If you are a member of TPC, someone needs to demand of the board to tell the church. Three men running this church who are not ministers, need to be reigned in. I know for sure also that the two sons in laws did not resign voluntarily. The two men that were brought in to assist for a 6 month time were also told they were not needed by these three men. Someone needs to step in there for the church's sake. Like I stated before, this could be a run away train. Even though TB only had 3 board members, I am under the impression that was for business related purposes only, but there was a very large ministerial group that was in place there for counsel and wisdom.
I believe that the three men that are running this right now, has also disbanded that ministerial group and some of your own ministers are not even allowed to preach anymore. This board is out of control in my opinion. Just my opinion, but I would try getting some answers and the church be told what is happening. This can be very destructive. Make sure those three do not have their own agenda on who they want placed in as Pastor.
It needs to be who God wants, and not a board running roughshod over the congregation.
If you are a member of TPC, someone needs to demand of the board to tell the church. Three men running this church who are not ministers, need to be reigned in. I know for sure also that the two sons in laws did not resign voluntarily. The two men that were brought in to assist for a 6 month time were also told they were not needed by these three men. Someone needs to step in there for the church's sake. Like I stated before, this could be a run away train. Even though TB only had 3 board members, I am under the impression that was for business related purposes only, but there was a very large ministerial group that was in place there for counsel and wisdom.
I believe that the three men that are running this right now, has also disbanded that ministerial group and some of your own ministers are not even allowed to preach anymore. This board is out of control in my opinion. Just my opinion, but I would try getting some answers and the church be told what is happening. This can be very destructive. Make sure those three do not have their own agenda on who they want placed in as Pastor.
It needs to be who God wants, and not a board running roughshod over the congregation.
Amen, I agree with you 100%!!! These three men at most are church business persons, and have no proper clue about the spiritual needs for this broken church. The church members also need to know what happened to their pastor more than speculation(s), and what's going to be happening with the spiritual directives of the church now. I have friends that goes to TPC and they are very upset that they're not given any information; like it or not; they deserve to be involved with what's going on with the church.
His Son-in-law's most definitely did not resign voluntarily I know this for a fact...
Someone is lying. Because the very credible information I got was they voluntarily resigned. I believe they did too. It makes more sense when you think about it. The family was very tight-knit and controlled the ministry of the church. With the pastor reluctantly resigning and the SILs taking the stance that their FIL had been wronged by having his sins revealed, why would they want to stay on staff working with the board and leaders that asked for the resignation of their FIL? And it fits the MO to tell people they had been fired to play into the narrative that they are victims.
And, it is my belief, not based on anything I know, but just a gut feeling, that there will be a new church opening up in Memphis or North Mississippi some time soon with an instant congregation of 100-150 people easy.
If you are a member of TPC, someone needs to demand of the board to tell the church. Three men running this church who are not ministers, need to be reigned in. I know for sure also that the two sons in laws did not resign voluntarily. The two men that were brought in to assist for a 6 month time were also told they were not needed by these three men. Someone needs to step in there for the church's sake. Like I stated before, this could be a run away train. Even though TB only had 3 board members, I am under the impression that was for business related purposes only, but there was a very large ministerial group that was in place there for counsel and wisdom.
I believe that the three men that are running this right now, has also disbanded that ministerial group and some of your own ministers are not even allowed to preach anymore. This board is out of control in my opinion. Just my opinion, but I would try getting some answers and the church be told what is happening. This can be very destructive. Make sure those three do not have their own agenda on who they want placed in as Pastor.
It needs to be who God wants, and not a board running roughshod over the congregation.
First, the three man board was by the pastor's design. Second, these men are men of integrity and character. They knew damaging info about the pastor for up to a year and sat on it. They took this role very seriously and agonized over the inevitable confrontation. They took time to pray and wait on the Lord. These men are not the villains! They should be thanked for having the character to finally confront the pastor. If the pastor is right with God today or gets right with God, he owes a great deal of gratitude to these men to put an end to the wicked game he was playing, a game that would've damned his soul. The church needs to be grateful that these men put an end to the game so that greater damage that could've been done, like the local media getting ahold of this sensational story, or some other explosive revelation, was curtailed and that they've protected church goers hearing some of the worst details no one needs to hear.
Demonizing the board is like blaming the prophet Nathan for confronting David for his adultery with Bathsheba. Nathan was David's saving grace. This board was the ex-pastor's.
Amen, I agree with you 100%!!! These three men at most are church business persons, and have no proper clue about the spiritual needs for this broken church. The church members also need to know what happened to their pastor more than speculation(s), and what's going to be happening with the spiritual directives of the church now. I have friends that goes to TPC and they are very upset that they're not given any information; like it or not; they deserve to be involved with what's going on with the church.
Also, the District Superintendent is the interim pastor, and he is a fine man with an impeccable reputation. He has character and has never been accused of immorality or mishandling church funds. He pastored for many years prior to becoming DS. The church board is not running rough shod over this church. The spiritual leadership is being provided by a godly man who is practicing what he preaches.
My prayers are with all involved in this unfortunate situation. Can you image being on the board of a large UPC church with a well-known speaker, and having to make the decision to fire him and taking a chance that the church will blow up? The amount of pressure and stress had to be incredible to come to that decision! Do you secretly reprimand the pastor and allow things to stay at status quo, or are you repulsed enough by the double life and unethical dealings that you vote that enough is enough?
I would bet that there are churches where church boards would go the "cover-up" route. The actions of this Memphis church board tell me that they are indeed ethical and acting in the best interests of the church. I have no doubt that they travailed in prayer for a period of time before taking action.
__________________ Words: For when an emoticon just isn't enough.
My advice, don't try to hold it together and get out while you can. That church will never be what it once was and people are just going to have to understand that.
You can still attend but find another church and another group of people that you can lean on for a while. With all this speculation and gossip going on there there will be constant anxiety within the church. Altar calls, crying, wailing, will do nothing to fix the problem.
The leaders of the church are not being transparent and are just trying to salvage the whole thing. Let it go . . . just put your trust in God and back away and just let it all go because it will never be the same again. People will move on and your best friends will find other churches and some will stay and it will all be a struggle a lot of effort will go into trying to hold together something that was destined to end. Make me wonder if this was God trying to shake things up a little bit.
I was involved in a horrible church split a few years ago and I can honestly say we are all better off now. Many have gone their separate ways an the one who left are healthy and seem to be growing. The ones who stayed carry the burden of trying to repair something that had a weak foundation to begin with.
Sorry to be so negative but I firmly believe that these problems turn out to the for the greater good for the people in the church.
Over 1500 views during the night! And my shameless plug got me, like, four.
Maybe it would do better on Agnostic Friends Forum?
__________________ "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
~Declaration of Independence
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