Under his “leadership”, Merrywoods Baptist Church filed for bankruptcy in the early ’90’s, losing the church’s parsonage, school and gymnasium, and most of the land around the church, bought and moved to new property, changed their name to Haughton Baptist Temple (maybe influenced by Bob Gray, Longview Baptist Temple?), embezzled thousands of dollars from the church, and the list goes on. Very few people who know first hand will talk about it. You can be assured that those “skinned” by Andy Briner will tell all if asked.

Andy Briner is married to Mona, sister to Bill Burrows. Burrows was the previous pastor and he ran off with a divorced female church member as did the pastor before him.

Briner claims to have grown up with Dave Hyles (no doubt he did, as I have heard them both talk about the “good ole days” while at a youth conference at Lavon Drive Baptist Church in Garland, Texas, Gary Coleman, Pastor. (Dave Hyles was pastor of Miller Road Baptist at that time)

Andy Briner is a graduate of HAC. Bill Burrows did not graduate from there but had some type of pastor’s training at HAC.

This church has been racked with scandal after scandal. I hear from a current member that the church voted last Sunday March 31, 2004 to build a house with church funds to sell it and give all the profits to the pastor’s retirement fund. All labor, of course, will be volunteered from current members.

Bill Burrows is divorced from his wife Louise(?) and has /had amnesia and can’t remember any of his sins from that time. Andy Briner left Haughton Baptist Temple for FBC Hammond to “get counseling” from Jack Hyles. Since Jack Hyles death, I can’t find a single person who knows where Briner is now. I’d like to know, especially if he has taken another church to pastor; THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HIM!

Thought you’d like to know.

Thank you.
As weary as we internationals do get in the back and forth of the US pundicy rhetoric, we are well served to remember how profoundly difficult it can be for those of you in the US facing an election and your neighbours every day.
I pray that when we outsiders err, we do so rooted and grounded in compassion. Hang in there.

If I could only get myself in the mood to blog more often…the fighting and punditry has gotten me down too, I think. It gets hard to write things that are creative and positive, when there’s so much stupid $%!# going on in the world.

Thanks for continually being a sane and compassionate voice in a section of the “blogosphere” that can often become vitriolic and painful. Blog on, indeed!
Peace!

On my way!

Jeri:
Thanks very much for the background.
I was unaware of the movements roots, and itinerency, so thank you.
Hang in there with me, my readers and I will grasp the bigger picture at some stage!
We have our share of abberant groups with broken and bewildered people stumbling out.
It takes a unique meekness and love to document and expose heresy. And it takes courage many of us
shy from.The name calling can weary one, can’t it? Go under the mercy and blog on!

http://secret-radio.blogspot.com

Hey…I don’t know if you’ve been to Richard’s or Pen’s blogs recently, but I have a new project!

http://2ndstorey.blogdrive.com/

It’s a new group-blog by a bunch of my friends here in seminary. Should be interesting…