I say all of that to let you know that it's okay to feel sad and confused," Zuleger continued. From afar it looks to me like Bethlehem Baptist has dodged a bullet of baloney. Our academic dean is an elder at the church. Mekala, who says she was emotionally and spiritually abused for eight years while serving in a campus ministry overseen by Bethlehem, told The Roys Report that listening to the podcast was traumatizing. This is authoritarian house that says women shouldnt teach in seminary. Rigney at BCS lamented the challenge of responding if a harsh word immediately becomes abuse. Lee at the North Campus worried that even tenderhearted, gentle pushback is at risk of being dismissed. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Until a chance encounter with my moms old Bible opened my eyes. 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. But empathy that is true does not result in that. At Bethlehem, the biggest source of frustration and disappointment, in many cases, came not from the grievances themselves but from the resistance and attitudes people said they faced when they tried to bring those grievances forward. The implications were clear: He would not be sugarcoating in this class. Rather, I believe our leadership culture has taken a turn in an unhealthy direction as we try to navigate conflict and division.. God has moved at FCC in amazing ways. Abigail Dodds, who attends the North Campus, said that most remain confident in the churchs leadershipnot as blind allegiance, but based on personal knowledge of their characterand that she has seen a renewed unity around Gods Word and deepening hope in Christ among our members in recent weeks. 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. She asked how the message, with Rigney and Wilson discussing examples of women using emotional manipulation or falsely claiming abuse, would square with the churchs own ministry to care for victims. In the summer of 2019, the task force presented an 85-page report to the elders, which essentially died in committee. What was described in this article is one of the clearest examples of a local church functioning as a narcissistic family system. It would have been easier, he said, to move from understanding abuse within institutions and systems, as can be the case with spiritual abuse and racism, to the ways abuse manifests in marriage relationships. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. "At Bethlehem . You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.. By now, you have received notification of the resignation of Pastor Jason Meyer. 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. You can thank John Piper for that mess. 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 . The other, and far more contentious, motion concerned an October 1, 2019, episode of Man Rampant, a podcast on Christianity, leadership, and masculinity hosted by Doug Wilson. . They did great for a week when they simply sat with Job in silence. If you find over time that Johnathons perceptions are true, you will rightly seek out another place to study or work. When we talk about the six habits of heart and mind, [we need to] actually do that., Rigney said that as Christian hedonists, feel becomes an educational distinctive at BCS. At the conclusion of the two investigations, Johnathon Bowerswho had taught for a decade at BCSfelt no better about the growing reservations he had over his place at the college. Ming-Jinn Tong, pastor for neighborhood outreach, announced his resignation in May; and Bryan Pickering, pastor for care and counseling, in June. . Thank you for this comment, Pastor Lamb. He seems to be warning that a large amount of empathy will muddy the waters. 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. This moment is hard. -It is honestly appalling that he has not called Wilsons use of savagely misogynist rhetoric, specifically in Wilsons blog. The Takatas were jarred by the response. But it takes a lot of hard work, time, and money to do what we do. They insisted he sinned against them by explaining and denying instead of seeking to understand. Freedom City Church (FCC) was born in a small art studio in Uptown Whittier, CA, and it has quickly expanded to the present facility Pastor Jason and his beautiful wife and co-pastor, Elizabeth, lead in Whittier, CA. 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. These churches that are really heavy on theology, we hold our theology so high that when were leaving, it felt like were leaving orthodoxy by leaving our church, she told CT. If thats how you feel, theres probably a problem., Brima, who is white and whose husband is Black, said she saw the empathy as sin idea used as protection from critique and believes it can do unique harm to women and minorities, seemingly minimizing their feelings and experiences. This generationyoung peopleare not being prepared to survive in the world they are going to find themselves in.. We have room to grow, yet I know that my fellow North elders have sought to shepherd not under compulsion but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, and not domineering over others but serving as examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:23), Lee wrote by email. Pickering, however, said he was not surprised by Nasellis response at the meeting. Jason has been a dear friend and mentor since we met in his tiny closet of an office during my first year of seminary back in 2010. 