He seems to be warning that a large amount of empathy will muddy the waters. Kenny Stokes, a pastor and elder at Bethlehem and associate professor and trustee at BCS, told CT they are currently in discussion to clarify protocols and policies between the two institutions. Tabb and fellow leaders at BCS conducted the investigation of the former students complaints, which concluded last August. Piper responded to Bowerss account in an email to the campus community, saying that his characterization did not line up with his own as chancellor. Its not bad to feel hurt., The BCS alumna said that he went on to say, We came from a generation where Nasellis teaching philosophyand Don Carsonsis completely normal. They felt pressure for not going along with the rest of the elder council, to the point where some elders said they considered it untenable for Tong and Pickering to stay given their disagreement. They leave behind a sizable community2,400 members, spread across three campuseswhose leaders are also disappointed and grieved, enough that the church decided to postpone its 150th anniversary event scheduled for this weekend to November. A year later, Rigney, who had taught theology and literature at BCS since 2007, was named the schools second president in an announcement by Piper as chancellor. D. degrees. Thats why we view every news story through the lens of faith. A debate over untethered empathy underscores how departing leaders, including John Pipers successor, approached hot-button issues like race and abuse. He challenged his flock to consider their own experience in light of Meyers claims of drift toward neo-fundamentalism and unity culture.. Overall, her professors and pastors modeled a way to engage the world not from fear and suspicion, but with openness and critical thinking., Theres much I love about Bethlehem. (Image credit: Bethlehem Baptist Church/Facebook), Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. God has moved at FCC in amazing ways. Ann Mekala and her husband, who was on the ethnic harmony task force, left the church a couple years ago. Are the elders or board members abusive? "It's been more painful to me personally than corporately. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. More than 25 people spoke to CT at length about their experiences navigating conflict at Bethlehem for this article. Now, Meyer is part of a growing exodus of leaders and members Meyer wrote in his letter, It is hard to avoid seeing (the charges) as retribution., The Roys Report reached out to several elders for comment. Many brought up the untethered empathy concept as a factor that they believe shaped leaders responses when confronted with claims of bullying, institutional protection, and spiritual abuse. Bethlehem uses the phrase ethnic harmony, believing ethnicity is a better match for the the cultural categories described in the Bible than race, which is primarily biological or physical. "We talked weekly on the phone when I was called to my first pastoral role after seminary, he came and visited me and took me to lunch when times were hard in that pastoral post, and now I've had the privilege of serving alongside him these past three years. Four students recalled intense debates in their 2019 undergrad course in Christian ethics and apologetics. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. I used to wonder if I was too soft. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Janette Takata also wrote emails to BBC elders in 2019 with concerns about the episode. Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. ]. Is this not the very thing that the Pharisees did that got Jesus so mad that he would call them out by comparing them to that which was the most filthy and disgusting thing in their own theology? Naselli stated that he reacted in the meeting because he worried about discrediting Rigney prior to his presidency, after BCS had undergone a careful, scrutinizing selection process to choose him. Using language like unity culture waters down and redefines what is really going on. Rev Dr Jackie Dowdy. But many were due to tensions resulting from racial and womens issues, ties to controversial pastor Doug Wilson, and the elders handling of allegations of misconduct by Andy Naselli. Some of the faces that appear in the compilation video of 150 Gods Grace at Bethlehem no longer belong to the multisite Twin Cities churchmost prominently Jason Meyer, Pipers successor and Bethlehems pastor for preaching and vision. Its one of the things that meant I never took John Piper seriously, or trusted his exposition of Scripture. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. I still believe we should have done the investigation, but I was able to get to the point where I regarded the March 16 process as incomplete, not immoral.. Rather, I believe our leadership culture has taken a turn in an unhealthy direction as we try to navigate conflict and division.. I believe aspects of BCS culture are inconsistent with the mission and vision I came to love, she said. The news of official grievances against Naselli, one of the best-known professors at BCS, spread among its 400 or so graduates. He had the power to just wreck me. Mekala, her husband, and another BBC elder met with Tomlinson in December 2019, Mekala said. He wrote in an email to her that he believed the elders would be taking up the issue in the days ahead.. Something that gives me hope that BBC will be able to navigate this very difficult time is that they seem to have a church government in place designed to serve the congregation. From there he went on to study at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he earned M. Div. Rev Greg Doss. While a former leader hopes for change, women who sought refuge in biblical counseling at John MacArthurs church say they feared discipline for seeking safety from their abusive marriages. Its been accelerated by political polarization, racial reckoning, and