Whats going on @BBC Memphis?

What is the issue?

 

www.commercialappeal.com

 

I know the following to be true:

Steve Gaines is very much unlike Adrian Rogers in his approach to worship and preaching. I'm not belittling either man...but steve's former church (FBC Gardendale AL) looked nothing like Bellvue. I must admit that I don't know a lot about FBC Gardendale's structure, but their worship services were not like BBC's much at all.

I fully expected some conflict. This guy's following a legend, who served forever at a church that grew tremendously under his leadership. His personality, preaching style, and (I believe) leadership gifts are very different. It could be a rocky ride.

THis is just me--I don't think this is a PDC or CCM/traditional conflict per se as much as two very different approaches jammed up against each other in a short time, in a very large and established church.

I pray it can be resolved. I hate seeing conflict in any church--but a "flagship church" conflict makes much more waves.

 

I hate seeing conflicts or problems in the church to be discussed is such a public way. This seems to be an attempt to fuel the fires more than find a resolution. I don't know all the details, but when the "opposition" starts a website against the leadership of any church, IMO, that just seems wrong.

 

If one looks at most pastors who follow a pastor who has been there a long time they seldom stay long.

What the troublemakers seem to forget is that Adrian Rogers had his share of shortcomings too and so will each pastor in that church who follows and each person in the congregation. That kind of nonsense would stop if the leaders in that church directly confronted the troublemakers and told them to get on board and quit being divisive or leave. Where is their church discipline? That kind of stuff they are doing is simply gossip. Satan is using their words to destroy what God is trying to do. I have never seen troublemakers who are out sharing their faith and making disciples. The simply have too much time to gossip and cause trouble.

Years ago I was in a church and gossip was not tolerated. What a difference that makes.

 

Direct confrontation and discipline would take care of the gossip. Lack of discipline is like a cancer--it keeps growing and destroys.

 

I just pray that God will move through the people in the congregation and the pastor to grow His Kingdom.

 

As far as the worship "style" goes there has been some change, but Jamie Parker is not the same man as Jim Whitmire and Parker's personality/style are going to have an impact.

I can say that there is a HUGE difference between Rogers and Gaines. I certainly had much respect for Rogers and had the opportunity to spend some private time with him on 2 seperate occasions in my home. That said, I am pleased to hear that Bellevue is making some adjustments in philosophy and practice. My hope is that those changes will cause other "mega" churches to give more away and keep less.

 

Just read through some of the letters and blog comments on the savingbellevue.com site... I am praying that all involved will come to a quick reconsiliation as these issues, while needing to be addressed, are doing harm to a good church.

 

I hope nothing like this happens at FBC Atlanta when Charles Stanley retires. I know Bellvue is getting alot of attention because of the man who succeeded a "legend".

 

I was a member of a church that was very wise. A few years before the pastor retired, the church hired an associate pastor with the intention that he would eventually pastor the church when the pastor retired. More and more the pastor gave the reins to the associate pastor until one day the pastor announced his retirement. When that was announced the new pastor was announced with the retiring pastor's blessing. That church gained a lot from that because the retiring pastor sent a strong message of support for the new pastor who had already been there for about six years. It was a good thing because within less than one year the retired pastor died. His family is still there and helping out in ministry. The transiton was so smooth that there was little difference. The new pastor was there for six years and knew how things were done. Nobody could say how the retired pastor did things. The new pastor has spoken many times of the relationship he had with the former pastor. Eight years after the pastor died, the current pastor spoke of his relationship with the former pastor. It is obvious there was a deep relationship. The current pastor gives a lot of credit to the former pastor pastor for blessing him and smoothing the way. I had never seen such a smooth transition in my life in a church. God is continuing to bless that church and that pastor. Since that time the church has started two new churches. In an area where churchers are struggling, that church continues to grow and do God's work.

 

Southeast Christian Church here in Louisville, KY just did that. They are a church with 17,000 members and the new pastor has had the reins for about 6 months or more. As far as I can tell from talking with members, the preaching is different, but there were no drastic changes such as doctrinal statements, music style etc.

I hope this doesn't derail the topic, but isn't that a practical reason for plural elders? If one leaves, dies, etc, you have 3 or 4 (or more) elders, any one of which could step in?

 

When I looked at each article on the website www.savingbellevue.com I could not help be reminded of the gossip so prevalent among those who wrote such things. It was one account after another in an effort to bring down the leadership and church. Their writings are so full of venom and gossip it makes one sick to see the ungodliness in it all. They might as well have written, "Let Satan Be Glorified."

 

It is not the method but the people. When a church starts it is very much pastor led but as time goes by he has to give up some leadership and give it to others. I have seen elder rule churches completely fall apart because of dead leadership in place. I have seen churches which seem to do little of what we would call right, flourish. If someone thinks that changing the method will solve the main problem they are wrong. It is like a skunk changing locations. Everwhere the skunk goes it still stinks.

 

Amen Brother!

 

Good point.

 

This sort of thing is now being advanced across the SBC. The leaders can no longer hide and try to subdue the news and push issues under the table. Some states did away with their state papers and editorials.

It's like the old saying, "You can run but you can't hide."

Take a look at http://www.swbtsunderground.blogspot.com/

 

I don't know how much it has to do with the ongoing situation at BBC, but there has been some "Adrian worship" since his passing.

I sincerely hope that this too passes quickly!

 

Yep! Duh!! Also happens to be Biblical, too. No doubt, considered "another strike" by any wannabe Diotrephes. (II John 9-11)

Ed