Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. ]. laid out by The Gospel Coalitions Kevin DeYoung, With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal, Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church, I Was the Proverbial, Drug-Fueled Rock and Roller, Grace Community Church Rejected Elders Calls to Do Justice in Abuse Case, The Kings College Faces Threat of Closure, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives. Outside the church, they are concerned by the cultures increasing hostility to Christianity, most prominently from mass media, social media, and the government., https://mereorthodoxy.com/six-way-fracturing-evangelicalism/, Ive been so concerned that a man who is widely known for thinking empathy is a sin is now the head of a seminary. As the debating and name-calling escalated, Jeffrey Hall joined the group of students defending the Augustinian position of evil as privation, or evil as the absence of good. Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Bethlehem Baptist Church Transform Minnesota brings workshops, connection points and teaching across the state of Minnesota. The congregation which has a membership of around 4,600 operates three campuses in the city. Submitted by escamp on August 31, 2015 - 3:04pm. They insisted he sinned against them by explaining and denying instead of seeking to understand. Youre going to have people on opposite sides saying theyre making mountains out of molehills and then other people saying youre making molehills out of mountains. A few Bethlehem elders responded positively to her letter, Mekala said. Meyers most recent title was pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehems downtown campus. . I feel terribly that I hurt you, and I own that and I regret it, and Im so sorry, he said. But the vote said the opposite. A Taiwanese American, Tong also wore traditional Chinese attire as he preached on the Sunday following the Atlanta massage parlor shootings. An outside investigation TEAM is objective, trained, experienced, know what they are looking for, knows how to speak to the church about what they see, and love Jesus Christ. Brian Tabb, a BBC elder and dean at BCS, told Takata in an email that he could understand her concerns. The elder council concluded in April that the charges against Naselli were not true, but the pastors were three of four elders who dissented in hopes that further investigation could take place. Thats why we view every news story through the lens of faith. At Bethlehem, the biggest source of frustration and disappointment, in many cases, came not from the grievances themselves but from the resistance and attitudes people said they faced when they tried to bring those grievances forward. Rev Patricia Downes. The church where John Piper pastored for 33 years is arguably facing one of its greatest crises in 150 years. WebNOW!!! On March 16, the elders dismissed the grievances against Naselli. The downtown campus was the most diverse of the three, with people of color making up 21 percent of attendees. Some current seminary students say they were satisfied with the outcome and have seen repentance from their professor following the investigation. No decent man, and no credible minister of Jesus, should enter the same room with such a craven and corrupt person as Wilson, much less appear on his radio show or promote his thinly-veiled sexual fantasies as credible theology. Ive worked with victims for 26 years in the Christian Reformed Church. Let's re-learn to lament together," he noted. In arguing for the motion, Takata expressed that it was disheartening to her that an elder who calls himself a pastor had given the Man Rampant episode a 5-star rating. Meanwhile, church elders and BCS administration concluded that the processes largely worked as they should, but that they came to a different conclusion than the accusers. The Bethlehem pastors reveal their own corruption by their alliance with Wilson, and church members are right to flee. He wrote in an email to her that he believed the elders would be taking up the issue in the days ahead.. . And when the truth and the truth-tellers are minimized, marginalized, and demonized, this is a narcissistic family systems. 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. Both sides in a conflict want to get at what really happened; as Christians, they rightly set out to work toward justice and reconciliation where they can. She said the meeting did not go well, and Tomlinson told her that he supported Rigneys view. Naselli, associate professor of theology and New Testament at BCS, spoke up to identify himself as the five-star reviewer and said that if the motion passed, hed quit. Like in many evangelical churches that are majority white, some members of the congregation believed the church was putting too little an effort into addressing ethnic harmony and justice, while others felt like it became too much of a focus. Skip to main content. One of the few evangelical colleges in New York City is in sudden financial crisis, and students are planning for a possible shutdown. Its been a taxing year for everyone, and its been a taxing year for ministry. They resigned not long after. Share Podcast Audio Download. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. I believe aspects of BCS culture are inconsistent with the mission and vision I came to love, she said. Two Bethlehem elders, Ken Currie and Chairman Kurt Elting-Ballard, responded that they are focusing our energy on the needs of our flock and had no other comment or statement to add.. He writes for The Gospel Coalition and has served as D. A. Carsons longtime research assistant. To register contact Jason Meyer at wljm01@gmail.com. This fall, the school will inaugurate its second president, 10 years after its first graduating class. Another elder in the meeting said of Pastor Jason, of Pastor Ming-Jinn, and of me that when we preach or pray publicly, or publicly communicate to the congregation, we are subordinating the gospel to other things, Pickering told CT. The trip cost is $500, $250 is due with initial registration. The others who have resigned include Bryan Pickering, former Piper cant step in, from what I understand. Elders and ministers at Bethlehem Baptist Church in I had a growing concern that compassion that lacks discernment would ultimately and subtly undermine sound doctrine. The news of official grievances against Naselli, one of the best-known professors at BCS, spread among its 400 or so graduates. Zuleger noted Meyer's resignation was painful to him personally due to their years-long friendship. Notifications include: New company roles Change in active status Location updates New Also available on most smart TVs and streaming services. Maybe this is normal for most people, but its mind-blowing to me. We learned Augustine in doctrine class, Carvette said. Frankly, its because I graduated from our undergrad program that I have concerns. It's been a taxing year for everyone, and it's been a taxing year for ministry. These churches that are really heavy on theology, we hold our theology so high that when were leaving, it felt like were leaving orthodoxy by leaving our church, she told CT. If thats how you feel, theres probably a