Posted on 06/10/2019 8:35:08 AM PDT by Morgana
FULL TITLE: Her Evangelical Megachurch Was Her World. Then Her Daughter Said She Was Molested by a Minister.
HURST, Tex. — Christi Bragg listened in disbelief. It was a Sunday in February, and her popular evangelical pastor, Matt Chandler, was preaching on the evil of leaders who sexually abuse those they are called to protect. But at the Village Church, he assured his listeners, victims of assault would be heard, and healed: “We see you.”
Ms. Bragg nearly vomited. She stood up and walked out.
Exactly one year before that day, on Feb. 17, 2018, Ms. Bragg and her husband, Matt, reported to the Village that their daughter, at about age 11, had been sexually abused at the church’s summer camp for children.
Since then, Matthew Tonne, who was the church’s associate children’s minister, had been investigated by the police, indicted and arrested on charges of sexually molesting Ms. Bragg’s daughter.
Ms. Bragg waited for church leaders to explain what had happened and thoroughly inform other families in the congregation. She waited for the Village to take responsibility and apologize. She waited to have even one conversation with Mr. Chandler, a leader she had long admired.
But none of that ever came.
“You can’t even take care of the family you know,” she remembered thinking as she walked out of the large auditorium. “Don’t tell more victims to come to you, because you’re just going to cause more hurt.”
Evangelical churches have long distanced themselves from the sexual abuse crisis that has consumed the Catholic Church. Many Southern Baptists have dismissed sexual abuse as a problem caused by “corrupt Hollywood” or “liberal theology.” But a reckoning has arrived.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Same here.
[[Maybe you don’t need to paint with such a broad brush, eh?]]
Exactly- had the same thing happen to a church a couple of towns away- it hurt the church, but the church recovered- found a new pastor- and everyone involved in the incident got their comeuppance- and there hasn’t been another incident in over 25 years now-
Some people i guess just like to think every church is evil- But God did say to expect that kind of attitude- When a pastor unfortunately gives into sinful desire because they are human just like anyone else- then people are quick to condemn the whole religious institution-
The Board of Deacons handles such personnel issues. Generally in a BC the preacher would just resign when such an event came to light (indeed it does happen). In the case discussed it sounds as though the preacher had a big chunk of the membership on his side including a number of deacons. Really bad news when that happens and it generally prefigures a split congregation and lots of people leaving and a whole lot of very bitter feelings among the remnant. Talk about the evil men do living on this is a perfect example.
They certainly are! Hence my post.
And, they don’t have the first clue about what ‘repentance’ really means. First, it’s the realization that you transgressed God’s law/rules. Second, it’s a realization that there is nothing you can do to ‘make it right’. Thankfully, we have a Savior that ‘made it right’ at Calvary 2000 years ago.
We, as humans, fail. All the time. But the battle at hand is to mortify the flesh.
Pastor Bob Moorehead (this is not a joke)
1998
Overlake Christian (Mega)Church
Redmond, WA
What a trip that was....
“Talk about the evil men do living on this is a perfect example.”
Yeah, unfortunately today, there is a whole lot of it around!
[[Lets get real okay. How many of these mega church pastors really visit every person in their congretation and pray for the sick in the hospital?]]
I’m sure they have teams of people to do those outreach situations-
[[Or do they send “deacons” and other lay people out to do it?]]
Yes, many times- when the situations aren’t dire-
[[They so big most of them don’t know your name unless you give a lot of money then they know you.]]
I’m sure the disciples didn’t know every member of the two groups of people that numbered over 5000 that Jesus fed either-
Smaller churches are good in terms of getting to know everyone- but larger churches have their purposes too- We should just thank God that the true bible preaching mega churches are getting the message out - The Spirit Listeth where it will- meaning that The Holy Spirit works Where He will on Whom He will- regardless of the location-
I’m not suggestion mega churches don’t have their problems- or that all are solid bible preaching churches- but many are- and God’s word is getting out to the masses- thankfully- Much better that than the masses be inundated with nothing but secularism and hedonism every day, all day- an personally, I’d rather go to a true solid bible preaching mega church, not be known, but able to listen to God’s word, than to have no church available, and nothing to do but hear ungodly junk all day long- While I’d certainly be put off by the gimicky junk like christian rock music etc- meant to draw the crowds, it’s really the message that matters- if it’s sound that is-
Charles Stanley preaches at a very large church, and I listen to him all the time- He is a rock solid preacher- even if he doesn’t personally visit everyone or know everyone- (Not saying he doesn’t- maybe he does- but I’m guessing that he gets many that go there for awhile, then leave, then come ack etc- and doesn’t have a chance to know everyone personally-)
We have to be careful about criticizing, because we don’t know where and when the Holy spirit works- He can even work in churches that don’t personally preach salvation through CHrist- but do read from the word at the very least- He can open the eyes of the unbeleiver at any moment- in anyplace- and the fact is- many do become saved in mega churches-
Mike Warnke was an evangelist/comedian of sorts that drew large crowds, used christian rock to draw in hippies in, back in the day- and many turned to CHrist- He got a lot of criticism from conventional churches at the time- but through his stage acts- many were saved that others thought were untouchable- Mike was a deeply flawed person- He lied about being a previous satanist before he got saved in order to ‘boost his ‘authenticity’ or ‘street cred’ if you will- among the druggies of the day- and later got caught for lying about it- but God did use him for a period of time to save many in the drugged out, anything goes, hippy generation- Even deeply flawed people can and are used by God as He sees fit -
“The ‘repentance’ called for is the entire denomination repenting of ignoring the problem for so long.”
So in addition to “ repentance” will the pastors who have done criminal acts be outed by their respective congregations, removed from their pastoral positions, and prosecuted in a criminal court? There are certainly “personal sins” for which repentance can be an effective means for expungement, but here you have acts that are criminal.
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Exactly.
“She waited to have even one conversation with Mr. Chandler, a leader she had long admired.”
Then she was surprised to find that lawyers exist.
“...worth noting that this “megachurch” is way behind the abuse of just one roman catholic priest in one parish... “
So based on volume of incidents we can determine which “churches” are better than others? Jesus says to come out of theses whitened sephulcres and join the True Church, which isn’t found in a building or denomination.
“Well trying to take Christianity down, one church at a time.”
There’s only One True Church” and sister, that ain’t it. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
“This does not even look like a church it looks like a Rock and or Roll concert!”
What is a Church supposed to look like? Hint: The Church isn’t a building, or a denomination.
even driving out the acoustic guitars
“So based on volume of incidents we can determine which “churches” are better than others?”
Says something.
“Jesus says to come out of theses whitened sephulcres and join the True Church, which isn’t found in a building or denomination.”
1. He didn’t say that.
2. His church is all true believers of all time. Not a church denomination on earth.
Yes He did. You just didn’t pay enough attention to what you read of His words. Read it again.
Go ahead and please post book, chapter, verse.
Thanks!
If the churches are smart they will.
Several years ago one of our pastors had an automobile accident, and sustained minor injuries. Two days later he was fired over his blood alcohol content at the time of the accident.
Everybody in leadership at our church takes a class called “Reducing the risk”. Not only does it cover actual abuse, but details measures taken to prevent false accusations.
He is/was married...
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