he Bible tells us that if we are filled with the Spirit of truth, "...we have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth [we should be] commending ourselves to every man�s conscience in the sight of God: (II Corinthians 4:2). Note how we�re not only to resist partaking in the "hidden things of dishonesty,: but we are to renounce them.

The scriptures indicate that as the spiritual power that drives each of us becomes more overtly manifested due to the rising intensity of the struggle, the Lord "will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts".: (I Corinthians 4:5). This means that "Everyman�s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try everyman�s work of what sort it is: (I Corinthians 3:13).

As this story illustrates, it�s not always easy or simple to react in a Scriptural fashion to the Devil�s challenges. Hindsight is always 20/20, and I see some of the mistakes that I made in not trusting God earlier and moving more decisively towards following the Scriptural mandates. To anyone that has been spiritually damaged as a result of our presumed approval of Mr. Portwood�s counterfeit spiritual output, I am deeply sorry. Susan and I both ask you to please forgive us. Although we�re veterans of the spiritual warfare that continues to rage, that "spiritual wickedness in high places: has a way of coming at us in a fashion that we least expect.

A vessel of honor does not use deceit as his weapon. A person that is walking in the light of the glorious Gospel does not twist and distort facts or scriptures to suit his or her personal agenda, aspirations, or carnal desires. A servant of the living God does not seek to masquerade as another person in order to achieve the Lord�s will.

Jesus said ""every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them: (Matthew 7:17, 19, 20).

The Word of God is very clear on the subject of how we are to respond to those that are exposed as partaking in dark behaviour without a genuine repentance:

"Be not ye therefore partakers with them, For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light: (Ephesians 5:7-13).

I believe this written account is a step in the right spiritual direction.

NOTE: In June of 2004, Christian Media filed suit against Craig Portwood for Libel, Defamation, and Interruption of trade relations. 

After the above Christian Media Research article on Craig Portwood ("The Rise And Fall Of Craig Portwood") was posted on our site, his contempt for me escalated into personal attacks on those the LORD has placed under my spiritual leadership. After over a year of enduring this, in November 2003, I sent Craig an email asking him to make peace and to simply stop his attacks. Having long ago conducted a `Matthew 18' scriptural confrontation, I warned him we would be forced to legally confront him if the false accusations continued. His libelous statements continue to the present day. 

The Lawsuit

On June 14^th 2004, I filed suit in the Circuit Court for the state of Oregon against Craig Portwood and John Does 1 - 4 alleging Libel, Defamation, and Intentional Interference with Economic Relations, with an associated motion seeking financial damages and injunctive relief. After the suit was filed, having been criticized for suing a "brother" in the Lord, I placed a second more updated essay on Craig Portwood on this website. That article was entitled The Wrath Of Mr. Wormwood. 

Once the suit was filed, we began taking depositions -- a process known as discovery. We have now learned that a couple of small portions of the 2nd essay were inaccurate in certain details -- a series of conversations took place in winter, not summer; a key meeting was a week after the Clifty Falls event, not a week before, etc. 

We've also learned that almost all of our original information was accurate. For example, we had asserted that Craig Portwood had told us Linda was going to come into a substantial sum of money through her divorce and that he would benefit from this. Even though Portwood has been pleading poverty and claiming the "giant" ministry in Jacksonville is trying to `silence the truth' through the lawsuit, we now know that Linda Kristich received well over $150,000 (in addition to a tidy monthly sum) from her divorce and has provided handsomely for Craig Portwood. The rent at the house that Craig and Linda are living in is $1,980 per month. 

On April 18th 2005, a Circuit court judged ruled that Craig Portwood "defamed" Kristin Lenox, the sister-in-law of CM leader James Lloyd without cause. The decision does not end the multiple lawsuits in the case, but in what is called a summary judgment, part of a larger suit may be adjudicated before the main trial. In yesterday's ruling, the judge found that Craig Portwood had no basis whatsoever for claiming that Lenox was a "suicidal Prozac addict" on one of his websites.

Although Portwood has repeatedly boasted that he can prove his long running accusations against Christian Media, he offered no evidence related to the statements at all, and the court ruled that he had no basis whatsoever for his claim. Under direct questioning from the judge at the hearing, Portwood admitted he wrote the false accusation because he was "angry" at James Lloyd because he considers Lloyd to be a "false prophet," so he decided to attack one of Lloyd's relatives.

Although Kristin Lenox had no involvement whatsoever in the clash, Portwood's website carried the false accusation against her for many months. Although damages have not been established at this juncture, in a second stage of the victory, the court also awarded attorney's fees to Christian Media for that aspect of the case.