The following letter was published at the request of Barbara Kerr on
BlackSDA.com
on August 16, 2006. The bolding of the original letter has been restored.
There are a number of categories that we could place this letter in, but we will place
it here under "Ethical Allegations" since it documents alleged retribution exacted by Danny Shelton over the
stands people take on matters unrelated to the programs they air on 3ABN.
The documented allegations of retribution include:
Dropping Barbara Kerr's program from 3ABN because Barbara took a position on a personal matter that was different than that of 3ABN president Danny Shelton.
Removal of all traces of Barbara Kerr's Taste Of Health miracle stories from Kay Kuzma's book about 3ABN, Mending Broken People.
Threatening musicians who were scheduled to participate in a benefit for Barbara Kerr to the point that they cancelled out.
Refusing to donate or sell the masters of Barbara Kerr's programs and the rights associated with them to her ministry.
There are many other items of interest in this letter, including the following allegations:
Danny Shelton would call Barbara Kerr and talk with her for as long as two hours about his wife, which according to him constitutes "spiritual adultery" and grounds for divorce.
Danny would call Barbara right after Linda had talked with her, which suggested to Barbara that Linda's phones may have been tapped.
Etc.
For two years now I, Barbara Kerr, have kept silent regarding
the happenings surrounding one of my best friends, Linda Shelton.
I am one of those ministries referred to in Dr. Abrahamsen's
letter that was affected adversely by the split of the Shelton
marriage. June 1st, 2004, all of Linda's programming was taken
off of the air. By default, my ministry seemingly disappeared
overnight as we had taped 99% of all of my cooking programs together.
I didn't know anything was wrong until the first week of May
2004. (I was in Italy the entire month of April and was not available
to Linda.) As soon as I heard the rumors that she had "run off"
with a Norwegian doctor, I called Linda (she was at 3ABN not
in Norway). I jumped in my car the next day with my friend Claudia,
and we made the 11-hour drive to West Frankfort, IL. We stayed
three days and had an opportunity to visit with both Danny and
Linda.
I would like to stop here and say that by my not being a "paid"
employee of 3ABN, I have had a unique opportunity watching employees
come and go. In seven years of volunteering at this ministry,
I really got a feel for their personalities versus their characters.
I also watched in horror as some people would work so hard to
position themselves to climb the ladder of success. You could
see "pride of position" stamped on their foreheads as they walked
the halls searching desperately for fame. It's no wonder Linda
and Danny both have become leery over the years of people trying
to become their "friends." It's unfortunate that people will
use people, but this is the real world after all, and God warns
us that "whoever desires to become great among you shall be your
servant, and whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave
of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but
to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
I had the privilege of meeting many Godly people while volunteering
at 3ABN who were the same off of camera as they were when the
cameras were rolling. I would have to say that was especially
true of Linda Shelton. She was as sweet, charming, spiritual
and innocent off camera as she was on! If that was the only statement
that I had to make about Linda, it would be enough, for each
of you saw the "real" Linda as she held out her hand in prayer
on every "Presents" program.
I have kept my mouth shut to the public about the things that
I have known for the past two years because I knew that God would
reveal every secret thing in its time.
Danny is a very powerful man. Maybe the most powerful man
in the SDA church and his influence is felt far and wide. When
he doesn't like you he has no problem picking up the phone to
call conference presidents and heads of ministries. I have personally
felt his wrath and its consequences by standing up to him, asking
hard questions (when everyone else was afraid too) and continuing
to be a friend to Linda and support her through this nightmare.
I can honestly say that I hate injustice and I refuse to stand
by and watch someone be bullied. My husband and I are very much
the same in this respect. With that said, it was so incredibly
confusing those first few months listening to both Danny and
Linda talk about their "problem." Each person was emphatic that
the other person was lying. At this time, both Dan and Linda
had credibility with me even though Linda and I were actually
close friends. It would give me a headache just trying to sort
out what each one had verbalized.
It was also clear early on that Linda had a receptive spirit
to being counseled, while Dan was "closed off" and "non-receptive."
By that statement I don't mean that he wouldn't talk to Claudia
and me. He did. He just did 99% of the talking. It was as if
Dan was on "machine gun mode" and his words just shot out of
him like bullets. I should also say that at the time we drove
up to 3ABN, it didn't matter to me if Linda was guilty or innocent.
I was on my way because she needed a friend.
I was appalled that Linda had been locked out of 3ABN and
completely cut off from talking to the employees.The hard drive
from her computer was removed and she wasn't able to retrieve
any information that she had stored in that computer.
