Can One Defy the 3ABN Board
and Get Away with It?

"May I Please Meet with the Board?"

In late 2005, 3ABN's ex-co-founder Linda Shelton had a interesting dialogue with 3ABN board chairman Walt Thompson. Basically, she was requesting the privilege of being able to tell her side of things 18 months after the fact to the 3ABN board. In the end, Dr. Thompson refused to grant her that privilege.

But something Dr. Thompson said in his email of December 14, 2005, is vitally important in the ongoing Danny Shelton Corruption Scandal:

-------- Original Message -------- From:  Walt Thompson To:  Linda Shelton Subject:  Re: Re: Date:  Wed, 14 Dec 2005 16:22:33 -0600 Linda, ... I for one, and many other people appreciate what you gave to the ministry. I have told you that before. But I am not aware of any ministry or business the will permit its leaders to defy the directives of the board. ... Walt Walter Thompson MD

Two points should be considered:

• What 3ABN board directives did Linda defy?
• Has Danny Shelton ever defied 3ABN board directives?

The Elusive Board Directives

We are unaware of there being any directives by the board that Linda defied, and here is why: The first board meeting we are aware of that had anything to do with the termination saga of Linda Shelton was on May 30, 2004, the very board meeting that terminated her. Thus there appears to have never been any directives given by the board that Linda had an opportunity to defy. (We welcome correction on this point.)

Dr. Thompson may have a habit of mistaking the opinions of a few as constituting an official, voted board directive. In his May 4, 2004, ultimatum, he stated, "This letter is intended to represent the will of the board." Yet at the same time he stated that accepting the ultimatum would allow a resolution "without making the details of this matter known to the full board." If the board did not know the details of the matter, how could the May 2004 ultimatum represent the will of the board?

What Directives Was Walt Referring to?

So what possible commands was Dr. Thompson referring to?

• 3ABN president Danny Shelton disapproved of the physician Linda chose to treat her son for his meth addiction.
• 3ABN president Danny Shelton disapproved of the marriage counselor(s) Linda chose after she and Danny started having trouble.
• Non-board member and non-3ABN employee John Lomacang sided with Danny regarding Linda's choice of physician and marriage counselor(s).
• 3ABN board chairman Walt Thompson backed Danny's disapproval of those marriage counselor(s).

Something along these lines may have been what Walt Thompson referred to as the directives of the board that Linda defied.

Does 3ABN Tolerate Defiance of Board Directives?

In the interest of consistency, there are two issues we would like to raise.

3ABN Board Directive Regarding Paying Brandy Elswick

Multiple sources indicate that after the 3ABN board voted not to pay Brandy Elswick, Danny funnelled money to her anyway through another non-profit organization.

On March 8, 2006, Brandy became the new Mrs. Shelton.

3ABN Board Directive Concerning Tommy Shelton

The following communication sent out in late 2006 (posted in its entirety elsewhere) mentions the 3ABN board deciding in the early 1990's that Tommy Shelton could no longer work at 3ABN, followed by his continuing to work for 3ABN anyway on a contract basis.

Assuming that Danny knew that his brother was still working for 3ABN, if the 3ABN board does not tolerate defiance of its directives, why has it allowed Danny Shelton to continue as president?

-------- Original Message -------- From:  Gailon Arthur Joy To:  Directors, Three Angels Broadcasting Network, Inc.: Walter Thompson, Carmelita Troy, Elder Ken Denslow, Elsworth McKee, Mollie Steenson Subject:  Emergency Board Action Required Date:  Thu, 07 Dec 2006 15:05:43 +0000 Some of you may have been following closely the saga of revelations relating to issues perceived and defined regarding the administration of Danny Shelton at 3ABN. Probably none is as descriptive of the malfeasance and mismanagement and failure of oversight as the issue of Tommy Shelton. During the early 1980's Tommy was serving as pastor at the Ezra Church of God, West Frankfort, Illinois. Several young men made specific allegations regarding sexual molestation of a minor from the Church School at Ezra by the Administrative Pastor, Tommy Shelton. ... ... In late 1991 Melody Shelton Mundall and Derrell Mundall gave several pages of written statements to Illinois Conference President BJ Christiansen. [That] statement resulted in a board meeting and the board decided that Tommy Shelton could not work at 3ABN. Tommy was severed from the payroll and was given contract work promoting 3ABN with cable companies until he took a media consulting position and assistant pastor for media ministries with Dunn Loring Church of God, Dunn Loring, Va. in 1993. In 1995 the Senior Pastor left for mission service and Tommy became the senior pastor. During his pastorate 3ABN reportedly contributed a bus to the Dunn Loring COG [that] was not approved by the board of directors. In 1999 3ABN issued a $10,000 check to Tommy Shelton in Dunn Loring, Va. This was done without the approval of the board. However, in late 2000 Tommy's own family confronted Tommy regarding concerns related to his adopted son and at least one other minor male child. Danny Shelton declared he had forewarned of this and stated, "I told you so, he's done it again." Tommy suffered a nervous breakdown and went on leave and finally resigned his pastorate in the spring of 2001. He moved his family to Marion, Ky. Danny Shelton hired Tommy to manage and organize the Tapes and Masters Archives mid 2001 without asking the board of directors and over the objection of Linda Shelton. In May of 2003 the Chairman received a letter by Certified Mail from a Pastor Dryden of the Ezra Church of God warning them that there were new allegations regarding sexual misconduct, commonly referred to as the Dryden Letter. The Chairman brought the letter to the attention of the entire board in June 2003. Danny is reported to have misled the board and clearly stated the conduct was thirty years old and was over when he knew there were fresh allegations in West Frankfort, Il. as well as in Dunn Loring, Va. Bill Hulsey declared that this was all in the past and they could move on and a letter was sent back to Pastor Dryden telling him simply that the matter was taken up by the board and dealt with when in fact the board simply brushed it aside without investigation or exploration. Tommy continued in this position until mid 2004. After Linda Shelton was terminated by the Chairman, Tommy was given Linda Shelton's Office and her job, again without the approval of the board. Tommy also began playing the piano for Kids Time and other children's programming. ... It is imperative that the board needs to meet immediately and determine if Tommy Shelton should be terminated from 3ABN, [and] determine if Danny Shelton has been sufficiently insubordinate and has deliberately misinformed the board such as to require the resignation of Danny Shelton as president and CEO of 3ABN. ... Gailon Arthur Joy AUReporter ...