COG To Prohibit Ministers Social Media Pen Names

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

I think it is a good move.

If Pastors can't speak among themselves openly and with respect without having to hide their identities then there is something wrong.

The issue is is that there IS something wrong because ministers cannot talk to themselves openly. It really doesn't matter the denomination which means that it is a human nature issue.

For one thing this isn't something you can really force but the other big one is that it turns message boards from somewhere where honest dialogue can take place back to a board meeting where everyone is expected to be a "yes!" man.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

The issue is is that there IS something wrong because ministers cannot talk to themselves openly. It really doesn't matter the denomination which means that it is a human nature issue.

For one thing this isn't something you can really force but the other big one is that it turns message boards from somewhere where honest dialogue can take place back to a board meeting where everyone is expected to be a "yes!" man.

Dialogue that has to happen under pen names because everyone is afraid to use their real name (in the context of an official church leadership website) is not true dialogue.

Serious matters affecting the course of their organization or doctrine, which are bound to come up on such a website as theirs, should be discussed honestly and openly with everyone being able to stand by their comments and questions.

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Dialogue that has to happen under pen names because everyone is afraid to use their real name (in the context of an official church leadership website) is not true dialogue.

Serious matters affecting the course of their organization or doctrine, which are bound to come up on such a website as theirs, should be discussed honestly and openly with everyone being able to stand by their comments and questions.

And suffer the consequences?

[bbyrd009]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Dialogue that has to happen under pen names because everyone is afraid to use their real name (in the context of an official church leadership website) is not true dialogue.

Serious matters affecting the course of their organization or doctrine, which are bound to come up on such a website as theirs, should be discussed honestly and openly with everyone being able to stand by their comments and questions.

Ya, we have a name for that place; "Heaven."

[Bro. Robbins]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Dialogue that has to happen under pen names because everyone is afraid to use their real name (in the context of an official church leadership website) is not true dialogue.

Serious matters affecting the course of their organization or doctrine, which are bound to come up on such a website as theirs, should be discussed honestly and openly with everyone being able to stand by their comments and questions.

Would be wonderful... but your idealistic world is not the one we live in... and if you were to just know the issues within the denomination right now, you'd understand why there is a need for a voice of opposition, without fear of retribution.

You have to understand that pastors are placed at churches within the COG by leadership. And in COG churches, pastors receive salaries, not the full tithe. The salary is set, or at least recommended in the minutes of the COG General Assembly Minute Book.

If a minister approaches leadership about something they find as an issue, and ruffle feathers, they can find themselves immediately moved to Gobblers Knob Church of God over in Stick Creek with 20 members and fighting for the livelihood of his family. Or he can find the state office coming in and saying, your church is under too much debt, congregation is too small, we're gonna close your church and sale the property.

The trouble and lack of transparency at headquarters has been an issue of great debate, especially regarding finances, for the last 8 years in that denom. Too much detail for me to go into... but it's huge. And the only way that some brothers and sisters can realize they aren't alone, and somehow form solutions to bring about change in that organization is through forums where they post with pen names to protect themselves. There are valid reasons for them to fear retribution if they posted with real names.

This isn't a license to post pop shots, or spread rumors that aren't true. The forums I visit are good about keeping that out.

But to think that people should be forced to lose free speech and have the denom tell them they must post using their real names is nothing but strong arming and bullying.... there is no intention here of bringing about more transparency seeing as headquarters doesn't want to provide transparency.

Lastly, the charge that one would receive who violates this rule should it pass is "conduct unbecoming a minister" which is one of the very gravest charges one can receive. It's the same charge one caught in adultery or homosexuality can receive.

So posting under a pen name is that great of a violation to the leadership? Sounds to me like someone in Cleveland is very afraid of something.

[strait shooter]

I am on several forums where my name is out in the open. I enjoy the anonymity of this forum. I have nothing to hide, am not ashamed of my views, just like being anonymous for a change.

And if folks dont like that or draw inferences from it....too bad.

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by Bro. Robbins

Thought some of the ministers from this forum might find this interesting.... I am former Church of God (COG). They hold their General Assembly every 2 years, where they elect leadership, make appointments, and the Ministers vote in rules, guidelines, etc. So this year is General Assembly year, and the agenda of proposals is out....

For years, leadership at headquarters has hated when ministers post in Online Forums by pen names, and question authority, tell things that are going on, etc.

So to hit that in the face, there is a proposal now as an agenda item to prohibit all ministers from posting on social media with pen names.


