Reformed Baptist pastor & blogger has been indicted on multiple counts of child molestation

Couple of things I don’t get. First, the arrest was in July, but I haven’t heard anything—even from the Pyro crew. Had he faded into obscurity or something? Next, the claim is that his abuse caused serious physical injuries, but nobody reported it at the time. Assuming the allegations are true, the answers to the latter question ought to be of great interest to churches—something along the lines of “this is why churches and church leaders miss obvious signs of abuse.”

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

This story, like others before, just makes my heart hurt for everyone involved. Praying for the members and leadership of CRBC.

"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells

….is that the silence of the accused here is NOT a confession of guilt. Pretty much any decent defense lawyer tells his client to shut up and let the legal process do its work, no matter how obvious the defendant’s innocence is. Those getting carry permits are repeatedly told “do not talk to the police beyond a few basics without your lawyer. Few if any people talk themselves out of an indictment without legal aid.”

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

Please take my advice - never talk to the police. Ever. Never. Never. Ever. I was the police, and now I’m a regulatory investigator for the State of Washington. Don’t talk to the authorities. Be quiet. It’s your right.

Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.

So, I wonder if the former Pyro guys will rally around their boy or start railing against him as they did with other evangelical stars who fell from grace. After all, they have been crusading against the organizations that don’t address the faults of evangelical leaders. Now that it’s one of their own, how will they respond?

[T Howard]

So, I wonder if the former Pyro guys will rally around their boy or start railing against him as they did with other evangelical stars who fell from grace. After all, they have been crusading against the organizations that don’t address the faults of evangelical leaders. Now that it’s one of their own, how will they respond?

It’s fairly clear that people are trying to keep it mum because it is a very, very serious criminal case and Chantry’s going to trial. I think that’s all that can be said at the moment, until our justice system has done its work.

[Jim]

just had one article there

Jim, Tom was heavily involved with their comments section, was tight with Dan and Frank, and, I could be wrong, but I believe he also served as a moderator.

That being said, I haven’t visited Team Pyro in several years (until today) after Phil left and they became obsessed with TGC and its “top men.”

…people on both sides of this case are doing things right by NOT trying to make their case through the media, as Thoward notes. That could explain in part why this has been so quiet…..though I would hope that churches and others involved would be stepping forward to say “if you know anything about something like this, please talk to the police.”

Pyromaniacs is pretty much dead, though, and hasn’t done much except for a “weekly dose of Spurgeon” for many months. Contributor blogs haven’t been used since this spring. They might not even know. I sent a note to one of them so they will—I don’t think that a denunciation is appropriate at this time, but they could possibly know people who might have something that needs to be said, and they might have an “in” with Chantry that would allow them to counsel him.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.


  • Going to give him the benefit of doubt and presume his innocence (If I were involved in jury selection as a potential juror, I would start here!)

  • These situations are tragic and sadly frequent. We had a like situation here in Minnesota where a pastor had molested at least one child in a previous ministry in Wisconsin. His wife knew about it and herself dissembled. That pastor is now imprisoned [for a long time]

  • Each of these tragedies bring shame [not that it is their fault!] and lasting hurt to the victims and besmirch the gospel


At least I met him several years ago when he ran a youth program at a Reformed Baptist Family Camp in New Jersey, sponsored by his father’s church in Carlisle, PA. I’ve read a few of his blogs since he began his pastorate in Wisconsin, and have always considered him a solid man. This news about the molestation accusations hit me like a ton of bricks. I am praying for Tom, and his family and his church. I can only imagine how all of this is affecting them.

Walt Chantry, Tom’s Father, is a godly and capable man, who built an exceptional church in Carlisle. I know a number of the members, and they are all solid, committed Christians. I haven’t kept up relations with these folks for quite a while, so I don’t have any sense of the current situation. I know this has to be a hard blow.

G. N. Barkman