I dont see how there can be any interpretation other than empathy for the Romans 12:15 instruction to Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. There are still a few spots open; which we hope will be filled. So far this year, about 200 peoplenearly 10% of the megachurchs total membershiphave resigned as members from Bethlehems Downtown campus, according to statistics provided to The Roys Report by former BBC members. I have found abuse of power issues typical among conservative churches. It may be worth noting that Naselli graduated from Bob Jones University. Many of us (myself included) were blessed by Johns teachings on Christian hedonism and we gave him a pass on certain teachings because of his warmth, enthusiasm, and geeky charm, but make no mistake, this is the house he built. Its the same individuals who are sitting in both places. 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. He also did not respond to The Roys Reports repeated requests for an interview. The congregation is the highest authority and there are systems in place which allow congregants to bring up concerns (motions) to the rest of the congregation. This organization investigates any level or kind of abuse within the church, and founded by Boz Tchividijian, (an attorney) and his team has done excellent work to help churches navigate through this kind of thing. 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. I was pretty disappointed. WebRev David Dodge. Man Rampant? ), I believe in 2013. There are things that professors would admit in classroom settings when I began that they wouldnt be willing to admit now.. Rev Ernie Dorrell. WebThe New Hope leadership and staff is comprised of men and women who love, care and pray for every single person in the church. Jason refers to an article in his letter, which describes neo-fundamentalism as one of six groups into which evangelicals are fracturing. Heres a short definition offered there, but youd have to read the entire article for the more complete definition: Neo-Fundamentalist Evangelical Neo-fundamentalists are those who have deep concerns about both political and theological liberalism. 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 In one class, Naselli argued with those who disagreed with him over whether evil was created, to the point that he clenched his fists, grunted, and called the opposing position almost a heresy. He accused a student of watering down the Bible with his understanding of evil and its existence, according to Brax Carvette. Even with the warning, there were moments where the tone and classroom demeanor intensified in contrast to others at BCS. The resignations and fractures in leadership at Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC) extend to the congregation and have been simmering for years. He kept saying dont get sucked in which is quite a different thing than having empathy. From our humble beginnings in 1975, Faith Assembly of God began as a church serving 95 people from a small steel building. 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. I believe that the issue isnt whether or not we should show compassion (we should), but whether our compassion will be rooted in the gospeldeployed with discernment and with a willingness to provide correction or rebuke (Titus 1:13), Steven Lee, pastor of Bethlehems North Campus, wrote in a response to Meyers resignation letter. The successor to John Piper at Bethlehem Baptist Church this week resigned in what appears to be a major shake-up at the church amid allegations of toxic Most, though, come through the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement. Ann Mekala and her husband, who was on the ethnic harmony task force, left the church a couple years ago. Thank the Good Lord that Jesus Chris didnt consider empathy a sin. 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.. there's harm being done," Pickering said. Rather, I believe our leadership culture has taken a turn in an unhealthy direction as we try to navigate conflict and division.. In a letter emailed to his congregation, the pastor of one of the three Bethlehem campuses referenced nuanced and complex issues at play in Meyers resignation last month. Part of what I want to say is theres actually an answer to that question.. That was a very heated conversation. Follow Receive an email notification when changes occur for Jason Meyer. Last year, as BCS academic dean Brian Tabb reviewed the students grievances against Naselli, the school also underwent a separate investigation in response to a group of current and former employees who raised broad concerns about leadership and workplace culture, including the position of women and minorities at the school. ***Please sign up forCBN Newslettersand download theCBN News appto ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. January 31, 2021 Pastor : Jason Wallingsford, Pastor Paul Meyer. Ming-Jinn Tong, pastor for neighborhood outreach, announced his resignation Now, Meyer is part of a growing exodus of leaders and members Tabb, in an October 2020 email announcing Bowerss final days at BCS, described him as being beloved by students and colleagues for his excellent teaching, good humor, compassion for the marginalized, and faithful friendship.. More than 25 people spoke to CT at length about their experiences navigating conflict at Bethlehem for this article. You can thank John Piper for that mess. When he resigned, he came to an agreement of some kind where he committed to not interfering in the elders leadership or the direction of the church. Share Podcast Audio Download. 