Four other congregations with female pastors were also determined to be not in friendly cooperation with the SBC, as well as one removed over its abuse response. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Im sure that systems like this may be corrupted (or at least those whose ideas arent accepted may think the system is corrupted), but at least it allows the collective will of the people to be expressed and it allows individuals to speak openly. Hi. What was described in this article is one of the clearest examples of a local church functioning as a narcissistic family system. So, lets call this what it is, address it as the foul, malevolent, pernicious evil that it is, and stand against the manifold oppression and abuse that are not only forbidden by God, but condemned by Christ Himself. Meanwhile, church elders and BCS administration concluded that the processes largely worked as they should, but that they came to a different conclusion than the accusers. . He writes for The Gospel Coalition and has served as D. A. Carsons longtime research assistant. According to the website, Meyer's resignation was announced last week in an email to the congregation by Elder Council Chairman Dr. Kurt Elting-Ballard and Bethlehem Pastor for Strategic Implementation Ken Currie. I feel like we have encountered wave after wave after wave, and that in a good-faith effort to keep the peace and maintain some form of unity, we have not spoken with sufficient clarity about what is true and what is false and instead have attempted to appease left-leaning folks who are virtually unappeasable , By the time the Takatas eventually met with Naselli and church leaders, they saw that there are more dividing lines being formed here than we expected, Janette told CT. Most, though, come through the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement. Stokes said that even without charges of heresy or a false gospel, just differences in approach, the discussion can feel very personal. The successor to John Piper at Bethlehem Baptist Church this week resigned in what appears to be a major shake-up at the church amid allegations of toxic While a former leader hopes for change, women who sought refuge in biblical counseling at John MacArthurs church say they feared discipline for seeking safety from their abusive marriages. But when urged to make a public statement that BBC did not endorse Rigneys view, one elder instead directed Mekala to meet with Tim Tomlinson, who was then president of BCS. You are learning not to be led by your emotions. I never met Jason Meyer but I know an oblong blur generality, when I read one. And if the elders were to move for that motion, I would resign out of principle.. Meyers exit last month followed two others at Bethlehems downtown campus. A debate over untethered empathy underscores how departing leaders, including John Pipers successor, approached hot-button issues like race and abuse. There's domineering. "I'm convinced that we live in a culture (Christian culture) that is constantly angry and shaking its fists because we've lost the place for and the healthy rhythm of grief-filled lament that the world is broken, sinful, and not as it should be. When met with issues that strike at the core of ones identity, its natural to have visceral responses, she tweeted. Two Bethlehem elders, Ken Currie and Chairman Kurt Elting-Ballard, responded that they are focusing our energy on the needs of our flock and had no other comment or statement to add.. In his resignation letter, Meyer referenced the fracturing of evangelicalism described in a recent Mere Orthodoxy article, which details how certain groups will experience significant philosophy of ministry differences in how to contextualize the gospel in this cultural moment. While accusations swirled of liberal drift under his leadership, Meyer instead saw the congregation moving in the other direction and suggested a pastor in the neo-fundamentalist category would be a better fit. Thats part of our entire educational approach. (He declined to comment on Naselli or any specific faculty members. ), Bryan Pickering also expressed concern about the Man Rampant episode to Takata. Are there good reasons why members are leaving? Today was the first time Ive ever heard of the controversy re: the concept of empathy as discussed by Doug Wilson and Joe Rigney, and also now the idea the some biblical counselors are also thinking similarly. He added that Wilsons church has received a great deal of scrutiny about its poor handling of abuse cases in the past, so I cringed when I heard (Wilson) bring up . examples (from Wilsons church). (An investigation by Wilsons denomination found several serious errors in Wilsons handling of sex abuse cases in his church, including shifting blame for sexual abuse from the perpetrator to the father of the victim. Piper should intervene to save what is left at Bethlehem. WebUrban Refuge Lead Pastor, Jason Meyer, has a deep and abiding passion to make much of Christ in all that he does. They insisted he sinned against them by explaining and denying instead of seeking to understand. Last Sunday, Bethlehem campuses began to meet to discuss Meyers letter and the reasons for his resignation. An outside investigation TEAM is objective, trained, experienced, know what they are looking for, knows how to speak to the church about what they see, and love Jesus Christ. He wrote in an email to her that he believed the elders would be taking up the issue in the days ahead.. Their dispute stirred underlying issues and philosophical differences, including over the subject of Rigneys remarks themselves. Instead, he said it confirmed the pattern he already suspected after speaking with nearly all 12 former BCS students who in 2020 submitted allegations against Naselli to BCS administration.. Even if the motions dont pass, at least