Dissenting Coral Ridge Members Depart to Form Split Congregation
As an admirer of Dr. Kennedy for about 25 years, I am watching this with great interest.
The new developments are both sad and happy.
They could be analyzed on many levels, including:
- the problems with a mega-church
- the transition from a founding pastor
- the power and value of tradition
- the legitimacy and speed of change
- the expectations of a new pastor
- the right/wrong way to split a church
- the place of national politics in the local church
From the Sun-Sentinel account:
“The developments follow the exit last week of organist Samuel Metzger and John Wilson, director of the traditional worship service. Both men helped lead music at the Sunday service of 400 dissidents at Butterfly World in Coconut Creek.”
For what it is worth, these men have made this move at great personal sacrifice. It is not “politically-correct” behavior (in the sense of church politics). Right or wrong, they are lending their credibility to the new congregation. That says more to me than that Dr. Kennedy’s daughter is involved. (By the way, how many would not love to take a little group of 400 to start a new church?)
It will be interesting to see how this all affects Knox Seminary (which does not seem to have the same “punch” it had a few years ago — just my perception), Coral Ridge Ministries and all of its affiliated ministries. The area in which fundamentalists have the most interaction with Coral Ridge would obviously be Evangelism Explosion.
I am not sure how all of those entities are connected legally, and do not have time to investigate it. It would be interesting to find out though, if someone could shed some light on it.
The new developments are both sad and happy.
They could be analyzed on many levels, including:
- the problems with a mega-church
- the transition from a founding pastor
- the power and value of tradition
- the legitimacy and speed of change
- the expectations of a new pastor
- the right/wrong way to split a church
- the place of national politics in the local church
From the Sun-Sentinel account:
“The developments follow the exit last week of organist Samuel Metzger and John Wilson, director of the traditional worship service. Both men helped lead music at the Sunday service of 400 dissidents at Butterfly World in Coconut Creek.”
For what it is worth, these men have made this move at great personal sacrifice. It is not “politically-correct” behavior (in the sense of church politics). Right or wrong, they are lending their credibility to the new congregation. That says more to me than that Dr. Kennedy’s daughter is involved. (By the way, how many would not love to take a little group of 400 to start a new church?)
It will be interesting to see how this all affects Knox Seminary (which does not seem to have the same “punch” it had a few years ago — just my perception), Coral Ridge Ministries and all of its affiliated ministries. The area in which fundamentalists have the most interaction with Coral Ridge would obviously be Evangelism Explosion.
I am not sure how all of those entities are connected legally, and do not have time to investigate it. It would be interesting to find out though, if someone could shed some light on it.
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
Like we’re surprised. It reads like a stock script.
"The Midrash Detective"
[South Florida Sun Sentinel] Elder Bill Ashcraft said the dissident service didn’t surprise him. He said a church expert had told a Coral Ridge transition team that any new pastor would likely lose 300-400 members.
[Rev Karl]That’s conventional wisdom![South Florida Sun Sentinel] Elder Bill Ashcraft said the dissident service didn’t surprise him. He said a church expert had told a Coral Ridge transition team that any new pastor would likely lose 300-400 members.
It is amazing how predictable human behavior is. Church after church, same story with an occasional exception. All “Spirit-led,” it is claimed. Even in the early church, “I’m of Paul, I’m of Apollos.”
"The Midrash Detective"
From the organist, Samuel Metzger’s web site:
“On Wednesday evening, an elder came to announce that choir members, who had signed the original petition calling for the congregational vote, were to be removed from the choir. (This was all done without due process as called for in the PCA Book of Church Order. Signing a petition is a congregation member’s right under the BCO.) Upon the announcement of the removals the choir was immediately ripped to shreds with people protesting, crying - it was awful and unthinkable that this was happening in a church. Some of the members have been in this choir for 40 years. Three elders in the choir stood up to protest this saying that it was not allowable without session action and that none of these people had been charged with any wrongdoing. John Wilson left part way through the announcement, having become too emotional to stay.”
Sounds like the church leadership were a little heavy-handed. I guess since the church experts said you’d lose 300-400, they were bound to find them and get rid of them. I’m sure the dissenting group could have behaved better as well.
“On Wednesday evening, an elder came to announce that choir members, who had signed the original petition calling for the congregational vote, were to be removed from the choir. (This was all done without due process as called for in the PCA Book of Church Order. Signing a petition is a congregation member’s right under the BCO.) Upon the announcement of the removals the choir was immediately ripped to shreds with people protesting, crying - it was awful and unthinkable that this was happening in a church. Some of the members have been in this choir for 40 years. Three elders in the choir stood up to protest this saying that it was not allowable without session action and that none of these people had been charged with any wrongdoing. John Wilson left part way through the announcement, having become too emotional to stay.”
Sounds like the church leadership were a little heavy-handed. I guess since the church experts said you’d lose 300-400, they were bound to find them and get rid of them. I’m sure the dissenting group could have behaved better as well.
I read Samuel Metzger’s testimony at www.metzgermusic.com, and it is very powerful. I have never been to CRPC, but I have spent so many hours watching the services on television that I have almost felt like I was a member of the congregation through the years, and have often thought how wonderful it would be to be part of something like that.
For anyone else with the same experience, you will definitely want to read this blog.
Also, Metzger’s words from the last paragraph tie in to Dr. Bauder’s current series: “(Dr. Kennedy) had a transcendent view of worship and was not afraid of anything being too grand or good for our great God.”
Oh, how I wish that this sentiment could make its way into our IFB circles!
For all of our fussin’ and fightin’ over music styles, by and large we have a very low view of the worship of God.
For anyone else with the same experience, you will definitely want to read this blog.
Also, Metzger’s words from the last paragraph tie in to Dr. Bauder’s current series: “(Dr. Kennedy) had a transcendent view of worship and was not afraid of anything being too grand or good for our great God.”
Oh, how I wish that this sentiment could make its way into our IFB circles!
For all of our fussin’ and fightin’ over music styles, by and large we have a very low view of the worship of God.
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
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