Capstone (n): the high point; the crowning achievement...

Hello both,

The crowning achievement of this blog is being part of the great collective work started on FactNet - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 1:50 am. Providing tens-of-thousands of hours of reflection, growth & entertainment. Since Pastor Davis died in 2014, my perceived duty to inform died. 

Especially since we got davis-lite poseurs playing dress up with their Dad's suits & now you've been informed of after-Davis NTCC, so we can stop informing here also. You're caught up in perpetuity. Though we didn't believe him, 'cause MCK surely will make it happen, Reverend Olson was right yet again..."Brethren, the Organization [was] Pastor Davis."

SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT (then delete, rinse, repeat in Holy Spirit Power) originally posted 5/15/2010 #parenting...

Apply today
Get in line

Good News from Rev. Kekel's Blog (words of mck/God in red): Mar 3, 2009 @ 7:20 pm

A Rumor that's not...

There’s one making the rounds that my son is playing organized sports. Please allow me to set the

Senior Pastor Kekel has been administratively warehoused over 28 years (42 to date) but has no “been there, done that” testimony (originally posted 10/16/2012) #armchair...

...the wistful thoughts
of a desperate man
(click to donate)

Senior Pastor Kekel  might possibly seem like a big fish (& fishy) to new NTCC'rs (especially if new) because he's in a very small pond, and because Tanya is Senior Pastor Davis’ adopted daughter. His "Pioneer Go-Getter Spirit" is just talk. To date he hasn't allowed it to be put to the test. If you want to ask him about any of this, he can always be found in Graham. So he belittles what others have done outside of Graham. Pioneering would fix this. 

Many women & men in "his" congregation could show him how it's done. The same ones he denigrates during online worship. He would have to go by himself though. Tanya won't leave Verna & Verna wants to coddle. Her mothering drive had always been quashed by RWD, who quashed all things meaningful in anyone's life. Grant must get smothered, which is a great problem. I envy him that. She more than anyone has a much better life since RWDs passing & has a lot of catching up to do. Happy as a tick on a dog & twice as thankful.

The_WHIRLWIND wrote in Holy Spirit POWER on FactNet (originally posted 10/2/2010) #gossip...

Get out the way! I's on a mission from God! The_WHIRLWIND (69.29.212.77) Posted on Wednesday, June 02, 2004 - 6:22 pm: JOB 38:1-3 “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said; Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man: for I will demand of thee and answer thou me.” HOLD YOUR FIRE EVERYONE!

It's Christmas. Start the New Year with a gift for yourself (originally posted 12/25/2012)...

One of the best things
 you will ever do
for you and your family

Please note, the message below is coming from the man who has been “assigned” to Graham for over 28 (42 now) years; pursuing his "administrative" calling.

Sorry about all the red ink (again, my commentary). But, as is usual, Senior Pastor Kekel's reasons/reasonings engender more questions than answers; clouds not clarifies, tattles not trumpets, prattles not proclaims.

"Fellowship Meetings weren't of God" or more policy from "this go-getter has three jobs" (originally posted 11/21/2012)...

Are we there yet?

Hello all,

Senior Pastor Kekel wrote..."The primary reason for this [Fellowship Meeting cancellation], was to ease the financial burden on the churches and pastors, and stop the monthly disruption of their schedules." This quote shows Senior Pastor Kekel is unaware Fellowship Meetings were never a monthly requirement. Like I wrote, he has no oversight of the churches outside of Graham, and much of his own writings bear this out. Those of us in the work of the Lord in the field never had Fellowship Meeting the month before, of, and after a Conference (this was policy). Therefore, there were only 6 per year (1 or 2 were hosted). And sometimes less if there were mandatory Minister's Seminars to go to.

Gregory writes...Thanks for your never-been-there-done-that second-hand insight. Based only on your logic: Why does our Cult still have Conference?

Senior Pastor Kekel at the French kissin' dog show w/RWD's Daughter, RWD's Grandson, Lesbians & the Wintergrass Music Festival (originally posted 10/11/2010) #publicspaces...

Eeeek! & Ears!

Anonymous wrote (in a comment over on Don and Ange's Blog)..."you missed part of that article about the dog show; where the lesbians were kissing the dogs, french style? Don might like to comment on that kind of thing, homosexuality that is. And what is the age difference between Greg and Debbie?"

