Conga Line
“What irritated me most in that entire situation was the fact that I wasn’t feeling humiliated, or annoyed, or even fooled. Betrayal was what I felt; my heart broke not just by a guy I was in love with, but also by, as I once believed, a true friend.” Danka V.
7/25/23 I made an error. Pete Wilson is preaching at Northridge Church in Michigan, not Embrace Church in South Dakota. I apologize to Embrace Church which is smart enough not to do such a thing!
This post exposes (Pastor) Pete Wilson’s double life as recounted by his former wife, Brandi Wilson. I wrote about this story in 2016. Pete Wilson, who, along with his lovely wife, Brandi Wilson, started Cross Point Church in Nashville. It was pretty successful and rapidly grew into a megachurch. Pete Wilson suddenly resigned, along with his administrative assistant, Jordyn Wilson, claiming he was “burned out.” He suddenly recuperated enough to take a job as a lead player with the A Group, owned by Maurillio Amorim, who has a rather unusual story himself.
I believed that the real purpose of this resignation was due to Pete’s plan to get a divorce. The clueless elders roundly criticized me. Except, I was proven right. (Still waiting for the apologies, boys.) Here are a few posts you might find helpful.
- Pete Wilson and Cross Point Church: Until There is Truth, Lessons Will Not Be Learned
- Brandi Wilson, Pete Wilson’s Wife, Files For Divorce
- Brandi Wilson Discusses the Devastating Pain When Pete Wilson Chose to Leave Their Family and Their Church. So Why Is He Working as a Long Distance Pastor for Northridge Church?
- Pete Wilson Marries Jordyn Wilson: Buy This Tacky Couple a Celebratory Tacky Champagne Glass
If the reader wants to explore Maurillio Amorim and the A Group, a company serving churches and other Christian enterprises, here is a post. Warning…
Perhaps The A Group’s Maurilio Amorim Could be a Bit More Circumspect on Social Media?
Pete Wilson looks like the typical midlife pastor, married to the much younger squeeze. Here is a link to his Instagram page to see for yourself. He is also one of those squiggly life coaches who help people navigate life. And he sure has lived quite a life to share with them.
He continues to travel to be a pastor at Northridge Church, Michigan, although he lives in Nashville. Although I couldn’t find him on the church website, here is a link to a sermon he preached a month ago. I wonder if NOrthridge Church is aware of Pete’s former life.
Pete’s former wife, Brandi Wilson, spoke out about his multiple affairs in November 2022.
Special thanks to the reader who brought this to my attention. Brandi, the mother of three of Pete’s children, interviewed Justin and Trisha Davis, who have a podcast called “Let’s Get Real.” Brandi has been friends with them for over 20 years. Here is a link to the podcast.
In it, she revealed that in their 20 years of marriage, she knew of two instances of infidelity. After the divorce, several more instances of cheating came to light in counseling. That sounds like Pete had at least five affairs!
Brandi said it was hard for her to hear from church members who said how wonderful Pete was and how he had helped their marriages. Yet she lived in a marriage where she felt she was to blame for Pete’s actions.
Pete Wilson once wrote about avoiding an affair.
Pete Wilson wrote the following in March 2010, 14 years into his marriage to Brandi. I wonder how many affairs he had racked up at that point? HOW TO NOT GET CAUGHT HAVING AN AFFAIR?
So, there’s a new app out called “TigerText”. They say it’s perfect for cheating spouses, shady politicians, sexting teens, and people who send a lot of stupid texts while drunk. According to Time Magazine…
It works like this: when, say, a prominent politician sends his mistress an iPhone message via TigerText, the mistress will be prompted to install the app. When she has done so, she can read the message, but she can’t keep it. In fact, the message is never actually sent to her phone; it’s stored on TigerText’s servers. After the politician’s specified time span has elapsed — anywhere from one minute to five days — the message ceases to exist. There’s even a “delete on read” setting, which counts down from 60 after a message is opened and erases its text at zero.
For those who need an even more comprehensive way to cover their tracks, the “delete history” option will wipe away any evidence of a given phone call. No telltale suspicious numbers, no chance of getting caught out by the old “press redial” routine.
