The Wartburg Watch » Sovereign Grace Ministries

SGM Types: Julia Duin to Address Spiritual Abuse at Gaithersburg Book Fair 5/19

dee — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:21:04 +0000

(Regular post to follow) "Current and former SGM members may wonder if they are the only ones in Reform/charismatic circles to undergo the trials they've been experiencing in recent years. Not at all: Those of you living in the Washington, DC area have a chance to hear Julia Duin, the former religion editor of the Washington Times, now writing for the Washington Post Sunday magazine, talk about her book about what went on with Episcopal and Catholic charismatics, whose problems with community life and control make what happened with SGM seem…well, maybe not like child's play, but a continuation of the same narrative. Her book "Days of Fire and Glory: The Rise and Fall of a Charismatic Community" talks about how a famous Texas church underwent very similar experiences and the lessons learned from the debacle She will be talking about her book Saturday May 19 at the Gaithersburg Book Festival, specifically from 11:40 a.m-12:20 pm in the Rachel Carson tent. Her web site www.juliaduin.com has more information about the book. Or you can buy it from www.crosslandfoundation.org. For information on how to get to the festival, where to park, etc., please see here: http://gaithersburgbookfestival.org. Days of Fire and Continue reading →

Written by: dee on Wed, May 16 2012.

Categories: Charismatic, SGM, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Spiritual abuse

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AoR Report Released: Just How Unhealthy Is SGM ?

deb — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:57:16 +0000

"Because we met with such a small percentage of members (less than 1⁄2 of 1%), our observations may not accurately reflect the entire association of churches. Nevertheless, we offer these observations as part of our report." Ambassadors of Reconciliation Report, page 13 Gavel – Wikipedia At long last the Ambassadors of Reconciliation (AoR) Report has been made available through the Sovereign Grace Ministries blog. When this group was hired by SGM's Board of Directors last summer, we had never heard of them so we took a closer look. Historically, SGM has had close ties with Peacemaker Ministries, so it came as no surprise that there are some definite connections between AoR and Peacemaker Ministries. A few years ago we were involved in conversations with Barbara Dorris of SNAP and Jeff Anderson, the attorney who has defended abuse victims of the Roman Catholic clergy and is currently involved in the Sandusky affair. Both of them admonished us to NEVER take our eyes off the victims. We have made this our prime directive here at TWW, and we believe those who follow our blog can testify that we are extremely loyal to those who have been hurt. As we reviewed Continue reading →

Written by: deb on Wed, Apr 18 2012.

Categories: Abusive church tactics, Ambassadors of Reconciliation, C.J. Mahaney, Calvinism/Calvinista, SGM, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Young, Restless and Reformed (YRR)

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Mahaney’s Mind-Blowing Machination

deb — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:55:29 +0000

"Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering." Matthew 5:23-24 Spinning Top THE SPIN CONTINUES… Please read the ADDENDUM at the bottom of the post. Since last summer, the Calvinista spinmeisters, or if you prefer, spin doctors, have been busy rehabilitating C.J. Mahaney's image in the aftermath of SGM Wikileaks. Why? Because they are "Together for the Gospel" and had to ensure that the loyal flock, which has been faithful to attend previous T4G conferences, would not scatter. Booking the KFC Yum! Center was a daring undertaking, and if anything prevented the T$G crowd (OOPS! Why is the dollar sign atop the "4" and not some other number? ) from materializing, there would be $OOO much at $TAKE! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise – IT$ all about the GO$PEL!!! Last August I wrote a post about the 2012 T4G conference explaining how lucrative these mega-gatherings can be. Sure it costs quite a bit to rent the facility, but there's a lot of dough left over… Not Continue reading →

Written by: deb on Thu, Apr 12 2012.

