The Shepherd’s “Heavy Mantle”: How COGWA’s Dave Myers Used “Loving Correction” to Justify Disfellowshipping the Hendersons — Then Got Promoted
In early 2023, longtime COGWA minister David J. Myers posted a Facebook statement framed as a compassionate glimpse into the burdens of pastoral leadership. What it really was: a direct defense of his decision to disfellowship Aaron and Mary Henderson for “causing division.” The Hendersons had encouraged independent Bible study, personal spiritual growth, and home gatherings focused on Christ rather than strict ministerial oversight — activities the Armstrongist system views as existential threats.
When the Hendersons shared their side publicly, Myers responded with the now-familiar rhetoric of “loving correction,” warning that ex-members’ accounts are “slanted” and “inaccurate,” while the church’s loving silence protects the disciplined person’s “dirty laundry.” He cited Proverbs to justify non-engagement. The post, far from abstract pastoral wisdom, was damage control for a specific case — and it backfired.
Any time a pastor has to ask a person not to fellowship with the flock due to such things as doctrinal disagreement, causing division, derogatory accusations, or the like, it is a sad and heartrending time for that pastor (and many others). He hopes and prays with all his heart that the person will come to see themselves accurately and be able to change their way. His action is done out of love to spur the person to deeply examine themselves and help them to change. The mantle of shepherding in these instances is quite heavy and frankly, unpleasant. If the person does not accept this loving correction, sadly, social media provides a platform for the supposed 'offended' to tell their story widely - from their perspective - which is usually found to be quite 'slanted' and often just plain inaccurate. Good-hearted people can read these 'posts-of-the-offended' and be misled as to what actually went on. Some might think, "If their post doesn't reflect what really has happened, the pastor would defend his action by posting the truth, wouldn't he?" But consider this: I, for one, am thankful that the 'church' does not post its 'side' of the story revealing all the details as to why this painful action has had to be taken. Love and respect for the person being 'disciplined' means that the 'church' would not reveal their personal problems or lay out all the ugly details that led to this necessary action. We all know that the scripture teaches "Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins" (Proverbs 10:12) and "He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends" (Proverbs 17:9). So you will not read the pastor's 'rebuttal' because he loves the person and does not wish to 'air their dirty laundry.' So, a pastor does not post on social media, but rather, prays that the 'offended' comes to his senses and is able to repent. I hope this small window into the shepherd's mantle of responsibility is helpful.
The Henderson “Crime”: Independent Thought
The Hendersons were not charged with immorality or outright heresy. Their offense was fostering exactly what high-control Armstrongist groups fear most: members thinking for themselves, studying Scripture independently, and prioritizing relationship with Christ over organizational tradition. In Myers’ framing, this became “doctrinal disagreement” and “causing division.” Disfellowshipping followed, complete with the expected social shunning.
Myers’ Facebook post doubled down: the pastor’s action is heavy-hearted love meant to spur self-examination. Social media, he lamented, lets the “supposed ‘offended’” tell their slanted story while the church nobly refuses to air ugly details.
Public Backlash and Matthew 18 Pushback
The post drew sharp criticism in comments and on this blog and other sites. Readers repeatedly pointed to Matthew 18:15-17, which outlines a clear, congregational process for handling offenses:
- Private confrontation.
- With witnesses.
- Then to the ekklesia (the assembled congregation), not a unilateral ministerial decision.
Myers shut down the conversation after intense backlash. The organization offered no public rebuttal — exactly as his post had pre-justified.
As if often the case with social media, it can easily devolve into squabbles between people who use the platform to proclaim their particular opinions, complaints, and troubles. Since this has become the case with my most recent post, I have decided to delete it and try to follow the admonition found in 1 Timothy 1:3-7. Warm regards
The “Atta Boy” Promotion
In August 2023, COGWA announced that Doug Horchak had moved to an international role, opening the position of Ministerial Services Operations Manager. Dave Myers was selected as the “perfect replacement,” with Texas administration fully backing the choice. Critics immediately called it the “good old boys network” in action — a reward for effectively silencing dissent and defending the system on social media.
We later highlighted the irony in COGWA’s own bylaws, which require extensive prior service for administrative roles (often 15+ years). Even Jesus and the apostles would not qualify under such corporate criteria. The promotion sent a loud message to ministers and members alike: enforce control aggressively, and the organization will protect and advance you.
In August 2023, COGWA announced that Doug Horchak had moved to an international role, opening the position of Ministerial Services Operations Manager. Dave Myers was selected as the “perfect replacement,” with Texas administration fully backing the choice. Critics immediately called it the “good old boys network” in action — a reward for effectively silencing dissent and defending the system on social media.
We later highlighted the irony in COGWA’s own bylaws, which require extensive prior service for administrative roles (often 15+ years). Even Jesus and the apostles would not qualify under such corporate criteria. The promotion sent a loud message to ministers and members alike: enforce control aggressively, and the organization will protect and advance you.
The Control Mechanisms at Work
This episode perfectly illustrates Armstrongism’s self-preservation tactics:
- Weaponized “Love”: Disfellowshipping and shunning are recast as painful but necessary acts of shepherding. The burden is placed on the member to “examine themselves accurately.”
- Narrative Control: Ex-members are preemptively discredited. The church claims moral superiority for its silence while training insiders to dismiss outside accounts.
- Bypassing Scripture: Top-down ministerial authority overrides the congregational accountability Jesus described, protecting leaders from scrutiny.
- Reward System: Promotions for enforcers reinforce loyalty over reform or member well-being.
- Self-Policing Fear: Members witness the consequences of independent thought and learn to stay silent.
The Hendersons lost their spiritual community and faced family pressure from shunning. Questioning members watching the saga internalized the warning: think independently at your peril. Legitimate concerns about doctrine, leadership, or policy get labeled “division” and quashed. The system remains sealed against reform.
David Myers’ 2023 post was never generic pastoral reflection. It was targeted justification for a specific exercise of control — followed by institutional affirmation through promotion. What he called the “heavy mantle of shepherding” is, in practice, the machinery of a high-demand group protecting its hierarchy.
When “love” demands silencing critics, rewarding enforcers, and bypassing Christ’s own instructions for handling disputes, it ceases to be love. It becomes institutional self-preservation. The Henderson/Myers case, documented in real time on social media and critical blogs, shows that machinery is still operating smoothly — even as more members notice the gears.
Read more here:
A Response to Dave Myers - Take it to the presbyteros or take it to the ekklesia?
God hates Division - The couple Dave Myers is upset about
How God Moved Us Out Of The Church (COGWA)
God hates Division - The couple Dave Myers is upset about
How God Moved Us Out Of The Church (COGWA)
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