I’m often shocked at my arrogance in thinking I can get away with certain things. I’ve seen how certain sins have impacted others but…
I think: I know they got caught, but I’m smarter.
I think: I know they couldn’t handle it, but I’m stronger.
I think: I know it destroyed them, but I won’t let it go that far.
Then I’m reminded of these words in Galatians 6:7.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
I’ve got some pretty amazing apps on my iPhone, but there is no app that erases that truth.
Final thoughts from someone who knew him
I followed this church for years, did coaching under one of their leaders who left a year or so before things went public, and sat in a panel Q&A in which Pete himself outlined the ways in which he himself and the team built & maintained healthy male/female leadership culture without crossing boundaries. He was so proud of how they kept it clean. I wonder how much of a high he got giving that advice knowing the double life he kept hidden in plain sight.
Publicly, he has not expressed any remorse or repentance – not for his 20-year double life, his lie when he resigned, the damage he did to his leaders and family; rather, he has used his platform to passive-aggressively take people to task for talking about or questioning him and to promote his new life and career.
For my part
- I wonder if his current wife is keeping a watchful eye on him. She should.
- I wonder if he ever feels guilty. He should. If he doesn’t, then he has a heart of stone.
- I wonder if Pete will ever repent and ask forgiveness from his former wife and church. He should.
I am happy to update this story since I know more will come. He has joined the conga line of fallen pastors, and boy, is he ever dancing!
“HOW TO NOT GET CAUGHT HAVING AN AFFAIR?” (Pete Wilson article)
Pete reminded cheater-wannabes in his article “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7). Uhhh, Pete, you were supposed to personalize this, I think.
I can see young seminarians sharing this article in their dorm.
“I wonder how much of a high he got giving that advice knowing the double life he kept hidden in plain sight.”
A very common behavior is for bad-boy “pastors” to preach hard against the sin they themselves are living in … it’s a diversion technique. Remember Ted Haggard?
“I wonder if Pete will ever repent and ask forgiveness from his former wife and church.”
Nah, that’s the sort of thing that Christians do. Pete has given us no clues that he knows Jesus truly. Of course, his defenders would shout “So what, if he has a bit of a problem with women … he sure can preach!”
Max,
I agree with Max. This guy has little to no conscience and no self control. I am not God but we have the Bible to hold up and draw comparisons to the fruit we see or lack thereof in others’ lives. I would have to call this guy out.
Well said!
Well said, number 2!
If they cheat on one spouse, they will cheat on another. Yes, his second wife should be aware that the odds of fidelity from her husband are low.
The seminary training of how to live a double life.
“He continues to travel to be a pastor at Embrace Church in South Dakota, although he lives in Nashville. Although I couldn’t find him on the church website, here is a link to a sermon he preached a month ago. I wonder if Embrace Church is aware of Pete’s former life.”
Embrace Church in South Dakota, why?
Moreover, is the issue Pastor Pete’s “former life”? He dumped his wife and kids to run off with his sidechick. Seems like, it’s not over, not “former” yet.
While you are at it, remind Pastor Pete that he is to be above reproach and respectable.
Well, he already failed the “husband of one wife” qualification for the office of pastor … I suppose it’s OK in his Christianity Lite circle if he is the husband of a second wife … third wife … etc.
Pastor polygamy.
If he is in marketing, donors aren’t paying for this lifestyle? Except in South Dakota? Why is he preaching in SD if he has the marketing gig?
I doubt that he is a genuine Christian. See, I believe that God is real. God is a person. God is omniscient. God is omnipotent. And the Bible says that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the ay of Christ.” That says that if God has begun a good work in you, he will not let you get away with sin. He will expose it, call you to repentance, discipline you to repentance. If he does not, you are not his, not a real Christian.
Hebrews 12:7-11
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Especially verse 8. If you are without discipline, you are not sons (and daughters). Not children of God.
I pray for his soul.
“ I wonder if Pete will ever repent and ask forgiveness from his former wife and church.”
If he ever does repent in front of his old church, I’m sure he’ll get a standing ovation.
