Greetings Bill,
I received the following from Linda Taylor and spoke with her a couple of days ago:
Don, Thanks for always being there with good advice. I was contacted by Pastor Johnny on December 6, 2005. He called to tell me that Bill Gothard was requesting my home phone number. Pastor Johnny was asking my permission to give Bill G. this information. Pastor Johnny said that Bill had told him that he tried to call my work place and was told that I no longer worked there. Don, this was a “lie”! I have worked at Multnomah for 25 years and they would never say that to anyone. This tells me that Bill has not changed. He will say anything to make himself look good. Therefore, I will not to speak to Bill G. on the phone individually or in conference call. The only way I would be willing to meet with Bill would be face to face with one or two witnesses of my choosing. I am sure there are others that would also like to meet with him. Perhaps it could be arranged for several of us to meet together. Bill has so much to repent of and I don’t know if he will ever realize or admit the extent of hurt that he has brought to so many people. Sure, we have gone on with our lives, but it would be a great joy if we could see that Bill could actually repent and admit his part of the sorrow and hurts brought on by his actions, untruths and deceit. In addition to having witnesses it would be necessary that anything that would be discussed during this meeting and the resolutions would be published in a well known magazine such as “Christianity Today” or placed on the Internet. By doing so, others could read the real story of what happened 25 years ago and is still going on in the lives of many because of his false teachings. Even though I have put this in the Lord’s hand, I would appreciate your advice as to what to do.
Thanks,Linda Taylor
The primary difficulty is not that folks (such as Linda) would not like to see repentance and restoration happen for that is the core of the Christian faith. The primary difficulty is that telling the truth and keeping your word seems to elude you. They are not part of your character. In our experience, breaking or simply ignoring commitments you have made and then blaming those to whom you have made commitments because they actually believed you is common place. Just one of many, many examples I could cite was the agreement that you and Pastor Jones would word a joint statement that you would send it to us for comment, you would upload it to your website and we would link to it. We also all agreed that it would not be discussed until this was done. Pastor Jones let me know that you both did meet and drafted and that you would be sending it in a day or two. That was several months ago the statement but hasn’t arrived via email.
As with others, Linda would be more than glad to meet with you but it would have to be face to face and include witnesses of her choice and as she has been firm that it would also need to be reported on in a periodical of her choice (she mentioned Christianity Today). Her suggestion of including others is not a new one. Several offered to Dr. D. James Kennedy to meet with him, his staff and you, provided there was a court stenographer and videographer present for the meeting. Linda has asked me to act in her behalf to set up a meeting. I am copying Pastor Jones on this email as you had asked him to initiate contact on your behalf. I will also maintain a copy for possible use on the MCOI website.
Midwest Christian Outreach, Inc.
L.L. (Don) Veinot, Jr.
President