Dear friends,

After prayer and discussion among the forum moderators and board of directors, we have terminated the forum here at Setting Captives Free. The reasons we have done this are because we see problems and difficulties with the forum that are a distraction from the work of ministry we are trying to accomplish. For instance, there has been advice and counsel given by students that is a matter of opinion, rather than founded in the truth of God's Word; there are some who use the forum as a "crutch" or "confessional" where they confess that they have fallen yet again, and there have even been recommendations made for 12-step groups on this forum. These issues, and several others, have caused us to reevaluate the forum and come to the conclusion that it is not a help in our ministry here.

Our ministry purpose here is one of teaching the truth of God's Word, of biblical exhortation by mentors, and of people being granted repentance and forgiveness by God through the application of Scripture in their lives. It is not a place of sharing with one another our thoughts, feelings, perceptions, steps toward recovery, etc., and it is not a "support group" where we "encourage" those who continue to fall. When students have questions, they should ask their mentors, as that is how our ministry was founded and how it works best. We believe it is biblical to utilize our mentors in teaching, as they are those who are walking in the light of truth and living in freedom from bondage. Paul commanded Titus to appoint those leaders to teach others who not only live self-controlled lives that are above reproach (Titus 1:6-8) but also have proved to be devoted to the message of the gospel:

"He must be devoted to the trustworthy message we teach. Then he can use these accurate teachings to encourage people and correct those who oppose the word" (Titus 1:9)

We want to be clear that this decision to close the forum is in no way a reflection upon the mentors or moderators of the forum, or their leadership. To our knowledge, their counsel has been solidly in line with the teachings and beliefs of the Bible.

Finally, we are looking for other ways in which we might accomplish the "positives" of the forum (the development of "community," interaction between students and mentors, etc.). We are looking into the possibility of scheduled chat times where a mentor would volunteer to moderate question and answer periods, where someone in leadership will make himself available to answer questions, and other various options. If you are a mentor or leader here with Setting Captives Free, and have a suggestion or an interest in fulfilling one of these roles, please contact us so we may discuss it with you. We are also looking at implementing a "FAQ" page, where questions that are frequently asked will be answered by those walking in freedom by God's grace. We will post anything we find right here on the former forum homepage.

Thank you for your understanding.

Setting Captives Free Board of Directors