Tag Archives: Newark Baptist Temple

World Missions and the IFB Church

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If you were raised in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist Church (IFB), you know how seriously they take world missions. IFB churches think their beliefs are the only truth and their practices are the only way to function as a church and live as a Christian. All other Christians sects are looked upon as “doubtful”  and non-Christian sects are considered tools of Satan used to deceive the masses and lead  them to a Christless hell.

Members of an IFB church hear missionary speakers quite often. Some churches have letters from the missionaries read from the pulpit, and most of them, somewhere in the church building, have a board where all the letters from the missionaries are posted.

In the IFB church, everything revolves around numbers. Attendance. Souls saved. People baptized. Offering size. How many preachers boys called into the ministry. How many men and single women called to the mission field. And…how many missionaries are supported by the church.

All of these numbers matter in the IFB church movement. Success is determined by the size of these numbers. I have often said, size matters, and what plays out in IFB churches is quite similar to men with their my dick is bigger obsession. Men with small dicks say nothing, as do pastors who pastor small churches and do not have the numbers the “successful” pastor’s have.

IFB churches like to support lots of missionaries. They may only give the missionary 25.00 a month, but, if they support fifty missionaries at 25,00 a month, they can brag at the next Preacher’s Meeting that they support FIFTY missionaries.  Remember SIZE is everything!

Many churches have Missionary Conferences. These conferences are focused times when hotshot preachers come and preach about missions. Rarely do missionaries preach. They might give a report to the congregation or share their calling to ____________ country, but most preachers know, if you want to raise money for missions, NEVER allow the missionaries to preach.

Why? Many missionaries can’t preach a lick. They are often their own worst enemy.  They may have a passion for winning souls but they often lack good communication skills. An IFB adage goes like this…preachers who can preach do, those who can’t go to the mission field.

So the hotshot preachers preach, and through their manipulative preaching and stories of lost people in need of IFB salvation, they make church people feel guilty over not giving enough money to the missions fund. If they are real good, they might successfully guilt a few church members into leaving the secular world and joining the preacher/missionary fraternity.

Countless young men and women, and quite a few older married couples, have abandoned all their hopes and dreams to chase after their “call” to be a  missionary. Many of them NEVER make it to the field and quietly return home and fade back into the fabric of the IFB church.

They are failures. They weren’t willing to sell-out and follow Jesus. They are looked down on because they said God was calling them to the mission field and they didn’t follow through.  Surely, there is something wrong with them, right?

Perhaps there is another scenario. Perhaps what really happened is that they were emotionally and mentally manipulated by a hotshot preacher who was an expert at getting people to think that his voice was the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Once a person says, God is calling me…it is almost impossible to undo what has been set in motion. The pastor brags about Bro, Mike being called to Canada. (yes, IFB churches send missionaries to Canada)  The church is excited. Bro Mike, remember little Mickey? He is going to Canada to win the heathen Canucks to Jesus.

And so, off to Bible College Bro. Mike  goes. He is trained in the IFB way of doing things. He graduates and starts on  deputation. He travels from church to church BEGGING them to give him money so he can win heathen Canucks to Jesus.

He has a table display of items that show why the Canucks really, really need Jesus. Most likely he has a slide presentation or a multimedia presentation that he shows to churches in hopes of getting them to see that Canada is a vast wasteland with millions of people in need of the IFB gospel and Jesus.

If he is lucky, after his presentation, the church will commit to supporting him. If they don’t, he moves on to the next church. Maybe the next church will “see” the need and support him.

Prospective IFB missionaries will often spend years trying to get enough money together to get to the field. Many will never make it. Imagine the humiliation of having to go back to their home church and admit they aren’t going to the mission field.

Some of them will try to redeem themselves by coming up with a new calling. Instead of going to another country, they now think God is calling them to be a missionary in the U.S.

In this new scenario, they can work a secular job (tent making like the Apostle Paul) and still be a missionary. Their home church will kick a few bucks their way every months, and they will then be able to say they are still a missionary.

I have met countless missionaries who are missionaries to things like public schools, nursing homes, the streets of X major city, etc.  Anything is better than being labeled a failure, a quitter.

Do you have a missions story to tell? Were you called at one time to be a missionary? Please share your story in the comment section.

Notes:

Let you doubt they actually send missionaries to Canada and the U.S. check here, here, and here.

My wife’s cousin’s husband, Jamie Overton was recently called to be a missionary to India. They are working through a Fundamentalist mission agency called, World View Ministries. Their sending church is my wife’s uncle’s church, the Newark Baptist Temple in Heath, Ohio.

Reformers Unanimous, Recovery Independent Baptist Style

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This entry is part 1 of 2 in the seriesReformers Unanimous

Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) church members have addiction problems just like the rest of us. Hiding in plain sight at the local IFB church are addicts addicted to everything from prescription pills to crack. They dare not make their addiction known because in the IFB church everyone has been cleansed by the blood of Jesus and has VICTORY in Jesus.

Over the years, I pastored countless people with drug and alcohol problems. Some hid it well, others not so much. My offer of help was always the same…claim the promises of God, trust that Jesus will give you victory, and stop taking drugs and/or drinking alcohol.

Did this approach work? For a few people, but for most their addiction was such that they needed professional help, help that no church is capable of providing. These members would either learn to hide their addiction better (which is what most did) or seek professional help. Those who sought out professional help invariably became involved with a 12-step program.

Most 12-step programs have a spiritual dimension that takes a “higher power” approach.  IFB churches despise any notion of a “higher power.” According to IFB doctrine, there is one God, the IFB God. What could IFB churches do to keep their members from participating in 12-step programs?

Simple. Start your own program, a program that offers Jesus and the Bible as the ultimate recovery duo. A recovery ministry called Reformers Unanimous has become the preferred  addiction recovery program for IFB churches. (and other churches who may not say they are IFB. I did a search of their chapters and they are overwhelmingly IFB churches)

Reformers Unanimous is the brain-child of the late Steven Curington:

Steve Curington grew up in a Christian home and graduated from North Love Christian School in 1984. After high school, Steve started a 10-year addiction to alcoholism and cocaine. After a serious car accident, Steve found complete sobriety through his relationship with Jesus Christ. After his recovery in 1996, Steve began Reformers Unanimous, a faith-based addiction ministry. What started as a humble, Friday night addiction class with four regular attendees in Rockford, Illinois, quickly exploded to a class of more than 300 people from the community.

As word spread, others began inquiring how to bring this program to their community.  Soon, a national organization was launched; and shortly after that, the international arm was born. Today, there are more than 800 chapters throughout the nation and many more in twelve foreign countries.

What is the mission of Reformers Unanimous?

Reformers Unanimous Ministries- “We Help Anybody”
Reformers Unanimous Ministries exists to help anybody worldwide who wishes to experience a life of victory over difficulty.  This victory is obtained and retained not through an experience of ongoing effort, but through a once in a lifetime decision to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and a subsequent dedication to developing a dynamic love relationship with Him.

Reformers Unanimous Addictions Program- “We Help Addicted Adults Find Freedom”
Reformers Unanimous Addiction Program exists to help adults find freedom from addictive behavior.  We accomplish this by assisting them in gaining and maintaining consistent communication with the Highest Power.  This power is not a higher power chosen by them, but a Holy Power that has chosen them.   Usefulness in life is then attained with community service through good local churches.

Reformers Unanimous Kidz Club- “We Help Kids Grow God’s Way”
Reformers Unanimous Kidz Club exists to help kids comprehend a love for God that ignites a lifelong relationship with Him.   This relationship is their only chance for lasting victory through adulthood. This relationship is developed using a structured program that includes dynamic teaching, instructional games and exciting stories that encourage children to avoid the pitfalls of despair most find in their teenage years.  .

