01 Nov An accused scoutmaster and my duty to God

Posted at 10:00h in Uncategorized by

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 (NIV)

Charles Quinton “C.Q.” Smith, center, is shown in a photo that ran in the Chambersburg Public Opinion in 2002. The Boy Scouts of America honored him for 53 years of service. He served as the scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 127 from 1966 to 1991.

A longtime scoutmaster stands accused of monstrous crimes.

And something like a bomb exploded in my heart.

Why? Because this scoutmaster was my childhood scoutmaster, a man and mentor I’ve known for nearly 40 years: Charles Quinton “C.Q.” Smith. C.Q. Smith first taught me the Boy Scout Oath which begins like this: On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God….

As a then 11 year-older learning the Scout Oath in 1981, I had no idea how my duty to God would impact me as an adult. Over those nearly 40 years, I earned my Eagle Scout, married Suzanne, welcomed five kids (three of whom will also be Eagle Scouts), became a bivocational pastor, and served on the leadership teams of a local Boy Scout troop and Cub Scout pack. Truly, the best days of my life!

But some scouts – now adults – characterize their scouting experiences as the worst days of their lives.

The Allegations

In summary, C.Q. Smith is accused of molesting dozens of scouts over decades which he denies. These newspaper articles report the terrifying allegations, C.Q.’s denial, and the associated fallout:

The court proceedings are still active.

The Call

When the news broke this summer, my heart sank. Mostly it was because of my profound sadness for the victims, my revulsion of these alleged acts, and truthfully my own nagging questions about whether C.Q. Smith could have committed these despicable acts.

Yet there was another reason why I paused: I sensed God’s quiet call to minister to C.Q.

Compounding the issue, C.Q. lives at the same facility where my dad died from frontotemporal dementia complications in 2011. Due to the emotional pain we suffered in watching Dad die there, I vowed that I would NEVER, EVER go back into the facility. I actually kept that oath for several years, but God taught me an important lesson: never tell God what you will or will NOT do. He’s in charge, not me! * * * SPOILER ALERT: I broke my vow! * * *

Following God is always best but certainly not always easy. And here God taught me another lesson: the uneasiness I felt in approaching C.Q. at the place of my father’s death was no comparison to the pain the victims of sexual abuse suffer each day. Humbled, I began to pray and sought counsel. Here’s the counsel I received:

  • A friend whose daughter had been sexually assaulted wrote, “Thank you for seeing C.Q. as our Father sees him and for helping me to not see him as a monster. Believing that if the Holy Spirit is nudging you to go, it will not be for naught. Praying with you and for you.”
  • One of my mentors leveled with me, “Christ died for all this depravity. Each of us should be seeking deepest repentance for the sins we’ve committed.”
  • My “big brother” advised me, “Put the allegations aside and don’t get sucked into taking sides. Just go and be his friend and let God show you what to do.”

My duty to God required me to obey Him and follow the wise advice placed before me.

The Visit

As I pulled into the parking lot to visit C.Q., thoughts of my dad initially overwhelmed me: Dad died in such a traumatic way! Yet, God heard our prayers for His guidance and soon gave me peace of heart.

C.Q. and I enjoyed catching up, reliving and laughing about scouting stories from the best days of Troop 127, and, of course, telling tales of my own boys’ current scouting adventures. However, our conversation eventually turned to current events.

Of course, as a pastor, I cannot reveal the details of our conversation, but I can affirm that God clearly showed me what to do: C.Q. and I were able to share a time of prayer to conclude our time together. Bittersweet tears filled our eyes when we parted as I hugged my childhood mentor goodbye. Lesson learned: in honoring my duty to God, God gained glory and helped me minister to C.Q.

The Question

Duty to God isn’t just something scouts do. We Christ followers should endeavor to love Him by obeying His commands.

Even when it makes us uncomfortable. Even when we don’t want to do it.

It’s especially in those moments we can sense God working through our weakness and doubt! I’m a “good” example of that: I was scared to re-enter a place of pain where God clearly intended me to minister for His glory. Our duty to God requires that!

However, the nagging question remains: How could someone do something so evil?

The answer lies in the fact that we humans are sinful by nature. From lesser sins like stealing from mama’s cookie jar to greater sins (John 19:11) like murder, sadly all of us have the capacity to sin in many ways, falling far short of God’s righteous standard. The Apostle Paul underscores this reality in Romans 3:23 (NIV), “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

But here’s what’s most important to understand about the grace of God regarding our sins. Yes, some sins are more grievous, more “monstrous” than others. BUT the point of the gospel is that God forgives even the WORST sins and the worst of us! His blood atones for the worst, even child molesters! So, yes, “at the foot of the cross” we ALL – if we’ll accept it – stand CLEANSED AND FORGIVEN “for where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20 NIV)!

So even if C.Q. did what others accuse him of, even he can be forgiven. What an amazing truth!

The Challenge: Please pray for C.Q., his alleged victims, and for God to heal the lives of those who’ve been impacted by sexual abuse.

Serving Jesus with you,

Travis L. Zimmerman

Pastor and Co-Founder

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travis@afaithfuldad.org