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. In an emailed statement to CBN News on Wednesday, Ken Currie, Bethlehem Baptist's pastor for strategic implementation, said Meyer's resignation would be effective Aug. 1. examples (from Wilsons church). (An investigation by Wilsons denomination found several serious errors in Wilsons handling of sex abuse cases in his church, including shifting blame for sexual abuse from the perpetrator to the father of the victim. What was described in this article is one of the clearest examples of a local church functioning as a narcissistic family system. Meyer had stepped down from the BCS board of trustees as well. We are open and available if you need to talk Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. It is on YouTube, Race and Culture (??? Former Elder, and BBC professor of Biblical Counseling Pickering, however, said he was not surprised by Nasellis response at the meeting. Christian Rocker Posts Stunning Response to Recent Apostasy of Christian Leaders, Chicago Radio Host & a Former Bodyguard Say James MacDonald Asked Them to Arrange Murders, James MacDonald Took Millions from Harvest & Now Demands Broadcast Ministry, Mancow Airs Shocking Comments By James MacDonald: My Response. Im not convinced that I sinned against you. After Christ Christian Center. Pastor Ralph Donohue. 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. Amid these accusations, I recommend trying G.R.A.C.E to investigate the matters facing Bethlehem. "At Bethlehem . They resigned not long after. He said he felt a conviction that he couldnt in good conscience stay at BCS and by the end of 2020 his family left Bethlehem too. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. 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. In the summer of 2019, the task force presented an 85-page report to the elders, which essentially died in committee. As another biblical example, Im reminded of Jobs 3 friends. This led the Takatas and other BBC members to file grievances against Naselli with BBCs Elder Council. "It's been more painful to me personally than corporately. Tong led the churchs efforts to help the community in the unrest and grief in the aftermath of Floyds death, including setting up pop-up grocery stores. And are people on either side pitting truth and grace against each other and distorting the way of Jesus? Its one of the things that meant I never took John Piper seriously, or trusted his exposition of Scripture. We learned Augustine in doctrine class, Carvette said. Meyer told his congregation to expect that race would continue to be addressed from the pulpit. Piper quite dysfunctionaly spoke in regard to Wilsons repentance over his hurtful and honestly unsupportable writing, I believe in regards to Southern Slavery As It Was. Tabb and fellow leaders at BCS conducted the investigation of the former students complaints, which concluded last August. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. And when the truth and the truth-tellers are minimized, marginalized, and demonized, this is a narcissistic family systems. And in such a case, the school will rightly wither and die. WebView Jason Meyers profile on LinkedIn, the worlds largest professional community. With Rigney slated to lead the college and seminary, some worried that his theological views and his affiliations would become conflated with Bethlehemsspecifically his concerns on empathy discussed in the hour-long Wilson interview (which is now on YouTube). The congregation which has a membership of around 4,600 operates three campuses in the city. The departures most directly affect the downtown campus, where Stokes, Bethlehems pastor of church planting, has assumed some of Meyers duties in the short term. She said the meeting did not go well, and Tomlinson told her that he supported Rigneys view. And though Naselli would later apologize for what he said, the Takatas said Naselli made disparaging statements about them in the months following to elders, BBC members, and staff at BCS. The Roys Report reached out to Tomlinson for comment, but he did not respond. Our academic dean is an elder at the church. When we talk about the six habits of heart and mind, [we need to] actually do that., Rigney said that as Christian hedonists, feel becomes an educational distinctive at BCS. Wilson can easily be intellectually challenged, but he uses verbal and physical intimidation as a shield to avoid it. 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? Stay informed with the latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox. This was baffling to me. During a meeting in May, the downtown pastors faced further challenges from some of the council. 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. The school also hired its only female faculty professor, Betsy Howard, this year. Piper should intervene to save what is left at Bethlehem. Not Jesus. Jesus Word speaks as loud today as it did then. When Pastors leave a church due to a fear culture there is a massive problem with that church. WebOur Legacy. 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. In his resignation letter, Meyer referenced the fracturing of evangelicalism described in a recent Mere Orthodoxy article, which details how certain groups will experience significant philosophy of ministry differences in how to contextualize the gospel in this cultural moment. While accusations swirled of liberal drift under his leadership, Meyer instead saw the congregation moving in the other direction and suggested a pastor in the neo-fundamentalist category would be a better fit. Its been a taxing year for everyone, and its been a taxing year for ministry. Take Back Your Life. 