I may not be a PhD, but it didn't take much common sense to
see that Linda was being "cut off" from all former friends and
co-workers. Linda, Claudia and myself talked for hours, we prayed
together, we cried together and we counseled together. I kept
hearing the words of Jesus in my ears: "Greater love has no one
than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
Danny has always maintained that Linda would not receive counsel
and it is my belief that nothing could be farther from the truth.
What she didn't want was 3ABN "arranged" counsel and refused
anything that smelled of it.
I had one opportunity to ask Danny tough questions during
our three-day stay. I knew that even by asking, that they might
not be well received. My questions were 1) Are you having an
affair? 2) Have you fallen in love with someone else? 3) Are
you willing to acknowledge that you have responsibility for your
marriage falling apart?
Dan emphatically denied an affair or any love interest other
than Linda, but he was completely unwilling to take one shred
of responsibility for the marriage beginning to unravel. The
entire blame was on Linda's shoulders and he had many reasons
why it was all her fault.
During the weeks that followed I received several two-hour
long phone calls from Danny. I averaged about five minutes during
those conversations. Again, his words flew out like machine gun
fire almost painful to listen to. He was definitely on a mission
to discredit his wife and isolate her from ANYONE that lent her
a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. He sounded so extremely
believable and convincing. He had some kind of so-called "proof"
for every "thing" she was being accused of. Eventually Danny
persuaded me with partial truths that Linda was the one in the
wrong. I was even mad at Dr. Abrahamsen for not walking away
from the situation because I believed he was only making matters
worse by continuing to befriend her.
Linda and I didn't speak for about three months (Oct.-Dec.),
but she continued to maintain her innocence. Occasionally she
would send me an email with an update and a kind word. Never
once did she get mad at me for not "siding" with her. What I
found strange was that every time Linda and I would begin talking
over the phone again, within about 24-hours I would get a phone
call out of the blue from Dan and he would begin his torturous
rundown of all his "evidence." (Were her phones tapped?) hmmmm.......
I prayed that God would show me the truth in the situation
and I asked for wisdom to respond to each of them. Whenever Linda
and I began to reconnect again, Danny became angry. His words
were more than unkind as he spoke "ugliness" about his former
wife.I began losing respect for him not only as a husband, but
as the Christian leader he should have been portraying! He spoke
about his wife's menstrual cycle freely over the phone. (HUGE
MISTAKE – how inappropriate and disgusting. AND, if he was discussing
it with me, surely he was discussing it with others.) He actually
had the nerve to say one day, "Well, I've always said that Linda
would spread her legs for anyone." Unbelievable beyond words!!!!!!
What Christian leader would say that? And to use the words "I've
always said." How many times had he said that to someone?
These disgusting statements weren't the first time Danny's
words had turned my stomach causing me to lose tremendous respect
for him as a leader. It is shameful to even repeat what he said.
(I have decided not to repeat it because it's too horrible and
what bugs me more than anything is that I can't tell this truth,
because no matter how true it is, the incident is too inflammatory
to be published. Maybe someday, the truth will be known.)
The last time I taped a cooking program at 3ABN was early
December of 2003. I will never forget gathering up the last tray
full of dishes and food on the kitchen set and heading for the
door. As I neared the piano, goose bumps stood up all over my
body and a voice so audible in my head said, "This is the last
time you will ever tape a program here." I was so shocked I stopped
walking, turned around to look at the kitchen set and said out
loud, "No, that can't be." There was no shaking the feeling,
so I stood there in stunned silence for a moment as I took it
all in one last time.
I was sure the voice must be wrong because Dee Hildebrand
and I had already set the schedule for the following year. The
strangest thing happened though. My normal schedule of taping
every other month beginning in January just wouldn't work out.
This time, no matter how we tried to arrange the schedule, the
first possible spot was just after July 4th, taping a LIVE with
Dr. Neil Nedley. Then, I wasn't on the schedule again until late
September, so we also booked October, and December.
I don't remember if it was January, February or March (2004),
but Kay Kuzma called my home and told me that she was working
on a new book called Mending Broken People. It was to be a book
about the ministries that "made up" 3ABN and the miracle stories
that surrounded their work. She interviewed me for about 40 minutes
over the phone asking questions about Taste Of Health and how
my ministry had changed the lives of others. I shared several
testimonies with her, and she thanked me for my contribution to
3ABN and for allowing her to share my story.
