First? Now to read.

“Tick, tick, tick, tick…” That’s me ticking off all the boxes to the list you referenced above. My abusive pastor was no doubt a malignant narcissist. If I only knew then what I know now, I could have spotted him immediately as a dangerous person.

I would add to Velour’s very cogent list: they will have no respect for the history of the church. They will set up straw men in their sermons to shoot down and will use emotional manipulation as a stimulus for change rather than reason. They will denigrate other churches (one I knew trashed a book from the pulpit that he had not even read himself). Us vs. them, emphasis on fearing those not just like us, rather than lovingly engaging them.

Passive-aggressive comments during sermons, shunning and silent treatment, isolation of those who ask questions.

A behavioral immunity card–they can get away with trashing other people, using abusive language, misrepresenting other’s points of view, because of their position. Leadership care is more important than congregational care.

Shaved heads;>)

I have experienced the utter goodness of God; He is better than we think He is.

-Lead Pastor closely monitors individual giving.
-Pastor is unable to disagree agreeably over theological differences in conviction.
-Pastor treats mature and educated members as threats as opposed to assets in the church.

Look out if you see those three as well!

@ Divorce Minister:

I am shocked that any church member would allow anyone to knowingly track their giving.

@ Divorce Minister:

Does anyone get to look at the giving of the Senior Pastor? I believe you that this happened. No way in heck I would put up with such. So many churches trying to place people under the law as it relates to giving.

@ mot:

Yeah, we refused to sign the leadership covenant agreeing to give 10% of our gross income exclusively to the church. The senior pastors (a couple) didn’t like that. They took action to effectively shut down the small group my wife was leading ministering to single parents. We left.

Two more parts of my series about a Toledo case of child abuse concealed as homeschooling have been posted, for those who are interested:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nolongerquivering/2016/06/shackled-girl-part-3-prepared-statement-by-alleged-abuser/

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nolongerquivering/2016/06/shackled-girl-part-4-dodges-and-hints/

As always, I appreciate TWW’s commitment to justice for children.

It has emerged that this poor young girl might first have been shackled in a dark basement when she was nine years old.

Anonymous wrote:

Then there’s the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). When the church I attended changed to be under C Peter Wagner’s HMI (Harvest Ministry Institute), the visiting “apostle”, Apostle Dr Grand Poohbah Mark Tubbs, author of “The Five Fingers Of God”, told the abusive pastor that he had an apostolic gifting and that the elders didn’t have enough authority to speak into his life. It caused a church split.

What does “speak into my life” mean? I have heard variations of the same thing said at PDI/SGM.

Lydia wrote:

@ Unepetiteanana:
I was going to mention earlier another list item: always check to see if words and actions match over time. These types are extremely good with words and people believe them. The key is to watch Behavior over time. Then one starts to see that their words and behavior do not match.
Knowing what we know about Owen Strachen, your comment with his words is a perfect example of this.

I so badly wanted to ask him if he tells himself this type thing daily. I don’t necessarily disagree with the overall message of his post, but the “tone” -as one commenter on his Facebook said- is strangely … hateful, as if he’s directing this at someone else. Almost passive aggressive? I don’t pretend to know his intentions, but it’s just too much.

Unepetiteanana wrote:

So, Owen Strachan posted this a few hours ago on Facebook,

I wish someone would take the irresponsible young pup Owen by the scruff of the neck and move him somewhere else.

If Own really practiced what he preached, he’d close that outrageous monstrosity teaching heresy, causing harm to women, men, marriages, families, churches, and children – Center on Biblical Manhood Womanhood.

Is it abuse when the pastor is chairman of the board that decides his salary and then hires his daughter to be a pastor in the church as well and also presumably the board that he is chairman of grants her salary?

Jack, yes and it’s abuse to hire all three of your kids and the son-in-law and place them in positions that are not qualified for save their last name then promote them above other more qualified people.

mot wrote:

I am shocked that any church member would allow anyone to knowingly track their giving.

Isn’t that what those little envelopes are for with the space for your name on them? I’ve never used them myself.

I have experienced all of those traits from more than one pastor, even though at first these men seemed very different than each other- turned out it was only a matter of style.

One thing I missed on the list was the ability to put on a superficial “godly” facade that fools most of the people, at least long enough to get them hooked in.

Your article mentions two things that “contribute to allowing abusive personalities in ministry.” I believe Christians also need to examine the seminaries their denomination supports. It seems to me institutions such as SBTS are graduating an inordinate amount of young men who are abusive tyrants. I suggest that the seminary must be encouraging this type of behavior.

And then there’s para-church 9Marx leaders Dever and Leeman breakout session at the recent T4G conference titled “Don’t Be A 9Marxist! Using Church Authority To Help Not Hurt” in an attempt to correctr their “misapplied” teachings on church discipline. Again, when there are so many 9Marx adherents who have misunderstood or misapplied 9Marx teaching on church discipline one could fairly question whether the teaching is really being misapplied!

https://vimeo.com/151655097

Oh – if I never hear another sermon on tithing in my whole life I’ll be good. I’m so glad that the only time my pastor mentions money (not very often) it’s simply to remind us to live generously and thank us for supporting the church. Never any graphs or charts or guilt.

And weirdly enough, though it’s a small, poor church, the people are very giving.

@ Todd Wilhelm:
So, you have the decoder ring? :o)

I have always thought it was the weirdest thing to say to someone.

He didn’t look or sound like a thug. His first sermons were on humility. He courted my attention. He sounded interested in what I had to say. He nodded his head and made appreciative sounds. I though I was being heard.

Then I discovered nothing changed.

Some “gossiped” to me that lunch with the CEO was about how they fit into the CEO’s agenda. Other people started to treat myself and others as pariahs. The “pastor” (CEO) had a magical ability to seduce if not brainwash many. There was a growing perception that the CEO was talking about people behind their backs and disorienting those who were questioning. One person, a gentle soul who was not following the “consensus”, was attacked verbally by someone apparently being sicked on him by the CEO. The CEO personally berates someone yet it was the pawn who was evaluated when they made an issue of it.

The CEO boasted that he wanted to be the CEO of a “Big Church” but almost all did not question that as a goal. The CEO often made bad decisions, often without consultation from the committee or person responsible. When there were repercussions the blame was publicly shifted to the person or persons who were not consulted. While a few drifted away and the left many of those who had been similarly “setup” have continued to attend.

In the midst of this transformation, answers to my questions were very short of sufficient but further questioning was ruled out of bounds by verbal and non verbal clues reminding all present that I was violating unwritten rules. Probing was treated as illegitimate. An accusation was leveled in front of others, “there is no satisfying you” when in reality the concerns were not addressed almost in their entirety. Attempts to go through the church’s “proper channels” to the denomination resulted in violations of confidentiality.

The CEO took two trips to Israel in the first year and a half and boasted of himself as an expert who would be teaching missionaries and other pastors on the “Holy Land”, he was 30 years old, fresh out of seminary.

The sermons were light on teaching and high on film clips. Numerous times the chairs were arranged in concentric circles and the CEO spoke from the center. The CEO appeared to be a chameleon at the podium with little he found important. A sermon preached on the topic of “wisdom” was largely about cynicism and lumped skepticism in with it. This just after unveiling a program that was met by many with doubt, many reacted with the question “is he talking to us” and answered, nah. Another sermon purportedly on the sabbath, the CEO spent half the time instructing everyone that his sabbath was on Friday and it was sacred, don’t violate it.

Many activities were dropped to be replaced with programs run by the staff. The church that used to have dozens appear when someone needed help moving or putting a new roof on their house, now had only one person show up from the church to help a man in his eighties who was moving even though he had been attending and providing much service to the church for 50 years.

The board was largely hand picked by the CEO and most were staff or spouses of staff. Proposals not coming from the CEO were rejected regardless the number of people behind them. The NO was not communicated and no explanation or reason given, you had to get the answer via scuttlebutt. Taking a concern before the board yielded the general response “you are the only one that has brought us the concern”. Later “gossip” with others who left indicated many had gone to the CEO with nearly identical concerns. Initially small transgressions were openly displayed in front of the remaining “leadership”. These were then incremented as time went by, as if to strategically inoculate the CEO so that he could get approval for any action or attitude.

The year after I left the budget ended with a deficit that was about 25-30% of the budget, designated funds were raided to plug the gap. It was communicated to the congregation as a balanced budget.

The CEO still smiles if I see him but many of his minions turn their backs.

From the article: “1. Religious credentialing has overlooked abusive personalities seeking to enter the pastorate.”

I’ve been working on a system of indicators and metrics for “measuring what matters” — which I believe needs to be far more about qualitative issues than quantitative.

My basic framework for identifying people in the public eye — leaders, teachers, church planters, writers, etc. — who prove destructive and disqualified from positions as public roles models are:

1. Do they show conscience about right and wrong?

2. Do they show compassion about the harmful personal impact that wrongdoing inflicts on others?

3. Do they demonstrate congruence, where what they say is matched by the follow-up of what they do?

Every individual I’ve encountered who turned out to be an abusive leader basically failed all three of these indicators. I see them as keys to identifying narcissism and sociopathology. Each of those character issues/personality disorders has additional identifiers, but as I’ve reflected on my experiences and then other research, these three seem to be in an overlap zone.

I’ve been in touch with a few North Americans who are considered both practitioners and thought leaders on church planting, who (like me) believe a new system for church planter assessment is needed, based on a different paradigm of what constitutes “success” and revised research about methodological models and inherent tendencies towards particular tactics of spiritual abuse.

This may lead to a more formal group getting together to actually work on producing this kinds of assessment system. If it does, one of the planks I would definitely recommend is that something like the MMPI psychological profile conducted by a certified counselor replace the usual MBTI personality/temperament analysis with results interpreted with someone who may or may not have some training in that.

As with so many other issues of public health, the costs invested in prevention of disqualified leaders would certainly outweigh the toll taken on people by abusive leaders, and the intervention, treatment, and follow-up support needed after the fact of abuse.

Velour wrote:

*contempt for women and wanting them as second class (related to point no. 1 in many cases)

I am beginning to think ‘contempt for women and wanting them as second class’ is just a symptom of something far worse. Some of the items on this list
converge into some serious psychological problems that can be more vulnerable to temptation and evil.
When Dr. Klouda went through her ordeal with SWBTS, her husband was extremely ill. It didn’t matter to the powers-that-be. They went ahead anyway. I kept thinking ‘what kind of evil are these men playing with that this could happen’.