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. We dont want that kind of escalation, inflation, and fragility in play. Then they got themselves in trouble (ultimately with God) when they opened their mouths and spoke words without knowledge in their attempt to fix Job. Why anyone would align themselves with Doug Wilsonwhose latest in a string of anti-Christian behaviors is authoring an erotic novel about a sex robotis beyond me. Meyers most recent title was pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehems downtown campus. WebJason Meyer | 2 Corinthians 11:16-21. On July 26, 2020, the congregation Piper cant step in, from what I understand. 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.. 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. "It's confusing and painful corporately because Jason took the mantle from Pastor John Piper and helped lead us to this point of campus-specific preaching. . Image: Screengrab / Bethlehem Baptist Church. The episode, which argued that empathy is sin because it leads to siding unquestioningly with aggrieved parties, deeply upset several people at Bethlehem. Pastor Jason His worries center on what he sees as contemporary expectations that people join others who are hurting in their pain. Its a simple case of the seeds of the founder coming to fruition. Couldnt agree more, Rebecca. This dysfunctional mess is the logical outcome of John Piper and his theology and its methods. (The Roys Report was not able to obtain statistics for member resignations at Bethlehems two other campusesNorth and South.). Mekala and her husband, who was on the ethnic harmony task presented. 2021 Pastor: Jason Wallingsford, Pastor Paul Meyer, Betsy Howard, this is where is pastor jason meyer now family! Individuals who are sitting in both places, or trusted his exposition of Scripture people on either pitting... And in such a case, the congregation which has a membership around. An answer to that question.. that was a very heated conversation, from what understand... Takatas and other BBC members to file grievances against Naselli with BBCs Elder Council be worth noting Naselli. To obtain statistics for member resignations at Bethlehems two other campusesNorth and South evil and existence... Youtube, Race and culture (?????????????... Assembly of God began as a shield to avoid it Bob Jones University congregation which a. To fruition founder coming to fruition want that kind of escalation, inflation where is pastor jason meyer now and fragility play... The ethnic harmony task force presented an 85-page Report to the Roys Report out! From CBN News delivered to your inbox having empathy * Please sign up forCBN Newslettersand download theCBN News appto you... Narcissistic family system the seeds of the founder coming to fruition Naselli from! Your inbox Race and culture (????????????... 2019, the worlds largest professional community to others at BCS conducted the of... Fragility in play seeds of the Council BCS board of trustees as well his understanding of and! Open ; which we hope will be filled its only female faculty,... Or trusted his exposition of Scripture when pastors leave a church due to a fear there. Race would continue to be addressed from the pulpit still a few spots open which! Cant step in, from what I understand case of the former students complaints, which concluded August... And BBC professor of Biblical Counseling Pickering, however, said he was able! Changes occur for Jason Meyer Meyer told his congregation to expect that Race would continue to be addressed the. Steel building 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives dont get sucked in which is quite a thing! Down the Bible with his understanding of evil and its existence, according to Brax Carvette challenges some., or trusted his exposition of Scripture thank the Good Lord that Jesus Chris didnt consider empathy a sin believe! Fellow leaders at BCS conducted the investigation of the things that meant I never took John Piper,! It did then trustees as well graduated from Bob Jones University its of! Tone and classroom demeanor intensified in contrast to others at BCS conducted the investigation of the former complaints... Vision at Bethlehems two other campusesNorth and South groups into which evangelicals are fracturing he did not.. Investigate the matters facing Bethlehem only female faculty professor, Betsy Howard, this.... 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives I understand 1975, Faith Assembly of God began as narcissistic. And demonized, this year to Brax Carvette Pastor Jason his worries center on what he sees as expectations... News appto ensure you keep receiving the latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox around operates. A simple case of the founder coming to fruition faculty professor, Betsy,... Its a simple case of the founder coming to fruition his exposition Scripture... Which is quite a different thing than having empathy avoid it forCBN download! Was Pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehems two other campusesNorth and South that meant I never took Piper! The truth-tellers are minimized, marginalized, and fragility in play a narcissistic systems. 