In view of all that has transpired recently, and also in light of the newly released Firefly report, I felt compelled to make a statement. I have wanted to do this for months, but have been constrained by others. I am now free to speak truth to all those who are willing to hear.

For the record, I am an extremely private person and endeavoring to make this very public statement is truly beyond what I’m comfortable with. No one has asked me to make it, but for the sake of truth and honesty, I feel I must.

For those who know me, I am a no nonsense person who tells it like it is. Truth and justice are very important to me. And suffice it to say that I am not one of those wives you’ll find sitting at her husband’s feet looking up adoringly at him thinking he can do no wrong. I am, and have always been, Mike’s worst critic. I know who he is inside and out (we’ve been married almost 50 years), and throughout our marriage I have spoken plainly (and openly) about his shortcomings and faults (to him as well as to others).

In recent days Mike has been accused of some of the most vile things, and the way he has been portrayed on social media is absolutely sickening (to put it very mildly)…and it is a complete fantasy. Add to that accusations of hiding sin and attempting to keep things concealed….nothing could be further from the truth. He is an open book and transparent to a fault. He has always been one who is quick to admit wrong and ask for forgiveness. He is not an operator or slick or sly and is one who has done his best to walk honorably….even during the events of almost twenty four years ago.

I must state here categorically and in no uncertain terms; Mike is not, and has never been a sexual predator, groomer, or deviant nor has he EVER exploited a single human being for his own personal gain or ego whether it be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. That is not who he is and never who he was. This is fantasy. He has never attempted to overpower or manipulate ANY female or force himself on them for sexual or emotional or physical gratification nor has he used them to stroke his ego or to get something from them. NEVER.

As Mike has previously stated, during the immediate aftermath of the split at Brownsville (which was an extremely dark time), the pressures on all sides were almost insurmountable (spiritual, emotional, financial….in fact, we lost our home and actually went bankrupt due to the effects of the split). The responsibility on his shoulders at that time was a burden of almost unbearable weight. He carried (and still carries) such a deep, deep love and sense of responsibility for all of the students as well as the staff and faculty who were part of BRSM and FIRE years ago. But there were times when we sat alone and I watched him weep because of the weight of that burden. And he expressed to me many times, he was unable and ill equipped to carry it…..and could not carry it. It was during that very short period of time he formed an emotional tie with another person (the wife of a couple we were extremely close friends with). And to reiterate here, this was not a physical relationship, but an emotional tie, but sin nonetheless. And to state things very clearly and plainly, he did not get “caught”, but came, of his own accord, to confess everything to a close friend/ leader at FIRE (and then to myself), going over all the details of everything that had transpired. In his integrity, he could not conceal or hide and then secretly repent. He had to come clean and be the one to initiate confession for his own conscience sake. And this he did. This fact is important (at least to me) and reveals the essence of his true character. And remember, we are not talking here of physical adultery or years of struggle, but an extremely short period of time when he was going through the most painful and pressure filled time of his life. This is not to make ANY kind of excuse, as each one of us is enticed by our own evil desires (James 1:14), but it is simply to give a background to what had transpired.

To now hear that he is being accused of never truly repenting (in addition to the accusations of him manipulating and using his position in abhorrent and diabolical ways) is stunning…I have no words. I am witness to the fact that this accusation is completely and utterly false. Not to get too graphic, but for the weeks that followed his confession, I watched a man writhe on the floor in agonizing repentance. He was devastated by his own failure before me, before others, and before God. What do we do with that kind of repentance? Smite the person? Punish them? Humiliate them or abandon them? Do we broadcast their sin to the entire world? Or do we treat them the way the Lord has treated us? These are the very real questions I personally had to face and come to grips with. I will say that forgiveness is a process and we don’t get there overnight, but as we look to God and we get a glimpse of the beauty of His character, we begin to see and understand His nature and the essence of who He is, and see His overwhelming goodness (which is what He showed Moses when Moses asked for God to show him his glory). It was the Lord’s goodness He chose to reveal. And forgiveness and redemption are a major part of the essence of God’s goodness. It’s the very foundation of the gospel we preach. To be clear, God does not wink at sin and we must be careful to walk a fine line as we deal with sin, forgiveness, and restoration. But God is infinitely gracious and so forgiving that it’s sometimes very difficult to accept it. And many times we don’t even like the idea that God is so gracious…it goes against our very idea of human justice.