Regarding the “TigerText” app, I am not the most tech savvy person. But if the recipient wanted to preserve the text, couldn’t they just take a screen shot?
Speaking of serial monogamy, isn’t Hal Lindsey, author of The Late Great Planet Earth and other books, on wife #4? He has kept the divorces and separations on the down low. The only reason we know anything is because the pictures/names on the back covers of his books change from year to year, or should I say, wife to wife? See: https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=53766&forum=48 Well, at least he’s not pastoring a church….
Some apps are able to block taking a screenshot (incognito mode in Google Chrome on Android for example). I would suspect that this app might be able to do that also.
Afterburne,
Yes, incognito mode will prevent screenshots, but you could still take a photograph of the screen with another phone/camera.
Oh, and another thing: as has been pointed out here – once a cheat, always a cheat. I’m pretty sure he has already cheated on -is second wife, either in action or at least in thought.
I am not against second marriages in principle – some people just get married too young, find out later that they’re not very compatible as adults – there are a lot of reasons why divorce can be the adult and charitable solution.
But someone who has multiple affairs while married and probably giving marriage advice from the
pulpitstage – just no.“Brandi said it was hard for her to hear from church members who said how wonderful Pete was and how he had helped their marriages. Yet she lived in a marriage where she felt she was to blame for Pete’s actions.”
Defining men’s choices as women’s responsibility gives the men a moral pass. “He wouldn’t cheat if she were only _____ enough. He wouldn’t cheat if she weren’t so ______.” If she’s trying hard to be a good Christian wife, that’s what she’ll read, that’s what she’ll be told.
I hope Brandi finds peace as an independent person.
Some folks live their lives between their jaws: gluttony.
Others, from their wallets: greed, and the power of money.
Still others, between their legs: lechery, lasciviousness, lust, licentiousness.
“I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.” Ps 101.3.
“The love of money is the root of all evil.” 1 Timothy 6
He who sins is a slave to sin. Romans 6.
For the Christian: “But now, being made free from sin and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification and the result of eternal life.” verse 22, same chapter, Romans 6.
Romans 12:
1. Present your body to God.
2. Do not conform to the world.
3. Be transformed by God.
4. Do not elevate yourself above others.
5. Function humbly as a part of the Body of Christ, sharing spiritual GIFTS from the Holy Spirit with each other.
When a spiritual leader LOVES his CrossFit sexy body, his pricey sneakers and airplane and mansion paid for by donors, his elevated position of a pulpit on a platform on a stage with a green room that is broadcast far and wide, then SELLS his pastoring gift to donor followers, the spirit by which he leads is NOT the Holy Spirit. He checks off on the wrong side of everything on the list described in Romans 12. He serves another spirit. Evil.
Thank God we are in no position to follow these spiritual leaders. As we walk in the Holy Spirit, we go in the opposite direction.
Tom Rubino,
Ain’t it the truth!
CynthiaW.,
I think she is on her way. She spoke this truth last November and that goes a long way to finding peace.
Gus,
It is probably a habit for him if he is involved in multiple affairs. His new wife better beware.
dee,
I agree. I read this last night and thought that.
I thought, “Yep. How long before he trades this one for a new model.
…… Not much different than getting a newer car.
“Life Coaching”?! What kind of life is that?!!
There could also be a Self-Medication Dynamic in play.
Being a CELEBRITY Christian (in a high-ranking position) requires a lot of pretending to begin with. Now imagine said CELEBRITY Christian also (like Ted Haggard) has something in him that breaks one of the strongest Taboos of his Christianese culture. Like Rush Limbaugh being number-one fanboy of the War on Drugs while hooked on Oxycontin, he starts rabidly preaching against it to self-treat himself without anyone finding out. Keeping even more of a Pious and RIGHTEOUS exterior/event horizon.
A very lucrative one.
Remember my comment above how being a CELEBRITY Christian requires a lot of Pretending to begin with?
I lost years of my life to The Gospel According to Hal Lindsay, back when Late Great Planet Earth was SCRIPTURE – THE 67th book of the Bible, superseding the other 66. 40 years later, the damage is still there.
