Church discipline

Error message

Arsene Wenger and pastoral leadership...

Here are some good statements on leadership by embattled Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger. Exchange "church" for "club," "session" for "board," "pastor" for "manager"...

A strong club is people who make the right decisions. That's why I think the board is important and the manager is important in a football club. And what has gone wrong in modern society? ...


The good father: a church with Biblical discipline...

We've been saying that a father does nothing more important for his children than choosing a church. But our culture presses us into the mold of individualism, so Christians have come to think of religion as "just me and Jesus" with the church a sort of religious social club. But get this: across history, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and Protestants have all been in agreement that the Church is essential for salvation.

This is typical of what Roman Catholics say. It's from their 1997 Catechism:

All salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body.

Reformed baptists and presbyterians say the same. This is from our most loved doctrinal standard... 


The good father: you are what you eat...

The last thing you think about when your first child is born is your church. Rather, your mind is focussed on the hospital (or midwife) bill, whether you have enough diapers, how long your mother-in-law will stay, which car seat to buy, whether you and your mother-in-law will get along, whether your mother-in-law and your wife will get along, when your baby's conehead will go away... But the church?

Isn't the church like a sound system; if you have to think about it, it's failed? Your wife has just given birth to your first child and the church should stay in the background. Yeah, the first day or so it would be nice if the pastor and his wife visit, hold the baby, read Psalm 139 (except those crazy verses near the end), pray, and leave. Also, it would be nice if the church women helped with food. They can fill your refrigerator with...


Rachel Miller's malice against Pastor Doug Wilson...

[Note added by TB on May 25, 2016: Here's how Rachel Miller's feminist supporters have just summarized Son Joseph's blog post below: "the Bayly Blog post that accused Rachel Miller of countless sins — albeit without evidence." Well, read on for the non-evidence.]

When Rachel Miller took over the Aquila Report, longtime readers noted a decline in the site's Biblical commitments. Ms. Miller pushed the edge of the doctrinal envelope in a number of places, yet it was possible to think it was simply her attempt to liven up the site.

But then there was sex. This is the place where Satan is focussing his attack on God's law today, and it became apparent that Ms. Miller's editorial leadership was most toxic here. She showed her feminism on the Aquila Report, but Ms. Miller kept the worst parts of her sexual rebellion for publication on her own website titled A Daughter of the Reformation.

Feminists who want to hold onto conservative Christian credentials claim they submit to their husbands at home, in private. Occasionally they trot their husbands out online to testify to their submissiveness at home. But in their online attacks on men, these women take no prisoners. You can see it on all the Reformed sites: women condemn pastors and elders without a hint of modesty or shame.

No one suffers from these attacks more than Pastor Doug Wilson. Some of their attacks are focussed on...


Fatherhood, authority, and longevity in one church...

Growing up, the Baylys had only three churches and the Taylors simply one. Soon after they were married, my parents moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts where they made Boston’s Park Street Church their home. Some years later when they moved to Philly and made Blue Church their home. Fifteen or so years later they moved to Chicago and made College Church their home. It was College Church where Mary Lee and I met. From the forties when Dad and Mom Taylor moved to Wheaton, College Church has always been the Taylors home—right up to this present day. At ninety-nine years old, Mom and her two children who live in Wheaton faithfully attend worship there each Lord’s Day. (Also a number of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.)

In other words, neither the Baylys nor the Taylors ever changed churches unless a move required it. Think about that for a second. How long have you submitted to your present church?

You’re a bit surprised I put the question that way, aren’t you? “Submit” to a church? Few of us think in these terms...


Why women are being encouraged to attend The Enemy Within: Sexual Abuse in the Church...

This year we hope women will attend our February 17-19, 2016 conference, The Enemy Within: Sexual Abuse in the Church. Previous years we called this conference a "Pastors Conference" or "Church Officers Conference," and only men attended—men who are officers and men who aspire to holding office in the Church.

This year, though, our subject demands the most intense work and wisdom on the part of pastors, elders, and deacons, and that work cannot be done and that wisdom cannot be gained without the help of wise women of the church, including officers' wives. So we've opened up registration, not just to the wives of pastors, elders, and deacons, but also to women, single or married, who obey the command of God given in Titus 2:3-5, to serve the church by "teaching what is good."

My wife Mary Lee and I will be talking about the necessity and helpfulness of church officers working with Titus 2 women in the protection of children of the church. If elders and pastors don't have...