NTCC is as it seems (a duck) originally posted 11/10/2012 #stopbullies...

...all that matters is
 money & numbers
(click to donate)

First Anonymous makes it appear (on Jeff's Blog) they went there by accident (“…when someone stumbles onto this page like I did…”).

Then Anonymous went there on purpose to verify something (“…the reason I came on here is because I saw something on facebook and came to check if it was real.”)

And now Anonymous won’t be back.

The GREAT awakening. God v. Graham? They win & you pay (originally posted 4/23/2013) #paytoplay...

New Jesus is winning

"New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc., also called New Testament Christian Church is one of the most wonderful churches available today. Among this church it is well known that we don’t consider ourselves to be the “only ones saved”, and we also know that, more and more, in churches of today, the world and the saints are without distinction. Churches as godly as this one are certainly rare nowadays, but weren’t so rare 50 years ago." - The_WHIRLWIND (FactNet 2004)

Along with the The_WHIRLWIND, we also want to know what happened to who/what NTCC was founded upon over 40 years ago?

2 + 2 = 9? Senior Pastor? Kekel? Something fishy this way comes (originally posted 10/3/2012) #fuzzymath...

Same Ol' Same Ol'

Hello All,

Senior Pastor Kekel wrote…”The annual operating cost of the Campground is over $100,000.00, not including the costs of construction mentioned above. One Conference generates approximately $40,000.00, nowhere near covering the costs.” (FYI...income covering 80% of operating cost does almost cover the cost, nice try with the poor-mouthing though...one solution is to receive a special offering each conference where each one of the "1000" gives $10 each conference; this will generate $20,000 per year, so will pay the bills)

Senior Pastor Kekel also shared…”When a thousand people simultaneously erupt in loud worship,-as it happened in this last conference [2010]…” (Bro. Bellamy shares..."If you want to measure success by the increasing numbers then why was Fall Conference 2010 only half full on the men's side? There were more women and kids than there were of men.")

WORKING WOMEN – Senior Pastor Kekel says “…it’s against the Bible.” Jeffrey C. Gross, Jr. and Tanya Kekel disagree (originally posted 10/11/2012)...

STAY IN THE HOUSE!

BE IN SUBJECTION!

DON'T TEACH!

Rev. Jordan published this in 1994… [$10 @ the Campground Store] Then in my dream I saw Faith and Charity continue down the Highway of Holiness, rejoicing about their victories over the enemy. They met a lady called Mrs. Career-Woman who knew faith. She began to tell her how foolish it was to throw away all her training and the future.

♩♪♫♬ They're pressing on their errant way ♩♪♫♫ They're sowing discord every day ♫♬♩♪ They're thriving where this all abounds ♩♪♫♩♪ These schism Taints missed higher ground ♩♪♫♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♫♬♩♪ (originally posted 9/28/2012)...

Is Broken

Jeff (regarding your last post),

Thanks, I understand your tack better now.

The only reason I don't agree with your method is because Bro. Bellamy wasn't backing down from what he wrote, while still reconciling with Bro. Brill. And I didn’t feel he needed help, and we could always quiz them later, after they said what they had to say (plus, sometimes if you let people talk, they will tell you more than they would have otherwise). And maybe what follows will help you understand my tack a little better also:

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About Us! (originally posted 10/27/2012) #grifters…

"We consider anyone who's left NTCC...

 an enemy, so visit our church this Sunday." 

(click to donate)

Senior Pastor Kekel calls him “Ramtha Man [but, don’t call him Kekel or Mike, et cetera; as he takes offense at anything less than the utmost respect/deference shown to him, he just doesn't reciprocate]”. The rest of us know him as Bruce.

Below are links to all his articles that are relevant to this piece (followed by my foolish and unlearned commentary):

Our Cult's in the Good News Online! (fact is stranger than fiction) originally posted 4/30/2010...

Investigative reporting 
by Ramtha Man

To anyone interested,

Bruce Smith is an online print reporter, who wrote a 5-part series on NTCC. 

Here's the link to a follow up article he did in 2011 (consolidates the other 5 he wrote at a different Newspaper, which were deleted).