problem., Brima, who is white and whose husband is Black, said she saw the empathy as sin idea used as protection from critique and believes it can do unique harm to women and minorities, seemingly minimizing their feelings and experiences. According to Pickering, Tong called the elders process and decision to dismiss the allegations against Naselli unethical., In Meyers resignation letter, Meyer writes:(I)t seemed that a committee of non-staff elders from each campus would be the best group to be able to take the allegations and sift them. Pipers successor, Jason Meyer, is the fourth pastor to resign from Bethlehem in the past four months. This is another painful and confusing moment for us," Zuleger wrote. Rather, I believe our leadership culture has taken a turn in an unhealthy direction as we try to navigate conflict and division.. a unity culture that breeds fear and seeks to protect the institution Jason Meyer The episode, which argued that empathy is sin because it leads to siding unquestioningly with aggrieved parties, deeply upset several people at Bethlehem. Some of the resignations were due to normal factors, like families moving out of the area. Meyer, whose involvement at Bethlehem dates back to 1999, returned from his sabbatical with what he says was a clear calling that it was time for him to go too. For some, these three pastors willingness to listen to and advocate for congregants, their teachings on race and abuse, and their leadership at the downtown campus were particular assets to Bethlehem. Any theology that creates abusive jerks is all doctrines taught by demons. (BBC has about 40 elders, but the congregation is considered the final authority and meets quarterly to vote on church matters.). 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. Theyre trying to toughen you up. I enjoyed your article. Instead, he said it confirmed the pattern he already suspected after speaking with nearly all 12 former BCS students who in 2020 submitted allegations against Naselli to BCS administration.. (Image credit: Bethlehem Baptist Church/Facebook), Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. Both Meyer and Tong spoke out against racism, Pickering said, but added that the charges were not true. When Christina Boyum, a graduate of the college, discussed what happened in Nasellis class with a fellow church member at Bethlehem, she was told, A student feeling hurt does not mean that the student has been sinned against. I have never been a member in a church which allows a member to put forward a motion to the entire congregation designed to rebuke an elder. Just wanted to insert that my wife and I have been taking biblical counseling classes through CCEF and they have a strong emphasis on the need to grow in empathy. Lee at the North Campus told CT that his congregation, the largest Bethlehem location, has been encouraged by the frankness of the discussion and is ready to move forward. In other words, you lose contact with truth.. 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. The Sunday after George Floyd was killed, he preached on racism and the call to sit in solidarity with those who are suffering. The episode was titled The Sin of Empathy, and featured guest Joe Rigney, who at the time of the January meeting had been appointed president of Bethlehem College and Seminary (BCS) but had not yet assumed office. While he was trying to work for resolution, she didnt know where to go with her own frustration and anxiety. I have been majorly burdened for our church for the past several years regarding how we approach ethnic harmony and related issues in our culture, including partisan politics, Critical Theory, Critical Race Theory, intersectionality, Black Lives Matter, etc. When the image of the family is more important than the individual members of the family, this is a narcissistic family system. Meyers exit last month followed two others at Bethlehems downtown campus. "At Bethlehem . Freedom City Church (FCC) was born in a small art studio in Uptown Whittier, CA, and it has quickly expanded to the present facility Pastor Jason and his beautiful wife and co-pastor, Elizabeth, lead in Whittier, CA. Ive always been mystified by claims that Doug Wilson is brilliant. It transitioned to a formal degree program that eventually became accredited in 2015. Meyers exit last month followed two others at Bethlehems downtown campus. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Unlike other high-profile evangelical scandals and shakeups in the headlines, the story at Bethlehem is not so clear-cut. Meyer said, If you as a church dont like what I said today, you will have to get another pastor, because I believe this to the back of my teeth.. No one has leaned in to care for my soul more than him," he wrote. Thats part of our entire educational approach. (He declined to comment on Naselli or any specific faculty members. It seems as though one issue is differing views regarding the churchs theological emphasis, while another issue is abusive leadership and a culture of fear. Prior to ordination, Pastor Jason attended the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and the University of Chicago. In our next article on events at Bethlehem Baptist Church, well explore the allegations against Naselli, as well as the response by BCS administration and BBC elders. After Christ Christian Center. Though Rigney serves as a pastor at a Bethlehem church plant in St. Paul, Cities Church, he is the first head of BCS who doesnt belong to Bethlehem Baptist Church itself. -It is honestly appalling that he has not called Wilsons use of savagely misogynist rhetoric, specifically in Wilsons blog. Speaking as a 18 yr attender at BBC (currently planning on leaving) the closest Piper ever got to decrying Wilson was during a interview with Joe 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. 2. By now, you Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? No one should be surprised by these revelations of spiritual abuse -especially against women- in the Bethlehem ecosystem. Yesterday I saw a Video from John Piper asking for prayer during his upcoming 7 week writing sabbatical. To my knowledge, and I have researched it, that is the only time Piper got even close to creating distance. Are there good reasons why members are leaving? Learn more about Urban Refuge Church Calvins Misrepresentation of God) to see the outcome as we see here. Bowers had been a professor who looked forward to the first day of school every year and loved interacting with studentsand it showed. 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. Rev Greg Doss. We dont want that kind of escalation, inflation, and fragility in play. Over time, for a variety of reason, the members of the narcissistic family system are trained, conditioned, molded, shaped, and manipulated into becoming co-conspirators in the idolatry of The Image., And they are coerced into being temple prostitutes at the temple of The Image.. In an interview with The Roys Report, Bryan Pickering, the former pastor for care and counseling at the church, said he resigned over a pattern of abusive conduct by Bethlehem's leaders that he not only witnessed but experienced. 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