September 30, 2026 (Tehachapi, CA) In Part 1, I covered the elder term limits, the bylaw they violated for over a decade and are now scrambling to change.
In Part 2, I cover the other bylaw they are changing: Outside financial audits.
Read Part 1 of this article by clicking the image below:
Watch Video below:
Here is what the Bylaws originally required (Article 8, Section 10):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eg7kFJJ413rwzro_mLvEx1uyHKZoIZer/view?usp=sharing
By an accounting firm NOT associated with the church.
Why? Because you cannot have the watchers watching the watchers. Third-party audits exist for a reason. They exist to remove bias, ensure accountability, and verify that financial procedures are actually being followed. All of which was removed by the elder board, and done so while they were serving as elders illegally.
On September 10th, 2020, Dave Gilliam suggested a rewrite.
Eldon Grimes had researched audit requirements and found he would not qualify as auditor, because he was on the finance committee and a check signatory. So instead of finding an outside firm, they rewrote the bylaw to say the audit could be done by “qualified church members as chosen by the Board of Elders.“
In other words: the elders would audit themselves. This is proof of them self-auditing based upon the fact that they wanted an elder to do the third party audit as the primary reason for the change.
And what’s worse, on October 8th, 2020, they voted to approve this crucial bylaw change at the one elder meeting where I was not present.
Then, when I was asked to “text message” the bylaw change out to the congregation, during the pandemic, I was unaware as to what was even being changed and why. I also informed the elders that texting out a bylaw change wouldn’t guarantee that all members would be informed properly.
After my statement was ignored, I was informed that “Robyn Woodhouse was taking care of it.“
The timing of this major change is also very interesting. All of this was during the pandemic, when the congregation could not gather, could not ask questions, and could not properly vet a change of this magnitude. It was ratified by mail-in ballot vote in June 2021.
The stated reason? To Save $3,500
Here is the problem with that excuse:
I have in my possession over 5.5 years of financial records, including every deposit, every check, every withdrawal. Thousands and thousands of dollars were wasted, misused, and misappropriated during that same period.
It was never about saving money.
And here is what is not a coincidence:
The finances began declining at the exact same time outside accountability was removed. Dave Gilliam himself admits this to be true.
For 5.5 years, no third-party audits. No outside oversight. No accountability.
Who was watching the watchers?
Now they want to change it back.
After I publicly exposed this, they suddenly want to reinstate outside financial audits.
Was I right or was I wrong?
If I was wrong, there was nothing to change. If I was right, there is everything to change.
They are changing it because they got caught.
But changing the bylaw now does not erase 5.5 years of potential fraud. It does not undo the misuse of funds. It does not restore the trust they destroyed. It only tries to change the future (illegally), not the past. And it looks like an admission of guilt and knowingly breaking the law.
I believe the members and donors of Shepherd of the Hills deserve 5.5 years of third-party audits to account for every dollar that came in and went out during the years they had no outside oversight.
If there is nothing to hide, they should have no problem doing it.
I do not think they will.
In my next post:
I am going to show you exactly what can be done about this.
This is overt, blatant disregard for the law and violations committed against the congregation, members, and donors.
There is a path forward. And I am going to show you how to take it.
Stay tuned.
“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.'” – Acts 5:3-4