I’ve written about Davey Blackburn here, here and here.
The day after Amanda’s murder, and while she was still on life support, Davey issued a statement that “the best truly is yet to come.” The day after she was beaten up and shot, Davey started a fundraising campaign for himself (archived here). He live tweeted during Amanda’s funeral that #nothingiswasted and 3 days after Amanda’s murder that domain was registered by someone at Newspring for Davey.
@watchkeep It was someone at NewSpring who registered the https://t.co/piTLfWG3WY domain two days after her death. pic.twitter.com/LOcDoxvHpL— James Duncan (@PajamaPages) November 25, 2015
Because @daveyblackburn doesn’t seem to care about the trial there’s no reason to wait to write a book. He doesn’t speak of justice 4 Amanda— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) July 21, 2016
Though he pastors only about 100-200 people in IN Davey Blackburn is a star speaking @GatewayPeople #GWSC16 @Daystar pic.twitter.com/R3D4r0uFJs— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) July 21, 2016
At about the 38:00 mark, Davey begins a prayer time and discusses the need to forgive. Disturbingly, he mentions child molestation as one of the hurts that needs forgiveness. He does not mention victims coming forward and reporting sex abuse to law enforcement, seeking justice to heal and protect others. This is horrendous handling of child sex crimes. This is enabling and promoting a culture of abuse in churches.
Why does Davey Blackburn pick child molestation as the sins (crimes actually) that need forgiveness? This has significance for him. How?
Davey Blackburn Crashes Gateway Student Conference by LizzyJack
Dear precious innocents, report CSA to the police, find therapist, take all the time u need to heal, its ok 2 b mad https://t.co/KgAzyomUN8— Gail Marie (@0301479341) July 22, 2016
@watchkeep @wartwatch @UT_Grad_Amy Report abuse, lament with victims, say we must hold abusers accountable #abuseculture— Mike Sloan (@mikeasloan) July 22, 2016
@watchkeep @UT_Grad_Amy And not tell the difference between genuine and false repentance. pic.twitter.com/rCtZOiA5DH— John Tyler (@john_tyler77) July 22, 2016
@watchkeep @wartwatch @GatewayPeople deliberately concealed Davey’s appearance. #GWSC spkrs posted 4 mos. GW “snuck” Davey in. #deception— Amy Moore (@UT_Grad_Amy) July 21, 2016
In 2007, Newspring started a website and publicity campaign intended to attract people to a six-week series on parenting.
If you dare to visit the associated Web site, the picture gets even worse. NewSpring offers parents and kids a chance to publish anonymous confessions, which from the outset turned the site into a cesspool of rebellious threats and taunts. Children angrily accuse their fathers of being perverts. Young kids brag about sexual misadventures that their parents don’t know about. The content on the site is bad, but don’t blame rogue Internet writers for the voyeuristic dirt on display there. Instructions on the site make clear that church staff approve everything before it’s posted.
A source tells me that Newspring Church approved these comments before they were posted on the website and made no effort to reach out to these kids or alert police. These abused kids were only used to market a “dumb sermon series.”
— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) July 21, 2016
Amy, could you post the part of the video where Davey "can't stand to look, speak, or forgive" Amanda for damaging his grill, & froze her out for 3 days?
What could he possibly write in a book at this point? He should be still be grieving heavily. Instead, he is giddily buying a new home, new car, new furniture, new everything. Traveling, speaking, cross-fitting and marketing himself on all social media. He has completely disposed of everything that connected him to Amanda. She is now just a prop that has to be mentioned occasionally to continue to gain wealth and power. Are people really this blind to him? I pray something breaks in this case and soon.
Davey Blackburn's appearance at Gateway is no accident. Gateway's Robert Morris is considered a "hit man" (by Stephen Furick) who travels to other churches as guest speaker and tells his "life message" on tithing. Morris is all about tithing = being blessed by God vs. not tithing = being cursed by God. Morris gets paid gigs all year long to convince that church's sheep they must tithe (bad cop) while the local pastor gets to act as the "good cop".
Wouldn't be surprised to see Davey as a "hit man" on forgiveness as his "life message". Since Davey forgave his wife's murderers, why are you holding a grudge against a pastor who groped you or abused your child? Davey will travel the globe, earning guest speaking fees, and innoculating all pastors and staff against all abuses from the pulpit/church office. The blame will be shifted to the victims, who become the REAL problem, for "not forgiving like Davey did." Victims, by asking for accountability, must be silenced.
