I wish the congregation the best in getting this all sorted out. On March 16, the elders dismissed the grievances against Naselli. He described his reasons for leaving in a 3,100-word resignation letter that was recently leaked, nearly a month after the church announced his departure in a brief email. 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. We learned Augustine in doctrine class, Carvette said. During a meeting in May, the downtown pastors faced further challenges from some of the council. They insisted he sinned against them by explaining and denying instead of seeking to understand. Rigney acknowledges that a criticism of empathy sounds provocative, and hes made efforts to explain and defend his position online. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1. 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. When met with issues that strike at the core of ones identity, its natural to have visceral responses, she tweeted. Meyers most recent title was pastor for preaching & vision at Bethlehems downtown campus. Calvins Misrepresentation of God) to see the outcome as we see here. Most, though, come through the Young, Restless, and Reformed movement. This is another painful and confusing moment for us," Zuleger wrote. Any theology that creates abusive jerks is all doctrines taught by demons. And if Im saying its no longer a place to be able to say those things publicly and remain safe, theyre thinking, Thats not a place for us then either.. WebOur Legacy. The congregation which has a membership of around 4,600 operates three campuses in the city. 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. It has been multiple factors in concert over time, he wrote in a resignation letter last year. 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. 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. By now, you ]. 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. When the legitimate needs of the individual members of the family are expendable for the sake of the image of the family, this is a narcissistic family system. In the following weeks, as the church attempted to make peace between them and Naselli, the couple felt maligned in the process, as the professor went on to characterize their motion as divisive and disrespectful. He challenged his flock to consider their own experience in light of Meyers claims of drift toward neo-fundamentalism and unity culture.. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. 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. Are there good reasons why members are leaving? Rev Ernie Dorrell. Maybe this is normal for most people, but its mind-blowing to me. On July 26, 2020, the congregation On the whole, I think you are correct that the majority (of those with power) at the very least appear to be carrying the same torch. Im stumped over this direction. 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. Part of what I want to say is theres actually an answer to that question.. So, at the January 31, 2021, meetingjust months before Joe Rigney was installed as president of BCSTakata moved that the elders make a public statement separating the views expressed by Rigney in Man Rampant from the views and teaching of BBC. Tabb and fellow leaders at BCS conducted the investigation of the former students complaints, which concluded last August. Many at BCS, including Bowers himself, were influenced by Pipers 2011 book Bloodlines, his confession of his own racism, and his desire for diversity. 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. In the podcast Mr. Rigney basically said, show compassion but dont have empathy.. . I was living a life apart from God. 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. So, lets call this what it is, address it as the foul, malevolent, pernicious evil that it is, and stand against the manifold oppression and abuse that are not only forbidden by God, but condemned by Christ Himself. WebKnown Addresses for Jason Meyer 1801 Norwood Dr Hurst, TX 76054 Advertisements Source Texas Secretary of State Data last refreshed on Monday, January 23, 2023 What next? Rigney at BCS lamented the challenge of responding if a harsh word immediately becomes abuse. Lee at the North Campus worried that even tenderhearted, gentle pushback is at risk of being dismissed. 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. This moment is hard. The threat effectively shut down discussion. There's domineering. . 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. Earlier this month, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Georgia Republican, addressed the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, whose, A century after the 19th Amendment to the U.S Constitution gave American women the right to vote, a group of male leaders, Costi Hinn, nephew of Benny Hinn, has been called a progressive to mark and avoid for more than two years by Michael. 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 Rather, I believe our leadership culture has taken a turn in an unhealthy direction as we try to navigate conflict and division.. In a climate of suspicion, compassion can look like coddling, Meyer wrote. Its one of the things that meant I never took John Piper seriously, or trusted his exposition of Scripture. Thank the Good Lord that Jesus Chris didnt consider empathy a sin. If the church would take seriously the scriptural qualifications for elders, it would protect the sheep from these narcissistic leaders. One motion concerned the Racial Harmony Task Force, a group formed in early 2019 to address the lack of minority representation on BBCs Elder Council. 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. "With regret, a deep sense of loss, and praise to God for his mercy and grace even in trial, we announce the resignation of Pastor Jason Meyer from the position of Pastor for Preaching & Vision, Downtown Campus. One point of tension was a months-long process evaluating grievances made against a Bethlehem elder and a BCS professor, Andy Naselli, who was accused of failing to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, and thereby unfit for his positions, after his remarks at a church meeting. Not Jesus. Its the same individuals who are sitting in both places. Ive blogged about that twice. Looking back, Pickering, as a counselor, wishes the church had established an understanding of systemic abuse prior to its focus on domestic abuse back in 2015. But I am glad Fod called Jason to be a preacher instead of an air-traffic controller. "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. Image: Screengrab / Bethlehem Baptist Church. 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.. Ive worked with victims for 26 years in the Christian Reformed Church. 