Yes, I think the sad treatment of women is a sympton of something dark that comes when the sin of pride has cleared away Christ-like humility. The red light: no problem in these men of placing the women into humiliation as weak, ‘needing protection’, and all manner of strange patriarch ‘covering’ by male heads ….. in other words, these women have lost the dignity of their human personhood at the hands of a system where, without that dignity, they are at the mercy of men who flaunt their ‘biblical pride of ownership’ over these women. Pretty sick stuff? Yep.

brad/futuristguy wrote:

Every individual I’ve encountered who turned out to be an abusive leader basically failed all three of these indicators. I see them as keys to identifying narcissism and sociopathology.

It has been of immense help to identify these type of individuals. What has also been helpful is to understand why they can be so attractive to us, at least initially. Were I to get swept up into someone’s orbit I believe I would now be armed with enough skepticism to ask why.

Lydia wrote:

It can take years to see the patterns with the deceivers

“Plausible deniability”, indeed they leave no visible bruises. The truly scary part is they are so charming.

Bill M wrote:

It has been of immense help to identify these type of individuals. What has also been helpful is to understand why they can be so attractive to us, at least initially. Were I to get swept up into someone’s orbit I believe I would now be armed with enough skepticism to ask why.

I think one of the most crucial questions we need to ask ourselves as survivors is, “What made me susceptible to being taken in by this leader/that group/their cult?” This isn’t about self-blaming ourselves for being victimized — it’s about understanding what happened so we can prevent it from happening again to us, and, hopefully, to others that we warn. It’s based on realizing that deceitful people know how to exploit the best sides of our personality and longings to follow Christ, just as much as they know how to exploit the dark sides.

FWIW, I posted a two-part series on this last year: Set-Ups for Being Picked Off by Authoritarian Leaders.

Here’s the link for Part 1: Susceptibilities to Seduction by Those with No Conscience

https://futuristguy.wordpress.com/2015/09/13/set-ups-for-being-picked-off-part-1/

At the end of that article, there’s a link to Part 2: Dynamics of Fatherlessness and Susceptibility to Substitutes. I was especially concerned about how hucksters like Mark Driscoll were exploiting vulnerabilities of men to build his following.

Bill M wrote:

found frequent references to NAMB.

Church planting really started taking off in the year 2000-ish, with the North American Mission Board’s Nehemiah Project. I was in on the first wave of Nehemiah lead planters and interns, in about 2001. There was a stipend involved, which wasn’t huge for interns, something like $1,000 total for 6 months. But there was more significant funding for something like 2 years for lead planters.

I’ve been out of most of those loops for quite a while, but am in touch with enough church planters and strategists to have the impression that church planting has continued as a *major* emphasis for 15 years now. And, IIRC, there was some fleeting talk of merging the financially flaked-out International Mission Board with NAMB, because of its church planting infrastructure.

Lydia wrote:

This. Is. It.

I cannot even tally up how many survivors of spiritual abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment, bullying, etc. I’ve heard say something like, “I don’t want what happened to me to happen to anybody else.” And they show by their personal advocacy for others and/or their social activism that this is a commitment, not just a comment.

I think for me this push toward spiritual abuse prevention and writing about it was amplified by my undergoing two extremely bad church abuse situations in the 1970s and ’80s — thank the Lord, with a reeeally good one in between, or I think I would’ve dropped out of Christianity in 1978! But the bad ones ate up 10 years of my early Christian experience, and both were well before any books on spiritual abuse were published. So it was just me, the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and what few friends I could find to process these traumatic experiences with. Instructive … but really rough going for quite a while.

mot wrote:

@ Divorce Minister:
Does anyone get to look at the giving of the Senior Pastor? I believe you that this happened. No way in heck I would put up with such. So many churches trying to place people under the law as it relates to giving.

I give in cash and once got a bill for what the pastor considered due for my tithe as they had no documentation I had given. After explaining what I give is between God and me as the reason I give in cash, I revoked my membership and.found another church.

GK wrote:

That listing looks like a trait sheet to become an executive senior lead founding number one paster with a green room and underground parking spot never to touch the members hands at Gateway. Complete with the yes men elders-most of which are paid staff.

I have my eye on gateway…

I think every church should be looking at the ‘ways to prevent groupthink’ checklist. The abusive churches tend to do everything in a way that promotes it, with the extra bit of ‘God will get you’ thrown on top.

@ brad/futuristguy:
Well, Acts 29 was transferred to Chandler before the Hinckley scandal.So far, there has been no public attempt for accountability. And worse, it seems any resources the SBC put up with OPM is impossible to ascertain. Evidently this is because of accounting process or something. They don’t track Reformed only or partnership church planting as separate categories. It is all a jumble. And now, even worse NAMB has non-disclosure agreements with some SBC State leaders.

Why would Christian leaders using other people’s money need non-disclosure agreements to work together?

@ brad/futuristguy:
The ONLY resource I had was Ingrid Schlueters Slice of Laodicea.

Time to toss this one out there again. Great Essay.

http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-pope-needs-a-business-meeting

Written to be tongue in check but this is what has let to much of the change in church covenants and the secretive nature of many churches over the last 10 to 20 years. It’s blow back against close inspection of pastors by congregations.

There is nothing new under the sun…. so wise old philosopher once said… especially when dealing with human behavior…

@ NC Now:
Thanks for that! What concerns me is 20 years later the PDC had such influence that too many people would never consider questioning a pastors program publicly. It is the new normal.

And worse, with the Neo Cals you would be disciplined for not obeying Hebrews 13:17.

Warren had great influence on where we are today. His approach was positive. So any questioning was seen as negative. It worked.

Velour wrote:

Somebody mentioned in a post a while back – I think it was here on TWW – that there are some denominations that do require psychological testing of potential seminarians and screen out abusers that way. (Was it…Episcopal?)

Yes, that and more.

http://archive.episcopalchurch.org/109399_13884_ENG_HTM.htm

And still we end up with some people who are/get into trouble of one kind or another. Psychological testing, like medical testing, like academic testing is not a 100% solid indication of mental or psychological health or understanding of some subject.

Gram3 wrote:

The market for abusive pastors used to be limited somewhat by the relatively low compensation. But now pups with sufficient loyalty can get a gig which pays them well as church entrepreneurs.

And I’m guessing a lot of these people are getting double pay, through these para church org’s like CBMW, Gospel whatevers, Acts 29, 9Marxists, etc…And they get to retain rights to everything they write on church time. If you wiggle your way into the right spot, it’s a sweet gig. And people will protect that, by being increasingly controlling and authoritarian. A bad system.

okrapod wrote:

That is now I see it.

I did not find it particularly bothersome growing up to see the ‘head’ pastor a male only. It seems to have expanded way beyond that now, though.

Lea wrote:

And they get to retain rights to everything they write on church time.

Sometimes they get sabbaticals, as Kevin DeYoung did, to write a book which the allied publishers will promote. One would think that the church should at least participate in the royalties.

Lydia wrote:

The ONLY resource I had was Ingrid Schlueters Slice of Laodicea.

Back in “the old days,” there were so many issues where people affected suffered is silence unless we stumbled across a book or by chance found someone else who got it about the situation. Thank the Lord for the internet, and those who’ve brought hope and made connection more possible …

@ Lea:
The church is in metro Dallas. The retirement community is in Florida. Sorry for the confusion which I totally own.

“When it comes to controlling human beings, there is no better instrument than lies. Because you see, humans live by beliefs. And beliefs can be manipulated. The power to manipulate beliefs is the only thing that counts.”

In a capsule, that describes indoctrination to reformed theology. Unfortunately, a multitude of America’s youth have bought the lie and hopped onto the New Calvinist bus. To them I say “Read your Bible, pray for the Holy Spirit to teach you (not man) and you won’t have to worry about ‘correct’ doctrine.”

Gram3 wrote:

Dee asks in the OP:
I wonder if [Matt Chandler] has since remedied this lack of mature elder and pastoral leadership?
Hahahahahahahahahaha.
OK, seriously. Dee is way too charitable in her description of Chandler and the ELDERS at The Village. Which, ironically enough for a Millennial church, is a YUUUUUUUGE retirement community in Florida. But I digress. This was an EPIC FAIL by the ELDERS who act according to the wishes of Chandler. Yet, what was the consequence for Chandler? He did one non-apology apology sermon which consisted of “We should have done the horrible thing we did to Karen Hinckley with more gentleness.” Then, after his non-culpa mea culpa, he is rewarded with more speaking gigs. There are no consequences for those who are Too Big to Fail, no matter how large the failure.

Consequences are for the little guys, not for the Big Dogs. What Chandler and his elders did metited immediate resignation with the assets of the church sold off and given to those they have ‘disciplined’ so brutally through the years. The faux humility in the non-apology apology seems to be part of the immunity card they carry. A missed opportunity by Chandler and his elders to imprint more on Jesus.

I think I start every post this way – “sorry to post something off topic”. I really do appreciate the current post here but I thought this article by Jonathan Merritt might be of interest to others reading/commenting here. His article is one of the best I’ve read about TGC.

http://religionnews.com/2016/06/06/the-gospel-coalition-and-how-not-to-engage-culture/

@ R2:

“Restricting the pastorate / teaching roles is a common, traditional practice across many Christian denominations. You might not agree with it but it can be defended with the Bible. It’s a standard position. If a pastor or church holds that position it’s not indicative of much.

If they’re really hung up on it, or if they expand “complementarianism” past the traditional position and get into kooky talk about “male leadership” then you should probably look for another church.”
++++++++++++

seems to me that one cannot espouse “Restricting the pastorate / teaching roles” and human equality at the same time. i think it’s indicative of much.

what is the traditional position of complementarianism? why is that not problematic?

Nick Bulbeck wrote:

Accordingly, who “spoke into” who’s life was rooted in, and an indicator of, who stood where in the church pecking-order.

Nick, you’re British Isles.
This sound familiar?

King
Prince of the Blood
Duke
Marquis
Earl/Count
Baron
Baronet
Knight
Esquire
LOWBORN COMMONERS

Gram3 wrote:

OK, seriously. Dee is way too charitable in her description of Chandler and the ELDERS at The Village.

The Village?

“Who are you?”
“The New Number Two.”
“Who is Number One?”
“That would be telling.”

Bill M wrote:

“Plausible deniability”, indeed they leave no visible bruises. The truly scary part is they are so charming.

Successful Sociopaths usually are.

siteseer wrote:

One thing I missed on the list was the ability to put on a superficial “godly” facade that fools most of the people, at least long enough to get them hooked in.

“For Satan himself can transform himself to appear as an Angel of Light.”
— some Rabbi from Nazareth

(And these days I’m convinced the Rabbi was talking about how successful Sociopaths are masters of camouflage.)

