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Christian Post published this rather clever but unusual piece,
I am an Angry Pastor (A Statement of Purpose)
I am an angry pastor.
I am not angry with my congregation.
I am not angry at the world.
I am angry with my fellow pastors.
I’m also a little angry with myself.
Let me explain. For the last few years I have watched pastors that I love and respect, go off the rails on the proverbial “crazy train.” I have watched with horror (a horror, I know, that many have shared), as John Piper not only embraced Rick Warren, but also joined him as a ministry partner. I have seen James MacDonald embrace a Christ denying, non-Trinitarian, pagan ‘prosperity preacher,’ as a “brother in Christ.” I cried a bit, over the horrors that were revealed in the Sovereign Grace Ministries scandal.
I have watched, wringing my hands, often making excuses, and looking the other way because I just did not want to believe what I was seeing. I did not want to believe that these men, solid gospel-believing, Christ affirming men, the men whose lives I have modeled my own ministry after in some respect, could fall so hard, so fast, and so completely. I didn’t want to see what was right in front of me, because I love these men (even though I have never even met most of them), and I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Well, I was wrong. Deadly wrong…in fact, I believe that I, and the pastors and elders like myself (which are the vast majority) who have given these men a pass are neglecting a very important part of our duty; confrontation.
Let me give a recent example.
I have marveled at the antics of Mark Driscoll (over at +The Resurgence )for some time. Now, I am no big fan of +Mark Driscoll , I need to say outright. Yet I have followed his career to some extent. A few years back, I cheered when he publicly repented of his vulgarity from the pulpit, and his association with the Emergent church movement, and vowed to move in a new direction. It was wonderful to see someone publicly acknowledge their wrongdoing, and I was quick to welcome him to the fold with proverbial “open arms.” No, I didn’t send him a greeting card, or get together with him for brunch…my attitude toward him just changed. I no longer viewed him as a dangerous heretic. When Christian friends asked, “What about this Mark Driscoll guy?” my response changed from a look of horror (combined with the sign of the cross and a liberal flinging of holy water in their direction), to “Meh. He’s alright.”
Which was a huge mistake. Driscoll is a bigger danger now, than he ever was before (Driscoll has taken a temporary leave of absence, but I do not believe it will last long). Let me ask you, dear reader, when is a wolf the most dangerous to the sheep? When he is standing outside the sheepfold growling? Or when he is inside, standing in the midst of the sheep? I have been complicit in allowing Mark Driscoll access to the very sheep that I have been charged by God with protecting. I have opened the door, and welcomed him in…
Dereliction of duty. That is the charge I am leveling against myself, and fellow elders & pastors.
One of our primary duties as pastors is to protect the sheep. Defend them against heretics; protect them against those who would lead them astray. Peter tells us this:
1 Peter 5:1-2 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly.
Because we have forsaken our duty as pastors, there have arisen a huge number of “discernment ministries,” aimed at calling these people to account. These “ministries” have been highly criticized by pastors, attacked from all sides, belittled, and mocked. Some of them are overzealous, crazy even, and they are rightly called out for their behavior. Many others, though, are simply trying to fill the void created by the pulpit’s silence, calling out false teachers who need to be called out! These are courageous sheep, which jump in front of the flock to defend it from the snarling wolf, while the under-shepherd who is charged with the flock’s protection sits idly by (NOT the Chief Shepherd! He is never idle). They are doing, pastors and elders, what we should be doing. Protecting the sheep.
Think of the Janet Mefferd Show / Mark Driscoll debacle that occurred recently, when Mefferd confronted Driscoll about his blatant (yes, it was blatant and intentional…let’s be honest. Pages of plagiarized material do not “accidentally” end up in your book) plagiarism. She was attacked, seemingly, by everyone for daring to confront this man. Now, I have said publicly that I thought she could have done what she did better. This is undoubtedly true. Nevertheless, I am glad that she did it.