3. A lay member, who attended Bethlehem for over a decade and asked not to be named to preserve ministry relationships, told CT it made sense that Meyer, Pickering, and Tong were the ones to go since they were seen as the empathetic ones. The others who have resigned include Bryan Pickering, former My Plans Discover Plans Sample Share Don't Lose Heart By Jason Meyer 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. To share this article with your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. This was supposed to be a landmark year for Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, as the historic congregation, best known for John Pipers 33-year tenure as pastor, marked its 150th anniversary. Worship Service 1/24/2021 Pastor Jason Wallingsford, Pastor William Knippa, June 20, 2021 Most Recent Blog Post. 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. Nothing in seminary wife class prepares you for this.. cultural, damaging behavior that's being done, and has been done, for a long time.". Are the elders or board members abusive? On July 26, 2020, the congregation Meyers most recent title was pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehems downtown campus. Pastor Brian Dow. (The Roys Report was not able to obtain statistics for member resignations at Bethlehems two other campusesNorth and South.). Are there good reasons for why Pastors are leaving the church? "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. 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. Jason informed Bethlehem's Council of Elders of his resignation effective August 1, 2021," the statement read. Pastor Ralph Donohue. Such sensitivities, he fears, can threaten Christians relationship with the truth. Man Rampant? ***, The pastor also reminded the South Campus members his letter was "just to state the reality of things and to give you space to lament.". Those allegations were dismissed by BCS last August. May they work it out together in a godly manner. ), Bryan Pickering also expressed concern about the Man Rampant episode to Takata. We also have troubles that have played out at Bethlehem over the past year. This led the Takatas and other BBC members to file grievances against Naselli with BBCs Elder Council. More than 25 people spoke to CT at length about their experiences navigating conflict at Bethlehem for this article. Couldnt agree more, Rebecca. A debate over untethered empathy underscores how departing leaders, including John Pipers successor, approached hot-button issues like race and abuse. The trip cost is $500, $250 is due with initial registration. ,and I enjoyed your article. 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. Sarah Brima and her husband were former members of Bethlehem and Rigneys Cities Church but left in part over his affiliation with Wilson. Theyre trying to toughen you up. with Pastor Shedrick Clark. Web1-31-2021 Worship Service Pastor Meyers retirement. 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. They leave behind a sizable community2,400 members, spread across three campuseswhose leaders are also disappointed and grieved, enough that the church decided to postpone its 150th anniversary event scheduled for this weekend to November. Both sides in a conflict want to get at what really happened; as Christians, they rightly set out to work toward justice and reconciliation where they can. Over time, for a variety of reason, the members of the narcissistic family system are trained, conditioned, molded, shaped, and manipulated into becoming co-conspirators in the idolatry of The Image., And they are coerced into being temple prostitutes at the temple of The Image.. Pastor Jason Meyer, Bethlehem Baptist Church Almost 1-1/2 years ago, I wrote an article about John Pipers former church, Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC) His worries center on what he sees as contemporary expectations that people join others who are hurting in their pain. On the whole, I think you are correct that the majority (of those with power) at the very least appear to be carrying the same torch. After Christ Christian Center. He had the power to just wreck me. Janette Takata also wrote emails to BBC elders in 2019 with concerns about the episode. Here is a checklist to determine if someone should leave a church: 1. The investigation found that BCS policies did not violate workplace law. But his take has also resonated. Some current seminary students say they were satisfied with the outcome and have seen repentance from their professor following the investigation. WebRev David Dodge. I doubt CCEF itself is changing direction on that. A Taiwanese American, Tong also wore traditional Chinese attire as he preached on the Sunday following the Atlanta massage parlor shootings. It may be worth noting that Naselli graduated from Bob Jones University. A motion was brought at a July 25 QSM for such an investigation. The situation at Bethlehem highlights not only certain issues being debated but also the conflicting philosophies shaping Christians responses: Are we accommodating feelings so much that we are crying sin where there is no sin? Ming-Jinn Tong, pastor for neighborhood outreach, announced his resignation 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. In his resignation letter, Meyer added, Ming-Jinn, Bryan, and I were called shame terms like coddlers, and Ming-Jinn was called Absalom.. He feels overjoyed in his calling to love and lead the flock at Urban Refuge in the strength that God supplies. The downtown campus was the most diverse of the three, with people of color making up 21 percent of attendees. Are there good reasons why members are leaving? I had a growing concern that compassion that lacks discernment would ultimately and subtly undermine sound doctrine. Even if the motions dont pass, at least the option is there to address major concerns with the entire church. . Using language like unity culture waters down and redefines what is really going on. But many were due to tensions resulting from racial and womens issues, ties to controversial pastor Doug Wilson, and the elders handling of allegations of misconduct by Andy Naselli. He also opposed the selection of Rigney as president for how it complicates BCSs relationship with the church and for his Wilson affiliations. WebNOW!!! There's bullying. WebIn 2012, Jason Meyer became the senior pastor. Maybe this is normal for most people, but its mind-blowing to me. 