover up these crimes and revoke their ministerial license, and create a policy that clearly states that all your licensed ministers are required to report any suspected case of child sexual abuse regardless of what the law in their state stipulates. There is nothing in your Manual that addresses the need of your ministers and pastors to report abuse.
Jon Eckenrod, a former ordained minister in the UPCI and former associate pastor at Calvary Gospel Church, now says he was aware of instances where older men pursued young girls while he taught at the church and school. He heard rumors of other sexual improprieties with members, but said he always deferred to [John] Grant on how best to handle them and never sought details. – From the article, Stolen childhoods: Women allege they were sexually abused as kids at Calvary Gospel Church in Madison
Katelyn Ferral later released an article about the statute of limitations in Wisconsin, with a picture of Calvary Gospel Church and the notation, “Calvary Gospel Church at 5301 Commercial Ave. in Madison. Numerous former members have said they were abused there as children. They say finances are the only thing holding them back from filing a civil suit against the church and would pursue that route if it is within the state’s statute of limitations for such cases.”
“What I didn’t realize is that in addition, they were going to tell all my friends … never to speak to me,” she said. “I don’t even know how to put it into words. We were never allowed to have friends outside of the church or associate with people outside of the church and all of a sudden all of my friends are gone.” – Lisa Kum, child sexual assault survivor, from the article: Another woman comes forward to allege sexual abuse at Madison’s Calvary Gospel Church
On August 19, 2019, Dee from The Wartburg Watch started blogging about this church and the survivors. The second article posted on August 21.
Since this article was released, Calvary Gospel Church has removed their Twitter account. They had previously blocked me some time back when they discovered I was tagging them in some tweets. But on August 8, I discovered after tagging them in things related to this story, that their account is no longer available. It was @CGCMadison.
Note: I have updated this article as events transpired through August 31.
In 1990 Dannie obtained a general license in Tennessee and in 2009 he became ordained in Colorado, during the time Billy Hale was the District Superintendent. (The United Pentecostal Church has three levels of licensing: local, general and ordained.) Landmark Tabernacle formed in 1977 under the leadership of Billy and Brenda Hale and is a legally affiliated UPCI church. (Any church whose pastor is licensed by the UPCI is considered a UPCI church. They can go a step further and have a legal affiliation with the organization.) Hood is married to Lori, a daughter of the Hales, thus keeping the church in the family as Billy Hale is now considered the bishop. Hood has also operated the non-profit corporation called Dannie Hood Ministries Inc.
Jesse Allen Klockenbrink
On November 10, 2016, 21 year old Jesse Allen Klockenbrink, a member of Landmark Tabernacle, was arrested. The complaint was: “Between and including approximately July 11, 2014 and July 11, 2015, JESSE A KLOCKENBRINK unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly inflicted sexual intrusion or sexual penetration on [name redacted] causing submission of the victim by means of sufficient consequence reasonably calculated to cause submission against victim’s will; in violation of section 18-3-402(1)(a), C.R.S.” Jesse Klockenbrink, born June 30, 1995, is now serving time in prison after being convicted following a court trial in August 2018. This is case 16CR07464.
It has come to my attention since first learning of this case, that at the time it was reported to the police, it is alleged that Klockenbrink was already in the process of going through court ordered classes in an unrelated separate case. This was not able to be brought up at trial. Subsequent to this 2016 case, Jesse Klockenbrink was charged again in February 2019, with an additional sexual assault charge for crimes that occurred between the dates of July 10, 2010 and June 29, 2013 when he was 15 to 17 years of age (just one day shy of 18). His victim was four years younger. This case, 2019CR15046, is presently going through the court system, with a hearing scheduled for June 10, 2019. It appears that Jesse Klockenbrink will be taking a plea offer, thus avoiding another trial.
This is part 22 of an ongoing series.
On the flip side, if you fail to report suspected child abuse or neglect, you’ve committed a criminal offense, according to the Texas DFPS. That’s particularly true for professionals such as teachers, medical personnel or day-care employees who come into contact with children during the course of their job.
