Pastor takes option to resign call. Complainants were unconstitutionally stripped of member voting rights and punitively shunted into a fictitious class of membership.
This just highlights the need for resignation to be removed as an option for certain offenses. That is a tactic commonly used by pastors who engage in sexual misconduct and just 'resign' thus avoiding any sort of accountability or investigation. Let's see these DP's actually hold these pastors accountable for the harm they are doing instead of letting them take the easy way out.
Throw these people out of Synod. That "congregation" is a disgrace. We should figure out how to help the faithful remnant that tried to save their congregation (I think of mainly the three who were illegally stripped of voting rights) but outside of those people everyone should be removed without delay.
I have had something very similar happen in my church. A group of our members, myself included, was basically excommunicated by our pastor and the elders. When I met with the pastor and a representative from the Synod, I told them that they were in violation of our church constitution and the Synod' s discipline process. I was told by the Synod's representative that a pastor could do whatever he wanted. Because of our resistance to the pastor's unwarranted behavior, he agreed to resign and he was moved to another district in the LCMS. We used to call that the " dance of the lemons."
Remember: Rev. Matthew Becker was never actually disciplined. He resigned before any discipline was carried out (and now, we all have to forget that he was teaching false doctrine for 20 years). Well, the same script is playing out again. Different names, same dodge, same lack of accountability. LCMS = undefeated
Exactly. Pattern recognition is the key to not being surprised.
The Synod bylaws concerning the Dispute Resolution process explicitly state in Article 1.10.2 "No person, congregation, or agency to whom or to which the provisions of this dispute resolution process are applicable because of their membership in the Synod may render this procedure inapplicable by terminating that membership during the course of the dispute resolution process."
So, a pastor accused of publicly teaching false doctrine or scandalous behavior, may choose (and ought to in many cases) to immediately resign his call and remove himself from the roster, but the process doesn't end.
1 Timothy 5:19-21, "Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality."
A pastor accused of public sins must be investigated impartially for the sake of God's elect, and those results made known, "in the presence of all". The investigation must either substantiate the charges or exonerate the pastor. If he taught falsely or sinned, the light of God's word must be shone upon those actions that the ones he led astray may be restored. If he was innocent, then that too must be made clear, that the elect who wrongly accused may repent, and the doctrinal position of the church may be clear to all parties.
The damage done to the church by such accusations must be addressed if reconciliation is to occur. "That the rest also may fear." That is, that other errorists in the church - either those holding to the same false doctrine, or those who have besmirched the good name of a pastor, may properly fear the Lord.
As a member of another SED congregation, this is deeply troubling.
This just highlights the need for resignation to be removed as an option for certain offenses. That is a tactic commonly used by pastors who engage in sexual misconduct and just 'resign' thus avoiding any sort of accountability or investigation. Let's see these DP's actually hold these pastors accountable for the harm they are doing instead of letting them take the easy way out.
I love Ad Crucem for reporting on this despite all the pushback they get. Way to go for doing the right thing.
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Throw these people out of Synod. That "congregation" is a disgrace. We should figure out how to help the faithful remnant that tried to save their congregation (I think of mainly the three who were illegally stripped of voting rights) but outside of those people everyone should be removed without delay.
I have had something very similar happen in my church. A group of our members, myself included, was basically excommunicated by our pastor and the elders. When I met with the pastor and a representative from the Synod, I told them that they were in violation of our church constitution and the Synod' s discipline process. I was told by the Synod's representative that a pastor could do whatever he wanted. Because of our resistance to the pastor's unwarranted behavior, he agreed to resign and he was moved to another district in the LCMS. We used to call that the " dance of the lemons."
Sorry to hear that, Dennis. I'm glad you prevailed.
This is extremely unsurprising.
Remember: Rev. Matthew Becker was never actually disciplined. He resigned before any discipline was carried out (and now, we all have to forget that he was teaching false doctrine for 20 years). Well, the same script is playing out again. Different names, same dodge, same lack of accountability. LCMS = undefeated
Exactly. Pattern recognition is the key to not being surprised.
The Synod bylaws concerning the Dispute Resolution process explicitly state in Article 1.10.2 "No person, congregation, or agency to whom or to which the provisions of this dispute resolution process are applicable because of their membership in the Synod may render this procedure inapplicable by terminating that membership during the course of the dispute resolution process."
So, a pastor accused of publicly teaching false doctrine or scandalous behavior, may choose (and ought to in many cases) to immediately resign his call and remove himself from the roster, but the process doesn't end.
1 Timothy 5:19-21, "Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality."
A pastor accused of public sins must be investigated impartially for the sake of God's elect, and those results made known, "in the presence of all". The investigation must either substantiate the charges or exonerate the pastor. If he taught falsely or sinned, the light of God's word must be shone upon those actions that the ones he led astray may be restored. If he was innocent, then that too must be made clear, that the elect who wrongly accused may repent, and the doctrinal position of the church may be clear to all parties.
The damage done to the church by such accusations must be addressed if reconciliation is to occur. "That the rest also may fear." That is, that other errorists in the church - either those holding to the same false doctrine, or those who have besmirched the good name of a pastor, may properly fear the Lord.
Thank you, well said.