Laughing Pastor Ron Clark

Went Down In Flames Crying

http://www.scribd.com/doc/35148050

Ron Clark, the former pastor of Church of the Living

Water, a "megachurch" in Tampa, Florida, has become a
police officer with the city of Zephyrhills, reported the
Tampa Tribune. Clark became the center of controversy
at the church in 2003, when the church unraveled as
Clark and his wife, Belinda, became embroiled in a
bitter divorce. The proceedings brought to light the
church's hefty assets -- as well as the assets of the
Clarks. The pair each drew salaries of $70,000 and
owned a $500,000 horse farm in Dade City and a
$275,000 rental home in Celebration, near Orlando, the
case revealed. Although the Clarks never were charged
with illegal activity, the information from their divorce case disillusioned the
congregation's almost 2,000 members. By October 2003, the church filed for
bankruptcy.

"Since last March [1994], Howard-Browne has been back to Carpenter's

Church three times. The church has added 800 new members, and its income
is up 30 percent, according to [pastor Karl] Strader. 'I've been here 28 years,
and there's never been anything like this,' he adds. 'We've had 2,200 people
baptized. We'd go until almost 2 a.m., Rodney baptizing them six at a time in
our pool. That's why we think we've had revival.' Strader invited Ron Clarke,
pastor of Living Water Church in Tampa, Florida, to one of the meetings. He
was reluctant at first, but then he found himself lying on the floor, laughing
uncontrollably ... Clarke is still laughing today. In one year, membership at
his church has grown from 800 to 1,500, and the congregation recently
bought a new building. Clarke says conversions, baptisms in the Holy Spirit,
and healings have soared" (Julia Duin, "Praise the Lord and pass the New
Wine," 8/94, Charisma, p.24).
Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good
conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned
aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what
they say nor the things which they affirm. 1 Timothy 1:5-7
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a
good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,
temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given
to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not
covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission
with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how

will he take care of the church of God?); 1 Timothy 3:1-5

Rodney Howard-Browne, a South African minister associated with the Third
Wave Movement and now resides in Tampa, Florida, is the recognized "Father" of
holy laughter. He claims to have had his first experience with these phenomena in
1979, while challenging God to "touch me" or Howard-Browne was going "to come
up there and touch You." God apparently responded by causing him to feel as if
his body was on fire and he broke out in uncontrollable laughter (see HowardBrowne's book, The Touch of God). In 1989, while preaching in New York State,
his congregation fell under the same power. Soon Howard-Browne began
influencing others, but on a small scale. Then, while preaching at Carpenter's
Home Church in Lakeland, Florida, in 1993, laughter in the Spirit once again broke
out bringing Howard-Browne out of obscurity when Paul Crouch and his TBN
broadcast it all over the world. But what happened during the revival in
Carpenters Home Church during the revival was not a joke. See
http://www.scribd.com/doc/33762241, http://crooksaog.tripod.com,
http://www.hiddenmysteries.org/religion/pentecostal/godfraud.shtml

Howard-Browne calls himself a "Holy Ghost Bartender," and dispenses the "new
wine" of joy that leads to people being "drunk in the Spirit." He claims to find the
Biblical base for his teaching in Acts 2, at the day of Pentecost. But a careful study
of that text does not reveal anything like what is happening today. The apostles
were not laughing uncontrollably, they were not barking like dogs, they were not
stuck to the floor in Holy Ghost glue, they were not being "slain in the Spirit. See
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/blessing.html http://www.scribd.com/doc/38075133
And one of the
persons who loved being drunk in the Spirit and breakout in uncontrollable
laughter was Pastor Ron Clark of Living Water Church in Tampa Florida, a close
friend of Rodney Howard Browne http://www.scribd.com/doc/36546812 and Bishop Randy
White of Church Without Walls, Tampa, Florida http://www.scribd.com/doc/35148151.
A person can only judge things by what he knows and has experienced himself
and not by the experience of others. Well our experience with pastors and
churches over the twenty five years has been a dismal failure and disappointment
especially with a husband and wife team of pastors. James Brant wrote to me and
stated:

Paul wrote to Timothy in 1st and 2nd Timothy about how to run the
church. Throughout the epistles Paul (through the unction of the Holy Spirit)
teaches the people how the church services should be conducted (spiritual gifts,
etc.). James was the pastor of the church in Jerusalem
A person can only judge things by what he knows and has experienced himself
and not by the experience of others. Well our experience with pastors and
churches over the twenty five years has been a dismal failure and disappointment
especially with a husband and wife team of pastors. James Brant wrote to me and
stated:

Paul wrote to Timothy in 1st and 2nd Timothy about how to run the
church. Throughout the epistles Paul (through the unction of the Holy Spirit)
teaches the people how the church services should be conducted (spiritual gifts,

etc.). James was the pastor of the church in Jerusalem.

I wrote to Mr. Brant and told him that his remark was completely hogwash!

First you have not defined what a pastor is and what he does in line with the New
Testament church. You quote the book of Timothy as to how to run and church
and conveniently ignore the fact that most evangelical churches don't have
Bishops and their pastors are not men of integrity never mind being true men of
God.
For the record in every church that my wife and I attended in the last twenty five
years there was a real scandal in the church involving the pastor including people
like Pastor Ron Clark of Living Water Church in Tampa Florida a personal friend of
Oral Roberts.
I only knew one pastor who had love from a pure heart, from a good conscience,
and from sincere faith, and all the rest were liars, thieves and idiots! None of the
pastors I knew ruled their own house well and definitely didn't have their children
in submission. As a matter of fact they were and are real hypocrites and deceived
ones. My last pastor not only filed for personal bankruptcy but his wife literally
wore the pants in the family and that was only the tip of the iceberg of all that
was wrong in his ministry and pastoral position.
Yes most of them departed from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and
doctrines of demons. Yes those who are sinning are to be rebuked in the presence
of all, that the rest also may fear just like Paul instructed Timothy to do.
Yes most of them were proud, knowing nothing, and could not defend their
theological position and were full of envy, strife, and reviling, evil suspicion. And
they all desired to be rich fell into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. They were
not rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves
a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal
life. They didn't pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on
the Lord out of a pure heart. They were hypocrites who were written about in the
newspapers for all to see and read. They were lovers of themselves, lovers of
money, boasters, proud, disobedient, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers,
without self-control, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God. Read about one of them, Pastor Ron Clark Living Water Church
Tampa Florida.
In the last few years I have picked up on some strange going on in what I
consider cult churches led by a Charismatic leader. The Pentecostal pastor
prophesies special prophecies in church publicly over different members that God
is going to make them millionaires, make them super anointed, give them a world
wide ministry, or give them great fame! As a result the members are hooked on
their wonderful pastor who prophesies good things even though over the years
none of the prophecy had ever come to fruitrition. And the pastor attributed it all
to lack of faith or unbelief or hidden sin on the part of the member that his
prophesies failed rather than because of pastor's own sins, faults and failures.

About six years ago in Living Water Church, Tampa, Florida, when we were there
Oral Roberts in person prophesied that God was going to raise up many
millionaires in the church who would be rich and support the work of the
kingdom. A few months ago I checked with the St. Petersburg Times to see what
was happening with the Living Water Church? And boy was I surprised! The
church filed for Bankruptcy. Since 1992 this large church was not able to meet it
budget. And then the Pastor Ron Clark and Belinda had gone off the deep end
with a public divorce which only compounded the matter.
Living Water, a once-thriving, 2,000-member non-denominational Christian
church, sought protection from creditors in bankruptcy court last October. By
then, the church's checking account balance had dwindled to $60 and the
congregation had fewer than 500 members.
Congregants left as details emerged from the divorce of Ronald and Belinda Clark,
the couple who founded Living Water in 1988. Ronald Clark accused his wife of
being mentally ill, unfaithful and a thief. Belinda Clark claimed in court papers that
her husband had a secret plan to sell the church and funnel the proceeds overseas
with the help of church board chairman Melvin Myer.
The rancorous divorce of the Clarks began to attract publicity a year ago, and has
been blamed for the defection of nearly three of every four members at the Living
Water Church, which was founded by the couple in 1988.
Ronald Clark, the $138,000-a-year church pastor, accused his wife of being
unfaithful, suffering from mental illness, dabbling in pornography and stealing
church mail filled with Easter church donations. It turned out that Pastor Ron
enforced tithing in his church and collected three offerings per service, but he,
himself, never tithed!
Belinda Clark, Living Water's $70,000-a-year associate pastor who was fired in the
wake of the allegations, accused her husband of domestic violence, of lying to
church trustees to ruin her credibility and of having a secret plan to sell the
church, place the proceeds in a trust, then have funds funneled to him at a foreign
location.
Hence I am very suspicious of prophets who only prophesy good things happening
to people and not telling them to repent from their hidden sins.
RECOMMENDED READINGS
BILL JOHNSON IS THE DECEIVER
http://www.scribd.com/doc/25418818
BENNY HINN THE SCOUNDREL http://www.scribd.com/doc/17673980
RANDY AND PAULA WHITE PARASITES PROSTITUTES PIMPS
http://www.scribd.com/doc/35148151
CATCH THE FIRE - DEMONS FROM HELL
http://www.scribd.com/doc/38075133
THE NEW APOSTOLIC REFORMATION IS DECEPTIVE
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16611959