Child abuse: I'm for grace!

...each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”  - 1Corinthians 1:12, 13

So, apparently, the sin of some in the Corinthian church was saying "I am of Christ."

A year and a half ago, I was talking with a Presbyterian counselor who was counseling an older single man who had physically and sexually abused several young men under his authority. Despite this predator's pastor and several of his elders a decade ago knowing of the specifics of his abuse of one victim, they had allowed the man to keep his job on the staff of their Presbyterian church where he continued to have young men under his authority. When his corruption of his first victim ten years ago became known, his pastor and several of his elders had refused to ask other young men under this man's leadership if he had abused them, also; nor had they warned them.

Now, the church's pastor and elders were finally having their noses shoved into the sins they and their predecessors had worked hard to avoid. They were finding out their church staff worker had abused more than the one man who had been known. Two more victims had come forward and were calling the church's session to acknowledge their past failures and bring this ministry leader under discipline and I was hoping to get the counselor to help with that process.

In our initial conversation, this counselor said he was...


Dear Paul Tripp...

Dear Paul,

I was surprised that you wrote to tell us how we should view the end of Tullian Tchividjian's marriage. But since you addressed us publicly on your web site, I thought I'd write back and publicly say a few things that have occurred to me as well.

I must confess that for many years I confused you with your brother Tedd, never being quite sure which of you was the one doing or saying what. Sorry. I know it can sting. Perhaps it's the mustaches... (For years, for us it was the bow ties.)

More recently, I've been clear on the distinction. Tedd wrote the book my mother commended to me years ago, Shepherding a Child's Heart. Tedd was the pastor my friend Stephen Baker trained under. You're the PCA Tripp who's done the counseling for years. So I think I've got you straight, and my appreciation for your family's ministry is real. Moreover, there are people in the church I pastor who remember you from the Alliance church you attended in the 1950s and 60s. 

It's recently struck me that we've lived for years as each other's kind of reverse doppelganger, swooping back and forth across the same landscape like ships doomed to pass in the night. For instance, the church I pastor is attended by a daughter of the pastor who led the church you attended throughout your childhood, and even the granddaughter of that man's predecessor, pastor of that church when you were born. You were a kid together with people I'm approaching senior citizenship with. 

You were born and raised in Toledo, moving to Philadelphia as an adult. I was born in Philadelphia (with ties to Tenth Presbyterian) and moved to Toledo when I was thirty.

You went to college at Columbia Bible College. I went to college at Macalester. You went to Reformed Episcopal Seminary. I went to Gordon-Conwell. You were at Tenth under Jim Boice. I interned at Fullerton Ev. Free under Chuck Swindoll. Your name is Paul David and mine David Jeremy.

I could go on... You wear glasses today like those I wore in my college years. It was the punk rock era; I cut my hair short and found the frames of my dreams at an optical shop that sold safety glasses to industry...


Dealing with sexual predators: objections answered...

Let's dive further into the discussion of how to deal with God's people concerning sexual abuse, both the perpetrators and their victims, but also the weak, potential victims and potential predators. Why now?

Because it just so happens that this is a giant problem in the church today, whether reformed, evangelical, libertarian, homeschool, credo or paedo, family-integrated, or program-central. Of course, somebody might object that right now is not the best time because there's a war on. Or maybe they'll say that discussing it now is going to cause undue pain to a particular perp or victim. Consider this your trigger warning, if you're that sensitive, and stop reading now. 

Cross-fire and friendly fire are part of the terrain in war. We don't stop fighting the war out of fear of such things. And yes, we correct one another and redirect our friend's attention to bigger problems even while screaming orcs are trying to kill both of us. Remember when Aragorn yells at Legolas in the middle of the battle of Helm's Deep? Legolas doesn't respond with "Can't you see orcs are attacking me?" Both of them know full well that orcs are attacking everybody good on all sides. He assumes, rightly, that if his friend is yelling a warning at him... 


The pastoral care of men and women who are sexual predators against children...

Here is a hypothetical situation. The details are likely similar to many situations faced by the pastors and elders of churches around the country, including Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. This is no surprise since the sexual abuse of children is so pervasive in our wicked nation today.

This post is written out of two decades working with children and adults who are victims of these crimes, as well as the criminals who committed the crimes. I hope these thoughts will be helpful to church officers and Titus 2 women who may be wondering what principles to follow in their own congregation.

