Andrew/Mars Hill story hits a chord

In my opinion, despite all the good deeds that might happen inside the machine, in order to measure a church’s worth, one must also take into consideration the souls, the people that church has bruised.

So many wrote that they’ve pretty much given up on the church. And that might be true. But in many instances, the church gave up on them. We, members of the universal church of Christ, need to stand up and speak out on behalf of the victims of spiritual abuse. All too often, because of fear or because of disbelief or because “the church must have had their reasons,” we ignore and devalue the stories of hurting people. Sure, sometimes a person’s story might turn out to be farfetched. But that is an excuse we have used for far too long. That is how abuse continues to occur inside the walls of churches.

Church, the truth is, sometimes our establishments, our rules, our hoops and hurdles, our fixes, and our leadership are abusing people, good people, people who are not being heard or listened to, people like you and me, people who will try to experience life at another church but will likely fail, people who might not trust you at first, people who are cynical and skeptic, people who are dying inside looking for somebody to shine a light on their story, their situation, their pain.

I tweeted last night that, it seems to me that far too many lost get found and then they get effed up. Effed up in a variety of ways. And that’s not amazing grace.

That’s a disgrace that each of us, every congregation, every member of a church staff, and every layperson can help remedy.

We begin by listening. And giving those who have been spiritually abused an opportunity to tell their story. Because only when we have the freedom to share, can we begin to walk on a path toward being free.

Let’s help people get free.

Matthew Paul Turner: Spiritual Abuse Must Stop

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CJ Mahaney back as President of Sovereign Grace Ministries

Last year a small group of churches called Sovereign Grace Ministries with a celebrity leader named C.J. Mahaney were rocked when a former leader released a series of documents online.  What followed was a fairly public authoritarian tragedy/comedy as Sovereign Grace Ministries (which believes leadership rule and congregations follow) went through the motions of ‘accountability.’

In a mad scramble to address the deep polity and personnel concerns contained in the SGM wikileak docs as they came to be called, the board temporarily  restructured, put  sycophants on exploratory panels and in an actually sane move, hired an outside group called The Ambassadors of Reconciliation to listen to former SGM pastors and parishioners who have been mistreated and abused by leadership. It’s a long story which has been outlined in prior posts and well documented elsewhere.  Mega star Mahaney ‘stepped down’, ran over to a Baptist church and didn’t stay too far away for long, appearing at the SGM pastors conference to warn anyone who stepped out of line that:

I think the days ahead are going to require more discernment as it relates to the identification of slander and the influence of slander in our churches. I think the days ahead are going to require courage on the part of pastors and when necessary publicly identify those who are divisive.  I think the days ahead are not only going to require – I think they are going to require courage.”

SGM is a group which has its own language, rooted in the US shepherding movement. From the day the docs went online and the leadership of  SGM found themselves in the public eye, I think the die was cast. SGM isn’t much of anything without its celebrity leader.

Now that the findings of the SGM panels and the SGM board have been leaked online, (the board will make their report public on Friday) and quelle surprise, CJ Mahoney has been returned as President of SGM, effective immediately. There could not have been any other outcome for this board.

The reports which explains why SGM isn’t changing course is here. I don’t think the SGM board needed 51 pages, but they are used to being listened to and used to proof texting and justifying control in the hands of a few. Little has changed, in a contradictory and double speak section on why SGM will not permit its pastors and parishioners to determine the course set years ago, pastors are put in their place, in case they don’t know it already. On page 45 of Panel Reports and Board’s Response, a letter from CJ Mahaney states his plan to return as SGM President immediately and in a temporary capacity, in order to set up a new board, to give his input to leadership regarding his successor and then for him to start an SGM church plant.

As for the outside report from Ambassadors of Reconciliation,  it is difficult to know if there will be a positive effect. Noise will  probably be made from the board about changes as SGM goes back to business as usual.  SGM members will have to vote with their presence, their feet and their wallets.

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Andrew’s journey through church discipline at Mars Hill

Andrew left his independent fundamentalist church and headed out on his own to grow up and figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He was 20 years old. Andrew landed in Seattle, and on the recommendation of his brother, began attending Mark Driscolls church.

According to Andrew, joining Mars Hill was a good move for him. While he didn’t agree with every theological declaration that came out Mark Driscoll’s mouth, he loved his community, a devoted group of believers who seemed to love, support, and value him the way Jesus commanded. Over the next couple of years, Andrew became well connected. He volunteered. He became active in a community group. He even volunteered on Sundays as church security.
Toward the beginning of 2011, Andrew met and eventually began dating the daughter of a church elder at Mars Hill. The two fell in love quickly. Last fall, they were engaged to be married.

Andrew fooled around one night with a female friend from college. He and his friend did not have sex, but they came close. Andrews conscience took over, he apologized to his fellow student and went to tell his fiancee, who is the daughter of a church elder. She was devastated, and Andrew went to a Mars Hill small group friend and confessed. He was heartbroken and repentant.

