Tom Chantry, Well Known Reformed Baptist Pastor, Charged on Multiple Counts of Child Molestation & Aggravated Assault with Serious Injury

Brent Detweiler
December 06, 2016

https://goo.gl/lyAjxb

Tom Chantry is a nationally recognized Reformed Baptist pastor and one of the men who has publicly opposed me and attacked me for exposing the conspiracy to commit and cover up the sexual abuse of children in Sovereign Grace Ministries, etc.

The story of his arrest for child molestation broke on November 26 and it was republished yesterday by The Daily Courier in Prescott, Arizona where he used to pastor and committed the alleged crimes.  He now pastors at Christ Reformed Baptist Church in Hales Corners, Wisconsin in Milwaukee County.  I am not surprised by his arrest based upon my interactions with him.  

You can easily access his court case at this link.  Do the verification and submit it.  Then type in his name, Thomas Chantry and click search.  That will take you to another page where you click the case number (J-1303-CF-2016000671).  That will take you to his case information.   

There you will see five counts for the “molestation of child” and two counts for “aggravated assault – serious physical injury.”  He was arrested on July 25 and his bond was set at $100,000.  His case information will be constantly updated by the court.  

These charges concern alleged crimes committed in 1995, 1996, and 1998 to 2001 with multiple children according to the newspaper.  Here is the account of one alleged victim taken from a police report.  

“One alleged victim, now an adult, came forward to Prescott Police [in Arizona] and, according to a police report, when Chantry became a pastor at Miller Valley Baptist Church, Chantry told his parents that he wanted to tutor the victim, then ‘approximately 9 or 10 years old,’ privately in his church office. 

“The parents consented, and the victim claims that, during his twice-weekly hourly meetings, Chantry would spank him, ‘grope him, rub him, and make him sit on his lap,’ the report said. 

“The victim said that during a Christmas break during which he stayed at Chantry’s house, Chantry ‘began fondling him,’ the report said, touching his private areas, and saying ‘he was making them feel better.’ 

“This went on for a period of six to seven months, the report said, and Chantry allegedly told the boy not to tell anyone ‘about his special lessons because he would not be able to teach everyone.’” 

This account has all the earmarks of a serial sexual predator.  It is reminiscent of Nathaniel Morales and how he molested numerous boys in Covenant Life Church while C.J. Mahaney was the senior pastor.  Multiple pastors in the church knew about his crimes in the 1980’s and early 1990’s but never reported them to law enforcement.  

As a result, Morales went on to molest boys around the country including two of his step sons.  He was finally arrested in 2012, no thanks to the Covenant Life pastors who covered up his crimes, and sentenced to 40 years in prison.  I continue to work on a book length treatise dealing with the conspiracy to commit and cover up the sexual abuse of children in Covenant Life Church and Sovereign Grace Ministries. 

Chantry has not been tried, convicted or sentenced like Morales but he has been arrested by law enforcement.  This does not occur unless there is probable cause – that is, solid evidence.  Nevertheless, he is presumed innocent under the law until guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt.  That does not mean, however, private citizens cannot hold opinions regarding his case.     

Chantry is also friends with Todd Pruitt, about whom I have recently posted three times, and Phil Johnson, about whom I will post in the future.  I have confronted Chantry and Pruitt in private for covering up serious sins in Johnson’s life though not ones involving child sexual abuse.  Johnson is John MacArthur’s executive director. 

These three men are deceitful, arrogant, and spiritually abusive.  It also appears Chantry is a child abuser.  How can such men be in ministry?  None of them are held to account by their elderships, boards or one another.  I will say more in the future.  This a great travesty! 

All the while, men and ministries like Mark Dever and 9Marks constantly talk and write about church discipline for members and the need for membership covenants that require strictures that exceed anything found in the New Testament; while practically no one writes about, let alone practices, the disciplining of leaders without partiality or favoritism or the need for covenants signed by pastors that they will live above reproach as defined by Scripture or resign. 

That was the case with C.J. Mahaney.  His sins far exceeded the sins of most members he disciplined and pastors he removed from ministry.  And yet men like Dever, Al Mohler, and Ligon Duncan took no action except to cover up, protect and promote him.  So too, Kevin DeYoung, Ray Ortlund and Carl Trueman about which I just posted. Such hypocrisy has brought great harm to the Body of Christ and is profoundly offensive to God. 

Now we have Tom Chantry charged for sexual molestation and aggravated assault resulting in serious physical injury.  It is almost too much to bear.  These are the men that oppose me and slander me for calling them to account.  I have repeatedly appealed to them in private but when these national leaders continue in sin of a serious nature it is necessary to expose them and tell the church. 

Jesus told his natural brothers like James and Jude before they were converted, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil” (John 7:7).  That is not all I have done, but that certainty is what I have done.  That is the calling of every Christian but be certain, you will be hated and persecuted.  Such is the example of Christ we are called to imitate.