I would say it was when He nailed Sinai to the Cross.
"Pastor Is Always Right, Even If Wrong" - Abusive Spiritual Authority Hall of Shame
- Thread starter illinoisguy
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Latest case law on the subject of resistance by members against dictatorial authority in a church - this story from one year ago is about a lawsuit filed by church members of Second Baptist Church, Houston, Texas whose right to vote was taken away from them:
"Jeremiah Counsel claims that members’ voting rights were removed during a May 31, 2023, meeting purported to be about amending the bylaws to defend the church against 'the woke agenda.' Members were not told before or at the meeting that other changes included removing their voting rights, which had been in place since the church was founded nearly 100 years ago. . . .
“'Church takeovers can have a devastating effect on congregation’s members who feel like they’ve lost a family home,' Evans said. 'We’ve interviewed many members of Second Baptist Church Houston and other churches who feel like they’ve had the wool pulled over their eyes and have been betrayed.'”
roysreport.com
And here is the update - as of July 16, 2026, the court has ruled in favor of the church, declining to get involved in hashing out this dispute with the disgruntled members. While I totally disagree with the action of Second Baptist Church in taking away the members' right to vote, I must grudgingly admit that the court may have done the right thing by refusing to try to resolve this fracas within a local congregation. However, the courts may have the right and duty to enforce bylaws and contractual agreements made between churches/religious societies and their members/supporters, without being found to violate the separation of church and state.
"At the time, Second Baptist said it was changing its bylaws to 'protect our ability to continue operating as a biblical church,' according to court documents. A secular court can't determine whether that was a fair characterization, Dorfman ruled, without trying to determine what 'biblical church' means.
"The court also lacked authority to kick out the church's new senior pastor, Ben Young, the judge ruled. Young's father, longtime senior pastor Ed Young, tapped his son as his successor in 2024 without a congregational vote."
"Jeremiah Counsel claims that members’ voting rights were removed during a May 31, 2023, meeting purported to be about amending the bylaws to defend the church against 'the woke agenda.' Members were not told before or at the meeting that other changes included removing their voting rights, which had been in place since the church was founded nearly 100 years ago. . . .
“'Church takeovers can have a devastating effect on congregation’s members who feel like they’ve lost a family home,' Evans said. 'We’ve interviewed many members of Second Baptist Church Houston and other churches who feel like they’ve had the wool pulled over their eyes and have been betrayed.'”
Lawsuit: Prominent Houston Church Deceptively Removed Members’ Voting Rights, Giving Pastor ‘Nearly Dictatorial Authority’ | The Roys Report
Second Baptist Church of Houston stripped church members of their voting rights and gave “nearly dictatorial authority” to the senior pastor.
roysreport.com
And here is the update - as of July 16, 2026, the court has ruled in favor of the church, declining to get involved in hashing out this dispute with the disgruntled members. While I totally disagree with the action of Second Baptist Church in taking away the members' right to vote, I must grudgingly admit that the court may have done the right thing by refusing to try to resolve this fracas within a local congregation. However, the courts may have the right and duty to enforce bylaws and contractual agreements made between churches/religious societies and their members/supporters, without being found to violate the separation of church and state.
"At the time, Second Baptist said it was changing its bylaws to 'protect our ability to continue operating as a biblical church,' according to court documents. A secular court can't determine whether that was a fair characterization, Dorfman ruled, without trying to determine what 'biblical church' means.
"The court also lacked authority to kick out the church's new senior pastor, Ben Young, the judge ruled. Young's father, longtime senior pastor Ed Young, tapped his son as his successor in 2024 without a congregational vote."