Time is of the essence because evidence of abuse can disappear or be muddied as days pass, the Texas DFPS indicates on its website. A bruise may heal and memories may fade before investigators can take note of them. – Editorial: How to report suspected child sex abuse
Are you aware that in Colorado, clergy members are mandatory reporters? In Colorado under State law C.R.S.19-3-304, there are many professionals who are required by law to report child abuse. However, unlike Texas and some other states, Colorado law also says that this doesn’t apply if clergy privilege is in play, according to C.R.S. 13-90-107 (1) (c), which covers who may not testify without consent. [“A clergy member, minister, priest, or rabbi shall not be examined without both his or her consent and also the consent of the person making the confidential communication as to any confidential communication made to him or her in his or her professional capacity in the course of discipline expected by the religious body to which he or she belongs.”] In other words, the person speaking with the minister could give their consent but the minister could still refuse to testify. Clergy privilege is what United Pentecostal Church pastor Dannie Hood claimed in June 2018 to avoid testifying about Jesse Klockenbrink, a sexual offender of at least one child in the church. In a PDF file we have provided the two court documents filed by Dannie Hood’s attorney so you may view them for yourself.
Please note the key words of ‘in the course of discipline’ used in this section of the law as you will see Dannie Hood claimed this in his petition to quash the prosecutor’s subpoena to testify. Discipline in this sense means the tenets or traditions of the religion. Let’s consider some questions:
Do the by-laws/constitution of the United Pentecostal Church address it?
Something else to determine is whether a confession was made under the seal of confidentiality or if it was given less formally.
I have no knowledge of the by-laws of Landmark Tabernacle. While the UPCI Manual has a position paper on ministerial ethics and states, “I will hold as sacred all confidences shared with me,” it’s made clear that the policies listed therein are “not laws to govern but principles to guide.” However, under Article VII, Section 8 and #32 it states, “When a minister receives information that is a privileged communication, the minister shall not divulge or repeat any part of such communication to any other person unless compelled to do so by law or if the communicant waives the privilege. Privileged communication shall be defined as any confession or communication made to a minister in confidence by a person seeking spiritual advice or consolation and who expects that such information will not be divulged by the minister to another person.” [screenshot– Quote is taken from the 2019 edition of the Manual.]
On the other hand, David Bernard [the General Superintendent of the UPCI] writes in his book, Spiritual Leadership in the Twenty-first Century, “Child Abuse is a particularly sensitive area. Of course, the church should do its utmost to protect children. Failing to protect children can cause lasting harm to them as well as adverse publicity and great legal liability. Generally, ministers don’t have a right to privileged communications when child abuse is involved. Many states require ministers, teachers, counselors, or the general public to report cases of suspected or confessed child abuse. There can be both criminal and civil liability for failure to do so. Of course, there is an even greater ethical obligation to prevent ongoing and future harm, which generally means the abuser must be held accountable by proper authorities. Church leaders should know the law of their state, including what to report and to whom they should report.” [emphasis is mine]
Jesse Allen Klockenbrink
When a person tells a member of the clergy something in confidence, they are sharing a matter which is private or secret and it is expected that the clergy will not tell anyone else. According to court documents, Dannie Hood had communication with the parents of the victim, the victim, and Jesse Klockenbrink. He did not speak to the victim without one or both of her parents present. He claims all of these talks were confidential and were conducted in his capacity as the senior pastor of Landmark. In the document submitted by his attorney, Hood states that he “reasonably believed no party ever gave him permission to speak about the confidential conversations.” Please note that he does not claim that any of the parties explicitly stated that they were speaking to him in confidence. It goes on to say, “Witness Dannie Hood does not consent to testify about any confidential communication with any witness in this case.” [emphasis is mine] He lists the victim, the victim’s parents and Jesse Klockenbrink as these witnesses.
While it is understandable that Klockenbrink may not have ever consented to allow Dannie Hood to say anything (was he even asked?), wouldn’t the victim or the victim’s parents have consented? Since it was the prosecution that wanted to call Hood as a witness, surely the family would have consented to him doing so. Yet because Hood would not consent, he was allowed by Colorado law to not testify. The law states that “a clergy member…shall not be examined without both his or her consent and also the consent” of the other party. What happened here was that not only did Dannie Hood refuse to testify against Jesse Klockenbrink, but he also refused to testify in support of the victim and her family. He could have easily testified about his interaction with the family and not brought into it anything that he later discussed with Klockenbrink. He chose to not consent; it was not forced upon him, nor required of him by law or UPCI discipline when it came to the victim. While Hood claimed that he “reasonably believed no party ever gave him permission to speak about the confidential conversations,” it is alleged that the victim’s family did indeed consent to him testifying about their communications.