Reformers Unanimous T-N-T Club- “We Help Teens Transition”
Reformers Unanimous Teens-N-Transition Club exists to help teens transition socially and spiritually from adolescent youth to young adult.   This transition assists in overcoming wrong perceptions that plant seeds of bitterness which germinate and then permeate into adult years.  This transition is made utilizing the support of a structured program that includes training, mentorship, activity, education and entertainment.

Reformers Unanimous Institutional Program- “We Help Believers Behind Bars”
Reformers Unanimous Institutional Program exists to help believers in jails, prisons, and institutional treatment programs develop experiential freedom in the midst of confinement.  We accomplish this by urging the believer toward personal intimacy with the one who cannot leave them or forsake them.  We utilize proven resources that nurture their nature through personal discipleship, group counsel and individual burden bearing.

Reformers Unanimous Women’s School of Discipleship- “We Help Hurting Women”
Reformers Unanimous Women’s Schools of Discipleship exists to help hurting women that are non-functioning, abused or addicted experience true and lasting victory over their pain to gain the prosperity of an abundant life.  We accomplish this through up to 8 months of intensive discipleship consisting of prayer, study, counsel, education and work place training.  Enter as a wounded woman; leave a lovely lady.

Reformers Unanimous Men’s School of Discipleship- “We Help Men Who Hurt”
Reformers Unanimous Men’s Schools of Discipleship exists to help men who hurt. Whether they have pained or been pained, we assist them to a position of lasting victory over those pains to gain the prosperity of an abundant life.  We accomplish this through up to 8 months of intensive discipleship consisting of prayer, study, counsel, education and work place training.  Enter as a mean monster, leave a humble human being.

Reformers Unanimous Lay Leader Discipleship Ministries- “We Help Christians Overcome Apathy”
Reformers Unanimous Discipleship Ministries exists to help us overcome our apathy.  Serving both God and man is a delight, not a duty.  But it is our penchant for self righteousness that keeps us from true righteousness.  Our Lay Leadership course challenges lay people every day to develop a provocative walk with God that is seldom and shortly disturbed by the world, its prince (the devil) or his stimulation of our flesh.

According to the Reformers Unanimous Mission Statement, they are a one-stop fix-all shop that offers the same fix for everyone….Jesus and obedience to the teachings Fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible. (Reformers Unanimous doctrinal statement)

The Reformers Unanimous program takes a three pronged approach:

We Talk To God: Prayer and Testimonies

First, we talk to God. We do that in two ways. First we talk to God in prayer. Each student is given an opportunity to share a need or request for God. We then talk to God in prayer over those requests. The requests are typed out and presented to the students to be prayed over through the week. We then talk to God in testimonies. Reformers Unanimous gives students an opportunity to share how God has changed their lives. Our visitors love to hear stories of recovery through God’s miraculous, saving grace. We hear of days, weeks, months, and years of victory and give awards for each.

We Talk To Each Other: Counsel Groups

Second, we talk to each other. Reformers Unanimous breaks into counsel groups to share each of our burdens or blessings. Each group is led by a counsel leader. If anyone needs personal counsel, it is made available. Students go over their completed challenges during this time and encourage each other in their road to recovery. Counsel groups are led by volunteer church members and graduate students. Training is available to help you prepare your church helpers to reach out to those to whom much is forgiven.

God Talks To Us: Preaching

Third, God talks to us. He does that, Lord willing, during the message. Reformers Unanimous doesn’t just listen to people talk about their problems. We teach what God says to do about it. We teach the Holy Bible. It is the only book God wrote, thus it is the only one we use. Each new camp director is trained in how to present the messages in convicting yet caring ways, which are intended to encourage the students toward program participation. A hearer that is a doer is always an overcomer.

Reformers Unanimous also has a medical advisory board, a home-personal recovery kit (79.00), and a residential treatment program.  According to the Reformers Unanimous website, their residential treatment program has an 80% success rate and costs thousands of dollars less than non-Reformed Unanimous programs:

The Reformers Unanimous Residential Schools of Discipleship are an six-month intensive discipleship program for men and women with troubled lives. We provide a reconstructive learning atmosphere where the non-functioning person can be trained in a supportive environment of discipleship consisting of: study, mentoring, Bible education, and work place training.

dsm

Reformers Unanimous offers a book titled, DSM 1, Diagnostic and Spiritual Manual, to help with church members who have mental health problems. (DSM is a cutesy take-off from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that mental health professionals use)  Their website says:

Churches today, along with Reformers Unanimous (RU) chapters around the world, are filled with hurting people struggling with serious personal problems. Many church and RU leaders find they are unprepared to deal with these people that have very serious non-physical problems because the psychiatric world has proclaimed themselves to be the master of this domain. As a result, psychiatric terminology has invaded the church and their RU programs. Most Biblical counseling training provides little to no education regarding these terms and little to no training on what the Bible says about these non-physical problems. Dr. Crabb’s desire in writing this booklet is to help the Christian leader understand the practical implication of these terms and what the Bible says about these non- physical problems of life. Dr. Crabb takes the mystery out of these terms and clearly presents the Biblical viewpoint.

Most IFB pastors have no proper training in counseling.  Don’t mistake a counseling class at a Bible College as proper training. It is not.  So what, Dr. George Crabb and Reformers Unanimous do is give untrained pastors a short booklet-like manual that costs 5.00, and VIOLA! they are now qualified to help people with mental health problems.

Make no mistake about it, peel away the medical talk, the medical advisory board, and the rest of the secular facade, what is left is that Reformers Unanimous believes that Jesus and the Bible is the answer to EVERY problem.

While I am sure this is helpful for some people, especially those indoctrinated with IFB dogma, the Reformers Unanimous approach is simplistic and can result in catastrophic consequences. What happens when the addict finds out that Jesus is not the answer and that the Bible does not have all the answers?

Notes:

I have ordered a copy of the DSM 1 mentioned above. I will review it in an upcoming blog post.

Jonathan Nichols, the gay man I wrote several posts about, was referred to Reformers Unanimous to “cure” his same-sex attraction. The local church is was a part of, the Newark Baptist Temple,  sponsors a Reformers Unanimous chapter.

First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana has a Reformers Unanimous chapter. Too bad Jack Schaap wasn’t in the program.

I know several people who have participated in Reformers Unanimous addiction groups.  As of this date, they are not cured of their addiction. Of course, all the fault belongs to the addict since Jesus never fails the willing.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is over 900 pages long.  Jesus and the Bible sure do simplify things.  Jesus saves sinners. You are a sinner. Get saved.   Next patient please.

The Gay Problem in the IFB Church

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Officially, there are no gays in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) church. Neither are  there any fornicators, adulterers, child molesters, drug users or booze drinkers. The members of an IFB church are blood-washed, saved, sanctified, children of God, and their lives are radically different from the lives of the unwashed, uncircumcised Philistines of the world.

This is the fantasy promoted from the pulpit almost every Sunday in countless IFB churches.  From their youth up, IFB church members are frequently reminded of God’s holy, righteous standard for every church member. Church members are reminded that God sees and knows everything and so does the pastor.

While the IFB pastor is not God, he is often treated like a demigod, not God but not completely human either. The pastor has a special relationship with God, and as a man CALLED by God, he has been given the responsibility of teaching church members how to live. When the pastor speaks, he is speaking on behalf of God. (and this kind of thinking is found in many Christian sects)

A person exposed to this kind of thinking and manipulation week after week will eventually think that things really are just like the pastor says they are.