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 WebThe New Hope leadership and staff is comprised of men and women who love, care and pray for every single person in the church. a unity culture that breeds fear and seeks to protect the institution Jason Meyer He wrote in an email to her that he believed the elders would be taking up the issue in the days ahead.. After Christ is a deliverance church. What a thorough article. I have never been a member in a church which allows a member to put forward a motion to the entire congregation designed to rebuke an elder. Take Back Your Life. There are still a few spots open; which we hope will be filled. In the podcast Mr. Rigney basically said, show compassion but dont have empathy.. Overall, her professors and pastors modeled a way to engage the world not from fear and suspicion, but with openness and critical thinking., Theres much I love about Bethlehem. 2. Concerning threats within the church, they have deep worries with the churchs drift towards liberalism and the ways secular ideologies are finding homes in the church. Help is Here a new sermon series; Upcoming Events. Their dispute stirred underlying issues and philosophical differences, including over the subject of Rigneys remarks themselves. Rigneys sin of empathy interview in Wilsons series, called Man Rampant, released in October 2019 as the debut episode. For some, these three pastors willingness to listen to and advocate for congregants, their teachings on race and abuse, and their leadership at the downtown campus were particular assets to Bethlehem. Even before Rigneys selection and the Naselli investigation at BCS, church leaders had begun to rethink what it means for the college and seminary to be a church-based school when the church now has three campuses instead of one. However, three pastors/elders voted against dismissing chargesPickering, Meyer, and Ming-Jinn Tong, former pastor of neighborhood outreach who also recently resigned. Why? Paul used this same verb in verse 19 (you gladly bear with fools), and now he repeats it once more in order to make plain some of the foolish stuff the Corinthians put up with. He writes for The Gospel Coalition and has served as D. A. Carsons longtime research assistant. He may have a point about detached wisdom in making hard decisions. Pastor, you have introduced the last three sermons that way. God commands us to be compassionate. Many at BCS, including Bowers himself, were influenced by Pipers 2011 book Bloodlines, his confession of his own racism, and his desire for diversity. However, this past spring, several church members also brought allegations of sin and misconduct against Naselli. I used to wonder if I was too soft. The sensitivity over Black Lives Matter and differing approaches to contemporary racial issues hits particularly hard in the Bethlehem community. Im stumped over this direction. In February 2021, the church released a statement on ethnic harmony that affirms Christians neighborly love across ethnic lines but denies that ethnic diversity should be an end in itself and rejects all systems of thought that view relationships primarily through the lens of powerthat is, those with more power are inherently oppressors, and those with less power are inherently oppressed.. The school also hired its only female faculty professor, Betsy Howard, this year. One of the things that gets brought up in the abuse conversation is that abusers and their communities gaslight and minimize what theyve done, said Rigney. He described his reasons for leaving in a 3,100-word resignation letter that was recently leaked, nearly a month after the church announced his departure in a brief email. I found it very helpful. Piper cant step in, from what I understand. 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. This dysfunctional mess is the logical outcome of John Piper and his theology and its methods. Sadly, this teaching is gaining ground in the biblical counseling circles I move in as well. Another pastor who resigned is accusing a Bethlehem elder of spiritual abuse and calling on him to resign. Elders and ministers at Bethlehem Baptist Church in January 31, 2021 Pastor : Jason Wallingsford, Pastor Paul Meyer. 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. Also available on most smart TVs and streaming services. 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. It is indeed worth noting the problematic environment of the school where Naselli chose to incubate himself. Tabb and fellow leaders at BCS conducted the investigation of the former students complaints, which concluded last August. WebKnown Addresses for Jason Meyer 1801 Norwood Dr Hurst, TX 76054 Advertisements Source Texas Secretary of State Data last refreshed on Monday, January 23, 2023 What next? All three had conflicted at times with Bethlehems 40-plus-member elder council, and they eventually saw their own ministries and the focus of the church going in different directions. Is this not the very thing that the Pharisees did that got Jesus so mad that he would call them out by comparing them to that which was the most filthy and disgusting thing in their own theology? 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. Members who spent 10, 20, or even 30 years worshiping and serving there, who expected they would be part of Bethlehem for the rest of their lives, said goodbye to their spiritual home. WebBethlehem Baptist Church. Learn more about Urban Refuge Church The Takatas concerns quickly became about more than the motion, and they filed grievances challenging Nasellis qualifications as an elder. Its been accelerated by political polarization, racial reckoning, and pandemic stress. 