From afar it looks to me like Bethlehem Baptist has dodged a bullet of baloney. I enjoyed your article. WebPastor Jason serves as Pastor of Holy Nativity. Bowers had been a professor who looked forward to the first day of school every year and loved interacting with studentsand it showed. "It's confusing and painful corporately because Jason took the mantle from Pastor John Piper and helped lead us to this point of campus-specific preaching. Now I wonder why he was so harsh.. No one should be surprised by these revelations of spiritual abuse -especially against women- in the Bethlehem ecosystem. What a thorough article. Piper has hosted and defended pastor and author Doug Wilson over the years, even as hes become an increasingly contentious figure in evangelicalism for his teachings on slavery, women, and other issues. Is there a way to do any rebuke or admonishment when someone is hurting?, he asked. Web1-31-2021 Worship Service Pastor Meyers retirement. Several current leaders at Bethlehem as well as BCSs new president, Joe Rigney, pointed to a similar taxonomy laid out by The Gospel Coalitions Kevin DeYoung. WebBethlehem Baptist Church. May they work it out together in a godly manner. Though the process was done with the approval of Bethlehem pastors and the elder chair, some wanted the church to do its own review of Naselli last year. He also did not respond to The Roys Reports repeated requests for an interview. 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. The investigation found that BCS policies did not violate workplace law. Hes good at multi-syllabic word salads, but hes basically a fast-talking hyper-aggressive con artist who just happens to have chosen the church as the source of his narcissistic supply. 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. Its been a taxing year for everyone, and its been a taxing year for ministry. If the church would take seriously the scriptural qualifications for elders, it would protect the sheep from these narcissistic leaders. 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. WebUrban Refuge Lead Pastor, Jason Meyer, has a deep and abiding passion to make much of Christ in all that he does. So far this year, about 200 peoplenearly 10% of the megachurchs total membershiphave resigned as members from Bethlehems Downtown campus, according to statistics provided to The Roys Report by former BBC members. If I just resign and pretend that I think everything at Bethlehem is fine, I would be dishonest, wrote Meyer, who left August 1. When he resigned, he came to an agreement of some kind where he committed to not interfering in the elders leadership or the direction of the church. Bethlehem uses the phrase ethnic harmony, believing ethnicity is a better match for the the cultural categories described in the Bible than race, which is primarily biological or physical. BCS is a confessional school where professors teach from its 52-page affirmation of faith, but students from other traditions can attend. At Bethlehem, Rigney said, we want to un-coddle the American mind, or at least the Christian mind. 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. Prior to ordination, Pastor Jason attended the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and the University of Chicago. WebPastor: Jason Wallingsford, Pastor Paul Meyer | Series: Life Pending The church where John Piper pastored for 33 years is arguably facing one of its greatest crises in 150 years. Man Rampant? 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. Also available on most smart TVs and streaming services. There's bullying. 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. Ive worked with victims for 26 years in the Christian Reformed Church. Are we not caring enough about our responsibilities to weep with those who weep? Both Meyer and Tong spoke out against racism, Pickering said, but added that the charges were not true. Those allegations were dismissed by BCS last August. The stakes continue to be raised, said Josh Panos, a BCS alumnus. I used to wonder if I was too soft. Until a chance encounter with my moms old Bible opened my eyes. 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. Zuleger noted Meyer's resignation was painful to him personally due to their years-long friendship. This was baffling to me. They resigned not long after. He challenged his flock to consider their own experience in light of Meyers claims of drift toward neo-fundamentalism and unity culture.. I was living a life apart from God. My Plans Discover Plans Sample Share Don't Lose Heart By Jason Meyer I didnt start experiencing regular conflict until I started advocating for racial justice issues, Bowers told CT. With Rigney slated to lead the college and seminary, some worried that his theological views and his affiliations would become conflated with Bethlehemsspecifically his concerns on empathy discussed in the hour-long Wilson interview (which is now on YouTube). 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.. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. WebFor more information about enrolling in services, please contact Mary Ali at agencyintakes@esarc.org or 260.456.4534 ext. 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. The church where John Piper pastored for 33 years is arguably facing one of its greatest crises in 150 years. Meyer said, If you as a church dont like what I said today, you will have to get another pastor, because I believe this to the back of my teeth.. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. *This article has been updated for accuracy. But he also saw the debate as a proxy for the other issues stirring around Bethlehem. 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. But its more difficult to shift peoples thinking the other way, though more resourcesbooks like Somethings Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuseand Freeing Yourself from Its Power by Wade Mullen and A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing by Laura Barringer and Scot McKnightare changing how people see abuse within the church. with Pastor Shedrick Clark. Even people whove left in frustration agree theres no single cause or person beneath the conflict. Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! 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. 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.. A narcissistic family system can be a family, a local church, an organization, or any other group. Image: Screengrab / Bethlehem Baptist Church. Skip to main content. WebView Jason Meyers profile on LinkedIn, the worlds largest professional community. and Ph. There are things that professors would admit in classroom settings when I began that they wouldnt be willing to admit now.. Mekala, her husband, and another BBC elder met with Tomlinson in December 2019, Mekala said. 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. But for others, the pastors focus on race and abuse issues reflected a differing philosophy of ministry. Last Sunday, Bethlehem campuses began to meet to discuss Meyers letter and the reasons for his resignation. But what I noticed, underlying the meaningful time I worshiped at Bethlehem, was rigidity and control among leadership. . Seriously? 