We thought it was a bit strange that Michael Brown hadn’t written a column since Nov. 25, given that he usually served up around two a week. The reason eventually became clear: Old claims of sexual misconduct by Brown had resurfaced. The Roys Report documented how a secretary at a school run in the early 2000s by the Brownsville Revival, of which Brown was a part, said that Brown “would frequently cross physical boundaries. He’d hold her hand, kiss her on the lips, and slap her bottom.” As the story was being investigated, Brown finally told officials at his Line of Fire ministry about the allegations, adding that he “also revealed an emotional connection he had with a second woman more than 20 years ago,” which he allegedly “repented of to his wife.”
Also of note is that the school “had strict modesty dress codes and rules about dancing, even at weddings, and restrictions on unchaperoned dating, with “very little grace” for those who didn’t meet standards,” according to the Roys Report: “School leaders asked students to confess sexual sins at services in front of the student body, for offenses as small as swimming in a pool with someone of the opposite sex.”
Brown tried to downplay the story as a “mix of accusations, allegations, false statements, and mischaracterizations,” insisting that his contact with the woman was “totally non-sexual in every way.” He added that “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.”
Brown served up a fuller response in a video posted Dec. 17 on YouTube and reposted at WND a day later (strangely buried in the second block of opinion columns on its front page; WND didn’t think this news warranted any coverage from its “news” side). It’s basically a 7-minute version of the above; he said that the incident was not discussed in public at the time because “both offended spouses agreed that since we had not committed adultery, the matter would end there,” adding that afterwards he “made radical changes to my schedule and lifestyle, received intensive counseling and experience the holy discipline of the Lord.” He then said he wasn’t trying to deny or confirm any details of the allegations, but “an offense remains, and that is what I must address, taking full ownership of my actions and the pain I caused. He then asked the woman for forgiveness.
Brown also apologized to anyone who thought his actions “caused you to question God or wonder who the real Dr. Brown is.” It was a bit reminiscent of what Brown said last year in the wake of the sexual misconduct scandal involving megachurch pastor Mike Bickle. Brown was involved in talks about a third-party investigation of Bickle, according to the Roys Report.
It’s not our place to judge the accuracy or sincerity of Brown’s words, though he does seem to come off as sufficiently sincere. But we’ve documented how Brown has offered faux compassion toward LGBTQ people while denouncing their existence. We’ll have to see how this plays out in the coming weeks.