It continues the call to confront the international NCI KB fraud.
"Who may
continually abide with you, O Lord? He who walks with
integrity and strength of character, and works righteousness. and
speaks and holds truth in his heart.”
Psalm
15: 1,2 Amplified
“These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in
spirit,
and who tremble at my word.” Isaiah
66:2 NIV
“Let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do
with grain?” declares the Lord. “Is not my word like
fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock
in pieces?” Jeremiah
23:28,29 NIV
----------
PART ONE
New and Ongoing Resources
What's New
1. Resources from the Global Integrity Network
We recommend watching the recently archived videos of the special webinar-conference, Anti Corruption: Perspectives and Practices (21 August 2021). This is the fifth conference (second virtual) organized by the Global Integrity Network (GIN) Lausanne Movement-World Evangelical Alliance and as usual, it featured a variety of colleagues-experts from around the world. Four of the main sessions addressed perspectives on anti-corruption in Scripture, Culture, Government, and Business.
2. Health and Dysfunction in Our Organizations
--The
Church and Non-Disclosure Agreements: When Silence Is Enforced. Madeiline
Davies, Church Times (3 September 2021). “NDAs have been used in employment
contracts for decades, with the aim of preventing employees’ sharing
information with third parties. They may also be included in settlement
agreements in which an employee and employer agree to resolve a dispute and not
proceed to a tribunal, in exchange for a financial arrangement….Guidance from
the CHS Alliance, a coalition of humanitarian and development organisations,
advises that NDAs have “a legitimate reason for existing, protecting the
confidentiality of the employees as much as the alleged perpetrator”. It gives
several examples of instances in which confidentiality offers protection,
including the handling of complaints about sexual exploitation and abuse “where
assurances of confidentiality are essential to prevent further harm from
occurring”. But it also outlines the improper use of NDAs: they must not be
used “to prevent whistleblowing, reporting of discrimination or harassment, or
to cover up inappropriate behaviour or misconduct, particularly if there is a risk
of repetition of such behaviour”.
See also: #NDAfree. “We
are a global movement with a vision to see individuals, Christian organizations
and local churches free from the misuse of Non-Disclosure Agreements. #NDAfree
contributes to this by raising awareness of the issues and providing some tools
for change.” The founder, Ben Nicholson, is referenced several times in
the above article.
--Ten Suggestions for Dealing with Dysfunction and Toxicity. Kelly O'Donnell. A
chart on page 5 in Wise
Doves and Innocent Serpents? Promoting Health and Confronting Dysfunction in
the Mission Community. “The problem [of dealing with dysfunction and
toxicity--deviance] is further complicated when there is not proper
accountability in place, or when there is not enough history with a person or
an institution to really confront it and require verifiable changes...And as a
result, unless we are spiritually discerning; “street wise”; well-versed in the
behavioral science areas of systems, recovery, clinical disorders; and grounded
in the full counsel of Scripture regarding the conflict resolution process, we
can end up being "wise as doves" as we interact with others who may
be "innocent as serpents." Truth without grace may be brutal, but
grace without truth can be lethal.” (p. 3)
3. We recommend reviewing
the PETRA
People website, which has been recently redesigned and updated. “Peace, Transparency,
and Accountability (PETRA)" Since 2011, this site has provided
information and resources on integrity and corruption with a focus on the
international fraud, Nordic Capital Investments KB (NCI).
4. We recommend listening to the podcasts, Unfinished Business: Who Has Integrity to Help? and "Principles for Confronting Corruption in our Midst" by
Kelly and Michèle O’Donnell. These are two of 14 podcasts done to advocate for
truth, repentance, and healing in the past and ongoing NCI et al. corruption
and related dismissals (Into
Integrity podcasts, June and December 2019). Its is always a good time to do what is right.
----------
We are resolute in continuing the collaborative efforts (since 2007) in calling specific people and organizations for assistance-disclosures in confronting the international Nordic Capital Investments KB et al. fraud (NCI) and the related dismissals. Three ongoing efforts are the Professional Review, the Integrity Petition, and the NCI Summary and Summons (Part Two below). Here is a summary.
1. The Professional Review (2008) by Rand Guebert. "This review [investigates] several overlapping matters that have affected the mission, member care, and church community...[and] aspires to promote transparency, accountability, good practice, and healthy relationships." (p. 112). [It]has been organized to draw together the various events that have led to the dismissal of Drs. Kelly and Michele O’Donnell from YWAM [and other organizations/networks] and to the potential loss of millions of dollars by investors in Nordic Capital Investments (NCI) and Stichting Dutch Investments (SDI). Many of these events are related and overlap, and this review attempts to place them in context." (p.1)
The Professional Review is featured on the weblog, Loving Truth and Peace. This weblog's purpose, like that of the Professional Review, is to "review and learn, support good practice, and restore relationships. Click HERE to access this weblog and Professional Review. For a quick overview of the latter, see the Integrated Executive Summary. "One question arises over and over in this review--where is the ethical and accountable corporate governance?" (Integrated Executive Summary, page 1).
2. The Integrity Petition Shine the Light--Together! An ongoing, international petition calling for integrity and action to confront corruption in the Church-Mission Community and in particular the international NCI et al. fraud. More information via the link above and in Part Two below.
3. The NCI Summary and Summons. See Part Two below. This entry also includes verbatim the major section in the last several entries (Healing the Body: Living in Integrity--Loving Truth and Peace). They summarize many of the efforts by the People Network (PP Net) and summon the assistance of the people and the organizations affected by the Nordic Capital Investment KB fraud (NCI).
