Don McClure: The Potters Field Case
I had a long conversation with Don McClure last night.
Don offered to come on the blog himself… he’s done it before in controversial situations.
I thought it would be better if I just relayed the heart of that conversation to all of you.
Don McClure is as broken over the situation at Potters Field as anyone here.
He is searching his own soul for the reasons why he didn’t see the abuse and act earlier.
He was responsible for many kids going to the program, indeed, he sent three of his own grandchildren.
He’s tried to contact as many kids as he can to apologize and offer any help he can give.
He spoke to me, (someone who has been a decades long adversary), with real humility and great compassion for the situation.
He owns his part in the debacle.
Fully.
Don and I haven’t agree on much, but we agree on one important point.
All our efforts should be aimed at helping these young people.
The Potters Field refugees have found a place of contact on this blog and there is healing happening for many.
Don and I laid down our weapons to talk as brothers for their sake.
This blog will do the same for a couple of weeks as these young people find each other here and tell their stories.
These young people love Don and most of them come from CC backgrounds.
There will be no shots taken at McClure, none of the standard anti-Calvary fare.
We can pick all that up when we’ve connected as many kids as we can and listened to all their stories.
This…is not a suggestion.
Thank you for listening.
phoenixpreacher@gmail.com
Love…Thank You
Thank you, thank you, thank you! We understand the deception as we were deceived ourselves. God still works mightily in spite of everything bad that has happened and is happening. I love CC. CCBC. I grew up on Psalty, and Chuck tracks. Please Lord heal our broken hearts, all around. Help us to serve you in a way that is pleasing to You. Help our words and mouths. Many are not coming forward due to the negativity to CC. Perhaps this new forum will help. Thank you Pastor Don, thank you Michael.
I hope it helps…we need to have one mind and one heart right now…
This is good stuff Michael and Don. I hope you can help these youth. This will not be a quick fix by any measure and be prepared for the super long haul. What I mean by that is decades if not a lifetime for some but God will be with you every step of the way. Keep this also in the back of your minds. Mudman needs healing too which I’m sure is difficult to see. My own healing from abuse has been somewhat elusive over the years so their needs lots of patience but never under estimate God’s love and power.
This is wonderful and I pray for healing.
While my heart aches and i am also rightfully angry at this situation, I find a measure of encouragement at that this blog post shows/demonstrates.
Thank you.
Steven,
Thank you.
We’re all angry…we just have to channel that properly for all concerned.
Steve,
Thank you for hearing with your heart…
Michael
Gracious and appropriate… the victims of this terrible situation come first. Well done.
I appreciate Don’s heart for these young adults and the humility needed to really be of help. Many of us know from experience that spiritual abuse is devastating and has incredible staying power. Let’s all move forward, one day at a time.
Duane,
Thanks, my friend…
pstrmike,
Well said and amen…
Good job, Michael. Amen and God bless you and Pastor McClure.
Thank you, Xenia…
I’m so glad to hear of this unique (albeit temporary) partnership, yet are there any specific “next steps” that we can be aware of? What is being done now? Other than prayer and encouraging one another, what can we do?
Those of us who have been a part of this blog for a long time know what a huge step this is. It’s wonderful to see when grace wins the day! Praying for you, Michael, as well as Don. The enemy of our souls is not happy about this, and no doubt will try to drive a wedge and get people to choose sides. Let him just kiss your backsides as you choose to walk the high road!!!
What you propose, Michael, is the right thing for the sake of these deeply wounded brethren.
I pray I am not overstepping as I write my thoughts below. You are welcome to correct me, if I am. I guess I was just hoping Don would see them and he would know the hope of one of your posters.
I have to confess that my dream is that, upon the conclusion of this “truce”, McClure will take steps to deal with the long history of problems inside of CC . There are people who have languished for decades now who have never had the benefit of being acknowledged. I would not advocate for the unacknowledged to be ungracious to those suffering under the thumb of Potter’s Field or begrudge them help. I would be among the passed over and I certainly do not. The need of the PFM people is immediate and should be addressed in the immediate. I would only hope that McClure’s heart to deal with sin and abuse in PFM will extend into his own camp and a wider healing can take place.
May this “truce” be an occasion to build a bridge where the wider response becomes possible. May healing take place among all the parties I have mentioned. May God send His Holy Spirit and fill us with His mercy and His wisdom at this time.
m,
On this end the best I can do is to get the information out with clarity.
The opposition is coming together…there are a number of pastors who don’t believe there is really a problem here.
Thank you, CK…
JM,
Well said…
🙂
When you say a number of pastors don’t believe…are they CC pastors? I ask because I would hope Don would have more sway with them than otherwise. I can see non-CC pastors not believing for whatever their reasons are, but my hope is that if DM is involved they would give this more credibility.