Chapter thirty-five
From: Office of Pastor Bryan Goodwin
One Seminary Rd.
Mineloa, TX
To: Office of the Director
FBI Headquarters
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
Dear brother or sister in Christ,
I am writing this letter to you with a heavy heart. Susanna Holman, a member of the Liberty Vision family, has admitted to a pattern of unrepentant sexual sin with a man outside of the church. In addition, she kept this sexual sin secret and actively and repeatedly deceived and lied to many in her family and in her church including her own father about the purity and intent of this relationship.
In a letter sent out on _ Susanna was brought under church discipline. Susanna was told why she is under discipline, steps to take in walking out the discipline with church leadership and the hope and goal of repentance and restoration.
In response to this letter Susanna informed her sister that she was leaving the church instead of agreeing to the plan of discipline and remaining to walk out the consequences of her sin. As a result, Susanna did not leave the church as a member in good standing but instead left the church as a member under discipline. This means the discipline and consequences of her sin will continue to follow Susanna.
Our model for this is Matthew 18:15-18. Susanna was confronted in her sins, called to repent and as an act of repentance, submit to her headship and church leaders. At this point in time Susanna has, in general, admitted to sexual sin and deceit. However she is refusing to take the steps necessary to demonstrate genuine godly sorrow and repentance. She is also refusing to own full responsibility for her sin and the ensuing repercussions. In other words she is running from facing the results and realities of sin.
Because of this Susanna's actions have put you, the greater community in Christ, in a position to need guidance on what steps to take in your interactions with Susanna. When a member under discipline refuses to follow the guidance of the church Matt. 18:14 states:
"If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." (Matthew 18:17)
Susanna's sin has put the leadership into the position of escalating Discipline. In leaving the church under discipline she has removed herself from the protection, covering and fellowship of the church.
Susanna needs to understand the church (including all of its members) is unified in God's discipline process as led by his anointed elders. During this difficult time please elevate Jesus and the Cross, not Susanna and any relationship you might have with her.
Please do not grant her gainful employment or education. Do not offer her sanctuary of any kind, including housing, financial help or medical care. Do not offer to share a meal or join in any conversation except those necessary for her to return to the church to fulfill her plan for repentance. To do so would be to expose you to the consequences of her sin and the workings of Satan. Please help her to live the seriousness of her sin so that through her shame she can be restored to Christ.
The hope and goal of church discipline is always restoration and repentance. Please pray that Susanna will turn and repent so that we as a church may rejoice in her restoration.
In Christ,
Pastor Allan Driscoll for Pastor Bryan Goodwin.
BAU Headquarters
FBI Building
Quantico, VA
Spencer
"Can you believe the arrogance!" Strauss said, putting down the letter.
This, Spencer thought, is why Hotch is the boss. He didn't even crack a micro-expression. "We believe this is an attempt to intimidate someone who might be a potential witness."
"Is she?"
"Not at this time. The most she could testify to would be to Henry's presence at the home, something we independently verified when we arrived on scene. She was not directly witness to any abuse that happened. And she's not considered a confidential informant; that ended when we arrived on scene as well."
"What is her role in the case then?"
"More of an unofficial advisor," Rossi said. "She knows the way the average cult member thinks, she can translate the jargon, she knows what Goodwin has been emphasizing in his sermons, we've never had someone from one of these cults so willing to be so open with us before. She's turning out to be quite the resource."
"She's expressed an interest in formalizing that relationship, once she's completed her schooling." Spencer told them, "Maybe with the Counterterrorism center."
Strauss blinked at him. "I don't see any reason to wait on that. As a formal employee we'd have more options for her protection."
"I don't know that she's psychologically capable of holding down a job right now." Spencer admitted. "She's still trying to process out of that world and into this one and still learning to work with her disability in an urban environment."
"Understood, I'll talk to Counterterrorism, we might be able to do something along the lines of a consultant on call." Strauss looked at the rest of the table. "How is this supposed to be intimidation anyway, they have to know that we would ignore this."
"Because they didn't just send it to us," Morgan said, coming into the room. "My pastor read that letter out at services on Sunday. Blake and Garcia and I did some checking around this morning, they sent that to every church in town, every university we could contact and every doctor we were able to reach."
Everyone was shocked. "Good heavens." Strauss said. "Is anyone taking it seriously?"
"Some of the pastors, thankfully not all. A couple of the doctors but not the ones Reid was looking at to help her. A couple of the private universities, but again, not all and not UDC. In a smaller town this kind of thing would be isolating, but not in a major urban environment, there's always an option to get what you need from someone who doesn't care."
"That's why they terrify their people about the cities, so they won't go somewhere where the cult has less control." Rossi pointed out.
"Good to know. Well, let's see what we can do to keep our informant safely under the wing." Strauss replied, ending the meeting.
As they cleared out Spencer went up to Morgan. "Why did your pastor read it out loud?"
"He wanted everyone to stay away from her. I told him afterward that I was familiar with the situation and that they were trying to intimidate the victim of a crime."
"What did he say?"
"He said that he wasn't going to cross another church and anyone who was should be under discipline themselves." By now they were at the coffee pot. "I'm not going back."
Spencer was stunned by this. Talk about unfair consequences. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Not your fault. I've gone without a church before. Any church that sides with an Unsub like that is not the place for me."
Spencer was going to say something more but Garcia was at his elbow. "Hey. Come on, we have a problem."
Bellflower House
3625 Yuma St. NW
Washington DC
"Personally I find this absolutely ridiculous! The nerve of these people! They think they can run everyone's lives for them! Well they can't!" Cheryl Lakewood said. "Neither I nor my company will be responding to this…this harassment! If anyone is concerned please speak up now and I will find a space in a different residence for you, but Susanna isn't going anywhere."
Spencer and Penelope had come in just in time to find Cheryl reading the copy of that letter to the other residents. Susanna was standing off to one side, clearly shaken.
The room was quiet for a long moment. "Right," Natalia, one of the housemates said. "So if there isn't going to be any drama I'm getting back to work."
"How much longer until Moot Court?" Holly asked.
"Two weeks." With that Natalia left.
"So what did you do?" Kim, the third housemate asked.
"I left." Susanna replied. "I came here to go to school. And I spent the night in a hotel by myself. Spencer was in the room next door."
"That's it?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, if you do something actually kinky let me know. In the meantime I'm going to go watch Days." With that she bounced as well.
Holly, her actual roommate got up and came over to her. "You do realize this is completely unfair and total harassment, right?"
"Of course I do."
"Good. Because none of us want you to go anywhere, especially back to them." With that Holly gave her a huge hug and went out herself.
That left Mrs. Knox. "They can kiss my ass." She told Cheryl before turning back to the kitchen.
Cheryl turned to them with a smile. "Well, I guess that settles it." She said, patting Susanna on the shoulder. "You're not going anywhere unless you want to."
"I'd rather stay."
"Good. Unless the FBI needs this…"
"We might." Spencer wasn't sure, but there might be a stalking or harassment suit in here somewhere.
"In that case you can have it; I won't run it through my shredder. If anyone needs anything just call me." With that Cheryl left as well.
Right, Spencer thought, crisis over. Except… "Are you okay?" He asked Susanna.
In reply she turned and hugged him, hard, burying her face in his shoulder as Penelope hugged her from behind. "Friends are family." She told him.
Yes, he thought, they are.