It was an exercise in eisegesis (p. 121). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It sits in what can only be described as one of Americas Elite areas. Ministry partnerships: If you represent an organization which would like to partner with MBC, please fill out the International Partnerships Form or the Local Partnerships Form. This year, the church had an election of three church elders, which would normally be a sleepy affair. I hesitated to share it because I know it is so ugly and painful to hear but I want to point out the approach being used by people giving leadership to this group in these meetings.. Join us to see why God's family is no ordinary family. We believe the same thing would happen on appeal in this matter, as our church has now voted and revoted in ways that are crystal clear. By. Lon Solomon is American evangelical Christian pastor and the founder of Lon Solomon Ministries, a non-profit ministry.. He earlier served as the senior priest at the Brook Hills Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and got the recognition of being the youngest pastor of any megachurch in the US. McLean Bible Church was once the biggest in Virginia. Opponents of McLeans current leadership wrote in a blog posted by the right-wing Capstone Report that Plattwho became pastor of the DC church full time in 2018was attempting to purge conservative members., Platt also described one email circulating that claimed MBC is no longer McLean Bible Church, that its now Melanin Bible Church., I know its so ugly and painful to even hear, but I want to point out the approach thats being used by people giving leadership to this group in these meetings, he told the congregation, calling the claims made about him and the incoming elders unquestionably untrue and in many cases completely unreasonable.. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. In fact, Platt's sloppy moral reasoning was one point of controversy in a letter to leadership from five long-standing members of . And that leadership is not listening, he said. And so I think I simply put into words what many people were already sensing.. In a rant against causing division in the church, David Plattthe man responsible for dividing McLean Bible Church by teaching Critical Race Theoryclaimed a group of dissident conservatives were using disinformation to divide McLean Bible Church. Platt came to McLean in 2017, while he was still president of the Southern Baptist Conventions International Mission Board. McLean Bible Church is one of the most influential churches in the United States. A small group of people, inside and outside this church, coordinated a divisive effort to use disinformation in order to persuade others to vote these men down as part of a broader effort to take control of this church., Pastor David Platt preaches at McLean Bible Church, July 18, 2021, in Vienna, Virginia. degree in chemistry (1971) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Th.M. Last weekend a sermon by Evangelical pastor Francis Chan went viral, as in the sermon Chan shared about Communion and his discovery of the scriptural and historical basis for transubstantiation - that the bread and the wine become the literal Body and Blood of Christ. The church in question is a prominent one, McLean Bible Church, where many Washington Republicans worship. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". . Lewis famously said, "Christianity, if . David Platt is an academic prodigy. June 27, 2022. The group has also reportedly filed other complaints . McClean Bible Church Pastor David Platt addresses his congregation on July 4, 2021. with Max McLean: C.S. So they scheduled that vote for Sunday, July the 18. Let us know how we can help, and we'll direct your inquiry to the right person. Greear and Texas megachurch pastor Matt Chandler, have been outspoken about racism and social justice issues, saying that the Bible teaches them to address those issues. Platt later posted a letter on the churchs website, since removed, and on social media, saying that his decision to pray for the president had angered some church members. Attendance is also suffering under the Platt regime with many longtime church leaders and members leaving, according to numerous letters and e-mails received complaining about the Woke teaching at McLean Bible Church. Platt was presented with multiple documents from many respected past and present McLean Bible Church members over the last two years that connected concerns about racial identity politics with proper biblical application. The suburban DC megachurchs recent scuffle over race and politics is symptomatic of a broader evangelical rift. Some of the older guard think that that's soft-pedaling some biblical truth. Platt, the senior pastor of McLean Bible Church in Northern Virginia, is now caught in the middle of a scandal that is reminiscent of events that took place in 2019 at a large Southern Baptist Church in Naples, FL. Sarah Merkle, an attorney and professional parliamentarian, said the incident highlights the importance in any church of establishing and following sound voting procedures. Church leaders and advocates in Illinois and beyond see this case as a chance for the 12-year-old denomination to establish better practices for preventing abuse and to care well for survivors. July 20, 2021. Thats led to accusations that Platt and others have become woke and liberal. The dispute at the church came to a head on June 30 at a congregational meeting held to approve three new elders to the small group that wields most of the authority at the church. Solomon signed the Dallas Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel. There were some who expressed the thought that David Platt and the other leaders were soft on issues like abortion and sexuality. Rick Boyer, attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said his clients plan to appeal. The church has now grown to a weekly attendance over 27,000 (as of 2019). For Ravi Zacharias, it was the fact that he was having a sexting affair.For Mark Driscoll's latest shenanigans, it was Mars Hill, and before that falling out there were