* * *

Let us assume a case in which an adult man1 who confesses faith in Jesus Christ is found guilty in civil and church courts of multiple acts of predatory sexual violence over several years time against minor children unrelated to him by blood or marriage. Regardless of whether this man confessed Christian faith or appeared to be remorseful and repentant, Christians of sound spiritual judgment would, I believe, not condemn the penal codes of many centuries of Christendom which put such a man under sentence of death. We would agree that capital punishment of this crime against children is just to all concerned, from the sinner himself, to his victims and their families, to the church and her members, and society at large. Our Lord warned...


Concerning the open letter of the session of Christ Church, Moscow: a retraction...

Two days ago, with my wife I posted a statement titled "Christ Church's open letter is pastorally wise..." in support of an open letter issued by the pastors and elders of Christ Church, Moscow, in connection with a member of their congregation named Steven Sitler. Since posting our statement, though, Mary Lee and I have learned more details which have led us to conclude our prior statement was precipitous and should not have been published. We apologize and have removed the statement from Baylyblog...


Trial by celebrity...

Paul Tripp just made a public pronouncement that Pastor Tullian Tchividjian "has filed for divorce." Paul goes on to say he agrees it is time for Tully to "move on."

A short time ago Paul made a public pronouncement about Pastor Mark Driscoll, Acts 29, and Mars Hill Church. A little later he made a public pronouncement about Pastor Tullian Tchividjian and Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. Now he makes a public pronouncement about Pastor Tchividjian filing for divorce and the breakup of the Tchividjian family. Here is Paul in his role as the sole proprietor of what he promotes as "Paul Tripp Ministries, Inc." making judgments without any reference to the courts of Christ's Church.

Such things should never happen. They are a reflection of the displacement of the Church by religious corporations and the celebrities who own them. For the record, here is a screenshot of Paul's corporate web site and the pronouncement he published there...


Brian Prentiss has not actually been hidden in a closet...

Under the post, "Intown's Brian Prentiss comes out of the closet...," one reader asked, "How long before the PCA ends up in the same slough of despond, and heaven knows what else, that has claimed most of the PCUSA?"

Since the PCA is a largely southern denomination, her failures will always lag behind other denominations, and her wealth will give it a better face than most. But she'll have to stop giving northern liberal churches/pastors a pass despite knowing disciplining them won't get good press. At this time the PCA's failures aren't even in the same ballpark as the PC(USA). At this time.

The troubling thing is that the PCA is following the same path the PC(USA) and her predecessor denominations followed in trusting famous men of wealth and influence rather than following little boys named "David" with just a slingshot who are determined to slay the giant using "only" the means of grace: discipline, from the least formal private discussion and exhortation all the way to heresy trials.

In this context of Intown, Pastor Prentiss has been giving signs of heterodoxy for years and I'm guessing nothing has been done by anyone on any faithful personal level. That's the norm within PCA presbyteries. We don't want to deal with men individually through private remonstrance and exhortation and rebuke, and that for a whole host of reasons including...


Intown's Brian Prentiss comes out of the closet...

For those of us who find the SCOTUS decision something to be celebrated, we should remember Romans 14, where the Apostle Paul advises those of us with less scruples to be gracious towards our brothers and sisters with more. (The "weaker" brother language is unfortunate here, because it seems to suggest one is right and the other is wrong...)

- Brian Prentiss, pastor of Intown Presbyterian Church, Portland; member of Pacific Northwest Presbytery, Presbyterian Church in America; M.Div. Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi; former Campus Director at Campus Outreach and Collegiate Director at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. (On LinkedIn, Prentiss is commended for his pastoral leadership by Andrew Field, former pastor at Redeemer (NYC) and present board member of CCEF—David Powlison, Steve Estes, Ed Welch, etc.)

The above is excerpted from a post on the Intown Presbyterian Church (PCA) web site written by her pastor, Brian Prentiss. The post is scandalous. When the Supreme Court issued its pro-sodomy ruling, Bergefell v. Rhodes, Pastor Prentiss decided not to battle the wolf in defense of the sheep, so he wrote a bunch of gobbledigook to cover his abandonment...


The Church is responsible for Obergefell v. Hodges, and now we must get it right...