Some 30 years ago, I had to have my head shrunk because of residual damage. My counselor lived in the same area as Hal Lindsay and told me as far as she could tell, “He wrote those books for the money”. My response was “Great. He’s laughing all the way to the bank while I’m having flashbacks like a ‘Nam vet.”
“Touch Not Mine ANointed!”, remember.
Seriously…the new church is called EMBRACE? Embrace WHAT??? Your cheating part time pastor who embraces women not his wife??
At least we don’t hear about him anymore on a regular basis here in Nashville . . .
Now we can see ANOTHER REASON these ‘pastors’ want to keep women out of the pastorate:
women would call bull on the whole scene straight up . . . the cheating and lies and betrayal of a wedded spouse . . .
put women in the seminaries and the power of a ‘famous’ conman to influence young males would explode into horse feathers . . . I expect that women would put the kibosh on the whole miserable scene without hesitation – no pulled punches, no ‘excuses’
no wonder some fear letting women into the pastorate
“If the reader wants to explore Maurillio Amorim and the A Group, a company serving churches and other Christian enterprises, here is a post. Warning…”
https://thewartburgwatch.com/2017/03/22/perhaps-the-a-groups-maurillo-amorim-could-be-a-bit-more-circumspect-on-social-media/
Amorim, the other A Group guy, is definitely into his body. See post & links.
That’s how some folks live. Greek gods. And in Pete Wilson’s case, they require their Greek goddesses, with new and fresh every so often. Or, multiple goddesses at the same time. Feel good? It seems this is the Feel Good that these Greek gods are seeking, and they’ve got it. There are ever available goddesses signing up for duty, to be their objects.
In their world, these Christian leader guys, Calvinies or whatever brandnames, are the free agents at the top of the social political spiritual hierarchy. Right below are their workerbee breadwinner donor guys as their subjects. Below the workerbee breadwinner donor guys are their wives and all women as objects.
Free agents (religious leaders each building their own dynasties and following; these leaders live on the dole with money that real wage-earners earn) – subjects (all other men, with real jobs) – objects (all women). The hierarchy of church Christianity today. In general. Agents, subjects, objects.
Jesus came, died, rose, sits at the right hand of God the Father, and has sent us His Holy Spirit so we are potentially ALL free agents. No one is to be a subject or object of anyone else. Just sayin’. God created us all with agency. Jesus died and rose to win that back. Agency for everyone. Hallelujah.
I believe you meant to say “Northridge Church” not Embrace Church in your post…
Jesus came, died, rose, sits at the right hand of God the Father, and has sent us His Holy Spirit so we are potentially ALL free agents. No one is to be a subject or object of anyone else. Just sayin’. God created us all with agency. Jesus died and rose to win that back. Agency for everyone. Hallelujah.
Ava Aaronson,
So true.
But Jesus is not the cornerstone of most of the churches/religious organizations anymore. Now, the cornerstone of choice is celebrity “feel good” pastors and/or the Apostle Paul.
Nancy2(aka Kevlar),
Ava Aaronson:
“…Jesus…”
++++++++++++++
since we’re talking about Jesus, i’m interested in other’s thoughts on what “be more like Jesus” means.
seems to me it can mean just about anything, as the ultimate ‘name-drop’ for persuasion.
Let’s see what the google says about him…
Looks like his regular fly-in motivational speaker gig is at Northridge in Michigan, and the SD one is just as a guest one. His business website is devoid of anything even remotely Christian and he motivates lots of really successful people. 120k fans on Twitter 50k fans on Facebook 20k fans on Instagram with wonderful pics with new improved wife and new improved kid. A few articles about divorce or burnout but only TWW in the whole googleplex realized the burnout part was a sham. Wedding pics! Wait — who’s this “Phillip” in some of the wedding pics? Really friendly with the bride/./. Oh snap- those are from 2015. A year and a half later the bride had moved along. Was there marriage counseling from her boss in between? God only knows…
I guess the first thing that pops to mind for most folks is to be a more moral person. But Scripture gives us insight on what else being Christlike means. Jesus talked a lot about love – He said to love one another was the greatest commandment … He was compassionate … He served the poor and needy … He demonstrated humility … He was obedient to the law (The Ten Commandments) … He was prayerful … He was forgiving … He exercised self-control … He spoke with authority … He had knowledge of the Word; indeed He ‘was’ the Word! As believers, we can attempt to ‘do’ these things, but can’t really ‘be’ them without the Holy Spirit’s help, IMO. Becoming like Jesus takes time and discipline … I confess that I haven’t arrived after 65 years as a Christian.
