Rod Bell no longer at his church

[John Crerar]

Brothers and Sisters,
I was saddened to hear about brother Rod Bell. He autographed his book "The Mantle of the Mountain Man", when I purchased it in the Bob Jones bookstore on March 24th,2000. On page 6, he
says his father had a habit of drinking. Apparently, he has the same problem. That's a great reason to completely abstain!
Some fundamental men are now saying, to have the odd social drink is OK.
I want to be an example to my children and grandchildren. Why do something that could be a stumbling block to someone else, as the scriptures
teach. This is the first time I've posted.
Rom.8:28

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Welcome John,

I think that this is one of the key lessons, the danger of non-abstinence. Let this be a warning to those who are dabbling in an occasional social drink.

 

[paul hadik]

hey Pastor Larry

I don't want to sound as if I am belittling sin. But our sin is against our Holy Savior. When we fundies emphasize the effect of our sin on the lost the way we do I get a bit concerned. We are big on trumpet soft on the greatness of His mercy and forgiveness.
As to the enemies of God blaspheming His name due to David's or our actions, what else do they do?
The more I understand God the more I understand what a mess and a half I am and themore I understand his great love and mercy towards us.
Bell's sin even if public is no greater or worse than so many other foolish and sinful things we do. If properly rebuked and convicted the Scriptural next step is restoration. What a glorious thing. David the murderer and adulterer remained a child of God and had his joy restored. Today if David were around we would require he step down and get a job as a check out boy for us to pity and learn from and point to and write about on message boards.

I hope that Dr. Bell has his joy restored. I hope that God has worked in his life. If so he feels bad enough and to add the idea that the unsaved around him are now rejecting God due to his actions doesn't seem to jibe with Scripture.

Again, you didn't say that, and I understand your point but as I grow older I just think we fundies could strengthen our compassionate side to match our judgement side.

paul

 

[Jim K.]

Regarding Dr. Rod Bell I'm reminded of the following scripture verses...The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Psalm 37:23-24 We need to keep Dr. Bell and his family held up in prayer with compassion at the throne of God.

 

[Daniel]

Thank you, Jim, for your kind spirit. This is what any of us would want if we were in the same situation.

I often wonder what others would think if they could see our lives and all our thoughts displayed on a movie screen for all to see. Would we be throwing as many stones (or any at all)?

There is none righteous, no not one. That takes all of us in, doesn't it?

Yes, the admonitions in previous posts about abstinence are well taken. This is so true! I hope our social drinking friends WILL take notice of this situation and heed the warning. Maybe in God's inexplainable sovereignty what happened to Dr. Bell will keep someone else (eg. a pastor or other FTC worker) from falling. Let's hope that some good can come out of this bad situation.

 

[Dr. Bob]

I appreciate the kind spirit and genuine desire for truth without 'shooting the wounded' demonsrated by all in this thread.

 

[Daniel]

As I said a while back, Dr. Bob, I worked for him. I can say that I genuinely love him. I am disappointed by this, but I don't dislike him. He was there when we needed him the most--immediately after the death of our infant son. His love for us and treatment of us will never be forgotten. He changed all his Christmas plans to accommodate us. He made sure all of our needs were met during this very difficult time.

We returned the favor when he nearly died a few months later. We were able to be by his side, help his wife, and give him the love he gave to us. It was out privilege. He even said something one time when he was at the point of death that inspired me to write a song. (published by the Wilds Christian Conference Center in North Carolina)

When it gets this personal, I can't shoot at him, no matter what he has done. My prayer is that he can be restored in his relationship with God and find some non-pastoral capacity to serve the Lord I believe he loves.

If this were us, what would we want done to us?

 

[donfeaz]

I have been a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church since 1991 and am intimately familiar with the current scandel over Rod Bells resignation. Dr. Rod Bell has taken full responsibility for his actions and resigned as senior pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church and all positions of leadership that he held as a leader in Fundamentalism. He may be repent and be restored with the Lord, with his church, but Rod Bell will never be the pastor over another church as long as he lives. If he is the man that I believe he his he has the character to recognize that he is no longer blameless and would not seek that ministry. Now, what really grieves me is this. I have read many of your comments and none of you have all the facts and yet you level your opinions like you are some kind of judge. I have sat in church meetings, read testimonies by his doctors, and most of all I was actually present the day that he resigned and still am clear as to what happened. "Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." I tim. 5:19, 20. How many of you have obtained two or three credible witnesses to gain all the facts? I am not justifying Rod Bell and his actions. But what this is is pure gossip and is not edifying to other believers.

Sincerely Don Feazelle

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Don,

Thanks for your note. I am a missionary supported by TBC and you can trace my comments through the thread.

To be honest I have been surprised at the amount of support Dr Bell has been given on this thread. I feared that when the news broke there would be a furious attack on him. Some have turned it into gossip, but several have agreed with you (and me).

You made a comment "none of you have all the facts" and that is true, but it is not true that ALL of us "level our opinions like some kind of judge."

I admire his courage in biblically admitting his fault and the way he has handled this.

With regards,

Roger Parrow
Ireland

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

BTW, welcome to the board!

 

[Precepts]

How many more "rod bells" will there be? Some who have run with this "piece of meat" may just very well be the next. Hope not, but none are above what the man did. I'm just sorry to see those delving into his sinful life and talking about him like they have.

 

[Pastor Larry]

How many of you have obtained two or three credible witnesses to gain all the facts? I am not justifying Rod Bell and his actions. But what this is is pure gossip and is not edifying to other believers.

Are Rod Bell's own words not enough?? He is the one who confessed it publicly, as he should have done. I don't think anyone here as leveled facts as if they are a judge. I think the constant theme has been "Take heed to yourselves." We could all find ourselves there if we are not diligent to grow spiritually.

 

[Daniel]

As I have said in my other posts, I worked next to Dr. Bell. I was his Minister of Music. I saw his warts (not the drinking, though) and loved him just the same. I understood the mystery of the mountain man. I accepted him for who he was, not some foolish image concocted by an organization or group of men. I rubbed shoulders with the man everyday, for crying out loud. I saw the REAL man.

I am not one to idolize anyone. I didn't do so with Dr. Bell. Yet, I respected him, loved him, enjoyed working with him, loved to play his favorite hymns for him on the piano, etc. The day my wife and I found out about what had happened we were devastated. We wanted to deny it, refute it, cry out against it. Then through careful checking we found it to be true. Our hurt was deep and hard to articulate.

But I have winced at the malicious attacks thrown by some on this thread. What if that was your pastor? What if that was your father? It's easy to throw "internet spears" if you don't intimately know someone, but when you do know and love them, you want to deflect those "spears."

Am I in any way defending his wrongdoing? Absolutely not. Do I understand that he cannot take a pastorate again? Yes. But he is a brother for which Christ died. He sinned. He confessed his sin. He is seeking help and counsel.

How would we want to be treated if it were us? And all of you know that it could be.

 

[Greg Linscott]

Daniel,
What song are you referring to? Just curious if I'd heard it, being a Wilds Choral Club member and all...

 

[Daniel]

Greg...I co-wrote "The Rose and the Lily of My Soul" for Dr. Bell. It's in volume 5 or 6 (can't remember) of "We're Singing At the Wilds" songbook.

The song I referred to in the above post was a bombastic arrangement I wrote of "Onward Christian Soldiers." He would ask me to play that at a moment's notice in the church services. He would just say, "Play my song, son." I knew what to do! It always cheered his heart!