In Dannie Hood’s refusal to testify, it is interesting that Preston Klockenbrink, Jesse’s older brother and a yet unlicensed minister at Landmark Tabernacle, posted this publicly on December 8, 2018 on his Facebook timeline: “Recently there has been some things posted on Facebook in regards to Jesse Klockenbrink my brother. This has come to my attention from many of you. We do not wish for any conflict. We hope for restoration, truth, peace and unity. If anyone should have questions. Pastor Hood or I could answer any questions you have. However most importantly I’d like to direct your attention to scripture and would pray you would talk to our Pastorbefore you make a decision.” [screenshot– He later removed or made private this post.]
Now one must ask, why would Hood “answer any questions” about the situation when he steadfastly refused to testify in court and claimed everything said to him was in confidence? What could he possibly tell members of the church, or others, that he wouldn’t tell the court or the detective that had investigated the case? (Yes, he also refused to share with the detective what happened in his meetings with the ‘witnesses.’ screenshot from affidavit) Why would anyone need to discuss the case with the pastor, a case that that had already been settled in court with a guilty verdict, before making a decision apparently about what to believe regarding Jesse Klockenbrink? Court records show Preston attended a meeting with his brother and the victim’s father where Jesse Klockenbrink made an apology. This occurred before the case was reported to the police. There are many questions which beg an answer.
It should also be noted that Dannie Hood’s adult son, Adrian, is a friend of Jesse Klockenbrink, even speaking on his behalf during the sentencing phase of the court case.
In practice, these provisions mean that a clergy member does not need to report their “reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect” unless they obtain this information from a source other than a confidential communication. Conversations where a person is speaking with a pastor or clergy for spiritual advice or counseling in a confidential manner are protected by law. – Terry O’Malley of O’Malley and Sawyer, LLC
Why would a pastor not report sexual abuse cases to police, even if not required to do so by law? Why would any pastor want to protect someone who sexually abused a child and not help and support the victim by testifying? Why would a pastor refuse to testify when the victim and her family consented for him to do so? How many times has this church remained silent when known sexual abuse has occurred? Will this continue to happen in the future at Landmark Tabernacle in Denver, Colorado? When a pastor refuses to testify and hires an attorney to avoid a prosecutor’s subpoena for him to testify about a young man who repeatedly sexually abused a child for years, in my opinion something is wrong. It is terribly wrong. It is unconscionable. It is reprehensible.
The Telios Law website (Colorado) states, “Many states—Colorado as an example—have explicitly noted in their reporting statutes that the mandatory reporting requirements do not apply if clergy privilege is in play. But as the case from Louisiana demonstrates, arguments about statutes that seem clear may often end up looking more complicated in litigation.” It goes on to say, “Without reporting abuse, how will children be protected? Churches vary a lot in what their doctrine holds privileged. Some churches may wish to clarify that certain conversations are not privileged or confidential when it comes to child abuse reporting—for instance, counseling sessions outside the confessional. Depending on each organization’s religious doctrine, clergy may consider encouraging the parishioner to report the abuse. A victim or even an offender can be encouraged to report. Clergy may investigate further to see if non-privileged information is available. Spiritual discipline may also be imposed. While keeping confession confidential is sacrosanct in churches with this doctrinal position, the church should continue to fulfill its role in protecting children.”
Colorado law needs to be changed. Either clergy are mandated reporters or they are not. If the people are unable to persuade lawmakers to change it, then the United Pentecostal Church (and all other churches) need to develop a strict and clear written policy mandating that confessions of crimes to any of their ministers in any setting is not considered privileged communication and must be reported to police or CPS. They should pull the license of every minister who fails to report sexual abuse or who refuses to testify for a victim in court.
