Elder Accountability Team Recommends Dr. Michael Brown Resume Public Ministry Following Firefly Investigation Review

The elder accountability team, composed of several Christian leaders, has recommended that Dr. Michael Brown resume his public ministry. This recommendation comes in response to the Firefly investigation, which concluded that Brown’s actions toward two females were inappropriate and unacceptable for his leadership role within the ministry.

Brown was accused of sexual misconduct involving a 21-year-old woman, Sarah Monk, who worked as a secretary at Brown’s FIRE School of Ministry in Concord, North Carolina. Brown admitted to a close relationship with Monk but claimed it was “totally non-sexual in every way.” The elder accountability team expressed concerns about the Firefly investigation, particularly its use of the term “sexually abusive misconduct” and the lack of opportunity for Brown to respond to some testimony.

The team also noted that Firefly did not include testimony from Nancy Brown, Michael Brown’s wife, and questioned the claim that Brown intentionally groomed Sarah Monk. They argued that Firefly expanded the definition of sexual abuse, potentially causing confusion about what constitutes true sexual abuse and risking its dilution.

In addition to recommending Brown’s return to public ministry, the elder team suggested that Brown or Line of Fire cover reasonable counseling expenses for Monk and that Brown invite Monk and the husband of the married woman to an in-person meeting for dialogue that might aid in healing.

The elder accountability team included Jonathan Bernis, Raleigh Washington, Leif Hetland, and Mark and Nicki Pfeifer. In evaluating Brown’s conduct during 2001-2002 with both an unnamed married woman and Sarah Monk, the team believed Brown attempted to follow the process outlined in Matthew 18. However, his desire to keep the misconduct private while in a leadership role was deemed a “breach of trust” and “unwise.”

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