TODD BENTLEY IS A DEMON FROM HELL

http://www.scribd.com/doc/47784235/
THE DEMONIC Lakeland-Revival WITH TODD BENTLEY AND STEPHEN
STRADER
http://www.scribd.com/walthope/d/34189317
FALSE PROPHETS
http://www.inplainsite.org/html/false_prophecy.html
Dominion Theology
http://www.inplainsite.org/html/dominion_theology.html
Heaven Can't Wait
http://www.inplainsite.org/html/heaven_cant_wait.html
JOHN ARNOTT, TACF/CTF ARE CRIMINALS, PERJURERS THIEVES
http://tl.gd/g215i1 http://tinyurl.com/78t3dxw
http://tinyurl.com/2fxgggt
THE STRADERS https://walthope.wordpress.com/the-straders
Laughing Ron Clark http://www.scribd.com/doc/35148050/
RANDY AND PAULA WHITE PARASITES PROSTITUTES PIMPS
http://www.scribd.com/doc/35148151
Roy Aldrich, a retired school teacher, who was robbed of a $100,000 by
Dan and Karl Strader, knew that Pastor Karl Strader was an enemy of
good men. http://www.scribd.com/doc/56459981/
PASTOR KARL STRADER IS HISTORY
http://www.scribd.com/doc/56459981/
Of course hypocritical Charisma has not reported on the death of the
churches that were run by its pastoral friends it had supported including
Karl Strader and Carpenters Home Church, Ron Clark of Living Water
church, and Randy White of Church Without Walls? It only talks about
the living not the dead?

RON AND BELINDA CLARK

WERE IMPERFECT AND FLESHLY
The Tampa Tribune and the St. Petersburg Times reported on the scandal at
Living Water Church with Pastor Ron Clark and Belinda Clark but not on their
association with the scoundrel Pastor Karl Strader of Carpenters Home Church.
Others including BRETT JAMES, DAVIS JOHNSON and ERIC CRAMER reported with
more interesting detail up to the present time on the scandal and its reporting
which should be checked out including Tampa Pastor Cleared in IRS Probe
(https://trialbypress.wordpress.com/2014/07/16/tampa-pastor-cleared-in-irsprobe/ , ) and Testermans Con on Tampa Bay
(https://churchslander.wordpress.com/2015/01/10/157/ )
Brett James would like us to believe that Ron Clark was innocent of the scandal

that destroyed his church and it was the indirect fault of Karl Strader? Tampa
Pastor Cleared in IRS Probe
(https://trialbypress.wordpress.com/2014/07/16/tampa-pastor-cleared-in-irsprobe/ , ) and Testermans Con on Tampa Bay
(https://churchslander.wordpress.com/2015/01/10/157/ )
Hogwash! Ron Clark chose to be friends with two Third Wave nuts Karl Strader
and Rodney Howard Browne and that led to his demise and divorce and
destruction of his church.
And one time in 1993-95 Randy White, husband of Paula White, Ron Clark and
Rodney Howard Browne were the Three Musketeers and were into the Holy
Laughter thing! Benny Hinn and Rodneys Holy Laughter is demonic and doesnt
produce Christian Character and breaks up homes, marriages and churches as
testified by Ron Clark and Randy Whites divorce.
Even though the adulterous wife lied under oath and was sentenced to probation.
I do believe that she was telling the truth about his hiding the money
overseas..the $400,000thats not chump change!! I am not surprised
there was not money trail..that is how all of them operatethey fly under the
radar!! Just because he didnt get caught, doesnt mean it was true. My
observation with liars is that there are some truths in their stories!! Yep, the
money part is the true part. She was ousted for being an adulterous and she
wanted to oust him for stealing $$$$.
Having known and met personally Ron Clark and his closer advisor as well as Karl
and Stephen Strader, all of whom were involved with the false demonic Third
Wave revival at Carpenters Home (RODNEY HOWARD BROWNE THE FLEECER
http://www.scribd.com/doc/36546812) I can say that Ron Clark was not only a
hypocrite but devoid of integrity and deceived and loved the great deceiver Oral
Roberts whose prophesies about Living Water Church were false and never came
to pass.

Testermans Con on Tampa Bay (part one)

The Truth About Jeff Testerman

Written by Brett James (free-lance reporter) trialbypress.wordpress.com
(2005, 2012 updated and re-published)
Jeff Testerman
Tampa Bay Times
TAMPA BAY- Jeff Testerman was an award winning, Pulitzer Prize star of the St.
Pete Times. However, he seemed to make a habit of only telling the parts of his
investigative reports that fit his story line. Many have said he sensationalized his
articles to get attract readers and sell newspapers! He is quoted as saying I am
not in the business of telling the truth but a story that sells papers. In one
particular series concerning the Seminole Indian Tribe , Testerman and the Times
faced a lawsuit for libel from a powerful Indian Tribe in Florida. The Seminole

Indian Tribe responded with scathing comments about Testerman and the Times
in their Tribal Newspaper. Testerman was accused of writing articles
with manufactured or exaggerated evidence and he was accused of the unethical
way he tried to gather his evidence. Testerman wrote a belligerent attack on the
Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida, However, he had finally met a powerful and
wealthy adversary whose operations are financed by tribal casinos. There deep
pockets were probably deeper than the Times and they were not going to take it
lying down. Testerman and the Times had misjudged the tribe for the last
time. Testermans investigative reports were on public trial and the Seminole
Indians had their own media outlets to spread the story. Testerman was brought
to his knees and humiliated some said at it cast a long, dark shadow on all the
articles that he has written, said many who heard the facts. The Seminole Tribe
prevailed in the courts splint decision.
In another investigative report where Testerman seemed to base his entire story
on questionable
Pastor Ron Clark
2014
investigative techniques, half-truths and innuendos occurred when Testerman
set out to destroy a prominent Tampa minister Pastor Ron Clark of
Living Water Church in 2003 and 2004. His stories made front page news
and were read by tens of thousands around the world. The problems with the
story were they proved to be false. Pastor Clark was in the middle of a divorce
with his wife of 25 years, Belinda Clark. Pastor Clark sister, Linda Clark Gestrin
had joined her sister in law, Belinda in making serious charges concerning Pastor
Clarks handling of church finances. As a result of their accusations, it became
apparent that Mr. Testerman had a juicy story that could win him another
Pulitzer! After all, everyone is interested in a crooked preacher
story. However, just as the Seminole Tribe discovered the truth about Mr.
Testerman, so did a group of college journalism students that took the time to
verify his story. His accusations were bogus at best and probably should have
resulted in another libel suit but Pastor Ron Clark and the church did fight
back. I will explain just how we came to this conclusion that Pastor Ron Clark was
vilified by Testerman with his fictional story line. Here is the basis for our
conclusions.
I investigated this story with a group of students as an assignment for our
journalism class in 2005. As an idealistic student with a passion for writing, I
wanted learn from the Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalism skills of Mr.
Testerman.
I traveled to Dade City, Florida to read for myself the court records
of the divorce proceedings. Hundreds of hours of sworn testimony were on
record. I interviewed witnesses, court observers as well as Living Water Church
members and board members who knew Pastor Clark best. I was also able to
track down a few relatives and they gave me insight into Pastor Clark and his
sister Linda Clark Gestrin. It became very apparent as I read the court record and