Davey didn't just tell the kids to forgive their sexual abusers. He told them they needed to give molesters "limitless" forgiveness. Most sexually abused children know their abusers. Many of these crimes are ongoing. The term "limitless" (which was the name of the conference) implied that the child needed to forgive the abuser over and over and over. Their grace had to be without limit and unconditional.
CSA is a complicated issue. What Davey told the kids may have sent a mixed message. The kids were only 11-18 years old (6th grade graduates through 12th graders). How can you give "limitless forgiveness" and simultaneously prosecute someone? These issues are too complex for children to navigate through alone. I fear that kids might confuse "limitless forgiveness" with not reporting and not following through with appropriate prosecution.
The other disturbing fact is that many, if not most, sexually abused children cannot easily forgive their abusers. The children who heard Davey's message might now feel shame and disgrace and believe they are not a good Christian if they don't forgive instantly like Davey did. "Davey's wife and child were murdered in cold blood and he forgave almost immediately. Why can't I be like Davey? There must be something wrong with me?" This entire segment made me physically ill.
So why would Davey specifically bring up forgiving molesters? Could it be because Davey's planting church, NewSpring, has two leaders currently facing charges of sexual misconduct against minors? http://raycomgroup.worldnow.com/story/31952259/former-newspring-volunteer-charged-with-sexual-misconduct-of-minor http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/31876865/newspring-church-volunteer-arrested-on-child-sex-charge
The pastors at Gateway Church in Southlake, TX stated that they want this message to be heard across the globe. Earlier in the conference the man who introduced Davey, Pastor Brian Cromer, had stated that all forms of criticism are from the Enemy (Satan). Now you have to give instant and limitless forgiveness to people who molest you. Churches are notoriously ripe hunting grounds for pedophiles. The third largest church in America just broadcast this message, literally all over the globe, that no one should criticize their church and victims must shut up and forgive, just like Davey did. I hope people can see the horror of this message. Gateway Church are setting the stage to make it easier for pedophiles (no criticism and instant and limitless forgiveness) and are giving your children the message to just move on, without processing the crime properly. The spiritual and psychological damage from such a message may be greater than the physical damage caused by the molestation.
But no worries in the end…. If your child is irreparably damaged from this message, everything will be fine. Because next summer, the Gateway Student Conference is going to be a giant Benny Hinn style Miracle Crusade. So all your problems will be magically fixed. Or at least the kids will believe that God fixed everyone else's problems instantly and magically. If you didn't receive your instant miracle, you must not be a good enough Christian. What could possibly go wrong?
anon 4
Imo, fleecer-friendly churches are not about Jesus at all. They are organized crime in their own right, linked in with pedophile/porn networks. Advancing Satan's kingdom is their covert mandate which is daily becoming more blatant.
This stuff is global grooming.
I would keep kids far away from these groups and these foul "leaders."
"Babylon" trafficks in "the souls of men." Revelation 18:11 – 13
"And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth their merchandise any more . . . . . . merchandise of gold, and silver . . . . and souls of men."
The context for Blackburn's remarks are Brian Comer's own presentation which preceeded DB's:
…for some of you here, maybe you’ve been abused. Maybe you’ve been abused physically, maybe you’ve been abused verbally, maybe, for some of you, you’ve been abused, sexually.
…And so here’s what you need to know: because of what Jesus did on the cross, you have been completely, totally and fully forgiven. The past, present and future, all the mistakes that you’ve made, have already been forgiven, every single one. And in Jesus’ ultimate moment he displayed what God is ultimately like: a God of limitless forgiveness.
…And so when you truly understand, I’m talking about when you, at the very core of who you are, when you truly, when you really understand, what Jesus did for you on the cross, it changes everything. Because you’ll never have to forgive anybody on this planet more than He has already forgiven you. You’ll never —I don’t care how bad you’ve been hurt—you will NEVER have to forgive somebody as much as you’ve already been forgiven.
So that’s step one: experience limitless forgiveness. Here’s step two: extend limitless forgiveness. Because once you experience limitless forgiveness then only then can you have the capacity to even extend limitless forgiveness.
…I don’t know your story. I don’t know what you’ve had to walk through. I definitely want to agree with you that it’s not that easy. But here’s what I know. Forgiveness is not always easy, but it is, but it is always right.
[Intro to Davey and "Davey's Story] This past November, um, I was able to meet somebody that is now a great friend, um this is such a God relationship. And, um, um, I’m so thankful for this friend, and nobody has taught me more about forgiveness than him over the last eight months.
***********
Read this again:
"I don't care how much you've been hurt" [verbally abused, physically abused, sexually molested].