several ignored reports about his leadership.James MacDonald is remarkably similar to Mark Driscoll, with his fall from Harvest Bible Church in . On Friday, a Fairfax County . McLean Bible Church, the multisite megachurch in McLean, Virginia near Washington, D.C. where David Platt pastors, confirmed three new elders Sunday in a revote where members labeled their ballots with their names. And even though people who take the Bible seriously and as the inherent word of God should think certain things about certain issues, then they might prioritize those differently when they go into the voting booth. Frazer also believes church leaders disqualified people who they thought would vote the wrong way. Since the ballots included church member names, he said, leaders would know how church staff and other members voted, opening them up to retaliation. No Celebrities Except Jesus: How Asbury Protected the Revival, After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, The Kings College Faces Threat of Closure, Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church, left the presidency of the SBCs International Mission Board, With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal. That follows the 2020 budget being about $1.5 million below the 2019 budget, according to a member of McLean Bible Church. Platt, the senior pastor of McLean Bible Church in Northern Virginia, is now caught in the middle of a scandal that is reminiscent of events that took place in 2019 at a large Southern Baptist Church in Naples, FL. The dispute at McLean may now end up in court. The budget has been cut to $4 million less than in 2019. Back at McLean, Platt and his fellow elders are urging the church in that direction. At the congregational meeting on 12/9/20, David strongly disavowed Critical Race Theory. Allegations that leaders were seeking to join the SBC in violation of the churchs constitution led McLean to suspend all contributions to SBC causes this month. Frazer, who is not a plaintiff, said the lawsuit and controversy at the church were unfortunate and that he hated to see the churchs dirty laundry aired in public. COVID-19, Frazer said, has made that rule unenforceable. ROACH: Yes, that's exactly right. ROACH: On June the 30, McLean Bible Church was to have an election to elect three new elders. We just want to give believers freedom to disagree on things that aren't essentials. In September 2017, Platt was confirmed into the role of teaching pastor of McLean Bible Church (MBC) by a 95 percent approval vote from the congregational members. Meanwhile, leaders like Platt see the pushback as its own sort of coup and remain concerned about the influence of opposition fueled on social media and watchdog blogs. And then even within the Southern Baptist Convention more broadly, there is a group called the Conservative Baptist Network that has charged some convention leaders with advocating critical race theory and downplaying the Bible's sufficiency. Much of that growth had happened under former pastor Lon Solomon, a Jewish convert known for his Bible preaching, zeal for evangelism and passion for serving children with special needs. Critics say the Virginia churchs leadership has become woke and has substituted critical race theory and social justice for biblical teaching. Platt made further allegations that people came from places as far away as Florida and Maine to vote. March 18th, 2018. All rights reserved. In recent years, Platt, like other high-profile evangelical pastors, including former SBC President J.D. Some of you may remember him as the guy Jerry Falwell Jr. told to "grow a pair." Platt is now in the middle of a controversy over "wokeness" at the church. . The heart of the complaint really comes down to truth, transparency, and a free, open, and uncoerced process, said plaintiffs attorney Rick Boyer. INSKEEP: This, according to your reporting, seems to have surfaced as a conflict in a way that wasn't directly about the pastor but a kind of church election. It sits in what can only be described as one of America's Elite areas. 12,882 were here. That church in the past has been called a hub for Republican senators and Bush aides. This is pretty shocking, even if you have been reading our warnings (here, here, and here - to start) about the apparent in-coming embrace of LGBTQ+ among Southern Baptist Elites.Eric Saunders, Pastor of McLean Bible Church of Arlington, MD, has released a video in which he claims Jesus experienced a kind of body dysphoria like that experienced by transgender claimants. McLean Bible Church (MBC) was started in the Metro Washington, DC area in 1961 as a non-denominational church. Online posts on blogs, Facebook, and email charged Platt with pushing critical race theory, revising biblical teaching on sexuality, and aligning with the SBC despite McLeans constitutional prohibition of affiliating with any denomination. Explanation Videos. The stated purpose of the church is "that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ . They cited Platts use of Woke resources as further proofPlatt required for his course on Race books likeDivided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America. This internal document was a response to Platts promotion of The Gospel, the Church, Justice and Racism whitepaper. According to the church constitution, elders must be approved by a three-quarters majority, but that day the vote failed, a first in McLean history, according to a church email. The level of suspicion around such leaders appears to have grown during the Trump administration and during the reckoning over racism following George Floyds death last year. So, in May 2020 just before Platts hard social justice push, McLean Bible Church reported attendance averaged 12,154. David Platt is so desperate to cling to powerthat he will portray a diverse group of conservative McLean Bible Church members as racists. Some say it is now a running joke that McLean refugees are showing up in other area churches looking for the truth and the Gospel instead of racial identity politics. So here I am, piecing together a years-long scandal for you. Solomon would forfeit his