The Myrtle Beach Conference, and the 'Blow-Up':

Unless you're Family.

Someone asked on Jeff’s Blog…“Deborah, did you ever know Carl Sensabaugh? Was he some kind of ‘adopted’ son of RWD. I know that you were previously married to Rev Blumenthal and it is weird having heard about people that RWD makes it sound like he cared for them like they were his own children and would have moved them up in leadership if they hadn't left NTCC.”

Well, Darwin Durek could provide you with more detail about Carl Sensabaugh’s job in the church, and more about him, than I could. From what I heard he was a very charismatic person, as was/is Rick.

A while back Mike Kekel ‘mentioned’ on his blog about Rick, as to why he got in ‘trouble’ with Rev. Davis. Mike said, “I remember the Conference at Myrtle Beach when her husband, who was AGO of the Central Division at the time, got in trouble for rebuking Pastor over something he preached about ladies and tight skirts. It really cost him more than he’ll ever know. He went back to pastoring, and I see no need to speak of that, except a downhill trend was beginning. Greg was one of the ‘boys in the home’ in Okinawa where they pastored, and once she was a free woman, Greg got the job.”

Rick is not here to defend himself, but I know what Rick said to Rev. Davis. These are the events that lead up to this so called rebuke of Pastor Davis:

While we were in the Philippines in '85-'86, we were brought back to the states so Rick could be promoted to Assistant General Overseer (AGO). He didn't want to be AGO, and he didn't want to come back to the states. The work was beginning to grow; we were seeing the fruits of our labor. Upon returning—and in Rick’s new capacity as AGO—we began preaching revivals for the churches. While on the Revival circuit, the pastors and wives had been talking to Rick about their concerns with their Church and the Organization. Rick related all that had been asked, to Rev. Davis. When they held their meeting, he told the board he could be a go between. They’ll talk to Rick which is good, because some would hesitate to talk to others among the leadership (especially Rev. Davis, for reasons already thoroughly discussed). This should have been great news for NTCC!

I don’t know if Rev. Davis okayed this, but Sis. Davis told a good Sister that her clothes were too tight. Though the Sister’s work was growing, she didn’t have the finances to go shopping (of course not going to just one Conference will buy anyone an entire new wardrobe). Excuse me, but not all of us had money to buy clothes on a whim. We all wore what we had, till we could buy something else. It was especially hard if you had a family. Not many could afford ‘fat’ clothes. When the Sister told me this, she was upset. It wasn’t that she purposely wore tight clothes; she had gained weight and couldn’t go out to purchase new ones. I told the Sister to talk to Rick, since he was the AGO. Her question to Rick was, “Why is it okay for Sis. Davis to tell her about her clothes, when she and Tanya are just as guilty! Plus, she couldn’t help it if she was blessed with a large bosom.”

Rev. Davis had been preaching about the women wearing tight clothes. He didn't want the women wearing SWEATERS or STRAIGHT SKIRTS! Yet, the women in his own family were the worst, and most consistent, violators (and still are).

A couple of months later, while on a (shopping) trip to Germany, Sis. Davis had bought some 2 piece sweater outfits for her and Tanya. They were very form fitting, which is not suitable for a woman with a large bosom and/or back side. Now if you’re slender and have no assets, you could get away with it. You can imagine how they looked sashaying around during conference and other services. Another sister had bought some too (following their example), and wore one of them to a Conference. She wasn’t blessed on top but blessed in the back. She looked nice, but it was waay border-line.

Conference in Myrtle Beach, and the Blow Up:

When the board met, Rick relayed my friend's question, and told them what Sis. Davis had done. Rick mentioned how bad it looked to the ministers, wives, and church members, that Rev. Davis preaching about the women wearing tight clothes, when his own wife and daughter were (are, since they still do it) guilty. He blew up (loud, angry) at Rick, saying that HIS family was OFF LIMITS. This is what Mike was talking about when he said Rick ‘challenged’ Rev. Davis. He was not challenging, he was just speaking for all of us who had seen the double standards. Rick was thrown under the bus for doing his job.

What good is it to have a title? His job was to hear the minister’s problems and help them out. What could not be dealt with, he would refer to Rev. Davis. He wasn’t trying to take over. What good is it to have a board, when Pastor Davis won’t listen to what the men he put in charge were telling him. Any concerns are quickly perceived as “he’s trying to take over, rebellious, etc.”

It was clear to many of us what Ron Denis was doing. Sis. Davis told me that Rev. Davis would not listen to her, Tanya or Mike; when they were warning him (Greg tried also). Rick told me that Rev. Davis told him to keep himself, and guard his testimony, and he would one day be President. Rick always told me he didn't want to be up in Graham. He was happier out preaching revivals and being away from all the HQ politics.

After Myrtle Beach conference we were sent overseas; Rick wasn’t thrilled. He loved the people in St. Louis, and they loved us. He was upset, and had no other choice. Rick could not be the AGO anymore.

There is one thing I’d noticed throughout my 15 years of marriage to Rick...Rev. Davis said a lot of things that seemed to get Rick riled up. He would mention all this stuff about Mike and Tanya when the church opened in Graham. As if Mike was the best thing since sliced bread. They were building a house, they did this, or they did that. Tanya’s pregnant, Tanya had a baby. Was it a test to see how many buttons he could push?

Since it is a well known fact the Kekel’s have been homesteading in Graham for about the last 27 years…Why does Rev. Davis do this? It seemed as if he takes pleasure in seeing people pitted against one another, in sowing discord/discontent. Then he says you have a problem mister, you’re jealous! I wonder if Rev. Davis was ever into cock/dog fights?

At first, Rick was treated like a son, and he was given special treatment. He was loved by Rev. and Sis. Davis. He was around them from the age of 12 (similar to Rev. Johnson). Ricks parents were not in church, so the students and Rev. Davis took him under their wing. He was a bright kid, and very good in athletics. But he also abused his position (since he emulated Rev. Davis), and there were many times I spoke to him, and told him he was wrong. He didn’t like it, but I cannot stand bullies (if it had not been for Greg, I would have left long before 2008). I stood up for the people, when I felt he was picking on certain ones. I know this is a long answer, but I thought some details needed to be provided, and I haven’t written on this blog for a long time.

God bless each and everyone who has just come out from among them! What a great feeling it is to be free to worship the Lord. Standing tall, with no heavy burden to carry on your shoulders.

God bless you Rev. and Sis. Bellamy, glad you made a good choice!

Deborah

Here is the link to the hit piece Deborah references (from Rev. Kekel's Blog).