By sifilings on
Church & Ministry
Jack Schaap

Did Hammond pastor take teen across state lines for sex?

The FBI has confirmed it is investigating whether the teenage girl who is reported to have had an affair with a former pastor of the First Baptist Church of Hammond is a minor. Robert Ramsey, FBI supervisory senior resident agent, said Tuesday the investigation will look into whether Jack Schaap transported the female church member across state lines for illegal sexual activity and whether she was below the federal age of consent, which is 18 years old.

Discussion

Wed, 08/08/12

I thought that it was initially said that the girl was 16 at the time of the incident(s?). Am I remembering that right?

"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells

Wed, 08/08/12

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/hammond-baptist-dismisses-pastor-for-sin/article_f06530c4-884b-50b8-8f14-f32d4c205a9f.html

A source close to the investigation said Schaap began an affair in April with a 16-year-old girl who was affiliated with the church’s Hyles-Anderson College in Crown Point, though she was not a student.

16 and 17 could both be true: She was 16 in April … she is 17 today.

Details will come out, I’m sure

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Jim's Doctrinal Statement

Wed, 08/08/12

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/editorial-first-baptist-pastor-church-deserve-forgiveness/article_f0a2b898-f68b-5526-a8c3-2d63c1b4a4b8.html

… the church, holding true to its tenants, will continue to minister to the community. What has been a sad incident has been handled properly and in no way should reflect poorly on the reputation of the great religious institution. The lesson to be learned is as old as the Bible itself - man is human and subject to failure. But it must also be remembered that forgiveness is a key tenant of the Christian religion. Hopefully in time that can be applied to the man who fell from grace in Hammond.

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Jim's Doctrinal Statement

Wed, 08/08/12

Re:

What has been a sad incident has been handled properly and in no way should reflect poorly on the reputation of the great religious institution

Not commenting on the “reputation of the great religious institution” part (which I take exception to!)

The jury’s still out about whether they handled it properly! I understand that the man who is now the interim pastor announced the Sunday before the events broke that Jack Schaap was out on medical leave.

If that is true … it strikes me as a bald-faced lie! And when people lie it makes one a liar. That doesn’t say much about the man who is now the interim pastor!

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Jim's Doctrinal Statement

Wed, 08/08/12

Whenever I start reading anything about this incident, instead of seeing the words, I just see “Blahblahblah”. Must be a new kind of aphasia.

Scenescape Media

Wed, 08/08/12

like Mr. Schaap has fallen afoul of the Mann Act.

Hoping to shed more light than heat..

Wed, 08/08/12

In the meantime, the church, holding true to its tenants, will continue to minister to the community. What has been a sad incident has been handled properly and in no way should reflect poorly on the reputation of the great religious institution.

The lesson to be learned is as old as the Bible itself - man is human and subject to failure. But it must also be remembered that forgiveness is a key tenant of the Christian religion. Hopefully in time that can be applied to the man who fell from grace in Hammond.

Yikes.

Forgiveness? That isn’t mine to grant - Schaap needs forgiveness from the members of his church, his family, and his victim. Even if they all lined up in a row and forgave him the day he chose to seduce and sleep with someone that was 16 years old, that still wouldn’t remove the consequences so clearly detailed in Proverbs 6:27-35.

As for ‘has been handled properly’ in the NWI Article…well, we’ll see about that. I’m not as optimistic as I was a few days ago, and I certainly am concerned about all complaints being directed to the church “Office of Risk Management”, which seems largely to be concerned with risks to the pastor’s or church’s image and little else.

"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells

Thu, 08/09/12

Face it people, there ain’t no handling it properly that will satisfy everybody’s perspective on proper. I am soooooooooooo not a defender of things Hyles or Schaap, but I am pretty tired of the second guessing. From any of the public statements I have read, the perception is that the leadership of FBC is striving to do whatever the right thing is. I can live with that.

Lee

Thu, 08/09/12

[Jim]

Please answer this:

Sunday before the Schaap news breaks: Pastor announces from the pulpit that Jack was out on medical leave?

My question: Lie or not? Right or wrong?

Lie…wrong…typical image protection/damage control

Thu, 08/09/12

“Lie or not? Right or wrong?”

Talk about second guessing. One of the articles on the story said that the deacons met several times with Schaap before pulling the plug (I don’t recall the exact story, or the exact number, but I think it was three.)

Think about it. Here you are, a deacon board taught to worship your pastor, and now you are confronted with this horror. They have to be in total shock and confusion.

To use the ‘medical leave’ spin might not have been the best thing to do, but in the end they gave him the boot. Why be so critical about this point? It looks like an attempt to pile it on them and not very charitable at all. As they worked through it, they did the right thing in the end.

Maybe you would have handled it better. Maybe not. I pray God you never have to.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Thu, 08/09/12

[Don Johnson]

….To use the ‘medical leave’ spin might not have been the best thing to do, but in the end they gave him the boot. Why be so critical about this point?….they did the right thing in the end.

Because it’s a lie, that’s why. Simple answer to a simple question. There’s no “second guessing” here, Don. Those guys who met behind closed doors knew the truth of what had happened and they were confronted with a choice: tell the truth or tell a lie. They chose to lie about it to their church. It’s inexcusable. Did they do the right thing in the end? Well, they did finally disclose the truth about Schaap, but only after the authorities got involved, and they had no choice. One can only wonder where this would all be if they got away with the “medical leave” charade.

A similar challenge faced the deacons at Bethel in Schaumburg almost 2 yrs ago when they had to confront their pastor & “invite” him to leave. They could’ve given the congregation some deceitful spin, but instead did the honorable thing and immediately—the night of the pastor’s dismissal—disclosed what the pastor had done & how they had responded (incidentally, that, too, is a church that has historically had the “don’t touch the pastor” attitude). The FBCH leadership owed their congregation the truth.

Thu, 08/09/12

Who said:

It looks like an attempt to pile it on them and not very charitable at all. As they worked through it, they did the right thing in the end. Maybe you would have handled it better. Maybe not. I pray God you never have to.
  • I don’t think my motive is to pile on or to be uncharitable
  • They may have done the right thing “in the end” but where where they when Schaap was going all crazy before with his sex talk and polishing the shaft!? If they worshipped their leader … well there’s a word for that!
  • The what should of they said was a discussion I had with another believer yesterday. The could have said nothing.
  • Sadly I’ve had to deal with a Pastor who fell into sexual sin. It is gut-wrenchingly sickening. One feels for the spouse … the children … the pastor whom one honored, etc.
  • By the way … I emailed the school and requested that they take down that stupid statue. No response yet!

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Jim's Doctrinal Statement

Thu, 08/09/12

Jim, I think it is easy for those who are a long way from the situation to throw stones. It is hardly worth bringing up. What purpose does it serve, really?

And, Brian, re the off-topic matter you bring up, there are conflicting reports on that story. Who knows if the truth is as you state it? I doubt that you do. What is your point in bringing it up? Does it edify? Does it advance the cause at all?

Your posts are examples of why so many people have problems with sites like SI - unbridled innuendo, speculation, fault-finding, no fact checking, and so on. Certainly the FBCH folks have been thoroughly abused by false leadership for a long time. I think it is an example of God’s grace that they came to the right decision this time. Wouldn’t you like to see a change of direction there? More responsible leadership? More spiritual direction? I’m not sure how this kind of nit-picking encourages them to move in a better direction.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3