MBBC President resigned under pressure

Rhet

Sounds like a good scripture, which scripture is it?

 

His "activities" with the massage folks and the fact he was never home are inextricably tied together.

There's no doubt that his distance he kept from his wife and family caused a bunch of this stuff.

It doesn't sound good for him...several massage therapists complained of inappropriate behavior. He's in for a rough road.

 

So what exactly is the full story? Are these legitimate massage therapy sessions, nothing more nor less than a treatment to relieve muscular problems? Or have people jumped to the conclusion that these were not real therapists, but "sex workers" using the term massage therapy as a euphemism? Has this Board jumped to an unwarranted conclusion?

This thing of being so busy that the home is neglected ... it seems to me it is a thirst for affirmation. If you go on the road and accept every invitation, you get a lot of praise and plaudits. At home it's chores and criticism (on the theory that no man is a hero to his valet ... or his family ... because they see the real person and/or the "hero" eventually becomes ordinary). So people who are essentially insecure go wherever they can feel propped up.

 

=="Allegations" of seeing "four different massage therapists"? Or is it allegations of immoral behavior towards/with those therapists?

Let's not confuse a licensed massage "therapist" with a massage parlor. Some uninformed people have confused the two but they are two different things. One is sinful (parlor) the other is medical (therapist). A massage therapist is like a chiropractor except he/she works with muscles instead of bones. For those who have chronic back pain, headaches, neck pain, etc, a combo of massage therapy sessions & chiropractic sessions can be a big help.

I know this because my brother is a massage therapist and about to become a chiropractor. I also have another brother in sports medicine.

If one of the reasons this Dr Jaspers resigned was visiting a medical office (massage therapist) then someone needs to explain to him (and the MBBC) the difference between a massage therapist and a massage parlor. Unless, of course, there is more to the story.

Having said that the way this man treated his family is a disgrace. He should not be in the ministry.

 

Martin, thanks for making the important distinction.

And you're right...if he neglected his family to the degree that it seems from this story, then he shouldn't be in a position of ministry.

 

Letter From Dr. Jaspers

July 26, 2006

Dear Students,

This response has been a long time in coming. That has not been by accident. While my tendency for many years has been to respond swiftly and with confidence, the Lord has taught me that I have much to learn about patience and true humility. I know I have a long way to go but I am deeply grateful for what the Lord has been teaching me through this most difficult time in my life.

After reading the letter from the Board, I spent several days in prayer about this matter. I have come to the conclusion that a point-by-point defense of Dave Jaspers will serve no purpose of eternal value. So, I simply want to answer some common questions that people have asked as they seek to deal with this situation.

In May, I wrote a letter to the Maranatha faculty and staff explaining some of the things going on in my heart. My words were true words. I have come to a strong conviction that no ministry position is worth doing if I cannot properly balance family and ministry. However, my letter did not explain the circumstances that served as the trigger for my decision to resign. As a positive-minded, future-focused, glass-is-half-full, person, I preferred to dwell on the positive things God was doing in my life. It was never my intent to mislead. The allegations were humiliating and I was anxious to switch gears and look forward to life after Maranatha. The Lord had other plans.

I have, for the past twenty plus years, sought the relief of massage therapy. I suffer from a genetic lower back problem which isn’t always helped by chiropractic treatment. Sometimes the symptoms of pain are in the muscles that are trying to compensate for the weakness of my lower back. A helpful chiropractor recommended that I pursue massage therapy. My wife has had full knowledge of my use of massage therapy and has been fully supportive, even insistent, that I get help. My motive was strictly pain relief and nothing more. At no time has there ever been participation in, or desire for, that which would be immoral. At no time have I sought, or received, any sexual gratification.

Through these past couple of months, the Lord has revealed some important areas in my life and character that need changing. He has greatly convicted me about the importance of truth. When I was initially confronted by the Board I was shocked and humiliated by the accusations. I lied when asked by the Board if there had been more than one Watertown therapists who had worked on my back. I am deeply ashamed of that. There has not been a day since June 22nd that I haven’t agonized over that failure. It is when we are put in a pressure cooker situation that we learn things about ourselves that aren’t very pretty. That lie cost me all my credibility with the Board. I have asked the Lord to forgive me for that sin and I have asked the Board to forgive me for lying to them.