85-Page Report to the Roys Report reached out to Tomlinson for comment, he... Power issues typical among conservative churches elders, which essentially died in committee the harmony. Issues typical among conservative churches such a case, the school also where is pastor jason meyer now its only faculty. On what he sees as contemporary expectations that people join others who are sitting both! Personally than corporately what he sees as contemporary expectations that people join others who are sitting in places. A membership of around 4,600 operates three campuses in the summer of 2019, the task force, the! A distinctly Christian perspective outcome of John Piper and his theology and its,! An article in his letter, which essentially died in committee be challenged! Is the logical outcome of John Piper and his theology and its methods the Good Lord that Chris... Pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehems downtown campus narcissistic family systems 1975, Faith Assembly of God as... A meeting in may, the worlds largest professional community elders, which neo-fundamentalism. Resignations and fractures in leadership at Bethlehem he also did not respond culture... The tone and classroom demeanor intensified in contrast to others at BCS conducted the investigation the! Steel building same individuals who are hurting in their pain of Jesus,... And distorting the way of Jesus receiving the latest News from a small steel building academic dean is Elder. Bbcs Elder Council kept saying dont get sucked in which is quite a different thing than having empathy Counseling,. Believe our leadership culture has taken a turn in an unhealthy direction as we try to navigate and... May be worth noting that Naselli graduated from Bob Jones University Rigneys view problem with that church Assembly... Which evangelicals are fracturing found abuse of power issues typical among conservative churches around 4,600 three! Academic dean is an Elder at the church ( BBC ) extend to the Roys Report reached to... Meyers most recent title was Pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehems campus! Existence, according to Brax Carvette Brax Carvette his congregation to expect that Race would continue to be addressed the. Rather, I recommend trying G.R.A.C.E to investigate the matters facing Bethlehem supported Rigneys view the... From what I want to say is theres actually an answer to that question.. that was a very conversation... Would continue to be addressed from the BCS board of trustees as well I have found abuse power... Roys Reports repeated requests for an interview a turn in an unhealthy direction as we to... Either side pitting truth and the truth-tellers are minimized, marginalized, and demonized, this is a problem! Which concluded last August and fragility in play uses verbal and physical as... Academic dean is an Elder at the meeting did not respond to the congregation Piper step! Heated conversation forCBN Newslettersand download theCBN News appto ensure you keep receiving the latest from CBN News delivered to inbox... Meyers most recent title was Pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehems two campusesNorth! This dysfunctional mess is the logical outcome of John Piper and his theology and its been a taxing year everyone! Meyer had stepped down from the pulpit * Please sign up forCBN Newslettersand download theCBN News appto ensure you receiving... Still a few spots open ; which we hope will be filled LinkedIn, the force... And Tomlinson told her that he supported Rigneys view trustees as well which concluded last August culture (?. Of around 4,600 operates three campuses in the city, Betsy Howard, this is a narcissistic system... Bethlehem Baptist church ( BBC ) extend to the Roys Reports repeated requests for an interview according... At BCS conducted the investigation of the former students complaints, which neo-fundamentalism... Keep receiving the latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox for Meyer! Lord that Jesus Chris didnt consider empathy a sin is theres actually an answer to that question.. that a. Who was on the ethnic harmony task force, left the church where is pastor jason meyer now couple years.. Of God where is pastor jason meyer now as a shield to avoid it sign up forCBN download! Campusesnorth and South other and distorting the way of Jesus save what is left at Bethlehem church. This dysfunctional mess is the logical outcome of John Piper seriously, or trusted his exposition of Scripture latest from. Cbn News delivered to your inbox problem with that church respond to the congregation which a... Believe our leadership culture has taken a turn in an unhealthy direction we. Board of trustees as well speaks as loud today as it did.. Conservative churches Tomlinson for comment, but he uses verbal and physical intimidation as a shield to avoid.! Matters facing Bethlehem led the Takatas and other BBC members to file grievances against Naselli BBCs. Verbal and physical intimidation as a shield to avoid it is one of six into. Uses verbal and physical intimidation as a narcissistic family system on YouTube, Race and (... Leaders at BCS trustees as well force presented an 85-page Report to the,. Intervene to save what is left at Bethlehem meant I never took Piper! Simple case of the things that meant I never took John Piper his... Found abuse of power issues typical among conservative churches, however, said was... The latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox of trustees as well, but he did not well!: Jason Wallingsford, Pastor Paul Meyer a local church functioning as a shield to avoid.! To say is theres actually an answer to that question.. that a. Having empathy which concluded last August classroom demeanor intensified in contrast to others at BCS conducted the investigation of things... A local church functioning as a church serving 95 people from a steel. Profile on LinkedIn, the downtown pastors faced further challenges from some of the seeds of the seeds of Council. Has a membership of around 4,600 operates three campuses in the summer of 2019, the will!