Calvary Chapel Abuse

Pastor Bob Grenier of Calvary Chapel Visalia and Gayle Grenier his wife (my mother) have filed a lawsuit against their stepson/son Alex Grenier (me) for speaking publicly about Paul Grenier’s child molestation allegations and for exposing corruption in the form of misusing church funds for personal gain (or “stealing” money from the church and from God, etc).

I’ve read through the lawsuit a few times. The main theme is (as I predicted) “it’s a hate campaign” and “cyberbullying” along with defamation/libel. The suit also appears to allege some sort of conspiracy between me and another singular party to engage in a “hate campaign” etc. The suit is seeking monetary damages, but did not cite a specific number, but checked the box “Unlimited”.

What is very interesting is who and what are left out of the lawsuit.

The suit does not name Edna Silva or Tina Jenkins, which the “intent to sue” letter I received a month ago listed them as targets of the coming suit as well. I am glad Bob listened to my public challenge and decided not to put those dear women through more abuse. They’ve had enough from him.

The suit also doesn’t name my brother Paul Grenier, who has gone on the public record as stating clearly that Bob Grenier, Calvary Chapel Visalia Pastor and Visalia Police Department Chaplain in good standing, molested him. For the record, I believe Bob Grenier to be a child molester, I believe my brother Paul’s testimony he shared in the offices of Portland Attorney and Child Abuse Advocate Kelly Clark. I believe Paul’s written public testimony on this blog. Bob is a monster, IMO, and beat me and my brothers violently. Bob made me shower naked with him many times when I was a boy and Bob had a regular habit of being around us naked, with his genitals exposed. For these and many other reasons, I believe Paul and stand by my public comments and will continue to warn the Public as it is highly in the Public Interest as Bob Grenier is a Pastor and Police Chaplain and in a Position of Trust (and shouldn’t be trusted).

The suit also fails to name Geoff Grenier, another stepson (my full brother) who is on the public record as corroborating the violent child abuse in our home growing up.

I have spoken out publicly and consistently about many abuses by Bob Grenier and Calvary Chapel…including the child abuse, the molestation, the corruption, pill addiction/abuse, telling a Calvary Chapel mother to not report child molestation of her daughters to authorities, cult-like counseling, bullying/harassing of female staff, lying, manipulating etc etc etc.

Bob Grenier seems to be admitting to many of the other allegations by not challenging them, but is focusing specifically in the lawsuit on the issues of child molestation and corruption/stealing.

There are many errors in the lawsuit, the biggest being that my speaking out publicly and exercising my First Amendment Free Speech Rights to deal with these serious issues that are in the Public Interest is “not” defamation/libel and my consistently speaking out and warning people and calling publicly for accountability in these matters is “not” a “hate campaign” nor is it “cyberbullying” no matter how many times Bob repeats it in his lawsuit.

If Bob Grenier and by extension Calvary Chapel (who he represents as an Affiliated Pastor) are allowed to get away with framing Free Speech, Whistleblowing and exposing abuse and corruption in the church as a “hate campaign” and “cyberbullying” and “defamation/libel”…then the Chilling Effect it will have on others is extremely frightening. This is a very important matter. If those who wield the Power of Public Figure and Position of Trust Pastor/Chaplain are allowed to win frivolous lawsuits in an attempt to cover over their bad actions and silence victims and critics and watchdogs, then beware, you might be next…and the result will be the covering over and enabling of much more abuse and corruption within the “church” and it will make it easier for Children to be abused and molested.

From a personal perspective: I have really thick skin thanks to the intense and enduring physical, emotional and spiritual abuse I suffered (and watched my family suffer) for many years at the hands, feet, mouth etc by Bob Grenier…however, that my Mom is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our Abuser and going on offense against me hurts terribly. She sat by and let us be abused when were growing up, rather than protecting us. Now she picks up the sword and goes on the attack against me for not taking all the abuses silently. It’s wrong. It’s heartbreaking.

The Fresno Bee has published an article about the lawsuit here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/10/18/3034687/visalia-pastor-sues-son-over-cyberbullying.html

Bob Grenier, Calvary Chapel, it's not too late to do the right thing.

Bob Grenier and Calvary Chapel Visalia have recently stated they will be filing a lawsuit in Tulare County for “defamation” according to their attorney Nick Pritchett of Williams, Jordan, Brodersen and Pritchett, a small Visalia, California law firm.

If Bob Grenier and Calvary Chapel backs out, doesn’t follow through, puts up the Stone Wall once again…it’s an admission of guilt in my opinion.

