One of the tensions in church leadership these days is the challenge to care for two sides of a problem. Bob Smietana, in Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why It Matters, tells a few stories of how some people came forward. A common pattern arises: those in charge care for the church, for its pastors, for its reputation but often fail in caring for the very person that brought forth, say, some concerns.
As the husband of a PCA women’s ministry director who was fired for blowing the whistle, thank you for this. The way the senior pastor has been and continues to be protected at the cost of my wife and our family has been unimaginably hurtful. One elder even said “my job is to protect my pastor.” A shepherd saying his job is to protect another shepherd rather than the sheep. At least he was honest and actually said it out loud so as to remove any doubt where his priorities lay.
Thanks for creating a space to have these discussions. I know Darkness to Light has a great program with important safeguards to prevent child sex abuse in churches. Also your book, A Church Called Tov is a practical tool for pastors. I think it's important to maintain order in the church. The Peacemaker is a great book about resolving conflict in general, but it's great for churches who need a system for handling grievances in general. I am not a pastor but I have tried to be a positive force within the church so I've read a lot of these types of books. At this point, I am just doing my best to be a light through my blog, within my family and with the people I meet day to day. And I am really enjoying studying the Bible for myself too - so far, that gives me the sense of order I need.
Injustice came to mind. The lack of God’s “TOV” in life, especially where God’s “TOV” is supposed to be the well that bubbles over - that never runs dry - from which thirst “eternally”(as if we really grasp what that means) - and that “TOV” is the true essence of Life for ALL!
I’m sorry. I’m babbling. I should be busy doing STUFF that will distract me from “TOV” for all. Thank you Scot and Bob for a GOOD WORD!!!
I was friends on with Christopher Stroop (now Chrissy Stroop) on Twitter until he started acting divisive and advocating a furtherance of fissures in American society, much like foreign paid operatives act. After confirmation that his activities were akin to those of a Russian troll, I blocked him and went on w my life.
That writing a book has given Chrissy a platform in evangelicalism caught me off guard. But isn’t that the way operatives wind themselves into influencing our country, if in fact Stroop’s alleged operative-like activity were to actually mean that he is one.
As the husband of a PCA women’s ministry director who was fired for blowing the whistle, thank you for this. The way the senior pastor has been and continues to be protected at the cost of my wife and our family has been unimaginably hurtful. One elder even said “my job is to protect my pastor.” A shepherd saying his job is to protect another shepherd rather than the sheep. At least he was honest and actually said it out loud so as to remove any doubt where his priorities lay.
Thanks for creating a space to have these discussions. I know Darkness to Light has a great program with important safeguards to prevent child sex abuse in churches. Also your book, A Church Called Tov is a practical tool for pastors. I think it's important to maintain order in the church. The Peacemaker is a great book about resolving conflict in general, but it's great for churches who need a system for handling grievances in general. I am not a pastor but I have tried to be a positive force within the church so I've read a lot of these types of books. At this point, I am just doing my best to be a light through my blog, within my family and with the people I meet day to day. And I am really enjoying studying the Bible for myself too - so far, that gives me the sense of order I need.
Injustice came to mind. The lack of God’s “TOV” in life, especially where God’s “TOV” is supposed to be the well that bubbles over - that never runs dry - from which thirst “eternally”(as if we really grasp what that means) - and that “TOV” is the true essence of Life for ALL!
I’m sorry. I’m babbling. I should be busy doing STUFF that will distract me from “TOV” for all. Thank you Scot and Bob for a GOOD WORD!!!
I was friends on with Christopher Stroop (now Chrissy Stroop) on Twitter until he started acting divisive and advocating a furtherance of fissures in American society, much like foreign paid operatives act. After confirmation that his activities were akin to those of a Russian troll, I blocked him and went on w my life.
That writing a book has given Chrissy a platform in evangelicalism caught me off guard. But isn’t that the way operatives wind themselves into influencing our country, if in fact Stroop’s alleged operative-like activity were to actually mean that he is one.