Yet, for all their preaching about moral failure, moral weaknesses and failures are frequently justified, reinterpreted, or explained away. When blatant moral failures can’t be justified, reinterpreted, or explained away, the  “sinner” is called on to repent. If the “sinner” repents their moral transgressions are expunged and put as far away as the east is from the west. The Bible says in Psalm 103:11,12:

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

IFB church members are taught that they have a divine get out of jail free card. 1 John 1:9 says:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Any act, no matter how vile, no matter who it harms, can be expunged by a prayer to God asking for forgiveness. (there is little difference between the Catholic and the Baptist in this regard)

The average IFB church is made up of people who either have just had their sin slate wiped clean or who need to have their sin slate wiped clean. The pastor, who must make sure his sin slate is wiped clean before he enters the pulpit, is called by God to point out the sins of the church members. He might have surfed porn sites the night before, but as long as he confesses his sin and asks for forgiveness, he is spiritually fit to call out church members over their transgressions of a thrice-holy God’s law and the pastor’s interpretation of that law.

This is why a pastor like Jack Schaap, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Hammond Indiana, could have sex in his office with a minor, and then go preach to church members the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ. A divine-do-over was only a prayer away, and I have no doubt Schaap regularly availed himself to the ever-flowing fountain of the cleansing blood of Jesus.

Years ago, I knew of a pastor who would have sex in his office most every Saturday with a woman in his church. On Sunday he would use this very same office to counsel people about their own moral failures. Hypocritical? Sure, but this sin-pray for forgiveness-sin-pray for forgiveness behavior is very much a part of the belief system of most IFB churches. It allows people to have an instantaneous blood-washed cleansing from sin.

IFB church members find themselves in a constant cycle of sinning and getting right with God. Instead of owning their behavior and culpability for what they do, they blame Satan or the flesh.  They see themselves as weak, sinful beings in constant need of God’s power, direction, and grace, and when they fail it is due to an attack by Satan or the weakness of their flesh.

We know that a certain percentage of people are naturally attracted to the same-sex. IFB churches deny this, saying that no one is born gay. In the eyes of the IFB pastor, a gay is made not born. Of course this way of thinking causes a big problem for them when one of their own professes they are gay.

Take the story of  Jonathan Nichols. Jonathan Nichols was raised in the Newark Baptist Temple in Heath ,Ohio. James Dennis, the pastor of the Baptist Temple, is my wife’s uncle. He has been pastor of the Baptist Temple for almost fifty years.(he is a graduate of the college my wife and I attended)

I have known James Dennis for thirty-seven years. He and I have had a love-hate relationship for many years. Right now it is safe to say we have a hate relationship, both of us hating what the other stands for. He has his pulpit and I have mine. Smile

The Newark Baptist Temple is a typical IFB church. It is a King James Only church that is known for what it is against. (and the list of what the church and its pastor is against is quite long)  Church members are expected to live by a certain moral code. This code includes rules about what clothing church members can wear. The Baptist Temple is known as the “no-pants allowed” church.

lccaSince the early-1970’s, the Baptist Temple has owned and operated the Licking County Christian Academy, a private K-12 Christian school. The school started as an ACE school and later morphed into a regular school with each grade having its own teachers. (most of the teachers received their training at schools like Bob Jones University and Pensacola Christian College)

Jonathan Nichols was raised up in the Newark Baptist Temple and attended Licking County Christian Academy. He was taught the IFB way of life and I am sure he made a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized. He was a member in good-standing of the Baptist Temple.

He  likely heard countless sermons about the sin of homosexuality. (and numerous other sins) Like most IFB churches, the Baptist Temple is homophobic. In their eyes, there is  sin and then there is THE SIN of HOMOSEXUALITY.  Homosexuality is a special sin that deserves regular attention. Why is this?

Since IFB churches don’t believe anyone is born with same-sex attraction, a church member saying they are gay would cause quite a problem for them. If a gay person isn’t born with same-sex attraction, how do they become gay?

IFB churches think a person becomes gay because they choose to be.They also believe that many gays were abused and molested and this why they became gay. How then, do they explain, a person like Jonathan Nichols, the son of devoted IFB church members, a young man who spent his entire life in the IFB church and Christian School?

They don’t. Like other scandals in the past, the Newark Baptist Temple tries to conceal stories like Jonathan Nichols’s story, Stories like his are not only concealed from the public but also from church members. (the internet has made it harder for IFB churches and pastors to conceal their dirty laundry)

The secretive conduct of the Newark Baptist Temple is not unique and can be found in countless IFB churches, including the churches I grew up in and pastored.

I spent my teenage years as a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Findlay, Ohio. Sexual impropriety by church leaders and church members was routinely covered up. The church choir was a hot-bed of sexual misconduct. These things were never talked about from the pulpit but everyone knew what was going on.

I saw the same conduct at Midwestern Baptist College. From teachers having affairs, to students engaging in illicit sexual activity, the College had its hands full putting out the sexual scandal fires.

Every Midwestern Baptist College dorm student knew of the homosexual teacher that lived in the dorm. He had students who lived with him, students that heterosexual dorm students thought might be homosexuals.

As as pastor, I preached against sexual sin and, like James Dennis at the Baptist Temple, I considered homosexuality to be a sin above all other sins. (IFB pastors will tell you differently, but listen to their sermons to see what  they really think) No matter how much I ranted and railed against sexual sin, church members still committed adultery and fornication.

However, when it came to homosexuality, (at the time, I thought all homosexuals were sexual predators who preyed on children) if I got wind of someone being a homosexual I immediately ran them off. Yet, for all my homophobic diligence, there were still some boys and girls raised under my preaching that turned out to be gay,

These children were exposed to hardcore hellfire and brimstone preaching that made it clear that homosexuality was an affront to God and that no homosexual would inherit eternal life. Some of these children attended the church’s private school and God’s moral standard was frequently talked about. Yet, they turned out gay.

Why? Because they were born that way. What other explanation can there be? Everything in their upbringing, both at home and church, promoted heterosexuality and condemned homosexuality. Every effort was made to make sure they turned out heterosexual. I protected them from being influenced by homosexuals and I constantly reminded them that God was the God of the heterosexual. Yet…they turned out gay.

The truth is, the IFB church movement is no different from the non-IFB public. The only difference is they live in denial over what is really going on behind closed doors. They convince themselves they are a called-out, chosen, separated, sanctified band of righteous people who live above the fray. They hate people like me because I not only know different but I dare talk about it in public.

Jonathan Nichols had to leave the IFB church to find people who would accept him as he is. Of course, by leaving, Jonathan proved:

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. (I John 2:19)

You see, Jonathan being gay means he never really was a Christian, he never really was one of them. How else do they explain a son of the church now being gay, and not only being gay but being willing to tell the world about it?

The Jonathan Nichols Story, Growing Up Gay in the IFB Church

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What follows is a brief excerpt of a story about Jonathan Nichols. Jonathan grew up in the Newark Baptist Temple,  the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist church ((IFB) pastored by my wife’s uncle, James Dennis.  The Pastor (Jamie) Overton in this story is married to my wife’s cousin.  Polly’s parents have attended this church since the late 1970’s. The Christian School in this story is the Licking County Christian Academy in Heath, Ohio. It is owned and operated by the Newark Baptist Temple.

The following story is excerpted from Part One and Part Two of Jonathan’s story.

My story is going to be slightly different than the others featured on this blog because I actually never attended Bob Jones University. However, before you stop reading, you should know that I would be finishing up my freshman year at BJU had I not been outed in high school, expelled, and ultimately forced to leave home. My parents are both BJU alumni, and the principal of my Christian school in Ohio was a BJU-pusher. In fact, while I was growing up, BJU was presented as the only viable choice of college by my family and a few teachers. Because of that, my story isn’t too different from the others here, I just went through the same things earlier, before I actually went to college.

I grew up in Newark, Ohio and attended an independent fundamental Baptist church since I was born. That church was more conservative than Bob Jones, and my parents were more conservative than the church. My mom, the church pianist and school music teacher, was forever busy taking the “sensual” triplets out of songs like “Some Trust in Chariots” and campaigning against songs like “As The Deer” and “Bow the Knee.” As you can probably deduce from that, practically no modern music was allowed in our household either. I grew up on classical music and only classical music and quickly learned that there was no such thing as likes and dislikes when it came to music. There was just good and bad. You are to listen to good music and not to listen to bad music. What music you “like” has nothing to do with anything.

That mentality was carried into every area of life.

I suppose being the music teacher’s son allowed me to be a little gay boy without thinking anything of it or being called out about it. I was totally into music and art and pretty things, and nothing was weird. I would play with scarves without feeling odd. Well, without feeling too odd. I knew that none of the other guys my age were playing with scarves. Fortunately, I didn’t think about it too much.

Ok, so I can’t really credit my discretion for keeping me in the closet for eighteen years… Like I said, I played with scarves and wasn’t careful about making it known that I was a musician and not like those “other” guys. The atmosphere was so anti-gay that no one even bothered to think that there could be a gay kid growing up there, regardless of how obvious I made it. Besides, I was still a kid. I didn’t even know what it meant to be gay. Heck, I didn’t even know that it meant anything besides “happy.” So in the minds of the church and my parents, there was no way I could have chosen to be gay yet. And since being gay is a choice, that meant that I was a good, straight little boy. Just like God intended. Right? Totally….

….wanted so much to be able to be honest with someone that I was actually in contact with. I hinted to my closest friend that my friendship with Ryan wasn’t just a friendship. She was, naturally for someone in our atmosphere, worried for me. So, despite her promises that she would trust me to do what I felt was right, she went to my youth pastor for help. He promptly told the senior pastor, who is superintendent of the school. The next day, I was called into Pastor Dennis’s office for questioning. Pastor Overton was also in the room, sitting to my left with a legal pad and a pen, taking notes. Dennis tried to start off nice enough, but it was obvious that they found out. I decided that a clean breast of the issue would be best, and went into my research on the matter, hoping at least to get an opposing rebuttal and at best to convince them. How naive I was. . . I don’t remember much of that conversation, but one thing rings vividly in my mind. I mentioned that the Greek word malakoi in I Cor. 6:9 was never elsewhere, in the whole of Greek literary writings, translated “effeminate.” It carried a whole different connotation. His response? He turned around, pulled his Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance off the shelf, looked up the word, and pointed to the definition. He never for one second imagined that Dr. James Strong was not infallible and that his concordance was not holy writ. In those several hours, my pastor beat me down. Hard. I was totally conquered, save in one regard. I would not tell him who I was “dating.” I did not see that it was my place to get someone else, especially someone I loved, in trouble like this. Dennis found out anyways. He had me break up with Ryan. I cried all night…

Independent Fundamentalist Baptists and The Secrets They Keep

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This entry is part 8 of 10 in the seriesChurches That Abuse

(Note: I use words like sin in this article for the benefit of readers who are Christians. Sin is a religious construct that I  reject. There are good and bad behaviors and  good or bad is determined by how the behavior affects others. I want to ensure this article is widely read so I use some words that in normal circumstances I would not use. I hope my non-Christian readers will understand my intent)

Independent Fundamentalist Baptists (IFB) pride themselves in being bold proclaimers of the truth.  IFB preachers are known for their fire and brimstone sermons, sermons that name names and call sin sin.

As a long time IFB pastor, I know the movement well. I know its outward persona and I know its secrets. In mob-style fashion, I know where there bodies are buried.

The IFB church movement is built upon the personalities of preachers and fundamentalist colleges. IFB preachers and their churches gravitate towards certain colleges and certain preachers of notoriety. Preachers who have arrived, arrived meaning have a big church or college, are revered as gods. Go to any IFB conference and listen to the speaker introductions. If you didn’t know any better you would think one of the most famous, most renowned speakers in the world, was going to speak. Remember this is a movement where its preachers think becoming President of the United States would be a step down for them.

Outwardly, IFB preachers and their churches, give the appearance of letting it all hang out. Let the chips fall where they may. IFB preachers are known for their fearless, stepping on toes preaching. Yet, when it comes to the sins of its leaders or sins that could hurt the ministry of the church or educational institution, all of a sudden these same fearless preachers become mute. All of a sudden calling out sin and naming names is considered causing division and strife and condemned as a sin against God. It is one thing to call out the sexual sin of Joe-Blow Church member but altogether something different to call out sin of the IFB superstars.

IFB churches are generally ruled by one man, the pastor. Some churches have a plurality of elders, but even then one elder is THE head elder, teaching pastor, etc. Some IFB churches have a deacon board, but in most cases the pastor is the head of the board and has the final say on matters.

When power is consolidated in one man or a few men (note women have NO power in the IFB church outside of the nursery or kitchen) it is inevitable that abuse will occur.  I am not suggesting that that these men are deliberately abusive but the ecclesiastical structure of IFB churches lends itself to abuse.

A hallmark of success in the IFB church is longevity. IFB colleges encourage young preachers to go to a church and never leave. It is not uncommon for pastors to have long tenures, stretching 30-50 years. I know numerous pastors who have been at their church for over 25 years. My wife’s uncle, James Dennis, has been pastor of the Newark Baptist Temple for over 40 years. Pastor Dennis had a good role model to follow. The chancellor of the college he attended, Midwestern Baptist College, pastored Emmanuel Baptist Church in Pontiac, Michigan for over 50 years. There are numerous Midwestern graduates that have spent their entire adult life pastoring one church.

With longevity comes increased power.  Over time the pastor gains the respect of the congregation. If he happened to start the church he even has more power. He is the alpha of the church, the beginning of all things. With good intentions, long tenured pastors exercise the power they have, but over time arrogance and corruption seeps in, and the church, instead of being a New Testament body of believers worshipping Jesus, becomes Pastor So and So’s church.

This corruption of the church becomes entrenched further when the long-tenured pastor retires or dies and his son or son-in-law is made pastor. Like the English throne, the power is passed on and the control continues. Some IFB churches have been around long enough that we are now seeing grandsons following in Father and Grandfather Preacher’s steps. (Bob Jones University is case in point)

Now to the point of all that I have shared so far.

The Independent Fundamentalist Baptist church movement has a lot of secrets. While IFB preachers love to rail on the Catholic Church and its abuse scandal, the IFB church has its own scandals. As I have said many times, Catholic priests seem to like boys,young men. IFB preachers seem to like young girls and married women. Different strokes for different perverts.

The level of sexual scandal and infidelity within the IFB church and its preachers  is astounding. Child abuse, spousal abuse, perversion, theft, and misappropriation of funds is widespread. Take at look at the Freedom From Religion Foundation Black Collar Crime feature in their monthly newsletter, the Stop Baptist Predators website, Christa Brown’s blog, or the Conservative Babylon blog, and you will quickly see that abhorrent behavior is quite widespread.

Add to this the plethora of organizations, blogs, and groups devoted to the survivors of IFB group homes, camps, and ranches and there is no other conclusion that one can come to other than that there is a huge stench coming from the putrefying bowels of the IFB church movement. (please see my collection of posts under Churches that Abuse)

Some days I think their days are numbered. Thanks to the internet, activist bloggers, and investigative reporters, their evil works of darkness are being brought to the light of day, and in some cases brought to the light of the  State and Federal Judicial system.

And then I will get an email from a person who has been abused. Or I will get an email from someone asking for advice about what do about this or that scandal that is going on in their church. I often weep as I read their emails. Such pain….

I try to help people as much as I can. As I told one dear person the other day when asked if I knew of a church they could attend, I would look for the most liberal church I could stand and attend there. I would NOT attend any church where power and control is held my one man or a small group of men.

Of course I could evangelize for atheism but that is not my goal. I genuinely want to help people and I know that anything I can do to help people see that fundamentalism is THE problem, is a huge step in the right direction. I know that most people will have some form or the other of belief in God. The best way to help them to encourage them to seek of  religious groups or beliefs that are not abusive and controlling.

I want to be clear here…….I don’t think that most IFB pastors or the churches they pastor are evil. I know some people want, even demand, the narrow, defined, certainty that IFB churches offer. However, due to their ecclesiastical structure and Bible literalism the probability of abuse, misuse and control is quite high. Unless these churches are willing to make systemic changes I can not recommend that ANYONE become a member of an IFB church. (and I certainly wouldn’t recommend sending someone to an IFB college like Bob Jones University, Pensacola Christian College, Hyles Anderson College, and the like)

IFB pastors and churches have secrets because they believe that the most important thing is to protect the testimony (reputation) of the church. They will often say they are protecting the name of Jesus but make no mistake about it, the name being protected in the pastor’s name and the church’s name.

Instead of naming names and calling sin sin, they become quite pragmatic. Instead of doing what is best for everyone involved they do what will best preserve the institution and its name in the community.

Result? Terrible sins are hidden, swept under the rug.  Sometimes, theology gets in the way of proper action. Since Jesus forgives us of our sin, we should forgive others. Since the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin, every sin, no matter the act, should be forgiven and the sinner given a clean slate.

I know of more than a few pastors who oppose criminal background checks for people who work with children in the church. They oppose this on the grounds of what is in the past is in the past and the blood of Jesus covers past sins. Never mind the fact that some sins and behaviors are so entrenched that all the Jesus blood in the world won’t deliver the person from their proclivities. Sexual predators, child molesters, pedophiles, and the like aren’t cured or delivered. They will have these dispositions throughout their life and it is naïve to ignore this.

It is one thing to allow a sinner saved by grace to sit in the pew and worship God. It is another thing to grant them access to the children and teenagers of the church. Why are IFB pastors and churches so blind to this? Imagine the church treasurer being caught stealing money. It is all well and good to forgive the person, but would it be prudent to allow the person to be the church treasurer again? Of course not. Why is it then, when it comes to sins that carry a greater social, physical, and mental price, sins like child abuse, sexual abuse, and pedophilia, do IFB pastors and churches think that, with time, all is forgiven and the offender should be given unrestricted access to the children and teens of the church?

I know of one case where a man was caught in a sexually compromising position with a male youth on one of the church’s bus routes.  The whole matter was quietly dealt with and no one was the wiser. Over time the offender was allowed back into “ministry” and 20 years after the first incident was caught sodomizing a teenage boy. This time the pastor couldn’t sweep the incident under the rug and the man was arrested and prosecuted. He and and his family were banned from the church and were put under the care of another area IFB church.

The pastor bears the burden of these acts because he acted irresponsibly when the first act was committed. Such actions should never be hidden or kept from the church body. Full disclosure is absolutely required, even if it means ruining the ministry of the church and its name in the community.

Over the years I have watched church after church where sinful acts by pastors, evangelists, missionaries, deacons, Sunday school teachers, and Christian school leaders and teachers, are hidden from the light of day. Sometimes, the offender quietly moves on to another “ministry” or church, taking their proclivities with them. (in the case of David Hyles we know how disastrous such an approach is)

I know of a number of pastors, evangelists and missionaries who have benefitted from the “protecting the ministry” notion. Instead of facing the consequences of their behavior they resign and go to another church. Since the IFB is an amalgamation of loosely affiliated churches, as is the Southern Baptist Convention, child abusers, pedophiles, perverts, adulterers, fornicators, and abusers and misusers people, are free to slink out of town in the dark of night only to set up shop again 5 states away. (fortunately the internet is making this practice much harder to pull off)

I am often asked how much do I think church members should be told about this or that. One word! EVERYTHING! Full disclosure. There is no place for secrecy in the church. Pastors and church boards need to stop deciding what information church members should be given. Adult church members have a right to know what is going on in their church.

Of course, the problem here is that in the IFB church movement the church is the PASTORS rather than the membership. The pastor is the one person who decides what will be revealed and what will be buried. I know of several churches where when pastors are asked about this or that rumor or scandal they tell the church member, You need to trust me. It is better if I don’t tell you anything. This, of course, is the problem. Like Ronald Reagan’s approach to Russia, I think the right approach is, trust but verify. Yes, in most cases pastors should be trusted, but that trust is only merited when matters of importance are not secreted away or buried.

The IFB church movement has over the years shoved so many things under the rug that the rug is exploding above the roof of the church. It’s time for a complete and full disclosure of the secret sins that have long been buried under the guise of protecting the ministry. People have a right to know. Parents have a right to know whether or not their child is safe in the nursery, Sunday school, or youth group. Criminal background checks must be an annual requirement. Churches have a right to know about the pastor’s past, what he did at his last church, or five churches ago. No pastor should be able to slink out of town with the assurance that his sin will never be revealed. Once a predator, always a predator, and it is unconscionable to allow a pastor to go down the road to a new church and prey on unknowing church members.

Let me finish with this. I know a some fine IFB pastors and churches. As an atheist, I have no love for their beliefs. That said, many of these men are good, honorable men. They have a genuine love for people. They sincerely believe what they believe and they want to help others spiritually. Some IFB churches are free from the things I mention in this post. Good for them. I hope they will consider what I write here and make changes in their ecclesiastical structure. The only way to correct the abuse is to take the power and control out of the hands of the pastor or a small group of men. I know this means disobeying what you think is a clear teaching of the Bible. Ask yourself, what’s more important? Your interpretation of the Bible or the welfare of the church body?

To the serial abusers I know, those men who have screwed their away across America, I hope your days are few. I hope you get caught and I hope some church will not let you continue your pernicious behavior. To those men who are strangling the life out of their church by asserting their kingly right of pastoral authority, I hope your power is ripped from you and, like Nebuchadnezzar I hope you will learn you are but, a frail, feeble human.

The Fundy World Tales Part 12

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This entry is part 12 of 17 in the seriesFundy World Tales

In the fall of 1979 my wife and I along with our firstborn moved 200 miles south to Newark, Ohio. Polly’s parents lived in Newark as did her uncle and aunt. We lived with Polly’s parents for a short time and then we rented an apartment several blocks from them. We lived in Newark. from 1979-1981 and in the Newark area until the summer of 1983.

Polly’s uncle was the pastor(and still is) of the Newark Baptist Temple, a fiercely independent, fundamentalist Baptist church. Her father was the poorly paid, overworked assistant pastor. We immediately joined the church and involved ourselves in the activities of the church. One paragraph from the church’s doctrinal statement will likely tell readers all they need to know about the church:

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning, and all issues of interpretation and meaning shall be determined by the Pastor. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by the church.

I am hesitant about how much of this part of my story I want to tell. Even though 30 years have passed since our days at the Newark Baptist Temple there are wounds that have not fully healed . I have been told more than once that “it is ancient history Bruce. Get over it.” Or I am often met with accusations of lying when I say that things are not as they seem.  How dare I “attack a man of God” or “attack THE church”? I will likely leave much of the story not told. I hope you the reader will understand.

