From: bdevilbi@uceng.UC.EDU (Brian Devilbiss)
Subject: Mike Warnke Statement -- Part 2
Organization: College of Engineering, University of Cincinnati
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 19:46:22 GMT

Thought I'd add some fuel to the fire and post some more of Warnke's statement.
Hope everyone enjoyed the first one as much as I did. I'm encouraged by the 
discussions we have had and the (all too unusual) building up of each other.

The following statement is from Sue Warnke, Mike's first wife.

______________________________________________________________________________

				Announcement

	I choose to make a public statement regarding information contained in
the article written in the _Cornerstone_ magazine, Volume 21, Issue 98 of 1992,
entitled "Selling Satan, The Tragic History of Mike Warnke."

	I was contacted by an employee of _Cornerstone_ about a year and a 
half ago. He asked me for a statement regarding Mike, the book _The Satan
Seller_ and Mike's ministry. He said they were doing research about Mike 
because they felt he was inerror and they wanted to disprove him. I told him
that _The Satan Seller_ was true but other than that I had no comment. I told
him that he should contact Mike personally. I also told him that I thought he
was wrong to throw stones of accusations against a brother in the Lord. So 
nothing in this article is based on any facts taken from me regarding my 
marriage nor my involvement with Mike.  [I think she is talking about the 
Cornerstone article, but I'm not sure...BLD]

	Through these years I have chosen to remain silent about my "Warnke"
years. The pain of the divorce, my journey through brokenness, which meant
dealing with my dysfunctional childhood in an emotionally abusive alcoholic
home and my continued subsequent healing have brought me to the place of 
health with myself and my relationship with my Lord Jesus Christ. I have sought
to "let go of the past, to look forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward
the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phillipians
3:13-14).

	I am accountable to a healthy body of believers led by loving Christian
pastors. This family has walked me through many painful processes. I sought
their counsel. Through prayer and fasting, I feel it is the Lord's prompting
for me to set the record straight regarding false allegations about my life
which does involve my marriage to Mike Warnke.

	I became a friend with Mike in high school. I graduated in June 1964.

	As a new born-again follower of Jesus Christ, I attended the same 
college as Mike in 1965. I had contact with him on several occassions. I was
involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and Mike did not seem to be very
interested in hearing about my new found relationship with God at this time.

	Although we never had specific conversations about his involvement in
occultic activities, I witnessed drastic changes which occured in him at this
time. His attitudes and behavior changed along with his physical appearance. 
He would wear all black at times, grew his hair longer and developed an 
unhealthy pallor. He looked strung out, dissipated, and seemed to be 
participating in some unhealthy activities that were offecting him deeply.

	I lost tract of him for a while until the next school year. I ran
into him again and he told me he had been in Navy boot-camp and was home on
leave. He told me he had also had a born-again Christian experience and was
following Jesus Christ. It was at this time, he told me of his past serious
involvment in an occultic lifestyle that included being involved in a group 
that practiced Satanic ceremonies, witchcraft, and demonology. As he unfolded
these weird stories to me many details started making sense. A member of this
group had been in one of my classes and he told me he knew Mike an the guy
made vague references to strange activities of the group. I had seen some of
the group members around campus, not knowing at the time what they were into.

	Campus Crusade staff members had announced that there was a group on
my campus that practiced black magic and ceremonies involving Satan. The Campus
Crusade staff was praying for ways to break it up.

	As my friendship with Mike progressed, we fell in love and became 
engaged. We were expecting bizarre events that were threatening and full of 
fear tactics. I had occassion to speak to another member of the group who said
he was trying to break from the group also. He said when Mike had left the
group it had disbanded. There was a vendetta type of attitude to "get Mike"
because his leaving caused the group's activites to fall apart.

	As stated in the book, _The Satan Seller_, we were followed, shot at,
and were threatened by members of the group. (If these events were not true
what possible reason could I have to stand by them now? I don't receive
royalties, and never have. It is simple -- it's the truth.)

	We did not fully understand how much of a spiritual battle was really 
going on around us and over us. We saw the effects of Mike's former involve-
ment with Satanic powers and went through tremendous struggles to make a break
from the hold it had on him so that we could start a new life.

	I left the area to be married to Mike and live where he was stationed
in the Navy. We tried to work through these bizarre and frightful experiences
as new Christians and as newlyweds.

	We eventually learned about the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and
the power of His blood which defeats the powers of darkness. This was our
greatest tool and the only hope we had.

