Prominent Memphis Area Pastor Resigns

[tv1a]

That's apostolics for you.

Originally Posted by Bwal

I'm feel so hurt that other "Apostolics" would talk about this in a public forum on the Internet. My church needs your prayers; not your criticisms of a man I love very much even though he made a bad mistake.

[Sarah]

Originally Posted by Bwal

I'm feel so hurt that other "Apostolics" would talk about this in a public forum on the Internet. My church needs your prayers; not your criticisms of a man I love very much even though he made a bad mistake.

I'm really, really sorry for what your church is going through at this time, Bwal. And maybe this information shouldn't be on an open forum. But if these allegations are true, please don't call what this preacher did a 'mistake'. If he consciously carried on an affair for years, Bwal, that was no mistake....that was a choice.

[Tsakali024]

I've heard the assertion that TB resigned because of an issue with the church by-laws, and, alternatively, that the church board forced him out. Here's the bottom line: TB wouldn't have resigned unless there was truth to the allegations of moral failure and financial mismanagement. Even if you grant the premise that he resigned because the board forced him out, that doesn't speak very highly of his commitment to the church or his "calling."

No, the simplest solution is often the correct one: he failed, he had been failing for years, and he shouldn't have been pastoring while abusing the church's finances and philandering with women. When confronted with the evidence, I understand that he outright admitted some of his mistakes to the board.

There are consequences for every action. What cannot be tolerated is the abuse of church funds. To tell people to give to support the Kingdom of God, to convince them of the blessings that will rain down in their lives if they'll just dig deep and maybe even take out a loan or get a second mortgage to prove their love for His Kingdom, and then to misappropriate those funds to finance a lavish lifestyle and fund illicit activity is simply criminal.

There is an audit being conducted at the church right now, and if there was embezzlement or fraud, TB should go be arrested, indicted, and convicted according to the evidence.

He should be made an example, in order to send a clear message that the UPCI does not tolerate this sort of behavior, and will not ignore criminal activity because someone is a "modern-day apostle."

Of course God can forgive and restore, but the consequences of your actions have very real repercussions. While God can deal with TB in the spiritual realm, the district attorney can deal with TB's more earthly disposition. Laws are in place for this sort of behavior, and they should be enforced regardless of someone's position.

TB made his bed; he must now lie in it.

[chigayle]

What does Galatians 6:1 mean to you?

[Farfel]

Originally Posted by chigayle

What does Galatians 6:1 mean to you?

^^^
This!

[Chateau d'If]

I'm all for restoration so long as the man who has fallen is repentant.

Is that the case here?

Has he confessed, apologized and submitted to a restoration process?

[Chateau d'If]

Someone sent this to me in a private message:

"To say he made a "mistake" is watering down what happened. This was a case of gross hypocrisy, crucifying people for cutting their hair, for wearing make up, for going to movies, for younger pastors being "relevant" all the while for years living in immorality sexually and financially.

Then when the truth was being found out he didn't humble himself and repent, he got up and talked about jackals in the church. Rather than get up and apologize to the church he tried to hang on to power.

And it's my understanding he's trying to hang on to his license now when the UPC manual expressly states that anyone caught in adultery can never hold UPC license again. So to say "he made a mistake" is really soft peddling the issue.

The man was immersed in a systematic double lifestyle with no conscience, preaching hard about holiness and projecting himself and his church as superior because of their purity of lifestyle and outward standards.

Yet the church has had a history of infidelity among leaders, divorce and remarriage, going back to even the previous pastor.

But as long as the ladies have uncut hair, wear no make up, wear no jeans, wear no jewelry, and people shout, dance and weep and wail at church---it's all good. People will keep making "mistakes".

And as long as that's the attitude, and someone doesn't question the whole flawed system and the approach to God being built around "moves of God" at church rather than the Gospel, God's grace, faith and daily walking with Jesus---in private, when no one is watching at church or online---the secret sins of church members and leaders will continue to be a problem."

[AreYouReady?]

Will one of the preachers here please explain the difference in the words "fault" and "sin"?

[CC1]

Originally Posted by Tsakali024

He should be made an example, in order to send a clear message that the UPCI does not tolerate this sort of behavior, and will not ignore criminal activity because someone is a "modern-day apostle."

Of course God can forgive and restore, but the consequences of your actions have very real repercussions. While God can deal with TB in the spiritual realm, the district attorney can deal with TB's more earthly disposition. Laws are in place for this sort of behavior, and they should be enforced regardless of someone's position.

TB made his bed; he must now lie in it.

Good luck with that. Old Time Pentecost buries it's failures for the most part. If you pretend it never happened then maybe it didn't!

Forgetting this specific case for a moment I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that when there is financial malfeasance by a licensed minister the full force of the law should be brought to bear against them in either criminal prosecution, civil prosecution for reimbursement, or both.

Back to this thread for a moment it still blows my mind that a church this large with the kind of income that means would not have financial controls in place. Hopefully this thread will be a lesson for other Pastors, board members, and saints that they need to protect themselves and their church by having an accountability structure in place.

[canam]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

Will one of the preachers here please explain the difference in the words "fault" and "sin"?

its your fault if ya sin (from a pk)