When Polly and I first joined the Newark Baptist Temple it was a typical Independent, Fundamentalist Baptist church. Pastor Dennis received his ministerial training at Midwestern Baptist College as did Polly’s father. (the same school my wife and I attended)  The Newark Baptist Temple, in its early days, associated with the Baptist Bible Fellowship and the Sword of the Lord. Over time they moved away from these associations and began to associate with Bob Jones University and Pensacola Christian College. All of Pastor Dennis’s children were educated at Pensacola. (along with son and daughter in-laws)

The Newark Baptist Temple was known for being narrow minded and legalistic. Anyone involved in the ministry of the church was required to sign a statement affirming the Church’s code of conduct. (I do not know if they still do this) The code was very rigid and focused on external matters like movies, dress and facial hair.

Even though I was a fire-breathing fundamentalist myself I had real problems with the signing anything. I felt it was enough for me to say I agree. In short order I found myself in conflict with the Pastor and our relationship remains politely adversarial to this day.

I have no doubt that I was quite arrogant and hardheaded during our time in Newark. (it seems I am the only one who can admit this) I was young and I had an opinion about anything and everything. (that’s why I made a good fundamentalist) The biggest problem I had with the church, and by extension Pastor Dennis, was over what I saw as class system within the church. The church was dominated my middle class and upper class families. We didn’t “fit” because we were not part of the upper or middle class. We were poor, trying to scratch out a living the best way we knew how. Despite the family connection we never felt at home at the Newark Baptist Temple.  Who to blame for that remains a matter of contention.

Over time I became disaffected with the church and bit by bit I withdrew from some the activities I was involved with. In January of 1980 I got my first “good” job as an assistant manager for Arthur Treachers. I took to the restaurant business and after a few months I was promoted to general manager. I was transferred to the Brice Rd Arthur Treachers, a restaurant I would manage until September of 1981. To this day I consider my job at Arthur Treachers to be the best job I ever had.

Managing a restaurant was a 7 day a week job. I worked long hours and was gone from home a lot. This new job gave me the excuse I needed to bow out of the activities I was involved in at the church. My wife and I went through a dark period in our marriage. Polly was busy with our first child and she was pregnant with our second. (born in 1981) I was busy with work. For a time we drifted apart and became estranged. Both of us would call this the worst time ever in our marriage. Polly’s mom believed that divorce was hereditary (my parents were divorced) and we came very close to proving her right. To this day I am not certain of all the circumstances and players that brought us so dangerously close to the divorce precipice.

I was good at managing restaurants. The restaurants I managed were spotless and my first and only priority was to take care of the customer.I was not easy to work for. I suspect that my fundamentalism played a significant part in the type of manager I was. 

In the summer of 1981 Arthur Teachers was bought out by Mrs. Paul’s. Mrs. Paul’s proved quite inept at owning restaurants and most of the managers (myself included) jumped ship. I left Arthur Treachers and went to work for Long John Silvers. I was part of a new store management team that helped open new stores in the central Ohio area. (Westerville, Heath, Zanesville)

Prior to leaving Arthur Treachers I received a wonderful job offer from Donato’s Pizza. The district manager for Donato’s used to be my district manager with Arthur Treachers. He liked my work ethic and he offered me a job as a general manager. The pay and benefits were outstanding.

I told my wife and her parents about the job offer. I was excited about it and definitely wanted to accept the offer. I told my mother-in-law that the only thing I didn’t like was that Donato’s served beer. She went ballistic and told me that  God would never bless me or use me (two horrifying things that no Independent Baptist wants to face) if I took the Donato’s job. This so unsettled me that I turned down the job offer. To this day I consider this one of the biggest mistakes I ever made.

I went to work for Long Jon Silvers. Once again, I excelled at managing restaurants. I was rapidly moving along the promotion track when I ran into a  district manager that didn’t like me. By the time I started working at Long Jon Silver’s I had started to become more active in church again. I drove a bus on Sundays. I preached at several local nursing homes. I tried to attend church every time I could. My marriage was on the mend.

In 1982 Polly’s parents left the Newark Baptist Temple to start a new church in Buckeye Lake, a poverty ravaged community southwest of Newark. Polly and I  went along to Buckeye Lake and I became the assistant pastor of the church. A few months later we moved to Buckeye Lake . Many people thought we were crazy for moving to Buckeye Lake but I was of the firm persuasion that ministry required living among the people you pastored. Living 10 miles away in Newark said to the residents of Buckeye Lake “we are too good for you.”

The people of Buckeye Lake were my kind of people and I enjoyed the time we spent ministering in the community. The new church grew rapidly, especially because of my focus on the youth of the community. I remember one Sunday where there were almost 100 people in attendance and 2/3 of them were 18 or under.

We remained in Buckeye Lake until the summer of 1983. I was fired from my job at Long John Silvers because I refused to work Sundays or serve beer.(the only time I have ever been fired) I was hired by the Village of Buckeye Lake to manage their state litter control program. Later, I would take on the responsibility for building code enforcement and managing the local workfare program.

By the summer of 1983 I was ready to move on. I wanted to pastor my own church. In July of 1983 we moved 20 miles southeast to start a new Independent Baptist church in Somerset,Ohio.

I spent 11 years in Somerset. Somerset was the place  that shaped me into pastor I was for the next 20 years. I will spend a significant amount of  time writing about my time in Somerset. Stay tuned.

The Fundy World Tales Part 10

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This entry is part 10 of 17 in the seriesFundy World Tales

After our sophomore year at Midwestern Baptist College, my fiancé and I were married at the Newark Baptist Temple in Heath, Ohio.  After our honeymoon at the French Lick Hotel, French Lick, Indiana we returned to our apartment in Pontiac, Michigan. We enrolled in fall semester classes at Midwestern.

In late August or early September of 1979 Polly informed me that she thought she was pregnant. We had been married all of six weeks.  Back at my wife’s home Church the gossip mill ran wild.  The gossips were quite certain that Polly was pregnant BEFORE we were married. Nothing brings more glee to gossips than a preacher’s kid getting knocked up before marriage. (it makes them feel better about their own sexual escapades)  Fortunately our first child was full term, born 7 weeks before we celebrated out first wedding anniversary.

I changed jobs several times during the first few months of marriage. I had a difficult time finding work that would pay enough to support two college students and a child on the way. In late 1978 I was laid off and we began to have serious financial troubles.

I made an appointment to talk to Levy Corey. Corey worked for the College and was my homiletics teacher. I consider him one of the best preachers I have ever heard. I vividly remember his first lesson in homiletics class. “Forget everything they taught you in speech class!”

I told Levy Corey about the financial troubles we were having.  I told him we were going to have to drop out of college for a semester in hopes of getting our finances in order. He told me, “It is the will of God for you and Polly to stay in school. God will provide. If necessary borrow the money to stay in school.”

This was the worst advice to give to struggling college students. God didn’t provide but Beneficial Finance did. We borrowed money we could not repay. We were not very responsible with money to start with and being encouraged to borrow money was not what we needed to hear.

Even with borrowing money we could not keep our head above water, and in February 1978 we withdrew from Midwestern Baptist College and moved back to my home town, Bryan Ohio.

Before we left Pontiac several friends of ours took it upon themselves to come to our home and preach to us about leaving Midwestern.  They informed us that it was not the will of God for us to leave college and God would never use us if we left. The founder of Midwestern College, Dr. Tom Malone, hated quitters. He hammered us in chapel about never quitting. NEVER QUIT!  We were quitters, the lowest of the low.

Ironically, several our our friends who prophesied against went on to graduate but never served a day in the ministry. We spent over 25 years in the ministry. (yes that is a smug “take that’ poke)    In the early mid-1980’s at a Preacher’s conference,Dr. Malone publically said of me, “Bruce left college before we ruined him.”  I appreciated his words.

Polly and I packed up a small u-haul trailer, hitched it to our mid-1960’s Chevrolet Impala, and moved 2 1/2  hours southwest to Bryan, Ohio.  We moved in with my sister and her husband and a month later we rented a duplex on Hamilton St.