I didn't hear from Kay again until late May or early June
2004. This conversation was much different. She was doing her
best to find out where I stood regarding Linda and Danny. I wasn't
budging from Linda's side. I commented that Danny still hadn't
been able to show me a single Bible text that indicated I should
turn my back on my friend. I, too, was unable to persuade Kay
of Linda's innocence – her mind was made up. We hung up. Her
new book was published several months later and all traces of
Taste Of Health miracle stories had been removed. It was as if
by not including the seven years of volunteer work that I had
done, they could pretend that I had not been a big part of 3ABN's
health message.
Spring came. Claudia, my mother and myself spent the entire
month of April 2004 in Italy. It was just days after arriving
home that we learned of Linda's being "out-ed" at 3abn.
May was just a whirlwind with the 3ABN "mess," school getting
out and one of my closest girlfriends was six months pregnant
and needed a place to stay. Bill and I opened up our home to
her and she asked me to be her coach. During my friend's doctor
visit in June they moved her due date up to July 12th. She began
to get increasingly nervous knowing that my "tape date" was on
July 6th. I was growing more and more frustrated with Danny (the
divorce had just gone through) and I really wasn't sure I would
be able to tape anything without Linda in the kitchen. It just
didn't seem right. I was somewhat relieved because of the due
date being so close and I called and cancelled the LIVE.
The baby was born July 15th, and my friend was still not back
with her husband. She slipped into serious postpartum depression
and missed her husband terribly. After working out the details
of reuniting, she finally convinced me that she could not manage
the trip home the first week of September by herself, so my husband
bought me a ticket.
I called Dee the middle of August to explain that I just couldn't
get my recipes together in time for the September deadline, that
I had too much on my plate at the moment and that I would be
flying back to my girlfriend's home with her and the baby. I needed
to cancel once again. Part of me was relieved. I still wasn't
sure I fit in anymore.
The next morning I received a phone call from Tommy Shelton
explaining that they had cancelled my remaining "tape dates"
and that my taping cooking programs for 3ABN wasn't a good fit
anymore. He was kind (as I had always known Tommy to be), but
nonetheless, he was the "axe man" that day.
As I hung up the phone I began to cry and my crying turned
into big "red-headed" sobs. Then I remembered the words the Holy
Spirit had whispered in my ear last December, and I knew that
in fact, I would never tape there again. I had been fired.
I knew that when I stood by Linda that it would most likely
affect my taping at 3ABN, but then I've never been one to be
"politically correct." Unlike the actual 3ABN employees, I wasn't
losing a paycheck. I had been working for free for eight years.
You see, I had made a vow to God in 1994 that I would spend the
rest of my life helping others to not get as sick as I once did.
Danny Shelton didn't call me to the ministry, God did. Dan's
allowing me to tape programs or not tape programs was a trivial
thing to God, and it still is.
I had always known that Three Angels was only a training ground.
The Lord had impressed me very early on that it was temporary
and that He had something much, much bigger down the road. Looking
back, I can't help but feel my seven years of training at 3ABN
was the perfect amount of time.
Even though I was no longer an invited guest at 3ABN, it didn't
stop Danny from calling off and on to keep up with his "Linda
trashing." I decided that time would reveal the real liar. Even
though what Danny said all sounded irrefutable, I couldn't get
over how instead of trying to shelter and protect his wife from
the public, he was tearing her apart with his words to anyone
that would listen. It didn't take long for him to reveal more
of his spots.
Because my programs had been taken off the air and I didn't
own the rights to the master copies, seven years worth of my
work was locked up in what I like to call "cooking school prison"
at 3ABN.Three Angels would no longer air the shows because they
had Linda in them, but they wouldn't donate or sell the programs
to me either. They even refused to sell copies of the programs
to viewers that would call in and request them. Clearly they
were of no more use to 3ABN's ministry, but when I asked Danny
if he would donate my work to my ministry his reply was, "One
shouldn't cut off his nose to spite his face." He then wrote
an entire paragraph outlining all of the "new rumors" that I
was supposedly saying about him. Rumors that I hadn't heard until
I received his letter. He also requested a statement in writing
that he could give to people when they wanted to know where I
stood on the subject of him and 3ABN.
I was in a quandary. Even though I loved and supported 3ABN,
I had lost pretty much all respect for Danny. He is unable to
separate himself from the ministry in that way and I was unable
to lie in order to receive those masters. This letter is my public
response to his request, so everyone will know just where I stand
in respect to how I feel about his ungodly leadership.