If they follow through, here’s what I believe is coming and here’s some insight to what I’m preparing…also a couple of last appeals to Bob before this gets past a point of no return.

First one of the appeals to Bob:

Drop the others from the lawsuit. Don’t re-victimize Tina Jenkins, Edna Silva and Not Alone. You’ve hurt them enough already. If it’s a fight you want, I pledge not to anti-SLAPP you if you drop the others…and I’ll give you all the fight you want in civil court. We’ll drag this whole stinking carcass into the public record and let a judge/jury decide who is righteous since the Church has shunned their moral/spiritual responsibility in these matters. We can both depose and cross-examine the aforementioned as witnesses and you take your shot there. Besides, it’s a waste of the good-givers and tithers money at Calvary Chapel Visalia for you to waste their money attacking the others when your lawyer Nick Pritchett knows good and well (or should know) that you’ll get anti-SLAPP’d and that Jesus Money you collect each Sunday will go to pay off the others’ attorneys and expenses. Save some of Jesus’s money and drop the others.

As to the lawsuit if Bob and Calvary Chapel don’t chicken out…from the info I’ve collected from Bob Apologists and CC cast-offs, I believe I have a pretty clear understanding of Camp Bob’s Narrative and Offense/Defense that they’ll present to the court (and to the Calvary Chapel Association to save face and save their Dove):

These are some of the key talking points I’ve learned/observed/heard:

“It’s a Private Family Matter”

“Alex is engaged in a Hate Campaign against his step-father in an effort to take him down”

“This is a Vendetta engineered by a media professional”

“Alex has bad character”

etc etc etc.

Appeals to Motive and Character. That will be the theme of the Camp Bob Narrative.

It’ll probably go something like this:

“Alex is a bitter vindictive step-son who has engineered a Hate Campaign to take down his step-dad. He has rallied a small group of malcontents who had beef with Bob Grenier and reason to lie about him to support Alex’s Hate Campaign. Alex’s brothers are ‘helping a brother out’ and lying for him as well. This whole thing is a malicious conspiracy to take Bob down. The brothers are motivated by their hatred of Bob and the former employees are disgruntled, etc. Who wouldn’t have a few disgruntled people after over 30 years in ministry? We’ll admit Bob may have been a jerk at times, but he did not do the things that these malicious malcontents are saying in Alex’s Hate Campaign. Regarding the supposed child abuse that Bob confessed to the Calvary Chapel Visalia Board, there are mitigating circumstances, Geoff was a danger to the others, he was hopped up on steroids and Bob had to punch him out to protect himself and the family. No other abuse ever happened in the home as many others testify” …or something similar.

Appeals to Motive seem to be a biggie so far.

Then they’ll appeal to Character and assail the character of all involved.

“Alex can’t be trusted. He has past moral failings. He has had some business disputes. He used to say how wonderful Bob was. He accepted a loan from Bob to start his business. He accepted food and shelter from Bob, etc. etc. Alex’s brothers have bad character, moral failings, are ‘scoundrels’ etc. The Aunt who says she witnessed abuse hates Bob and has a grudge. The former employees have bad character, moral failings, are disgruntled etc. and none of them are reliable in their testimony.”

If the Judge allows it to be partially about Character and Motive, I’ll present a different Narrative.

I’ll appeal to Bob’s (and Camp Bob’s) Character and Motive as well.

Bob was a former drug dealer and drug smuggler. He’s an un-convicted, un-caught felon, the only thing that keeps him from being a felon is that he was able to dodge prosecution for those crimes.

Bob claims there was a “miracle” in his life and he’s a changed man. However, Bob didn’t really change, just his bad character changed from one set of bad things to another set of bad things.

I’ll go on to present evidence that Bob went from having a street drug problem to a prescription drug problem. I’ll depose a CC pastor who will testify that he witnessed Bob “stoned on pills” on mission’s trips and that Bob confessed a pill problem with him in the mid 1980′s (during a time we were being abused terribly). I’ll depose witnesses from CCV that saw Bob acting strange, speaking weird, that he seemed to have been on the influence of pills and even stated that he had taken something. I’ll depose family witnesses who will testify that Bob took too many pills to get high.

I’ll then transition into a variety of other character issues and depose witnesses who will present testimony to Bob’s temper, his bullying, his lying, his manipulation, his cult-like counseling, his attempts to get a mother not to report child molestation to authorities etc, etc.

Then we’ll get into the financial issues. That’ll be a real interesting area. Don’t want to disclose too much here, but I can guarantee you, we’ll be on this one for awhile and depositions and discovery will be a hoot and the net will be cast wide and the things we’ll confirm….this part may cross over from civil to criminal, we’ll see.