I have also been convicted that I need to greatly grow in the areas of modesty, discretion, and caution. I did not exercise wisdom in truly counting the cost of my decisions. I can see now that in my ease in seeking aggressive massage therapy, ignoring some of the warning signs that a more modest and discreet person would have quickly sensed, all indicate that I need the Lord’s help to grow in this important area. I am in no position to lecture other men but I sincerely wish that I would have exercised much more care in this area.

Most of all, I know that the Lord is teaching me much about humility. I have always been a very confident, take charge, we-can-do-it, kind of leader. While not necessarily wrong, in me it fostered an increasing problem of pride. There is no question that the Lord is taking me on a journey of humility. I have been brought as low as a man can be brought. The Lord allowed me to hit the bottom of bitterness to capture my attention. It has been very painful. Yet, as I meditate on James 4, I realize the potential for good that this can bring to my life. I am willing for the Lord to take as long as this process demands. I long for the grace that He promises to those who are truly humble.

Change is very difficult. Especially change that takes us a direction in which we never wanted to go. I realize that my life has now forever changed. All I have ever known, or desired to know, is the life of ministry. Now, that is all in jeopardy. As I have contemplated the reality of change and the challenge of personal adversity, my flesh has wanted to find the quickest route out! Graciously, the Lord has not allowed me to avoid what He is intending for good in my life. To sense His working, and at the same time to not know where it will all lead, is very hard. I have learned about my Lord in ways I never expected. I can tell you that Hebrews 12 and James 1 have a whole new meaning for me. Jim Berg’s “Changed Into His Image” has never been more helpful. I have known this material but now I see myself on nearly every page. I earnestly covet your prayers.

This has been a very hurtful time for Kathy. It has seemed that her great personal sacrifice of the past seven and a half years has been for naught. She is grieving. We all process things differently, and I am committed to our taking as much time as is necessary for her sake. Our daughter, Katie, loves us passionately. She has felt our hurt to the depths of her being. It is a joy to see already some of the life lessons that she has learned through this whole ordeal. Our son, Davis, has been a rock. He is an extremely focused young man. He loves us. He is seeking, with all his heart, to rise above the storm and allow the Lord to use this to make him even stronger. I have counseled both of our children to not take on our offense.

We are grateful for those who have prayed for us and we ask that you continue to do so. I know that our journey is not over. There is still much to learn, and we pray daily that the Lord will keep our eyes on Him and not be distracted from His gracious work of change in our lives.

Dave Jaspers

 

Letter from Oats

Dear Students,

The Lord has given Maranatha, our faculty, and our ministry teams a tremendous summer, and I trust that you are having a great summer wherever you are. We’re looking forward to an excellent beginning to the fall semester with our meetings with Evangelist Will Galkin. Though we rejoice in the summer’s blessings and are excited as usual about the year ahead, we are writing because we know that Dr. Jaspers’ resignation from the presidency of Maranatha weighs heavily on your hearts as it does on ours.

When Dr. Jaspers resigned, you were among the first to know. After I met with the faculty and staff, I met with those of you who were here for summer school and sent a letter to those of you who were not on campus. I understand that many of you have questions, and please know that I will be willing to discuss them with you when you return to campus. But because you are important members of the Maranatha family, I am writing to you now so that you will understand at least in part what has been taking place.

Immediately following Dr. Jaspers’ resignation, the Board of Trustees purposely released limited information. They believed that releasing information unnecessarily would needlessly injure him and his family. As many of you are aware, the Board recently sent a letter to alumni and pastors who have supported Maranatha financially and with students from their churches. The letter contained sensitive information, and we hoped that the pastors and alumni would consider the information carefully and that your pastors would use wisdom and godly discretion in discussing it with you and with others under their spiritual care.

On a very personal level, I know this is a difficult time for you. Because I knew right away many of the details surrounding Dr. Jasper’s resignation, I have spent the past two months trying to sort through my own thoughts and emotions. I realize that many of you are just now hearing some of those details and are experiencing similar conflicts, so I am writing to help you think them through.

First, I want to assure you that we love Dr. Jaspers and his family and are concerned about them. To be quite frank, our love and respect for him and what he did at Maranatha are the reasons this situation has been so difficult for all of us. Many of us are close personal friends with Dr. Jaspers and his family. I have met with Dr. Jaspers individually and with him and his pastor, Dr. Bob Loggans, several times in these past two months. I can assure you that it is our desire that good come out of this difficult situation for Dr. and Mrs. Jaspers, Katie, and Davis; for Maranatha as an institution; and for you and the rest of the Maranatha family. This is a time for learning and growing spiritually for all of us. It is important to keep our focus on the Lord, not on man. We are confident that Romans 8:28 is true even in the most difficult of circumstances. If our faith in God and his Word cannot help us through times like this, then our faith is not very strong.