What happened next was this churches concept of discipline run amok, legalism, control and authoritarian leadership crushing the work of the Holy Spirit in this young man’s life. The comments under Andrews story are piling up, as would be expected in any discussion of the neo-Calvinist and bombastic world of Mars Hill. His experience is not surprising to many familiar with this sub-culture.

There isn’t much talk about Andrew’s former fiancee.

As so often is the case with church drama like this, the following month was, for Andrew, filled up with meetings. A meeting with his old community group leader (he was forced to join a new community group). A meeting with his new community group leader. A meeting with his fiancée’s step-father. A meeting with his trusted friend who also happened to be the leader of his mens small group. So many meetings. And some of those meetings required second meetings.
Over the course of that month, Andrew also confessed more of his sexual baggage/history.
“I confessed to my mens small group leader–a close friend of mine–that my relationship with my fiancée was physical, too.”
That confession led to more meetings and more than enough long (and sometimes ridiculous) text message conversations with church leadership at Mars Hill.
“On several occasions, I was called a Wolf,” says Andrew, “which at Mars Hill, is like the worst thing you can be called.”
I ask him why.
“Because it means you’re a man who preys on innocent people–nothing more than a predator.”
According to Andrew, at Mars Hill, the cliche “it takes two to tango” isn’t true. Why? Because Pastor Mark teaches that women are “weaker vessels,” and therefore, when a girl and boy engage in consensual sexual activity, it is always assumed that it’s the man’s fault because he failed to lead the woman (or “weaker vessel”) toward righteousness. (And everybody knows that women can’t find righteousness unless a man leads her there. Ugh.)

As group leaders and a pastor made this story public to church members she is publicly named and shamed  in the next discipline letter.  No word on a disciple contract for her. She has chosen to stay at Mars Hill, she has dutifully chosen her default role as victim. Andrew is given ultimatums from those he turned to for help.

Plan of Discipline

  • Andrew will attend XXX’s CG and meet with XXX on a regular basis (define)
  • Andrew will not be involved in serving at MH
  • Andrew will not pursue or date any woman inside or outside of MH
  • Andrew will write out in detail his sexual and emotional attachment history with women and share it with XXX.
  • Andrew will write out in detail the chronology of events and sexual/emotional sin with K and share it with XXX and Pastor X.
  • Andrew will write out a list of all people he has sinned against during this time frame, either by sexual/emotional sin, lying or deceiving, share it with XXX and develop a plan to confess sin and ask for forgiveness

What happens next is an eye opener, as church members are told exactly how to ‘restore Andrew with Mars Hill ‘love’ toward a remorseful, repentant young man trying to find his way.

There is a post-script, from the brother who introduced Andrew to  Mars Hill.

Over the last couple of days, I have followed – with something more than dispassionate interest – the conversations happening on this blog and around the blogosphere about the way Mars Hill handles church discipline and the ways that people find many of their actions indistinguishable from a cult. I’ve read story after story after story, in blog comments, on other blogs, and in e-mails, that all share a common refrain: this is my story, too. Every one of them breaks my heart. But the story Matthew recounted here means more to me than all the rest. Andrew is my brother. He first started going to Mark Driscoll’s church on my recommendation, years ago when I was first stepping outside of the fundamentalism we had grown up in and trying to find out what my faith would look like. I was attracted to Driscoll’s style that so closely resembled the preachers I heard growing up, only with more of an edge and more cussing, and it took several years for me to realize how small of a step I had taken outside of the fundamentalism of my childhood. Walking with Andrew through this now, I am haunted by the fact that, less than ten years ago, I almost certainly would have followed the pastors demands and broken off all contact with anyone they deemed unrepentant or unworthy of grace and love, with no questions asked.

That is why I decided to write this. – Stephen

Part one of Andrews story: Mark Driscoll’s church discipline contract: Looking for true repentance at Mars Hill church? Sign on the dotted line.

Part two of Andrews story: Mark Driscoll’s ‘gospel shame’: The truth about discipline, excommunication and cult-like control at Mars Hill

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Richard Roberts arrested on DUI

Former Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts was arrested early Tuesday on complaints of driving under the influence of alcohol and speeding.

An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper clocked Roberts’ 2006 Mercedes driving 93 mph in a 65 mph zone just after midnight on the Creek Turnpike west of U.S. 169, according to his arrest report.

Roberts’ blood-alcohol level was measured at .11 percent, which is above the legal limit of .08, the report says.

The trooper noticed a strong smell of alcohol after pulling Roberts over as he headed north on U.S. 169 just south of 71st Street, according to the report.

Roberts was unable to follow simple instructions in two coordination tests and was taken to the Jenks Police Department to determine his blood-alcohol level, the report says.

He was booked into the Tulsa Jail at 2:46 a.m. and was released on $1,100 bail at 5:47 a.m., records show.

Roberts, 63, the son of ORU founder Oral Roberts, resigned in 2007 after 15 years as the university’s president amid allegations that he and his family misused university and ministry resources.

Roberts is chairman and CEO of the Oral Roberts Evangelical Association, he and his wife Lindsay have a tv show called  The Place for Miracles: Your Hour of Healing.His father, Oral Roberts would have been 93 years old today.