@ Deb:
Deb:

I am still waiting for a thorough explanation of why over 1000 missionaries were brought home and over 210 million dollars was overspent over a 5 year period. Little to no money from me in the future to Lottie Moon and the Annie Armstrong offerings.

mot wrote:

@ Deb:
Deb:
I am still waiting for a thorough explanation of why over 1000 missionaries were brought home and over 210 million dollars was overspent over a 5 year period. Little to no money from me in the future to Lottie Moon and the Annie Armstrong offerings.

Wade Burleson (pastor, here on TWW’s E-Church on Sundays) wrote about that:
http://www.wadeburleson.org/2015/09/a-platt-full-of-trouble-imbs-fiscal.html

Lea wrote:

And people will protect that, by being increasingly controlling and authoritarian. A bad system.

And recruiting many who want the same gig. It is very Amway like.

Gram3 wrote:

OK, seriously. Dee is way too charitable in her description of Chandler and the ELDERS at The Village…This was an EPIC FAIL by the ELDERS who act according to the wishes of Chandler. Yet, what was the consequence for Chandler?

What Matt Chandler and The Village Church did to Karen was truly vicious. 6000 people were given her personal business, and an attack on her, from The Village Church pastors/elders.
This was her personal business, about her marriage, and her life. They had no right. Karen, besides being deceived by her ex-husband about his interest in kids, having abused some, and child porn, would have NEVER married him had he told her the truth about himself. He lied. The Texas judge annulled their marriage, which Karen wanted and deserved.

All kinds of people made vicious attacks on Karen on the internet on blog after blog, taking the marching orders of Chandler & pastors/elders. A truly cult-like reaction.
They chastized Karen, per Chandler and the elders.

After this website and others covered this horrendous story, and many of us contacted The Village Church, Matt Chandler and another pastor met with Karen at her friends’ home and he apologized and asked for forgiveness, which she gave him.

But really. It should have never come to this. That poor woman had been though enough!

Headless Unicorn Guy wrote:

“For Satan himself can transform himself to appear as an Angel of Light.”
— some Rabbi from Nazareth

Strictly speaking, that was some Pharisee fae Tarsus, who was a follower of some Rabbi fae Nazareth. In fact I bet they promoted each other’s books and shared a platform together. You know how it is with these people.

If only that Rabbi fae Nazareth had had his eyes opened to the Gospel™ through studying Calvin.

This may be off topic but over at SBC Voices the current topic is that the 25 SBC offices being voted on at the upcoming convention will all be filled by white men. I’m confident that my comment about if even one woman was being voted on to fill one of these 25 spots would be shocking will not get past moderation.

It is beyond abusive the way SBC leaders, pastors etc abuse women.

mot wrote:

How is it that no one has been held accountable for this fiasco? It appears to me the SBC is just moving on.

A few reasons come to mind: (1) compromise by SBC’s non-Calvinist national leaders for the sake of unity in the denomination, (2) failure by local pastors at 45,000+ SBC churches to inform their congregations of SBC Calvinization, (3) widespread apathy in SBC pews – many Southern Baptists just don’t give a big whoop about theological drift as long as church chicken dinners are not impacted.

Lydia wrote:

What does “speak into my life” mean? I have heard variations of the same thing said at PDI/SGM.

Another one of those spiritualized phrases – usually means receiving guidance, teaching, correction from another person.

And riffing off of the ‘doesn’t have enough authority to speak into your life’ in the earlier reference translates to “He doesn’t have to listen to you, because he’s higher than you in the hierarchy.’

The pastor under who I suffered spiritual abuse:

*he was a HORRIBLE gossip (how do I know? Because he told me all the secrets of everyone in the church)
*he was liar – lied about so many things from the pulpit and in private conversations
*was consumed with being the ‘all knowing’ bible teacher – could not argue with him
*expected preferential treatment everywhere he went
*surrounded himself with ‘yes’ men
*when confronted about an emotional affair – blamed the other woman, even with evidence proving he was pursuing HER (the elders sided with him, of course)
*found out from his estranged daughter that he physically abused his children, even spanked them as infants for crying
*screwed church members over financially – failed to pay for work done, etc
*attacked anyone who disagreed with them – even having his henchmen ask them to leave the church
*admitted from the pulpit that if he hadn’t gotten saved, he would have been a hit man for the mob (veiled threat, intimidation?)
*had a HUGE problem with authority and had no accountability (non-denominational)

Lea wrote:

It’s for tax purposes people let them track. Makes it easy to write off?

Yes, and the clergy don’t need to know who is giving what.

In many churches, clergy are deliberately insulated from specific knowledge about who gives how much. The Sunday collection is counted by members who can be trusted not to pocket a percentage, and bookkeeping is done by a volunteer or professional bookkeeper. When stewardship time comes around, pledge information is tracked by lay leaders–not to strong-arm folks, but to make sure budgets are met and the church roof doesn’t fall in from neglect. The lay leaders stand for election, complete with term limits. These are crucial safeguards.

None of this is mandatory. Giving is not mandatory. Cash gifts are fine. Anonymous giving is honored (see Matthew 6:3).

Bookkeeping without abuse… what a quaint notion!

Max wrote:

SBC’s North American Mission Board has a goal to plant 1,000 new churches per year; 50%of their budget is for church planting – $60 million last year.

The denomination is shrinking rapidly. Who do they think will go to those churches? I guess they’ll just “forget” to mention that they’re SBC, but with their current tactics, people will leave those new churches too.

Max wrote:

SBC’s North American Mission Board has a goal to plant 1,000 new churches per year;

Jobs Program for all those new Head Pastors coming out of their seminary.

mot wrote:

This may be off topic but over at SBC Voices the current topic is that the 25 SBC offices being voted on at the upcoming convention will all be filled by white men

Can’t remember where I read this, but one author talking about the public face of Christians described a “Christian Leaders taking Moral Stand” described all the “Christian Leaders” in the accompanying photo as “grim-faced older white men in $500 suits”.

Patriciamc wrote:

I guess they’ll just “forget” to mention that they’re SBC

If you walk into an SBC-YRR church plant in your area, you would be hard pressed to see any affiliation with SBC. Their church names don’t indicate “Southern Baptist” … they have cool names like The Journey, Lake-this, Valley-that, etc. You might find some reference to SBC on the “About Us” page on their website, but the “lead pastors” keep you pretty much in the dark about being part of the SBC (while they collect their church planting check from NAMB). The average church member in an SBC church plant don’t even know they are Baptist! But, they like the free coffee/donuts, groovy band, and cross-less message from the pastor.

Lea wrote:

there were awesome potlucks with little old ladies. That is what church should be to me, honestly.

I think the potlucks with little old ladies will continue in heaven. They just won’t have arthritis anymore. 🙂

Max wrote:

If you walk into an SBC-YRR church plant in your area, you would be hard pressed to see any affiliation with SBC. Their church names don’t indicate “Southern Baptist” …

That’s what they did with a popular church here in Nashville – and that’s why I checked out my current church all up and down the Internet. So far, so good.

Propinqua wrote:

I think the potlucks with little old ladies will continue in heaven.

I hope it is optional, because I will do anything to avoid them. First you have to spend all that time getting up something to take. It can’t be just any old thing and it can’t be what you took last time because this is not just a meal, this is a competition of sorts. Then you have to be sure to admire every dish from every person, and horrors if you get the wrong dish lined up with the wrong person. If you take children then their behavior will have to be monitored before somebody says well, poor old (your husband) she not only can’t cook she can’t even get those kids under control. And then there is cleanup and what to do with unclaimed leftovers from people who forgot to put their name on the bottom of the dish. Refrigerator space is limited, and somebody has to agree to come back later and solve it and/or agree to be on call to produce said dish when whoever realizes that she left her dish behind.

And if it is dinner on the grounds after church, then the whole day is basically shot and a headache might be coming on. At which time my point would be, who stole my day of rest anyhow? Does the bible say I have to do this? Isn’t there some chapter and verse that mitigates against casseroles?

Now if we all want to send out for pizza and fried chicken all in disposable cardboard, I am for that.

@ Anna:

“*expected preferential treatment everywhere he went”
+++++++++++

in what ways?

@ mot:

“I am still waiting for a thorough explanation of why over 1000 missionaries were brought home and over 210 million dollars was overspent over a 5 year period.”
+++++++++++++++

perhaps $ could be pooled and enormous ads could be purchased in major newspapers asking direct questions like this. In very big bold font.

Dave (Eagle) wrote:

3. Obsession with growth and church planting to the point of idolatry.

I feel like this is new, too. I never heard so much about church planting before, unless it was in Africa or something…

okrapod wrote:

I hope it is optional, because I will do anything to avoid them.

Ooooh, I get that. I see potlucks as a calling. Some people really love organizing them, and I hope God in heaven honors that as swiftly as he excuses the casserolephobes.

@ Patriciamc:
They don’t care. They are targeting a difference niche. A lot of established SBC churches are debt free and have financial legacies and they eventually have control of it all by making Joe and Bob, elders.

This is the biggest thing to happen to them in their lives. I am watching the tactic now in a church that has been taken over. A lot of folks not happy but they don’t want to look mean and go against the new mission vision the SBTS 30 year olds have for the church. They have gone this far so it seems mean to suddenly say enough. Besides, now it would split the church even more.

Muff Potter wrote:

I remember with fondness the olden times of my childhood and Lutheran soup suppers.

When I was a kid, in addition to potlucks, we would occasionally have some sort of ice cream social thing where everyone made homemade ice cream! That was amazing.

@ Headless Unicorn Guy:

“Can’t remember where I read this, but one author talking about the public face of Christians described a “Christian Leaders taking Moral Stand” described all the “Christian Leaders” in the accompanying photo as “grim-faced older white men in $500 suits”.”
++++++++++++++

this is really a nauseating stereotype. it communicates elite, smug, ivory-tower-ness that can’t help but be out of touch with reality.

I think some churches consider this to be the picture of spiritual credibility and so they emulate (whether privileged silk monkey suits, status quo polo shirts, or trying-hard-to-look-like-I-don’t-care t-shirts).

it is a mistake. it is a picture of an organization that is backward, lacks awareness, and is cocooned in it’s own peculiar alternate reality.

I don’t think it’s a leap to expect that society will be moving more and more in the direction of equality, mutuality.

for the simple reason of common sense and statistics (ie- in developing nations, families and communities have a higher quality of life when women control the money). http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2012/03/revenga.htm

but I’m sure this makes some quake in their boots, finding it insupportable because….. because…. it’s not biblical! (that convenient catch-all). so ‘we’ll double-down on that culture-war, slowly back away and make the sign of the cross with 2 fingers against eeeeevil feminism.’