Second, Maranatha is a Bible college that values principles of holiness and integrity, not just in fundamentalism as a movement, but in our personal lives. We expect this of you, our students. We hold our faculty, staff, and administration to a higher level of accountability concerning these same values. Dr. Jaspers, as the president of Maranatha, had the highest level of accountability in areas of personal integrity and righteousness.

Third, remember that Dr. Jaspers resigned. In his open letter, published on Sharper Iron right after his resignation, Dr. Jaspers stated, “God gave clear direction to our Board and me that this was the time for me to do the right thing.” This was his decision, made willingly on his part, and accepted by the entire Board of Trustees. Dr. Jaspers was convinced that it was God’s will for him to leave Maranatha.

Fourth, Dr. Jaspers has been a close friend to each Board member; he personally chose a number of them to be on the Board. The members of the Executive Committee have known him, worked with him, and been his friends for over 30 years. The Board members are godly pastors and laymen who, for years, have given sacrificially of their time and resources to support and guide Maranatha. They have been exceptionally generous to Dr. Jaspers and his family, even after his resignation. I have been disappointed over the rumors and opinions circulated about them over the last few weeks (some from students and some from people who have never met them). These criticisms are unwise and unjust. I am encouraged and thankful for a Board of Trustees who will not sacrifice truth and righteousness no matter the cost.

Fifth, Dr. Jaspers has admitted in his letter of apology to the Board that in the weeks following his resignation, he developed a spirit of bitterness and anger against the Board, demonstrated in several public and private statements. He now realizes that his attitude was completely wrong and has apologized to the Board. The Board has accepted his request for forgiveness. Dr. Jaspers also desires to apologize to you. I have attached his letter.

The Board, administration, and faculty are committed to maintaining the theological and philosophical direction and the ministry orientation that has always characterized the College. The Board has begun the process of finding God’s choice for the next president of Maranatha. Please be in prayer for them.

While we all will miss Dr. Jaspers as our president, we also know that Maranatha is more than one person. The same faculty, friends, and staff members you know and love will be here this fall, and we are looking forward to your return. The coaches are getting ready for pre-season. Faculty in-service starts in just a couple of weeks. And you will be back on campus in about a month! Please be in prayer for the Will Galkin team as they prepare for our opening meetings. I trust the Lord will work mightily in our midst.

If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or comments, please call or email me.

’Til He Comes,
Larry R. Oats
Interim President
920-261-9300
[email protected]
July 26, 2006

 

Dr. Jaspers is a good man. It has only been recently that he started to feel as if his wife were a widow. Many Godly men have had to be gone alot from their homes during their marriage. This is not necessarily neglect of his home or family.

Ive been keeping apprised of this situation for the past few months, ever since it first came out, since Im a former Maranatha student. Sometimes those who run MBBC can be a little.............shall we say, clenched? They can take an accusation and run with it. Dr. Jaspers got embarrassed by their accusations, and wrongly lied to the board. In that he was totally wrong, but he admits it.

I don't believe in any way that this is an indication that Dr. Jaspers should not be in the ministry. He travelled as he was asked to by the college, and it was when they said they wanted him to travel MORE that he decided he could not be gone so much from home, and the time had come for him to resign.

 

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Everything else aside I am still concerned about this point. Has this man been demonized for seek medical attention? Does the board not know the difference between massage therapy (which is state licensed) and a massage parlor? How can someone get in touch with members of this "board" to seek a clearification on this matter?

 

I was about to post that letter too...

Just wanted people to have all the news coming from the school about this situation instead of comments from others about it.

 

Thanks, I have read that letter. I don't understand why he had a female massage therapist. Most guys will go to male massage therapists, I think most women will go to male therapists as well. I think they chose men because they usually can give a deeper massage than a woman can. Either way most massage therapists are not alone with members of the opposite sex. That would be a dangerous practice for more than one reason. That point aside, if four therapists say that he "displayed inappropriate behavior during therapy sessions" then something is wrong with him.