Now, I am not trying to get into a discussion of those events here. I simply wish to say this; Mefferd should never have had to do what she did. That radio interview never should have happened. Because Driscoll should never have attained the position that he has. His book should never have been published by +Tyndale House Publishers . He never should have gained that kind of prominence. There have been countless elders and pastors, complicit in his misconduct, who allowed it to get to that point. Driscoll should have been stopped long before this…
Listen, let me close by stating this as clearly as I can. I know many pastors who get angry at the discernment folks. But it has finally dawned on me, that this is nuts. A pastor getting angry at the discernment bloggers is insane. Does the welfare recipient get mad at the working people who pay their bills? Should the fireman who sits quietly in his truck, watching as the building burns, get mad at a passing civilian for saving the children who are screaming for help inside?
Pastor, elder, friend, how are you going to get mad at someone who is doing your job for you, because you refuse to do it?
Not me. Not anymore. I will keep my anger directed where it belongs.
At myself, and my fellow pastors.
Source: By Damon Rambo, I am an Angry Pastor (A Statement of Purpose), Christian Post, http://blogs.christianpost.com/the-angry-pastor-blog/i-am-an-angry-pastor-a-statement-of-purpose-23220/, 10/10/14 at 12:44 AM. (Accessed 12/10/2014.)
I have been watching “pastors” go off the rails for more than 30 years – imagine how angry I get at times.
When I think just how different many churches could have been if the leadership ‘way back when’ had decided not to compromise, had decided to ban Copeland’s and Hagin’s books tapes and videos, like a few faithful AOG churches did back in the early 1980’s.
If only they had decided that they were not going to sell out the Kingdom of God for a mess of pottage (fame, fortune influence, and empire building, instead of Kingdom building?) Imagine what might have played out differently, if the then ‘Charismatic’ movement had been identified and strongly denounced for what it was at that time – a Satanic counterfeit!
Instead of that, we had tens of thousands of silly Christians, scrambling to hear the latest Catholic priest with a ‘healing’ ministry, or the latest visiting ministry from overseas, (usually America) who made time honoured men of God, look like the cast and crew from the movie “Leap of Faith” (Steve Martin et al…)
I’ve noted on this and other blogs recently, that some commentators are saying that they dread the onslaught of “the great falling away” – well folks – I’ve got news for you.
It started a long time ago – no need to wait, just check out the history of the church you’re currently attending – odds are it may have once been a part of a Biblical institution that stood for God and the things of God. Perhaps it is now a part of the WOF/NAR/Emergent train wreck (each one of those movements being a ‘carriage’ with bodies still stuck inside the wreck…)
When I look back over the last 30 years or so, it becomes evident that there has been a great polarisation within the church. People have systematically and progressively decided where they are going to be when Jesus comes again.
According to Matthew 13:28, 29:
“the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels”
Who is a ‘tare’ and who is part of the ‘wheat’, has already been foreseen by the Lord, but in real time, people are still choosing a fate that is bringing this very polarisation about. Don’t be disturbed by this process – Jesus Christ has declared that this separation must take place, and is a prelude to end time events, leading up to His second coming.
“Occupy til I come” is not a part of the framework for some kind of misguided Dominionist takeover – it is a solid command to take ground from the enemy, to occupy the channels for communication – to broadcast on radio, TV Internet, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To be instant, in season and out with your personal outreach activities, when nothing much in the way of results, seems to be happening.
Instead, we have charlatans by the hundreds, who clog those same channels of communication, making promises on behalf of the Kingdom of God that are found nowhere in the Bible. We have prosperity cults like Hillsong and C3, exploiting the innocent and the greedy, with the bright lights of the “city of Babylon” – everything which is false and idolatrous – and all of its plagues.
This week’s exposure of Hillsong’s alleged cover up of Frank Houston’s sin, is just one symptom amongst many, that our time is nearly up… It’s OK to be angry now and then, if your anger is righteous anger, and is directed at those who would damn us for daring to contribute to this and many other blogs.
If ‘pastor Dizastor’ won’t speak up, then we must do so for him, and we cannot be too concerned about the consequences…
Wowsers, what have I missed? Must have been too engrossed in my iPhone 6. Isn’t it good there’s not three versions of the 6? Otherwise Barry Smith would predict they are a tool of the beast.
