Posted on 03/16/2014 10:03:14 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows
-snip-
After telling the congregation at the Miracle Faith World Outreach Church that he had been unfaithful to his wife, Bishop Bobby Davis died.
"After the service on Sunday the bishop's family asked us to remain in the church and the bishop confessed to us something that happened long ago," church elder Judy Stovall told the Connecticut Post. "He wanted to come clean with all of us. He wanted to ask our forgiveness."
Before he died, church members were screaming at Davis to show him their support.
"We were shouting, 'We forgive you, we love you,' but the stress of all of it -- he had a heart attack," Stovall said.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
First loved your post #79. Second I can see going to the Elders/Presbyters. I just don't like the idea of him humiliating his wife in public.
Indeed...you are on a roll today. You are correct. Jesus forgave a convicted criminal as the confessing criminal was hanging on a cross dying right next to Him.
Actually it was not David’s infidelity but his call for a census.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+24&version=NKJV
Unless you are viewing calling a census ‘infidelity.’
Frankly I see both your's and verga's arguments clearly. On the one hand if the congregation was sinned against given this man was a bishop, they needed to hear it. On the other hand the one person who was wronged was the wife and a personal confession to her and the elders (church lay leaders) may be in order. Then again maybe verga and I are men of "old cloth" in this meaning we were raised to be gentlemen and to spare a lady's honor and feelings.
The bishop had his reasons and he confessed the way he was led too. I will leave it at that.
Did you ever entertain the idea that he and his wife may have discussed the public apology? How does his sin make her look a fool? You seem to be very opinionated.
Mertmom it sounds that way to me as well
The guy obviously did what he thought was the right thing under the circumstances which only he and those involved in the decision to go public understand.
I would suggest that those claiming it should have been kept on the QT are projecting their own fears of “going public” into the whole situation.
/sarcasm
Ananias and Sapphira lied to the church and tried to keep it quiet.
It didn’t work out so well for them.
If this is what he felt led to do by the Lord, and he felt it was the right thing to do, then it’s their decision. They do know their situation and congregation best.
I’m of the camp that his wife knew what he was going to do and did not have a problem with it.
I recall a church I was in where one of the assistant pastors had a one night stand with another woman. He got up before the congregation and confessed it. He stepped down from his pastoring role and was in a program of mentoring and discipleship for restoration.
People were shocked, of course, but not condemning at all. They were very supportive and compassionate for the family and I don’t recall that anyone thought the less of his wife because of it. They all knew whose fault it was and his actions were no reflection on his wife in the least.
Of course, the world does not deal well with public confessions of sin. Look what happened when Carter admitted to lusting after other women in his heart. And he was just being honest about a very common human weakness.
After all, Jesus said that all a man had to do was look on a woman with lustful intent and it was the same as committing adultery. And what man, or woman too, can say that they’ve never done that?
I don’t see a problem with people confessing their sin publicly. It does help with accountability, and I actually see a bigger problem with people who pretend that they never do anything wrong. It’s really hard on others who are struggling with sin of their own when they think they’re the only ones who have problems like they do. They feel very alone.
Yes, it is a hard call and if the news reported he departed for unknown reasons, then the speculation would be “why did he not confess.” It is a difficult call, but he apparently had his reasons to do so. He has to answer, not us.
As a man who was raised in the "old way" the gentlemen way, I understand your reasoning. We don't know enough about the story IMO. Maybe his wife encourged him to come clean with the family of believers. Speculation of course.
I know of a situation where the pastor just *disappeared* (it turned out to be adultery and he was removed from the pulpit) and there was far more talk about it than if a simple explanation had been given. Someone disappearing for no reason is going to result in talk. Better to come clean.
You seem to be very opinionated.
As is everyone else on this forum. I hope you are not surprised by that.
Metmom please chastise CB for mind reading.
Bwahahaha!!!!!!
CB is correct.
It takes far more courage to admit your sin and lack of perfection in front of a crowd, then to hide behind closed doors and whisper it to someone he can’t even see clearly. No face to face confrontation to humiliate him.
That pastor was a man and acted like one in his willingness to come clean. His manhood didn’t hinge on hiding behind a front of moral perfection and hiding his *confession* and repentance.
Oh of course I am aware of it. But you can read hearts and minds.
Agreed.
I’m thinking there would a whole lot less sinning if everyone knew they would have to get in front of the whole assembly and confess their sins.
It’s got nothing to do with mind reading. It has to do with understanding human nature.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.