In investigating for this series, he was interested in both sides (pro and con). He said I could post his contact information here (or anywhere else). Anonymity was guaranteed if requested. 

The SINNER-NET in-review (wasn't updated once this was originally posted 8/19/2010, we'll work on it since it's now part of the official "MCK Anthology" - also introducing NTCC-TV under miscellaneous)…

"Preparing Youth, with Truth,
in Holy Spirit Power"
(i miss the old logo)

This post is probably moot since the internet isn't the honking scandal it was a few years ago. But, a trip down memory lane may be fun. 

Non-NTCC Sites:

• Tracy's Blog is gone again as of June 2010…

• NTCC's Wikipedia article is finally gone, as of March 2010 (back up 22 June 2010 after support documents were submitted & approved)…

• ntccXposed is finally gone, as of July 2010.

Tithe? Sure…But, what does the Bible say tithe is, when the NT doesn’t tell us? (originally posted 6/19/2011)...

Easy to understand, easy to apply

INTRODUCTION: 

Let’s say (for this article) tithing is still in effect because there are no specific prohibitions against it in the New Testament (along with stoning rebellious sons, et al). But, when there are no New Testament guidelines on how tithe is to be executed by Christians, we must refer to the Old Testament only, to find how this is to be accomplished (the same way we do for the meaning/definition/understanding of alter, sacrifice, wilderness, redemption, priest, faith, et al).

Let’s ignore all the arguments for and against mandatory tithe, and all acknowledge a few things…tithe in the Old Testament was food & was used only to feed the priesthood (their only inheritance), supply the fixin’s for love feasts, offerings & sacrifices, and to feed the poor (charity).

So, what does real tithe look like…without, you know, ignoring anything contained in the Bible, or the fact the Ministry is a business; or relying on secular history, secular custom, and/or any other source outside the Bible?

A Doctrine of God, or a Commandment from Men? (now you get to decide) originally posted 8/18/2010...

Easy to understand, easy to apply

INTRODUCTION: 

NTCC is a mandatory tithe 501(c)(3). It is required by NTCC that every preacher say before taking the offering, "All Christians pay tithe, and give offerings" (in amongst anything else they might say during offering time), and many times what is said by the preacher regarding tithe and offerings is quite voluminous. Many times this will bleed over into the rest of the service, sometimes continuing as the topic of discussion during fellowship after the service has ended.

Their official policy is if you don't pay tithe, you're not a Christian. It doesn't much matter what else you may be doing right. Conversely, if you pay tithe, you will be called brother, and it doesn't much matter what else you may be doing wrong.

Jesus, the Apostles, New Testament Tithe, and Christians (no, they are not kidding) originally posted 9/11/2011...

Easy to understand, easy to apply

INTRODUCTION:

So what has been accomplished thus far? Well, other than ignoring almost all scripture (by necessity, and in deference to NTCC’s most used/useful/profitable doctrinal method) which should support (if it existed) the mandatory Christian tithe teachers position, not much since few are commenting (but, many are reading, the “hit counter” is way up).

Have I yet disproved the doctrine of “Mandatory Christian Tithe?” If not, why not? Or, am I just wrong because NTCC's business model needs me to be wrong?

Abram's Tithe (Abraham didn't Tithe), Moses' Tithe, and Christians (no, they are not kidding) originally posted 7/4/2011...

Easy to understand, easy to apply

INTRODUCTION:

Matthew 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Why is the Old Testament important/necessary to a Christian? One reason is it defines for us terms used in the New Testament, without consulting any outside secular source. Stated differently, it allows God to define His own terms. Sacrifice, alter, fornication, redemption, Passover, Tabernacle/Temple, Priest, High Priest, Pentecost, feast, sodomy, et cetera are all defined/delineated in the Old Testament.

So, we (can) derive Biblical principles from the Old Testament for practical Christian living without again coming under the purview of the Old Testament/Covenant. These ‘principles’ are what marked (elevated) the teachings of the apostles (above the Scribes and Pharisees), who quoted extensively (along with Paul) from the Law of Moses to teach Christian doctrines in the New Testament. The Apostles showed how the Old pointed to the New (and Christ). They illuminated the Old Testament types, in a way unrevealed before Christ’s earthly ministry. The Apostles teachings, God’s intent, and even what the Law says about itself, does not keep mankind in bondage to the Law, but set men free to enter fully into God’s grace.