With our Clearnote Fellowship Conference a few hours away, I won't have much time the next few days to engage with this issue, but I've had some nagging thoughts as I've read the debates going on among church officers in the wake of Obergefell v. Hodges.

Any stand Christians take in opposition to the enforcement of Obergefell v. Hodges across the nation must be in light of God's Creation Order in its entirety. If we single out sodomy as the place we draw the line of civil disobedience concerning sexuality, we must ask ourselves why there? Is it really because sodomy has taken our culture to a whole new level of rebellion against God? Yes, but also no...


Church celebrities who are above criticism (II): Bill Gothard...

He deprives the trusted ones of speech And takes away the discernment of the elders. (Job 12:20)

In a post put up a couple weeks ago, I recounted how, in the late sixties, Dad Bayly publicly criticised Bob Jones University. He did so in his monthly column in ETERNITY Magazine. It was also in his ETERNITY column that Dad issued public criticisms of Bill Gothard.

Back in 1975.

Forty years ago.

Now, Bill Gothard is eighty years old and others are seeing their way clear to say a few things themselves...


A warning for teachers...

[In Adam's] body there was no defect, wherefore he was wholly free from death. ...Death, therefore, is now a terror to us; first, because there is a kind of annihilation, as it respects the body; then, because the soul feels the curse of God. We must also see what is the cause of death, namely alienation from God. Thence it follows, that under the name of death is comprehended all those miseries in which Adam involved himself by his defection; for as soon as he revolted from God, the fountain of life, he was cast down from his former state, in order that he might perceive the life of man without God to be wretched and lost, and therefore differing nothing from death. Hence the condition of man after his sin is not improperly called both the privation of life, and death. - Calvin on Genesis 2:16, 17

Death is a terror. Whether physical or spiritual, death is evil.

It is almost incomprehensible that a post making the case that death is evil would need to be written, but as long as there are teachers who claim that God would have used death prior to the Fall as population control, and as long as there are blog comments such as “There was death and decay in creation and in the garden of Eden prior to the fall. The biblical and scientific evidences are sufficient to know there is an appointed day for all things to die,” then an answer needs to be given.

Is physical death a normal part of God’s good creation from the beginning?


The blood is on our hands...

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, I'm a Republican. - Joe Sobran

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me a thousand times, I'm a pastor. - Soe Jobran

The news today from the national level is that the men and women of the Republican Party in Congress have backed down on their late-term abortion bill because they don't want to alienate female voters. The news today from our own Indiana state level is that a certain bill written to protect the unborn children of Indiana from being murdered by their parents is being treated with diffidence by the committee chairman because he and other Republicans don't want the wrath of Planned Parenthood to descend on them.

Now listen, these men and women—the Republicans, that is—are mostly publicly confessing Christians and therefore have pastors, elders, deacons, and older Titus 2 women who are called by God to admonish and rebuke and exhort and encourage them. But you and I know that their pastors, let alone elders, deacons, and Titus 2 women, will say nothing to them about their cowardice—about their selling out unborn children in order to stay in office. If the Church of Jesus Christ in these United States of America desired to stop the mass slaughter of unborn children; if we desired to see the bloodshed of little ones by their mothers end; if we feared God's judgement on our nation...


Family values; the Levites, you, and your pastor...

Who said of his father and his mother, ‘I did not consider them’; And he did not acknowledge his brothers, Nor did he regard his own sons... (Deuteronomy 33:9)

Probably the most scandalous parts of Scripture to those of us committed to the reform of marriage and family life are the places God warns us that we must put Him first, above our families. It's that "above our families" part that gets us, but this is what our God Whose Name is Jealous requires and He commends those who obey Him in it. The text above shows the blessing given to the Levites by Moses at the end of his life. He blessed them because in obedience to God's Word they slew their own brothers and sons (Exodus 32:25-29).

John Bunyan highlights the constancy of this choice between loved ones and God at the beginning his Pilgrim's Progress when he describes Christian running from the voices of his family who were crying after him to stop, turn around, and come back home. Covering his ears with his hands...


Lebron James to (gasp) Cleveland...

Everyone was sick of the drama. Now it's over and it's a real shocker. To see a man loyal to his roots despite the intense acrimony surrounding his departure four years ago makes me think better of Lebron James. 

What hurdles did he face as he considered returning to Cleveland?

His wife and mother. James told Sports Illustrated:

To make the move I needed the support of my wife and my mom, who can be very tough.