Saturday, February 7, 2009
C.J Mahaney on Phelps
As many of you know Michael Phelps was spotted smoking a bong last week. Here are Mahaney's (a former drug enthusiast) helpful thoughts on the matter.
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4 comments:
Have you seen the following blogs about C.J. Mahaney and the group he leads called Sovereign Grace Ministries:
www.sgmsurvivors.com
www.sgmrefuge.com
They share another side of what is going on in this group.
Steve,
I must admit that I am not very intimate with SGM, but having taken a look at the blogs you posted I have to say that they sound rather bitter and harsh. Even if SGM is doing as poor a job as these blogs claim, the lack of grace evident in these blogs seems to undermine the validity of the complaints. As a pastor I know how easy it is for people to criticize without having a good understanding of all the issues. Pastors often have to risk looking bad in order to do what is best for their flock. These blogs sound like the typical frustrations of critical sheep. If you happen to have some critiques of SGM, you would better spend your time humbly and patiently seeking reconciliation, or to simply back away and pray for the leadership. Causing division in the body of Christ is a serious matter. What do you think?
Danny
I certainly don't see the "bitter and harsh" that you claim exist in the blogs I cited and your using that as a means to discredit them. Certainly a number of the people have been hurt by Sovereign Grace Ministries and with that being the case I am sure their hurt will show in various ways.
I think you need to read the blogs a little more before you dismiss the concerns being brought up.
I am not sure I would use the term "poor job." Controlling and abusive at times are a lot of what is being reported.
People have tried reconciliation with SGM leadership and mostly to no avail. Usually what happens is SGM leadership tries to turn the tables and claim those who bring up issues have bad attitudes sinful hearts etc. without the leaders even considering what the bruised sheep have said.
It is unfortunate that these blogs have to do what they are doing but sometimes this necessary.
Steve,
Appreciate your response. Let me clarify a bit more what I meant. First, I don't want to suggest that wrong has not been done by SGM leadership. I really don't know the facts of all lot of these issues. Most of the blogs are written by people quite intimate with workings of SGM. I just don't have that kind of knowledge, so I don't feel at all capable of passing any kind of judgement. SGM is full of sinners just like every other ministry, and that includes leadership. So the fact that some leaders may abuse their power does not surprise me. I doubt that there is no truth in the criticisms offered in these sites. Where there is smoke; there usually is some fire.
Having said that, though, there is clear and obvious bitterness. Just read the comments. They are full of sarcastic, unkind remarks that would probably never be said in person to any of the individuals they are directed at. It is not surprising. If people were genuinely hurt, then they are going to be bitter. It is only through constant battle and immersion into the grace of Christ that can keep anyone from growing bitter. But being hurt is never an excuse to belittle others.
This brings me to final comment. I cautiously have to question the integrity of such sites as these. They are literally sites dedicated to complaining about SGM. I'm not sure how Christ is honored, glorified, loved, and adored by such endeavors. They can easily descend into rumor factories that deepen bitterness and anger rather than fight it. By humbly and graciously seeking reconciliation I mean doing even if it is rebuffed, and continue doing it without ever giving up. That is what Christ has done for us. The tactics of publicly questioning the motives, intentions, and heart of leadership ought to be off limits, it seems to me.
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