the testimony of the witnesses to include many hours of cross-examination of

Pastor Clark and Belinda Clark.
I obtained a copy of the depositions of the Clarks, Gestrin and other prominent
witnesses. I was shocked at the discrepancies between the St. Pete Times
articles and the actual court records. Mr. Testermans stories imply that Pastor
Clark was involved in some nefarious activity, but Arnie Levine, one of Clarks
attorneys said in a TV interview, Mrs. Clark was caught in an affair with the Rev.
Daryl Akers and this is just an old fashion divorce. Akers, who is an inmate in the
Florida State Corrections system, was convicted on drug trafficking charges and
could not be reached for comment. However, the court records indicate that he
was called to testify in the Clarks divorce and admitted to having an ongoing
sexual relationship with Mrs. Clark. He indicated that he met her while they
both served on the staff of the Carpenters Home Church with Pastor Karl Strader.
Belinda Clark
2014
Akers was brought to court by prison guards and was wearing a prison orange
jumpsuit, white slippers and was shackled both hands a feet as he testified. Akers
is awaiting sentence on numerous felonies and will spend years behind
bars. Akers apparently used his status as a minister for a cover during his drug
deals. He told the court that he would be a much better dad for the Clarks two
minor children than Pastor Clark. He was angry that Belinda had broken up with
him when he was convicted and jealous that she already is living with a new
boyfriend, Ronnie Fraley. Akers was drug from the courtroom by Bailiffs and was
crying. Mrs. Clark had no comment on her love affair with Akers but confirmed
that her new boyfriend was Ronnie Fraley. When asked if exposing her children to
men like Akers was a good influence on young teenagers, she responded that he
was always nice to them. Mr. Testerman attended the same hearing but failed
to comment on Akers testimony but did report the accusation made by Belinda
Clark that her husband had been stealing $400, 00.00 from the church and hiding
the money in an offshore account. The
Daryl Akers 2014 mugshot
arrest indecent exposure
fact that she could not provide any evidence to support her claims was not
included in his story.
Testermans headlines did prompt a full criminal investigation by the IRS into
Pastor Clark and the churches finances. However, after a yearlong investigation
the inquiry suddenly ended when Belinda Clark was lying to the court in testimony
about her husband and was convicted of Perjury by Judge Linda Babb. She faced
a one year sentence but it was suspended since it was her first criminal
offence. She will serve it on probation. In addition, Belinda Clark was caught by
court an official passing notes to witnesss on how they should testify in a
deposition and was subsequently convicted of contempt of court. Again, Mr.
Testerman did not report on Mrs. Clarks trial or conviction and never reported the

IRS had dropped the case against Pastor Clark.

It is apparent that Jeff Testermans articles did not remotely resemble the
narrative of several hundred hours of court testimony and his story about Pastor
Clark was not remotely true. This was my first introduction to the seedy, dark
world yellow journalism. Yellow Journalism is the practice of writing stories to
attract readers with sensational headlines, exaggerations during the turn of the
19th century in New York City. In fact, the Pulitzer Prize was named after Joseph
Pulitzer who was the leading proponent of yellow journalism in the early 1900s
in New York City. His skilled use of bogus stories dominated the headlines and
sold millions of copies. An endowment from his vast earnings created the Pulitzer
Prize. How ironic is the fact that Mr. Jeff Testerman had won a Pulitzer Prize

for investigative reporting!

Most of Testermans stories followed closely in the writing style of Pulitzer with
sensational stories and outlandish headlines. In the case of Pastor Clark, he was
able to sway public opinion and stir up an IRS investigation with his stories about
the pastor of one of the largest churches in Tampa Bay. Newspapers sales went
up during the Clarks divorce case. Clark was the pastor of a flock with thousands
attending the church that sat on Interstate 4 across the Fair Grounds. Clark had
been a highly respected leader in the community had his name and reputation
tarnished by Testermans penchant for making up the news rather than reporting
it.
Clark, who earned his doctors degrees from Oral Roberts University, was also the
founder of a great humanitarian medical organization, Global Medical
Relief. Among other awards, Clark and Global Medical were nominated for the
prestigious Conrad Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 1997 for his humanitarian efforts
especially on behalf of children in developing countries. His nomination was based
in part for building one of the most advanced hospital for children in all of China in
the mid 1990s. The 120 bed childrens hospital in Shenyang, China took 4 years
to complete and was estimated to be worth 50 million dollars. Clarks organization
donated the finished hospital to children of China.
Clark was also well-known in Florida political circles since he was as a friend of
both Democrats and Republicans. It is reported he was a close friend of 4 term
Tampa Mayor Dick Greco and the current Mayor Bob Buckhorn. Under Mayor
Greco, Clark and the church were honored with a Mayors Proclamation on behalf
of the city for his outstanding humanitarian efforts. In addition, he was honored
by Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Senate. Mayor Bob Buckhorn appointed
Clark a goodwill ambassador to China in 2011 and Clarks behind the scenes
efforts with the Chinese brought Chinese trade to the port of Tampa.
After 9/11, Mayor Greco and the city commission asked Pastor Clark to address
the city at a prayer vigil held at packed out Tampa Bay Times Arena. Later,
Mayor Greco was heard referring to Pastor Clark as Tampas Pastor for always
being a help in times of crisis. Clark was called on to comfort the city at the tragic
death of Judge Harry Coe.
Some have speculated that it was Clarks stature in the city was what caught the

attention of Times reporter, Jeffrey Testerman. It seems Testerman could see

blood in the water with Clarks story and one Times insider said it didnt hurt
that the Clark story sold papers! Little to no regard was given by Testerman or
the Times regarding the subsequent fallout in the religious community or the
impact that it would have on the city much less the Living Water Church. This
type of journalism is what give journalist a bad name and why the Tampa Bay
Times is regarded as a rag newspaper by most people.
Linda Gestrin city commissioner High Springs Fl
Testermans penchant for half-truths or fabrications in his story became very clear
when I read the court transcripts regarding the criminal perjury charges and
resulting trial for Belinda Clark during the divorce trial. It appears that Belinda
Clark and Linda Clark Gestrin had conspired together to fabricate the allegations
made against Pastor Clark. Both were caught passing notes during testimony
and lying to the court. They were accused of suborned perjury in the same
court room where they had made the serious charges against Pastor Clark. After
the short criminal trial, Belinda Clark was convicted of contempt of court and
perjury on February 24, 2004. The Tampa Tribune printed an article in their Law
and Order section detaling her crime. As one reporter wrote, A judge has
found former Living Water Church co-pastor Belinda Clark guilty for
contempt of court and perjury or lying under oath after she was caught
in several lies while testifying as well as passing notes to a witness
(Linda Clark-Gestrin) in order to influence testimony during a hearing
to address visitation issues between her estranged husband, Ron Clark, and the
couples teenage children.She faced one year in jail and a fine. However, Circuit
Court Judge Linda Babb suspended the sentence because it was her first
criminal conviction. However, the impact of the perjury resulted much of the
testimony of both women was stricken from the court record. In addition, Linda
Clark Gestrin was physically removed from the courtroom and not allowed to
return for the rest of the case.
The inside witness of Mr. Testerman was Linda Clark Gestrin. This was revealed
when Gestrin inadvertently sent documents that she said she had taken from
Pastor Clark study and sent them to Testerman, the IRS and Clarks own attorney,
Dennis Alfonso by mistake. The problem seemed to be that the documents were
not real. After his clients perjury conviction, it was implied that Mr. Hogwind,
Belinda Clarks attorney may have coached both women in their testimonies and
apparently tried to influence the Clarks children to make up charges or misconduct
by their dad. This was revealed when the children testified in their custody
hearing that he had told them what to say. However, these allegations were
dropped when Pastor Clark obtained permanent custody of both their minor
children. These facts never appeared in the St. Pete Times.
Saint Petersburg, FL, USA
https://churchslander.wordpress.com/2015/01/10/157/
Posted on February 1, 2015 Living Water Church