the option is there to address major concerns with the entire church. Like in many evangelical churches that are majority white, some members of the congregation believed the church was putting too little an effort into addressing ethnic harmony and justice, while others felt like it became too much of a focus. WebNOW!!! One point of tension was a months-long process evaluating grievances made against a Bethlehem elder and a BCS professor, Andy Naselli, who was accused of failing to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, and thereby unfit for his positions, after his remarks at a church meeting. Portugus, Naselli stated that he reacted in the meeting because he worried about discrediting Rigney prior to his presidency, after BCS had undergone a careful, scrutinizing selection process to choose him. Are the Pastor(s) abusive? Jesus Word speaks as loud today as it did then. This is another painful and confusing moment for us," Zuleger wrote. Leaders in the Bethlehem community, though, said they worry that the new sensitivities are hurting their ability to pastor and shepherd those in their care. Rigney recognizes spiritual abuse as something that does happen in Christian contexts, but he also challenged what he saw as the possibility for criticism or correction from a position of authority to get inflated as abuse. cultural, damaging behavior that's being done, and has been done, for a long time.". The Sunday after George Floyd was killed, he preached on racism and the call to sit in solidarity with those who are suffering. If youve seen much of Doug Wilson or his church/school/publishing empire in Moscow, ID, and you have some understanding of narcissism, youll immediately recognize the warning flags. He kept saying dont get sucked in which is quite a different thing than having empathy. However, three pastors/elders voted against dismissing chargesPickering, Meyer, and Ming-Jinn Tong, former pastor of neighborhood outreach who also recently resigned. Thats actually kind of incredible. It is on YouTube, Race and Culture (??? Jason Meyer has resigned from his position as the lead pastor of the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, amid allegations of toxic and In a climate of suspicion, compassion can look like coddling, Meyer wrote. Meyer preached in 2015 against the dangers of hyper-headship and made the case that doing nothing when faced with abuse is taking the side of the abuser. This moment is hard. During the difficult moments over the past few months, hes reminded himself of James 3:17 (ESV): But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. As the downtown campus grieves the loss of longtime leaders and friends, Stokes said he continues to answer questions, but he gets the sense that nearly all the remaining members are committed to stay. WebView Jason Meyers profile on LinkedIn, the worlds largest professional community. Some of the resignations were due to normal factors, like families moving out of the area. Earlier this month, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Georgia Republican, addressed the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, whose, A century after the 19th Amendment to the U.S Constitution gave American women the right to vote, a group of male leaders, Costi Hinn, nephew of Benny Hinn, has been called a progressive to mark and avoid for more than two years by Michael. The school also hired its only female faculty professor, Betsy Howard, this year. 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Jason Meyer, pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, preached on the pride-crushing power of the cross in Alumni We are open and available if you need to talk "There's unethical behavior. I attended Bethlehem for nearly 3 years, belonged to one of the small groups. ), Boyum said it was because of her training at Bethlehem that she felt like she should raise concerns. The elder council concluded in April that the charges against Naselli were not true, but the pastors were three of four elders who dissented in hopes that further investigation could take place. But what I noticed, underlying the meaningful time I worshiped at Bethlehem, was rigidity and control among leadership. Instead, he said it confirmed the pattern he already suspected after speaking with nearly all 12 former BCS students who in 2020 submitted allegations against Naselli to BCS administration. Ahead of the commemorations, though, the community finds itself in the midst of what current leaders have called a confusing and challenging time and a hard and difficult season in the life of our church. Three pastors and a staff member resigned from the downtown campus of Bethlehem Baptist Church in recent months, alongside dozens of lay members. Dave Zuleger, the church's South campus pastor for preaching and vision also confirmed and addressed Meyer's resignation in a blog post on the church's website, writing "this is another painful and confusing moment for us. "Jason Meyer's resignation is not due to impropriety or moral failure, and we thank God for Jason's ministry among us for the past nine years, first as Pastor for Preaching & Vision for Bethlehem's three campuses, and then since last summer as Pastor for Preaching & Vision at the Downtown Campus," the statement concluded. Worship Service 1/24/2021 Pastor Jason Wallingsford, Pastor William Knippa, June 20, 2021 Most Recent Blog Post. Looking back, Pickering, as a counselor, wishes the church had established an understanding of systemic abuse prior to its focus on domestic abuse back in 2015. . Ann Mekala and her husband, who was on the ethnic harmony task force, left the church a couple years ago. What a dysfunctional mess. Man Rampant? In the podcast Mr. Rigney basically said, show compassion but dont have empathy.. A year later, Rigney, who had taught theology and