Photo via Flickr by wili_hybrid
On April 17 2009 Nancy Alcorn announced that she had found a replacement leader for Mercy Ministries Australia. You have to love the language used to infuse what is pretty standard recruitment policy, with grand overtones of religious significance:
God clearly showed me who was to be our new Executive Director of Mercy Ministries Australia. The Word says that everything should be confirmed out of the mouth of two or more witnesses, and there was unanimous consent from our Mercy Ministries Australia Board and our Mercy Ministries International Board, as well as apostolic and pastoral leadership that I am submitted to.[source]
So the new leader Margaret Stunt is approved by:
- the great CEO in the sky
- Mercy Ministries Australia
- Mercy Ministries International
- Some undisclosed/anonymous body of religious leaders (Hillsong? or some other evangelical power player)
But who is this woman Margaret Stunt?
Well according to Nancy, Margaret is:
….is a well known author, professional counselor and highly sought after speaker for conferences all over the world.
She has been on staff at Hillsong London as head of the Care Team and more recently at Rhema Church in Johannesburg, South Africa as the head of Rhema Women, under the leadership of Pastor Ray McCauley. Margaret Stunt has both professional qualifications as well as her own personal story of abuse and pain as a young girl not unlike the girls we reach through the work of Mercy Ministries. Her book and teaching series, It is Finished, has been a powerful tool in changing lives across the world.
….. God continues to confirm His plan!! Margaret has been a close friend and partner with Mercy Ministries for years. She has been involved in training our counseling staff in each country we are located. Margaret has also served on the board for Mercy Ministries UK. She has also spoken to our girls and staff in all of our homes around the world. [source]
So in short:
- professional counsellor
- former hillsong staffer
- professional qualifications
- lived experience of abuse
- involved in training Mercy Ministries training
Taking this at face value it sounds good, a professional counsellor, lived experience, someone who understands the importance of training. This coupled with the fact that she is a woman is positive.
Positive until you dig a little deeper and find:
- That her counselling qualifications are not listed anywhere.
While I object to the idea of Biblical counselling, even in Australia its best practise to have at least a Cert IV in Christian Counselling. Why not just be upfront with the qualifications she does have? Or is this an on the job, sort of learn as you go professional counselling.
- Margaret trained staff at UK Mercy Ministries when Mercy UK were training all staff in use of Restoring the Foundations[source]
Now while the blog post referenced is not clear about whether or not Margaret was involved in training staff in RTF, it would seem that she was not averse or did not object to it. While on the subject of qualifications, it does not mention if she holds any training qualifications either.
- She worked as a Pastor at Rhema in SouthAfrica [source]
Now being a pastor in and of itself is not necessarily a problem, if you can divorce yourself from needing to recruit and keep the Church full and actually tend to you clients needs while you are counselling them ( I am sure some Religious see know conflict here)
- She appears to be pushing her own counselling course called “It is Finished” [source]
Now I know this is probably a short term measure while renovations are being completed, but has anyone evaluated the program? I thought Mercy had released Choices that Bring Change world wide, precisely in an attempt to spin the line that they were standardising their counselling model (despite evidence that suggests that RTF was in wide use).
Or is this a case of its biblically based so its okay?
Frankly I am disappointed, it seems that Mercy had a chance to really make a move toward convincing skeptics that Mecy were changing their spots. Instead Nancy imports an ex-pat Briton with her own program of recovery and no evidenced qualifications. But perhaps its not about employing a good leader, but rather someone you can trust.
On that note I will leave you with Margaret’s own words, again the language and her focus is a telling reminder of what Mercy is about and what the relationship is between Mercy Australia and Mercy International
On the 10th April we as a whole family moved to Sydney to MERCY MINISTRIES. We are very excited at this new assignment from God and we are honoured to be able to serve Nancy Alcorn and see all that God has planed come to pass in the coming years…[source]
Why has Sean go a bee in his bonnet about Mercy see here
Related posts:
- Mercy Ministries Australia Closes This text was posted on the Mercy Ministries Australia site...
- Hillsong’s original press release on Mercy Ministries As I stated in this post, a reader informed me...
- Mercy Ministries in all but name It appears that Margaret Stunt is intending to carry...
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The language is revealing. I suspect you're going to see the same old Mercy, perhaps with a new dress and hairstyle.
and with greater deference to Nancy I suspect.
It looks like the new leadership is just a publicity Stunt. (pun intended)
Giggle
seems you have done very little homework ….you clearly have your own unresolved issues in life and view things through a broken pair of glasses. Pity really, you obviously have a thinking brain, just havent put it to fruitful usage. Sometimes its better to be silent than mouth off especially when you have never met the people you are slagging off , dont know them or their heart or indeed what they stand for . Speaking only of the "bad' with no reference to the innumerable lives radically and wonderfully changed by the redeeming power of our God who loves them (and incidently ,you) unconditionally, irrevocably and utterly.
Hey , and get this… Proverbs.16v23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. Prov 17v27 he who has knowledge spares his words…18v2 a fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart. Ecclesiastes 10v12-14 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow him up; the words of his mouth begin with foolishness, and the end of his talk is raving madness; a fool also multiplies his words….. interesting dont you think ?!! well at least worth a thought .
seems you have done very little homework
Care to point out where I am wrong? Can you answer any of the questions raised?
you clearly have your own unresolved issues in life and view things through a broken pair of glasses How so? Because I question the motives of Mercy and the qualifications of Margaret. Because you have read one blog post and see fit to judge on that basis alone? Because I have a different view to yourself? Am I detecting some transference here? Perhaps you have some serious issues you need help with, may I suggest not seeking out Mercy.