Those “affected” refers to the specific investors-victims, organizations-ministries, staff-leaders, and any others who received/lost money in this scheme or were somehow impacted. It also refers to the thousands of people who are or were part of these organizations-ministries (including Board members and supporters) and who have a moral responsibility to call leaders and others to account: to disclose, conduct independent reviews, and where there are “net positive” gains, to return money to victims.
How You Can Help
The informed, resolute responses to NCI by those in the church-mission community (CMC) can help bring healing to many people and the reputation of the CMC. The NCI fraud, like all corruption, will not simply go away on its own, over time, by ignoring it, or by keeping silent. Remember, the only thing necessary for corruption to flourish is to do nothing about it--or to do some non-resolute "thing" and move on, feeling self-justified, with our consciences placated and our livelihoods protected. What can you do?
1. Get accurately informed. Read the materials, court documents, and exchanges with specific CMC leaders calling for disclosures and good practice. Take the time to carefully review the Summary and Summons below.
2. Join with others and hold your organizations and leaders accountable to good practice standards (see the list of organizations and leaders in the Summary and Summons below).
3. Read, sign, and share the Integrity Petition. There is an ongoing call for signatures. See below and in Part Two.
4. Beware of the deceptive tendency to rationalize--and to distort our true motives. Hypocrisy. The heart is more deceitful above all else, and desperately sick; who can understand it (Jeremiah 17:9). Living in integrity involves scrupulously considering how we might be hurting people and the planet--unintentionally or even intentionally--and changing our ways.
#CMCtoo -- #HealUsToo -- #MyOrganizationToo
-Some mixed and hidden motives: "I don't want to take risks. I/we might have my reputation and revenue negatively impacted. This would inconvenience me." And many more.
--Going further: Listen to our podcast, "Principles for Confronting Corruption in our Midst" (2019). "We begin by exploring some reasons and rationalizations for NOT dealing with corruption in our midst. Sadly, it can be all too easy to excuse the complacency and complicity and indeed the cover ups and cowardice that prop up not just corrupt acts, but a whole culture of corruption. We then share some principles for fighting corruption based primarily on Rachel Denhollander’s recent interviews with MinistryWatch and Christianity Today as well as our own experiences confronting corruption."
Pandemic Perspectives
Pandemics bring out people's best selves or their worse selves--our selfless and our selfish qualities. The reality of the uncertainties and anxieties of life, and indeed survival--existential risk--is heavy upon the world. Positively, the current COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing corruption pandemic certainly provide plenty of opportunities for us all--individually and collectively--to reflect on the types of people we want to be, the types of societies we need to build, and the types of changes we have to make. We hope the resources in this new weblog entry will support such reflections and positive actions for living in integrity always and everywhere.
----------------------------------------------
PART TWO
Summary and Summons
to understand what happened and what needs to be done.
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 28:13
.
calling for integrity and action to confront corruption
in the church-mission community and in the international NCI et al. fraud.
Read, sign, and share this petition.
In light of the Swedish court documents, we are publicly calling for the following organizations to provide assistance by reviewing and disclosing how NCI has affected them. We are also asking them to review how they have responded to the NCI matter thus far. Authorizing independent and internal reviews is strongly encouraged. It is not helpful to simply try to “move on” and leaders and members are urged now to hold their organizations accountable. There is much to learn and many ways to help. We urge organizations affected by NCI to emulate the organizations in the “United Response” to the New Era Scandal: be transparent, accountable and cooperate to return money.
Individuals and organisations committed to integrity
should welcome the opportunity to help via open investigations and verifiable disclosures.
[YFC update June 2019: There have been exchanges with one leader in YFC over the past few months about the concerns above and the concerns shared in the paper trail August 2014-current. Although not willing to request an independent review, this leader nonetheless pulled together previous YFC responses and his current responses to the concerns. We see it as a helpful step in the right direction. We also believe it would be helpful for YFC to summarize and publicly share these responses in one document. Other organizations would do well to follow the example of YFC.]
--Individuals, families, ministries, projects, charities, foundations, and other organizations. Those that have been involved with and/or benefited from NCI—that have or may have received NCI-related funds—have key roles to play in sharing information and helping to locate missing money. Some of these entities have had three or more contracts with NCI (e.g., contracts related to other investors’ contracts, contracts for ministries and receiving NCI-money related to the people they have brought into NCI.) The Swedish court documents included an extensive albeit partial list of investors. Many are part of/associated with YWAM. Many are American, British, Dutch, and Swedish investors. Will these people and entities help? Docs: NCI Investors (primary list from Swedish EBM
--Youth With A Mission: Loren Cunningham, Darlene Cunningham, Lynn Green, Jim Stier, Tom Hallas, Iain Muir, and YWAM leaders/staff around the world. “We would be grateful if you (YWAM leaders/staff around the world) would carefully review the petition and Statement with links to core documents.” Click here to view the list of international offices from the organization’s website, many which link to specific leaders.
--Mercy Ships: Donovan and Mae Palmer. “We would be grateful if you could please review the petition and its links to core documents and share it with members of the international Mercy Ships Executive Committee and others Board members (e.g., Don Stephens as President, Myron Ullman as Chair, Rosa Whitaker, Francoise Andre, Ian McColl, and Peter Schulze as Vice-Chairs, etc.). Click here to view the list of International Board Members and the Executive Committee from the organization’s website.
(PP Net Update Aug-Sept 2012, excerpts-introduction)
(a link to excerpts and quotes for good practice, to support YWAM leaders) What can all those associated with YWAM do? Here are four suggestions to keep in mind as you review and respond to these materials:
