Deacon Board Member Email Exchange pt 1

***** Deacon Board Member Email Exchange pt 1 *****

From: *********[mailto:********@********]
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 2:59 PM
To: 'Joshua H. Manning'
Subject: RE: Church Concern

Dear Mr. Manning,

Let me first apologize for the brevity of my reply to your email but this is my business email address and it has been given out without my consent and even posted on a website. The concerns you have about disclosure, access, hiring, salaries and accountability are about things that have been the standard practices of Bellevue Baptist Church for over 30years. We are Pastor led and Congregation approved but that approval is not for the day to day operations of the Church. Congregation approval is based upon trusting the Pastor who the Church approved, being run by committees that the Church approved, and for significant decisions such as annual budget and major expenditures. To quote Dr. Rogers on the Biblical model for the Church, “the Pastor’s responsibility is to Lead and Feed and the congregation’s responsibility is to Swallow and Follow.” Hebrews 13:17, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” It grieves me that God gave us His Pastor to lead us, less than a year ago, and certain members of our Church have responded by unleashing a constant barrage of attacks on his character, integrity and leadership. I’m not saying that is you but the “whispers” you refer to come from them but they are not whispers but shouts to anyone who will listen. If you want to know how God feels about their remarks read: Proverbs 6:19, James 5:9, Philippians 2:14. Judge for yourself if Bellevue is going in the right direction by the fruit of the ministry: every Sunday morning the auditorium is packed, the man of God preaches the Word of God and when the invitation is given scores of people respond. The women’s ministry lead by our Pastor’s wife is astounding and i2 is bursting at the seams. You want to know where our Church is headed? To Jesus!

*****

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From: Joshua H. Manning [mailto:*******@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 11:54 AM
To: *****@*****.com
Subject: Church Concern

Dear Mr. *****:

I write you concerned about recent events at Bellevue. For many years I’ve called Bellevue home. I’ve been spiritually nourished, wisely guided, and sincerely loved in that wonderful place. God has used Bellevue to radically and magnificently change my life, and I know that so many others tell similar stories.

Recently, however, questions have arisen regarding the administration’s conduct. Questions regarding staff members being asked to sign non-disclosure agreements. Questions regarding an unwillingness to allow church members access to this organization’s by-laws. Questions about hiring and firing practices and where precisely such authority lies. Questions about salary decisions and accountability for those who determine salaries.

I write you not out of frustration over the “changes” we’ve seen at Bellevue. Change can be a good thing—not necessarily for it’s own sake, but for a greater, agreed-upon end. No, I write out of concern for the system of checks and balances that is designed to keep our flesh in check. I fear that this system is in danger.

It has wisely been said, “A church should be pastor led, committee run, deacon served, and congregation approved.” I would offer no resistance to that. However, I fear that the last phrase has somehow been left off in recent months. Word swirls of members, both prominent and common, who are dissatisfied with policies being glossed over, truths being concealed, and dissenters being demonized, and those who express dismay being asked to leave the church. Needless to say, it is difficult for a congregation to legitimately approve anything when needful knowledge does not come to, or is withheld from, that congregation.

I write asking for three things: 1) Your opinion, biblically, of the way in which part of a congregation should proceed when it believes its leadership may be errant. 2) How you believe, again biblically, a church administration and deacon body should respond to congregants who ask for transparency, accountability, and real story behind so many whispered worries. 3) The specifics of the pastor’s ultimate vision for our precious church? I truly believe the church would be eager to change as long as we knew, and agreed on, the ultimate goal of such change. Unfortunately, right now we haven’t the faintest idea where we are headed, so any light you might be able shed would certainly not go unappreciated.

Thank you for serving our great church in such an important and visible position. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,

Josh Manning