pandemic stress. We dont want that kind of escalation, inflation, and fragility in play. Submitted by escamp on August 31, 2015 - 3:04pm. They said he falsely accused us of insubordination to a pastor and acting in a manner that is intentionally divisive., But Naselli, according to the Takatas transcripts, spoke up about the difference between intent and impact and ultimately did not see his response as sinful. . (BBC has about 40 elders, but the congregation is considered the final authority and meets quarterly to vote on church matters.). I had zero ill intent against you.. He doesnt need us, but by his grace and through his Son, we belong to him. Jason Meyer, pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, preached on the pride-crushing power of the cross in Alumni Pastor Jason Elders and ministers at Bethlehem Baptist Church in We cant even think about whats next, said Debby Pickering, whose family left when her husband, Bryan, resigned his position as pastor. WebFor more information about enrolling in services, please contact Mary Ali at agencyintakes@esarc.org or 260.456.4534 ext. This dysfunctional mess is the logical outcome of John Piper and his theology and its methods. Stay informed with the latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox. But what I noticed, underlying the meaningful time I worshiped at Bethlehem, was rigidity and control among leadership. Rigney recognizes spiritual abuse as something that does happen in Christian contexts, but he also challenged what he saw as the possibility for criticism or correction from a position of authority to get inflated as abuse. Five of our professors are elders; four of our trustees are elders, said Rigney. Leaders in the Bethlehem community, though, said they worry that the new sensitivities are hurting their ability to pastor and shepherd those in their care. Some of the resignations were due to normal factors, like families moving out of the area. Im not convinced that I sinned against you. However, this past spring, several church members also brought allegations of sin and misconduct against Naselli. And I want to speak against her motion. The church where John Piper pastored for 33 years is arguably facing one of its greatest crises in 150 years. Former Elder, and BBC professor of Biblical Counseling Pickering, however, said he was not surprised by Nasellis response at the meeting. [ This article is also available in
But its more difficult to shift peoples thinking the other way, though more resourcesbooks like Somethings Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuseand Freeing Yourself from Its Power by Wade Mullen and A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing by Laura Barringer and Scot McKnightare changing how people see abuse within the church. Most, though, come through the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement. This led the Takatas and other BBC members to file grievances against Naselli with BBCs Elder Council. A few Bethlehem elders responded positively to her letter, Mekala said. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. . It is on YouTube, Race and Culture (??? I attended Bethlehem for nearly 3 years, belonged to one of the small groups. I feel terribly that I hurt you, and I own that and I regret it, and Im so sorry, he said. One need only look at the life of John Calvin, father of Reformed theology (deformed is more like it) and how his followers minimize his past (as Piper himself does; this is referenced in Dave Hunts book What Love is This? Those allegations were dismissed by BCS last August. Those leaving and those staying recognize some of the issues that have divided Bethlehem, many of which are straining other conservative churches: racial justice and critical race theory (CRT); the #MeToo movement and the call to believe women; and the nature of trauma and abuse. 3. That was a very heated conversation. Follow Receive an email notification when changes occur for Jason Meyer. Piper has hosted and defended pastor and author Doug Wilson over the years, even as hes become an increasingly contentious figure in evangelicalism for his teachings on slavery, women, and other issues. The Christian conversation about racism has come a long way in the 10 years since Bloodlines, and has taken on more weight amid the recent string of high-profile police killingsthree in the Minneapolis area alone: Philando Castille, George Floyd, and Daunte Wright. It is indeed worth noting the problematic environment of the school where Naselli chose to incubate himself. The three departing pastors from Bethlehem were based just a few miles from where George Floyd died in 2020. One of the things that gets brought up in the abuse conversation is that abusers and their communities gaslight and minimize what theyve done, said Rigney. Even before Rigneys selection and the Naselli investigation at BCS, church leaders had begun to rethink what it means for the college and seminary to be a church-based school when the church now has three campuses instead of one. Im sure that systems like this may be corrupted (or at least those whose ideas arent accepted may think the system is corrupted), but at least it allows the collective will of the people to be expressed and it allows individuals to speak openly. We should not be surprised then that this is the house that disregards the voices of the abused and protects the abuser. There is some overlap and co-belligerency with Christian Nationalism (a syncretism of right wing nationalism and Christianity) but neo-fundamentalists do so with more theological vocabulary and rationality. Jason Meyer has resigned from his position as the lead pastor of the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, amid allegations of toxic and abusive behavior among the church's leadership. Is there a way to do any rebuke or admonishment when someone is hurting?, he asked. 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