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. From there he went on to study at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he earned M. Div. Hi. Bethlehem is in Gods hands, she said. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. 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. Concerning threats within the church, they have deep worries with the churchs drift towards liberalism and the ways secular ideologies are finding homes in the church. If not leave that church. This was supposed to be a landmark year for Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, as the historic congregation, best known for John Pipers 33-year tenure as pastor, marked its 150th anniversary. Elders and ministers at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Rev Patricia Downes. I found it very helpful. Thank you for this comment, Pastor Lamb. ++++++++++. 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. I attended Bethlehem for nearly 3 years, belonged to one of the small groups. Whew! "This news is fresh to the leadership at Bethlehem, and we are still processing the reasons for the departure, as well as next steps," the statement continued. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! 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. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Naselli did not resign. I didnt start experiencing regular conflict until I started advocating for racial justice issues, Bowers told CT. I was pretty disappointed. Up until this point, I thought he was a pretty cool guy and authoritative in his teaching.. In his resignation letter, Meyer added, Ming-Jinn, Bryan, and I were called shame terms like coddlers, and Ming-Jinn was called Absalom.. He wrote in an email to her that he believed the elders would be taking up the issue in the days ahead.. 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. (The Roys Report was not able to obtain statistics for member resignations at Bethlehems two other campusesNorth and South.). espaol, In their minds, claims of inappropriate behavior or abuse wont always be justified. 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. cultural, damaging behavior that's being done, and has been done, for a long time.". 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. 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. Jason Meyer, John Pipers successor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, has stepped down from his position as pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehems WebNOW!!! In Meyers letter of resignation, which The Roys Report obtained, Meyer writes, Despite the charge that Bethlehem is drifting toward liberalism, I actually think we have lost some of our elasticity as the wind blows more in the direction of neo-fundamentalism., Meyer also wrote, I personally fear we are in danger of veering too much towards a unity culture. It's been a taxing year for everyone, and it's been a taxing year for ministry. While Meyer was on sabbatical in May, Pickering and Tong were removed from the Sunday prayer and preaching schedule. Bowers had been a professor who looked forward to the first day of school every year and loved interacting with studentsand it showed. Its a simple case of the seeds of the founder coming to fruition. I fully believed that living for myself and chasing my desires of money, women, and partying would lead me to joy and happiness. 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. She referenced the six habits that shape BCS education: observing, understanding, evaluating, feeling, applying, and expressing. WebWe are excited to share that t he youth of UPC are heading to Duluth for their summer mis s ion trip June 11 th-16th. To register contact Jason Meyer at wljm01@gmail.com. Are there good reasons for why Pastors are leaving the church? 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? 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. Now I wonder why he was so harsh.. He has previously served congregations in Lake Benton and Blaine, both in Minnesota. Skip to main content. 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. 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. He doesnt need us, but by his grace and through his Son, we belong to him. Its been accelerated by political polarization, racial reckoning, and pandemic stress. Even if the motions dont pass, at least the option is there to address major concerns with the entire church. Our friendship is not up for grabs even a little, yet I'm personally heartbroken. 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. Rigney has become known for raising concerns about the sin of empathy, a topic hes written about on Desiring God and discussed in a video series hosted by Doug Wilson. . '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. 3. January 31, 2021 Pastor : Jason Wallingsford, Pastor Paul Meyer. He is well respected for his scholarship and rigor, earning two PhDs (from Bob Jones and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) before he turned 30. 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. 720 13th Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55415 Id like to see his surgically precise definition of neo-fundamentalism or even fundamentalism for that matter. To donate, click here. Now, Meyer is part of a growing exodus of leaders and members He kept saying dont get sucked in which is quite a different thing than having empathy. 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. Please contact Pastor Jason if you are in need of financial suppor t or 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. . The Takatas were jarred by the response. Jason informed Bethlehem's Council of Elders of his resignation effective August 1, 2021," the statement read. Hes brilliant, which is what makes him dangerous. I say all of that to let you know that it's okay to feel sad and confused," Zuleger continued. Prior to ordination, Pastor Jason attended the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and the University of Chicago. The church where John Piper pastored for 33 years is arguably facing one of its greatest crises in 150 years. . 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. Theyre trying to toughen you up. He later apologized for not being quick to listen in the moment and in later discussions of the incident, though in April the elders considered the grievances against him unfounded. 