And rather than try to adjudicate the provisional ballots, they decided the best thing to do would be just to have another vote. (RNS) A yearlong legal battle over a contested election at a prominent Washington, D.C.-area church appears to be over for now. 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. Both moves raised questions for some members. The course lasted about 15 hours of direct discipleship teaching. . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. A lawsuit brought by McLean Bible Church dissidents on Friday to reverse the results of an election for church leaders (elders) was dismissed by a court in Fairfax County, Virginia. But David Platt has emphasized that everybody, regardless of their political views or their ethnicity or anything else, should be welcome to hear the gospel and be a part of the church. This past spring, hoping to resolve the dispute, McLean leaders decided to discard the results of the July 2021 elder election. : Democrats. He is pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Saraland, Ala., and he also writes for Christianity Today, which is how he came to report on McLean Bible Church. And it would appear that the vast majority of the church sided with Platt and the other leaders by their support of those elders. 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. 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. 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. No matter what you've been through or where you've come from, you are welcome here. Any church member on McLeans inactive list was given a provisional ballot. Platt taught the course to about 1,000 church members. Almost all of the questions we have heard are less about Gods Word and more about what this blog or that Facebook post says, Platt said. The Local Church Wins Out in David Platt's Decision. 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. During a sermon on July 4, David Platt very intentionally addressed some of those concerns. Some may wonder what Lon Solomon thinks about the heretical social justice teachings. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Why is that? Critics say the churchs leadership has become woke and has substituted critical race theory and social justice for biblical teaching. (RNS) A yearlong legal battle over a contested election at a prominent Washington, D.C.-area church appears to be over for now. A year later, Platt and African American McLean pastor Mike Kelsey participated in a Christian march following the death of George Floyd, which was construed by some as support for the Black Lives Matter organization. The heart of the complaint really comes down to truth, transparency, and a free, open, and uncoerced process, said plaintiffs attorney Rick Boyer. He - I've heard him preach on abortion and religious liberty and traditional marriage. Just like the Democrats blame racists, so too David Platt. Platt, a bestselling author and speaker, recounted the churchs history in a sermon in the summer of 2019, about a year after he succeeded Solomon as pastor, in whichhe asked: What if our best days as a church are ahead of us, not behind us?. It was then that David Platt was named Teaching Pastor. Lewis famously said, "Christianity, if . These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Critics say the Virginia church's leadership has . Platt and his family are members of the Washington, D.C., area church, where Platt also serves as elder. 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 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. Similar to Naples, McLean Bible Church recently held a vote to confirm three elders the first vote failed. Platt is a polarizing figure. Some of the older guard think that that's soft-pedaling some biblical truth. He also warned against letting tensions swell. Many of its members come from the top ranks of government, media, and business. Because of its proximity to Washington, D.C., many government officials, Capitol Hill staffers, and thought leaders are members. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. RELATED: David Platt interview: A summons to lose your life. McLean stated in a Q&A on its website that Kelseys son held a poster that read, Black Lives Matter to God.. A password reset link will be e-mailed to you. According to the McLean Bible Church budget for 2021, $291,719 more is slated for Senior Managementmaking that line item in the budget total $1,121,967. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. So here I am, piecing together a years-long scandal for you. David Platt, pastor at McLean Bible Church in Virginia, speaks at the Pastor's Conference at the Southern Baptist Convention on Monday in Birmingham. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. After a year of litigation, the outcome of a contentious election at a renowned church in the Washington, D.C. region appeared to have been settled. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Rick Boyer, attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said his clients plan to appeal. McLean Bible Church refuses to conduct meeting according to any established rules of order. 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. McClean Bible Church is or . 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. And the elder vote was the occasion to speak that. We glorify God by making disciples and multiplying churches among all nations beginning in greater. It does not store any personal data. While the church is slashing spending on a variety of things including missions, discipleship, outreach, and church plants, one area of increased spending in 2021 is in the Senior Management salaries. 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. Further he made the absolute statement that nobody on MBC staff supports Black Lives Matter. One of the churchs pastors expressed outrage over it. Financial needs: If you would like to request help with . Early life. We urge you to sign upto receive our FREE need to read articles. Until a chance encounter with my moms old Bible opened my eyes. This internal document was a response to Platts promotion of The Gospel, the Church, Justice and Racism whitepaper. However, Solomon cannot state his opinions publicly because of a separation agreement he signed with the church. There were not enough provisional ballots to change the outcome, according to an email from church leaders. Attendance is down about 40-percent year-over-year. We recognize the need to examine each of our hearts humbly and continually with the help of the Holy Spirit and the encouragement of brothers and sisters who enable us to see sin in us and sins effects around us in ways that we might not see ourselves., Notice the racial Gnosticism contained within this paragraph. Platt and other leaders, they say, have abused their power by violating the churchs constitution. 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. A drop of 39%. This year, the church had an election of three church elders, which would normally be a sleepy affair. Instead of defending President Trumps visit, Platt seemed to apologize for publicly praying with Donald Trump. 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. A group of critics that runs a Facebook group called Save McLean Bible Church claimed that church leaders had substituted critical race theory and social justice for biblical teaching. OK, so a local megachurch is having a catfight. (RNS) David Platt had a dream for the future of McLean Bible Church. Elevation Church was founded by Furtick in 2006 with just fourteen members. I want you to listen closely to the words I am about to say, he said in his sermon the following Sunday. We're teaching everything that the Bible teaches. 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. 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. AD FREE! McLean Bible which is seen as a conservative evangelical congregation and once had more than 16,000 attendees has long been an important church in Washington with four locations near the . You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. It does not store any personal data. According to the letter sent to Platt in February, t the congregational meeting on 12/9/20, in response to a question, David strongly disavowed Black Lives Matter. David Platt is a famous US author and preacher. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The suburban DC megachurchs recent scuffle over race and politics is symptomatic of a broader evangelical rift. The letter warned, "Thabiti Anyabwile, despite promoting progressive talking points at the . In fact, this book was required reading for Platts course. COVID-19 also played a role. David Platt's very strong on the issues that evangelicals traditionally have cared about. On Friday, a Fairfax County, Virginia, judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by dissident members of McLean Bible Church who sought to overturn the results of an election for church leaders, known as elders. It couldnt be that David Platts Woke rhetoric has driven about 40% of church members to attend church in other non-Woke evangelical churches in that part of Virginia! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. David Joseph Platt is an American evangelical Baptist pastor. 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. We just want to give believers freedom to disagree on things that aren't essentials. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to journalist and pastor David Roach about an ideological rift at a Washington, D.C.-area church that highlights similar divisions in evangelical groups across the U.S. We have a story now of divisions within a single church that suggest wider divisions in many churches. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 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.. We praise God for our church familys affirmation of new elders, and we would deeply appreciate your prayers for all of McLean Bible Church as we move forward in our mission.. A series of controversies and the countrys growing political polarization have caused a rift at McLean Bible Church, where former International Mission Board president and author David Platt is pastor. INSKEEP: I was astonished by some of the conspiracy theories that you described that surfaced during that election campaign. Is it to be humble? And that leadership is not listening, he said. Church leaders say the current round of conflict predates Platts pastorate. with Max McLean: C.S. Video screengrab via MBC. The GCJR will be the focus going forward and all staff will be required to fall inline. #302 Falls Church, VA 22042 866-788-7770 Sal Cordova (church member &. Things began to change. He claimed people were upset by efforts at racial reconciliation. We want MBC to be a place where people with all kinds of convictions on matters of conscience can thrive, the Q&A stated. Frazer said the confusion over McLean's relationship with the SBC and the election controversy reflect a bigger problem with the church. 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. The stated purpose of the church is "that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ . 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. We will not apologize for our increasing diversity or our commitment to humbly address racial issues from Gods Word as we unite together on a glorious mission to proclaim this good Word and our great God in a city where five million-plus men, women, boys, and girls are on a road that leads to an eternal hell and need the good news of Gods love for them, he said. Save McLean Bible Church. Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month. But its pastor says a group . The sermon was maligned by many Protestants and praised by many Catholics, with speculation as to whether Chan is moving toward . In a sobering, emotional and occasionally shocking address from the pulpit on July 4, Platt alleged a conspiratorial attempt on behalf of a "small group" of church members to sow misinformation among the congregation with the goal of taking control of the church. (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. The dispute at McLean centered around a failed June 30, 2021, election. Lon Solomon began serving as MBC's fourth pastor in 1980. . Facebook; Twitter; visit the YouTube Channel. Something is wrong here,' he told Religion News Service in a 2013 interview. The Capstone Report can reveal the photograph was only removed after repeated demands by members of the elder board. Over the last several years, weve watched David take the churchthe church we built, the church we love, the church weve poured are hearts and souls and lives intoand turned it into a political, stripped-down version of what it used to be, wrote former elder Mark Gottlieb, who is encouraging members of a group called Save McLean Bible Church to admit defeat and walk away after the July 18 vote. Michael Kelsey rebuked people offended that some were upset at praying for the President of the United States. 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. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Dr. Voddie Baucham specifically highlighted David Platts 2018 sermon at the T4G Conference as Woke. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. It took repeated requests from a few conservative Elders to take down Facebook photos of staff holding BLM signs. 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. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Sarah Merkle, an attorney and professional parliamentarian, said the incident highlights the importance in any church of establishing and following sound voting procedures. Christians must reclaim Jesus from his church. 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 explodes at McLean Bible Church, plays the race card, the man responsible for dividing McLean Bible Church by teaching Critical Race Theory, It couldnt be that David Platts Woke rhetoric has driven about 40% of church members to attend church in other non-Woke evangelical churches in that part of Virginia, Ed Litton Plagiarism Scandal: A Sermongate Timeline, Baptist professor strongly suspects former SBC President J.D. 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. If youre the Red Cross, thats problematic. [Picture was posted on Facebook, but was removed after a couple months]. THE EARLY YEARS McLean Bible Church was founded in 1961 by five families in Northern Virginia. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. So wherever possible, we want to work together to move forward together on mission even with our different perspectives.. Often times with disgraced megachurch pastors, there were several warning signs. It sits in what can only be described as one of Americas Elite areas. 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. Bob Smietana. The post David Platt's McLean Bible Church Teaches "Jesus Had Body Dysphoria" Revoice Nonsense appeared first on Reformation Charlotte. 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. 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. The entire Sunday, July 4, 2021, sermon was filled with David Platts performative outrage. 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. The flashpoint in the last year included a special course on Social Justice called The Gospel, The Church, Justice and Race. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. CBN-backed candidate Mike Stone received 48 percent of the vote in last months SBC presidential election, finishing second to Alabama pastor Ed Litton. At the time he was the youngest megachurch pastor in the United States. 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. espaol. 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. Viewarticle. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. Yet, even before this course, some noticed David Platts trajectory away from the Bible and into the Woke error. We are zealous in the present not to prolong or replicate in any way racial injustice from the past. In fact, Platt's sloppy moral reasoning was one point of controversy in a letter to leadership from five long-standing members of . 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. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit echo Frazers concerns, saying that the ballots used by the church violated McLeans constitution. Sign up for our newsletter: The latest controversy revolves around who was eligible to participate in a June 30 vote on elders and has resulted in a lawsuit.