Lydia wrote:

A lot of folks not happy but they don’t want to look mean and go against the new mission vision the SBTS 30 year olds have for the church. They have gone this far so it seems mean to suddenly say enough. Besides, now it would split the church even more.

Sunk Cost Fallacy — the con man’s friend.

Get the mark in too deep to back out, financially and emotionally.

Dave (Eagle) wrote:

7. No one knows what the leadership makes.

But we know how many breath mints are in the budget…

7. Pastoring is not about taking care of the sheep, but a ticket to white, middle class suburbia.

Sorry, guys, a Furtick Mansion, Private Jet, and/or Star Scott Exotic Car Collection is NOT “middle class suburbia”.

elastigirl wrote:

@ Anna:

how old was this bozo?

late 50’s

@ Headless Unicorn Guy:

AKA the ‘Psychology of Previous Investment’. It works in all sorts of scenarios, too! A lot of tech corporations depend on it to maintain brand loyalty. Makes change very slow and difficult, whether that’s for good or ill…

Copies of “Thugs In The Pulpit” should be inserted in every church bulletin in America next Sunday! But that probably ain’t going to happen, lest the church members recognize some of the thug traits in their leaders. As Dee notes “Lay people tend to trust their pastors and do not view them in the same manner that they view civic leaders.” Folks, it is well past time to pray for discernment about the leadership you have subjected yourself to. Too many charlatans have slipped in the back door. If you find your “pastor” to be controlling, intimidating, and manipulative, put that church in your rear view mirror. It’s better to be shunned for a season, than to have your spiritual life snuffed out by an oppressive leader.

Jack wrote:

elastigirl wrote:

I don’t think it’s a leap to expect that society will be moving more and more in the direction of equality, mutuality.

I hope I am wrong but SBC will be one of the last groups to “allow” women to be equal. It is beyond comprehension what this denomination has done to women. They use the Bible, but only by using certain verses and piece of verses.

Lydia wrote:

It is rather strange the lengths they are going to play the race card (rebranding image…see we care and we are nice!) but gender roles are in full throttle with their comrades at CBMW and the sanctified testosterone.

Why do they forgot they elected Fred Luter a few years ago as President?

It is all a deflection from all the nasty stuff that has come out. Russ Moore made his bones on Patriarchy while at SBTS. Now that he is a national brand, it is about race all the time.

I don’t think Patriarchy would sell as an editorial for the NYT or WaPo.

We are not talking ideologue but opportunists.

Lydia, they want to act like they are all so surprised about all white men being elected to the 25 positions. I guess I am not nice as I have asked many times why Fred Luter ran unopposed?

Velour wrote:

This is a solid plan.

It’s got its down sides, but there is wisdom in the approach. On a related note, I was surprised to learn that in the early church (before Constantine) there was a time when Gentile converts had to undergo a 3-year learning process before they could become baptized and receive communion. I guess the early church didn’t understand how to be seeker-sensitive.

ATTN Headless Unicorn Guy
HUG was asking about the topic discussed on the page below on a thread here or at Julie Anne’s blog a couple of weeks ago. I thought he’d like to see this. HUG, if you do see this, could you please let me know? Thank you. This might help you understand why sometimes women oppress other women.

The Most Insidious Forms of Patriarchy Pass Through the Mother
http://www.womboflight.com/the-most-insidious-forms-of-patriarchy-pass-through-the-mother/

@ Burwell:

It’s the wrathful and impersonal god of John Piper who hates all humankind, but it is willing to put up with those made into his obnoxious in-laws through the blood of Christ.

If you don’t teach of this god, your church will start preaching prosperity gospel and holding gay weddings in no time.

Seriously, there is a poster on this board who posted a blog on how Piper’s rejection of “Imago Dei” is the wellspring for all his other bizarre, extreme, and mean beliefs, but I can’t find it. I’ve come to agree. Does anyone else remember?

Ken F wrote:

On a related note, I was surprised to learn that in the early church (before Constantine) there was a time when Gentile converts had to undergo a 3-year learning process before they could become baptized and receive communion.

That’s a long time to become baptized and receive communion. Not the way Jesus would have done it.

okrapod wrote:

Perhaps I am making too much of this, but religion-specific food may be a tip off to something that I am missing.

I’m having a new faith crisis: last summer I discovered IPAs, but now I’m hearing this is the favored drink of the YRRs. Does that make me bad?

okrapod wrote:

This is why God created women, when He looked at Adam and said that boy is pitiful, he needs help in the worst sort of way.

Ha!

I think that was me saying I thought you said once you weren’t southern. have you seen the s*** southern women never say video? My favorite is ‘can you teach me to make a casserole’ 🙂

Although I will say I do not touch chitlins myself.

Velour wrote:

That’s a long time to become baptized and receive communion. Not the way Jesus would have done it.

It sure is a long time. Here’s the old-school way:

“And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. ”
(Acts 8:36-38 [KJV])

Bang zoom, done! Philip did not say, “I’m sorry Mr. Ethiopian Eunuch, but actually you must study for three years first.” Mr. Eunuch would have said something to the effect of WT#? (ed.) And rightfully so. No, Philip said “let’s go”.

@ okrapod:
The Greek Orthodox Church here has the absolute best food at their festival.

Ken F wrote:

okrapod wrote:
Perhaps I am making too much of this, but religion-specific food may be a tip off to something that I am missing.
I’m having a new faith crisis: last summer I discovered IPAs, but now I’m hearing this is the favored drink of the YRRs. Does that make me bad?

I discovered IPAs in Leeds, UK…..if it makes me bad, then I’ll be bad….

Ken F wrote:

The one point he made that stuck is the “church” has always had to respond to the pressure of the times. This resulted in many practices and customs that we might not like, but before we get too harsh on our ancestors in the faith, we have to remember that we are also creating customs and practices as we respond to the pressures of our time.

Thanks for the name of the book title and the author. I will add it to my list of books to read.

I guess I’m saddened, no matter what the time period is and the institutional church, that rules of men trump demonstrating the love of God to fellow Christians and unbelievers and that Jesus’ simple message is complicated with rules, rules, and more rules. Just sad.

The thief on the cross didn’t have to jump through hoops such as a Christian tract, a certain prayer, memorizing Bible verses, a Membership Covenant, baptism, or communion to be accepted by God and to be with Him in Paradise.

okrapod wrote:

The following comment is true but light hearted.
Speaking about church food, and noting that mention has been given here to the Lutherans of somebody’s childhood I want to say that while we were out in the midwest we used to go to this or that spassfest in central Illinois. In addition to the beer truck from the brewery in St. Louis there was always some fund raiser food tent set up by some Lutheran church with some of the best food you can imagine. My absolute favorite was sweet sour red cabbage.
Which brings me to something suspicions (or not) that I have come across. Here is my town my path crosses with a local Lutheran church and by some hook or crook they got my money and I got their cookbook, and behold that cookbook did not include a recipe for sweet sour red cabbage. Not even a hint. Nothing. Now I am thinking that they may be faux Lutherans. They do keep saying that salvation is by faith alone, which sounds very Lutheran, but where is the cabbage? Perhaps I am making too much of this, but religion-specific food may be a tip off to something that I am missing.
And for whoever said I was not a southerner, let me say that hereabouts we consume pulled pork barbecue and chicken stew as religious practices. Also some grown men gather as a group and eat chit’lins in cream just to show that they can, after consuming significant amounts of white lightning to brace for the ordeal. This is why God created women, when He looked at Adam and said that boy is pitiful, he needs help in the worst sort of way.

No red cabbage with the Lutherans I know…..and if I have to eat chit’lins to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, I will just just prepare myself for fire and brimstone….its got to be better than chit’lins……

@ K.D.:

IPA’s
+++++++++

let’s all be “bad” together!

(after all, bad is as bad does)

okrapod wrote:

Does the bible say I have to do this? Isn’t there some chapter and verse that mitigates against casseroles?

Yes. The verses on fasting. Fishes and loaves.

In your defense, I don’t think a casserole is even “Biblical” (TM) because after all it’s not in the Bible.

Ken F wrote:

Lydia wrote:
I thought it was Starbucks
That’s a huge relief. I learned to love espresso from my time in Italy. No one makes espresso like the Italians. They make it a glorious combination or art, science, and religion. By contrast, Starbucks should be prosecuted for the way they serve espresso.

Thank goodness, I’m enough of a Cajun our coffee of choice is Baton Rouge’s Community Dark Roast…not fancy enough for the YRR crowd….

http://www.bpnews.net/43691/trustees-imbs-platt-unfolds-fivepoint-strategy

“while presiding over his first trustee meeting as head of the mission agency….Platt brought three personnel recommendations to IMB trustees…describing the moves as “high-level, 40,000-foot decisions” designed to “set the stage” for subsequent decisions in the days to come.”

“First, IMB trustees approved Sebastian Traeger, an innovator and entrepreneur based in Washington, D.C., to serve as the agency’s executive vice president. Traeger, 40, is an elder at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C….He will replace Clyde Meador, 69, who has served in the role since July 2003.”

“Meador will move into a new position as executive advisor to the president.”

“Trustees also voted to approve Zane Pratt, 57, as vice president for global training.”

Zane Pratt followed Mark Dever as pastor of New Meadows Baptist Church, Topsfield Mass., the church that inspired Dever’s ‘Nine Marks’ and later collapsed after Andy Davis’s pastorate. He is praised by Dever in the 9 Marks book:

https://books.google.com/books?id=ghpT5tH10nQC&pg=PA269

More info on Zane Pratt’s friendship with Dever here:

http://thewartburgwatch.com/2013/03/20/crosscon-com-a-calvinista-student-missions-conference/

K.D. wrote:

Someone answer me this….are the SBC, YRR now consuming alcoholic beverages?
If so, why were we youth in the 1960s and 1970s ” scared ” so badly about the “evils of drink ” from every SBC pulpit in East Texas??
When did this change? Or did it?

I don’t think it’s technically sbc, but everybody I met at gateway was drinking constantly.

Ken F wrote:

According to John MacArthur (featured T4G speaker) they are: “If everything you know about Christian living came from blogs and websites in the young-and-restless district of the Reformed community, you might have the impression that beer is the principal symbol of Christian liberty.”

Some are consuming alcohol, some aren’t and still use the Prohibition-type arguments from Protestants that it could “make a brother or sister stumble” who is an alcoholic.
The non-drinkers will send emails before social events at restaurants reminding people not to order alcohol. Giving anyone a gift of alcohol in these groups is akin to giving them illegal street drugs and marks you as *horrible person*.