Austin – wheat and tares, exactly. I think I posted elsewhere on this site a commentary on it. It’s hard to tell. I keep praying for discernment so I can see who really is as our Lord said in Matt 15:7 – “…inwardly are ferocious wolves”.
GG hey? I have relatives who go there occasionally. They also attended the recent NAR conference at Springwood. Still can’t get those darned USB videos to work!
Kiwipirate/GM – hear hear. I’ve said it umpteen times the reason I use a moniker is otherwise my family would get criticism, shunned etc. Take me on but not them. However as a matter of fact – another friend who is in the same position as me – has been shunned (in a defensive way) by some pastors of the c3 we went to. Instead if walking away, just give a smirk and the eyebrows raised “G’day”.
Oh yeah sorry – the Hillsong issue. If you have social media friends who are Hills followers, check out the overwhelming messages of support for Brian. That’s fine; until I’ve read all the evidence and sifted through the hype I’ll make my judgment – but are people just blindingly offering support? They can do no wrong; it’s “persecution”, “no weapon fashioned against you will prosper”. Very much like the Kong Hee trial. But the mega church leaders worldwide are dropping like flies….
“If ‘pastor Dizastor’ won’t speak up, then we must do so for him, and we cannot be too concerned about the consequences…”
and unfortunately it is the consequences that stop people from speaking up. They lose friends. They lose the support of their church leaders. They can become social outcasts. They are concerned about the impact on spouses and children, etc.
I’m not saying these are valid excuses but I do know these are genuine concerns many have.
“They are concerned about the impact on spouses and children, etc”
This is a very real threat indeed and one which I have experienced personally.
I still have family involved and I know they would be given a real hard time if they (the church) knew about my activities behind the scenes.
Not just social cutting off but physical threats implied as well on one occasion. When I threatened to get the police involved they backed down very quickly.
The accusation that came my way from one of the pastors (cough) was….??
“Your trouble Mr xyz is that you are all Bible, Bible, Bible”
Yep, sad but true.
“Your trouble Mr xyz is that you are all Bible, Bible, Bible”
It would have been great if you said, “And you are the cause of the trouble because you’re not, not, not.”
Hello Mr Squid – nice to see you back again. Tares and wheat is where it is all heading, and if we can keep ourselves separate from the end time Laodicean church the angels will have no problems telling us apart when Jesus comes again…
I know that those concerns are real GM. When I left the Obed cult/commune back in 1988, I lost good friends I had fellowshiped with for years. My father died and I lost a small business too, in the aftermath of my escape. I know what it is to suffer loss.
I was a ‘train wreck’ for a while too, until I got back on my feet, so I understand that when a whole family or two or three decides they’ve had enough it can tend to tear relationships and friendships apart when they leave. Thank God for faithful brethren at that time, in some of the churches in that area, otherwise i could have ended up a basket case.
I’m not saying that i was cursed, but the leadership there held special ‘prayer meetings’ in order to pray curses on those who had left, so that they could inspire fear and guilt in the rest, and in particular, in anyone else who was even thinking of leaving…
Hello GM – I know – I left the Glory Gathering in October of 2012 because of all the seriously false rubbish that emerged in the course of that year – NAR nonsense, false miracles and prophecies etc, and I know that there were decent people there, with their families, but then again – they chose to stay and have put up with another 2 years of the false apostle/prophet movement.
About a year ago, I also met a young woman who had chosen to stay at Hillsong Brisbane, long after friends and family had gone – but she had other friends still there and didn’t feel that she could just walk away and leave them to their fate… she was genuinely concerned for them, but that became a trap for her.
“Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach…” (Hebrews 13:13)
The Hebrew Christians, addressed in that letter were facing the loss of all things too. They had been through a tough time too, but the inspired writer encouraged them to walk away from the things that gave them comfort and security in this life, and to follow Christ “without the camp” – outside the system if you like.
God is calling out a people for himself, but they have to be prepared to let go of all that the world and the system of ‘churchianity’ has to offer – and that comes at such a high cost for many:
“.For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us…” (Romans 8:18)