Max,
I agree with this wholeheartedly, but I do want to add the clearing the temple thing. He did not tolerate the money changers….. people who used the House of God for personal gain. I expect He would be about the same way towards abusers and those who use the name of God to take advantage of others in any way, shape, or form.
Oh yeah, the meek and lowly Jesus confronted abuse! The temple was essentially being abused, it wasn’t being kept holy … so with authority, He promptly dealt with the matter. Whew – do we ever need Him to step in and clean house today … the American church is a mess! Christlikeness in church leaders would address sin in the camp, rather than excuse it and cover it up.
Jesus has His Gospel record. Contrast Jesus with the church leaders of today collecting money from workers to build their dynasties. No semblance.
Years ago in a ministerial ethics class at Moody, we had a case study of an adulterous pastor not having his needs met by his wife. Several of the male students said the pastor was right. I politely pitched a fit, and the professor agreed with me. As long as church leaders justify affairs, they will continue.
Boy is that ever an understatement.
Max,
“He had knowledge of the Word; indeed He ‘was’ the Word”
++++++++++++++
Thank you, Max.
the Word…. whatever that is (truly sorry for the sarcasm – you deserve the best in repartee)
so…. he apparently had knowledge of ‘holy writ’… whatever that was.
he didn’t have an NIV, an NASB-Football Edition, a Biblical Masculinity Bible, an NLT-Devotionals for BBQers edition lining his bookshelf, all with doodoohead commentaries…certainly no ESV…
what was it he had knowledge of? what form did it come in? was it separated out into respective scrolls called “Isaiah”, “Jeremiah”, “Psalms”, “Genesis”, “Exodus”…
I somehow don’t think so
did households have papyri rolled up in a 1st century umbrella stand as their answers for everything? did households even know how to read?
(i’m a religious studies major, i should know these things but i don’t)
As a boy, Jesus went to the temple to sit among the teachers of Old Testament texts, listening to them and asking questions (Luke 2). Scripture was in the hands of the temple priests and scribes, in the form of sacred scrolls passed through the generations. Their “Bible” would have been an armful of scrolls. It’s unlikely that households would have have their own scrolls of Scripture … KJV, NIV, ESV or any other version :-). Every copy had to be made by hand; if even available to regular folks, they would have been expensive. Thus, Jews went to the temple or synagogue to hear the Word read to them.
By manhood, Jesus knew the Hebrew scriptures well. The New Testament records Him quoting from passages in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hosea, Jonah, Micah, Zechariah, and Malachi.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Jesus knew the Word because He was the Word!
Nancy2(aka Kevlar),
“he clearing the temple thing”
+++++++++++++++++
men who think they’re alpha males and those who pretend to be alpha males love that part. entitlement city.
Very little of the institutional church (its teachings, traditions, and leaders) bear resemblance to Jesus.
I need to apologize. I didn’t look carefully at my original post and confused the two churches mentioned. I am glad that Embrace Church is not the one that hired Pete. Sadly, it is Northridge Church in Michigan that did that.https://www.northridgechurch.com/#
Thank you for catching my error. I have had a bit too much on my plate this past week.
Headless Unicorn, I’m so sorry you’re struggling from Hal Lindsey’s books. Even now I think I’m a believer in spite of, not because of, fellow believers. I had family members who were riverboat pilots, and had nothing but scathing comments re Lindsey.
Old Timer,
I agree with Old Timer’s comments.. The hype in 1970’s on by these types, and the lack of accountability, is just breathtaking… growing up in Ca during this era, and now seeing what was “sown” is depressing..
