Amid these accusations, I recommend trying G.R.A.C.E to investigate the matters facing Bethlehem. . Im stumped over this direction. We dont want that kind of escalation, inflation, and fragility in play. She asked how the message, with Rigney and Wilson discussing examples of women using emotional manipulation or falsely claiming abuse, would square with the churchs own ministry to care for victims. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Why? Paul used this same verb in verse 19 (you gladly bear with fools), and now he repeats it once more in order to make plain some of the foolish stuff the Corinthians put up with. This is the hyper complementarian house that says a woman cant divorce even an abusive, philandering husband. 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. 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. It is indeed worth noting the problematic environment of the school where Naselli chose to incubate himself. Particularly since Donald Trumps presidency, theres been a deepening of divisions among American evangelicals, exposing disagreements not in theology per se but in how they as Christians see their greatest priorities and fears in society. ]. WebPastor Jason Meyer. I observed leadership patterns that sought to help hurting people but left those same people even more frustrated and disappointed.. Pastor Brian Dow. Part of whats happened, in the last five years plus especially, is emerging fault lines among people with sensibly shared theological commitments, Rigney said in an interview with CT. At the same time, Theres been an escalation of language and inflation of language such that when a certain issue rises to where it becomes the litmus test, where it becomes, Youre either with us or against usas opposed to simply a different instinct or tendency within a same shared theological commitmentthats when theres real problems, and its hard to work together.. They did great for a week when they simply sat with Job in silence. There are things that professors would admit in classroom settings when I began that they wouldnt be willing to admit now.. *This article has been updated for accuracy. One of them, Ann Mekala, wrote in a 2019 letter to several elders, There is an air of disdain and distrust towards women woven throughout the episode. She noted that Wilson and Rigney gave examples of women falsely accusing men in the podcast and encouraged listeners to be skeptical toward those who report abuse. Part of what I want to say is theres actually an answer to that question.. 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.. When met with issues that strike at the core of ones identity, its natural to have visceral responses, she tweeted. "Jason Meyer's resignation is not due to impropriety or moral failure, and we thank God for Jason's ministry among us for the past nine years, first as Pastor for Preaching & Vision for Bethlehem's three campuses, and then since last summer as Pastor for Preaching & Vision at the Downtown Campus," the statement concluded. To share this article with your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. https://julieroys.com/bethlehem-baptist-church-culture-fear-abuse a unity culture that breeds fear and seeks to protect the institution Jason Meyer 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.. We also have troubles that have played out at Bethlehem over the past year. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. One of the few evangelical colleges in New York City is in sudden financial crisis, and students are planning for a possible shutdown. Rev Ernie Dorrell. Last year, Pickering and Meyer resigned from their teaching roles at BCS, with Pickering citing egregious student complaints against a professor-elder among his top reasons. cultural, damaging behavior that's being done, and has been done, for a long time.". However, this past spring, several church members also brought allegations of sin and misconduct against Naselli. 720 13th Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55415 Please contact Pastor Jason if you are in need of financial suppor t or . Pipers successor, Jason Meyer, is the fourth pastor to resign from Bethlehem in the past four months. Frankly, its because I graduated from our undergrad program that I have concerns. Brian Tabb, a BBC elder and dean at BCS, told Takata in an email that he could understand her concerns. It's been a taxing year for everyone, and it's been a taxing year for ministry. Skip to main content. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1. 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. I doubt CCEF itself is changing direction on that. The church where John Piper pastored for 33 years is arguably facing one of its greatest crises in 150 years. If youve seen much of Doug Wilson or his church/school/publishing empire in Moscow, ID, and you have some understanding of narcissism, youll immediately recognize the warning flags. Are there good reasons why members are leaving? She referenced the six habits that shape BCS education: observing, understanding, evaluating, feeling, applying, and expressing. He wrote in an email to her that he believed the elders would be taking up the issue in the days ahead.. He added that Wilsons church has received a great deal of scrutiny about its poor handling of abuse cases in the past, so I cringed when I heard (Wilson) bring up . The resignations and fractures in leadership at Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC) extend to the congregation and have been simmering for years. The attitude undergirding the motion is too easily offended or hurt, and it turns that woundedness or offense into a crusade, Naselli wrote in an email to fellow elders in February, referring to the move as a form of cancel culture.. I believe aspects of BCS culture are inconsistent with the mission and vision I came to love, she said. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. At Bethlehem, Rigney said, we want to un-coddle the American mind, or at least the Christian mind. The Roys Report has also learned that Pastor for Care and Counseling Bryan Pickering, who also recently resigned, called for the resignation of a fellow elder, Andy Naselli, whos a professor at Bethlehem College and Seminary. Meyer preached in 2015 against the dangers of hyper-headship and made the case that doing nothing when faced with abuse is taking the side of the abuser. A unity or one voice culture puts a lot of focus on institutional protection. Meyer adds that while unity is a great goal, the problem comes when unity moves from a desired goal to a demanded outcome.. I didnt start experiencing regular conflict until I started advocating for racial justice issues, Bowers told CT. Bethlehem Baptist Church, Pastor Jason Meyer, Domestic Violence, Emotional Abuse, Spiritual Abuse Almost 1-1/2 years ago, I wrote an article about John Piper's former church, Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC) regarding domestic violence, Encouraging Shift from Bethlehem Baptist Church Regarding Domestic Abuse and Care 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. Naselli did not resign. This fall, the school will inaugurate its second president, 10 years after its first graduating class. In the end, seven of the 17 original members of the task force ended up leaving Bethlehem, which some elders saw as confirmation that their misgivings about the group were justified. Now, obviously Im a pastor at a separate church, but that church has the same doctrinal commitment as Bethlehem does., Rigney and Wilson discuss the sin of empathy.. And when the truth and the truth-tellers are minimized, marginalized, and demonized, this is a narcissistic family systems. The sensitivity over Black Lives Matter and differing approaches to contemporary racial issues hits particularly hard in the Bethlehem community. He had the power to just wreck me. In their minds, claims of inappropriate behavior or abuse wont always be justified. Similarly, Lee at Bethlehems North Campus referred to the spiritual abuse accusations against Naselli as the result of concept creep, suggesting that conceptions of abuse and victimhood are being expanded too far. He writes for The Gospel Coalition and has served as D. A. Carsons longtime research assistant. In the summer of 2019, the task force presented an 85-page report to the elders, which essentially died in committee. In his resignation letter, Meyer added, Ming-Jinn, Bryan, and I were called shame terms like coddlers, and Ming-Jinn was called Absalom.. 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. He commands us to show sympathy, but people demand empathy, and they regard it as a kind of betrayal if you refuse to join them in their pain, in their grievance, he says in the series with Wilson. Even people whove left in frustration agree theres no single cause or person beneath the conflict. Unlike other high-profile evangelical scandals and shakeups in the headlines, the story at Bethlehem is not so clear-cut. According to the website, Meyer's resignation was announced last week in an email to the congregation by Elder Council Chairman Dr. Kurt Elting-Ballard and Bethlehem Pastor for Strategic Implementation Ken Currie. Here is a checklist to determine if someone should leave a church: 1. She said the meeting did not go well, and Tomlinson told her that he supported Rigneys view. WebFor more information about enrolling in services, please contact Mary Ali at agencyintakes@esarc.org or 260.456.4534 ext. Zuleger noted Meyer's resignation was painful to him personally due to their years-long friendship. Abigail Dodds, who attends the North Campus, said that most remain confident in the churchs leadershipnot as blind allegiance, but based on personal knowledge of their characterand that she has seen a renewed unity around Gods Word and deepening hope in Christ among our members in recent weeks. Stay informed with the latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox. I wish the congregation the best in getting this all sorted out. ), I believe in 2013. While he was trying to work for resolution, she didnt know where to go with her own frustration and anxiety. -It is honestly appalling that he has not called Wilsons use of savagely misogynist rhetoric, specifically in Wilsons blog. It would have been easier, he said, to move from understanding abuse within institutions and systems, as can be the case with spiritual abuse and racism, to the ways abuse manifests in marriage relationships. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. But if you see what I see, and if you experience this community (leadership, faculty, and students) as loving, and supportive and fair, and if you share my excitement about the future with Joe Rigneys leadership and under Gods merciful providence, then I believe we will together walk in truth and love, and have a great impact for the glory of Christ.. . The Sunday after George Floyd was killed, he preached on racism and the call to sit in solidarity with those who are suffering. Ive always been mystified by Pipers attraction to him. Four students recalled intense debates in their 2019 undergrad course in Christian ethics and apologetics. Join now Sign in Jason Meyer Jason Meyer Executive Pastor at Sierra Vista Church. This prompted many members of the task force to leave the church, according to Janice Perez Evans, a task force co-leader. If yes leave the church. ***Please sign up forCBN Newslettersand download theCBN News appto ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective. In this context of untethered empathy, he argues, you lose the ability to actually make an independent judgment about anything that theyre saying or doing. The motion passed on a voice vote and Takata told The Roys Report that three of the task forces five reports were eventually released to church members with redactions. Bethlehem was the plan until we were going to be in Jesus arms. Up until this point, I thought he was a pretty cool guy and authoritative in his teaching.. Our friendship is not up for grabs even a little, yet I'm personally heartbroken. He doesnt need us, but by his grace and through his Son, we belong to him. Any theology that creates abusive jerks is all doctrines taught by demons. 