"You will NEVER have to forgive someone as much as you've been forgiven."
Davey is completely out of line telling children to show limitless forgiveness to child molesters. Every adult should tell a child to report any behavior that makes them feel uncomfortable to an adult. Get the perps a$$ in jail and then get proper help to work through the damage.
Davey is a complete fraud and is so dangerous. His congregation is very young and this is what this creep said in a service just last month: "It's hard to take on responsibility Sometimes you just want to escape and um, and, and crawl into a fetal position and um Netflix and Chill all day long."
Any person under the age of 35 knows what Netflix and Chill means! He seems to be grooming his audience. It is scary. He proceeded to spend almost 10 minutes discussing his CrossFit workout, doing sit ups on stage, discussing pain: "In the uh, crevice of the two gluteus maximuses" He discusses getting into a hot shower and screaming almost causing the glass to shatter. What a bizarre thing to discuss in a sermon.
Amy, please keep an eye out on this guy. He seems predatory to me. If he doesn't go to jail for involvement in his wife's murder, he may be there for something else. Parents need to keep their children away from him.
From Davey on Instagram (in honor of Amanda's birthday)."today our church is vowing to carry on the work you gave your life for." I just don't understand this statement. She was brutally and unwillingly MURDERED because her husband left the door unlocked with his wife, unborn baby and toddler in the house. She did not sacrifice herself. Is this guy off his rocker or he just trying to rationalize?
From Affidavit: David Blackburn entered his home through the front door and found Amanda Blackburn face down in blood on the living room floor. She was nude with her panties next to her and her shirt pulled up as if someone had tried to pull it off; however, it was not clear Blackburn had been sexually assaulted. Blackburn noticed her credit cards and wallet on the floor. He noticed her purse on the counter and a Swisher Sweet cigar package on the counter. David Blackburn stated that the Swisher Sweet package should not be in their residence. A decorative lamp and ladder were knocked over in the living room next to Amanda Blackburn."
From Davey Blog:On the morning of November 10th, 2015 I came home from the gym to discover Amanda had been shot in the head during a home invasion
From Davey Blog:When I returned home to shower I walked into a reality I’d never wish on anyone. My home had been broken into and Amanda was lying on the floor unconscious with 3 gunshot wounds – one to the head.
Davey's Story Video: Um, got in my car, drove to the gym, got back to the house and opened the door and, and, um, my absolute worst nightmare, worst fear, um, wuh, was right there in front of my eyes. Um, I found Amanda face down on the floor in a pool of blood and she was unconscious. And I just thought she had gotten lightheaded she had fallen, hit her head and, so I thought man, if we just get her to the hospital she's gonna be okay,
From Resonate Sermon:"I had no idea what had happened … Had no idea that there was, that there were bullet wounds, had no idea that somebody had been in my house…No idea, um, who these, who these guys were…had no idea how she'd been shot…
From Daybreak church: I came home from the, the gym and and found her. Um, there had been a home invasion in my house that morning and uh there were three bullet wounds, um in her, one, one in her head,
From Pastor Resources video: um, I came home from the gym, and, and found my wife laying unconscious on, on the floor of our living room, and uh, um, uh rushed her to the hospital….. Um, and so I, I found out while I was at the hospital that, there had actually been a home inva-, invasion in our house, um, so I was just in complete shock. I had no idea what had just happened, and, what any of this meant, and um, and so it was, um.
From Newspring: And um, and so I, I left for the gym, and, got a workout in, and came back, walked in my house, and, and found Amanda, and honestly, um, I, I think it was by the grace of god that I had no idea what had happened. Um, I honestly thought – she was three months pregnant so I thought that something had gone horrifically wrong with the pregnancy
From Newspring later:And so when I walked in and found her I thought something had gone horrifically wrong with the pregnancy, uh, and she was still breathing
How Does Davey go from telling police exactly what happened even writing in his blog that he walked in to find his house had been invaded and Amanda had bullet wounds to thinking she had fallen due to pregnancy? Even the pregnancy stories are different. Truth is concrete. Lies always get fuzzy. He also gets severely tongue tied when discussing that morning with a whole lot of ums and uhs. There is also a lot of sensitivity to his accounts of the morning before the murder. Please tell me the police aren't done investigating this case.
Thank you for posting this!! I have noticed the inconsistencies & all the uhs & ums!! When he's being dishonest, he starts to stutter & stammer. I live in Indy, & have seriously considered approaching the investigators with this info!!
Traci, how do others in the area feel about the case? Do you have any connections to someone in Indy PD? Is the investigation still ongoing? It is so obvious that Davey is lying about that morning. He needs to be polygraphed!