Curiously the majority of the NeoCal crowd is overall very irresponsible about sex offenders and gives them access to churches and children, because they have “accepted Jesus”. It’s not consider a stumbling block to give them access to children.

K.D. wrote:

Someone answer me this….are the SBC, YRR now consuming alcoholic beverages?
If so, why were we youth in the 1960s and 1970s ” scared ” so badly about the “evils of drink ” from every SBC pulpit in East Texas??
When did this change? Or did it?

You can find some Acts29 pastor bios that specifically mention their love of beer. It’s a signal to young people who grew up in the SBC that they’re the cool and chilled out church, not like their Footloose style Baptist churches of the past. Of course what you get instead is what we talk about here.

@ Ken F:
I learned to love espresso from the Cubans. They drink it in 100 degree weather.

Starbucks is vile, IMO.

K.D. wrote:

No drink, no women leadership, no gambling, tithe, tithe, tithe….and they said for years no ” works” for salvation…..we were lied to weren’t we?

KD, pretty positive the current SBC lifeway summer emphasis is on giving-tithing.

I am confident we are not under the law to tithe.

mot wrote:

K.D. wrote:
No drink, no women leadership, no gambling, tithe, tithe, tithe….and they said for years no ” works” for salvation…..we were lied to weren’t we?
KD, pretty positive the current SBC lifeway summer emphasis is on giving-tithing.
I am confident we are not under the law to tithe.

I am too…..once again, lied to….

roebuck wrote:

JYJames wrote:
@ Velour:
Well, if one is a macho guy in the patriarchal system, the one who offends little children is not a threat to the big macho guy. It would take empathy to understand the threat to children, and the macho guys at the top seem without.
I recall something about millstones and deep bodies of water if you mess with the kids… one of the less subtle messages from our Lord…

The NeoCal Boyz appear to just read Paul. They haven’t gotten to The Gospel yet and appear to understand anything Jesus said.

K.D. wrote:

If so, why were we youth in the 1960s and 1970s ” scared ” so badly about the “evils of drink ” from every SBC pulpit in East Texas??

It wasn’t just East Texas K.D. Papa Chuck (founder of Calvary Chapel in Southern Cal.) had an almost Islamic aversion to alcohol. Just last week I heard one of his old guard pastors on radio expound upon the evils of even a good Chianti with your favorite pasta and sauce.

@ Muff Potter:
No Cabernet with your steak??? How dreadful.

@ siteseer:
Heh, not sure what happened to that link- should be http://www.gq.com/story/inside-hillsong-church-of-justin-bieber-kevin-durant

okrapod wrote:

This is why God created women, when He looked at Adam and said that boy is pitiful, he needs help in the worst sort of way.

Like!

mot wrote:

The SBC leaders love to rule over people. They may have read the Bible, but they sure seem inept in interpreting it as Jesus would.

As a Catholic, I remember being very shocked when I learned that the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 removed this from the BF&M 63:
” The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ. (from the BF&M ’63)”

When I asked about this on SB blogs, I was told that it was ‘too non-specific’ and that ‘liberals’ had mis-used it.
Well, now, the misogyny of patriarchy has entered into the SBC, and now, the neo-Cals with their strange ESS theology, and on and on with cultic practices of ‘signing membership documents’.

Was a sorry day for the SBC when ” The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.” was removed from their BF&M 2OOO. If they were afraid of that phrase, they certainly were not afraid to open the door to some very extreme alternatives. I agree that ‘ The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.’ is no longer a part of the SBC leadership direction, and I see this as the SBC wandering farther away from mainline orthodox Christian beliefs.

If the SBC guiding principle is no only ‘ The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.’;
then to which ‘mother ship’ does the SBC report to and take its interpretation from? the neo-Cal masters? the Dominionists? from the strange cruel world of the Pearls, and the Duggars?
from that weirdo up in Moscow, Idaho?
A door closed for the SBC in 2000, and since then, they haven’t had to worry about ‘ The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.’ The tragedy of this departure from viewing sacred Scripture through the lens of Christ is revealed in the harm people have endured as a result.

Ken F wrote:

I’m having a new faith crisis: last summer I discovered IPAs, but now I’m hearing this is the favored drink of the YRRs. Does that make me bad?

So what if the YoungRebelliousReformed faddists like IPA? They don’t own it – IPA was around long before they were and this ground needs re-taking. Drink Responsibly™ * and give thanks!

* “Drink Responsibly” is a phrase that is now required to be printed on all packaging and labels used with alcoholic drinks over here. Hence my use of the ™ . I’m not parodying the idea, of course – I agree with it.

Nick Bulbeck wrote:

Apparently following Jesus is for liberals now, then.

maybe it always has been, NICK 🙂

Christiane wrote:

A door closed for the SBC in 2000, and since then, they haven’t had to worry about ‘ The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.’ The tragedy of this departure from viewing sacred Scripture through the lens of Christ is revealed in the harm people have endured as a result.

The sad part is that the SBC leaders could careless about the people who have been harmed in the SBC–IMO they are heartless.

I have sort of an unrelated question, I remember people discussing the covenant marriage stuff on some of the duggar threads, because I guess Arkansas has it? I have a friend whose husband has been having an affair and I guess she’s in a covenant marriage…I hope it isn’t a pita to get out of!

@ Nick Bulbeck:
What makes you think they are conservative?

@ Lydia:
Thanks, Lydia, that makes $ense ….
I should have thought ‘Al Mohler’ every $ince learning about the Mahaney $candal

@ Lea:

I assume by “liberals” they mean theological liberals rather than, say, Democrats / Commies / whatever.

Long story short: Liberal theology kind of emerged in academia during the 1960’s, it being a trend whereby researchers treated the bible as just another collection of myths written by primitive people who didn’t know any better. The tacit, or explicit, assumption there is not just that the Bible is not really inspired by God – it’s that there isn’t really a God in existence who could inspire anything. Of course, secular discussion of the bible has always treated it thus, but the difference with Liberal Theology as A Thing is that many of these people purport to be defining and speaking for the Christian faith, as opposed to merely critiquing it from outside. I repeat: long story short, and I accept that a potted summary like that suffers from a great many omissions.

This has fed a whole host of false-antithesis / slippery-slope-fallacy nonsense. I.e.: we believe in the Bible, and we believe it is X, Y and Z. If you believe anything different, you’re a liberal theologian who doesn’t believe in God and you’re going to hell – in fact, you’re probably already into dancing and christian heavy metal music.

@ Lydia – this may answer your question as well.

Anyway, ION:

Oven-baked salmon fillet and spiced potato * wedges (or “posh fish and chips” as we call it) for tea tonight. I’m in two minds about whether to pull together a cheese and lemon sauce (which goes wonderfully well with salmon but less so with potato wedges) or do a thai peanut sauce, which kind of goes OK with both. The former involves grating a lemon and making a roux; the latter would mean sallying forth to the local Co-Op in search of lemongrass and coriander as we’ve none in the fridge. I’m not sure I can be bothered to do either, TBH.

* Potatoes are known colloquially as “spuds” in England and “tatties” in Scotland. However, when our daughter was wee and just learning to talk, she called them “bitatoes”. This is so cute that it stuck, and I still refer in-house to “bitato wedges”.

IHTIH

Lydia wrote:

Nick Bulbeck wrote:
repeat: long story short, and I accept that a potted summary like that suffers from a great many omissions.

Yep. The problem is that liberal Theology and politics are molded together by certain groups and they are just as bad when it comes to micro managing, shaming, guilt and groupthink.

Yes. I feel like politics and theology are melding on both sides of the aisle, and this makes it really hard to find a church that isn’t influenced by politics one way or the other. This is especially true in the US, maybe? I don’t know about Scotland.

But you shouldn’t say ‘women can’t do X in church or their marriage because of the trans/gay/whatever movement in politics’, which seems to be the approach some of these guys take. That’s very frustrating.

Nick Bulbeck wrote:

* Potatoes are known colloquially as “spuds” in England and “tatties” in Scotland.

My grandmother, until her dying day, called white potatoes ‘irish potatoes’ (to distinguish from sweet). Spuds is common in the us.

I am confused about a cheese sauce on salmon! I would go with a beurre blanc or simple lemon butter.

Lea wrote:

I have sort of an unrelated question, I remember people discussing the covenant marriage stuff on some of the duggar threads, because I guess Arkansas has it? I have a friend whose husband has been having an affair and I guess she’s in a covenant marriage…I hope it isn’t a pita to get out of!

A person can get out of a covenant marriage, but there are extra hoops they have to jump through. I think they have to at least go through counseling.

Headless Unicorn Guy wrote:

Sorry, guys, a Furtick Mansion, Private Jet, and/or Star Scott Exotic Car Collection is NOT “middle class suburbia”.

Not many attain to Furtick level. How did he get there? I’ve tried to watch the guy speak and I can’t stomach it for more than 5 minutes. What brings people to the place? I am at a loss to understand.

Jack wrote:

Without a doubt,one of the biggest challenges facing churches is reconciling post modern liberal democracy with iron age ( thanks for the correction,Bill) morality.

On the other hand, they appeal to those who do not want to let go of the iron age.

Christiane wrote:

As a Catholic, I remember being very shocked when I learned that the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 removed this from the BF&M 63:
” The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ. (from the BF&M ’63)”

“From now on, the criterion by which Jesus Christ is to be interpreted is The Bible(TM).”

Or the Koran.
When you’ve gotten to that point there’s not much difference.

Or you’re well down the Road to Socratic Atheism; because then Jesus Christ is not God, the Bible is God.

Lea wrote:

My grandmother, until her dying day, called white potatoes ‘irish potatoes’ (to distinguish from sweet). Spuds is common in the us.
I am confused about a cheese sauce on salmon! I would go with a beurre blanc or simple lemon butter.

Interesting as, famously, potatoes / bitatoes come from the Americas. (Dinnae ken where sweet bitatoes come fae, TBH!)

It’s important to note that I don’t do cheese sauce with salmon – I do cheese and lemon sauce. It’s also important to use the zest of one lemon but the juice of two; the juice provides a nice sharp edge to it that cuts through what would otherwise be a little bit heavy and cloying. I understand the logic of a lemon butter, but the overall effect with salmon would be a bit too oily for my taste. Oddly enough, the addition of cheese to the sauce is as much about texture as it is about flavour. It’s kind of “beurre blanc plus”.

Anyway – better head off to the Co-Op! The weans are wanting cola as well… (not, I hasten to add, as a sauce ingredient).

