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. He was senior pastor at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, from 2006 to 2014. 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. David Platt addresses Trump prayer controversy at SBC pastors 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.. According to Dr. Baucham in his book Fault Lines, David Platt, then head of the Southern Baptist Conventions International Mission Board, delivered a message from Amos 5, then repented in tears for his white privilege, silence, and inaction. It's little outside of Washington, D.C., in Virginia. Church members are asked for their opinions on things like what color to paint the womens bathroom, he said; why not ask their opinion on more substantive matters such as CRT or joining the SBC? To some observers, McLeans conflict seems like a replay of other recent episodes from American evangelicalism, where leaders who appeal to Scripture to address social issues are accused of theological liberalism or secular influence even if they continue to hold traditional Christian views. Thus, McLean is spending about $4 million less in 2021 than in 2019. A follow-up election held this past Sunday was held under new rules. But its pastor says a group . Platts teaching in his McLean Bible Church Course The Gospel, The Church, Justice and Race (GCJR) highlights a Hegelian-inspired dialectical synthesis between Christianity and Woke Social Justice. In fact, Platt's sloppy moral reasoning was one point of controversy in a letter to leadership from five long-standing members of . In recent years, Platt, like other high-profile evangelical pastors, including former SBC President J.D. After my seminary and doctoral work, I fully . These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Kelsey is now Pastor of Culture at McLean. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Every time this lawsuit has been filed or amended or refiled, it has resulted in a dismissal, he said. McLean Bible Church faces a lawsuit over a recent vote for elders from members unhappy with pastor David Platt, who succeeded long-time former pastor Lon Solomon. Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Lon Solomon - Wikipedia However, this is a lie. . And there really were some wild conspiracy theories that came out of that. Church leaders say the current round of conflict predates Platts pastorate. ROACH: Yes, that's exactly right. We urge you to sign upto receive our FREE need to read articles. There are other internal documents providing similar extensive theological arguments. And so I think I simply put into words what many people were already sensing.. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. But then you have some of the younger evangelicals who say, look. And rather than try to adjudicate the provisional ballots, they decided the best thing to do would be just to have another vote. Lon Solomon was born and raised in a Jewish home in Portsmouth, Virginia.. Solomon earned a B.S. Platt asserts in the course that the Bible teaches both individual and corporate responsibility and that present systems are discriminatory. Similar to Naples, McLean Bible Church recently held a vote to confirm three elders the first vote failed. Net Worth in 2023: $2 million. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Critics say the churchs leadership has become woke and has substituted critical race theory and social justice for biblical teaching. David Platt is so desperate to cling to powerthat he will portray a diverse group of conservative McLean Bible Church members as racists. You Should Watch This Video of David Platt Addressing - RELEVANT A group of five former leaders at McLean including a former elder, former staff member and lay leadership warned David Platt in a letter dated February 3, 2021, about numerous moves by Platt and his elders to divide the church along racial lines. Why is David Platt undermining elections? Less than 25 percent of members were part of the vote Wednesday night, Platt said. Back at McLean, Platt and his fellow elders are urging the church in that direction. Failed to subscribe, please contact admin. Former President Trump even . INSKEEP: Is that part of what seemed to get him in trouble with at least a portion of the congregation? Its first service was held on Easter Sunday at Chesterbook Elementary School in McLean with Pastor J. Albert Ford. [ This article is also available in Further he made the absolute statement that nobody on MBC staff supports Black Lives Matter. Under founding pastor Lon Solomon, McLean launched a church planting partnership with the SBCs North American Mission Board in 2016 while remaining nondenominational. As if those sources of information are anywhere close to the authority of this Word.. While tens of thousands flocked to campus, school officials met in a storage closet to make decisions that would honor what is happening.. (RNS) David Platt had a dream for the future of McLean Bible Church. David Platt's Megachurch Names New Elders Despite Controversy Once the first vote for the elders failed, Frazer believes that Platt and leaders should have stopped and listened to the congregations concerns. And as we walk faithfully with God during these days, keeping our eyes fixed on him, I trust that he will work all these things together for our good and ultimately his glory.. Many of its members come from the top ranks of government, media, and business. 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 . ROACH: It was a tumultuous time. You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. The Bible speaks of individual responsibility and personal motivation and the Bible speaks to unjust systems and discrimination. (The Roys Report) 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. They have several campuses. Some older evangelicals see it as sort of a coup.. Barber pointed out that voting is usually donein a public way, by voice vote or raising hands, so theres no historic expectation of privacy, but using a ballot with a church members name on it, especially for a leadership role, would be unprecedented, in his experience. The conservative voice and Christian content are being silenced more and more. David Platt is a famous US author and preacher. David Platts dreams for McLean Bible Church sour as members file lawsuit over elder vote, Woke war: How social justice and CRT became heresy for evangelicals. 12,882 were here. The budget has been cut to $4 million less than in 2019. It sits in what can only be described as one of Americas Elite areas. 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. There were some who expressed the thought that David Platt and the other leaders were soft on issues like abortion and sexuality. Attendance began to decrease significantly after the first class as attendees realized the Woke content. David Platt's Dreams for McLean Bible Church Sour as Members File At the congregational meeting on 12/9/20, David strongly disavowed Critical Race Theory. But he argued that Virginia law does require churches to follow rules outlined in their constitutions. McLean Bible Church Congregants Worry About The Direction The - NPR The total was either just above or just below 75 percent, depending on whether provisional ballots were counted, so a second vote was held July 18, at which all three nominees received at least 78 percent of the vote. 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. ROACH: Thank you, Steve. Services at Tennessee Megachurch Disrupted by Pastor Feud - The Roys Report Following the first failed election, a second election was held in early July 2021, this one where members had to sign their ballots which critics said violated the church practice of using secret ballots. We have walked through tumultuous days over the last year in the world, surfacing many challenges in our lives, families, our country, the world, and the church, Platt told CT. We all need Gods grace to love one another well and to live for the spread of his love in a world that desperately needs what only he can give. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The conflict at McLean Bible Church is significant not only because of the congregations size and influencewith several thousand attendees and a prominent place in the DC church landscapebut also because the incident marks the latest salvo in an ongoing clash within American evangelicalism. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. In its Q&A, McLean states that it is not Southern Baptist and links to an undated letter from SBC Executive Committee employee Ashley Clayton stating, The SBC Executive Committee recognizes that McLean Bible Church is an independent, nondenominational Bible church, and they are not affiliated denominationally with the SBC., However, Baptist Press, the SBCs news service, stated in a July 21 article, McLean Bible Church is a cooperating church with the Southern Baptist Convention, yet like all Southern Baptist churches, remains independent and autonomous in its functionality and governance.. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Thats led to accusations that Platt and others have become woke and liberal. The best examples are the woke church movement, and the takeover of many seminaries by critical race theory. Frazer said the confusion over McLean's relationship with the SBC and the election controversy reflect a bigger problem with the church. David Platt's dreams for McLean Bible Church sour as members file 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. David Platt is an academic prodigy. Platt said in his July 4 sermon that people told voting members, in person and by email, that the elders up for nomination would have sold the churchs Tysons location to build a mosque, with proceeds going to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). McLean Bible Church was once the biggest in Virginia. Any church member on McLeans inactive list was given a provisional ballot. Apparently, amid the controversy with Calvinism that Lon and the elders initially rejected, they added that position statement on Calvinism. Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors That comes with attendance issues and budget cuts. 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. (RNS) A yearlong legal battle over a contested election at a prominent Washington, D.C.-area church appears to be over for now. 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. It sits in what can only be described as one of America's Elite areas. Often times with disgraced megachurch pastors, there were several warning signs. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. July 20, 2021. ROACH: I don't think that that is directly the issue, but I think that issue has implications for what has gotten him in trouble. The document says that Platt says one thing about Critical Race Theory but clearly does another. Platt is a polarizing figure. MBC History - Restore McLean - to Biblical Leadership INSKEEP: Given that, what makes this story feel like it has a larger significance in your mind? The stated purpose of the church is "that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ . 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 latest controversy revolves around who was eligible to participate in a June 30 vote on elders and has resulted in a lawsuit. Lon Solomon Ministries 8116 Arlington Blvd. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. ''differentattitude.' ''''Now,'friends,'that's'true'of'you'and'me'as'well.''Itdoesn'thave'to' ''be'this'way'for'us.' Controversy at McLean Bible Church boils over as members file lawsuit over elder vote. And all three nominees got at least 78% on that day and were elected as elders. And it would appear that the vast majority of the church sided with Platt and the other leaders by their support of those elders. McLean Bible Church refuses to conduct meeting according to any established rules of order. 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 made further allegations that people came from places as far away as Florida and Maine to vote. The church has now grown to a weekly attendance over 27,000 (as of 2019). Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Platt plans to hold a called special business meeting to affirm the elders on July 18 during morning worship services, he told the church. Michael Kelsey rebuked people offended that some were upset at praying for the President of the United States. David Roach is a reporter and pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Saraland, Alabama. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". McLean Bible Church's Apparent Theological Shift ], Subscribe to CT David Platt's very strong on the issues that evangelicals traditionally have cared about. The group has also reportedly filed other complaints . 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. McLean stated in a Q&A on its website that Kelseys son held a poster that read, Black Lives Matter to God.. The bullseye of the controversy is pastor and best-selling author David Platt, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board. Bart Barber, a Texas Baptist pastor who is writing a book on congregational forms of church governance, said that church voting is aimed at finding consensus about what God wants the congregation to do. 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. This is a breach of contract action seeking to remedy Defendants illegal actions to deny Plaintiffs their rights to cast a free and fair vote, to have those votes lawfully counted, and to enjoy their right to a secret ballot, according to the complaint. David Platt's McLean Bible Church Teaches "Jesus Had Body - BTWN THE EARLY YEARS McLean Bible Church was founded in 1961 by five families in Northern Virginia. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Financial needs: If you would like to request help with . Steven Furtick is the lead pastor of Elevation Church, based near Charlotte, North Carolina. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Platt, the author of Radical, is known for his passionate call to evangelism, missions, and Scripture. David Joseph Platt is an American evangelical Baptist pastor. T he election of the elders of an evangelical church is usually an uncontroversial, even unifying event . (Reformation Charlotte) A sad sight to behold is the trajectory that David Platt has been on over the last several years as the Evangelical racial reconciliation movement a movement rooted in Marxist Critical Race Theory has consumed him in nearly every aspect of thought and decision. All rights reserved. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. INSKEEP: I was astonished by some of the conspiracy theories that you described that surfaced during that election campaign. CRN offers a lifeline to conservative people of faith. 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. Assume this is true for a moment, wouldnt that make someone pause and ask what is going on here? Video screengrab via MBC. And depending on how the provisional ballots were adjudicated, those elder nominees got either just below or just above the 75% threshold. Solomon pastored the church from 1980 until becoming pastor emeritus in September 2017. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The July 18 vote has been surrounded by controversy, with some decrying what they saw as creeping liberalism within the church's leadership. Reflections of a Former Senior Pastor | Lon Solomon Ministries 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 . Dr. Voddie Baucham specifically highlighted David Platts 2018 sermon at the T4G Conference as Woke. David Platt's Dreams for McLean Bible Church Sour as Members File It does not store any personal data. 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. Why is that? It is no secret that David Platt promotes Social Justice causes. 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.