As I was warming my vocal chords up for another live opera performance my phone buzzed with a single line email message, “Gothard, Sikma, Van Gelderen” It seemed like a weird spy movie type clue, but I decided to Google the names anyway. I couldn’t believe what I found out.
As previously discussed in my last two stories Bill Gothard led a worldwide spiritual and lifestyle ministry before he resigned in the wake of 34 sexual misconduct allegations. Brian Sikma is a WI GOP operative who studied Bill Gothard's teachings while a student at the non-accredited college founded by Gothard. Wayne Van Gelderden Jr. it turns out is a rabid racist and senior pastor at Brian Sikma’s church, Falls Baptist in Menominee Falls, Wisconsin. He also happens to be the President and founder of the second non-accredited school, Baptist School of Ministry, that Sikma received a “ministry” degree from. That’s where this incestuous circle begins.
Wayne Van Gelderen Jr. is a graduate of Bob Jones University. Ironically he enrolled in 1971, the same year the university lifted its ban on single black students. However, unlike their white peers, married black students were still not allowed to enroll at the college until 1975, the same year Wayne Jr. began work on his second degree from Bob Jones University. It wasn’t until the year 2000 that the university finally desegregated and lifted its ban on inter-racial dating and inter-racial married couples.
As required by school policy, Wayne Jr. read the school’s interracial dating ban and signed a statement promising to keep the rule or otherwise face expulsion. As racist as this may be, Wayne Jr. was just following a family tradition. His brothers Jim and John are also ordained ministers, Bob Jones graduates, and teachers at the Baptist School of Ministry. They signed the same statement promising to never date women of different color. Their father, Wayne Van Gelderen Sr. was also a pastor and not only did he graduate from Bob Jones when black students were completely banned, but he later served on the Board of Trustees that resisted desegregation and enforced the school’s ban on inter-racial dating. In a letter to a prospective student involved in an inter-racial relationship the school defended its interracial dating ban by saying that, “God created people differently for a reason.”
After graduation Wayne Jr. moved back home to co-pastor Marquette Manor Baptist Church with his father. Meanwhile Wayne Jr.’s sister took a job working for Van Gelderen family friend, Bill Gothard. In 1980 Bill Gothard called upon the Van Gelderens to help him weather a sex scandal that would eventually devastate his ministry and lead to the resignations of his father and brother.
As well documented at www.recoveringgrace.org, a blog rung by former employees and followers of Bill Gothard, as the scandal became more public Gothard, “pulled in two men from Bob Jones University—the administrative vice president and a BJU board member, Rev. Van Geldren, to help confront the staff. The BJU delegation rebuked the staff (for wanting to publicly acknowledge the scandal), stating that a letter to pastors should not be sent out, and that it was wrong to inform the pastors and supporters of the Institute what was happening.” Later Wayne Sr. and his colleague explained, “this kind of thing had happened also at the [Bob Jones] University and this is how [we] have always handled it there.”
One former staff member, Dan Edds, claims Wayne Sr. said, “when this sort of thing happens at Bob Jones University, we shove it under a rug and keep right on going.”
When the tide of public opinion turned, however, Wayne Sr. apologized for his actions. However, he still maintained close ties with Gothard and even in later years he failed to address his role in hiding the numerous sex scandals at his Alma matter, Bob Jones University. Latter, when Gothard was forced to resign, fellow Bob Jones board member and executive council John Mclario took his place. A mere 17 days later though, Mclario himself resigned in order to deal with an alleged sex scandal of his own. Gothard then immediately resumed control of his ministry.
This brings us back full circle to Brian Sikma and his racist circle of friends. Sikma attended the college founded by sexual predator Bill Gothard while also attending the church of a documented racist and Gothard ally, Wayne Val Gelderen Jr. After Sikma graduated from Gothard’s and Gelderen Jr.’s respective colleges, Sikma began his career as GOP operative and conservative commentator on both Charlie Sykes radio and tv shows. Despite a very public fallout from a slanderous story he posted about a homosexual politician, Sikma was placed on the Wisconsin Family Action board of directors by the group’s president, Julaine Appling. As it turns out, not only is Julaine Appling another racist Bob Jones University alumnus, but she and Sikma’s pastor, Van Gelderen Jr., were classmates and graduated the same year, 1974. The circle grew even tighter after Appling took to her blog to praise Sikma’s spirituality and take credit for introducing him to his wife - Wisconsin Family Action employee and fellow Bill Gothard alumnus, Amy Lewis.
But let’s compare this to the racism of LA Clippers owner, Donald Sterling: No matter how full of racism and bigotry Sterling may be, he not only supported inter-racial dating, but he himself has dated black women. Or lets compare this to the infamous Westboro Baptist Church. While their homophobia may equal that of Sikma's church, at least their pastor defended the civil rights of African-Americans vs. Sikma's pastor who agreed to never date a woman of different color.
Think about that for a second. In order to enroll at Bob Jones University and study the Bible of all things, Sikmas' pastor, Wayne Van Gelderen Jr., signed his name to a statement promising to never date a woman of different color. This is the same racist spiritual leader who Brian Sikma sits in the pew and listens to preach every Sunday morning. This is the racist man who Brian Sikma spent two years studying under and eventually received a non-accredited Bible degree from. This is the same racist who not only has been an intimate family friend of cult leader Bill Gothard, but his father and co-pastor helped cover up Gothard’s first sex scandal.
It’s no wonder that Sikma felt comfortable attending a spiritual cult leader and alleged sexual predator’s non-accredited college. Sex predator or not, Bill Gothard has a long history with Sikma’s racist pastor and as the audio and video I’ll be releasing shows, not only do both men espouse many of the same beliefs on sex and race, but Wayne Van Gelderen Jr. preaches on them from the pulpit. So why does Brian Sikma keep attending a church that seems to be more racist than Westboro Baptist?
Bill Gothard once again provides all the answers. Check back next week for the next installment in this series.
“The evidence is credible enough to merit action.” – Charlie Sykes