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. As far as I can see, Pipers church and seminary are just carrying the torch. What a thorough article. To unlock this article for your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. WebBethlehem Baptist Church. The investigation found that BCS policies did not violate workplace law. D. degrees. Mekala, who says she was emotionally and spiritually abused for eight years while serving in a campus ministry overseen by Bethlehem, told The Roys Report that listening to the podcast was traumatizing. 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. May they work it out together in a godly manner. 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 . July 19, 2021 Source: Facebook In whats being called a major shake-up, four pastors have resigned from Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC) in Minneapolis in the past Rev Greg Doss. A Taiwanese American, Tong also wore traditional Chinese attire as he preached on the Sunday following the Atlanta massage parlor shootings. Pickering, however, said he was not surprised by Nasellis response at the meeting. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. But he also saw the debate as a proxy for the other issues stirring around Bethlehem. Their dispute stirred underlying issues and philosophical differences, including over the subject of Rigneys remarks themselves. A few Bethlehem elders responded positively to her letter, Mekala said. Beneath this constellation of hot topics, though, theres also a deeper philosophical disagreement over how to approach the various conflicts themselves. . Yesterday I saw a Video from John Piper asking for prayer during his upcoming 7 week writing sabbatical. 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.. 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.. Pastor Ralph Donohue. 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. Zuleger also asked church members to pray for their leaders. Until a chance encounter with my moms old Bible opened my eyes. 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. I think hes unnecessarily connected the two. Meyer served as the lead pastor at Bethlehem since 2012 after Piper resigned after leading the church for 33 years, according to ChristianHeadlines.com. 276. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1. Pastor, you have introduced the last three sermons that way. In February 2021, the church released a statement on ethnic harmony that affirms Christians neighborly love across ethnic lines but denies that ethnic diversity should be an end in itself and rejects all systems of thought that view relationships primarily through the lens of powerthat is, those with more power are inherently oppressors, and those with less power are inherently oppressed.. To share this article with your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. 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. You can thank John Piper for that mess. Nothing in seminary wife class prepares you for this.. 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. 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. Stay informed with the latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox. I used to wonder if I was too soft. In a letter that Pickering presented to Naselli in February, and the churchs Elder Council in March, Pickering accused Naselli of displaying a pattern of controlling and egregious sin against God and people., I do not think you are presently qualified for the office of elder, Pickering wrote, and urged Naselli to resign to spare the church, and the elder council, grief upon grief.. "There's unethical behavior. Dave Zuleger, the church's South campus pastor for preaching and vision also confirmed and addressed Meyer's resignation in a blog post on the church's website, writing "this is another painful and confusing moment for us. She also left her job at Bethlehems Campus Outreach after reporting what she saw as domineering and sexist behavior by a coworker, only to have the leaders blame her personality and ambitions for the conflict, she said. "It's been more painful to me personally than corporately. The key thing in a lot of waysmaybe Im feeling this one more directly nowis the way that our emotional responses to reality need to be in accordance with reality.. Rigney has a degree from New Saint Andrews College, founded by Wilsons Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, and has maintained ties with him. Help is Here a new sermon series; Upcoming Events. WebThe New Hope leadership and staff is comprised of men and women who love, care and pray for every single person in the church. After Christ is a deliverance church. God has moved at FCC in amazing ways. Even people whove left in frustration agree theres no single cause or person beneath the conflict. "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. Janette Takata pointed out that Rigney was identified as being from Bethlehem in the video and that a BCS professor and Bethlehem elder posted a five-star review of the episode. Rev Juan Dominguez. But in contexts where believers already agree on the capital-T Truth, theres even more weight and fallout when they fail to see eye to eye on the lowercase-t truth of a situation. However, this past spring, several church members also brought allegations of sin and misconduct against Naselli. 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. No one has influenced how I love my wife or my family more than him. A lay member, who attended Bethlehem for over a decade and asked not to be named to preserve ministry relationships, told CT it made sense that Meyer, Pickering, and Tong were the ones to go since they were seen as the empathetic ones. Also available on most smart TVs and streaming services. I had zero ill intent against you.. 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. Jesus Word speaks as loud today as it did then. 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. God commands us to be compassionate. WebJason Meyer | 2 Corinthians 11:16-21. He currently lives in Crystal with his wife Ann, two children, and a dog. Hes the one that featured Wilson repeatedly on the Desiring God website, and (to my knowledge) hes never once called Wilson out for his revolting rhetoric and his various public misdeeds. | Screenshot/YouTube/Fellowship Church Church of the Highlands and ARC officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit when contacted by The Christian Post on Tuesday. The group faced pushback from elders and pastors, who were worried that their approach focused only on where Bethlehem was not doing enough on matters of race. 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. Were removed from where is pastor jason meyer now Sunday prayer and preaching schedule during a meeting in May, Pickering and were! 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