Jon and Sherry Rivers & KLOVE Radio
What Happened to Jon and Sherry Rivers?
I want to allow listeners and fans of the KLOVE Morning Show to use this blog as a place, not to gossip about what may have happened to Jon and Sherry Rivers, but rather a place to speak words of encouragement and even post prayers for all the parties involved. I do not agree with how this situation is being handled by KLOVE Radio, nor do I agree with the fact that Jon and Sherry have not made a statement yet regarding their ministry future. I believe that Jon and Sherry have an obligation to make a statement to their listeners whether through a third party or themselves personally.
For me, I have reached the place of Burnout in my life, and am taking some time off to reconnect with family. I am so thankful for the support of our partners who are standing beside me in my decision to take a few months to rest, reconnect, and be refreshed by the Holy Spirit. I could only wish that the Body of Christ would be more open and honest regarding their failures.
We have no clue what is happening because the leadership of KLOVE Radio has chosen to be secretive about the issue. I do not believe that this is going to turn out to be a good decision on the part of KLOVE, especially because the listeners are the ones that financially support those in leadership of KLOVE Radio. If the listeners do not like the decisions that the leadership team of KLOVE Radio have made, they can choose to withhold their pledge support until which time the situation is handled correctly. As you can see this can become very problematic for a listener supported radio station.
Again this blog is not to speculate on what has happened to Jon and Sherry Rivers, it is a place to leave words of encouragement, and leave prayers for all those that are involved in this situation. The facts as they stand currently are: Jon and Sherry have been removed from the morning show of KLOVE Radio, and they are asking that their privacy be maintained as they work through a family issue. So for now we all must except this and give words of encouragement and prayer to Jon and Sherry until we are given more information by either KLOVE Radio, Jon and Sherry Rivers, a spokesperson for Jon and Sherry, or all the above. We must pray for them, their family, and the leaders of KLOVE Radio in this time of transition whether we agree with the situation or not.
I highly recommend flooding KLOVE Radio with calls requesting a more accurate statement (minus detailed personal information) of what occurred. Those in leadership and public influence must be held to higher standards than those who are just in the body of Christ. If there has been no sin, and this was just a business decision, then we the listeners who support KLOVE with our financial contributions have the right to know this. If there was sin, we too have the right to know this as well, because Jon and Sherry were in a place of leadership. Our knowing is not for the purpose of gossip about rather so we can pray for the situation and to not allow Satan to have one more minute bringing dissension into the camp.
KLOVE Radio loves asking people to call in to pledge money to support their vision and mission, let us see what happens when those who are supporters call in asking for answers. Remember when you send KLOVE a check, they are responsible to you as a partner to be open and honest in their decision making process.
2 Responses so far
Pastor Matthew
March 31st, 2009
10:57 am
The following is a statement from the President of KLOVE Radio Mike Novak:
“You’ve probably heard by now and noticed that Jon & Sherry aren’t on K-LOVE anymore. They are dealing with family issues and while we wish we could say more we simply can’t.
Many of you are wondering “Have Jon and Sherry been fired?”. No, that is simply not true. This life situation developed between Jon and Sherry apart from K-LOVE.
Again, Jon and Sherry are dealing with family issues and while we wish we could say more we simply can’t.
I know all of this sounds vague and I wish that it was clearer but right now it’s not. We are respecting the privacy of people who have been part of our radio family for years and that respect is paramount right now.
When we hear an update from Jon and Sherry we’ll pass it along to you and at that point we will both know more.
In the meantime, we will soon provide an opportunity at KLOVE.com to share your feelings, hopes and prayers for Jon and Sherry.
I’ll keep you posted. Thank you. ”
This is all we are going to get for now. I still believe as a leader of a ministry myself, there needs to be an official statement made from Jon and Sherry Rivers or a spoksperson on their behalf. This situation is not just going to go away by not talking about the problem. My hope and pray is that a statment will be made soon, so there will be an end to all the speculation, and that healing can begin to take place in Jon and Sherry’s life as well as the millions of listners to their radio broadcast.
Pastor Matthew
July 10th, 2009
12:44 am
Jon Rivers Statement Posted on KLOVE Radio:
Dear K-LOVE Family,
We wanted to start this update by saying thank you. Thank you for the encouraging e-mails, notes and your prayers for us as a family.
We realize that we have not given you much detail about all that has been happening with us, and that our quick exit from the K-LOVE Morning Show left many confused, but that has not stopped our radio family from relentless prayers and intercession and for that we are eternally grateful.
Sherry, Lexi, and I have been on quite a journey the past few months. All of the hardship that has come our way has been due to an addiction that I have had to prescription drugs for the last several years. Yes, this is completely my fault. Sherry, Lexi, or K-LOVE had nothing to do with the events that occurred.
For seemingly impossible to treat headaches I was prescribed powerful pain medications a few years ago and for some time now I have slowly and gradually walked down a dark and deadly road.
This road led me farther away from my family, my friends, my co-workers and even my faith. It led me further away than I ever realized was possible.
