GOSPEL FOR ASIA & K.P. Yohannan you are cursed / repent now & pay back the millions you've stolen
Back before I woke up I had probably given thousands of dollars to the GFA SCAM…
I ran across this article today. I am not happy. This filthy reprobate GFA founder K.P. Yohannan
is cursed. He used God to gain filthy lucre. About 20 years ago he would browbeat American Christians into giving money to his program to save lost souls in India.
is cursed. He used God to gain filthy lucre. About 20 years ago he would browbeat American Christians into giving money to his program to save lost souls in India.
01 MAR
2019
Soft Media Coverage of Gospel for Asia’s $37 Million Settlement Shows Need for Hard-Hitting Blogs Posted in Evangelicalism, Missions by Julie Roys
We live in a world of spin. But nowhere could this spin be more pronounced than in news reports released yesterday about Gospel for Asia’s (GFA) massive settlement with donors who alleged that the ministry conned them and stole their money.
2019
Soft Media Coverage of Gospel for Asia’s $37 Million Settlement Shows Need for Hard-Hitting Blogs Posted in Evangelicalism, Missions by Julie Roys
We live in a world of spin. But nowhere could this spin be more pronounced than in news reports released yesterday about Gospel for Asia’s (GFA) massive settlement with donors who alleged that the ministry conned them and stole their money.
According to a CBN News report, which quoted spin-doctor Johnnie Moore at length, the settlement is reason to rejoice for a ministry that finally can put ugly allegations of wrongdoing behind it. The lead reads:
“One of the world’s largest international ministries is thanking God as a more than three-year legal battle against allegations of financial fraud is finally coming to an end.”
The report mentions that GFA “found itself embroiled in a class-action lawsuit accusing the non-profit of betraying its mission to help the poor and needy.” And it included one sentence quoting the plaintiffs, Dr. Garland Murphy III and his wife Phyllis, who accused GFA founder K.P. Yohannan of using GFA as a “front” to build “a reprehensible . . . multimillion-dollar personal empire.” (Only 13 percent of GFA donations ever made it to the mission field.)
However, nowhere in the entire article does it mention the massive amount of the settlement—$37 million dollars. This is a staggering payout and speaks to the legitimacy of the plaintiffs’ case. Fortunately, this fact was reported in a blog post by Warren Throckmorton. His lead reads:
“In court documents filed today, Gospel for Asia settled with plaintiffs Garland and Phyllis Murphy by agreeing to set aside $37 million in a Settlement Fund to provide relief for donors as well as cover court costs and attorney’s fees.”
Throckmorton’s account also mentioned that GFA agreed to have the plaintiff, Dr. Murphy, join the GFA board. In addition, the settlement stipulates that the wife of Yohannan, must step off the board and that no other relative of Yohannan will be allowed to serve on the GFA board.
Throckmorton’s report also notes that GFA agreed to create a board subcommittee that would provide oversight for the organization’s compliance with the settlement, and this subcommittee will not include K.P. Yohannan.
Stunningly, none of these important facts were included in CBN’s report. Instead, of the 578 words in the article, 425 of them are either quotes or paraphrases of GFA’s hired PR man, Johnnie Moore, or Yohannan, or verbatim parts of the settlement where GFA alleges its innocence.
Sickeningly, the article gives Yohannan a platform to make his cause seem somehow noble and spiritual.
“We are so incredibly thankful for the prayers and the ongoing support of our many faithful friends and partners. We look today toward the future with optimism in our hearts ‘being confident of this one thing: that He who began a good work in (us) will continue to perfect it. I’m most proud of the fact that we managed to continue to serve those in need even as we fought every day to survive ourselves.”
The article also gives Moore a platform to spin and mislead, asserting “that the settlement should not be taken as an admission of guilt, contending that the allegations of racketeering, fraud and financial mismanagement are bogus.”
This is absolutely laughable. Who pays $37 million to settle “bogus” allegations? And if the allegations are so baseless, how does GFA explain that only 13-percent of donations actually made it to the field? Watchdog groups suggest that at least 65-percent of a charity’s expenses should go toward their mission.
Repeatedly, we hear allegations that bloggers are somehow perverting the purity of the press. And I’ll concede that many bloggers are not trained journalists. And they often publish information that isn’t properly sourced.
Yet as this example shows, the press isn’t so pure. And bloggers are providing a much-needed service. Though I think CBN does some good reporting, Christian media tend to give Christian groups more of a pass than they deserve. And if it weren’t for bloggers, many important truths would never come to light.
Bloggers often expose the facts that no one else will. Throckmorton, for example, was key to exposing now-disgraced, former Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll. The Elephant’s Debt played a crucial role in exposing the corruption of Harvest Bible Chapel and its founder, James MacDonald. And similarly, The Broken Twig, which has since been taken down, published crucial letters by alumni and professors asserting mission-drift and heavy-handed management at the Moody Bible Institute. This was a big help to me when I was blowing the whistle on wrongdoing at the institute, which led to the president, provost, and COO of MBI stepping down.