Categories: Al Mohler, Ambassadors of Reconciliation, Authoritarian leadership, C.J. Mahaney, Calvinism/Calvinista, Charismatic, Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, New Reformed Theology, SGM, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Theological arrogance, Together for the Gospel, Young, Restless and Reformed (YRR)

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John Piper Almost Stepped Down: “Interpretation” Saved the Day!

dee — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:04:11 +0000

All human knowledge takes the form of interpretation.-Walter Benjamin The Buffalo Soldiers Infantry-Wikicommons Yesterday, at our usual post church lunch and palaver, one of my friends, who has been a long time fan of Precepts, expressed her concern over the material she is going to study for Genesis. It appears Kay Arthur is pushing a literal 6-day, 6000-year creation as the only viable, literal interpretation of Genesis. We will be discussing this further in the near future. Literalism is the long-standing bugaboo of the Christian community and not for the faint of heart. Many believe that the Scripture is clear enough for a simple plowboy. They view the ones who see nuances and allegory as heretics. However, fool that I am, I have decided to wade into the shark-infested waters of the literal interpretation of the Bible. Bottom line up front: For all of the yammering about the plain reading of Scripture, there is a heckuvalot of “interpreting” goin’ on, even amongst the Calvinistas. Folks, there is a reason we have so many denominations and so many views. And Continue reading →

Written by: dee on Mon, Mar 26 2012.

Categories: C.J. Mahaney, Calvinism/Calvinista, Disasters, John Piper, New Reformed Theology, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Theological arrogance, Theology

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My Deconversion: A Former SGM Music Leader Leaves the Faith

dee — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:01:05 +0000

"Be like the bird that, passing on her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings." – Victor Hugo Dusty Pillar Amongst Newborn Stars-Hubble Sometimes, as we deal with issues such as the problems at Mars Hill and Sovereign Grace Ministries, we can inadvertently overlook the deeper issues of the faith. Our perceptions and doctrines of the faith are forced fed to us by the evangelical leaders du jour who tell us that their view on the faith is unsurpassed. We lurch from issue to issue, forming hard and fast "beliefs" on secondary doctrines of eschatology, creationism and, currently, Neo-Calvinism. In each of these areas we argue vociferously, believing that issues like premillennialism or the age of the earth are salvific doctrines. We forget that there is a world which is watching and questioning our pat answers. Sometimes I wonder if we give our glib responses because it is too hard to struggle with difficult issues. It certainly is nice to tell people that the earth is 6000 years old and not have to think deeply about the complexities involved. We can then get back to picking out Continue reading →

Written by: dee on Thu, Mar 22 2012.

Categories: Atheism/New Atheism, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Theology

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Dear SGM Interim Board . . .

deb — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 03:18:04 +0000

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 (NASB) Dee and I first learned about Sovereign Grace Ministries in the fall of 2008, and we are grateful to the SGM Survivors and Refugees who have spoken out against the hyper-authoritarian leadership and spiritual abuse they have experienced. From the hundreds of blog posts and thousands of comments we have read about SGM, we have heard a common refrain that characterizes this "family of churches". It is C.J. Mahaney's mantra – "Constant change is here to stay." What a contrast from Malachi 3:6 — "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." (NASB) Changes in SGM have accelerated in recent weeks, and they may be just the tip of the iceberg. As we explained in a previous post, C.J. Mahaney has been reinstated at President of Sovereign Grace Ministries. You can read about it here in Christianity Today (January 25, 2012). Mahaney has made it clear that his reinstatement is temporary and that he will be replaced in the near future. Just last Sunday Dave Harvey stepped down from the Interim Board as well as from leadership at Covenant Fellowship Church, where Continue reading →

Written by: deb on Fri, Mar 09 2012.

Categories: C.J. Mahaney, Calvinism/Calvinista, New Reformed Theology, SGM, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Young, Restless and Reformed (YRR)

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Mahaney / SGM – Unprecedented Rescue by the SBC?

deb — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 03:02:45 +0000

"I think preaching and pastoral ministry are where grace is most evident in my life and where my leadership is most effectively expressed. Others seem to agree." C.J. Mahaney We believe history is being made as high profile leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention MEDDLE in the affairs of another denomination, which self-identifies as a "family of churches". Yes, I'm talking about Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM). In case you haven't heard, C.J. Mahaney, who was recently reinstated as President of SGM, is assisting with the appointment of his successor and laying the foundation to PLANT a new church in another state. As the saying goes, "bloom where you're planted", and the word on the street is that Mahaney is planning to relocate to Kentucky and set down roots there. There is also speculation that the offices of Sovereign Grace Ministries will be moved from Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland to Kentucky — most likely Louisville. We have written extensively on C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries, so if you are new to TWW, you might want to browse through our archives. Why is Mahaney leaving the state where he grew up and the church he pastored for 27 years? Continue reading →

Written by: deb on Wed, Feb 29 2012.