The exact wording, on page 25 of the agenda, is an amendment to the "General Instructions for Ministers" which list five new rules, including this one: "Church of God ministers. . . shall at all times agree to write and post only under their own name." Further, there is this warning: "Failure to follow these guidelines . . . shall result in the offending minister being subject to discipline for unbecoming ministerial conduct."

Can you believe this? And can you imagine how impossible it would be to police this????

i still cant believe the books called practical holiness written by david bernard, but men in general can come up with some stoopid stuff, and yes this being one of them..

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Bro. Robbins

Would be wonderful... but your idealistic world is not the one we live in... and if you were to just know the issues within the denomination right now, you'd understand why there is a need for a voice of opposition, without fear of retribution.

You have to understand that pastors are placed at churches within the COG by leadership. And in COG churches, pastors receive salaries, not the full tithe. The salary is set, or at least recommended in the minutes of the COG General Assembly Minute Book.

If a minister approaches leadership about something they find as an issue, and ruffle feathers, they can find themselves immediately moved to Gobblers Knob Church of God over in Stick Creek with 20 members and fighting for the livelihood of his family. Or he can find the state office coming in and saying, your church is under too much debt, congregation is too small, we're gonna close your church and sale the property.

The trouble and lack of transparency at headquarters has been an issue of great debate, especially regarding finances, for the last 8 years in that denom. Too much detail for me to go into... but it's huge. And the only way that some brothers and sisters can realize they aren't alone, and somehow form solutions to bring about change in that organization is through forums where they post with pen names to protect themselves. There are valid reasons for them to fear retribution if they posted with real names.

This isn't a license to post pop shots, or spread rumors that aren't true. The forums I visit are good about keeping that out.

But to think that people should be forced to lose free speech and have the denom tell them they must post using their real names is nothing but strong arming and bullying.... there is no intention here of bringing about more transparency seeing as headquarters doesn't want to provide transparency.

Lastly, the charge that one would receive who violates this rule should it pass is "conduct unbecoming a minister" which is one of the very gravest charges one can receive. It's the same charge one caught in adultery or homosexuality can receive.

So posting under a pen name is that great of a violation to the leadership? Sounds to me like someone in Cleveland is very afraid of something.

I wholeheartedly agree with Bro. Robbins.
To strong arm and bully another man into being quiet violates his right of free speech. On the surface, it appears that they only reason they are trying to make this law is to shut people up over something they are doing that is "unbecoming of a minister" themselves. If I was a CoG attendee, I would want to know what is going on underneath the surface.

If I were a minister, I would not abide by this because there are no biblical mandates to shutting someone up as long as he is telling the truth.

....catch me if you can.....

[The Lemon]

Not to derail the thread here...but is it just me, or did Bro. Robbins just show one of the major flaws in organized religion?

I have had a Pastor that derived his whole living from the Church or "Tithe", and I have had one that owned his own business in addition to being a Pastor....maybe its just me, but from a common sense point of view, it is pretty clear who had the advantage when it came to caring for his household.

This nonsense of political bullying IMHO is more a result of the stucture and the system -the way it is set up here in the west makes it VERY easy to manipulate and control ministers...just my honest opinion..

[Bro. Robbins]

Originally Posted by The Lemon

Not to derail the thread here...but is it just me, or did Bro. Robbins just show one of the major flaws in organized religion?

I have had a Pastor that derived his whole living from the Church or "Tithe", and I have had one that owned his own business in addition to being a Pastor....maybe its just me, but from a common sense point of view, it is pretty clear who had the advantage when it came to caring for his household.

This nonsense of political bullying IMHO is more a result of the stucture and the system -the way it is set up here in the west makes it VERY easy to manipulate and control ministers...just my honest opinion..

Was waiting for this argument... the pro's from organized fellowships of like minded believers, in my mind, still out weigh the con's. Just because someone abuses a system that works well otherwise doesn't mean we throw out the baby with the bath water. We use these times of storms to strengthen, hopefully learn, and make better.

The overall work that the denomination does internationally is commendable. It's not perfect, but it's not all bad either. Furthermore, the benefit from the organization, of small churches that didn't have to close because the organization came in and carried the mortgage for months, even years.... the pastors that were able to feed their families from the help of others in the same network when the church couldn't, the sharing of resources like camps, schools, missionaries, etc.... far outweigh the negatives.

This negative just needs to be addressed and handled, and I hope the ministers of the COG will do so.