But thanks to my brave wife who was willing to wake me up to the reality of who I had become, I was able to get the help I desperately needed. Real help. The kind of help where people tell you the truth about this illness called addiction and force you to look into the mirror and then give you the tools to recover.
But most importantly, the kind of Spiritual help that has filled me with hope again. Rather than allowing my faith to become the very source of accountability and healing and clearing away the wreckage of my past so that God could reach a compartmentalized part of my Soul, I hid what was really happening from almost everyone. I so busied myself with work, our show on K-LOVE and ministering that I did not allow God to minister to me, nor did I really know how to let God heal me until I went in for treatment at a place where the Spiritual road to recovery was taught. Over the past few months, I have begun a journey that is leading me to complete healing. It’s a process that I’m committed to following through, for me and for my family.
Well … that was the situation with the old Jon Rivers. The new Jon Rivers is committed to being a rigorously honest man. Happy, joyous and free, who confesses to you that I did not have what it took to find healing myself. But the good news is, I know who does. His name is Jesus. And by His wounds we can be healed. The road to recovery is a long and challenging road, but it is well worth it.
If you are on the dark road of addiction, I plead with you to get help. Real help. 15 percent of us have a genetic marker that predisposes us to all kinds of addictions including Alcoholism, which by God’s Grace I have avoided.
I am so thankful that Sherry took drastic measures to get my attention. Our quick departure from K-LOVE was unfortunate, but was really the only way for Sherry to fully get my attention. K-LOVE has stood by us and we continue to be great friends.
My addiction, while “legal” was nonetheless destructive and in the end deadly. I am so thankful that our radio family and personal friends have continued to stand by our side.
Most of all, I am thankful that although God loved me just the way that I was, He loved me way too much to leave me in that condition.
What God is doing in me personally and in my marriage over the past few months has been nothing short of a miracle. God has brought me into the light. And for that I am grateful.
The rumors of infidelity, or that K-LOVE had quickly let us go and other terrible things are simply not true. My Lovely Bride Sherry has been faithful to me and I to her. Lexi is fine and as happy as ever. And our K-LOVE family has stood by us, prayed for us and helped us continue on this journey of healing.
Only God knows what the future holds but I do know this, that we are healing, growing and are looking forward to seeing what God has for us in the future.
Thank you again for your prayers!
Jon Rivers
I am very pleased that the truth has finally come out. As I have always stated, it is important that when leaders fall into sin (no matter what the sin) a statement should be made to whom ever they had leadership over to prevent gossip and rumors. I have always stated, that there was obviously something other than a medical sickness that was the issue. Drug Addiction whether legal drugs or not is not sickness, it is addiction. People who fall sick to something are not removed from ministry and have all of their pictures and blogs taken off line. People who fall sick have statements come out immediately to pray for the specific sickness.
We need to now pray and believe for a full and complete deliverance and inner healing for Jon Rivers. We as fellow brothers and sisters must be committed to praying for Jon’s complete restoration.
In saying this, let me be very clear about this entire situation and how it was handled. This statement should have been released months ago, if not by Jon then by a third party representive. Why? So then our prayers could have been more targeted, and we all could have been standing in the gap with percise wording when coming against the enemy who wants to seek, kill and destroy Jon, his family, and his ministry. “God knew what it was, we just needed to pray blindly.” NO! If I suffer from cancer, I want people praying specifically! I want cancer casted down in Jesus Name! “Oh heal Pastor from what ever he has going on of a family nature, what ever it is Lord” or In Jesus Name I cast down Cancer and the effects of it in Pastors body!” Which one would you like to have prayed for you if you were the pastor?
When in leadership, caught in a current and real “sinnful” situation that demands our removal from leadership, we have an obligation to our partners and those that we have influence over an explanation. It comes with being in that place of leadership. Jesus says that “to whom much is given much is required.” Leaders are held to a higher level of integrity! You might not like what I am saying, but it is true none-the-less.
Jon’s battle is a very common battle that many face when they find themselves in a situation where there is pain involved. Jon chose to not become accountable to his doctors or family regarding his use of drugs. I would not call addiction to legal drugs a “sickness,” I call it a choice to take drugs and not be accountable! Jon chose to be decietful not only to his wife and child, but also to his doctors and those of us that listened to him in the mornings on KLOVE Radio, and on 20 the Count Down….
Jon and Sherry and their family God loves, and wants to restore and breath life back into their incredible ministry giftings. However, honesty to his addiction and a true humility to his approach to the healing process will be the only way for restoration to occur. Jon’s addiction is not sickness as he wants to spin it, it is addiction based on a need to cover up pain! The source of this pain is most surly deeper than any of us need to know. However, the addiction itself is not sickness.
My prayers are and will continue to be for Jon’s full deliverence, inner and emotional healing, and his full restoration back to the calling God has for him and his wonderful family.
I know that God can and will meet Jon in his place of pain, and free him so he can once again present the Gospel that will free others!
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