Moving forward, I hope Christian media become less accommodating in their coverage of Christian groups and more willing to investigate and report the inconvenient facts. But in the meantime, I encourage Christians to read blogs with discerning eyes, but by all means, read them! If you don’t, you likely will be less informed and less able to discern truth from error. And in this particular case, you may falsely believe that Gospel for Asia is a victim instead of a perpetrator.
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13 COMMENTS
CBN News, Gospel For Asia, Johnnie Moore, K.P. Yohannan, Warren Throckmorton
FORMER HARVEST ELDER ASKS FOR FORGIVENESS AND POSTS PUBLIC STATEMENT
13 thoughts on “Soft Media Coverage of Gospel for Asia’s $37 Million Settlement Shows Need for Hard-Hitting Blogs”
Susan Vonder Heide
March 1, 2019 at 12:39 pm Reply
I am not familiar with this particular case but I agree that in general it is good to have multiple sources including blogs. Of course, both major news organizations and independent blogs should be viewed with discernment.
CBN News, Gospel For Asia, Johnnie Moore, K.P. Yohannan, Warren Throckmorton
FORMER HARVEST ELDER ASKS FOR FORGIVENESS AND POSTS PUBLIC STATEMENT
13 thoughts on “Soft Media Coverage of Gospel for Asia’s $37 Million Settlement Shows Need for Hard-Hitting Blogs”
Susan Vonder Heide
March 1, 2019 at 12:39 pm Reply
I am not familiar with this particular case but I agree that in general it is good to have multiple sources including blogs. Of course, both major news organizations and independent blogs should be viewed with discernment.
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Camille
March 1, 2019 at 12:46 pm Reply
Thank you for sharing this. I am thankful to you for your blog and others who are not afraid to research and try to uncover the truth. Thank you!
Camille
March 1, 2019 at 12:46 pm Reply
Thank you for sharing this. I am thankful to you for your blog and others who are not afraid to research and try to uncover the truth. Thank you!
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Barry Schultz
March 1, 2019 at 12:54 pm Reply
Julie – Thank you for seeking the truth. You are in our prayers as you continue your God given mission to expose the “false teachers” of this age!
Barry Schultz
March 1, 2019 at 12:54 pm Reply
Julie – Thank you for seeking the truth. You are in our prayers as you continue your God given mission to expose the “false teachers” of this age!
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Luke
March 1, 2019 at 12:56 pm Reply
Wow, so sad and surprising. We have given to them on more than one occasion. No more!
Luke
March 1, 2019 at 12:56 pm Reply
Wow, so sad and surprising. We have given to them on more than one occasion. No more!
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Fisher
March 1, 2019 at 1:53 pm Reply
Thanks for posting this update on GFA Julie. We knew something was wrong with KP from the moment we heard his unbiblical lie that American Christians should let “nationals” carry out the work of God’s Kingdom in India and all we should do was send money. The Bible teaches no such thing but rather commands all believers everywhere in all generations to complete the great commission. God calls believers from Japan to serve in Thailand. Indian Australians to serve in Bhutan. Kenyans to serve in the UK. He is the God of all nations sending his people to all nations.
Fisher
March 1, 2019 at 1:53 pm Reply
Thanks for posting this update on GFA Julie. We knew something was wrong with KP from the moment we heard his unbiblical lie that American Christians should let “nationals” carry out the work of God’s Kingdom in India and all we should do was send money. The Bible teaches no such thing but rather commands all believers everywhere in all generations to complete the great commission. God calls believers from Japan to serve in Thailand. Indian Australians to serve in Bhutan. Kenyans to serve in the UK. He is the God of all nations sending his people to all nations.
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Jennifer
March 1, 2019 at 2:36 pm Reply
I respect what you are doing on this blog and appreciate it, but in this particular case how do we know for sure that this is not a case of mismanagement? Maybe I need more information, but it sounds like he is complying with their demands and restructuring to give more accountability. Is it possible he paid the settlement to save the ministry in general? And the money is going back to donors not the plaintiffs, correct? I just feel that it’s hypocritical to not acknowledge their obvious actions towards positive change. Like I said, I appreciate your efforts and these things should be exposed for what they are, but possibly with a little more caution as we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Speak the truth in love, which I feel like you are doing, but it could easily teeter into something else if not careful.
Jennifer
March 1, 2019 at 2:36 pm Reply
I respect what you are doing on this blog and appreciate it, but in this particular case how do we know for sure that this is not a case of mismanagement? Maybe I need more information, but it sounds like he is complying with their demands and restructuring to give more accountability. Is it possible he paid the settlement to save the ministry in general? And the money is going back to donors not the plaintiffs, correct? I just feel that it’s hypocritical to not acknowledge their obvious actions towards positive change. Like I said, I appreciate your efforts and these things should be exposed for what they are, but possibly with a little more caution as we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Speak the truth in love, which I feel like you are doing, but it could easily teeter into something else if not careful.