Jeff Testermans Con and the Tampa Bay

Times (part 2 in a series)

Jeff Testerman
Tampa Bay Times
Jeff Testerman, the Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist for the St. Pete
Times (now the Tampa Bay Times) and he wrote all of his stories with
impunity. He came across as a journalist with a grasp on all the facts and he
appeared certain of all of his assumptions or conclusions. Mr. Testerman was an
award winning reporter who never backed down, even when he was wrong. He
rarely used the word alleged but spoke with a moral certainty when talking
about the accused. He gave the impressions to the Tampa Bay community that
with his investigation, guilt was certain and the case was closed, there is no need
for a trial, just a lynching.
In Times front page headlines, Testerman had reported that Pastor Clark had
embezzled funds, hid the money offshore and had plains to flee to the jungles
of Africa. Another story said Pastor Clark had committed domestic
violence. The problems with the stories were they were simply not true. The
accusations concerning Clark were made in divorce court by an ex-wife trying to
regain custody of her two minor children. Testerman did not think it relevant that
Clark was never charged with any crime and the Judge had ruled against Clarks
only accusers, Belinda Clark and her accomplice Linda Clark Gestrins. Both ladies
where implicated in a suborning perjury trial and Belinda Clark was
convicted. Judge Linda Babb stated that no evidence was ever presented to
substantiate their outlandish accusations against Clark. Belinda Clark lost any
right to alimony after 25 years of marriage as well as custody of the Clarks two
minor children. Linda Clark Gestrin was thrown out of court and her testimony
stricken from the courts records.
The truth did not stop Jeff Testerman from getting headlines in Tampa Bays
largest newspaper.
Belinda Clark
2014
The fact is stories about corrupt preachers attracts readers and Testerman knew
it. In one story, he reported that Pastor Clark was under investigation for
embezzling $400, 00.00 from the Living Water Church. He implied Clark was
another dirty preacher whose hand was caught in the cookie jar was being
investigated by the IRS. However, Testerman never reported that after a year-

long criminal investigation was suddenly closed when their only witnesses, Belinda
Clark and Linda Gestrin were accused of Perjury. Testerman was provided with a
copy from the United States Justice Department to Dr. Clark indicating that the
case was closed. It appears that Testerman probably did not report this to his
readers since he had spent the year accusing and implicating Clark in criminal
wrongdoing. This does not imply that Testerman did not get some of the stories
he wrote over the years right. It is the fact that he would write a story he knew
as not true that is the problem. How many of his stories over his long journalistic
career were true? No one will really ever know.
Daryl Akers Mug shot
The true story about Pastor Clark was a lot less interesting and probably would
have only made a mention on the Metro Section on page 4. He was embroiled in
a difficult divorce and custody battle for two young children with his wife of 25
years. Belinda Clark had an old fashion affair with a convicted drug dealer
who was also a minister at a church. He apparently had got Jesus while
previously in prison and was hired by the Reverend Karl D. Strader of the
Carpenters Home Church as an outreach pastor. Belinda Clark was working for
Strader as principal of their parochial school.
The truth true story would not have garnered the headlines or got Testerman
another nomination for a Pulitzer Prize. Belinda Clark had an old fashion affair
and she did not want to end it said attorney Arnie Levine said in a TV news
interview when asked about the Clarks divorce. The Reverend Strader had
already been in the headlines for years when his son Daniel D. Strader was
convicted of racketeering when he swindled many of the senior citizens in
Straders large central
Daniel Strader
Florida Prison Photo
Florida church out of millions of dollars with a phony investment scam. Daniel
Strader is serving a 43 year long sentence but Reverend Strader continues to
believe he is innocent. He refused to comment on the affair of two staff members
who were having an affair, Belinda Clark and his associate pastor, Reverend Daryl
Akers.
Akers was subpoenaed by Clarks attorney, Dennis Alfonso for a custody
hearing. Akers was brought to the court from the Polk County Jail by armed
deputies wearing a prison orange jumpsuit with POLK COUNTY JAIL in black
letters emblazoned on the back. He was escorted by two armed bailiffs wearing
stainless steel handcuffs in front and leg shackles to the witness stand. Akers
was in jail, awaiting sentencing for his felony conviction for possession and sale
of drugs as well as battery on a law enforcement officer and felony fleeing and
alluding among other charges.

Akers was sworn in and questioned by both

attorneys. To the surprise of most people in the courtroom he gave nauseating
details of his passionate love affair with Belinda Clark. Akers admitted to the
court he was still loved Belinda and would have been a good father to [the
Clarks children]. Akers wanted Belinda to wait for him until his prison sentence
was served and was shocked to find out that Belinda already living with a new
boyfriend, named Ronnie Fraley. Akers acknowledged that Belinda Clark had
been in the car during some of his drug deals but they had left the Clarks minor
children at home most of the time. The Reverend Akers confessed his conversion
to Jesus when he was in jail several years before on other charges. He said he
gave his testimony at the Carpenters Home Church and was later hired by the
senior minister, the Reverend Karl Strader and his son the Reverend Steven
Strader as their minister to prisons and jails as well as the outreach
pastor. Carpenters Church went bankrupt several years later. Neither Steve
Strader nor Karl Strader would provide a comment. Steven Strader is now a
pastor of small church made of a few of his dads former members called Impact
Church Lakeland. Stephen Strader is known for his extreme manifestations of the
Holy Spirit with his congregation barking and laughing in Pentecostal
excitement. The Straders sponsored the laughing revival of Rodney HowardBrowne in the 1990s at the Carpenters Church. This revival saw tens of
thousands of people get touched by the Holy Spirit. Karl Strader and his son
were ordained Assembly of God minister.
When Akers was done testifying in the Clarks custody battle and he was being led
out by bailiffs, as
he walked by Pastor Clark and Clarks attorney, Dennis Alfonso, he suddenly fell at
Pastor Clarks feet and started begging Clark for forgiveness for taking his wife
and destroying the church. He screamed he didnt want to go to hell for what
he had done to Pastor Clarks marriage. Two large Court Bailiffs carried Akers out
of the court screaming and crying from the courtroom. Belinda Clark had tears in
her eyes. Judge Linda Babb called the court to a 30 minute recess.
Akers was later sentenced to a long prison term his crimes and is now in the
Florida State Prison at Raiford. It is not surprising that when Testerman wrote
about the hearing the next day, he failed to mention any of the drama in his

report. Once again, Testerman failed to mention any of the facts that would have
cast a shadow over his previous stories.
Jeff Testerman, the award-winning Pulitzer Prize journalist from the St. Pete
TIMES is retired. The St. Pete TIMES is gone through a make over and is now
called the Tampa Bay Times. It is the largest, most read newspaper in the
Tampa Bay area with two million potential readers and is one of the largest
newspapers in Florida. According to some readers, Testerman was a bottom
feeder reporter who could dig up or maybe make up a story about anyone in
order to sell newspapers.
Bret James Case File Notes:
Testerman spent most of 2003 and 2004 writing about the messy divorce of one
of Tampa Bays most prominent ministers. Pastor Ron Clark was well-known in
Tampa Bay, having worked for short time as a special reporter during the 5:30
news on the ABC TV affiliate in the 1990s. In addition, he was serving as the
chaplain of the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office where he was also a fully
certified reserve deputy sheriff. Clark was the founder and senior minister at the
Living Waters Church on I-4 in Tampa. This story was already big without
Testerman help.
Testerman was quick to write about the accusations of Clarks now ex-wife Belinda
Clark but never told the readers about her many court room antics. He also failed
to mention that it was the affair that Belinda Clark was having a secret love affair
with the Reverend DARYL SCOTT AKERS (50) a career criminal turned preacher
turned back to career criminal at the time of the divorce. The Reverend
Akers and Belinda Clark both had worked at the Carpenters Home Church in
Lakeland and were introduced by mutual staff members. Akers was arrested and
in jail shortly after Clark filed for divorce and custody of the Children.
The Reverend Karl Strader, who led protesters at the divorce hearings of Pastor
Clark, was very vocal on Belindas behalf until it was revealed that his former
associate, the Reverend Akers was in an affair with her. Karl Straders son, Danny
Strader is currently serving 45 years in Florida State Prison for ripping off his
fathers church retired church members for millions of dollars in Polk County,
Florida. Belinda Clark was a god-daughter to the Reverend Karl and Joyce
Strader according to Jennifer Williams, who attended Carpenters Church at the
time.
The Reverend Karl Strader with his parishioners shouting as Clark
entered the court with his attorney the day Akers, his former outreach
minister was brought into a Pasco County Courtroom by Bailiffs. Akers
was called to testify in prison orange while shackled hand and
feet. Akers told the court tales of his escapades with Clarks wife or
their involvement in alleged criminal activities together and how glad he
was that she did not get caught. In one of the most memorable
moments in trial filled with them was Akers suddenly lunged at Pastor
Clarks feet as he was being led out of court begging for his forgiveness
for his affair with his [Clarks] wife and that he did not want to burn in