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. He said he felt a conviction that he couldnt in good conscience stay at BCS and by the end of 2020 his family left Bethlehem too. We are open and available if you need to talk 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. There is some overlap and co-belligerency with Christian Nationalism (a syncretism of right wing nationalism and Christianity) but neo-fundamentalists do so with more theological vocabulary and rationality. The resignations and fractures in leadership at Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC) extend to the congregation and have been simmering for years. I have found abuse of power issues typical among conservative churches. 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. 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.. Jason Meyer, John Pipers successor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, has stepped down from his position as pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehems There's domineering. The key thing in a lot of waysmaybe Im feeling this one more directly nowis the way that our emotional responses to reality need to be in accordance with reality.. Bethlehem College and Seminary grew out of the church-run training center that dates back decades. Then they got themselves in trouble (ultimately with God) when they opened their mouths and spoke words without knowledge in their attempt to fix Job. There are still a few spots open; which we hope will be filled. The Roys Report noted Meyer, the successor to founder John Piper, is the fourth pastor to resign from the megachurch in the past four months. In a letter that Pickering presented to Naselli in February, and the churchs Elder Council in March, Pickering accused Naselli of displaying a pattern of controlling and egregious sin against God and people., I do not think you are presently qualified for the office of elder, Pickering wrote, and urged Naselli to resign to spare the church, and the elder council, grief upon grief.. I had zero ill intent against you.. I still believe we should have done the investigation, but I was able to get to the point where I regarded the March 16 process as incomplete, not immoral.. This generationyoung peopleare not being prepared to survive in the world they are going to find themselves in.. The motion passed on a voice vote and Takata told The Roys Report that three of the task forces five reports were eventually released to church members with redactions. In the end, seven of the 17 original members of the task force ended up leaving Bethlehem, which some elders saw as confirmation that their misgivings about the group were justified. Zuleger also asked church members to pray for their leaders. 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 believe in 2013. 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. Elders and ministers at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota have resigned over what Pipers successor, Jason Meyer, calls an embrace of neo-fundamentalism and a unity culture that breeds fear and seeks to protect the institution. A unity or one voice culture puts a lot of focus on institutional protection. Meyer adds that while unity is a great goal, the problem comes when unity moves from a desired goal to a demanded outcome.. When met with issues that strike at the core of ones identity, its natural to have visceral responses, she tweeted. Please contact Pastor Jason if you are in need of financial suppor t or 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. Another four faculty and staff left the college and seminary in the past year. God is everywhereeven in the news. Maybe this is normal for most people, but its mind-blowing to me. Meyer had stepped down from the BCS board of trustees as well. 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. I thought others agreed with me as we talked about taking that approach. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. 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. This is authoritarian house that says women shouldnt teach in seminary. Such sensitivities, he fears, can threaten Christians relationship with the truth. Doug Wilsons carnality is so blatant that a sincerely devoted follower of Christ would be unable to be around him for long, and certainly would not repeatedly seek him out. However, Takata said nothing ever came of her efforts. 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. And though Naselli would later apologize for what he said, the Takatas said Naselli made disparaging statements about them in the months following to elders, BBC members, and staff at BCS. Beneath this constellation of hot topics, though, theres also a deeper philosophical disagreement over how to approach the various conflicts themselves. Im stumped over this direction. 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. Are there good reasons for why Pastors are leaving the church? "This news is fresh to the leadership at Bethlehem, and we are still processing the reasons for the departure, as well as next steps," the statement continued. Now, Meyer is part of a growing exodus of leaders and members After Christ is a deliverance church. 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.. 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. The church went on to revise its stance on divorce and start a ministry response team to care for victims. Calvins Misrepresentation of God) to see the outcome as we see here. He later apologized for not being quick to listen in the moment and in later discussions of the incident, though in April the elders considered the grievances against him unfounded. Hi. WebThrough biblical truth and personal stories, author, pastor, and theologian Jason Meyer encourages the weary and anxious believer by shining light on the nature of reality, the nature of God, and the intersection of the two in our daily, rubber-meets-the-road lives. To share this article with your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. (BBC has about 40 elders, but the congregation is considered the final authority and meets quarterly to vote on church matters.). Rigney has a degree from New Saint Andrews College, founded by Wilsons Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, and has maintained ties with him. 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. Halls was one of two official grievances filed against Naselli last year. There is no one factor that has driven me away from this school. But it wasnt just the situation around Naselli. 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. To donate, click here. She referenced the six habits that shape BCS education: observing, understanding, evaluating, feeling, applying, and expressing. 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. His experience in the class led him to hear from others who had been called out by Naselli, and he brought concerns from a dozen students to leaders at the church at BCS the following year. 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. His worries center on what he sees as contemporary expectations that people join others who are hurting in their pain. Sadly, this teaching is gaining ground in the biblical counseling circles I move in as well. Then, its findings werent released to the church as a whole until a year and a half after issuing a report to elders. 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