As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Buice has been “suspended from his church for running multiple fake social media accounts…. ‘used to publicly and anonymously slander numerous Christian leaders, including faithful pastors (some of whom have spoken at G3 conferences), several PMBC elders, and others.’” - MinistryWatch
“The country’s perception of clergy hit a new low in recent Gallup polling, with fewer than a third of Americans rating clergy as highly honest and ethical.” - CToday
“Ministry leaders should recognize that after CPS has been notified, it is important to continue support to a victim and their caretaker by ensuring that the victim still feels welcomed by the church community.” - Baptist Press
“Among the findings were Blackwell’s use of a specific accounting code for personal expenses. Over the past 14 years, Blackwell directed more than $300,000 in donor funds to that account.” - BPNews
“the Southern Baptist Convention has no authority over state Baptist conventions or their entities. Any policies and procedures established by the national Convention govern neither state Baptist conventions nor local Baptist associations.” - BPNews
“We at Church Answers have received several questions in light of recent issues of moral failure and, most recently, communication with someone of the opposite sex. …Perhaps we can mostly agree on a few tenets that, taken together, can help guard our hearts, minds, and integrity.” - Thom Rainer
“I’m always a little stunned to hear someone counter with, ‘How many churches have been sued for copyright infringement?’ In other words, what’s the chance of us getting caught and what are the risks?” - C.Leaders
“Unpacking the motives of an accused undercover American in Israel and lessons learned for Christians wanting to engage Haredi Jews.” - C.Today
“The Future of Missions, a brand new Barna report conducted in partnership with International Mission Board, takes a closer look at what’s keeping young Christians from wholeheartedly engaging with global ministry…. One-third of young adult Christians (34%) agrees that ‘in the past, missions work has been unethical,’ compared to one in four adults 35 and older (23%). Two in five (42%) agree that ‘Christian mission is tainted by its association with colonialism’ (vs.
By David M. Gower. Posted with permission from Baptist Bulletin May/June 2012. All rights reserved.
People expect a lot from a pastor—including standing up for justice and helping those in need. But they also expect him to provide confidential spiritual guidance. So what happens when these expectations collide? What happens when a pastor learns that someone he is counseling has committed a crime? To whom does the pastor owe his loyalty: the person being counseled, or the victim of the crime? These questions are at the center of a rape case now pending in a Michigan court of appeals that will set precedent in Michigan and could have ramifications nationwide.
John Vaprezsan is the pastor of Metro Baptist Church, an independent Baptist church in Belleville, Mich. In 2009, reports USA Today, a woman in the church told Vaprezsan that her daughter had been raped by Samuel Bragg, a teenager who also attended Metro Baptist. The girl was just 9 years old at the time of the assault.
After hearing this disturbing news, Vaprezsan asked Bragg and his mother to meet him at the church. Vaprezsan claims that at the meeting Bragg confessed to sexually assaulting the girl. Later Vaprezsan gave a statement to police and Bragg was charged with first-degree criminal sexual assault. But Bragg and his mother deny making any confession.
Knowing that his testimony would be vital to the case, Vaprezsan agreed to testify in court about the details of Bragg’s confession. However, the trial judge ruled that Vaprezsan’s testimony was inadmissible because it would violate Michigan’s clergy privilege statute, which states,
No minister of the gospel, or priest of any denomination whatsoever, or duly accredited Christian Science practitioner, shall be allowed to disclose any confessions made to him in his professional character, in the course of discipline enjoined by the rules or practice of such denomination.1
The prosecutor appealed the trial judge’s decision to the Michigan court of appeals, which has not issued its ruling as of this writing.2
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