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. Commentators have tried to parse the fault lines, and evangelicals themselvesincluding CTs president and editor in chief Tim Dalrymplehave generated their own categories for how people of common faith can find themselves at odds. According to the church's website, the Bethlehem elders have called for an all-church meeting to be held on Sunday, July 25 regarding Meyer's resignation. Wilson tells you very plainly what his show is about: his own male self aggrandizement. 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. Until a chance encounter with my moms old Bible opened my eyes. 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. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! 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. Jason Meyer, the successor to pastor and Desiring God founder John Piper, has resigned from his role as pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church Their dispute stirred underlying issues and philosophical differences, including over the subject of Rigneys remarks themselves. WebUrban Refuge Lead Pastor, Jason Meyer, has a deep and abiding passion to make much of Christ in all that he does. Naselli often started the semester with an explanation of Malcolm Gladwells terminology of direct speech vs. mitigated speechdirect being the commands you give when a plane is crashing, and mitigated, the niceties you use as a matter of courtesy. Bowers said that at BCS, Black lives matter feels more threatening than the racism that has made that phrase necessary.. A Taiwanese American, Tong also wore traditional Chinese attire as he preached on the Sunday following the Atlanta massage parlor shootings. Submitted by escamp on August 31, 2015 - 3:04pm. We should not be surprised then that this is the house that disregards the voices of the abused and protects the abuser. Ahead of the commemorations, though, the community finds itself in the midst of what current leaders have called a confusing and challenging time and a hard and difficult season in the life of our church. Three pastors and a staff member resigned from the downtown campus of Bethlehem Baptist Church in recent months, alongside dozens of lay members. Pickering, however, said he was not surprised by Nasellis response at the meeting. He feels overjoyed in his calling to love and lead the flock at Urban Refuge in the strength that God supplies. The Takatas were jarred by the response. Meyer had stepped down from the BCS board of trustees as well. Today was the first time Ive ever heard of the controversy re: the concept of empathy as discussed by Doug Wilson and Joe Rigney, and also now the idea the some biblical counselors are also thinking similarly. January 31, 2021 Pastor : Jason Wallingsford, Pastor Paul Meyer. "I'm convinced that we live in a culture (Christian culture) that is constantly angry and shaking its fists because we've lost the place for and the healthy rhythm of grief-filled lament that the world is broken, sinful, and not as it should be. Pastor, you have introduced the last three sermons that way. This generationyoung peopleare not being prepared to survive in the world they are going to find themselves in.. I thought others agreed with me as we talked about taking that approach. The investigation found that BCS policies did not violate workplace law. Pastor Ralph Donohue. At the meeting, Steve Takata moved that the task forces unedited reports be released to Bethlehem members. and Ph. 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. Are the Pastor(s) abusive? 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. It may be worth noting that Naselli graduated from Bob Jones University. Ming-Jinn Tong, pastor for neighborhood outreach, announced his resignation in May; and Bryan Pickering, pastor for care and counseling, in June. May they work it out together in a godly manner. 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. Meyers most recent title was pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehems downtown campus. I never met Jason Meyer but I know an oblong blur generality, when I read one. But the vote said the opposite. But his take has also resonated. 'I Prayed in the Name of Jesus, and He Answered': Heroes Rescue 17,000 While 'Saving Aziz' in Afghanistan, 'It's a Crisis': Historic Staffing Shortages Lead Police Departments Nationwide to Get Creative, 'An Existential Struggle': Congress Points to Escalating Global Threats from China, Advisor to Israel's President Finds Rare 2,500-Year-Old Inscription with Name of Persian King Darius, After Asbury Shutters Revival Services, Outpouring Moved to Lexington Arena: See Full Video Here. Theyre trying to toughen you up. I had a growing concern that compassion that lacks discernment would ultimately and subtly undermine sound doctrine. 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. If the church would take seriously the scriptural qualifications for elders, it would protect the sheep from these narcissistic leaders. 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. If not leave that church. 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. 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. 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