The Elders of Grace Covenant Church, 1255 North Greenfield Road Gilbert, AZ 85234 Our Dear Elders & Brothers of Grace Covenant Chureh, We have received your email, in which you express your concerns about “the events anding Tom Chantry.” Our hears break over this matter, and we grieve aver the pain, ily, and oitain dais siiueivon briug> to everyone involved, inciuding the churches in our association. After carefully reading your email and giving much prayerful thought to its contents, there are three passages from Lely Seripture (ESV) that all of us must consider and implement: Proverbs 18:13 “If one gives an answer before he hears, itis his folly and shame.” Proverbs 18:17 “The one who states his cave first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” And. Jokn 7:51 “Does our law judize a man without first giving him a hearing and leaning what he does? Thus. we believe your email results from information lacking significant faets. Some facts are a matter of public recote, some facts are not yet fully established or are in dispute, and some facts would be i i SS. at this tinte. However, once the State of Arizona completes its investigation and its jucicial action regarding this case, it will be appropriate to provide @ comprehensive report to all ARBCA churches conceming this matter, That report could include a summary of the actions taken by the Adciinistrative Councils, as well as the information on which those actions were based, sui Any elder or any member in any church can be accused of anything at any time, That ‘most certainiy does not mean that such accusations ure true, are to be made public, or to be used in any decision-making process related to an elder or a member, until such time as the accusations are established by factual evidence gathered and evaluated by competent authority with appropriate jurisdiction. If it were the case that any accusation against an elder or member should be made public and/or used! to make decisions concerning that elder. member and/or his church, without such a foctuct process superintended by appropriate juriediction, no church could function; ali elders, all members, and all churehes would be subject to any random attack or accusation and the public consequences, Satan would make devastating use of such a practice. So. the key issue in this neater is the establishing of factual evidence and the evaluation of that evidence by competent authority with appropriate jurisdiction and responsibility to act based on the outcome of the evidence and its evaluation, In this matter, there are two spheres of competent authority with appropriate jurisdiction. Oae is the local church and the other isthe State of Arizona, In the history of this muter. Miler Baptist Church and its elders, possessed the competent authority and appropriate jurisdietion to gather and evaluate e and act based on their evaluation. They took action consistent with their responsibility. Cirist Reformed Baptist Church, in Hales Comers, Wisconsin, where Tom Chantry is still a member, currently holds local chureh authority and jurisdiction in this case.The Eiders of Grace Covenant Chureh Apeil 3. 2018, Page 2 This matter is now before @ criminal court in the State of Arizona. The steps preceding the current status of this case were carried out under the jurisdiction and control of the State of Arizona none of these preceding steps were under the jurisdiction or control of a local church or ny public statements or actions on the part of any emity, other than the State of Arizona, during any part of the ongoing process of this matter would have been and would be not only inappropriate and, at some stages, illegal. but also unbiblical We must emphasize the importance that the place and priority of competent authority and Jusisdiction holds in matters such as this case. No individual or entity has authority or liberty to any action related to such matters unless he or the entity (ie. chute oF State) possesses Jurisdiction. After the exercise cf such competent authority by appropriate jurisdiction, other individuals or entities are free to act based on the facts, the evaluation of those facts, and the actions taken by the appropriate jur'sdietion. Th he process of such ‘matters, when individuals or entities. without competent authority or appropriate jurisdiction, possess responsibility or liberty 10 conduct their own investigations. evaluate evidence. draw conclusions, make judgments, and announce those judg:nents or sanctions. Such activities either Violate the authority and jurisdiction of the State or the authority and jurisdiction of the locat church and tend toward interference in the judie‘al processes of the State. Furthermore. it tenes toward gossip. slander. libel, or schism amongst Christians and churches. While such matters certainly draw the interest and concer of individual church members, as well as local churches, we must caution restraint, discipline. and patience in respondin; ierests and concerns. ‘That restraint. and patience must be directed by a robust understanding of the place of competent authority and jurisdiction in such matters ard a suiamission zo such authority and its processes and outcomes. We sincerely hope you will accept our reply and comtinue to wait for the results of the appropriate adjudication of this matter by the court of the State of Arizona, Once the court ‘completes its actions, it will be appropriate for us to diseuys this matter more fully. Until then, any further discussion would be deleterious to the unity of the Spirit we enjoy and for whieh we pray forall of you. ourselves. an! our association, Therefore, the Administrative Couneil has decided nut to make any further statement about this metter at the General Assembly in May. We remain your servants in the bonds of the gospel of Christ Jesus our Lord... On behalf of and with the unanimous approval of the Administrative Council, Fart M, Blackbura, Chairman Administrative Couneil