Amy, I have seen your tweets about the boy that died at Resonate. Was it a suicide? Also, Davey did mention it via tweet or Instagram. I can't remember which one but he shared the obituary. It seemed like a money grab plug to me. He linked where you could donate money to Resonate. I remember finding it odd at the time.
Davey mentioned that Resonate lost JK on @daveyblackburn twitter on July 11th.
Davey is currently preaching a sermon series about life after death. I haven't had the stomach to sit and watch the sermons but there have been clips on his FB fan page. Davey makes the statement "Death isn't leaving the party. It's the portal to the party." He calls Amanda's death, "Amanda's passing." (as though she were a 99 year old woman who died peacefully in her sleep) It feels like justification to me. He seems to be declaring that it's actually great that he left the front door unlocked, drove right past the thugs, sat in the driveway while she bleed out because lucky Amanda peacefully passed to the party portal. She is now enjoying Pina Coladas on the beach.
This is what one person commented on his page which I thought was great. (I was very surprised that it wasn't quickly deleted.) "I would caution the emphasis on the glory of death lest man be tempted to tempt their fate with careless disregard for safety. But yes good message."
Davey posted on Snapchat that he had been telling his story all over the world this last weekend. He was at his Uncle's church where his interview was going to be played Sunday across several campuses. Resonate had over 300 people in attendance and Fresh Life was also playing it's video interview with Davey all over it's many campuses. He is on a narcissistic high this weekend, indeed.
He is confident, forceful and seems to think he has replaced Jesus in the modern evangelistic church but poor thing just can't stop stuttering when discussing the morning of November 10th. You know the morning, where the invisible Amanda finally shows up in the story in a pool of blood and still breathing.
http://freshlifechurch.com/series/single.php?id=81&tm=734
DB:"Yeah, uh, it was a Tuesday morning. Um, most Tuesday mornings are my long day uh at least during this season of life and so I'd wake up, go to the gym super early. Um, so this particular Tuesday morning, woke up about 4:30, spent some time in the word. Um, I remember um, actually, uh I remember sitting there at my couch and for some reason having this sense of praying over the protection of my family and uh Lord just please protect Amanda, please protect Little Evie, uh, make this pregnancy healthy and just spending some time there and, and grabbed my gym clothes, left for the gym and um, uh came back an hour and half maybe two hours later and I walked into my living room and found my, my wife face down in, uh, a pool of blood and um, she was still breathing but she was unconscious and uh in that moment and you know with, with with trauma and with uh, uh uh a tragedy and be being present in that, your world freezes and goes in fast forward all at the same time and um and so I'm panicking but, but, but going ok thinking that something had just gone wrong with the pregnancy maybe uh that, that everything was going to be fine if we just get Amanda to the hospital um. Levi interupts: "So your calling 911." DB: "calling 911, trying to." Levi: "pray" DB: "Exactly, the whole thing, the whole time the only thing I could do was say Dear Jesus, please. Dear Jesus, please. Dear Jesus please. Dear Jesus please. Levi: So it's bubbling up within you. DB: Exactly" um, I remember the E, EMS got there, um, and I felt completely out of control. Levi: "So you thought this was a premature birth or some sort of event?" DB: I thought some yeah exactly, something was going on, but I was sitting there with her waiting on the uh,paramedics,my, my mind was taking (snaps fingers)snapshots of the things in the room that were out of place and so I remember being able to recall that later when the investigators came to ask me about what was going on you know, how, how I found her." Levi: So, it wasn't a pregnancy, what had happened? Davey: "So, what had happened was someone had broken into our house and uh there were three gunshot wounds, um in Amanda and one was in her head. And so, um, I didn't find that out until we got to the hospital and so um, my world just kind of froze right there and um, um honestly, um, the family comes in and were all sitting around her hospital bed and the only thing we could think to do because we were completely out of control. Control is one of the greatest illusions known to man.
WOW!!! This story is a WHOPPER!!!! It's been the biggest diversion from the original story! The bit about "remembering he was just praying to keep Amanda safe." Davey's a habitual liar, & it's going to catch up with him!
Oh Traci Mosby, I hope from the deepest part of my heart that you are right about things catching up with Davey.
Yeah, he just *happened* to pray for protection for Amanda and Evie that morning – SERIOUSLY? That's a new detail that has been missing from his previous accounts of that morning. He is making it more poignant of a story, more touching – or attempting to, anyway.
Web of LIES ! (tm Brad Pitt in Mr and Mrs Smith)