Believe what we say, not what you see (originally posted 11/1/2012)...

Ex'rs are Gaslit!

Anonymous wrote as a comment here..."The rooms at camp are not overpriced. 40 a night is not overpriced. Your such a liar.”

Senior Pastor Kekel wrote here..."The blessing is that it enables us to have a place to host the Conferences and keep rooms affordable for those who wish to stay on the Camp."

Thanks for your input Anonymous. Since this is all you got out of the article you may be in a Cult.

Won't Get Fooled Again: NTCC is anti-family (originally posted 5/27/11)...

Follow us to Church

Read all about it here and here (just more subtle about it now, along with using someone else's words, to add credibility and support for another NTCC 'policy').

The Updo (originally posted 2/10/11)...

Same as cutting

I have been thinking about the following for years (even before NTCC stopped renewing my Ordained Minister's License in 2009).

 

Question: Since Paul talks about a woman’s hair being a covering, a glory to a women, and an example, why is it alright to style with an up-do/french roll, bun, etc, when this prevents a woman's long hair from being a covering—effectively mimicking short hair?

Excerpts from an edifying NEW message by Senior Pastor Kekel (originally posted 2/5/2011)...

We are WINNING!

Hello all,

Directly below (the four bullet points) is an excerpt from a message on Pastor Kekel's blog, titled "Fight or Flight"...

1st time visitor w. w. says NTCC “seems like a cult” (originally posted 2/3/2011)…

All Christians pay tithe 
and give offerings

I was invited to visit a church by a long time acquaintance. She said she has been going there for 2 years and she really likes it. I went Sunday (1/30/11). The preacher was blasting rich people and all their possessions. I started looking through my bible for the scripture, "But we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for our sakes he became poor that we might be rich, that through his poverty we might be rich."

Old FACTNet is gone (originally posted 1/30/2011)...

Hallelujah!

Hello all,

More Good News Online...On 29 January 2011, the witness that was "old FACTNet" was deleted from the world wide web. I already archived all the NTCC stuff, so maybe someday it will make a reappearance (sounds like good content for a full-blown website). The "new FACTNet" is still with us, but is consistently inactive.

Some elegant paragraph by Burt (originally posted 1/14/2011)...

They've got your back

Our crime was that we trusted them, we believed them, and on top of all that we loved them. All the while, we only ask after having left ntcc that ntcc comes clean about the abusive and neglectful social practices and behaviors that they have secretely under the radar gotten away with. No paper trail, no video trail, and no trail of evidence save for the astounding number of people who witness and experienced first hand the abusive rules they (ntcc) decry as never happening or are un-willing to acknowledge in the face of all these witnesses.

"Fear, Frustration & Facing Pastor" - by Rev. Briggs (originally posted 10/25/2010)...

Money and Numbers

Wow. Great article Pastor Briggs (RIP).

Here's the link. 

PROMISES & LIES, PIONEERS & MISSIONARIES (originally posted 10/19/2010)...

For the work of the Lord.

TRANSCRIPT:

February 5, 1997

Letter of Dispatch

Letter of Support

Re: G.T. Shunk

508-1 Sang Yon Dong

P.O. Box 19

Tongduchun

Republic Of Korea

To Whom concerned,

This is to certify that Rev. G.T. Shunk is an ordained minister in good standing with the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. This is to further certify that Rev. G.T. Shunk has been granted an appointment to Korea that he may serve as a Pastor and spiritual director of U.S. servicemen.

It's always Conference time again & no longer updated since the point has been proven after 10 years (originally posted 9/10/2010 )...

Say Amen Somebody...
Somebody say AMEN!

NTCC of America, Inc.'s

Conference Schedule:

Since Spring Conference 2004 to Spring Conference 2014, 55% of Conferences have been held at the Campground, and haven't been mandatory since the 'Fall' of 2006. Oops, the cult-of-flip-flops now has one mandatory Conference per year. When the truth effects their "bottom line," and/or causes too much hemorrhaging, and the routine inevitable panic grips them, Conference shifts to Graham (or Phoenix), or goes regional, and becomes mandatory again. Local church visits, from NTCC's leadership, are also used to put out the frequent fires.