At the close of his last email to me his words cut me like
a knife. He said,
"Barb, it honestly doesn't make me any difference who you support
in this situation. We will all go on the same. Your influence,
as you know, won't make or break 3ABN as well as make or break
Linda.
"But at least people won't be able to accuse you of jumping ship
to serve your own selfish purposes."
I was filled with righteous indignation. Since when had working
eight years without a paycheck, trying to educate the public
and teach God's Law's of Health, qualified as "serving my own selfish
purposes"? I decided to take an entirely different approach.
I've always been a prayer warrior, so I went to my Bible in
search of answers. I kept reading passages from Psalms where
David's prayers against his oppressors were extremely direct.
David minced no words in telling God what he wanted done to the
people that hated him. I had never prayed this way before and
wasn't sure if I could.
I did change my prayers the day that email arrived in my inbox.
My prayer became, "Lord, scatter Danny Shelton and his family
like chaff in the wind. Set the oppressed free. Make us the head
and not the tail. Contend with those that contend with me. You
have promised not to be a respecter of Kings and rulers and those
with a proud heart. Shut the mouth of those that speak lies about
us. Let them be drunk with their own blood as with wine. But
let Your servant rejoice. Let my accusers be clothed with shame,
and let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with
a mantle. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; Yes,
I will praise Him among the multitude. For He shall stand at
the right hand of the poor, to save her from those who condemn
her." (If you read Psalm 109, I used this prayer as my example.)
This prayer might sound extremely harsh, but let me tell you,
God began to move in a powerful way revealing every secret thing.
Danny may think that someone he considers as small and insignificant
as myself cannot touch "the anointed one" (as 3ABN likes to call
Dan), but God sees every tear shed by His servants and hears
every humble plea. PRAYER CHANGES EVERYTHING!
Jumping back to the summer of 2004 (after Linda was fired
and taken off the air), my mother and sister decided to surprise
me with a fundraiser concert in Atlanta, GA. It was to raise
money so Taste Of Health could build a kitchen studio. They worked
for months securing a location and hired 24 musicians. Huge debt
was racking up on my mother's credit cards as she was self-sacrificing
and planned this huge event. They told me about it at Christmas
and I was so surprised and shocked, but happy. I so desired to
build a studio and get back to work!
Long story short, two people that had agreed to participate
in the concert both called on a Monday (the same Monday) to say
how sorry they were that they couldn't participate. I will leave
them nameless. One of the two called to tell me that Danny had
called them and he had explained how if he/she came to the concert
and supported my ministry, that it might be misconstrued and
all of his/her conference funding for his/her new project might
get cancelled, Dan wasn't sure. It was enough of a "hint threat"
that they opted not to take the risk. I assured him/her it was
okay, hung up the phone and cried for three days.
Finally on the third day I picked up a new book from Joel
Osteen called Your Best Life Now and began to read. The more
I read the better I felt. Chapters five and six were all about
claiming God's favor as you would claim the gift of salvation.
By the time I was finished with those two chapters I was excited
and claiming God's favor over my life and my ministry. My attitude
changed and I quit sulking because of Danny's wrath (which I
was now experiencing). I've never quite been the same since reading
those chapters and having a deeper understanding of God's favor.
I have learned peace amidst the storm. Dan's wrath doesn't scare
me anymore because I know I'm surrounded by God's favor.
Even as recent as this past February, 3ABN was still blocking
Linda from speaking engagements. Linda had been invited February
18, 2006, by our local pastor, to speak at the 11 o'clock worship
hour and for the vespers program that evening here in Columbia,
SC. As soon as the news that Linda was speaking in our church
made its way through our conference office, our pastor received
a phone call from John Lomacang (3ABN's pastor). Within a week
I received a phone call from my pastor instructing me to call
Linda Shelton back and UNINVITE her. I refused. Now, my "very
uncomfortable" pastor squirmed as he gave me reason after reason
that it wouldn't be politically correct for Linda to speak at
our church. He assured me that he wanted Linda here, but that
she had left the "White SDA Conference" not-in-good-standing.
His hands were "tied" and there was nothing he could do.
Experiencing Dan's wrath did begin to answer the question
in my mind as to who was lying. Then I caught Dan in a great
big lie. It was the last time he and I spoke on the phone. (It's
never a short conversation when Danny is trashing Linda and re-hashing
all his "evidence.")