And bird is the word! Is the w-w-w-word….
men who think they’re alpha males and those who pretend to be alpha males love that part. entitlement city.
elastigirl,
And little do they know that Jesus would have thrown them out of the temple.
(Pete Wilson and his kind, too!)
I agree.
In some circles, Marriage gets way more currency than it actually deserves.
No offense to Catholic folks who frequent this blog, as Marriage is considered a Sacrament in Catholicism.
As I’ve quipped before, why don’t they just get it over with and call it Paulianity?
Amen.
Jesus was and is God Almighty in bodily human form.
Gus,
Good points all.
Marrying too young, and then starting over to settle into a mature marriage for life, is completely different from pastors having serial affairs and then running off with the pastor’s assistant. The second scenario is like Hollywood or rock stars. Nothing new but definitely what people do that are full of themselves. Pastors have groupies and women who fawn over them, so the serial lifestyle is totally available to them. Like movie and music stars.
Careful what you wish for, Max.
During my time in-country, “step in and clean house” meant ending the world in Thermonuclear Armageddon.
And just three years ago on this blog, we had Mr.J and his private revelation that COVID was God cleaning house with the American church; he even made it a litmus test of our Salvation.
Sounds like the male students were “keeping their options open”.
Or “HE SCOOORED!”
Cramps their (Sexual) Style.
In my puberty days, “Feeeeel Goooood” (pronounced in a certain voice) was a schoolyard term for sexual arousal.
As in “He goes up to his [stash of Playboys] in the attic and Feeeeeels Gooooood.”
I see it that way too. Remember the WWJD (what would jesus do) thing years back? Just about everybody and everybody’s brother used it in weaponized form to shut down arguments and disagreements about everything from grape juice or wine used for Communion to whether or not it’s ok to kiss your significant other prior to marriage.
Pastor Zandstra: news that just came out. Roys Report wrote about him. Committed a murder in the 1970s – then a pastor also – and now when evidence was brought against him he first denied it then confessed. How is there no fear of the Lord in them? They have to be caught and it seems like something only gets done if the police are involved. So much for having a conscience. Awful pastor conga line indeed.
Well, for some really off the rails church leadership, it’s their elevated pulpit position which brings a following of trusting teen-girls and women that floats their boat, or makes them Feel Good, so to speak.
There’s a pattern to this insanity in churches with leadership that goes off the rails and ends up in Court proceedings:
https://torontolife.com/deep-dives/how-meeting-house-megachurch-preacher-bruxy-cavey-groomed-young-women-for-sex/
The creep factor with these guys is completely off the charts. Extreme.
Note in the linked article, facts with NO semblance to Jesus, His disciples, and the New Testament church. Red flags:
“Back when I attended church … , every Sunday was a spectacle: packed theatre, hi-fi sound, the pervasive scent of buttered popcorn.”
“‘We put [the pastor] on a pedestal and worshipped him as a collective,’ says a former member …”
“Collectively, the complaints tell the story of a church plagued by abuse and infidelity. Married employees were sleeping with other staff members. Divorce was endemic.” [church as an orgy]
“In online chats, [the woman] says, [the pastor] began commenting on her body, saying that she was ‘sexy’ and that he wanted to ‘kiss,’ ‘coddle’ and ‘fondle’ her. [The woman] says that, one evening at [the pastor’s] house, in the period between his first and second marriages, he repeatedly asked her to go to bed with him; he played songs that got him in the mood. She declined. She thought of [the pastor] as an uncle, someone she could turn to for advice, not someone she found sexually attractive.”
“‘He was one of the most gifted speakers I’d ever heard,’ she says. She followed him to [his church] and imagined that he would always be her pastor—that, one day, he might officiate her wedding or teach her children about Christianity. [This pastor] knew about her life goals, her family, her past romantic relationships. ‘I was willing to engage in conversations with him about deeply personal things, because I thought they were coming from a place of him caring about my spirituality or my welfare,’ she says. ‘But it actually was stuff he could use to get closer.’”