Sometimes its better to be silent than mouth off
This is not one of those times -maybe you should take your own advice.
especially when you have never met the people you are slagging off , dont know them or their heart or indeed what they stand for
You have a point in the sense that I can only source information that they make available or that other women who have suffered at the hands of Mercy have related to me. Please direct me to Margaret's qualifications in either training or counselling.
Speaking only of the "bad' with no reference to the innumerable lives radically and wonderfully changed by the redeeming power of our God who loves them (and incidently ,you) unconditionally, irrevocably and utterly.
I am extremely cynical of Mercy's actions, based on their past behaviour. I think the above post while cynical, was reasonably fair. What's wrong with asking questions? Oh and while you are digging up Margaret's quals you might also want provide evidence for this god fellow (is he a fellow?)
Why do you think scripture has any weight with me? Seriously you just come off as some unthinking Jesus drone, that instead of picking apart my post with logic and reason you have decided that it is somehow better (more intelligent?) to quote scriptural references to wise men and fools,casting me as the fool.
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. [Matthew 5:22 (English Standard Version)]
The Bible is a Big Book of Multiple Choice. People can support just about any opinion or contention from within its pages. If that were not the case then there would be one unsplit Christian Church instead of a whole range of often deeply contradictory beliefs which insist that they are soundly based on it.
If you are wrong in what you choose to believe then, according to your personal belief set, you could be in big trouble.
You have no more claim to be able to infallibly pick and choose and interpret the words in this human-selected set of books than any other human being. Since you are clearly not a world-recognized scholar in this area you have less claim than many others. In fact, you are well down the list of those who have any legitimate right to make such an arrogant claim. It is interesting that the more study people do in the area of Biblical studies the less likely they are to maintain a belief in the inerrant nature of the Bible or the infallibility of anyone's "inspired" interpretation of it.
In any case, whatever makes you think that any of the current versions of the Christian god, or any of the past versions, for that matter, are a description of a real entity?
Humans have believed in the existence of thousands of different gods, godesses and supernatural beings: major ones, lesser ones, good ones, evil ones and a whole range in between. All versions of the Christian religion have at least three major gods (magically wrapped up in one), at least one evil but not quite so powerful god (the Devil/Satan/Belzebub/Prince of Darkness/Lucifer), and usually a whole heap of demi-gods (angels) and sub-gods (saints).
The Christian Old Testament begins with the tale of at least two gods: El and his Elohim (helper gods) and Yahweh (a rather flawed one of the Elohim according to earlier Eastern religions). This fact is lost in the English translations of these books so I would not expect you to know anything about this unless you have taken an academic course in Biblical studies. Does this ignorance of the basis of your faith make you a real fool or are you just better described as someone who is no more informed than ninety-nine percent of other Christian believers?
Since you have never investigated the objections to your own version of the supernatural or even of Christianity in general, you can make no valid claim to have knowledge of anything other than an intense emotionally based belief in a self-affirmed delusion.
Since you have not investigated the claims of any of any other religions you cannot be even remotely sure that you have the right one. What if the Muslims are correct, here is no god but Allah and you are destined to eternal damnation because of it?
BTW, Sean the Blogonaut has very good reasons for warning you of the dangers of this ministry you are supporting. Its practitioners have no qualifications that are recognized by any professional mental health body, they have no legitimate license to practice mental health care and, worst of all, they have a lethal history of causing serious and lasting harm to those they claim to "help".
The worst aspect of this travesty is that they prey on people who the most vulnerable members of society and who have the fewest resources available to effectively evaluate what is being done to them in the name of goodness and light. Get out of there, right now! Run!
Thanks Rosita.
Studying Ancient history was one of the many things that broke through the catholic conditioning of my youth. I have compared Alexander the great to Christ before, both were heralded as the son of god(s), why do we not worship Alexander:D
Sean,
Interesting site – I am sure you already know this but Mercy Ministries Australia looks to be closing.
Announcement
October 26, 2009
It is with deep regret and sadness we have to inform you that Mercy Ministries in Australia is no longer in operation. Due to internal circumstances and challenges, Mercy Ministries Incorporated will be dissolved as an entity. We have encountered extreme financial challenges and a steady drop in our support base to the point where we are no longer financially viable. Mercy Ministries has been proud to serve the young women of Australia for nine years and to help hundreds of young women find freedom from life controlling issues. Mercy Ministries is grateful to the many individuals, businesses, and churches who have sacrificed and given over the years to make this program possible.
Margaret Stunt
Executive Director, Mercy Ministries Incorporated
Board Member, Mercy Ministries Incorporated
Cheers Phil. I have just posted on it.
Sean ….this is your fault….and you will be judged eternally….there will be No Mercy for you.
saint… if you truely belive in Christian values and belive then God will judge SeandBlogonaut then how about you stop judging them yourself – the word hypocrite comes to mind.
I was supposedly a founding member of Mercy Ministries in Australia and quite frankly I can see why people had concerns over Margaret Stunt as she drove the whole thing into the ground. Not only that but they did not even have the decency to tell me after over 10 years of support what happened to the girls in the house and where did the money from the sale of the house go.