Pastor Phelps and her husband Jeff had a time to speak on Carl’s devotional life.
Here’s what she said following Ariel Edler’s performance with the GGWO choir of “it’s Real”:

And the joy and the victory in this assembly is real and we know it’s real.

In the book of proverbs there is a verse that says they love him who speaks right things. (edit. Prov 16:13 “Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.” KJV The Message bible says, “Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth.”)

There’s a love born when something right is heard by the Spirit and perhaps your memories are the same as mine as a 21 year old girl in Lenox when I first heard the clarity and the power of the message of the finished work of Jesus Christ and the full payment and the atonement of His work. And I remember, do you, those foreign, strange stirrings in your spirit, something you had never felt before. There was conviction there but you were clean and you felt clean.

Um, yes, they love them that speak right things but what we heard was much more than just right things for 1Corinthians 2:4 says this, “I came not to you with enticing words, clever words, plausible words, in the wisdom of men, but I came to you in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and I came to you in the demonstration of power.” (edit. actually it says, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”)

And as that girl in Lenox, do you remember with me after a class, when we would leave that room with our head down hoping no one would disturb us, to find a nook, to find a corner, to find a stall to be alone with God to release the awe, to release the wonder that had just been presented to us in that classroom where we saw the all surpassing worth that Jesus Christ presented to us and He was large and He was to be feared and he was to be revered (she’s “tearing up” now) (edit. This woman sounds as if she’s either had problems for many years or she is trying to make the other women in the church seem less spiritual than her in order for her to “lead” them. I know many women at GG look up to Nancy because she seems so “anointed” She’s very gifted in her manipulating speech tactics. Very hyper spiritual, charismatic, imposing yet frail woman.)

There was a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and as I looked around after class there would be others hidden, almost under their seats. (whispering)“What just happened? What was that visitation?” It was a demonstration of the Holy Spirit, where the closet of a man came into the classroom of a bible college and the private chambers of a man came before us in a public place and we sensed the current of a river that had it’s origins in the throne of God. And no one had to tell us that. We knew. (applause)

Um, lastly, you know there’s another verse that comes to my mind so strongly and that verse is in 1Thess. 2:11 “For you know how as a father I exhorted you, I encouraged you and I charged you to live lives worthy of God.” (11As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.)

And let the records show and let the spiritual legacy show that pastor carl stevens, up and foremost, taught us of the worth of God and the worthiness of God. That God was worthy of our best and that nothing less than our best was due to so great a God. (edit. She’s “tearing up” again) And we saw adoration in the eyes and in the voice of a man that captivated us. We saw adoration and we heard an alter in his heart and we knew there was a throne in his heart and we knew Who sat on it, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This was a devotional life of pastor carl stevens, a mystery, but one that we were drawn to and one that gave us wings. Didn’t bind us to the man (edit. oh really) but they love him who speaks right things. Didn’t bind us to a man. It called us to a throne and it gave us wings to go into the world and hear from God. And those strange stirrings, those foreign stirrings that we first felt, we brought in to all the world and others felt them too at the sound, the clear sound of the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And may the record also show that we are grateful. We exalt God but we honor the servant. We honor the servant. We are grateful.

years ago chs let it slip that he had a gift of turning onthe tears at will, and manipulating his voice -- to move the listeners. maybe N P picked up this tactic from chs. I like her-- but just wish she would be real.

All these strange stirrings in the spirit sound like a strange fire to me (ref. Lev. 10:1; Num. 3:4; 26:61). I have heard her speaking only once, maybe 14 years go, and if my memory serves me well she had an almost Shakespearish way of utterance and accouterments, too.

I recall at least once when he did that in a class, to "demonstrate" the different "anointings." And he cried at will, screamed, whispered, etc. Claimed each delivery method was a different anointing. It was an acting class...

Did you notice that there was not one tear shed for the pastor they loved so much? I don't think it could have been more boring. Scibi had the gospel message and going soulwinning that morning because pastah would of. Pastor Phelp's husband seemed to have referred to the evil sons, yet pastah stayed the course.

Pastor Phelps said:

In the book of proverbs there is a verse that says they love him who speaks right things. (edit. Prov 16:13 “Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.”KJV The Message bible says, “Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth.”)

