First some context.
The Introduction of HERE WE STAND begins by making the claim that revival and reform are the double helix of the DNA of the CGGC. It continues by noting that, during its first decade and a half, the CGGC body was involved in radical social reform movements such as anti-slavery, temperance and others and that, in 1845, it organized a General Conference built on this radical identity.
Then it inserts this sentence:
Ever since its creation in 1845 the CGGC has maintained its commitment to biblical integrity and social responsibility.
Is this sentence factual, deceitful or delusional? I have to admit that I'm not certain.
One thing I am certain of that it is not factual.
Anyone who has even a passing awareness of the history of the CGGC knows that we are not what we were between 1830 and 1845.
In those days we were a spiritually thriving, dynamic, rapidly growing movement that was consumed by a passion to bring sinners to repentance, to be salt and light in the world and to improve the lives of the oppressed.
Anyone who has even a passing awareness of the history of the CGGC and is honest about what it is today knows that the claim that we have maintained our 1845 identity is not factual.
In my opinion, three people on the writing committee know CGGC history better than I do. A fourth, Lance, has been very honest during the last year, that we are declining. At the very least, these people know that the sentence is not factual. They should have prevented it from appearing in the draft.
So, if the sentence is not factual and important people on that committee know that, what is the truth? Are they deceitful or are they delusional?
This is what I don't know. I don't want to believe that either is the case but I can't see any other possibility.
A friend who has been in conversation with me since the days of Brian Miller's blog has said to me privately over and over again that he thinks leadership does this sort of thing to justify their positions and protect their salaries. S/He is saying that they are being deceitful.
I can't accept that because I don't want to but is the alternative better?
Everyone who knows anything knows that the sentence is not factual.
Can we face what that reality means about our mountaintoppers?
Does anyone love the people of the CGGC enough to care?
The entire CGGC body must repent.
If I look at that sentence in light of Jesus' wisdom, "By their fruit you shall know them," I ask myself what the sentence is fruit of, that is, what it reveals about the people or the leadership culture that sent the sentence out for the approval of our body.
ReplyDeleteOne thought that comes to mind is that these people, if they have any gifting at all, are shepherds. Shepherds are not empowered by the Spirit to be stewards of truth. Their lack of empowerment to handle truth works out in two very important ways.
First, they have no empowerment to lead in the area of doctrine. Most of what I hear about the new WE BELIEVE is that people think it is an irrelevant, useless mess. And, what should be expected? It is the work of a shepherd dominated leadership culture.
Second, as is clear in terms of the sentence, shepherds have difficulty telling the truth. Is the sentence actually a lie? On one level it is. It asserts a fact to be true that obviously is not true. In that way, it is not only a lie, it is a bad lie. More to the point though, the sentence is the fruit of a leadership culture that, based on its empowerment by the Holy Spirit, will not be able to tell the truth.
If you doubt me, reflect on the sentence and the fact that a whole committee of important church leaders produced it after careful thought.
Part of our repentance will demand the tearing down of the leadership culture that has developed in the body.
I love those people individually but, as a group, they are deadly.
There is a powerful irony, I believe, in the fact that on the very day I asked what this outrageous sentence is fruit of, that Lance published an eNews devotional asking, "What fruit are you producing?"
ReplyDeleteWhat fruit indeed.