Hell for what he did. The Judge had Akers drug out of court and back
to prison in Pasco County to finish his 7 year conviction on felony drug
charges. Belinda cried during the episode. This unusual event was not
reported by Testerman.
Another dramatic event that you think would have caught Testermans eye was
when Linda Clark Gestrin Clarks estranged sister and Belinda were caught passing
notes to each coaching each others testimony on what to say under oath. Both
were caught by court officials when Linda Gestrin was asked for the note by a
court officer but said she did not have one. She was sitting on it when Bailiffs had
her stand up. This event probably marked the turning point in the trial but failed
to make the Times articles.
It appears that Judge Linda Babb had grown tired of Belinda Clarks
antics. Belinda Clark was found guilty of perjury and contempt of court but did
not serve time since it was her first criminal offense. After this, Judge Babb called
into question almost all the testimony provided by Belinda Clark and Linda Gestrin
and since they were the only witnesses to almost every one of the accusations
made in court concerning Pastor Clark, Belinda Clarks case ended. Eventually all
the claims made by of them [Gestrin and Belinda Clark] and their testimony was
thrown out of court including the allegations and suggestions of criminal
wrongdoing about Ron Clark.
Testerman seemed to only be able to write about the allegations about Pastor
Clark but never mentioned anything derogatory about his star witnesses, Gestrin
and Belinda Clark in any of his articles, He even failed to tell his readers that
much of Gestrin and Belinda C larks testimony was called into question by the
judge as a result of their court room antics. So, the biggest and most read
newspapers in Florida were kept in the dark with unsubstantiated lies from two
bitter women. The Testerman articles destroyed a church and its ministers, two
notches in the TIMES gun belt. It seems that some would say they could get a
side job in character assassination if the news business runs slow, commented a
member of the clergy Sam West! The following article excerpt was found in the
Tampa Tribune memorializing Belindas criminal antics:
LAW & ORDER
Author: A staff report
Date: February 24, 2004
Publication: The Tampa Tribune
Page: 5
Edition: FINAL
PASCO
Church Co-Founder In Contempt Of Court DADE CITY A judge has found
former Living Water Church co-pastor Belinda Clark in contempt of court
for perjury during a hearing to address visitation issues between her estranged
husband, Ron Clark, and the couples teenage children.
Did the TIMES just get fooled by a couple of spurned woman or did they not

want to discredit their Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Jeff Testerman? You be
the judge! Are the TIMES a hard newspaper or a rag like the National
Enquirer? If the Testerman articles are evidence, one would wonder! How could
this happen? It seems to comes down to a lazy reporter, who failed to verify his
sources, mainly Belinda Clark and her partner in crime, Linda Clark Gestrin, a
newly elected city commissioner from High Springs Florida. Both Belinda Clark
and Gestrin would not comment for this article.

In-spite of his awards, Testerman can on occasion be

sloppy in his investigative skills and he writes very sensational stories to gain
more readers and a bigger pay check! Testerman targets successful people,
preachers, politicians and public officials! Anyone who fits his hit list profile is
susceptible. Much of what Testerman writes is not news according to one former
colleague and most readers seem to give him the benefit of the doubt.
I guess you can call Testerman a modern agnostic prophet who had the power
to make his predictions of a persons demise with great accuracy or at least help
them along a little. Since the newspapers articles he writes can be read online
around the world his accusations can touch millions of readers and will long
outlive the story itself.
Testerman and the TIMES share a god complex and feels that they can hide
behind the attorneys ofthe TIMES which allows them to say anything with
impunity or exemption or immunity from unpleasant consequences or the
law. Only public opinion has the power to face the TIMES. Lets hope that
articles like this will help bring a balance to their ego driven success. It is a fact
that investigative reporters with large publishers standing behind them can say
just about anything and get away with it. However, the time is now, for the
readers to begin to question the assumptions made in the newspapers and on the
air. This is my opinion.
Saint Petersburg, FL, USA
https://churchslander.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/jeff-testermans-con-and-thetampa-bay-times-part-2-in-a-series/
https://walthope.wordpress.com/the-straders/

Pastor Ron Clark Fired!

Doug Boettcher, chief financial officer for Family Harvest, said Clark was
terminated because he was "unable to perform his tasks." The church hired Clark
to develop missions abroad.
George E. Tragos, a Clearwater criminal defense lawyer retained by [Ronald

Clark], said Clark and Family Harvest "mutually agreed to part" because of
continuing bad publicity.
Ronald Clark has denied violating any IRS rules, and Tragos said there has "never
been a shred of proof" that Clark had committed any wrongful act alleged in
media reports.
.The fortunes of Living Water, once some 2,000 members strong, plummeted
amid the Clarks' rancorous divorce. The congregation split, then began to defect
as the couple hurled accusations at one another last year.
Ronald Clark accused his wife of being mentally unstable, unfaithful and fascinated
by pornography. Belinda Clark responded with a slander suit, a domestic violence
complaint and a claim that her husband had a secret plan to sell the church and
funnel the proceeds to himself.
Ronald Clark resigned as pastor a year ago and was hired by Family Harvest
Church of Tinley Park, Ill., which donated its name, pastoral services and cash to
keep Living Water afloat.
After Living Water filed for bankruptcy protection in October, Family Harvest bid
$3.1-million to buy the church but later withdrew, citing adverse publicity. Now, it
has broken ties with Ronald Clark as well.
Clark filed papers in his Pasco County divorce case last month, saying he had been
"terminated from his employment through no fault of his own." He has asked for
relief from his obligation to pay temporary alimony to his wife and child support
for their two children.
Doug Boettcher, chief financial officer for Family Harvest, said Clark was
terminated because he was "unable to perform his tasks." The church hired Clark
to develop missions abroad.
"He's been the victim of a lot of false allegations," Boettcher said. "We've waited
and tried to be patient. But from a business standpoint, we need to move on."
Aside from his marital problems, Ronald Clark faces a personal bankruptcy and a
criminal investigation by the Internal Revenue Service.
George E. Tragos, a Clearwater criminal defense lawyer retained by Ronald Clark,
said Clark and Family Harvest "mutually agreed to part" because of continuing bad
publicity.
Ronald Clark has denied violating any IRS rules, and Tragos said there has "never
been a shred of proof" that Clark had committed any wrongful act alleged in
media reports.

Judge approves Living Water Church sale

JEFF TESTERMAN. St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Jun 18, 2004.
As IRS investigators seek more records in a criminal inquiry involving Living Water
Church co-founder Ronald Clark, a bankruptcy judge Thursday approved the sale
of the church property for $3.4- million.

