Welcome! This website is dedicated to providing information about Greater Grace World Outreach (GGWO), headquartered in Baltimore, MD. A predecessor organization was The Bible Speaks (TBS), located in Lenox, MA. The organization is built around the ministry of Carl H. Stevens, however in 2005 Tom Schaller assumed the position of primary visible leader. Also in 2005, a number of pastors disaffiliated from GGWO and formed the International Association of Grace Ministries (IAGM).
GGWO members consider themselves an active and orthodox Christian group, and their leaders point to the number of converts, quality of teaching, and number of outreach ministries as evidence of God's blessing upon them. However, a growing number of former members and cult-watching organizations have been speaking out about another side of this group: a culture of lying, guilt, fear and manipulation; a culture that is undergirded by some authoritarian teachings which are out of sync with historic and orthodox Christianity. Many claim that there is a sordid, but largely unknown, history of sinful and abusive activity on the part of key leaders, followed by cover-up and denial, all of which is justified by distorted teachings on grace and the finished work.
Some ex-members state that they were eyewitnesses of such behavior. When they tried to go through proper channels and deal with the problems, Pastor Carl Stevens and others in leadership sought to discredit these whistle-blowers, using tactics such as subterfuge, denial, character assassination, and threats of legal action. TBS/GGWO loyalists were taught to regard any differences with the leaders as an evil report, and that disagreeing with the leaders could bring harm upon themselves. Many have left the ministry with the sense that God's grace and love is given only to the GGWO faithful, not to those with a different viewpoint.
What is going on here? To help honest inquirers make an informed decision, we have collected primary documents, including magazine articles, newspaper articles, investigative reports by cult-awareness groups, and court transcripts. Personal letters and narratives are also included to give a human dimension.
It is important to state that GGWO leadership is invited to provide rebuttals. This is a controversial subject, but hopefully this site will provide a forum for an objective exchange of views. Hopefully through dialog the truth will emerge. Perhaps God can use this web site in some small way to bring the type of honest repentance, forgiveness, healing and reconciliation for which many have been praying over the years - on all sides of this issue.