Categories: Ambassadors of Reconciliation, Authoritarian leadership, Calvinism/Calvinista, Conferences, Larry Tomczak, Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, New Reformed Theology, Pastors College (SGM), SGM, Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Spiritual abuse, Together for the Gospel, Young, Restless and Reformed (YRR)

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Pastors Ignoring Confidentiality: Having Gospel Gossip Authority?

dee — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 23:20:45 +0000

Confidentiality is a virtue of the loyal, as loyalty is the virtue of faithfulness. -Edwin Louis Cole A Dusty Pillar Amongst Newborn Stars-Hubble/NASA Through the years, we have learned much about how some authoritarian churches conduct business from reading the SGM Survivors blog. Sovereign Grace Ministries was conceived of, and is led, by CJ Mahaney who was also asked to mentor Mark Driscoll. We believe that our readers can learn a lot from looking at membership covenants while considering the anecdotal reports on various survivor sites. It is fascinating how many of the same stories are reported from church to church, regardless of the denominational affiliation. We believe the one common feature is authoritarian leadership. One issue that is consistently raised by former attendees of such churches is pastor confidentiality. There are many reports of pastors who breached the trust of individuals who have spilled their guts under the expectation of confidentiality. Most people of faith believe that pastors have a moral and spiritual obligation to maintain such confidences. In fact, most states have laws that limit the ability of the state to compel a pastor to divulge such information in a court of law. Here is a thoughtful Continue reading →

Written by: dee on Mon, Feb 27 2012.

Categories: Abusive church tactics, Church contracts, Mars Hill Church, Sovereign Grace Ministries

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How Carolyn Mahaney Helped Her Daughters Work Through Their Sin

deb — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:59:54 +0000

"My mom spent many a late night helping us to work through our sin, only to wake up early the next morning to start that process all over again." Carolyn Mahaney's Daughter Mother and Baby by Anna Cervova As previously described in Christian Celebrity: An Oxymoron, Covenant Life Church (CLC) hosted a two-hour extravaganza honoring the life and ministry of C.J. Mahaney. It took place in September 2004, prior to Mahaney handing over the reigns of CLC to Joshua Harris. Both C.J. and his wife Carolyn were honored that evening. Their three grown daughters shared these words to honor Carolyn Mahaney. As the mother of two grown daughters, I cringed when I heard these words coming from the mouth of Carolyn's daughter: "Her mothering was always fueled by a strong Biblical conviction and love for us that compelled her to use all of her energy and creativity. She would spend hours planning activities and special things for us. There was family olympics, mystery night, birthday meals, afternoon out, shopping trips, the list really is endless. However, the hours that my mom invested into creativity were no match for the hours invested in discipling and caring for our souls. My mom Continue reading →

Written by: deb on Mon, Feb 20 2012.

Categories: C.J. Mahaney, Calvinism/Calvinista, Carolyn Mahaney, Child Discipline, New Reformed Theology, SGM, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Uncategorized

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Christian Celebrity – An Oxymoron

deb — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:51:34 +0000

"It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28, Mark10:43-45 (NASB) Julius Caesar – from the bust in the British Museum (Public Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia) Where are the servant leaders Jesus described in Matthew 20:26-28? Mark includes an identical description in his Gospel, which leads me to conclude that servant leadership is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to God. Where are today's servant leaders? Pastoral authority is on the rise in Christendom, while servant leadership appears to be on the decline, based on my observation. As pastors elevate themselves and their colleagues, the flock is being trampled on and injured spiritually, emotionally, and sometimes even physically. Jesus instructed Peter "Feed my sheep". Tragically, God's flock is often being neglected by those who have been charged to protect them. The rise of Neo-Calvinism over the last decade seems to be a huge contributing factor to the scourge of Christian celebrity we are currently experiencing. To illustrate this Continue reading →

Written by: deb on Mon, Feb 13 2012.

Categories: Abusive church tactics, Al Mohler, Authoritarian leadership, C.J. Mahaney, Calvinism/Calvinista, John Piper, Joshua Harris, Mark Dever, New Reformed Theology, SGM, Sovereign Grace Ministries, Together for the Gospel, Young, Restless and Reformed (YRR)

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