The sale, to New Jerusalem Christian Church of Seffner, was approved despite a
bank appraisal showing the 16-acre church property on Interstate 4 is worth $3.9million.
"This was considered a distress sale," said Buddy Ford, Living Water's bankruptcy
attorney. "I would have liked to get $3.9- million. But this was the best bid we
got."
Living Water, a once-thriving, 2,000-member non-denominational Christian
church, sought protection from creditors in bankruptcy court last October. By
then, the church's checking account balance had dwindled to $60 and the
congregation had fewer than 500 members.
Congregants left as details emerged from the divorce of Ronald and Belinda Clark,
the couple who founded Living Water in 1988. Ronald Clark accused his wife of
being mentally ill, unfaithful and a thief. Belinda Clark claimed in court papers that
her husband had a secret plan to sell the church and funnel the proceeds overseas
with the help of church board chairman Melvin Myer.
In March, the IRS issued a summons for bank records in a criminal investigation of
Ronald Clark. This week, the IRS sought financial records from the church,
according to Ford. Ford said he would comply with the IRS request.
Ronald Clark, who has resigned as Living Water's pastor, has retained Clearwater
criminal defense attorney George Tragos and has denied violating any IRS rules.
Thursday, Ford also obtained an order from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Thomas E.
Baynes Jr. to quash a subpoena served last week on Myer, Living Water's board
chairman. The subpoena compelled Myer to give a sworn deposition today and
provide church records pertaining to Belinda Clark's statement that the church
owes her $300,000 in retirement benefits.
Citing declining health, Myer resigned his chairman position last week while a
process server for Mrs. Clark was attempting to serve the subpoena at Myer's
financial consulting office in Tampa.
Myer sent Ford a letter of resignation dated June 10, along with a letter from his
physician. In the letter, Dr. John Q. Stauffer advised Myer that he should reduce
his business load and and "disengage from any legal matters or other matters that
may bring stress into your life."
Thursday morning, Ford said Myer had rescinded his resignation. Ford said he
urged Myer to reconsider so he can assist in completing the sale of the church.
Myer does intend to comply with the subpoena at a later date, Ford said.
Myer did not return phone calls from the St. Petersburg Times.
Baynes has scheduled a hearing in August to take testimony on the issue of any
retirement benefits owed to Belinda Clark. Funds from the church sale will be held
in escrow until the question of any award to her is settled, Ford said.

Clarks Saga Continues

JEFF TESTERMAN. St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Mar 12, 2004.

Abstract (Document Summary)

The IRS has opened a criminal investigation of Rev. Ronald H. Clark, the
charismatic founder of the Living Water Church of Tampa who was accused in
divorce papers of devising a secret plan to channel church assets to himself at an
overseas mission.
The Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS issued a summons to SunTrust Bank
in Orlando on Feb. 17 to deliver bank records pertaining to Clark and nine
corporations, including the Living Water Church and two nonprofit foreign
missions, according to documents obtained by the Times.
The summons compels the bank to deliver banking, retirement account, payroll,
loan and other records on Ronald and Belinda Clark to Special Agent Elizabeth
Belcher at the IRS office in Tampa next week. The Clarks maintained the Orlando
bank account after buying a home in Celebration, a community near Disney World
outside Orlando.
Belcher declined to answer questions about the summons Thursday.
IRS spokeswoman Alycyn Culbertson also said she could not discuss the
summons. Culbertson did say there must be "an official investigation" before a
summons is served to obtain banking and other financial records.
In an e-mail to the Times, Clark said he was unaware of any subpoena by the IRS
or of any investigation of him by any agency. He said he had broken no IRS laws
or regulations.
Clark asked that a copy of the summons be forwarded to his divorce lawyer, Dade
City attorney Dennis Alfonso. Alfonso said he, too, was unaware of any IRS
investigation into Clark.
"I can only say that, given the contentious nature of the divorce case, it doesn't
surprise me that he might have allegations made to the IRS," Alfonso said. "There
have been a lot of allegations since I've been representing Ron, but I've yet to see
anything substantiated."
The rancorous divorce of the Clarks began to attract publicity a year ago, and has
been blamed for the defection of nearly three of every four members at the Living
Water Church, which was founded by the couple in 1988.
Ronald Clark, the $138,000-a-year church pastor, accused his wife of being
unfaithful, suffering from mental illness, dabbling in pornography and stealing
church mail filled with Easter church donations.
Belinda Clark, Living Water's $70,000-a-year associate pastor who was fired in the
wake of the allegations, accused her husband of domestic violence, of lying to
church trustees to ruin her credibility and of having a secret plan to sell the
church, place the proceeds in a trust, then have funds funneled to him at a foreign
location.
Neither Belinda Clark nor her Dade City attorney, Jack Hoogewind, would
comment about the IRS investigation.
Ronald Clark resigned his church post in June 2003 and later sought protection

from creditors in federal bankruptcy court.

Owners of a $500,000 home and horse ranch in Dade City and a $275,000 home
in Celebration, the Clarks also had $700,000 in debts.
On Feb. 20, three days after the issuance of the IRS summons, Clark filed papers
in his bankruptcy case saying he needed to hire an accountant for, among other
reasons, "assistance in defending/ objecting to the pending claim of the Internal
Revenue Service, if any."
Clark's bankruptcy attorney, Matthew J. Kovschak, did not return calls Thursday.
With Living Water attendance and collections plummeting, the evangelical
Christian church went to bankruptcy court last year to reorganize its finances.
The church had just $60 in its checking account and $3.4-million in liabilities when
it filed bankruptcy papers.
After leaving Living Water, Ronald Clark took a position with a wealthy Illinois
non-denominational organization called Family Harvest Church, which in August
took over the operation of the Living Water Church on Interstate 4.
Living Water officials initially sought to sell the church's 16- acre property to
Family Harvest for $3.1-million, well below a recent appraisal of $4.5-million, but
have since decided to auction the property to the highest bidder in early April to
meet creditors' demands and facilitate building a new church.
Although at least one former Living Water board member said he has been
interviewed by IRS agents, the news of the federal investigation appeared to take
others by surprise.
"Wow, that's pretty serious," said Living Water board chairman Melvin Myer. "This
is not a good thing.
"But there isn't any off-shore money I'm aware of. I don't know of any
inappropriate handling of funds on my watch."
Buddy Ford, a Tampa attorney handling the Living Water bankruptcy, said he was
unaware of the IRS investigation, but said he doubted it was initiated on flimsy
grounds.
"I've seen (IRS) Criminal Investigation Division investigations in the past, and
before they open an investigation there has to be an underlying reason to do so,"
Ford said.
The IRS summons seeks records pertaining to Ronald Clark's Real Life Productions
Inc., which handled his evangelical broadcasts; Magnolia Stables Inc., the
company overseeing the Clarks' horse stables; Family Hair Care, a Dade City salon
which lists Ronald Clark as an officer; Swalley Ministries, a company formed with a
former music minister, and Global Medical Missions and Global Medical Relief, two
companies set up to provide food and medical assistance in Haiti and China with
Dr. John Gentri, a Brandon physician.
Gentri said he worked without salary and never knew much about the business
side of the foreign missions.

He said he was frustrated when Ronald Clark reneged on a promise to provide

church funds to feed Haitian children, then backed away from the mission work
altogether to concentrate on TV evangelism.
"I think they were supposed to give us $3,000 a month, but we begged for every
penny," Gentri said. "We were always behind.
"Then Ron said he couldn't afford it any longer. He said he had to make a choice
between supporting his church and supporting the mission. I didn't believe him.
But I absolutely didn't know what went on with the money."
Gentri said he now runs the mission in Haiti through private donations.
He said he left Living Water Church after he learned that Ronald Clark was telling
other church members that Gentri had diagnosed Belinda Clark as mentally ill
when he had offered no such opinions.

Tampa church imperiled by pastors' bitter

divorce
St. Petersburg Times; St. Petersburg, Fla.;
Jun 1, 2003; JEFF TESTERMAN;
Abstract:
The allegations derive from an affidavit filed by Linda Gestrin, [Ronald Clark]'s
sister. Gestrin said he revealed his plan to her in a phone call in February, saying
[Belinda Clark] was "crazy" and "out of control," and adding that his plan would
cut Belinda out of alimony, leaving her "half of nothing."
[Jack Hoogewind] says in court documents that the church never deducted Social
Security or Medicare payments from her paycheck, nor paid any money into the
Social Security system on her behalf. Instead, Hoogewind says, Ronald Clark told
Belinda that the church was paying into a retirement fund for her in lieu of
payments to Social Security.
Ronald Clark filed for divorce when Belinda was fired, saying she tried to ruin his
credibility at the church. Ronald Clark also said his wife had made "delusional
claims" that he was attempting to kill her after taking out a $1-million life
insurance policy on her.
Full Text:
Copyright Times Publishing Co. Jun 1, 2003
Fifteen years ago, the Rev. Ronald Clark and his wife, Belinda, brought their
evangelical fervor, organizational talent and youthful good looks to the task of
founding the Living Water Church of Tampa.
They started in a Holiday Inn meeting room with five members. The charismatic
Christian church ultimately grew to a congregation of more than a thousand, big

enough to spin off an international relief mission.