NEPHEW or GRANDCHILD: The answer's obvious, just not to everyone, so we'll post this (originally posted 8/17/2010)...

It seems pleasing to God

Regarding the word translated ‘nephew’ in 1 Timothy 5:4 (KJV)…

Word: ekgonon
Pronounce: ek'-gon-on
Strong’s Number: G1549
Orig: neuter of a derivative of a compound of 1537 and 1096; a descendant, i.e. (specially) grandchild.
Use: Adjective

They didn’t teach us the above in Bible College regarding 1 Timothy 5:4 (we were taught something else on the evening of 24 April 1996). I studied it out for myself later, as we were all taught (continue study on your own after graduation) in Bible College.

Ode to "SHUNK" -- by Rev. Kekel (originally posted 4/25/2010)...

Married 18+ Years, and Counting

Hello all,

An article on Rev. Kekel's Blog was pointed out to us by a concerned citizen. This one is called "Shunk".

Some origins of NTCC; a repository (originally posted 3/16/2010)...

1948

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana (1905)

Enter an origin story in the comments. Preferably before 1975. Or add a link we can go to to save typing. I know there's a lot of histories on the blogs. We will add them to the repository later, for a one stop shop. Thanks.

She's lying, no cult's this bad (originally posted 4/6/2011)...

Deja vu all over again

Hello all,

Deborah wanted me to post this comment on her blog, that she posted on Jeff's Blog (nobody asked, but FYI...Deborah and I are doing quite well, over 2 years post-exit). So here it is (love you, Baby):

ST. LOUIS, MO 1978; GOD's GRAND PLAN ALREADY GONE AWRY (originally posted 3/5/2010)...

BECAUSE I LOVE 
YOU!

In August and September of 1978, I had been talking to my eldest sister Esther about coming to Bible School. My sister Esther, her former husband Manuel, and my brother Andrew had visited Becky in the summer of 1975, at NTCC’s Bible College in St. Louis, MO. They had told Becky that they were interested in coming to school (Midwestern Bible Institute at the time).

Please be patient = ) originally posted 2/26/2010...

Hello everybody,

I'm winning

I am sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. Please have patience with me. My Mom and I are in the process of moving books and furniture, beds etc. around the house (Gregory is just back from Afghanistan again and is at Fort Campbell in-processing). My brother is coming and we really don't have anyone to help us get the house ready, so he and his wife have a place to stay. So it's been mostly me trying to get things in order. As many of you know I also work full time, and am fully involved in my Mom's church. Hopefully this weekend I can type out more of my story.

Life is good!

Deborah

The Myrtle Beach Conference & the BLOW UP (originally posted 6/8/2011)...

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.

NTCC's Vasectomy Policy vs. Humanity (originally posted 2/2/2010)...

No good reason

Wahiawa, Hawaii - 1982

RW came to Hawaii for a visit, bringing along a couple other people. Right now I can't remember who accompanied him, but they were on their way to the Philippines. It was during this visit that RW broached the subject of Ministers getting a vasectomy. I believe there were a couple of ministers who recently had this procedure done. RW was teasing one of them about what had happened. While RW was talking, I heard my name mentioned and these words, "Well Deb doesn't want any kids". I later approached Rick and asked him why I was mentioned? When Rick told me about the conversation, and he mentioned "vasectomy" I didn't know what the word meant. Then he explained what the procedure was.

Sordid Beginnings: Bad root, bad fruit (originally posted 1/23/2010)...

Lies & Crickets

Where to begin? The other day my Mom and I were talking about how we came in contact with the people from NTCC. I mentioned some things to her about something that took place in '73 or '74, while my sister was in Bible School. My Mom began telling me about some men which came from St Louis, Missouri to Pueblo, Colorado (our then church’s headquarters...First Spanish Church of God in Christ). These men were friends with Bob Patterson (Penny Hampton Duran's father). Also, the school (Mid-Western Bible Institute) dean at the time was a man named Ruben Herrera. Ruben had family that attended the church in Pueblo, Co.