"Over the last few years some former pastors and leaders in Sovereign Grace have made charges against me ..."
[Charlie]I think the modern American church is so deeply entrenched in traditions for which we have no Biblical support that the horse has not only left the corral, but is grazing in Nebraska.There is a http://sharperiron.org/filings/7-15-11/19547] thread linking to the Divided movie that explores the role of Sunday School and children’s programs in the church, and how these ideas/methods were adopted without much consideration of whether or not they would actually further the Gospel or build up the saints. Ditto with church politics and corporate business models and marketing strategies. We take what we are already doing and try to squish it into Scripture, instead of studying the Biblical model and replicating it as closely as possible. Is it any wonder that we are experiencing so many ‘scandals’? Which brings to mind this video-There is a corollary there. Except we haven’t realized yet that we’ve been blinding ourselves.[Susan R] Mr. Mahaney’s ministry, and thus his actions, have a far-reaching influence, so I understand the hubbub. But when we are so dependent on ‘great men’ for guidance that their failings register an 8.5 on the Christian Richter Scale, we have other questions we need to be asking ourselves.My question would be, “How could we not expect this to happen given the most popular church polities in America?”
at http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/blogs/sgm/post/An-honest-take-o…] Plant and Build .
To our friends and detractors alike, can I make an appeal about C.J.? The guy has voluntarily stepped aside from his role as president to ensure he would not influence any evaluation of him. He will be placed under the scrutiny of two different panels. He has written two detailed confessions to Brent and confessed publicly to the pastors and members of Covenant Life Church. He has spent over a year examining his soul and reaching out to people who are offended with him. In some cases there has been reconciliation (including with Larry Tomczak, who reached out to C.J.). In others there has not, but he’s trying and praying. Despite appearances to the contrary, C.J.’s self examination didn’t begin last week, and no doubt it will continue —as it should for all of us. But can I appeal that we not rush to judgment but rather think about him the way we would want to be evaluated if someone came forward against us?
But can I appeal that we not rush to judgment but rather think about him the way we would want to be evaluated if someone came forward against us?
Thanks for the link, Susan. I wrote a long post on this thread a couple days ago, and didn’t post it.
A rush to judgment is unseemly. That includes a rush to commend him for his humility OR a rush to condemn him. The man, by his own admission, has sinned. We don’t know what triggered the admission. We don’t know if his statement really is humble, or if he just managed to get himself into a bind where he had to say something, and is good at knowing what should be said. We don’t know if we are observing a wonderful work of God in his life, or a horrible fraudulent fake repentance. Let’s wait and see.
The most we can say at this point is that he has made a statement which appears to be consistent with repentance, and what we can see of his actions >so far< fits with that as well. Praise the Lord! Let’s see what comes of it. Why do we need to do any more right now? Unless you are actually part of SGM or directly connected with it in some way, you don’t need to rush to judgment. We’ve got all the time in the world to see what comes of this.
For many of us, we may never really need to judge the matter. There are enough doctrinal and practical differences that I’m unlikely to ever have any substantive ministry links with them, anyway. So why is it my place to pass judgment, positively or negatively, on this individual’s sin and how it is dealt with? I’m not CJ’s Master. It would be different if I had some link with his ministry, or were considering such a link. Then, this would matter. But that’s not the case, and it’s not my business to judge. They are handling it, and I hope and pray they handle it well.
I hesitated to even post, and deleted my last one because I hated to add to a thread that, in my view, has said way too much. It’s not charitable to discuss the sins of our brethren (even the Conservative Evangelical ones :)) any more than we have to. Sometimes, it’s necessary, but it’s hard for me to see why in this case. But I wanted to endorse the plea not to rush to judgment.
Discussion