literature at BCS since 2007, was named the schools second president in an announcement by Piper as chancellor. God is everywhereeven in the news. Such sensitivities, he fears, can threaten Christians relationship with the truth. His writings are dreck, laughable to those who havent already decided to worship at his temple. The Christian conversation about racism has come a long way in the 10 years since Bloodlines, and has taken on more weight amid the recent string of high-profile police killingsthree in the Minneapolis area alone: Philando Castille, George Floyd, and Daunte Wright. God commands us to be compassionate. (Image credit: Bethlehem Baptist Church/Facebook), Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. Piper responded to Bowerss account in an email to the campus community, saying that his characterization did not line up with his own as chancellor. "At Bethlehem . And when the truth and the truth-tellers are minimized, marginalized, and demonized, this is a narcissistic family systems. In the summer of 2019, the task force presented an 85-page report to the elders, which essentially died in committee. Ive worked with victims for 26 years in the Christian Reformed Church. Notifications include: New company roles Change in active status Location updates New Help is Here a new sermon series; Upcoming Events. But it wasnt just the situation around Naselli. and Ph. And according to audio obtained by The Roys Report, Naselli responded to the motion by stating publicly: I am the pastor that Mrs. Takata just quoted. After Christ Christian Center. Sarah Brima and her husband were former members of Bethlehem and Rigneys Cities Church but left in part over his affiliation with Wilson. Many of us (myself included) were blessed by Johns teachings on Christian hedonism and we gave him a pass on certain teachings because of his warmth, enthusiasm, and geeky charm, but make no mistake, this is the house he built. I found it very helpful. He may have a point about detached wisdom in making hard decisions. Janette Takata pointed out that Rigney was identified as being from Bethlehem in the video and that a BCS professor and Bethlehem elder posted a five-star review of the episode. Hes the one that featured Wilson repeatedly on the Desiring God website, and (to my knowledge) hes never once called Wilson out for his revolting rhetoric and his various public misdeeds. Please contact Pastor Jason if you are in need of financial suppor t or Couldnt agree more, Rebecca. The trip cost is $500, $250 is due with initial registration. In their minds, claims of inappropriate behavior or abuse wont always be justified. If yes leave the church. And are people on either side pitting truth and grace against each other and distorting the way of Jesus? Commentators have tried to parse the fault lines, and evangelicals themselvesincluding CTs president and editor in chief Tim Dalrymplehave generated their own categories for how people of common faith can find themselves at odds. Interview with Jason Mayer | North County Campus Pastor by Dave Franco | August 15, 2014 How did you become a Christian? Naselli, associate professor of theology and New Testament at BCS, spoke up to identify himself as the five-star reviewer and said that if the motion passed, hed quit. I feel terribly that I hurt you, and I own that and I regret it, and Im so sorry, he said. When the image of the family is more important than the individual members of the family, this is a narcissistic family system. The sensitivity over Black Lives Matter and differing approaches to contemporary racial issues hits particularly hard in the Bethlehem community. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Kenny Stokes, a pastor and elder at Bethlehem and associate professor and trustee at BCS, told CT they are currently in discussion to clarify protocols and policies between the two institutions. ++++++++++. Yesterday I saw a Video from John Piper asking for prayer during his upcoming 7 week writing sabbatical. I used to wonder if I was too soft. Prior to ordination, Pastor Jason attended the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and the University of Chicago. Last year, Pickering and Meyer resigned from their teaching roles at BCS, with Pickering citing egregious student complaints against a professor-elder among his top reasons. The Takatas concerns quickly became about more than the motion, and they filed grievances challenging Nasellis qualifications as an elder. . And in such a case, the school will rightly wither and die. And let us pray for Gods rescue and healing of those victimized by these wicked hired-men posing as undershepherds. According to the church's website, the Bethlehem elders have called for an all-church meeting to be held on Sunday, July 25 regarding Meyer's resignation. 'I Prayed in the Name of Jesus, and He Answered': Heroes Rescue 17,000 While 'Saving Aziz' in Afghanistan, 'It's a Crisis': Historic Staffing Shortages Lead Police Departments Nationwide to Get Creative, 'An Existential Struggle': Congress Points to Escalating Global Threats from China, Advisor to Israel's President Finds Rare 2,500-Year-Old Inscription with Name of Persian King Darius, After Asbury Shutters Revival Services, Outpouring Moved to Lexington Arena: See Full Video Here. Beneath this constellation of hot topics, though, theres also a deeper philosophical disagreement over how to approach the various conflicts themselves. But if you see what I see, and if you experience this community (leadership, faculty, and students) as loving, and supportive and fair, and if you share my excitement about the future with Joe Rigneys leadership and under Gods merciful providence, then I believe we will together walk in truth and love, and have a great impact for the glory of Christ.. 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