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. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1. Share Podcast Audio Download. 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. Id like to see his surgically precise definition of neo-fundamentalism or even fundamentalism for that matter. According to Pickering, Naselli had been the focus of an internal investigation at BCS due to allegations of bullying and spiritual abuse brought by about 12 former and current BCS students. Rev Juan Dominguez. At the same time, worries around secular thinking overriding biblical approaches to race have spiked, particularly over critical race theory. It transitioned to a formal degree program that eventually became accredited in 2015. The church where John Piper pastored for 33 years is arguably facing one of its greatest crises in 150 years. | Screenshot/YouTube/Fellowship Church Church of the Highlands and ARC officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit when contacted by The Christian Post on Tuesday. Piper should intervene to save what is left at Bethlehem. 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. Bethlehem Baptist Church, Pastor Jason Meyer, Domestic Violence, Emotional Abuse, Spiritual Abuse Almost 1-1/2 years ago, I wrote an article about John Piper's former church, Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC) regarding domestic violence, Encouraging Shift from Bethlehem Baptist Church Regarding Domestic Abuse and Care 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. Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Bethlehem Baptist Church Transform Minnesota brings workshops, connection points and teaching across the state of Minnesota. I thought others agreed with me as we talked about taking that approach. ***Please sign up forCBN Newslettersand download theCBN News appto ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective. She requested that, prior to Rigney taking office, the elders make a statement to separate Rigneys views in the episode from the views and teachings of Bethlehem Baptist Church.. 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. Thats actually kind of incredible. ), Boyum said it was because of her training at Bethlehem that she felt like she should raise concerns. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. And I want to speak against her motion. Wilson can easily be intellectually challenged, but he uses verbal and physical intimidation as a shield to avoid it. From there he went on to study at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he earned M. Div. She described how hard it was to leave a church theyd helped plant, even as disagreements about race and gender emerged. Rigney has become known for raising concerns about the sin of empathy, a topic hes written about on Desiring God and discussed in a video series hosted by Doug Wilson. . Tong preaches to the downtown campus in March. laid out by The Gospel Coalitions Kevin DeYoung, With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal, Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church, I Was the Proverbial, Drug-Fueled Rock and Roller, Grace Community Church Rejected Elders Calls to Do Justice in Abuse Case, The Kings College Faces Threat of Closure, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives. Zuleger also asked church members to pray for their leaders. The three departing pastors from Bethlehem were based just a few miles from where George Floyd died in 2020. Piper quite dysfunctionaly spoke in regard to Wilsons repentance over his hurtful and honestly unsupportable writing, I believe in regards to Southern Slavery As It Was. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. The news of official grievances against Naselli, one of the best-known professors at BCS, spread among its 400 or so graduates. One of them, Ann Mekala, wrote in a 2019 letter to several elders, There is an air of disdain and distrust towards women woven throughout the episode. She noted that Wilson and Rigney gave examples of women falsely accusing men in the podcast and encouraged listeners to be skeptical toward those who report abuse. The attitude undergirding the motion is too easily offended or hurt, and it turns that woundedness or offense into a crusade, Naselli wrote in an email to fellow elders in February, referring to the move as a form of cancel culture.. One motion concerned the Racial Harmony Task Force, a group formed in early 2019 to address the lack of minority representation on BBCs Elder Council. Speaking as a 18 yr attender at BBC (currently planning on leaving) the closest Piper ever got to decrying Wilson was during a interview with Joe Rigney. Then, its findings werent released to the church as a whole until a year and a half after issuing a report to elders. While Meyer was on sabbatical in May, Pickering and Tong were removed from the Sunday prayer and preaching schedule. Approximately 75% of attending members voted AGAINST it. WebUrban Refuge Lead Pastor, Jason Meyer, has a deep and abiding passion to make much of Christ in all that he does. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Co-author of the entry on fundamentalism in the Encyclopedia of North Carolina (Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2006), Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees (preachers and teachers,) you hypocrites! After more than 30 years as senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, the fiery preacher of hardline biblical values is retooling his priorities. By now, you Bowers said that at BCS, Black lives matter feels more threatening than the racism that has made that phrase necessary.. 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