BUT NANCY, CHS LIED.

There’s a love born when something right is heard by the Spirit and perhaps your memories are the same as mine as a 21 year old girl in Lenox when I first heard the clarity and the power of the message of the finished work of Jesus Christ and the full payment and the atonement of His work. And I remember, do you, those foreign, strange stirrings in your spirit, something you had never felt before. There was conviction there but you were clean and you felt clean.

"FOREIGN AND STRANGE" ISN'T GOD--THAT WAS THE KOOLAID, NANCY. YOU FELT CLEAN BECAUSE YOU WERE BRAIN WASHED FROM YOUR OWN CONVICTIONS.

Um, yes, they love them that speak right things but what we heard was much more than just right things for 1Corinthians 2:4 says this, “I came not to you with enticing words, clever words, plausible words, in the wisdom of men, but I came to you in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and I came to you in the demonstration of power.” (edit. actually it says, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”)

IF IT WERE THE HOLY SPIRIT IT WOULDN"T FEEL FOREIGN AND STRANGE.

And as that girl in Lenox, do you remember with me after a class, when we would leave that room with our head down hoping no one would disturb us, to find a nook, to find a corner, to find a stall to be alone with God to release the awe, to release the wonder that had just been presented to us in that classroom where we saw the all surpassing worth that Jesus Christ presented to us and He was large and He was to be feared and he was to be revered (she’s “tearing up” now) (edit. This woman sounds as if she’s either had problems for many years or she is trying to make the other women in the church seem less spiritual than her in order for her to “lead” them. I know many women at GG look up to Nancy because she seems so “anointed” She’s very gifted in her manipulating speech tactics. Very hyper spiritual, charismatic, imposing yet frail woman.)

YEAH< WE REMEMBER YOU AFTER CLASS. YOU WERE SO HYPERSPIRITUAL THAT EVEN CHS MADE FUN OF YOU AT A RAP THAT YOU WERE AT.Y

There was a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and as I looked around after class there would be others hidden, almost under their seats. (whispering)“What just happened? What was that visitation?” It was a demonstration of the Holy Spirit, where the closet of a man came into the classroom of a bible college and the private chambers of a man came before us in a public place and we sensed the current of a river that had it’s origins in the throne of God. And no one had to tell us that. We knew. (applause)

YOU WERE A YOUNG GIRL WHO WAS VERY ROMANTIC AND LIKED WORSHIPED HER EMOTIONS--AND AS A MIDDLE AGED WOMAN YOU STILL DO. YOU AND OPRAH...

Um, lastly, you know there’s another verse that come

I didn't know that GGWO ordained women pastors.

I hardly think that a misogynistic organization such as tbs/gg ordains woman as pastors. Woman are to keep their mouths shut, bear children, cook and clean. Period!

but this woman is preaching...i don't get it...

It's the GGWO standard.
Use whatever makes you "look" good.

Is gg required to adhere today to that which they said yesterday?

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think today in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today."
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist and poet, Self-Reliance, 1841

Of course she was not ordained as a pastor. People are calling her Pastor Phelps here facetiously because she is taking on the role of one. When women spoke, they called it "testimony" or "sharing a portion"....they didnt call it preaching even if it essentially was. Unless of course it was a women's bible study or seminar

Then why was she uniquely allowed to take the role of a pastor? Is she that good of a speaker?

I don't think she was officially "allowed" to take on the role of a pastor...I think that people posting think she is acting like one so they are calling her that, tongue in cheek. And I think she was allowed to speak as she did because she was saying things that served the purpose of the ministry in a very sensitive time. That is just my own opinion from what I have read here, I don't even know the woman personally at all and I did not see the service

Listen to her speak, do you think she's that good? I'm turned off by her affected speech. It's studied, pretentious, and disgustingly sentimental.

That's what I thought too...I didn't think she was very good at all..which is why I couldn't figure out why they would have her speak as the only woman...go figure...thought I was missing something or didn't know something...like she was a relative or something...

She's not a pastor. I call her that because she is treated like one and acts as if she is one.

She wasn't the only woman who spoke. There's a program list at the Carl memorial website.

