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[Artiste]

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release - Monday, June 20, 2011

Three Angels Broadcasting Network, or "3ABN" for short, is a not-for-profit Christian ministry dedicated to the concept of "Mending Broken People".  Based in West Frankfort, Illinois, it operates television and radio stations around the world, as well as an Internet site on which can be found numerous programs and guidance on topics ranging from spiritual to practical, from Biblical interpretation to recipes for a potluck  3ABN's work is funded by donations from people who share its vision.  It employs 130 people in Illinois and another 40 around the globe.  3ABN spreads its message of faith and hope to millions of people each year, and has been doing so since it went on the air in 1986.  While there is no formal affiliation, 3ABN supports the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

In August of last year, attorneys representing Alex Walker sent a letter to 3ABN claiming that Tommy Shelton, a former employee of 3ABN, had sexually abused Mr. Walker when he was a teenager, asserting that 3ABN is legally responsible , and demanding that we pay him money.  The August 17, 2010 letter was from a California law firm named Manley & Stewart. The letter insisted that we treat the matter as confidential, which we have done until now.  Manley & Stewart were later joined or replaced by Jeffrey R. Anderson, a Minnesota attorney.

Tommy Shelton had been employed by 3ABN in its production department in 1993 and 1994, at which time he resigned to pastor a Church of God congregation in Virginia.  Contrary to what the lawsuit implies, the Church of God denomination is not affiliated with 3ABN in any way, nor is the Church of God denomination affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in any way,  Tommy Shelton left his position with the Church of God at some point and was rehired by 3ABN in January of 2001.  He worked again in the production department until his retirement in January of 2007.

At no time did Tommy Shelton ever pastor, preach, or teach on behalf of 3ABN or the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.  The religious work that allegedly brought him into contact with the claimant was for a different Christian denomination - as different from the Seventh-day Adventist denomination as the Baptist denomination is from the Catholic denomination.  To the best of our knowledge, as an employee of 3ABN, Tommy Shelton's duties never caused him to have contact with Alex Walker, who was closely supervised during the few weeks of employment at 3ABN by his own adult brother.

Mr. Walker's previous lawyers apparently withdrew, and we had hoped the matter had ended.  Today we learned, when we got a copy of the lawsuit, that Mr. Walker had found yet another set of lawyers to pursue his claim.  The latest lawyers did not contact us before filing suit and alerting the media.  We have now recieved a copy of the lawsuit and have handed the matter over to our attorneys.  3ABN does not believe the claims against it have any merit.  We intend to vigorously defend the good name of our organization.

We do not intend to make any additional statements at this time.

       

[Artiste]

It's interesting that 3ABN immediately quotes its motto, "Mending Broken People", when you might think that they would downplay that particular item.  Child molestation leaves formerly healthy and whole human beings broken, not the other way around.

[Artiste]

One other thought...3ABN might want to hire a different publicist for their press releases.  Needs less whining and a more positive spin.

[princessdi]

Well, it at least they kinda' divest themselves of the SDA church.  I mean, the relationship is so close that they could not say much more than that and remain truthful and in full disclosure.

[Artiste]

You're right, princessdi.  The relationship is close.

3ABN is listed as an "Affiliated Organization" in the Seventh-day Adventist North American Division website along with Pacific Press, Quiet Hour, Review and Herald, and others.

http://www.nadadventist.org/article.php?id=57

[Adam]

Sorry, but I had to laugh at their response. Oh, Alex has been receiving emails regarding making statements about Brad.  Let me say for the record, so all knows- Brad Wilson Walker was caught in an adulterous afair with Tammy Larson. The same Tammy Larson who had an afair with a certain Scott Grady. Incidently, Scott was fired by 3abn, yet Brad and Tammy are still employed. Make since? Of course it don't. There you go Brad. Sue me!

[SDAminister]

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release - Monday, June 20, 2011

Three Angels Broadcasting Network, or "3ABN" for short, is a not-for-profit Christian ministry dedicated to the concept of "Mending Broken People".  Based in West Frankfort, Illinois, it operates television and radio stations around the world, as well as an Internet site on which can be found numerous programs and guidance on topics ranging from spiritual to practical, .....

       

"...nor is the Church of God denomination affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in any way."

Says who? 3ABN? What party are they to the relationship of the SDA church with the COG? Is 3ABN the spokesman for these groups? They are a third party in relation to them. Why this opinion in a press release?