We often quote this scripture, but many times it is quoted out of context:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the LORD”.

But if we read the verses before it, we find that God is referring to His forgiveness:

Let the wicked forsake his way

and the evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn to the LORD,

and he will have mercy on him,

and to our God

for he will freely pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the LORD.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I know that I have struggled with this concept of forgiveness in the past. But an individual’s true repentance requires forgiveness on our part, and part of God’s justice is to forgive (because of the blood of Jesus). God’s forgiveness is actually His justice in action. There is no justice if there is no forgiveness for our deeply repented sins.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

I cannot fully express how painful to me the events of 23 years ago were. And now, to have to watch Mike rehash and articulate sins of the past that had been fully repented of and put under the blood decades ago, has been absolutely gut wrenching and worse than what I had to endure 23 years ago. He has become a sinner all over again and has been forced to carry the weight and burden of sin that had been forgiven and removed by God himself. And to have others publicly uproot, scrutinize, and dissect all of this before the masses is nothing I believe God is behind or asks us to do….let alone in front of the entire world.

Some of you will undoubtedly understand the sorrow, the humiliation, the feelings of betrayal….and the shame that I personally experienced. And it was in that context that Mike very reluctantly agreed to keep things between the one close friend at FIRE, the other couple, and ourselves. In order for Mike to honor and protect me from even more pain, and because of the one and only covenant that God had instituted among His children (which is the marriage covenant), Mike consented to keep things between the five of us (even though he expressed the desire to shout it to the world). It was for me he did this, and not to save himself or hide. So, if there is blame to be cast for not revealing things to more and more people, then I am the one to accuse and blame. Not Mike. And even more importantly, we also left the final decision of what was revealed in the hands of the husband….how we proceeded was left in his lap entirely, and it was his ultimate choice to keep things between us. Neither Mike nor myself dictated anything. This fact is extremely important because he has been accused of hiding sin and being deceptive by not telling others of this situation decades later. It is important to understand that Mike gave his word that things would be left there, not only to me, but to the other couple involved. And through the years Mike endeavored to do his best to keep that word and not bring additional shame on the other individual by revealing details that would have certainly painted them in a bad light. Additionally, there was complete admission and repentance by both parties. I sat with the wife for several hours as she confessed to me and asked for forgiveness, and Mike did the same with the husband in my presence. Then the four of us met and there was repentance as well as heartfelt forgiveness all around. We even met on several other occasions for a meal, and there was even a request by the couple to consider renewal of our former friendship. This we declined as we felt it was unwise. And that was the end of that for the next 22 years….until 2024.

As far as the other very damning accusations and the ugliness of what has been portrayed and the picture that has been painted on social media, and now, in addition to the unsubstantiated claims in the Firefly report…I can only say that so many of these accusations and accounts are categorically untrue, yet the publishing of them has succeeded in conveying a completely false narrative…completely. There has been a relentless pursuit and orchestration to smear and then not only rewrite history, but create new history, which has no basis in truth or fact….resulting in innocent things of the past and present being weaved together to make them not only appear sinister, unseemly, and diabolical but also believable. And most of this actual history I was witness to. I have my own observations as to why truth and facts have been so twisted, but there is no benefit in stating these things as all it does it add to the swirl. And although Mike’s interaction with Sarah was certainly foolish and irresponsible, his intentions were completely innocent with absolutely no malintent. He viewed her as a father to a daughter. Unfortunately, he has been made to look like a diabolical deviant and predator and nothing could be further from the truth. That is not Mike Brown. That’s not who he was and not who he is. And although he is eager to admit his fault and take responsibility for the things he did do, and to ask for forgiveness (without justification or even explanation), I cannot sit idly by while he takes the hit for things that never transpired and for the way his character has been portrayed.

