Bruxy Cavey and a Return to Ministry

I recently recorded a video about Bruxy Cavey after I noticed that he was producing content again. I was surprised at this because not only was it revealed that Bruxy Cavey had abused [see Note at bottom of this post] someone in his congregation, there are also criminal charges still in play.

You can watch the video below:

Before commenting further, I want to share a message I received from someone in Bruxy’s camp.

In response to Stephen Bedard’s video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxlMrywoAJo some clarifications are in order. Bruxy Cavey has absolutely no leadership role in any ministry capacity whatsoever, either online or in his physical vicinity. While we realize that some have taken issue with portions of bruxy.ca where “Small Church” is concerned, please be aware that Bruxy is not engaged in church planting or in any other type of ministry. He is simply posting about the churches that have begun to gather. He has no part in planting them or leading them. He’s acting as a congregation member would in simply spreading the word about new churches being formed by others. He and his family attend a small church and he is under submission to it’s leaders as well as professional counsellors and spiritual advisors. Nothing is posted that has not first gone through all of these trusted sources of accountability. His primary focus is on receiving professional counselling, therapy and he will also continue to be a part of a small congregation without any ministry role. We appreciate Stephen’s call to pray for Bruxy. Your continued prayers are deeply coveted.

I am thankful for this clarification, as it is important that I not mislead people with incorrect information. There is some good news in this new information.

I also want to clarify that as I published this video, there was a change from the new content being on Bruxy’s website to then appearing on a new website, The Ghost of 1820.

I would like to share a few thoughts that are not really emphasized in my video. One is that the Small Church initiative, by appearing first on Bruxy’s personal website gave off a certain impression. Considering the work that Bruxy has done in the past in growing a network of churches, the implied message is that this was his project. Even if he is not actually planting church, they are borrowing his credibility as a church planter.

In addition, the message that was sent to me was: “He is simply posting about the churches that have begun to gather.” And yet on the Small Church page, it says: “This project began as Jesus-centering therapy.” Since elsewhere on this website, it talks about Bruxy’s attempts at personal recovery, it would be natural to interpret these words as the Small Church vision emerging from Bruxy.

I received a little pushback from my video in that I was too gentle toward him. That would not be the first time I received that kind of criticism.

What Bruxy did was not just adultery because it was with someone in his congregation who he was in a counselling relationship, this was also abuse. There is a reason why the police have been involved. Normally they don’t care just about extra-marital affairs.

Bruxy is not just another pastor who has some interesting things to say. Bruxy is a charismatic leader who accomplished far more than the average pastor in Canada (or elsewhere). Bruxy is more than a pastor, he is a brand. The content he shares, whether the blog posts, curriculum, or promotion of Small Churches, cannot be detached from that brand.

When Bruxy shares his thoughts, he’s doing it as much more than as a Bible teacher or church member. He is doing it in the context of both his positive accomplishments of the past and his sexual abuse.

The message that is being sent, whether or not it’s Bruxy’s intention, is that what he has to offer is so valuable that he need not wait the long period of healing and repentance that we would expect of another church leader. The legal charges have not yet been dealt with. Many people are not satisfied that he has owned up to the harm he has done.

There is nothing illegal about Bruxy writing blog posts and Bible studies. He is allowed to promote the Small Church program.

But is it wise?

Bruxy and those around him should reflect deeply on the implicit message that’ll they are sending by returning so soon to church content creation.

As someone who does not have all of the details, either from Bruxy or his victim(s), the message I am getting is that Bruxy is beyond the rules that we would expect for other pastors who had done similar things.

Can Bruxy ever return to ministry? That is not for me to decide. No doubt, if Bruxy opened up a church building and offered worship services, many people would come. That’s not the real question.

Should Bruxy ever return to ministry? From my perspective, that should be based on he responds to the charges against him. What I am seeing is not very encouraging.

Note:

In an earlier version of this post, I used the phrase “committed adultery with” in the first paragraph. When I did that, I was using this definition of adultery as found in the Cambridge Dictionary: “sex between a married man or woman and someone he or she is not married to.” Under that definition, what Bruxy did was adultery, even if it was more.

However, other dictionaries give a more precise definition, such as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than that person’s current spouse or partner.” Under this definition, Bruxy did not commit adultery, because with the power differential, the victim(s) were not able to consent and so it was not voluntary.

I have changed the wording of the post so as not to suggest that what took place was mutually consensual relationship.