Without being a Greek or Hebrew scholar, it’s never been my impression that Jesus and His disciples (NT church) had this type of cozy relationship with groupie women followers. Nothing s*xy, cozy, confidential, intimate, bosom buddy going on. Jesus could read a person, man or woman’s soul – the nitty gritty of SIN which is in NO WAY romantic. The disciples were neither attractive, hip, nor charismatic. When Jesus healed a blind man, he spit on dirt to make mud that he put on the man’s eyes. Gross. No fanfare, no music or lights, no spectacle. But the blind man could see.
The s*xy, cozy, confidential, intimate, bosom buddy, romantic details going on between these clergy and the ladies is SICK. The guy has his wires crossed. He’s not in the business of soul health. He’s into his business between his legs.
As a younger woman, I’ve been blessed to have older women friends as confidences. Nothing romantic about it, but we can talk details, the nitty gritty, with candor. Refreshing. Titus 2 women. No yuk. Nothing creepy. Just plain talking. Healthy for soul, mind, and safe for the body.
An excellent summary, Max. 🙂
A church named “Embrace” is pretty funny (in a weird, sad way) on its own,
though. Easy to understand the confusion — it’s just too apt and perfect! :p
Max,
“a moral person… .. love…compassionate…He served the poor and needy…humility…prayerful…forgiving…He exercised self-control…As believers, we can attempt to ‘do’ these things, but can’t really ‘be’ them without the Holy Spirit’s help, IMO. Becoming like Jesus takes time and discipline.”
++++++++++++++++++
i read Luke last year in one sitting. it had been a long time. it was eye-opening. not that it was new & i hadn’t read it before, but it may have been the first reading all in one shot.
hearing ‘about’ Jesus from other sources, even Paul, is an overprocessed too-many-times-removed thing…
like velveeta on saltines & fruit punch, compared to epoisse (an impossibly stinky french cheese-I love it) on some really rustic-grainy bread w/granny smith apples & the right red wine.
Luke is still too far removed, but since Jesus isn’t showing up in the flesh to share my cigars with me over deep conversation deep into the night…
anyway, i selected some things that resonated with my memory of that reading.
you mention the holy spirit’s help. i don’t doubt it.
a point i’ll make right about now: my muslim friends and agnostic relatives are this list of things. much more than christian people i know and have known.
When Christianity Lite took over the American church years ago, most church folks stopped resembling Christ. Sermons on purity, holiness, Godly character, and Christlikeness are sermons of yesteryear. Pastor-actors now give their audience what they want. Church as entertainment is the theme of the day in many “places of worship”. Celebrity pastors abound. In another corner of the church, you have authoritarian bully-pastors who manipulate, intimidate and dominate pewsitters. And if you say anything about it, you will discover that some of the meanest people on the planet are church members. So I read my Bible, minister to others as the Spirit leads, and pray for a better day for my grandchildren.
Max,
Yes, no argument there. and you’re a star. a shining star.
what has bothered me for many years is how people who are card-carrying & lapel-sticker-wearing (so to speak) faithful church & bible study attending ‘born again’ folks are often as absolutely lovely & wonderful….
as my muslim and agnostic (& atheist) friends & family.
as i see it, my religion engages in false advertising as a gimmick to get people to sign on. i despise such things – and i feel sick. i feel absolutely lied to and tricked.
(does anyone else here end up making rhymes unintentionally?)
lives are changed, certainly — but to the standard observed in my muslim, agnostic, & atheist friends & family.
i’m repeating myself here too much…
My favorite of the churches “in the news” was “Venue Church”. I thought it was a joke. “You named your church ‘Location’?”
When you said Embrace Church, you were thinking of Holly Brown, former Executive Pastor under Pete. She was fired right before Pete resigned. Not sure the dots have ever been connected publicly. She and her husband planted a church in a Nashville suburb.
… never gets lost in darkness
LOL!
“I’m so TRENDY,
Oh-so TRENDY…”
Headless Unicorn Guy,
Probably someone with a marketing degree came up with it. It was a big hit for a while.
Muff Potter,
Materialist dominionists of all “doctrines” used sex and marriage as political control from 1983.