Richard Roberts – Facebook

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Australia’s customs balks at Mr. Bentley

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

A big thanks to reader Riles who brings it to our attention that Todd Bentley is not being allowed into Australia for a series of evangelistic meetings he had planned fot later this week in small chuirches in or near Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra.

Says the announcement on the Fresh Fire website:

The Australian Tour is currently on hold until further Notice. Australian Immigration has denied Todd entry into the country at this time. We are however doing everything we can to get an answer for the denied entry. We have sent all the required documents and are awaiting approval from Australian Immigration to be allowed to come to Australia and Minister. Please continue to stand with us as we are not giving up.

I don’t know why either, but here are a couple guesses.

When he was ministering in Bellingham Washington, before Lakeland, Todd Bentley complained to his audiences of being held at the border because U.S. Customs considered preaching as working, and he’d need special paperwork–which Todd didn’t want to bother with if possible so he could be back and forth quickly. However, he related the customs officials as saying, if he was merely leading a Bible study, that would be okay.

The customs officials always let him across to preach, but the idea was no doubt planted in Bentley’s mind that he had to find a permanent solution to his problem of guaranteeing access to the U.S., his biggest audience.

Perhaps something similar is happening in Australia. “Hey mate, you’re coming into Australia to preach, and that means work and a special visa…”

Of course, it could also relate to the main reason that Todd Bentley was jailed as a teenager. That would set off an alarm in the mind of any on-the-ball customs official.

And that would have been something that Todd would have taken care of, as far as the US is concerned, by marrying the very American Jessa Bentley. It would be an undue hardship, Bentley would argue, to deny him access to his wife just because she lives in the US. And he’s got to be able to make a living…

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There’ll be a revival whether I can verify it or not

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission

The story in the Sunday Express newspaper aside, Todd Bentley is very happy with the “explosion…of miracles” during his recent trip to Britain. Or so one of his minions writes in an e-mail about his UK tour which was sent out a few weeks ago.

In there are various somewhat vague accounts of a lady who had a stroke and was healed through one of Bentley’s prayer cloths and a girl who was healed of dyslexia and went to her school and had a spectacular result on a test.

“Todd was able to break down for what we believe to be the beginning of a huge move of God coming to the UK,” the e-mail notes.

Small problem, though. Although the stories are good, if true, it’s going to be hard to verify that they happened. What is the name of the lady who was healed by the prayer cloth? What is that name of the student? Where do they live?

Back at the Lakeland Revival, Todd Bentley complained about the Sunday Express’ coverage of his plans to come to Britain at that time.

He said then:

….Oh, they did a terrible story on me in England, I know. Terrible story. Blown out of proportion. Never verified the facts….”

Well, Bentley can’t really continue with this complaint against the press, if he makes it difficult, if not impossible for reporters to check what happened due to his vagueness…

It’s not the standard set by Christ as recorded in the Bible, where you could track down living eyewitnesses to what Christ did if you were reading the epistles and Gospels if you were alive shortly after they were being written up and distributed.

Christ’s testimony thrives on eyewitnesses. Bentley seeks to make it hard to track down eyewitnesses of his work, by comparison, seems to make sense, for dismaying reasons that don’t lend credit to what Bentley seeks to do.

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Canadian Blog Awards – Last chance to vote

Voting for The Canadian Blog Awards closes tomorrow.

Bene Diction Blogs On wound up fourth out of fifth place in the first round in Best Religion and Philosophy Blog category.

Best Religion and Philosophy Blog
Whatever He Says – WhateverHeSays.blogspot.com (39 Votes)
Taste and see… – momjeans80.blogspot.com (32 Votes)
Canadian Athiest – www.canadianathiest.com (22 Votes)
Bene Diction Blogs on – www.BenedictionBlogsOn.com (20 Votes)
Feminist Christian Socialist – feministchristian.blogspot.com (8 Votes)

Yesterday over 1200 people stopped by BDBO, if a few readers take a moment to show your appreciation for what we do here at BDBO, there will be some some blog bling on the sidebar.:^) You don’t have to register to vote, just click over. One click, one vote, one day left. Thanks.

Update: Thanks to everyone who voted – BDBO didn’t make the cut, coming in second last. Congratulations to the winning bloggers.:^)

Best Religion and Philosophy Blog

Taste and see… – momjeans80.blogspot.com – 49 Votes (26.92%)
Canadian Athiest – www.canadianathiest.com – 44 Votes (24.18%)
Whatever He Says – WhateverHeSays.blogspot.com – 43 Votes (23.63%)
Bene Diction Blogs on – www.BenedictionBlogsOn.com – 37 Votes (20.33%)
Feminist Christian Socialist – feministchristian.blogspot.com – 9 Votes (4.95%)

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Why Canadians Should Participate in the SOPA/PIPA Protest

Michael Geist: Why Canadians Should Participate in the SOPA/PIPA Protest

Update: The protest seems to have delayed the vote

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