The Wartburg Watch — An Eye for Clean Hands Inside the Church By Dr. Jon

The Wartburg Watch is barely a year old and, based on readership, is growing faster than ever! A peak at Google analytics shows a broad geographic spread. People are logging on daily from all over the US and the world.

 

Let me be clear from the get go that I am NOT writing this to brag on TWW. I am just trying to figure out why it has “caught on” the way it has.

 

It was clear from the start that TWW had “struck a nerve” inside the Christian community. But it was not clear exactly which nerve was struck.

 

I suspect there are many factors that have contributed to this response. While the idea of exposing the hidden evils of the church is not new, the blog medium has proven to be an effective means of communication, particularly for those who have been harmed from inside their local churches. Also, the capacity to dialogue in an anonymous manner on sensitive (and sometimes divisive) issues has been cathartic for some.

 

Many have expressed righteous anger for being wounded by their churches when their sincere attempts to remedy problems were met with aggressive and controlling tactics from their church leadership.

 

All Christians seek some degree of approval and validation from their church, or at least fair treatment when problems arise. After all, the local church is supposed to reflect the love of Christ. But far too many churches have attempted to shoot the messenger instead of dealing with the problem. That sort of inappropriate behavior engenders concern within the larger body of Christ and leads to healthy discussion on blogs like TWW.

 

I suspect there are other factors that have contributed to the growth of TWW. No doubt Dee and Deb have had something to do with it…a couple of self-deprecating middle-aged Christian women with plenty of ideas and experiences to share. Maybe it is their “edgy” style. It probably doesn't hurt that they invite controversy and encourage responsiveness.

 

Maybe it is the fact that Dee and Deb are not put off when commenters accuse them of being “bitter”, “wenches", "witches”, “obscure”, and most recently, "morons".  A word to the wise…    such patronizing behavior, intended to silence, only encourages these ladies that they are really “on to something”.

 

But in my view, Dee and Deb are “on to something” far greater than simply another venue for Christians to converse back and forth about church issues. Specifically, TWW provides an effective platform for expression of core freedoms, such as the freedom of speech within the church. That includes appropriate expression about serious church problems which misrepresent the cause of Christ.

 

So maybe one of the reasons for the increasing popularity of TWW is simply that God hates institutional sin and hypocrisy. God’s hand is seen at TWW when such sin is brought out into the open.

 

I am reminded of “The Ozzie and Harriet Show” of the 1950’s in which the inside of Ozzie Nelson’s house was portrayed as idyllic. But musician son Ricky Nelson eventually opened up and spoke truthfully of serious family issues including a controlling father and drug problems, prior to his untimely death. How disappointing that the “perfect family” portrayed on TV was only an illusion of the media.

 

Similarly, the exposure of pedophile priests within the Catholic Church has helped parishioners to remove the rose-colored glasses conveniently provided by those in church leadership. Turns out that the candy-coated picture of the Christian church portrayed by the media is not much more accurate about church life than “The Ozzie and Harriet Show” was about family life.

 

Exposure of church problems is a necessary first step in understanding who we are as Christ’s body. Time to be honest and open with each other inside the church. Time to see the realities of spiritual abuse, church conflict, and hyper-authoritarianism among evangelical institutions. Such are the concerns of TWW.

 

I am reminded that it was Pontius Pilot who tried to wash his hands of the responsibility for Christ’s death by crucifixion. Ironically, such behavior formed the basis for the “rule of law” in the United States which emphasizes the importance of one’s responsibility to maintain "clean hands" in legal matters. Similarly, as members of Christ’s body, we are ALL called within the church to maintain “clean hands”. 

 

Regrettably, far too many church leaders need to be reminded that they are not "above the law". Too many pastors need to re-learn what their mothers taught them… that it is bad (and sometimes unlawful) to lie, cheat, or steal. TWW has made it a point to bring such inappropriate behavior out of the shadows for more public Christian scrutiny. Turns out that the Christian blog format is not terribly lenient about flagrant ongoing sin inside the church. Nor should it be.

 

The purity of the Bride of Christ, His church, is no longer hidden from our view. The Bible says that we Christians are to uphold the law. We are called to a standard of law as Christians which is higher (not lower) than civil law standards. Importantly, TWW helps us to see the serious problems within the church that were previously kept secret. With such insights regarding the impurities, we must face ourselves and take responsibility for keeping the Bride pure.

 

It begins with you and me helping each other to keep “clean hands” inside the Church. Within the Body of Christ, we are each other’s keeper. By definition, keeping things clean is a messy job, but, in my view, TWW is an important part of the solution. Maybe that’s why TWW has “caught on” the way it has.

Comments

The Wartburg Watch — An Eye for Clean Hands Inside the Church By Dr. Jon — 7 Comments

  1. Indeed, thanks, Dr. Jon.

    Dee and Deb, I want to encourage you and your audience and commenters to keep telling the truth about the problems in modern “churchianity”.

    This morning I was reading in 1 Kings 17 & 18, about Elijah and Ahab. Elijah came to Ahab with God’s message that there would be no rain in Israel for years. After years of drought, the next time Ahab sees Elijah, Ahab says, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” And Elijah replied, “I have not made trouble for Israel … But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the LORD’s commands and have followed the Baals.”

    Do you see something familiar here? Elijah, out of obedience and dedication to God, simply spoke the truth. And Ahab, who was leading people astray claims that Elijah is the one causing trouble.

    So, Dee, Deb, and others — next time you speak up for the truth and point out the problems you see around you, and someone inevitably responds that YOU are the problem, rather than those who are doing wrong, know that you are in good company with Elijah.

  2. Indeed, thanks, Junkster. Elijah is a perfect example of a messenger who was vilified for telling the truth. You are a thoughtful person, Junkster.

  3. While I do not agree with everything the blog servants write here, I am a conservative with an open mind. I appreciate the accountability (unwelcome as it may be) TWW provides for leaders in and around the SBC. Although I am a conservative, I am certainly not a denominational purist. For years I have had doubts about the institutions of the SBC and her leadership doing what’s right and what’s called for, now, thanks to TWW, I have some concrete examples on which to base my doubts.

  4. Chris F,

    I’m really glad you are benefiting from the information we are sharing here. Our goal is to alert Christians as to what is often happening right under their noses.

    Thanks for your candor in stating that you don’t agree with everything we write. That has never been our goal. We are just trying to wake Christians up and stir them to action for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

    Please come back and comment again soon.

  5. Chris

    Never, ever fully agree with flawed human beings! Your independence shows that you are a thinking person. One of the problems with churches is that far too many people believe “my church and pastor are always right and fully in line with God.” When sin enters they can’t accept it because they have a closed system. Its folks like you that keep the system honest. We are all given the Holy Spirit which, if listened to, keeps us on the right path. I believe in the priesthood of the believer. God speaks to each one of us and each one of us can be called to stand against wrong thinking and actions. Thanks for your comment.