That particular day I wanted answers about his relationship
with his step-daughter Alyssa. Danny became very animated over
the phone and bubbly. He said that he and Alyssa were great friends,
they were buddies, and that he called her often and they had
wonderful conversations. Alyssa had even recently written him
a prescription (she had just graduated as a Physician's Assistant)
for an infection he had. When I asked him about the "backrubs"
he had been giving her before she left home (at the age of 23),
he said, "Oh yeah, we're very close. Sometimes I would go in
her room, and sit on her bed, and we'll just have great talks
while I rub her back. It's just a loving gesture." We hung up.
What Danny didn't expect was that I would actually pick up
the phone and call Alyssa to verify his story. Alyssa is a very
sweet, private and shy person. When she got on the phone I explained
how I had been in this "tug-of-war" over finding the truth. Danny
always sounded so convincing and made Linda sound like a complete
liar. I told her I would understand if she didn't want to answer
my questions, but that it would put my mind at ease, finally!
When I explained that Dan had described their relationship
as a great friendship and that they talked all the time on the
phone and I asked about the prescription, you could hear a sigh
of disgust on the other end. Alyssa said, "We are NOT friends,
he won't quit calling me and I only wrote him a prescription
because I felt sorry for him."
Then I asked her a very personal question. She was silent
for a few moments, then answered my question with amazing honesty.
I am not at liberty to disclose the biggest part of the lie that
I caught Dan in that day, but it was the evidence I had been
praying about.
"So do you want your mom and Danny to get back together?"
I asked. "Absolutely not! He's a jerk and she deserves better.
I never want them to get back together," she stated emphatically.
I thanked her for her honesty and for helping me understand what
the truth was and we said good-bye.
Alyssa handed the phone to her mom. Linda said, "Barb, I never
knew why she moved out of the house so suddenly. I can't believe
it." We said good-bye so she could go talk to Alyssa, and I sat
there in stunned disbelief. I never told Danny that I had picked
up the phone to verify his story. I didn't need to. God had promised
over and over again that if I would just be patient and wait
on Him, that He would reveal every secret thing in its time.
An Update on Taste Of Health Ministry
I just want to take a moment to say "Thank You" to all the
loyal supporters of my ministry that continue to call and tell
me that they miss seeing me and Linda cooking in her "kitchen."
I have so appreciated your prayers and hugs over the phone.
Since the removal of my cooking programs I started doing more
cooking schools again in churches around the country. I was also
the main women's retreat speaker in Cape May, NJ, this past April.
God also opened an amazing door here in Columbia, SC, at Fort
Jackson, our military base. I am teaching a class (along with
another woman) to the female officers called, "Every Woman's
Battle." It's a weekly class on sexual integrity as God intended
it. The class has been a huge success so far and we are excited
about the questions these women are asking regarding the Bible.
My husband, Bill, and I will be in Spokane, WA, September
9th, giving our first marriage seminar on "How to Get Along."
If you would like details, just call Mable Dunbar at the Upper
Columbia Conference (509-838-2761).
Some of you have noticed that I have quit posting a calendar
of events on my web page. It was easier to eliminate the posting
of events than to deal with the sabotages. I hope you understand.
A year ago in August, Taste Of Health applied for non-profit
status. We are only days away from being approved for our 501(c)3
and we are excited about that.
Many of you have called to ask if I am going to tape programs
anymore. The answer is, "YES." I am going to tape programs again
because I want to get back to work doing what God called me to
do!
I am saying "Yes" in faith. The HOPE Channel and LLBN have
both indicated that they would love to air my cooking programs,
but neither facility has a kitchen studio. I am still without
a studio or the funds to build one. (I've had the plans drawn
up for a year now just waiting on God's timing to be perfect,
and His hand to move on my behalf). Last week Claudia and I sat
down and planned out 120 thirty-minute programs. I don't know
where the studio will be, nor do I have the funds to accomplish
this work, but that's God's problem. We have a deal – I work,
and He supplies my needs.
God is so awesome and I just want to praise Him for everything.
Even though the last two years have been rough, to say the least,
God has taught me two valuable lessons that I wouldn't trade
for anything. He has taught me the lesson of "rejection," (Believe
me, you have only seen the tip of the iceberg in what has been
printed on these pages), and He taught me to praise Him, in ALL
circumstances, no matter what!
I'm not angry with Danny anymore when he attacks me. I don't
hate him. I do pray for justice, and that God will use my ministry
to bring ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands
to know the Savior. Bless the Lord oh my soul, and all that is
within me bless His holy name. To God be the glory!
If you would like to contact my ministry you can do so through
my website www.tasteofhealth.net
or by email at
tasteofhealth at hotmail dot com.