The growth sent the church from a storefront to a warehouse to the $5-million
cluster of buildings off Interstate 4, where church services today are advertised by
a flashing electronic sign.
But good times have given way to turmoil at the Living Water Church.
A rancorous divorce proceeding between the Clarks has chased away parishioners,
undermined church finances and left its future in doubt.
The marital discord has lawyers filing papers in two counties.
The Clarks' conflict has spawned a domestic violence petition, a criminal complaint
about missing church donations, a slander suit, a lien on the church to prevent its
sale and a lawsuit aimed at dissolving that lien.
"Hopefully for the church, the anger will settle down," said Arnold Levine, a
Tampa lawyer representing Ronald Clark. "But if this is going to be the battle of
the ages, I'm sure the church is going to be impacted."
At the center of the dispute is the valuable church property. Belinda Clark has
taken the unusual action of asking a judge to declare the property a marital asset,
so that she can share in the distribution of funds earned from the property.
Her success would likely end the Living Water Church in its current location, and
might trigger landmark tax consequences.
Tax exemptions in peril
The church property is owned by a tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation and run by a
board of trustees.
If the property is determined to be an asset of the Clarks, church leaders worry,
then its tax exemption might be void, and the exemption for all donations to the
church over the years might be void, too.
Levine discounts that possibility.
"It's just absurd," he says. "The church is in the title of the nonprofit, and no one
has any ownership interest but the nonprofit. It's for the benefit of the
parishioners."
Nonetheless, Belinda Clark's Dade City attorney, Jack Hoogewind, has asked for
an emergency hearing next week to consider a motion to freeze the church's
assets so a judge can determine if the Living Water Church is a marital asset.
Hoogewind claims in court papers that Ronald Clark had a secret plan to sell the
church, then place the proceeds in a trust that would feed him money in a
ministry he would establish out of the country.
The allegations derive from an affidavit filed by Linda Gestrin, Ronald Clark's
sister. Gestrin said he revealed his plan to her in a phone call in February, saying
Belinda Clark was "crazy" and "out of control," and adding that his plan would cut
Belinda out of alimony, leaving her "half of nothing."
Levine said Gestrin's claims are baseless and that she was in adispute with Ronald

Clark over some personal effects. Levine also said the church for some months
has considered selling its I-4 property to move to a more family-friendly location in
the suburbs.
Ronald Clark, 46, known as "Reverend Ron" to his congregation, moved to the
Living Water Church's current location 10 years ago. He is the founder of Global
Medical Relief, a humanitarian mission that built a hospital in China and clinics in
Haiti, according to the church's Web site.
Rev. Clark, who received a doctorate from Oral Roberts University, is the author of
Sailing Through the Storms of Life and Can a Christian Love a Muslim? He
presided over the memorial service for Hillsborough State Attorney Harry Lee Coe
at the Living Water Church in July 2000.
Belinda Clark, 41, served as an associate pastor at the Living Water Church for 10
years, but was fired from her $70,000-a-year job by the board of trustees in
March.
Hoogewind says in court documents that the church never deducted Social
Security or Medicare payments from her paycheck, nor paid any money into the
Social Security system on her behalf. Instead, Hoogewind says, Ronald Clark told
Belinda that the church was paying into a retirement fund for her in lieu of
payments to Social Security.
Belinda Clark says she was assured by the church board that her retirement
account had grown to $300,000, but she says she's received none of those funds
and now believes the money was diverted to pay for the acquisition of church
assets.
'Delusional claims'
Ronald Clark filed for divorce when Belinda was fired, saying she tried to ruin his
credibility at the church. Ronald Clark also said his wife had made "delusional
claims" that he was attempting to kill her after taking out a $1-million life
insurance policy on her.
Later, Living Water Church officials alleged Belinda Clark had illegally diverted
church mail for some weeks around Easter, depriving the church of thousands of
dollars in mail-in contributions during the biggest donation time of the year.
According to an April 28 complaint with the sheriff's office by Richard C. Barker Jr.,
an associate pastor at Living Water Church, Belinda Clark completed a change-ofaddress form to divert all church mail to her Dade City post office box, even
though she was no longer on the church board.
The mail diversion complaint remains under criminal investigation, Hillsborough
sheriff's officials said last week. Levine said the missing mail created a financial
hardship for the church.
In her counter-petition in the divorce case, Belinda Clark seeks custody of the
couple's two children, the proceeds from the Living Water Church and title to the
marital home in Dade City, a $322,966 estate on Fort King Road that includes a
3,618-square-foot home and an 8-acre horse farm.

In the counter-petition, Belinda Clark says her husband slandered her during
services at the Living Water Church by telling others she was mentally ill, guilty of
adultery and morally unfit to be an associate pastor.
In seeking a temporary restraining order against her husband, Belinda Clark told a
Pasco County sheriff's deputy that her husband had threatened her and said, "I
hope you enjoy living in hell."
Mrs. Clark said she feared for her safety because he kept 13 guns in the home.
She also told the deputy that her husband was under investigation by the
Hillsborough Sheriff's Office, where Ronald Clark is employed as chaplain and
reserve deputy.
Records show Clark took a 90-day voluntary leave of absence from the sheriff's
office beginning March 31. But there is no record of an internal affairs
investigation of Clark, according to an April 9 letter from Maj. Richard Cipriano of
the sheriff's human resources division.
Neither Ronald Clark nor Belinda Clark would discuss these matters on the record
with the St. Petersburg Times.
On May 23, the couple appeared in a court hearing in Dade City to offer testimony
in a petition for a permanent domestic violence injunction sought by Mrs. Clark.
Belinda Clark wore a gray busi-ness suit. Ronald Clark was in a gold blazer,
monogrammed blue shirt and cuff links. The couple might have passed for
Fortune 500 business executives. They did not speak to one another.
Instead, they wrinkled their brows and winced at testimony about their messy
divorce.
Threats and lawsuits
Psychologist Timothy Foster, a $250-an-hour counselor paid by the church to see
the Clarks, said he saw so much anger "that it became obvious to me this was
going to resolve not in the counseling room but in divorce court."
Ronald Clark gritted his teeth as he was asked to recount what his wife had said
to him in a March phone call.
"She said she would crush my head, she said she would cut off my b----, she said
she would f------ destroy me," Ronald Clark testified.
Barker, the associate pastor, told of accompanying Ronald Clark to his home to
pick up belongings that Mrs. Clark had placed on the porch in a driving rain. Boxes
had become so saturated they split. The children were "hysterical," Barker said,
and Ronald Clark "was weeping the whole time he was loading up."
Belinda Clark said she'd had no support for the children. The electricity would be
turned off that afternoon if a $700 bill weren't paid, she said.
After a break, the couple adjourned to a conference room with their attorneys to
talk.
They emerged with an agreement to drop the domestic violence petition and to
share custody of the children. Ronald Clark promised to pay the electric bill by 5

p.m.
But reconciliation does not appear imminent.
Six days later, the Living Water Church sued Hoogewind and Belinda Clark in
Hillsborough Circuit Court, saying they had improperly placed a lien on the church.
The same day, Hoogewind filed the papers in Dade City that claimed Ronald Clark
had a secret plan to sell the church and leave the country.
- Times researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Jeff Testerman can be
reached at (813) 226-3422 or by e-mail at testerman@sptimes.com

Accusations Fly Between Pastor, Wife

By MISSY STODDARD mstoddard@tampatrib.com
Published: Jun 20, 2003
DADE CITY - She says her husband has branded her a thief and an adulteress and
won't financially support her and their two children.
He says his wife's actions have cost him his salary and more than half the
membership of his congregation.
Ronald and Belinda Clark, pastor and former associate pastor of Living Water
Church in Tampa, spent more than two hours Thursday in a judge's chambers
testifying about the most personal details of their life and finances.
The couple, in the throes of a bitter divorce, were there on a motion Belinda Clark
filed to compel her husband to temporarily support her and the children, who are
living in the family's $500,000 Dade City home and horse farm but don't have
money to buy groceries, according to her attorney, Jack Hoogewind.
``It's a starve-her-out mentality,'' said Hoogewind, referring to Ronald Clark's
assertion that he's broke.
His attorney, Arnold Levine, insisted Clark ``has no money'' and has paid $25,000
to his wife since the first of the year.
``He's living on borrowed money,'' Levine said. ``He has no funds. I've only been
paid by third-party money.''
The hearing, to resume next month, ended Thursday with Pasco Circuit Court
Judge Linda Babb ordering Clark to borrow whatever money he could to give his
wife $2,000 by this afternoon. Belinda Clark seeks at least $7,000 a month for her
and her children.
Ronald Clark, 46, filed for divorce from his wife of 24 years in March, shortly after
the church's board of trustees fired Belinda Clark, 41, from her $70,000 a year job
as associate pastor and principal of the Living Water school.
On Thursday, she testified that some time afterward, her husband stood before
his congregation and claimed he had ``biblical grounds'' for a divorce.
Hoogewind argued that ``biblical grounds'' is church- speak for adultery.