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oliviamae2
March 2, 2019 at 12:02 am Reply
It sounds like they paid out because they were forced to. A settlement usually happens by force- as an alternative to costly litigation. It would have continued on if the weren’t investigated. Like others have said, Warren Throckmorten has covered this for years. Previously on Patheos so not sure if those older articals are available.
oliviamae2
March 2, 2019 at 12:02 am Reply
It sounds like they paid out because they were forced to. A settlement usually happens by force- as an alternative to costly litigation. It would have continued on if the weren’t investigated. Like others have said, Warren Throckmorten has covered this for years. Previously on Patheos so not sure if those older articals are available.
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Jennifer
March 2, 2019 at 9:09 am Reply
Okay, I will look for the older articles. Thanks. It’s very disheartening as my children and I have given at Christmas each year to the GFA Christmas catalog. It truly breaks my heart if these things are true. My reaction to all of these scandals has been complete shock and then deep sadness. It is so hard to believe that these leaders we have trusted can be so different from what we thought they were. I’m glad it is being brought into the light. I am also trying to remember though to be sober minded about the capabilities of my own human heart and humble myself as I read these articles as any one of us if given the opportunity could do the same. I posted because the name calling and slight sensationalism that gives the idea to readers that these fallen leaders are somehow any different from us does not sit right with me.
Jennifer
March 2, 2019 at 9:09 am Reply
Okay, I will look for the older articles. Thanks. It’s very disheartening as my children and I have given at Christmas each year to the GFA Christmas catalog. It truly breaks my heart if these things are true. My reaction to all of these scandals has been complete shock and then deep sadness. It is so hard to believe that these leaders we have trusted can be so different from what we thought they were. I’m glad it is being brought into the light. I am also trying to remember though to be sober minded about the capabilities of my own human heart and humble myself as I read these articles as any one of us if given the opportunity could do the same. I posted because the name calling and slight sensationalism that gives the idea to readers that these fallen leaders are somehow any different from us does not sit right with me.
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Jennifer
March 2, 2019 at 10:18 am Reply
I found a website called GFA Diaspora and only had to read a few articles to see that there are real problems with this ministry. I apologize for being uniformed. I think the shock and sadness of watching these scandals unfold can initially create defensiveness/denial because it is so heartbreaking when we are personally invested. Thanks.
Jennifer
March 2, 2019 at 10:18 am Reply
I found a website called GFA Diaspora and only had to read a few articles to see that there are real problems with this ministry. I apologize for being uniformed. I think the shock and sadness of watching these scandals unfold can initially create defensiveness/denial because it is so heartbreaking when we are personally invested. Thanks.
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Dave Larson
March 1, 2019 at 3:31 pm Reply
Thank you so much, Julie. Couldn’t agree more.
Dave Larson
March 1, 2019 at 3:31 pm Reply
Thank you so much, Julie. Couldn’t agree more.
As you said “Christian media tend to give Christian groups more of a pass than they deserve”. As someone who was worked for decades mostly with such “Christian groups” I have found that the traditional media is even worse than you say – it is for the most part completely unwilling to consider and then address the numerous abuses in organizations such as Cross International and World Relief, where I have worked and seen grave injustices, fraud, and misrepresentation.
I know that you have your hands full still with “HarvestGate”, and commend you again for your ministry to the Body of Christ in exposing them and continuing to pressure them to reform.
However, when you have time, I would love to talk with you about the abuses I’ve seen at World Relief, Cross International, and elsewhere.
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Carrie Cleaver
March 1, 2019 at 4:20 pm Reply
I’ve been supporting one kid in the Bridge Of Hope project. Are these children affected with this obvious wrong doing? It would be so sad if it is true.
Carrie Cleaver
March 1, 2019 at 4:20 pm Reply
I’ve been supporting one kid in the Bridge Of Hope project. Are these children affected with this obvious wrong doing? It would be so sad if it is true.
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Cindy
March 1, 2019 at 6:16 pm Reply
Donated in the past…first I hear of this!! How do we go about getting more Info?
Cindy
March 1, 2019 at 6:16 pm Reply
Donated in the past…first I hear of this!! How do we go about getting more Info?
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ecuadorkevin
March 1, 2019 at 10:02 pm Reply
For anyone wanting to know more about this, I highly suggest reading Warren Throckmorton’s blog. He has covered this issue extensively.
ecuadorkevin
March 1, 2019 at 10:02 pm Reply
For anyone wanting to know more about this, I highly suggest reading Warren Throckmorton’s blog. He has covered this issue extensively.
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