I just finished reading the book “Pagan Christianity?” by Frank Viola and George Barna. I would imagine this book has been discussed here ages ago. If you have not read this book, you might want to look it up on Amazon and read some reviews.

They discuss how far different so-called ‘church’ is today as it was delivered to the first believers through Jesus and then the apostles. There is hardly anything that is done in Christendom churches today that resembles the first century church. To me, this was an incredible book. It seems well researched and if you have not read it, you will find that most of the things done in ‘churches’ today do not stem from Christianity, but from pagan practices. Worth mulling over.

LateToTheGame wrote:

To me, this was an incredible book. It seems well researched and if you have not read it, you will find that most of the things done in ‘churches’ today do not stem from Christianity, but from pagan practices. Worth mulling over.

Do they talk about more than Easter and Christmas? I’m totally cool with our taking over those pagan practices and making them Christian. I’ll have to check this book out.

@ Nick Bulbeck:

Agreed. But it was not always thus. There was time when folks read the Bible for its own sake and let it speak for itself. People in different camps were moved and edified by many of the same passages. And if they disagreed on other passages? It wasn’t as big of a deal as it is now with all the competing flavors (flavours?) and satrapies warring for supremacy.

Patriciamc wrote:

As she notes, when boys will be boys, girls will be garbage.

Wow. Yes.

I mean, I don’t think that’s fair to boys, because how many boys would find a girl in distress and decide to strip her and stuff her full of pine needles. That is just…what disrespect. God bless the two guys riding by on bikes to show what ‘real’ men should do, and should be taught to do.

@ LateToTheGame

That book got a lot of pushback from many quarters. Mainly from those quarters that appeal to church tradition. I never understood that. Why would we appeal to what came out of the political church state mindset? That book stepped on a lot of toes. And of course history is nuanced so many arguments made about what some saw as poor scholarship.

I enjoyed the book. Some of what it contained I came across in my own earlier research.

Okrapod, thanks for that. I did not know it.

siteseer wrote:

After that, I learned to cut my losses and move on as soon as I saw warning signs. (And, a few churches later, I was done.)

Smart. I recently did the same. Yes, they are prepared for a long haul stealth takeover if it is an established church with lots of old people. It can take a year or 3 before people even ask questions.

I am watching it from a window now in one church I am quite familiar with. It took a year to bring in yes boy volunteers from SBTS and now several are on paid staff. No vote. Which is unheard of there. Now they are slowly getting rid of all activities or events that are led by the pew sitters with a new mission they sold them on. They are abolishing SS over a time and moving toward in home redemption groups run by SBTS volunteers. They are starting with youth.

The thing is these guys don’t want to work –that’s a big part of it. They want to be on stage talking. To them, that is their work. Nothing in the church is more important than their teaching and their message. Everything must revolve around the pastor and his sermons.

Oh and a focus on international missions because they need other people to pay for them to see the world. There are plenty of mission opportunities right downtown. But it’s just not glamorous.

Lydia, thanks for your input back to me. I am going to read the book again after I get it back from someone I loaned it to. The book is going to be controversial for many, but I thought the book truthful, for myself, when I use it to measure what is in my mind that the Bible says after reading it for nearly 40 years. I thought it lined up pretty well. I do not see the church today as lining up with what the LORD intended. I thought it a subject that should have been covered by many but the world is a strange place.

@ LateToTheGame:
I think a lot of people felt like they were dissing tradition. So the question asked was are these traditions a sin. And I think many missed the larger point. And when I say tradition I mean our historical definition of pastor (orator), the pulpits, buildings, polity, etc.

I read it after walking away from the seeker mega movement where I had already come to the conclusion 90% of it was foundationally idolatrous. I was totally alone in that thinking in my world so the book comforted me to some extent at the time.

The absolutely biggest problem facing the body of Christ, in my view, is the thinking that someone has to be in charge of the adults. Why we think like that is probably something we need to spend quite a bit of time on.

@ Lydia:

“Now they are slowly getting rid of all activities or events that are led by the pew sitters with a new mission they sold them on.”
+++++++++++++++

does this ‘mission’ have a name? ‘Every Member Mission’, by chance?

@ LateToTheGame:
Well, I also read it after reading only the Gospels for 3 years over and over. no Paul. I was done with Paul for a while and felt like I needed a Jesus filter and more of the Holy Spirit. And lots of research on church history and even today I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg on that subject.

It was very hard for me to reconcile what I saw going on in churches with the Jesus Christ I came to know. We visit around but I am pretty much a “done” when it comes to the institutions. I live at Ground Zero so not being subject to local church membership in many circles is akin to murdering babies in the Public Square. Even the mega church people have this attitude about going to church.

What if my conscience convicts me that I am enabling bad things if I go to some churches? Is ignorance of what is going on behind the stage a better position? Some think so. During this time a lot of people told me there is no perfect Church. If I had $1 for every time I was told that it would have been worth hearing such prattle.

Why is “perfect” the standard? What does perfect mean anyway? Does it mean I should expect people to sin against me? I could never really figure out why people said that.

Why not have a standard of truth, transparency, justice, equality, mercy? Are they out of fashion?

@ elastigirl:
I don’t know. I bet it has “Gospel” in it. And I bet it is robust.

@ Lea:
Because pew sitters teach SS. And most of them, as a group, agree on what to study. That has been the typical approach in the SBC.

That is now verboten. You can’t have everyday ordinary Pew sitters teaching and opening up discussion on Scripture. (Sigh)

Back in the early days of the Neo Cal movement, you would see them mention quite often that you can’t have just anyone free to share their interpretation of Scripture.

I don’t see them discussing that much anymore and my guess is because they have pretty much taken over and they don’t need to. In the early days it was more about scaring people and shutting down the free flow of ideas and discussion.

And so we are back to the problem that spiritual maturity in the Body will be limited to your 30 year old narcissistic Elder and what he has to teach you as scriptural truth. You see, the young elder is your Holy Spirit now.

Lydia wrote:

Because pew sitters teach SS. And most of them, as a group, agree on what to study. That has been the typical approach in the SBC.

That is now verboten. You can’t have everyday ordinary Pew sitters teaching and opening up discussion on Scripture. (Sigh)

I used to visit some churches and wondered why there was no sunday school…That’s sad.

Lydia wrote:

Because pew sitters teach SS. And most of them, as a group, agree on what to study. That has been the typical approach in the SBC.

SBC pew sitters blindly trust LifeWay SS curriculum. You can’t do that any longer folks! LifeWay is on board with the New Calvinist movement and some of their literature reflects that.

Lydia wrote:

It was very hard for me to reconcile what I saw going on in churches with the Jesus Christ I came to know. We visit around but I am pretty much a “done” when it comes to the institutions.

The church hunting process is exhausting. I’m done with it, too. I know what real Church is supposed to look like and this thing that has set up camp across the American landscape is spiritually draining. I’ve had churchmen tell me that I am the problem, that I expect too much, to just settle down and become like them. I don’t want to be like them! They ain’t scaring the devil when they get up in the morning and he beats up on them and their families all week. They don’t expect much of their leaders either, waiting for the pastor to run off with a deacon’s wife or some other scandal to stain their church.

Once you’ve experienced the genuine, you can never rest and be at peace with the counterfeit. Jesus came to redeem and work through individuals, not institutions. The only institution that He has ever blessed is the Church – the real one, not the one built on the teachings and traditions of men. There has always been the Church within the church; if you can find it, you can worship with it – with a few believers here and there. If you can’t find it in your area, get alone with Jesus.

Lydia & Roebuck,

When we were in our SGM church, we heard a most ungodly message, twisted, not at all what the Scriptures really said. I knew immediately the teacher (who I won’t name) was using the Scriptures wrong. How did I know? I had read the Bible over and over and over. I have come to believe many who sit in church seats do not have any idea what the Bible really says because they simply have no heart for God and will not read it; lazy with no real desire.

The place went nuts clapping and cheering at the end of the message. I couldn’t believe it! Some weeks later I went to one of the main pastors and told him our concerns. He told me, that we were the only ones who had a problem and that everyone who had come to him, had told him how great what was going on (related to the sermon).

We saw so easily and clearly, yet the masses, even the pastors, were deceived, I guess, because it played to the over all goal. I don’t know any other word to use. And like Jesus said, “Wisdom is proved right by her children.”

Lydia wrote:

So I suppose the BFM covers ESS, too?

If you believe Carl Trueman, the WCF excludes ESS, so there’s that. I think that means that the 1689 LBCF must exclude ESS as well. What saith Founders, I wonder, though Dever and Mohler are big-time ESS hawkers. It has always been orthodox, dontchaknow!

Lydia wrote:

During this time a lot of people told me there is no perfect Church.

A t-shirt many of us share…

There is, of course, a perfect church. It’s called The Church. (Peter tried the “don’t join a perfect church because you’ll defile it” dodge once: “Go away from me, Lord – I’m a sinful man!” It didn’t work.) I found it and joined it getting on for 30 years ago. It’s been a steep winding road (and I can tell you from long experience in the Scottish Highlands that steep winding mountain paths are easy to lose and can be hard to re-locate) like Jesus promised it would be. But it remains The Church.

roebuck wrote:

From early adulthood, I would read the Gospels and think “how in the world did they get ‘church (as we know it)’ out of this?” Now in my 60’s, “how in the world did they get ‘church (as we know it)’ out of this?”

That’s my thinking too. Where did all of these traditions and rules come from?

Ken F wrote:

articulation

Typo – meant “inoculation” but hit the wrong word too quick on spell checker…

Nick Bulbeck wrote:

A t-shirt many of us share… There is, of course, a perfect church. It’s called The Church.

Amen! A lady in our very religious, but spiritually destitute, community can be seen occasionally wearing a t-shirt “I don’t go to church. I am the Church!” I think she’s got 21st century church (with a little “c”) figured out.

@ Max:
@ Jerome:
One of the things Mohler henchmen here did is stack state convention committees with wives and daughters of loyalists. Some women had labored for years in the trenches yet the 25 year old wife of a Mohler loyalist would be appointed instead because they needed a woman.

I don’t mention names because there are older junk yard dog type loyalists who sue if you mention names. Some bloggers are well aware and have deleted such things in the past —so it works!

@ roebuck:
Buy a magnifying glass. the print is small in that book.

@ Max:
We never used it. Now it seems to be required.

Ken F wrote:

Does this man really believe in the five points? If he did he would not worry. For someone so concerned about God’s sovereignty and glory, does he not see that there is no way a person can be inoculated against the gospel unless it was God who did the articulation?