	The time we spent in the military was beneficial to help us have a
regular life. However, the time Mike spent in Vietnam was extremely difficult
for us. Mike suffered much emotional upheaval from the war experiences. I had
to have a baby by myself. It took a toll especially on Mike and his faith was
shaken.

	Needless to say, our marriage was never what you could call a white
picket fence Ward and June Cleaver type of experience. But we loved each other
immensely and desired to become more acquainted with Jesus Christ and tried
to follow His leading in our life.

	When we got out of the Navy, Mike decided to write about his experiences
in _The Satan Seller_. We had no idea the effect it would have on our lives. 
When it hit the market, Mike became a celebrity and travel and separation
became our norm. The overwhelming response by so many people to the gospel
through Mike's message was the impetus to make us continue.

	I can honestly say though that we had too much success, fame, and
notoriety at too early of a stage in our walk with Jesus Christ. Too much 
was expected from us when we ourselves neede more time to become grounded in
a stronger, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We attended church and
were living a Christian lifestyle, but we weren't ready for the onslaughts
we would encounter.

	We moved several times, I had another baby, experienced a miscarriage
and we spent much time away from each other because of the traveling required
for Mike to minister. If I had been smarter and wiser, I would have insisted
on more time together and less time for Mike on the road. The ministry always
came first and our own personal lives and problems took a back seat and were
never addressed in a healthy manner.

	Our eventual Bible school sojourn was the beginning of the end of our
marriage. Not only was Mike traveling, he ahd to study while he was home. My
time was to the small children and our home. We did not heed the danger signs
between us. We thought we were serving God and that He would take care of us.
We neglected the most precious ministry any Christian has -- the one that 
starts in the home, serving and loving one another first.

	I speak now of the envolvment of Carloyn Alberty in our lives. It was
one of manipulation and personal maeuvering on her part. She succeeded in 
setting herself up as my friend all the while manipulating an unhealthy 
relationship with Mike. Some of our friends at Bible school showed concern
for the relationship that was developing between Mike and Carolyn. Our
thinking was askew making it difficult for us to heed these warnings. If Mike
had gone to another woman stating his love for her I'm sure I would have been
told because I was everything else.

	Carolyn set it up to look like I had dated a man during this time 
(untrue) and alleged to Mike that I did not want to be involved in his ministry
any longer (untrue). She played us against each other.

	This on top of the constant separations, the weariness of the ministry
and the needs of two small children was cause for us to snap. We tried to seek
help and counseling but it seemed ineffectual because so many lies had been 
told and there was too much damage.

	Mike chose to leave the marriage in an unhealthy emotional state that
I can truly say was close to a breakdown. His subsequent marriage to Carolyn
was one of the most painful times in my life. Carolyn's schemes and designs in
my marriage were executed with the skill of a cold hearted and calculated 
temptress, for lack of a better word. She has since written a letter of apology
to me for the pain she caused myself and my children. That statements from her
are reported as truth in this article [Cornerstone] is so hurtful to me and
the statements so full of untruth it is appalling.

	I have chosen to make no statement regarding Mike's life, his ministry
and his walk with the Lord after our divorce. The call of God on his life, his
choice to stay in the ministry are between he and the Lord. He, himself, has
been very public in regards to his path. I feel the fruit speaks for itself.
A friend of mine, who became a Christian through Mike's ministry, said to me,
"Mike never asked me to accept Mike as my personal Savior, he always pointed
me to Jesus."

	Our lives change for the good and the worse but the word of God never
changes. Sometimes we get more like Jesus in certain areas very quickly and 
sometimes it's a long painful wearisome process. He always loves us and He
never condemns us if we ask for forgiveness and keep listening to His voice.

	"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite 
heart, O God, thou will not despise."  Psalm 51:17.

	My exception to this article is that the world will look on it and say,
"We Christians treat our own with stones and hate. We kill our wounded." Why
would they follow us to the Master when we can't show His love to one another?

	I have been forgiven. I have forgiven. I have been healed and mended.
My children are coming to a place of health. I have never cast stones and I
don't expect them to be thrown at me. Maligning half-truths about my life and
the life of my brother in the Lord does not show the heart of my heavenly 
Father. I pray the damage will be repaired.

[signature]
Susan Lee Studer Warnke
July 1992

[certificate of notary. State of California. Orange County. On this the 7th
day of July 1992 before Jeanie J. Ware, witness. 5 pages]

______________________________________________________________________________
Pray.....

BLD

Stay tuned.....
 
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