Victor Nischik

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Victor Nischik, more frequently referred to as Vic Nischik, is a former deacon of the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana who founded a grass roots, populist movement documenting abuses and seeking reforms in Christian Fundamentalist "megachurches." In his book, Wizard of God, Nischik accused mega-pastor Jack Hyles of being a "cult leader" who committed adultery with Nischik's then wife and Hyles's long time assistant, Jennie Nischik.^{[1] [2]}

But Nischik's book, though it was pivotal in throwing light onto possible corruption at First Baptist of Hammond (for it included descriptions of other alleged scandals at the church, as well), also ended the unity of the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement that Jack Hyles and the Sword of the Lord publications had held intact for decades. Evangelist Robert Sumner, editor of The Biblical Evangelist, openly endorsed Nischik and issued demands that Hyles be held accountable and answer for his actions ^[3]

Since its founding by John R Rice in 1934, the Sword of the Lord had grown into the staple weekly newspaper of Independent Baptist Fundamentalism. It was a unifying force in the Baptist stratum of Fundamentalism and served as the voice of most Fundamental Baptist leadership. Its weekly sermons and editorials shaped much of the outlook of the Independent Baptist Movement, and its "Noteworthy News" column kept its readers informed but with a distinctive slant. But as charges against Jack Hyles became more widespread, a war between the Sword of the Lord and Sumner's Biblical Evangelist erupted. Over time, the number of subscriptions to the Sword of the Lord declined. The Independent Fundamental Baptist movement became more fragmented, and the name "Hyles" became a polarizing element.^{[citation needed]}

Furthermore, hard on the heels of Wizard of God, former First Baptist of Hammond church member and attorney Voyle Glover published Fundamental Seduction, a book that set the evidence of abuse of his office in array against Jack Hyles ^[4]. In the early 1990s, Nischik, Glover, and Sumner often spoke together in evangelistic meetings that called for reform and purity in Fundamentalism.^{[citation needed]}

Since the initial memoir of Wizard of God, other survivors of abusive churches in Fundamentalism have followed Nischik's example, most with self-published or vanity press books describing their experiences in memoir format, such as the short-lived Hubris by Jeffrey Smith^[5] and the more detailed and comical Texas Baptist Crucible by James Spurgeon^[6]. Without intending to, Nischik set an example that has created a populist movement within Christian Fundamentalism to return to doctrinal and moral integrity. The heir apparent to Nischik's and Glover's efforts is Jeri Massi, who has maintained a consistent internet and media presence since 2000 of critique, documentation of abusive Fundamentalist churches, and her own series of books^[7] that offer evidence of a need for reform in Christian Fundamentalism.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Victor Nischik. The Wizard of God: My life with Jack Hyles. Buchanan, Mi.: Sychar Pub. Co., 1990."
2. ^ A full discussion of the Hyles scandals is presented at Jack Hyles#Allegations by Nischik, Sumner, and Glover
3. ^ Robert Sumner. "The Saddest Story We Ever Published." The Biblical Evangelist. 1989. NOTE: An online PDF of this article is available here: http://www.biblicalevangelist.org/jack_hyles_story.php
4. ^ Voyle Glover. Fundamental Seduction: The Jack Hyles Case. Schererville, Indiana: Brevia Publishing, 1990.
5. ^ Jeffrey Smith. Hubris. Cold Cuff Publications (CafePress). 2004. (no longer available.)
6. ^ James Spurgeon. The Texas Baptist Crucible: Tales from the Temple. PublishAmerica. January 30, 2006.
7. ^ Jeri Massi. Schizophrenic Christianity: How Christian Fundamentalism Attracts and Protects Sociopaths, Abusive Pastors, and Child Molesters. Jupiter Rising Books. 2008