Is this steeple-jacking? Is it ethical?

[TimbauxRioux]

Anyone stepping into a new ministry should try to be a close match.

With that said, what if the pastor wants to move the church from using the KJV to a NIV?

What if the church has been used to fluff amd the new guy is expositional?

Even though my sympathies generally lie with the people who are trying to revive the SBC's traditional Reformed roots, I also tend to agree with the people who say they should be upfront about their intentions.

The church I attended in university changed senior pastors about two years after I started attending. When the new guy was candidating, the evening service was part Q&A. The church had its small cadre of KJV-onlyists, and they asked a question about his translation preference, which he shot down with sound reason. Another question asked what he was going to do to stem the "heresies" that were rampant in the church. There were none, and he said so.

He then pointed out that questions like these two were symptoms of problems within the church that needed to be addressed and corrected. He was a candidate, and he wasn't afraid to tell us where we were wrong and what he was going to do about it.

In the end, the church called him. The constitution required an 80% "yes" from the quorum of members in attendance at that meeting, and he got something like 82%, which was considered "close." He was pretty good, too - I liked him and wish I'd stayed in touch.

An added bonus was that the KJVers and heresy-hunters also walked out.

Yes and even if the honest man is not accepted as pastor, he'd walk out with an awful lot of respect.

Good post.

 

[AmazedbyGrace]

I agree that whatever significant changes the pastor wishes to make should be clearly presented to the pulpit committee and congregation before the vote takes place. Period.

I know of a couple cases where IFBx/KJVOs have taken over a struggling SBC or non-denom only to later drag them over to their standards (usually an asset grab). UGLY situation, where long standing members/leaders are usually chased out and they bring along people to try to sway the vote or just to act as bouncers.

I recall the case of a 71 year old lady named Karolyn Caskey who was forced out of her church of 50 years because of such deception...the pastor (Jason Burrick) even had her arrested for trespassing when she tried to attend a service. (it was discussed on the last FFF) There is no excuse for such vile behavior.


http://www.houghtonlakeresorter.com/news/2008-02-07/editorial/029.html

http://thewartburgwatch.com/2009/04/27/71-year-old-grandma-perp-walked-out-of-church-say-it-aint-so/

 

[subllibrm]

I recall the case of a 71 year old lady named Karolyn Caskey who was forced out of her church of 50 years because of such deception...the pastor (Jason Burrick) even had her arrested for trespassing when she tried to attend a service. (it was discussed on the last FFF) There is no excuse for such vile behavior.

Yep, that was quite the deal for while. I remember Pulpiteer and Bass had some serious go-rounds over that church.

I think HH knocked it off the radar eventually.