And just for the record, although it has been stated that Mike never apologized for this, that is simply not true. I was present when he did, and the relationship between us continued unchanged when Sarah left the ministry for Texas. She left a beautiful heartfelt note for Mike on his desk (which we still have), and for the next thirteen years continued to initiate correspondence through email sharing family updates, prayer requests, and general news.

Sadly, because of the online firestorm of accusations, my family has been impacted in ways unimaginable. No daughter should ever have to hear her father go over the details of ugly sins from DECADES ago….(sins that were fully repented of, under the blood, and forgiven by God). And now my children and grandchildren have been forced to decipher fact from fiction and decide whether or not their father/grandfather is a sexual predator, abuser, and deviant “groomer”. And accounts and accusations such as these are 100% fiction.

Because there are those who have decided that this should be litigated on social media, they have attempted to ruin Mike’s reputation, publicly judged his character and motives, and shouted from the rooftops so many outright lies, that they will be difficult, if not impossible to dispel. And all of this without actually knowing the facts or even making a genuine attempt to get to the truth. They simply believe what they have heard and read. Add to the fact the damage done to those in my family who are completely innocent…it is honestly a burden of unbearable weight.

There’s so much more I could say, but I’ll simply end this statement by expressing my fervent hope that God’s truth would come to light and the Lord would somehow sort all this out on behalf of His people – and for the sake of GENUINE justice.

—Nancy Brown

UPDATE: Receipt of the FireFly Investigation Summary Report was temporarily delayed until just recently. The Board and Elder team will now review it and release the summary as soon as possible. 

We want to take this opportunity to update you on our progress as we continue to move forward.

FIREFLY WILL BE HANDLING THE THIRD-PARTY INVESTIGATION

Although it was a challenging task to secure someone during the holiday season, we are pleased to confirm that we have retained Firefly to oversee the entire investigative process for us. Because of their stellar reputation, coupled with the respect that they’ve received from the advocacy community, we are thankful that they have adjusted their schedule to jump into this case immediately.

Unless Firefly needs us to communicate in any way with the public, we will not be making any further statements until the investigation is complete. The summary report will be made public upon completion.

OUTSIDE TEAM OF ELDERS/LEADERS 

Our board has assembled an outside team of elders and leaders who will be in regular communication with Dr. Brown and to whom he will be accountable during this process. This team will include at least one trauma informed counselor. The ones who have already agreed to serve on this team desire to keep their names anonymous at this time so that they can carry out their responsibilities without external distractions. It is our hope and desire that through their expertise and experience, they will help provide us with a roadmap as to how to proceed once the investigation is completed. 

We are very grateful for the help and wisdom that we have received from a number of trusted leaders in the advocacy community where this entire process is concerned. In light of the steps we have taken in keeping with their counsel, we believe we are on the right path by putting into place both a credible investigation as well as a credible accountability team of leaders.

Thank you for your patience with us as we proceed, understanding that it is our fullest hope and desire that the end result will be that the Lord is glorified.

We are terribly saddened by the allegations that have emerged concerning Dr. Michael Brown. As the Board of Directors of The Line of Fire (TLOF), it is our desire to embrace a posture of humility as we navigate through waters that we’ve never been in before.

As we enter this process, we are seeking and receiving counsel from trusted leaders who have experience with these types of situations. They are providing us with invaluable counsel for which we are so grateful. We feel like we are walking through a minefield where any misstep, however well intentioned, can cause an explosion that can disrupt the process. 

We will undoubtedly make mistakes along the way, and we ask you for grace as we navigate through this process. Our greatest hope is that the Lord will be glorified in the end.  

We want to address just a few issues that are important for you to know: 

OUR FIRST WELL-INTENTIONED MISSTEP

Right out of the gate, as soon as we heard about the allegations, it was our desire to authorize an independent third-party investigation so that truth could emerge and that a process could begin where “Erin” and others felt safe to express themselves without any fear of shame or judgment.  