This is so true. I have had the same qualms regarding many Calvinists’ attitude toward such things. If God is sovereign in salvation and all, why would it matter which Sunday School curriculum is used? Why do they have to produce “The Gospel Project” to further Calvinism? I guess their answer would be that God uses means, but for a people that believe everything is pre-ordained, I have noticed a lot of worry and fretting about altar calls, children’s ministries, and missions.
I think a lot of the mindset behind complementarianism and Neo-Calvinism is rooted in fear.

@ Max:
Amen.

@ LateToTheGame:
Most are told they are the only ones who have a problem. Might be true or might be gaslighting. How does one know? I am so proud of people who trust their gut on these things and get out.

@ Gram3:
This could be big for the SBC if the Trads ever take it on. The BFM has been used to to demand and guilt over unity.

As many know, I tend to be hard on Trueman. He keeps ignoring his true leadership opportunity. He has nothing to teach me until he comes clean on his role in exonerating Mahaney.

Lydia wrote:

I had a call from a friend this morning who finally came to this conclusion after a year of dealing with a church takeover by the Neo Cals. Her husband and her are done with it along with their 2 teens. Like me, she and her husband both experienced the simple but not perfect SBC church up to the time they left for college. They don’t recognize what it has become.

Looks like a few other SBC members are getting concerned about things, too. From an article today in Baptist News Global:

“The Southern Baptist Convention lost more than 200,000 members last year and baptized fewer than 300,000 new converts for the first time in 68 years, according to statistics compiled by LifeWay Christian Resources. The loss of 204,409 members in 2015 followed on the heels of the loss of 236,467 the year before, the largest one-year drop in membership since the denomination started keeping records in 1881.”

I suppose the New Calvinists will place the blame elsewhere, but it might just be that some in the pew have finally realized the old gray mare ain’t what she used to be. The apathetic pew still ain’t got a clue, but SBC is losing some mature and discerning Christians as Calvinization of a once-great denomination continues unabated.

@ Gram3:
Why do Calvinists discipline their kids? As we all know, they rarely live like they teach

Lydia wrote:

the thinking that someone has to be in charge

You’ve talked to the same people as I have. When I look at the model of the priesthood of the believers, distributed authority, leadership by example, the “biblical” response I have received more than once is “someone has to be in charge”. What part of “it shall not be this way among you” did they miss?

LateToTheGame wrote:

He told me, that we were the only ones who had a problem and that everyone who had come to him, had told him how great what was going on (related to the sermon).

This is where I found the results of the Asch experiments back in the 50’s so helpful to my understanding. Basically 75% of people can go along with the consensus even when it is objectively wrong. Note, Objectively, not subjective things in the realm of much of theology, but objectively, things such as the claim of a balanced budget when it is 30% in the red.

Also note those who adopt the pastor driven groupthink do not struggle internally with, “I think this is wrong but I’ll go along because I don’t want to offend”, NO, they actually see it wrong. Only 25 percent can be relied on to make up their own mind, and how many of them will speak up? My experience and further marketing research is that at most one in five will speak up but it can be as few as only one in twenty of an already precarious 25% minority. Add in a repressive environment and you will likely get down to the one in twenty.

Thus pastor “full of himself”, once he has established trust, can spew out nonsense to twenty people and and at best one person will say it is bunk but it could be one in a hundred, and that is not hyperbole.

LateToTheGame wrote:

He told me, that we were the only ones who had a problem

Let me add there is also the characteristic I saw exemplified by dogbert’s tech support in the Dilbert cartoon series. Upon calling up dogbert’s tech support you always get the standard lie “you are the only one who has the problem”.

LateToTheGame wrote:

The book is very well written. I would love to hear other peoples comments who have read the book or will read it.

Organiz church or what ever you call it is definitely a thread all by itself. I’m not sure I’ve read it, I don’t keep a list of books I’ve read and been guilty of re-buying the book and getting a ways in before realizing the error. That said I’ve read a few books by Viola since my epiphany although a recent one left me wonder huh? You might consult Viola’s own post some years ago on the subject, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/frankviola/stoplookingforanorganicchurch/

I did read Wayne Jacobson book of the similar vein, “Finding Church” that I would recommend. My problem is I have not seen such an idea modeled in the real world so I am still wandering/wondering.

Max wrote:

That leaves about 1 million solid folks still in SBC trenches, but with an attrition rate in that group of 250,000 per year, the denomination is in trouble.

I think it is all about spin with the SBC. Heaven forbid the SBC leaders tell the pewsitters the truth.

@ Bill M:
Well that one was a biggie for me from Jesus Christ when I was reading the Gospels —only. And the fact He openly and directly dissed the religious leaders a lot but said little about the Roman occupiers. (Btw, I think that is one reason why Judas had such a big problem with Him)

That must have confused a lot of people. Here are these dastardly Romans occupying Our Land but Jesus reserved His big ire for the religious leaders of His own Tribe!

We could learn from that. :o)

Spent the last 20 minutes or so reading through all of your comments. I’m the woman who brings Oreos to the Christmas cookie exchange and chips to the potlucks, so I feel like I really fit in.

Tangent regarding Lifeway – I’m not Baptist but I lead a small group and we’ve used several of their studies. (It’s been hard for me to find good, in-depth, reasonably priced materials elsewhere. We don’t have much in the way of bookstores around here and I’m not wild about purchasing stuff online since I can’t check it out first. Open to suggestions). Beth Moore, Angie Smith, Jennifer Rothschild and Priscilla Shirer have all been fine. No Calvinist thumping or “get back in the kitchen” crap. We used a comentary by Warren Weirsbe to go through Acts; I knew he is Calvinist so approached that from the angle of “let’s talk about why we disagree” and we had some great discussions. Plus he’s just a good writer; I always sense pastoral care in his words even when I disagree.

The one we all HATED was David Platt’s “Counter Culture.” I admit that I didn’t check over it as thoroughly as I should have (hence the nervousness referenced above). I expected complementarianism. I expected Calvinism. I was prepared to discuss these things. I was hoping for good discussions on the Gospel and social justice. Instead we got slapped with full-on patriarchy and ESS. It was awful. Every single person in the group, men and women alike, never want to see David Platt again.

So, yeah. Can’t expect them all to be good.

Just a note that long-time poster here Jeannette Altes was able to pay her June rent thanks to the donations of people here. She lost her job, is being treated for a tumor, and is looking for work.
Jeannette did need help with food and gas money for the rest of June.
“Latest update: Thank you all so much. Because of your help, my June rent and bills are covered. I have food for the next week. So, all I need now for June is gas and food for 2nd half of month. I’m still waiting to hear on jobs I’ve applied for. Helped a friend on Friday and he paid me $60 – which paid for groceries. 🙂 There are no words to adequately express my gratitude for all your help. It is overwhelming and teaching me that love really is more than a word. Thank you so much….” June 6, 2016
http://www.gofundme.com/ljahelp

Lydia wrote:

I did a bit of digging on this year’s back. The irony is that the meeting place held, most likely, less than 80 people. A McMansion today would hold more. So is his point a designated meeting place? And how would persecution rule out that need?

Not a megachurch, to be sure. I figured that Ben might have biases of his own.

A friend who has done missions work told us something interesting. When a group builds a building anywhere in the world, all outreach from that group of people will stop within four years. Too busy doing church to be the church,eh Bill?

Velour wrote:

women as second-class citizens, and children as third-class citizens, it doesn’t matter to the Boyz

James 1:27 another not so subtle message: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows.

So women and children and their testimony are marginalized in the industrial religious complex? Possibly the wheel has left the Temple
Ezekiel 10:18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.

God asks Ezekiel, “Have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness” (Ezekiel 8:12).

Christiane wrote:

As a Catholic, I remember being very shocked when I learned that the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 removed this from the BF&M 63:
” The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ. (from the BF&M ’63)”
When I asked about this on SB blogs, I was told that it was ‘too non-specific’ and that ‘liberals’ had mis-used it.
Well, now, the misogyny of patriarchy has entered into the SBC, and now, the neo-Cals with their strange ESS theology, and on and on with cultic practices of ‘signing membership documents’.

I saw where you brought this up on Internet Monk. I tried, and failed, to follow Robert’s reasoning on why the Bible can’t be interpreted throught Christ. In my view, to properly understand Paul, we still must compare his teachings to Christ’s teachings. Anyway, interesting comments.

JYJames wrote:

Velour wrote:
women as second-class citizens, and children as third-class citizens, it doesn’t matter to the Boyz
James 1:27 another not so subtle message: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows.
So women and children and their testimony are marginalized in the industrial religious complex? Possibly the wheel has left the Temple
Ezekiel 10:18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.
God asks Ezekiel, “Have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness” (Ezekiel 8:12).

Well said. Thank you.

Lydia wrote:

Lydia would have been the founder of the church of Philippi. (Hee hee,)

Hi LYDIA,
You would have made a great foundress in those days. I do have a problem with the idea of ‘Church’ as buildings per se. The concept of the early Christians was like that of ‘a people’ that could recognize one another, even under the persecution of the Romans in the dark times. They would draw in the sand an arch figure and if the other person was a Christian, they knew to complete the drawing so as to make the sign of the fish, a Christian symbol from the beginning of the Church, and this could be done silently without risk. And when Christians died, they were buried secretly in catacombs, where the community would gather for prayer in secret. The elements for communion were laid out on the tombs of dead Christians, and in time, the Church came to build it’s places of worship over the spots where the martyrs had shed their blood. This must have happened early because St. John refers to the practice of the bodies of the martyrs under the altars in the Book of Revelation. I think Barna and Viola had to be VERY selective in their research, to be honest. The early Christians were networked (connected) through the work of the Apostles and those who learned directly from the Apostles, and of course through the work of St. Paul, whom Our Lord chose Himself. So the ‘early Church’ was so much more than a ‘building’, it was a way of life, a way of praying, a way of witnessing, and a source of hope for resurrection, which added thousands to its numbers.

@ Friend:

😀

brian wrote:

I mean we may do a wonderful work in great faith but a moment even a nanosecond of “self” would enter into it and that world would be polluted by sin that it would be nothing but a stench in the nostrils of a Holy God.

And yet-

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.”
Psalm 103:11-14

I think people make many of these errors because they do not really expect the Holy Spirit to work in the believer’s life. They try to use dysfunctional human strategies to manipulate people into living the Christian life.

brian wrote:

I have come to see, mainly because of the students I have worked with for so many decades is that God is an artist painting a beautiful tapestry which will all be culminated in the great reconciliation. He loves us and has carved us literally in the hollow of His hand. He is so large and so transcendent yet closer than a Brother. I am in awe daily with the little acts of grace I see. Where Divinity in the Person of the Holy Spirit is redeeming all things on a moment by moment basis. I cannot thank God enough for helping me see this even though it is still dimly as in a mirror. I hope you all have a wonderful day.

