Platts silent embrace of the radical Black Lives Matter movement and the promotion of Kelsey along with Social Justice Bible studies including Platts own book legitimizing Christians who vote for Pro-Abortion Democrats, conservatives are leaving the church for new homes. 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. Something is wrong here,' he told Religion News Service in a 2013 interview. James MacDonald founded Harvest Bible Chapel in 1988. Lon Solomon is American evangelical Christian pastor and the founder of Lon Solomon Ministries, a non-profit ministry.. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. This fact was pointed out to the current McLean Elders in a document that warned against the syncretism currently shaping Platts approach to social justice. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. It's great to be with you. The latest controversy revolves around who was eligible to participate in a June 30 vote on elders and has resulted in a lawsuit. We're teaching everything that the Bible teaches. Often times with disgraced megachurch pastors, there were several warning signs. 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. We glorify God by making disciples and multiplying churches among all nations beginning in greater. Explanation Videos. The largely conservative northern Virginia church across the Potomac from Washington had grown from a group of five families in the 1960s to a congregation of more than 10,000 spread across several campuses, attracting politicians and business leaders to the churchs evangelical message and values. During a sermon on July 4, David Platt very intentionally addressed some of those concerns. Lon Solomon Ministries 8116 Arlington Blvd. Welcome to McLean Bible Church in the final rundown to Sunday's surprisingly contentious vote on new elders. 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. In recent years, Platt, like other high-profile evangelical pastors, including former SBC President J.D. (He recently preached one funeral in the building.) The Capstone Report can reveal the photograph was only removed after repeated demands by members of the elder board. McLean stated in a Q&A on its website that Kelseys son held a poster that read, Black Lives Matter to God.. And depending on how the provisional ballots were adjudicated, those elder nominees got either just below or just above the 75% threshold. 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. 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. And then there was some question as to who is eligible to vote as a McLean member and who is not. Platt doubles down on his Woke Social Justice agenda. Steven Furtick is the lead pastor of Elevation Church, based near Charlotte, North Carolina. (RNS) David Platt had a dream for the future of McLean Bible Church. 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. So wherever possible, we want to work together to move forward together on mission even with our different perspectives.. No. They have several campuses. Church leaders say the current round of conflict predates Platts pastorate. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. INSKEEP: Given that, what makes this story feel like it has a larger significance in your mind? Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. He told Religion News Service that the church believes it will prevail if there is an appeal. RELATED: David Platt interview: A summons to lose your life. Platt was forced to defend himself in 2019, when then-President Donald Trump showed up on a Sunday morning at McLean Bible with little notice and asked Platt to pray for him. . . Video screen grab via MBC. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". All rights reserved. After new elder nominees failed to be elected for the first time in the churchs history, Platt told the congregation in a sermon in early July that 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.. We want to move forward in unity and we do not believe any appellate court would restrict us from doing that., RELATED: Woke war: How social justice and CRT became heresy for evangelicals, Pastor David Platt preaches at McLean Bible Church, July 18, 2021, in Vienna, Virginia. Accuracy and availability may vary. The church teachings were theologically conservative under its previous leadership, the legendary Lon Solomon. 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. Platt and other leaders, they say, have abused their. The constitution of the church requires a 75% threshold. And so the church had never before failed to elect elder nominees that were recommended. There has been a lot of confusion and misinformation about the whole process, and there many who are troubled by this development. It's little outside of Washington, D.C., in Virginia. 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At a June 30 meeting, nominees Chuck Hollingsworth, Jim Burris, and Ken Tucker had failed to receive a clear 75 percent majority, the margin required for elder election. The Local Church Wins Out in David Platt's Decision. With many active members participating in services online, especially those, like Frazer, who are not vaccinated, there is no way to tell who is attending. Longtime member Bill Frazer, 69, believes Sundays election violated the churchs constitution, which states that any member who misses services eight weeks in a row can be designated as inactive. 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 . This internal document was a response to Platts promotion of The Gospel, the Church, Justice and Racism whitepaper. Its first service was held on Easter Sunday at Chesterbook Elementary School in McLean with Pastor J. Albert Ford. View article . These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The heart of the complaint really comes down to truth, transparency, and a free, open, and uncoerced process, plaintiffs attorney Rick Boyer told RNS. In a complaint filed Thursday (July 15), five McLean members allege that Platt and other leaders illegally barred them from voting at a recent congregational meeting to approve new church leaders. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The churchs constitution describes it as an independent church that shall not, and cannot, be affiliated with any denomination. But in 2016, under Solomon, the church began to give money to SBC church planting programs and it has donated about $100,000 a year as a cooperating church. He also wrote an article equating support for President Trump and support for BLM as equally acceptable for a Christian.. Because of the mass exodus McLean cut spending. 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. Viewarticle. The heart of the complaint really comes down to truth, transparency, and a free, open, and uncoerced process, said plaintiffs attorney Rick Boyer. We hope you'll consider joining us on Sunday for a worship gathering. Platt asserts in the course that the Bible teaches both individual and corporate responsibility and that present systems are discriminatory. Originally, the church's . Is it to be humble? McLean Bible Church is one of the most influential churches in the United States. The flashpoint in the last year included a special course on Social Justice called The Gospel, The Church, Justice and Race. Platt, the author of Radical, is known for his passionate call to evangelism, missions, and Scripture. 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. It must be an unprecedented group of divisive liars and racists! That comes with attendance issues and budget cuts. I know that many churches across America have faced and are facing similar challenges during these days, and it is vitally important that we move past division and live out John 13:35, demonstrating love for one another and love for a world in need of Jesus, Platt said in a statement Monday. People came here this night that were recruited by this group to vote that night who had moved away to other states, Platt alleged. 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. Why is that? ROACH: On June the 30, McLean Bible Church was to have an election to elect three new elders. The stated purpose of the church is "that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ . When Platt began preaching at McLean, the church was identified as an SBC church in press accounts. It sits in what can only be described as one of America's Elite areas. One former Mclean member said, He (Platt) gave a sermon that essentially said, If you cant unite with us find a new church. So, people did., SBC Elites cite distinguished lawyer and Southern Baptist Matthew Martens; however, Martens has written persuasively, Supporters of a constitutional amendment to ban women pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), New intel points to Covid origin in a lab leak, remember when this was a, NAMB PR VP Mike Ebert emerges as key witness in McRaney v. NAMB What will, David Platt is harming McLean Bible Church with Woke Social Justice Theology, David Platt turned a blind eye to his staff marching in a Black Lives Matter (BLM) event in Washington, DC, Platt seemed to apologize for publicly praying with Donald Trump, One of the churchs pastors expressed outrage over it, Platts own book legitimizing Christians who vote for Pro-Abortion Democrats, Dr. James White dissected David Platts errors in a podcast examining that T4G sermon, Solomon signed the Dallas Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel, ERLC, Russell Moore raise questions about trusting the trustees, ANOTHER: Georgia Baptist chief says Russell Moore lied, SBC Elites defend credibly accused standard to ruin lives, Bart Barber flipflops on pledge to bring vote to ban Women Pastors in SBC, Evangelical Elites lied you to about the origins of Covid, Woke SBC Elites Delete History To Hide Their Schemes.