When he took the stand, Ronald Clark challenged that assertion. He picked up a
Bible and leafed through it, quoting from Exodus, 1 Corinthians, Matthew and
Romans. Clark said those passages allow for a biblical divorce in situations of
indecency, lack of emotional support, physical cruelty, refusal of sex and sexual
perversion.
Clark accused his wife of downloading ``hard-core pornographic videos'' from
their home satellite dish. Asked by Hoogewind whether the videos could have
been downloaded by the couple's teenage son, Clark responded: ``I have seen
her watch pornographic movies.''
Melvin Myer, a trustee at Living Water who testified for Ronald Clark, said church
membership has plunged from 1,286 in January to 444 in May. Tithes and
offerings are down $67,000 since January, Myer said. He blamed the loss on
Belinda Clark's ``malicious and slanderous'' actions that ``have caused people to
be insecure and leave the church.''
Myer said Living Water owes $118,000 in past-due bills, including the church's
$19,500 mortgage payment. Staff has been let go and Ronald Clark is not drawing
his $70,000 salary or his tax-exempt $78,000 housing allowance, Myer said. He
denied knowledge of an alleged ``scam'' to hide money for Ronald Clark.
Living Water moved to its current location off Interstate 4 in 1993. The church
occupies 16 acres and a 26,000-square-foot building.
In a 1996 Tampa Tribune story, Clark characterized his flock as middle- to higherincome baby boomers, who at that time gave more than $2 million annually to
support the church.

Funding Surprised Church Members

By Missy Stoddard - mstoddard@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - 7/3/03 - Every Sunday for five years, Jim Peters attended services at the
nondenominational Living Water Church off Interstate 4. He got hooked on Pastor
Ron Clark's passion-filled sermons, his knowledge of the Bible and charisma like
Peters had never known.
Initially, Peters said, he was ``shocked'' by the 10-piece band at worship, the
shouting, the clapping and raising of hands, and the flags of many nations, not
crosses, hanging in the sanctuary. But something kept calling him back. When
Peters, 66, participated in a laying of hands ceremony that rid him of chronic
shoulder pain, he knew he had come to the right place.
``That was the clincher for me to say, `This is the church where I belong,' '' he
said.
Though he enjoyed the preaching and camaraderie, Peters said he couldn't shake
the feeling something wasn't right. He never officially joined Living Water and

disliked the repeated solicitations for donations to the church by Clark, 46, and his
wife, Belinda, 41, who was an associate pastor.
When newspapers began reporting recently on the Clarks' acrimonious divorce including details of their personal finances - Peters and others say they were
shocked and angered. The Clarks earned a $70,000 salary each, plus a $78,000
tax-exempt housing allowance, according to court testimony. The money bought a
Dade City horse farm and ranch valued at $500,000 and a $275,000 rental home
in Celebration near Orlando.
``What's gone on in their personal lives is theirs, but it tears me apart that they
kept wanting to get money out of us every chance they could and I come home to
my little, low-cost apartment,'' Peters said.
``At the time I thought it was money well spent. I am now terribly embarrassed,
totally angry.''
Peters and other former members of Living Water said it was disconcerting to
have two and three collections per service. Each Sunday for about a month, Peters
said, an extra collection was taken for Ron Clark's birthday gift - a new tractor for
his ranch.
During the five years he attended Living Water, Peters said, he gave an average
of $10 a week, or a total $2,600. The retired civil engineer, who lives in a twobedroom, $347-a-month apartment, supplements his income singing at nursing
homes.

Years Of Tithing
For seven years, Peters' friend Beverly Natario, 66, gave 10 percent of her takehome pay to Living Water. Like Peters, Natario, a customer-service typist, was
enraptured by Clark.
``The anointing of God was there, the Holy Spirit was present, and the music and
word of God was so on fire that you'd sit there for three hours and feel like you
hadn't been there long,'' she said.
Natario, Peters and their friend Judy Gebo, 61, say they were as devoted a flock
as a church could want. Gebo, an office manager for a dental practice, also
faithfully gave 10 percent of her income to the church. Both women underscore
that tithing is a biblical directive and that they do not regret giving.
The Clarks, they say, will have to answer to God about how they spent the money.
All three say they never saw a church budget and had no idea Belinda Clark was
drawing a salary. Then they began reading newspaper reports of the Clarks'

finances.
``What I didn't know and what I couldn't understand is why [Belinda Clark] was
getting any money,'' Gebo said.
Belinda Clark said Wednesday that it was her husband's desire for her to make
$70,000. She said Ron Clark wanted to make $225,000 a year, but knew a
minister with that kind of salary would raise red flags with the Internal Revenue
Service.
``I think it is a little outrageous,'' she said of her salary. ``I never questioned
him.''
She said congregants interested in the church's finances didn't remain members at
Living Water.
``Many people were asked to leave when they pressed it or disagreed with Ron
on anything,'' she said. ``A lot of people in the past have left disgruntled because
they were told that because they weren't tithing, they were going to hell or they
didn't really love God and because of that, God didn't really love them and they
were cursed.''
During a recent court hearing, Belinda Clark testified that she was a co-pastor and
principal of Living Water's school, which had 11 students. She is seeking $7,000 a
month in support for her and the couple's two teens. Clark has asked the court to
declare the church a marital asset and wants half.
Clark said Wednesday that she worked 50 to 70 hours a week at Living Water and
is a few credits shy of earning her master's degree. She said she loves and misses
members of Living Water and has forgiven her husband.

Congregation Dwindles
Ron Clark recently resigned his position at Living Water and is international
director of education for Family Harvest International based in Chicago. He
testified that he has no money to give his soon-to-be ex-wife. He has blamed the
negative publicity on a decline in church membership - from a high of nearly 2,000
to about 400.
Clark didn't return phone calls seeking comment. His attorney, Arnold Levine, was
out of town. Melvin Myer, a former board trustee who is president of the Living
Water organization, referred questions to Rick Barker, acting senior pastor.
Barker said Wednesday that his understanding is congregants are provided an
overview of the church's financial state, but that details such as pastors' salaries
typically are not broken out.

Edward Brennan, Living Water's corporate counsel, said that as a matter of

course, a church's board of trustees determines salaries and that the congregation
typically is not informed of things such as salaries and utility bills.
Several months ago, before reports of the Clarks' marital woes became public,
Peters, Natario and Gebo said they sensed a change at Living Water. Ron Clark's
preaching was different.

Request For Prayers

Then about three months ago, Natario said, Myer stood before the congregation
and said Belinda Clark no longer was affiliated with the church. Ron Clark stood up
and said he would not discuss Belinda's departure or the couple's marital
problems. Instead, he asked for prayers and said he was waiting for an answer
from God.
Peters, Natario and Gebo say they wish the church luck in rebuilding its
membership, though they are looking elsewhere for spiritual guidance. Each has
learned valuable lessons as a result of what has happened to Living Water.
``I will attend a church, and if I feel that's the church I want to be at, I'm
certainly going to ask where their monies go,'' Natario said. ``This is the first time
I've ever been disillusioned by a church.''
Reporter Missy Stoddard can be reached at (813) 779-4635.
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