Former Gospel For Asia employees claim emotional, psychological abuse

More disturbing testimonies from former employees of Gospel for Asia have emerged since its membership of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability was terminated.

Blogger Warren Throckmorton, who has covered the case extensively, has drawn attention to a story posted on the GFA Diaspora website. Former employee 'Nick' says that he was targeted by the GFA leadership over his feelings for a female staff member.

Nick said that he was harassed by GFA leaders and that he and other single members of staff were told that they had entered the ministry as single people and that that was how they should remain. The woman in question, Nicole, was also targeted for criticism and ill-treatment and both left the organisation. They are now married with a child.

He said he was called into the office of GFA founder KP Yohannan, who "told me that I probably wouldn't be a Christian in 10 years. He called me a mad man and said that he was glad that there was no one else like me at GFA, because he couldn't imagine what I might go out and do.

"I loved the children at GFA, and would always volunteer in the kids ministry. Knowing this, KP said "There are 72 children here at the ministry, and you are going to ruin the lives of every one of them."

Nick concludes his account by saying: "It took me years to get over my terrible experience at GFA and the emotional and psychological abuse that I received, and I know that my story is only one of many."

Throckmorton asked GFA to comment on the story but did not receive a reply.

The embattled organisation has also been forced to remove from its website endorsements of its ministry by high-profile church leaders who have withdrawn their support.

One whose position is unclear is evangelist Francis Chan, whose video has been removed from the endorsements page but is available elsewhere on the site. Throckmorton says he has asked Chan for clarification but has not received a reply.