Hodeuon

I knew Nancy way back in Lenox...she was always supportive of me and I do not think she is purposely being affective. She is or was always very kind to me and wrote personal letters to me that were really outside the box. So, knowing this side of her, her life and loyalty to pastor stevens represents a paradox on one hand but on the other hand her words and attitude are totally consistent with the way she lives as a believer.

I have seen a side of Nancy that is very real, down to earth...this other "persona" in the pulpit...though it appears as an affectation...I am not sure. She was always like a little doll...fragile and delicate...in a way I fear for her.

I honestly think that carl's incongruities do not matter to her because she is so centered on the life she feels she and Jeff have been called to live; the doctrines she has learned from carl fit into their sacrificial mode of living as missionaries.

They had it very rough...she went through cancer as did her mother...who is really lovely. A therapist once told me that we make people into who we need them to be at different times in our lives. I doubt if carl was ever as appreciative of Nancy as she was of him...or that his connection to her was true...but I do think Nancy is honoring something real she got out of the messages and the ministry and it is in that sphere of her own personal faith that she can say the things she says. She is being true to something beyond the reality that we have experienced...it's hard to explain this. I did not agree with a thing she said, but I think she really felt it and believed it; but even I got a bit nauseated by it.

I think her connection and respect for carl derives as much or more from what is going on inside of her own mind as it does on what is happening around her.

Not trying to sell anythig here...Nancy has been to my home, met my family...years ago...everyone loved her. Yet we couldn't be more different.
She was pretty much the only one who encouraged me after I left...never sold me any stuff. Now, we never came to a point where I spelled how I feel about the ministry out to her...we lost touch long before those things were defined...but what I have known of her ...while I do not relate to her theology personally, has been kindness.

PS I agree with dave munson's thought that carl used nancy for appearances sake...more than out of genuine respect for her understanding of doctrine or preaching gifts.

Thank you for sharing this.

Does anyone know if any family members showed up for Saturday's Face to Face? Or any of the early defector elders?

PASTOR NANCY... A KIND SOUL INDEED... SHE NEEDS LIGHT AND TRUTH...
COME TO THE LIGHT NANCY... I CAN TRAIN YOU... IT IS MY JOB... YOU AND JEFF ARE SO KIND... I CAN TRAIN YOU...

There's the paradox that we must deal with.
That so many inside are truly, at least in their minds and hearts, following Christ while the leadership does little more than use them as fodder for their own devises/agendas.

That is why I am so personally offended to the depth that I am.
These are people I know and care for and it angers me, justly so, to see them led down the golden path of a deceptive legacy all the while thinking there is nothing wrong.

More of the same old same old isn't going to fly as far as I am concerned.
I'll turn up the heat as much as I can to get the truth out about this aberrant ministry and the harmful things it does to a persons relationships with other body members in other places.

If they don't turn it to the Lord than let them shut down.
:angry:

So did we all miss the Rapture? Wasn't The rapture supposed to happen within Carl's life time? I remember him going on about that.

without saying any names, i know of a few pastors going after those that they thought were rich or had some money.

and those who were behind the scenes doing EVERYTHING, once they could no longer DO any more, they pretty much got pushed aside. there were no more loving phone calls, no more invites over to the pastors house for "select members."

I couldn't agree more Dave. So many sincere Christians and even youth have been led astray, manipulated, decieved, alienated, abused, and slandered by the leaders of this so called Christian ministry. I know young people that have stumbled in relation to the Gospel because of the abuses, slander, and divisiveness of Greater Grace practices. Friends and even loved ones are being used against each other so the leaders can have more control. The big problem at GGWO is the leaders, not the people in general. There are a lot of people trying to truly grow in Christ in Christ's way and keep their families and individuality but the leaders want to turn the peoples' loyalty and devotion away from each other and God and turn it towards those leaders themselves. The leaders are liars and users!!! They have shown no respect for people's loved ones, friends, individuality, right to think for themselves, the voice of God in the believers' hearts, or even their direct relationships with Christ. These leaders love to get into the middle of peoples' lives and use the people for their personal advantage. It is disgusting to see all this pastor worship instead of more worship of the risen Christ. Forget Carl Steven's legacy of corruption. GGWO's leadership needs to turn over everything to Christ's lordship or they should be shut down for good!!!! These leaders also need to publicly retract specific lies they spread about specific people and make other forms of restitution too. If they don't want to do all that, I hope the plaza becomes a bunch of empty boarded up buildings with a big fence around it all, along with a big crane holding a big wrecking ball over those buildings!!!