Regarding the phrase "in any way": the COG is not affiliated with 3ABN "in any way" or the COG with the SDA church "in any way". So, why not use the same phraseology to describe 3ABN's relationship with the SDA church? Why not say "3ABN is not affiliated in any way with the SDA denomination."? Why use the term "no formal affiliation"? Is it because the SDA church has had its employees sit on 3ABN's board and vice versa? What about the Conference campmeetings at 3ABN? "Pastor" John Lomacang? What about all the money they get from ASI and the church?
One gets the feeling that they're more worried about getting a lawsuit from the SDA church than from Walker for sullying the church's good name, what with 3ABN's poor behavior.


"...attorneys representing Alex Walker sent a letter to 3ABN claiming that Tommy Shelton, a former employee of 3ABN, had sexually abused Mr. Walker when he was a teenager, ..."

Even though I have not read the filing by Walker's attorneys, I would be very, very surprised if they used the language "teenager" (as 3ABN says they did) to describe Mr. Walker when he was allegedly abused. Someone eighteen or nineteen in a "teenager", and so is a sixteen year old boy. But the hint is given that he could have been of the age of majority i.e. eighteen or over. Since I believe it is the case with Mr. Walker that he was between the ages of 11 and 15 when the abuse occurred, 3ABN's statement that he was just a "teenager" seems incorrect. My guess is that the court filing uses the term "minority" i.e. Walker was a minor when the abuses occurred.

"Tommy Shelton left his position with the Church of God at some point and was re-hired by 3ABN..."

This is funny: "at some point"?  Like, nobody at 3ABN knows when that happened and more importantly WHY he left the COG? And what was the legacy he left behind? Abuse, abuse, abuse anyone?

..."as an employee of 3ABN, Tommy Shelton's duties never caused him to have contact with Alex Walker."

It's a little like saying "John Q. Public from Accounting never had reason or cause to be in the Shipping Dept., so we know it wasn't he who stole the cases of literature and the forklift."
If this is the extent of 3ABN's defense that Tommy's duties never should have caused him to have contact with Alex well..... good luck with that!

SDAminister

[Artiste]

Very good critique, SDAminister.

[Artiste]

Sorry, but I had to laugh at their response. Oh, Alex has been receiving emails regarding making statements about Brad.  Let me say for the record, so all knows- Brad Wilson Walker was caught in an adulterous afair with Tammy Larson. The same Tammy Larson who had an afair with a certain Scott Grady. Incidently, Scott was fired by 3abn, yet Brad and Tammy are still employed. Make since? Of course it don't. There you go Brad. Sue me!

Just checking--Brad Wilson Walker is the adult brother?

"...Alex Walker, who was closely supervised during the few weeks of employment at 3ABN by his own adult brother."

[Bob Pickle]

Since this is a press release, can anyone find it on 3ABN's website? If not, can anyone find out why not?

I seem to remember that 3ABN posted a statement from Harold Lance full of false information regarding why the ASI investigation fell apart. And I seem to recall that 3ABN posted a release about why they were dropping the lawsuit, again with false information.

So have they posted this press release on their website? If not, why not? If they can send it out to various media outlets, why not post it on their website?

[Artiste]

I did a search for it on their web site but didn't find anything.

[Artiste]

I don't wish to publicize any possibly x-rated print material, but sometimes such a serious and depressing subject requires a little relief...

"...In 2000 the Community Church of God reached it's limit (quota?) of (alleged )pastoral child abuse, so Tommy resigned. Once again, Tommy dusted off his feet, and fled the state. Since he still worked for 3ABN, Tommy was reassigned to the production department. Given his vast knowledge of the subject matter, he took part in filming the 3ABN "Kid's Time" programming, which included him playing the piano while his brother Danny preached the Good News!...

"...To Tommy's great fortune, Alex Walker began working part-time for 3ABN in 2001..."


http://educatetruther.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=5

[Johann]

A headline in a Danish newspaper (Berlingske) today:

Stelton afviser forhandling med kinesiske »banditter«

in English:

Shelton Rejects Negotiations with Chinese Thugs

  http://www.business.dk/detail/stelton-afviser-forhandling-med-kinesiske-banditter

[Bob Pickle]

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release - Monday, June 20, 2011

So it's a press release, for immediate release.

Well, who's going to make sure that all the churches in the country get it? Adding a link to the Chicago Tribune article might also be helpful.

From time to time we used to get press releases from the conference communication department, and the idea was that we could then submit them to our local newspaper. But I can't imagine why any church would want to submit that release to their local paper.

[Daryl Fawcett]

Doesn't the SDA NAD affiliation with 3ABN put them at risk in relation to the lawsuit against 3ABN?

You're right, princessdi.  The relationship is close.

3ABN is listed as an "Affiliated Organization" in the Seventh-day Adventist North American Division website along with Pacific Press, Quiet Hour, Review and Herald, and others.

http://www.nadadventist.org/article.php?id=57