retirement package if he spoke out about the problems. Platt, the author of Radical, is known for his passionate call to evangelism, missions, and Scripture. We're glad you're here! Dr. James White dissected David Platts errors in a podcast examining that T4G sermon. Three new elders were approved by about 80% of active member votes. But he argued that Virginia law does require churches to follow rules outlined in their constitutions. Are the budget cuts and declining attendance a message that Platts Social Justice Theology is unpopular with churchgoers? Plaintiffs in the lawsuit echo Frazers concerns, saying that the ballots used by the church violated McLeans constitution. When I first came to faith in Christ in 1971, as a Jewish college student, I never imagined that the Lord would lead me to pastor a church. Originally, the church's . And then there was some question as to who is eligible to vote as a McLean member and who is not. The church teachings were theologically conservative under its previous leadership, the legendary Lon Solomon. If you *really* care about gospel unity, racial reconciliation, and the least of these, do better.. Former President Trump even attended a service there once. Platt and other leaders, they say, have abused their. Viewarticle. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Why is David Platt undermining elections? Disposition definition, the predominant or prevailing tendency of one's spirits; natural mental and emotional outlook or mood; characteristic attitude: I'd like to thank the general manager for his hospitality, kindness, and always cheerful disposition. Thanks so much. McLean Bible Church refuses to conduct meeting according to any established rules of order. According to former members and staff, these former elders have left MBC for what reasons, no one will say: Jim Battle, Mark Gotlieb, Craig Proulx, Jimmy Mitchell, John Baber, and Lon Solomon. Yes, the typical political ploy used by Democrats in every election cycle has now entered Evangelical megachurches. But conspiracy theories and arguments over wokeness divided the congregation. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Earlier this year, McLean Bible Church released a draft for a discipleship resource designed for church members and leaders which is basically a baptized version of Critical Race Theory which obfuscates the issues of racism and individual sin.. Welcome to the Arlington location of McLean Bible Church. Church leaders say the current round of conflict predates Platts pastorate. In June 2019, then-President Donald Trump showed up at a worship service and Platt prayed for him from the stage, an action that drew criticism from some in the church. Also, Sadly, within evangelicalism, and the MBC pulpit, we see the following principle at work: the presence of preaching/teaching based on the wrong assumptions, resulting in wrong conclusions, thereby leading to the wrong solutions. By. At that time, the vote was too close to confirm the new elders because the Church's constitution states it must have at least a 75-percent . It is no secret that David Platt promotes Social Justice causes. Many of its members come from the top ranks of government, media, and business. But there were some who were concerned about the direction of the church, and they made that elder election an occasion to speak out against the leadership and direction generally. Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month. OK, so a local megachurch is having a catfight. Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. But a spokesman for the SBC, while saying "McLean Bible Church, like all Southern Baptist churches, is an independent and autonomous local church," confirmed that McLean is considered an SBC church. In fact, in a sermon around the time of the November 2020 Presidential Election, Platt dared conservatives to leave the church over his welcoming of those supporting pro-abortion candidates, i.e. Platt went on to call the church to give up everything for the glory of God, echoing the message of his 2010 book, Radical, a bestseller that called Christians to give up the American dream in order to serve Jesus and transform the world. While the church building was locked down and most of its ministries ceased amid Covid-19 fears, David Platt turned a blind eye to his staff marching in a Black Lives Matter (BLM) event in Washington, DC. David Platt asked the remaining Elders to approve the GCJR course curriculum as the main theological underpinning of all other teaching and worship activities at McLean Bible Church. We have to address conflict intentionally and face to face, Hannaford said. You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. Congregants dance and pray with the church band before Pastor Andy Wood gives a sermon on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. Stacie Wood, the woman pastor at the . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. RELATED: David Platt interview: A summons to lose your life. Frazer said the confusion over McLean's relationship with the SBC and the election controversy reflect a bigger problem with the church. Frazer said the confusion over McLeans relationship with the SBC and the election controversy reflect a bigger problem with the church. David Platt, the President of our International Mission Board, recently became the preaching pastor at the Mclean Bible Church, a megachurch in the DC area. Under founding pastor Lon Solomon, McLean launched a church planting partnership with the SBCs North American Mission Board in 2016 while remaining nondenominational. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. There is some resistance from what some would consider the old guard in evangelical circles to younger guys accused of being soft on doctrine in an effort to reach a more diverse audience, Hannaford said. The church was rocked by controversy in 2019 when President Donald Trump stopped by the service for prayer. Lon Solomon made one statement in opposition to the Social Justice heresy. CRN offers a lifeline to conservative people of faith. When qualified elders do not oversee the hiring of pastoral staff, we endanger the flock to the possibility of those who bring wrong assumptions/beliefs on critical issues to our congregation and pulpit, the five leaders warned. The constitution of the church requires a 75% threshold. Which enabled a small group, just to put it in perspective, less than seven percent of our current membership on Wednesday night, including some people who we know are not actually members, less than seven percent kept elders from being overwhelmingly affirmed by our church family for the first time in our history.. Brothers and sisters, I think we see all over Scripture that the Bible speaks of both sides of this picture, Platt said. God give him wisdom.. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. And depending on how the provisional ballots were adjudicated, those elder nominees got either just below or just above the 75% threshold. degree in Hebrew and Old Testament (1975, summa cum laude) from Capital Bible . 2-minute video satire of the present McLean Bible leadership through animating the graph above. They organized a new election for elders in mid-June 2022, using secret ballots. See more. It is a mega church in the DC area with 5 locations and claims an attendance of 13,000 each weekend. After graduating from the University of Georgia with two bachelor's degrees, he earned an MDiv, a ThM, and a PhD from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; he completed his education in his early 20s, becoming one of the youngest students, if not the youngest student, to ever earn a terminal degree at NOBTS. The GCJR will be the focus going forward and all staff will be required to fall inline. So wherever possible, we want to work together to move forward together on mission even with our different perspectives.. But a spokesman for the SBC, while saying "McLean Bible Church, like all Southern Baptist churches, is an independent and autonomous local church," confirmed that McLean is considered an SBC church. Attendance at the church was steady for most of the early period of the COVID pandemic; however, following the racism class and David Platts book on the voting, attendance began a precipitous decline. We urge you to sign upto receive our FREE need to read articles. When you dont follow the rules and it has an effect on a consequential vote, you have now created a huge distraction from your mission, Merkle said. David Platt is a famous US author and preacher. And all three nominees got at least 78% on that day and were elected as elders. Wait. The conservative voice and Christian content are being silenced more and more. Hannaford advises pastors not to make changes too quickly and recommends cooperation from both sides, allowing believers to differ on secondary doctrinal and ethical issues. We see throughout Scripture that individuals affect structures and structures affect individuals, so we emphasize both personal and corporate responsibility in matters of justice., And, We do grieve over the existence and effects of racism, and to the extent that we are part of a larger group of people guilty of racism, we appropriately confess corporate sins of racism and take appropriate steps of repentance, much as we do when the Holy Spirit convicts us of any corporate sin. Lon Solomon was born and raised in a Jewish home in Portsmouth, Virginia.. Solomon earned a B.S. That is not acceptable for the Body of Jesus Christ. McLean Bible, seen as a conservative evangelical congregation that once had more than 16,000 attendees, has long been an important church in the Washington, D.C., area. Who knew two nonverbal rocks had so much to say? While Platt raised concerns that the opposing group deceived members at the Tysons location into voting against the new elders, a lawsuit filed July 15 alleges that church leaders at McLean illegally barred some of their opponents from voting in the follow-up elder election. Some may wonder what Lon Solomon thinks about the heretical social justice teachings. It's little outside of Washington, D.C., in Virginia. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. in our church) who have criticized him for acknowledging the hurt his decision caused, and who have even had the calloused audacity to malign those who are hurt, your brash insensitivity is the reason why so many minority and marginalized people struggle to be a part of Evangelical churches. As Solomon transitioned from leadership following a 37-year pastorate, McLean made major budget changes, scaling back the percentage of income spent on personnel and incentivizing staff departures. I don't think that it was about the specific elders so much as the direction of the church. What happened? He became pastor-teacher at McLean Bible . He also wrote an article equating support for President Trump and support for BLM as equally acceptable for a Christian.. Platt doubles down on his Woke Social Justice agenda. Their pastor, David Platt, is very well-known among evangelicals. The weeks between the two votes were tumultuous. That language has no place whatsoever here. Any church member on McLeans inactive list was given a provisional ballot. ROACH: Thank you, Steve. Sal Cordova (church member &. Pastor David Platt of McLean Bible Church said many of those within his congregation were 'hurt' with his decision to pray for President Donald Trump on stage during Sunday's service. Because of the nature of a lawsuit, unfortunately, we cannot provide any further comment at this time, the elders said in a statement. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Is it to be humble? However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. There are other internal documents providing similar extensive theological arguments. In response, Platt accused his critics in a sermon of spreading disinformation and stuffing the ballot box with votes from former members and inactive church members. It does not store any personal data. Platt and other leaders, they say, have abused their power by violating the churchs constitution. What opponents claim as being Platts liberal or woke politics, supporters see as the 42-year-old preachers commitment to Christ above all.