I realize it may seem as if Nancy Phelps speech is not real but I know her and Jeff personally for many years. They truly are God's servants and really believe what they "preach".

I knew her family and they are/were some of the kindest people I have ever known. Jeff and Nancy used to write me from China. Nancy would make beautiful cards for me when I was sick or in the hospital. We also had several communications regarding other things while in China. They are very real people.

I remember when her mom was ill and I spoke with her by phone. I was very close at one time with her sister and brother too. This is a very down to earth family with their eyes on Heaven. There is nothing wrong with that

Nancy truly is completely caught up in, enraptured with the Lord and our Heavenly Father and saturates herself in verses of the Word. I have spoken privately with many times at "conventions" about this. She was very real.

Jeff is one of the kindest real pastors I have ever known and always treated me with great respect and love, very differently from so called "home base" pastors who really had no use for anyone who could help elevate the "ministry" and this I know first hand.

Perhaps she is a bit "hyperspiritual" for some of us but I am very sure it' is not deliberate as it is with schaller, scibelli, love, stevens etc.

Just want to help set the record straight here. I really appreciate epistula and Hodeuon for they have helped me greatly with my exit but I have to speak up when I know someone that I have personal experience with is being unfairly judged.

blessings

Nancy Curra

Yoiur personal experiences are all very nice and sweet. Pastor Robinson was very nice and sweet and kind. Many can remember very nice and sweet and kind things that he did. Pastor Hadley and a very nice man who would do anything in the world for you. His wife too. There are many people who are in GGWO that did very nice things.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT, IS IT?

They continue to back up a system that has hurt many godly people.

To Edie, there were no blood relatives there and no former pastors that left. They were all invited, but no one took up on the offer.

It was really quite the anti-event, if you watched it. Not special in any way.

To Up and Out

I was steeped in gg for years and blind as a bat. When someone is blind they don't realize they are "backing up" a system as you have put it.

My point is that they (the Phelps) truly believe what they believe about stevens, but their lives in China and in treatment of others is genuine.

I wasn't trying to be rude. There is no need to attack me for my comments regarding the Phelps.

Bitterness eats at the heart. There are better ways to correct a system. This is why I respect people like Hodeuon, Epistula, Arguendo and Anon. They correct without malice.

I am sorry you misinterpret my comments.

Sorry, these people in leadership are NOT ignorant. They KNOW what they are backing up. They are not freshmen in college. There is no malice when someone is just trying to make a point. Chill out.

edited

Sorry, that's me, Up and Out, who wrote the above post to inmercyrejoice

Regarding the anti-event. So sad. At GGWO should be able to put on a good show. Can't even do that anymore...that's because all the really creative people have left.

I think the Phelps have changed. They probably do love the Lord, but they knew that it was wrong in Baltimore when they were in Tacoma. They chose to go back as Jeff wanted to support his wife to be a "Joyce Meyer" type of glorified speaker. Nancy appears to want the lime-light now.

Maybe you need to get real too. Is that the ggwo "word of knowledge" thrown out about bitterness? You compairing others to those names you mentioned only goes to show how you still pick and choosr spirituality based on personalities now doesn't it? Making value judgements in classic ggwo style.

Take one of your many and varied chill pills.

When I said, "She’s very gifted in her manipulating speech tactics. Very hyper spiritual, charismatic, imposing yet frail woman"
I didn't mean that she knew she was pouring on the deception, but I feel that the way she presents herself and the way she speaks is a learned tactic. It's a weapon on unknowing prey. Nancy was well trained at GG. Sure she means well and is genuine but she is clueless as to how she is promoting such an evil system.

I will be the first to say Nancy Phelps was wildly amusing/disgusting during the "whatever it was" service. The "women's ministry" voice sent long-forgotten shivers down my spine. But all of our experiences with individuals who remained (or sold out) in the ministry does not take away from the exchanges of kindness which did occur while we were in. Inmercyrejoice was every right to share her personal perspective on this discussion board without anyone disrespecting her.