This is absolutely beautiful. I hope you have a wonderful day, too, and thank you for making mine a little better by sharing this thought.

Bill M wrote:

GSD wrote:
Too busy doing church to be the church,eh Bill
Spend just that minimal hour or two every week interacting with someone directly instead of seat time, give the money to needs besides a building and pastor salary. Do that yourself and multiply it by the weeks and years and measure differential results.

Brilliant.

JYJames wrote:

James 1:27 another not so subtle message: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows.

So women and children and their testimony are marginalized in the industrial religious complex? Possibly the wheel has left the Temple
Ezekiel 10:18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.

God asks Ezekiel, “Have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness” (Ezekiel 8:12).

Yes.

Malachi 3:16
“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name.”

I kind of think we are doing that here.

elastigirl wrote:

@ Bill M:
“now I’d toss in that too many are busy doing institutional church to be the Church.”
++++++++++++++++++
very true. in the last 18 years, so much of my energy and time was earmarked for church activities, all of which were very tiring, taxing, and time consuming (accidental alliteration here). Musician, small group leader, helping with kids’ church, many other capacities. I felt like I was being very productive and it gave me a good feeling. but then I began to feel like I was being used…

From Ann Voskamp: Boys will be boys and girls will be garbage…
From Churchlife: Pastors will be pastors and parishioners will be garbage – used.
From the Word: Love one another.

elastigirl wrote:

and it struck me — what’s the point of giving all my everything to an organization 30 minutes away so it can continue to perpetuate itself, and have nothing left to give my community where I live? my neighborhood? fellow school parents (where my kids go to school)? people at the grocery down the street?

I used to believe I had to give all of my gifts to the church. I do not believe or practice this any more.

@ Christiane:

I don’t really buy into the whole concept of orthodoxy. Orthodox is what a small group decides and everyone else is to accept. Then others appeal to it as truth from history. For example, you and I agree that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh as orthodoxy. Catholics accept transubstantiation as orthodoxy. I don’t.

Freedom of conscious is important and that was missing for much of church history where “orthodoxy” was decided by small groups for others to accept.

I don’t think the appeal to historical creeds as orthodoxy is wise. I tend to think each generation must seek the historical Jesus. I sure wish the Lutherans had done that in the 1930’s!

Lydia wrote:

I tend to think each generation must seek the historical Jesus. I sure wish the Lutherans had done that in the 1930’s!

Thanks for your reply, Lydia. I do know that not all German people who were Catholic or Lutheran followed along with the Third Reich, and I give you the Christian martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer (a Lutheran) as example. I wish more Christians in Germany had had the courage to oppose Hitler, but I wonder what we would do here, if a dictator arose today in our country, may it never happen . . . . likely many of us would work as a Christian underground to preserve what we could of human dignity in the hell that would surely come.

@ Lydia:

“Freedom of conscious is important and that was missing for much of church history where “orthodoxy” was decided by small groups for others to accept.

I don’t think the appeal to historical creeds as orthodoxy is wise. I tend to think each generation must seek the historical Jesus. I sure wish the Lutherans had done that in the 1930’s!”
+++++++++++++

this resonates with me. if one were to argue this perspective and the response is “but where’s the plumbline? where’s true north? how would we know that the historical jesus who ‘influential person X’ is seeking isn’t really Buddha or some novel Frankendeity in disguise?”…

well, how would you respond?

Christiane wrote:

Lydia wrote:
I tend to think each generation must seek the historical Jesus. I sure wish the Lutherans had done that in the 1930’s!
Thanks for your reply, Lydia. I do know that not all German people who were Catholic or Lutheran followed along with the Third Reich, and I give you the Christian martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer (a Lutheran) as example. I wish more Christians in Germany had had the courage to oppose Hitler, but I wonder what we would do here, if a dictator arose today in our country, may it never happen . . . . likely many of us would work as a Christian underground to preserve what we could of human dignity in the hell that would surely come.

Likely, that is what would happen . . . but I confess, I’m rather cynical. I honestly think that if the church were forced to meet in secret, we’d spend so much time arguing over the “correct” way to do things that we wouldn’t get anything done!

Lydia wrote:

People in my former Church actually complain about their lack of organizational and work
But as my late mother used to say, if you don’t put feet to your prayers what is the point?

I recently heard a Matthew West song with the lyrics: I shook my fist at God and demanded, “Do something!”

He responded: “I did do something. I made you.”

@ Christiane:
I am aware that not all were on board. I have read Bonhoeffer, thanks.

The bigger problem of the timed were the concepts of “princes of the church” who represented an institution and therefore a people. Not good. That is part of the problem of not understanding the historical Jesus. Too many identify with a institution thinking it is the same as identifying with Christ. It is not.

If the quasi official state church at the time recognized the historical Jesus, would they have gone along early on with the encroaching Aryan laws. It started pretty mild. The propagandists actually used Luther’s writings to bring them on board. Another Prince of the church.

The whole point I am making is we need to understand this so we wont allow it to get to that point. I am not one who believes that persecution is necessary for salvation. Or that handing over our freedoms to government’s is wise.

Friend wrote:

In many churches, clergy are deliberately insulated from specific knowledge about who gives how much. The Sunday collection is counted by members who can be trusted not to pocket a percentage, and bookkeeping is done by a volunteer or professional bookkeeper.

My husband (an IRS employee) is one of two people that helps count the contribution on Sundays. When they count the contribution, the door to the church office area is locked. One of the staff members is in charge of sending out the tax statements. (My son contributes a dollar a week in an envelope where he writes his name. When we got our tax statement, there was a long list of 1.00 contributions. I thought it was nice that they made sure that his contributions counted as well. BTW, the person that is our church bookkeeper was also my son’s Sunday School teacher at one point.)

Tina wrote:

I recently heard a Matthew West song with the lyrics: I shook my fist at God and demanded, “Do something!”

He responded: “I did do something. I made you.”

West should have continued after the “I made you” thing with something along the lines of: …now what are you gonna make?

@ Lydia:

Understood and agreed Lyds.

Tina wrote:

mot wrote:

@ Divorce Minister:
I am shocked that any church member would allow anyone to knowingly track their giving.

We do get a statement once a year about how much we’ve given when. This is for tax purposes. When you’re talking about your giving being “knowingly tracked”, is this an example of what you’re referring to?

No, I realize most churches give a tax statement at the end of the year. What I mean by “knowingly tracked” is someone or someones else looking at my giving and commenting to me about my giving or lack of giving. This would be unacceptable to me.

In keeping with the original topic of this thread, yes, there are indeed thugz in the pulpit.

@ Max:

Yes. The cycles repeat themselves like a sine function.

sounds like thugs run this joint of a website……

Hint: Only Jesus knows the heart. the writers of this blog/website are thugs.

Has anyone heard of Calvinist taking over a neighborhood.We live in a condo and had some retired Calvinist on the board and volunteering for most of the work.Slowly alot of their retired friends move in and alot of the good guy saw the handwriting on the wall and moved out .We can not get anything done as it is a them or us mentality.We put our house up for sale and moved out as we can not stand their nosy behavior and refusal to fix a ten year standing water issue in our back yard .Found out today one of the pasters of a church we visited for three years brought a home their.This is the same pasters who announced from the pulpit that God elected some people for salvation and not others and that was just the way it was it he would not discuss it with anyone.At the time I was physically ill and needed help.When we finally left that awful place my husband told him he was very disappointed with the church.Paster said since we did not become a member we could not expect help.My husband reminded him he had no problem taking our back tith.As it stands my house has not sold and we stand to loose major money on it.It will probably be sold to a tight fisted Calvinist .After experiencing SGM way of during church I am so glad he saved me from another church that had a thug in the pulpit.(church is now a member of James McDonald’s ministries since we left) Please Pray that my house sells for a fair price,life is just not fair sometimes.

Max wrote:

The SBC will hold its annual convention next week in St. Louis. “Messengers” from around the country will make their way from SBC churches, thinking their vote on certain issues will mean something. They are deceived, because the decisions and direction of a once-great denomination have already been set by the oligarchy.

Welcome to Truly Reformed Geneva, Servetus.

To the author of the article: I love your blog and have found it really helpful. However, I would like to caution you not to put anyone on a pedestal. I know you have been away from Bent Tree for a number of years, but Pete has had his own problems with arrogance and a “has to be my way mentality”. Fortunately, the board was not made up of a bunch of yes men and Pete repented. However, he almost lost his church in the process and hurt some really great people. No leader is immune to arrogance which is why I have a problem with mega churches and satellite churches. It too often seems that when churches get to a certain size, the pastor starts to believe his own press and a spirit of arrogance sets in.

Hi Dee,
I want to apologize if I offended you. I never comment on blogs and while I have read some of your posts, I don’t follow anyone’s routinely so no I hadn’t read the one you linked.

I think your comment about never seeing signs of abuse in Pete triggered a visceral response from me because of some deep hurt we walked through with friends at Bent Tree. Sometime around 2003, Pete and the Bent Tree board fired a staff member for going around a rule that seemed rather high handed and authoritative to me. That we would even know anything about this situation is unusual because my husband and I are fade into the background kind of people. The only reason that we knew anything about the situation is that our children were friends with the children of the staff member. My husband and I felt that Pete was being way too controlling and were disgusted that the board went along with him. To make matters worse, when Pete announced the firing of the staff member in church he said it was due to a moral failure leaving the impression with many that the guy had an affair. This was so hurtful to the wife and children! Ironically, we became friends with another staff member and his wife after we left the church and have gotten their perspective, but still feel that Pete and the board were wrong.

Personally, I think that the celebrity pastor thing that has happened with large churches is really destructive. I think it’s hard for most people to handle that kind of power and adulation. I know a lot of larger churches give pastors sabbaticals, but I think a better idea would be to have them step down from their role as senior pastor for a year and work as an assistant to the children’s pastor even if the children’s pastor is a woman. I think it would be a great way to keep people humble and broaden their perspectives.

I also found it interesting that one of the Bent Tree board members involved in the above mentioned incident is now listed as an elder at TVC.

Again, I do apologize if I offended you. I respect and share your concern about woman being unfairly treated in the church, and your blog has been a great resource regarding the 9marks churches and the problems associated with them. Unbeknownst to us, my family started attending one about a year and a half ago and I was startled when I accidently stumbled across the church’s association with the 9marks movement. Fortunately, we are not the type of people to quickly join a church, and thanks to your posts our eyes are WIDE open.
Blessings,
B