I’ll conclude with the child abuse and Paul’s molestation allegations. With regards to the child abuse, I’ll depose those directly involved and other witnesses to the abuse. I’ll depose Glen C. and his testimony that Bob confessed punching Geoff out to his Board, but the Board didn’t take action, covered it up, didn’t report (and CCV is a mandatory reporter). Witnesses will testify that much child abuse happened after that Board inaction…not only victims of the abuse but outside witnesses post-confession.

I’ll depose Paul and put his molestation allegations on the record. It’ll be tough and emotional, I don’t look forward to that one.

I’ll present testimony that Bob had me shower naked with him and testimony from witnesses that Bob made it a regular habit of walking around naked in front of us as children/teens while in our home, genitals exposed.

I’ll present Bob’s testimony of his same-sex encounter at boarding school in his book.

There will be a few bombshell witnesses, and I don’t want to disclose too much, but I have a witness who will testify to what so far look like some pretty big inconsistencies in Bob’s version of his own history in his book.

To Motive. Why would Bob lie? Why would my Mom and Bobby Jr. lie for him? Why would the Dowds cover for him?

Money. Power. Influence.

Calvary Chapel Visalia is a money making machine. It’s also a powerful entity and provides a group of followers, a stage, platform and fame, etc.

In discovery we’ll show how much money CCV makes. We’ll show how much Bob and my Mom benefit financially from CCV. We’ll show how much money the Dowds make from CCV. We’ll show how CCV employs and gives benefits to Bob’s daughter-in-law who is Bobby Jr’s wife (Bobby Jr’s household is paid by CCV).

There is huge motive to lie and cover up abuses. If Bob loses his throne, the golden goose of the CCV money-making machine is cooked and his inner-circle loses money, power, influence as well.

I’ll also counter Camp Bob’s Narrative of my motive and my character and counter Bob’s version of the motive and character of all the others.

Very good counter-narrative, but I want to save some for the trial.

It’s not a “hate campaign” and a grand-conspiracy against Bob and it’s not just a small group who he’s hurt and keeps hurting and Bob is not a janitor, he’s a highly influential and powerful public figure in Positions of Trust. It’s in the public interest to deal with these things.

Bob’s actions and the church’s non-action in dealing with these issues in a just manner are responsible for this being public, not a conspiracy “hate campaign”.

The defamation claims will be easy to address and will pretty much be covered in all of the above.

There’s a lot more to it all, and I’m preparing to address these things well beyond what I’ve presented here…but that gives you a taste.

There are many witnesses who will be deposed who have not been mentioned who have some very interesting testimony.

I won’t leave any stone unturned in depositions or discovery. I know this situation like Hawking knows physics.

So, Bob, if you chicken out of your defamation suit, it sure looks like an admission of guilt to me (and many others).

Bring it and let’s get it on and get this stuff out in the open and dealt with.

ONE FINAL APPEAL: Bob, your other option is to confess, repent, come clean and seek reconciliation and get help for your many issues and ask for mercy. True repentance begins with acknowledging the sin and admitting you have a problem. You still may have to suffer some consequences for your sin, I can’t guarantee you won’t, but I’m pretty sure the consequences will be worse if you keep digging in.

Bob, stop this nonsense. Come forward and confess and repent. I’ll then help you to make amends, and help you ask for mercy, even though you may have to suffer some consequences, but it will go better for my Mom and your wife if you do the right thing now without this going further.

Call me, you know how to reach me.

Attorney’s claiming to represent Bob and Gayle Grenier and Calvary Chapel Visalia have sent notice of their intent to file a “defamation” lawsuit against several persons connected to the ongoing Calvary Chapel Visalia controversy.

Titled, “Preservation Request to Registrar, Webhosting Provider and Website”, the letter goes on to state:

“Our office represents Bob & Gayle Grenier and Calvary Chapel Visalia. The aforementioned parties intend to file a lawsuit in Tulare County Superior Court against individuals who have made defamatory statements against Bob Grenier and members of the Calvary Chapel Visalia Board of Directors.”

The letter specifically cites the following “individuals that have posted comments on the website CalvaryChapelNews.com as follows”:

1. Alex

2. NotAlone

3. Admin

4. Tina Jenkins

5. Edna Silva

The letter goes on to state, “We anticipate filing a Complaint within the next month and as such anticipate issuing appropriate subpoenas to third parties as well as discovery requests to defendants within 120 days.”

The firm representing Calvary Chapel Visalia is stated to be Williams, Jordan, Brodersen & Pritchett LLP of Visalia, California and the letter is signed by Nick Pritchett.