We found a reputable attorney who specializes in third party investigations without realizing that the firm he works with often represents and defends individuals or institutions that have allegations against them. Although we had no idea of that, we totally understand that the optics of that decision could appear that we hired a firm that would exonerate Michael. (And it’s important for you to know that Michael had zero to do with that decision as he has recused himself entirely from the board during this process — this was all on us, and we take total responsibility for that decision.)  When it came to our attention that this firm would not suit our desired process, we understood completely that we needed to go in a different direction and decided to release them.  We are actively seeking an organization that is “trauma informed” and is sensitive to the advocacy community and will retain them as soon as possible.

THE RECENT FUNDRAISING LETTER SENT OUT

A couple of days ago, a previously written support letter from TLOF went out to its mailing list mentioning a “satanic attack". The day it was released, we asked Michael about the letter. It was a letter that was written well before The Roy’s Report confirmed that their article would be coming out and he regrets that it was sent and agrees that it was wrong. He was not involved in approving the final draft. It was not written by us and we in no way connect the verbiage to these current allegations.

HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT THE LETTER THAT WAS SENT OUT BY FIRE INTERNATIONAL TO THEIR MISSIONARIES?

FIRE International is an entirely separate ministry from The Line of Fire. We have no jurisdiction over how they express themselves and will offer no opinion on that letter or on anything that is not coming directly from The Line of Fire.

WILL THE INVESTIGATION BE MADE PUBLIC?

Once the report is completed, we will be releasing the summary to the public.

In recent weeks, very serious accusations have come to me and my board concerning events from 23 years ago.

Upon receiving the news, both Nancy and I were shocked and horrified at the accusations, allegations, and mischaracterizations, and wholeheartedly supported our board’s decision to launch a thorough third-party investigation. 

I can categorically state that in my 53 years in the Lord and more than 50 years with Nancy, I have never committed adultery or enjoyed sexual intimacy with another woman, nor do the charges allege that. Yet I must ask, in all humility and in the fear of the Lord, if an article on the Roys Report is the best way to address these allegations and accusations. Does this glorify the Lord, edify the Body, bring healing and restoration, or advance the cause of truth? 

Nancy and I did have a relationship with the woman in question and considered her to be like a family member, and she conducted herself as one who viewed our relationship the same way. And while my physical interaction with her was in keeping with what I viewed as normal within family relationships, the fact is she was not a family member, which reflects a serious lack of judgment and understanding on my part. 

Before she relocated to another state in August 2002, she informed me that our interaction months earlier had made her uncomfortable. And so Nancy and I met with her immediately in the spirit of Matthew 18, I apologized to her from the heart, we talked things through together, after which, to our knowledge, she wanted to move forward in peace.

In the years that followed, at least through 2015, she contacted me sharing family updates, sending prayer requests, and checking in on Nancy and me. Naturally, we thought that everything was fine between us. How could we have known otherwise? As to allegations that I stifled those who questioned the nature of our relationship, it is because they accused me of having an affair. Of course I rebutted those ridiculous charges. At no time over the years did anyone approach me, asking me or my ministry to conduct a third-party investigation.

The fact is that my actions towards her were certainly foolish and irresponsible – but neither sexual nor amorous in any way – and my highest priority, as well as Nancy’s, is to have the opportunity to meet together in a setting acceptable to her and bring healing, where I can take full responsibility for the things which apparently hurt her so deeply, things which I thought we addressed 23 years ago.

Unfortunately, when Nancy and I learned through the Roys Report that there was an offense towards me in this woman’s heart, we were not allowed to follow the mandate of Jesus in Matthew 5:23-26, but only given the option of offering a response to an article that would be released online. What happened to biblical process?

That being said, if it’s true that for 23 years she has carried this pain and I am responsible for it, I am beyond mortified and would plead forgiveness and the opportunity to bring healing and restoration. Her wellbeing remains our priority.