The church must treat all allegations seriously and not dismiss them out of hand. The church should also show compassion and offer assistance to victims and their families, perhaps arranging for professional counseling. The worst thing it can do is to ignore, blame, or attack the victim. – David Bernard, Spiritual Leadership in the Twenty-first Century
Because of decades of cover-ups of sexual abuse by various religious groups, I recommend that anyone who suspects such, that they go directly to the police or Child Protective Services and report. Do not first turn to a pastor or minister as they might choose to not report, regardless of whether they are mandated reporters, and might advise you to not report. Only after the abuse has been properly reported to authorities would I recommend going to a pastor. Church leadership should be made aware of a sexual predator, especially if they hold position in the church or have access to the children.
Never assume a pastor has reported child sexual abuse, especially in a state like Colorado where children are not fully protected by the law due to clergy privilege. The facts in the case of Jesse Klockenbrink are that Pastor Dannie Ray Hood:
chose not to report sexual abuse allegations to the proper authorities when he learned of them (he was aware for a few months before they were reported to police by the family)
made the decision to handle a sexual assault allegation ‘in house’ and claimed that “the church took steps to prevent Jesse Klockenbrink from being alone with female parishioners”
refused to share with a detective details of conversations he had with those involved, claiming clergy privilege
refused to testify for the victim in the court trial after being granted permission by the family to do so
Do ministers ever consider the fact that when they decide to handle sexual abuse cases ‘in house,’ that besides their actions doing little to prevent future harm to members as they cannot have someone follow perpetrators everywhere they go in church and other church related events, they do absolutely nothing to warn or protect people who are not members. Do these leaders only have concern for those who attend their individual church? Do they believe that perpetrators have no life outside the church? What about those from neighboring churches even in the same organization? Did Dannie Hood call all the pastors of the nearby UPCI churches and warn them about Jesse Klockenbrink? Did he even make an announcement at Landmark Tabernacle so members would be aware that a child sex offender was in their midst? Did he offer assistance to the victim and her family or offer to arrange professional counseling as David Bernard clearly suggests? What actual steps were made by him to prevent Klockenbrink from potentially harming other young girls in the church? Did he think an apology from the perpetrator to the victim’s father would make everything alright? Did he believe that simply telling him to not be alone with girls would be sufficient? It is my firm opinion that any minister who handles instances of sexual abuse ‘in house’ is negligent, irresponsible and unethical and should the perpetrator assault anyone in the future because they chose to not report it to police, that they are partly to blame.
[August 13, 2024 Edit: Nothing happened to Dannie Hood as a result of this situation. Instead, the UPCI continued to endorse his The Jesus Message podcast ministry, even advertising it years later in a official UPCI communication. On March 23, 2023, in his email David Bernard wrote, “The Jesus Message is an endorsed ministry of the United Pentecostal Church International.Podcasts prepared by Dannie Hood are distributed to 40 radio stations in the United States.”
Later in 2023, Dannie Hood was a scheduled speaker on September 21, during the UPCI’s General Conference during the children’s ministry service, of all things.
Earlier, in March 2023, former UPCI minister Marquis Johnson, was arrested on sexual abuse charges and later more charges were added. Johnson was a very involved member of Landmark Tabernacle for years. In 2017 he obtained a local license and by 2019 he was granted a general license. From July 2018 until he left Landmark, he was part of their leadership staff as the Assimilation Director. In the first half of 2020, Marquis Johnson became engaged to a woman and at some point the same year he either turned in his license or it was revoked and he left Landmark. The engagement ended. His criminal charges, which are yet pending as of August 2024, came after he moved to North Carolina and became a teacher at Rocky Mount High School. The victims are students from the school.
With the history of this church, one cannot help but wonder what may have happened during his time at Landmark.]
If you attend Landmark Tabernacle- The Pentecostals of Denver, be fully aware that Pastor Dannie Hood may claim clergy privilege and neither report sexual abuse, nor testify on your behalf in court. Perhaps he and all leadership at Landmark should make use of the new free training, Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused. There is a free book and related video segments. It is designed to help churches “be equipped to respond well in the initial stages of learning about instances of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse.” From all I have been hearing for over a year from various people, this church is in dire need of such training.
Jesse Klockenbrink is a registered sex offender in Aurora, Colorado. He has two separate cases as can be seen in the link.