I was asked by Pastor Jay Stuckey, pastor of Montpelier Baptist Church in Montpelier, Ohio, to be the church’s bus pastor. I gladly accepted this unpaid position.

In the  next Fundy World Tales  I plan to write about out time at the Montpelier Baptist Church.

The Cognitive Dissonance of Educated Fundamentalists

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Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance is a discomfort caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance. They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions. Dissonance is also reduced by justifying, blaming, and denying. The phrase was coined by Leon Festinger in his 1956 book When Prophecy Fails, which chronicled the followers of a UFO cult as reality clashed with their fervent beliefs. It is one of the most influential and extensively studied theories in social psychology. A closely related term, cognitive disequilibrium, was coined by Jean Piaget to refer to the experience of a discrepancy between something new and something already known or believed.

Experience can clash with expectations, as, for example, with buyer’s remorse following the purchase of an expensive item. In a state of dissonance, people may feel surprise, dread, guilt, anger, or embarrassment. People are biased to think of their choices as correct, despite any contrary evidence. This bias gives dissonance theory its predictive power, shedding light on otherwise puzzling irrational and destructive behavior. (Wikipedia)

Christian Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism is strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology. The term “fundamentalism” was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the Protestant community of the United States in the early part of the 20th century, and that had its roots in the Fundamentalist–Modernist Controversy of that time.The term usually has a religious connotation indicating unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs (Wikipedia)

The Christian fundamentalist has an unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible (not able to be reduced or simplified) beliefs. These beliefs are often called the “faith once delivered to the saints.” (Jude 1:3) These beliefs include doctrines like:

  • God created the universe
  • The deity of Jesus Christ
  • The virgin birth and sinless life of Jesus Christ
  • The triune nature of God
  • The atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
  • The sinfulness of humankind and the need for personal salvation
  • The final judgment of humanity  by God
  • A literal heaven and hell/a new heaven and a new earth, with all of humanity, after death, living eternally in one place or the other
  • The Second Coming of Christ
  • The inspiration and infallibility of the Bible

Every Christian fundamentalist sect generally adheres to the above doctrines. They may explain them in different ways and they may have other “fundamentals” they believe are part of the “faith once delivered to the saints”, but most all Fundamentalists willingly embrace the above doctrines.

It is for this reason that I consider Evangelicalism to be a fundamentalist subset of Christianity. Evangelicals HATE to be called fundamentalists BUT their beliefs betray them. Granted, they are not social fundamentalists like Independent Fundamentalist Baptists (IFB) but they are every bit as much theological fundamentalists as IFB adherents. (and fundamentalists can be found In EVERY sect, including sects like the Roman Catholic Church, The Episcopal Church, The United Church of Christ, and the Greek Orthodox Church)

My wife’s uncle pastors the Newark Baptist Temple, a hard-core IFB church. He has been the pastor of the church for over 40 years. The church is associated with colleges like Pensacola Christian College and Bob Jones University, two hard-core fundamentalist institutions.

My wife and I attended the Newark Baptist Temple for about a year or so when we were first married.(the late 1970’s)There are many fine people at the church, people we have known for decades. The church is considered by most to be a middle/upper middle class church. A large number of the members have college educations. (though many of them have degrees from Christian institutions) Over the years, the church has had members who were doctors, nurses, lawyers, business owners, engineers, public school teachers, etc. Educated people.

How do we square the hard-core fundamentalism of the church with the education many of the members have? Education has always been considered an antidote for fundamentalism. The more educated a person becomes the less likely it is they will be a fundamentalist. How do we explain the disconnect between fundamentalist beliefs and the education a person has?

Every time I watch Rod Parsley on TV (and I do occasionally for entertainment) I am reminded that in his congregation of thousands are many well-educated people. People who have been educated at secular, public and private institutions. Smart people. People who worked very hard to attain the degrees they have. Yet, they are members of a church that is pastored by a whacked-out, bizarre, hard-core fundamentalist charismatic pastor who thinks he is a prophet with a special anointing from God. Granted, Parley is a great orator (and I personally love hearing him preach) but his beliefs, while fundamentalist, go far beyond core fundamentalist beliefs.

How do we square the hard-core fundamentalism of the church and the whacked out beliefs of Pastor Rod Parsley with the education many of the members have?

Before I answer this question there are several issues we must consider first. The answer to this question is not a simple……well Bruce, they are a bunch of idiots. No one in their right mind believes this stuff. Truth is, tens of millions of educated people whole-heartedly embrace fundamentalist beliefs.

Many people come into Christian fundamentalism through a radical adult conversion experience. Their lives are a mess, falling apart at the seams. Maybe they are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Maybe their marriage is on the rocks. Maybe they are in trouble with the law. The reasons for seeking God and deliverance are myriad. During my time in the ministry I saw hundreds of adults have a radical adult conversion experience. They were indeed “born again.” (John 3, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Their lives change overnight. They become a “new creation in Christ.”  New life has been breathed into every aspect of their life. They have the same educational background after being converted but their point of view has been radically altered. As a new convert they are hungry for truth and they are part of a church that has a pastor who says, “listen to me, I have the truth. The truth is found right here in the Bible, the Word of God.”

The educated, new fundamentalist convert pushes his past education into the back recesses of his mind. All that matters, for a time, is knowing God better. After all, look at what Jesus did for them! (and we err if we neglect to consider the power of the conversion experience) The convert might spend years immersing themselves in the teachings of the Bible. Their bookshelves, RSS reader, and browser bookmarks are dominated by writers who reinforce the truth their fundamentalist pastor is teaching them.

Over time one of two things will likely happen. The educated fundamentalist convert will go one of two ways and understanding this helps explain WHY there are educated fundamentalists.

Over time,some educated fundamentalist converts settle into their church and become like the vast majority of church members, passive and compliant.  The newness of their conversion experience has worn off and they have to come to realize that their “deliverance” by Jesus wasn’t as complete as they first thought it was.  The pastor warned them that this could happen. The convert is encouraged to pray and read the Bible more. But, try as they might, the education they pushed back into the recesses of their mind starts to reassert itself.  The convert begins to have doubts or questions. When these doubts or questions are verbalized the convert is told that the Devil is trying to destroy their faith and they just need to “hang on to Jesus.”

The educated fundamentalist convert continues to have doubts and questions. Cognitive dissonance sets in.  The convert decides to leave the Christian fundamentalist sect that birthed him into Jesus. Perhaps another church, another sect will have answers for his questions. He wants to reconcile the cognitive dissonance he has so he uses the very skills his education taught him. He studies. He reads. He analyzes.  Over time….he begins to have a radically different view of Christianity than the one he was taught in the fundamentalist church. Maybe he embraces liberal Christianity. Maybe he becomes a universalist or a deist. Or maybe he finally admits that whatever his conversion experience might have been, he can no longer square the beliefs of Christianity with what he knows to be true. In that moment an agnostic or atheist is born. (or a skeptic, a humanist)

Perhaps he is outgrown Jesus and Christianity. While he is grateful for the deliverance he found through the fundamentalist Christian church he can no longer intellectually embrace their belief system. The fundamentalist pastor who helped bring him to saving faith in Jesus Christ likely warned him about following after the wisdom and philosophies of the world. (Colossians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 1:20,1 Corinthians 3:19) The pastor no doubt encouraged the convert, turned doubter, to run to the foot of the cross and stay there.  The pastor’s attempts at damage control failed and the educated fundamentalist convert is now considered:

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. (1 John 2:18,19)

Over time, other educated fundamentalist converts take another path. They recognize the cognitive dissonance that exists between their fundamentalist religious beliefs and the college education they received. Instead of responding to doubts and questions with inquiry they set out to “prove” that their education and religious beliefs can be reconciled. Result? Groups like Answers in Genesis and The Institute for Creation Research. There are thousands of writers and websites dedicated to making science and religion and archeology/history and the Bible mesh with one another. The result is often farcical and embarrassing.