Headless Unicorn Guy,
Muff Potter,
I’ve seen in the videos, a proceeding as follows:
Senior authority: “How are you”
Junior (or “privileged” guest) authority: “I’m good” (Smirk)
(Phenomenology no longer explicit)
(Honesty is still, as in the 1980s, implied to be blasphemy of the sacred scheme. Remember how we used to get slammed if we spoke the word “hope”.)
i – is there still the subtext
ii – is it intended that we the public should copy this?
Try telling that to Jonah, Elijah, Daniel, or indeed whatsisname, Paul, when they were having a slice of life.
Michael in UK,
What does all that have to do with the price of coffee beans in Costa Rica?
Some Obvious Connection only he can see.
To the rest of us, Obscure to the point of totally meaningless.
Sounds like “everybody knows that!” syndrome, where without the context (which is so familiar to him he doesn’t need to mention it) you can’t make head or tail of what he’s saying.
Seriously, reading all these comments is 1 of things Satan uses to distract people from Jesus and the church. Looks like you believe the x wife without really knowing that other side of the story. Which none of it is any of our business. But others who know the story would say that the “rumors” of affairs is just that. It’s all gossip. The Wilson’s story is sad as is divorce. But, Mr Wilson denied affairs with any person. He admits that his priorities of keeping God 1st, loving his wife, his family took a back seat to his ministry work. He was in a dark place and burned out. Before you buy just one persons accusations, unless you were physically there, involved… use the Matthew 18 principle! It should bother you that you’d involve yourselves in other peoples private sadness in such judgement. It’s ridiculous really and sad.
dee,
You still have Embrace Church mentioned by name in the paragraph with the link to the other church.
Abe Fleming,
If you listen to her many interviews and read her book, not only did he *not* deny affairs, he confessed to more during a final counseling session. The publishing world vets very well before putting something like this in print. He has not denied anything that has come out, and former staff have confirmed everything. This wasn’t “private sadness” because he lived a public life touting the very values he violated in secret. You don’t get to build a public platform based on how you say you live your life, then pull the curtain and plead for privacy when the duplicity comes to light. Judgement and observation of the fruit of someone’s work are two different things.
Abe Fleming,
Ridiculous, sad? He left with his admin asst Jordyn who he married. That is proof in itself. Pete has no business being anywhere near a pulpit. I am surprised that you would think so. You know what’s wrong and right but are trying to find some reason to continue to follow him. I am sad that a man like you could condone such behavior and say such awful things to those who know what the Scrpitures say. I’m sorry that is inconvenient for you. Dance along with the conga line until it gets to you.
Kim,
I am so sorry. I am stretched, trying to keep up with things, and I am grateful for those like you who help me.
We’ve seen it time again among the dudebros and pewfans: “So what if Pastor has done a little hanky panky, he sure can preach!”
“Just like a workaholic turning his back on his family, Except CHRISTIAN(TM)!”
Muff Potter,
The whole theme I’m referring to is absolutism (all or nothing) and materialsm (the word is the thing).
I remember from the 1970s up to the present time when I’ve been told off for using the expression “hope”. Old books about virtues (like the real Bible used to be interpreted) (which we get told to throw out) used to say hope was a virtue.
Present day and recent christianity isn’t supposed to be something to ponder, step by step.
The illustration in this case is his false security that tramples over anyone else’s real security. And by analogy those colleagues who don’t emphatically distance themselves. Smirking chummily at each other is part of the image we are supposed to drink in – for our edification or to subtly demoralise us?
The real telltale, coming from the personality mentioned, is that instead of frankly criticising the system for burning people out uncaringly, he goes back for more. Because he isn’t free of the system, he isn’t free to ensure things stay right (as he goes along) towards his family. His ills attested by him, stem from the system that he has gone back to embracing, just when he didn’t owe it to a real God to do so. The codependency Mr W favours always burns out, and the real God is always against the codependency Mr W favours. What is the hold he and his colleagues had / have over each other? You ought to be pleased the public got diverted from churches built on that. That’s the real point which your comment distorts.