…The Big Eva world is indeed run as the personal fiefdom of a few, even if many of those decent people involved on the various mastheads are unaware of this. But cross those few, or touch their dogmatic golden calves, and you can expect the fight back to be dirty, relentless, increasingly dangerous, and by and large hidden from the watching world….
Of course. But we don’t want to be like the anti 2K folks either that complain and yet don’t offer any alternative.
The Reformation was a triumph over the Roman mafia.
Yep. In a related article from the same link blog above…….
“I grieve over the state of modern reformed(ish) evangelicalism. Quite frankly it looks more and more like a racket to me. Power has been concentrated in the hands of a very few and they all happen to be friends. Mess with one of their family and it’s only a matter of time before Clemenza is sent out searching for you.”
So how exactly does any of this differ from pretty much all NAPARC churches and denominations??
Power has been concentrated in hands of very few and they are all friends or related family……
This effects everything!
Just saying man!!
Eric,
I do not think it is accurate to compare the various extra-ecclesiastical organizations and associations with the visible institutional church.
1. None of these organizations as authority to administer the holy sacraments or discipline.
2. There is no doubt that abuse occurs in the visible institutional church but in Presbyterian and Reformed churches there are avenues for appeal. There is a process for discipline of abusive ministers or elders. One of the difficulties with these extra-ecclesiastical organizations is that they lack this sort of accountability.
3.and my decades in and around NAPARC I have seen, at times, an unwillingness to exercise discipline but I have not seen very often a flat refusal to exercise discipline. A couple of cases come to mind (e.g., the refusal to discipline Leithart) but they stand out because they are exceptional and not the norm.
Dr. Clark,
Duly noted. I think the concern still stands. I too have seen church discipline failed to be excercised. It came down to an old fashion good old boys club atmosphere, professional courtesy, a pastor kept things from his session, when session found out no action was taken, my family was slandered in the process, put through the ringer etc. ( it’s complicated, no doubt)
Correct, appeals could be pursued, but one has to ask at a certain point how much the grevious and continued heart ache on the family is worth it. Especially when there is great doubt an appeal would fare any better in the “higher court of appeal” being that often the same atmosphere exist there too.
I am admittedly a bit sullen (maybe even cynical) on this topic, but for good reason.
Frankly, while I still have a very high view of the church, I now hold that view in correct Biblical check. Holding to a higher premium of importance put on the invisible Church and Christ. It is best to understand the fact that the institutional visible church is deeply tainted by the fall and indeed this impacts far more than church leaders often care to fully admit to.
Eric,
I’m sorry for what you experienced.
Appeals are an act of faith: we believe what we cannot see. Henk and Elsie Navis suffered much but they took their appeal all the way to Synod and it was victorious.
http://heidelblog.net/2013/01/what-henk-navis-means-to-me/
The question is not whether we are sinful but whether Christ has instituted his church.
Despair is a temptation.
No despair, how could there be. You see my hope is in Christ not Ultimatly the visible church. No doubts whatsoever that Christ has instituted His Church. The rub is what exactly does that look like? Just a reality check, indeed as I stated a Biblical check on the fact that all men are liars and fallen. The legit cautioning against a “Pope” like status of church functioning, the men in it, committees, bla bla bla, etc.
Often a distinction without a difference exists in terms of how we Protestants on the one hand rail against Rome or the Big Eva, then on the other somehow act as if our special “Reformed Institutions” are not as tainted / clouded by sin.
He must increase, we must decrease.