Some within this group wisely realize that attempting to reconcile science with their fundamentalist beliefs is a fool’s errand. So they compartmentalize their thinking. They convince themselves that matters of faith and matters of science exist on two separate planes. They convince themselves that religion and science are attempting to answer different questions and have no connection with each other.

It is not uncommon to find fundamentalist Christians in this group believing Genesis 1-3 accurately describes how God created the world and, at the same time, believing in evolution. I can only imagine the mental gymnastics that must take place a person to hold such a view. I couldn’t do it but I know a number of people who do. One moment they can be talking reasonably and rationally about evolution and the next thing you know they are talking about a God who created the world in six days or six indeterminate periods of time. (for many years, fundamentalist Christians who used the Scofield Reference Bible saw a study note about the Gap Theory,C. I. Scofield’s attempt to embrace evolution and Genesis 1-3)

I know many educated, fundamentalist pastors and educators who have made it their life’s mission to reconcile the ever-pressing claims of science, geology, archeology and history with the Bible. They are considered the “educated ones” the “defenders of the the faith.” They provide the laity with sufficient enough answers to allay their doubts and fears. Their answers, coupled with faith are enough..

Other educated, fundamentalist pastors and educators I know, and a host of not-very-educated pastors and educators, think that Satan is chancellor of the American educational system. They are suspect of ALL secular education. They encourage church embers to reject ANYTHING that is contrary to the explicit, literal teachings of the Bible. No matter what science, geology, archeology and history says……..the Bible trumps all. Sadly, this thinking dominates the majority of fundamentalist churches.

I still think that education is the antidote for fundamentalism. If I can get a fundamentalist to step outside of their theological rut and read books that challenge their sincerely held beliefs there is hope. If I can get a pastor or fundamentalist church member to openly and completely read books written by the likes of Bart Ehrman or John Loftus I have high hopes that  their fundamentalist mindset can be changed. Even a little Barth or Nietzsche can go a long ways in moving a person off the fundamentalist  path. Any movement leftward is progress.

I know many of us have a hard time wrapping our minds around educated people who are also fundamentalists. They exist, and I hope this post helps a bit in explaining how a person can be educated, while at the same time embracing fundamentalist beliefs.

The Fundy World Tales Part 5

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This entry is part 5 of 17 in the seriesFundy World Tales

The Midwestern Baptist College years 1976-79

In 1976 I decided it was time to act on my call to the ministry by enrolling in a bible college.

I was the dairy manager for the Foodland grocery store in Bryan , Ohio.  I thoroughly enjoyed my job,and I did have a brief thought of not going to Bible College, but God was calling and I knew I had to go. I told several of my friends that I was intending on going to Bible College and all I got was laughs and “Yeah, right.”

Originally I planned to attend Briarcrest Bible College in Caronport, Saskatchewan, Canada. But I could not meet the financial requirement for crossing the border so I looked for a college in the U.S. to attend.

Grandpa and Grandma Tieken lived in Waterford, Michigan.  Grandpa operated an aircraft engine repair shop at the Pontiac Airport. They were devout Christian fundamentalists. They attended Sunnyvale Chapel in Waterford. (I think the Church changed its name)

Grandpa Tieken knew a preacher named Dr Tom Malone. Dr Malone was a pilot.  He also pastored Emmanuel Baptist Church in Pontiac and he was chancellor of Midwestern Baptist College.

Grandpa and Grandma suggested that I come and visit the Midwestern Baptist College. So in the spring of 1976 I made a trip to Pontiac, Michigan to check out Midwestern Baptist College. I was favorably impressed so I submitted an application for enrollment and I was accepted as a new student.

Tuition and room and board came to about 2, 400.00 per year. (my memory is fuzzy but that seems about right)

Since I was a high school dropout Midwestern accepted me as a provisional student. If I completed 1 year of college successfully they would then grant me regular student status.

Midwestern was a 4 year unaccredited, Independent, Fundamentalist, Premillennial Baptist College, started in 1954 by Tom Malone.(a Bob Jones University graduate) Midwestern’s primary purpose was to train preachers. Women who attended Midwestern were primarily there to look for a husband. (an Mrs. degree)

In August of 1976 I left Bryan, Ohio and moved to the Midwestern College dormitory. I was excited about the new opportunities that awaited me. Living away from home. Girls. Studying for the ministry. Girls. Sports. Girls. (did I mention girls?)

As an unaccredited College  the credits I earned at Midwestern were basically worthless, unless I wanted to transfer to another Bible College. Many young people go off to Bible Colleges every year with grand plans of getting a Christian college education. Four years later they get a degree. Ten years later they find out their degree is worthless.

As an unaccredited College, Midwestern offered no student aid. Most every student that attended Midwestern had to work a part-time or full-time job. Many young men men found jobs at local auto manufacturing plants. The auto plants paid GREAT wages. In fact the wages were so good that many young men, four years later, upon graduating from Midwestern, would not leave the good wages at the auto plant for the poverty wages of the pastorate.

I moved into the dormitory the second week of August, 1976. The dorm was a two story structure with a full basement. The women lived on the second floor and the men lived on the first floor and in the basement.

The basement was called the Pit. The south end of the first floor was called the Spiritual wing and the north end of the first floor was called the the Party wing.

I lived on the Party wing. Each dormitory room housed 3 or 4 people. In an upcoming post I plan to write about some of the characters that lived in the dorm.  I also plan to write a bit about the social climate.

After  I moved into the dorm I began working a part-time job with Kroger in Rochester Hills. I worked in the meat department. A short time later I left this job and began working a factory job. Factory jobs were plentiful. Quit one day and work somewhere else the same day. I went through a lot of jobs while at Midwestern.  I was a temperamental, arrogant young man and I didn’t have much tolerance for pushy, hard-boss bosses. They pushed and I quit.

The longest tenured job I had was working for Felice’s Market in Pontiac.  I worked in the produce and dairy department at Felice’s for over a year. The Felice’s were great people. They gave me a nice gift for my wedding and they even helped me buy a car. They were heathens but they sure were nice heathens. :)

I attended Midwestern Baptist College from August of 1976 through February of 1979.  I did not graduate. While at Midwestern I met Polly Shope. Her father, Lee.  was a graduate of Midwestern. (so was her uncle, Jim Dennis, Newark Baptist Temple)

Polly was 17 years old. I was 19. Polly was a quiet, backwards, shy girl. In other words she was the exact opposite of me. She was also very smart. Polly graduate second in her class at Oakland Christian School. She was an avid reader and a proficient typist. (which came in handy since I couldn’t type a lick)

She was also very naive, I mean really, really naive.

One of her favorite songs was Afternoon Delight by Starlight Vocal Band.  One day I gently explained to her what that song meant. She adamantly told me……..NO IT DOESN’T!! Yeah, she was that naive. 31 years of being married to yours truly has fixed the naiveté problem. :)

Polly and I married in July of 1978 between our sophomore and junior year of college. Students were not allowed to marry until after their second year of college. If you married before then you were required to withdraw from college for a year. Needless to say there was a stampede to the marriage altar after the second year. Most of the guys in the dorm married by the end of their second or third year.

Polly and I set up house in an upstairs apartment in Pontiac. We both worked and attended College fulltime. Six weeks after we were married we found out Polly was pregnant. Six months later, having lost my job, we withdrew from Midwestern and moved to the NW Ohio community of Bryan .

I plan to write a good bit more about my time at Midwestern Baptist College. This post provides an overview. In the next post I will go back and fill in the story with some depth.