July 20, 2021. People who were actively serving at other churches.. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit echo Frazers concerns, saying that the ballots used by the church violated McLeans constitution. I know that many churches across America have faced and are facing similar challenges during these days, and it is vitally important that we move past division and live out John 13:35, demonstrating love for one another and love for a world in need of Jesus, Platt said in a statement Monday. At a June 30 meeting, nominees Chuck Hollingsworth, Jim Burris, and Ken Tucker had failed to receive a clear 75 percent majority, the margin required for elder election. NO VIDEOS! Church members were required to show identification, and ballots were labeled with members names. When qualified elders do not oversee the hiring of pastoral staff, we endanger the flock to the possibility of those who bring wrong assumptions/beliefs on critical issues to our congregation and pulpit, the five leaders warned. On June 30, 2021, McLean Bible Church (MBC) in Vienna, Virginia, held a members meeting to affirm three new elders via vote.MBC is pastored by former Southern Baptist's International Mission Board (IMB) president and bestselling author David Platt. James MacDonald founded Harvest Bible Chapel in 1988. Longtime member Bill Frazer, 69, believes Sundays election violated the churchs constitution, which states that any member who misses services eight weeks in a row can be designated as inactive. 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. College Park Church in Indianapolis was accused in a blog post this spring of caving to ever-increasing social justice infiltration. Dallas pastor Matt Chandler and former SBC president J. D. Greear both have been accused of being woke, and the SBCs emerging Conservative Baptist Network (CBN) has charged some convention leaders with advocating critical race theory and downplaying the Bibles sufficiency. Allegations that leaders were seeking to join the SBC in violation of the churchs constitution led McLean to suspend all contributions to SBC causes this month. I want you to listen closely to the words I am about to say, he said in his sermon the following Sunday. In May 2021 following the Social Justice push and Platts book on politics, McLean Bible Church reported average attendance of about 7,300. 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. He became pastor-teacher at McLean Bible . They gave out some provisional ballots. Elevation Church was founded by Furtick in 2006 with just fourteen members. 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. Lon Solomon made one statement in opposition to the Social Justice heresy. The constitution of the church requires a 75% threshold. 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. espaol. In that election, the elders were approved, which led dissident members to file a suit. Lon Solomon Ministries 8116 Arlington Blvd. It is no secret that David Platt promotes Social Justice causes. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. In September 2017, Platt was confirmed into the role of teaching pastor of McLean Bible Church (MBC) by a 95 percent approval vote from the congregational members. And depending on how the provisional ballots were adjudicated, those elder nominees got either just below or just above the 75% threshold. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Viewarticle. Platt, the author of Radical, is known for his passionate call to evangelism, missions, and Scripture. for less than $4.25/month. It does not store any personal data. 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. Pastor David Platt preaches at McLean Bible Church, July 11, 2021, in Vienna, Virginia. 'At the end . Under founding pastor Lon Solomon, McLean launched a church planting partnership with the SBCs North American Mission Board in 2016 while remaining nondenominational. It must be an unprecedented group of divisive liars and racists! The largely conservative northern Virginia church across the Potomac from Washington had . Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. Frank gives an insightful answer to this question and analyzes the recent controversy that started when members of a gym said a special workout in support of "Pride Week" was canceled by gym owners that led to an executive at CrossFit was fired for a tweet on his personal account. Are the budget cuts and declining attendance a message that Platts Social Justice Theology is unpopular with churchgoers? The church in question is a prominent one, McLean Bible Church, where many Washington Republicans worship. Six people are part of the lawsuit, including both members and former members. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The church leadership was forced to embrace the Woke Social Justice rhetoric. But a series of controversies and the countrys growing political polarization have turned Platts dream into a nightmare. Yet, even before this course, some noticed David Platts trajectory away from the Bible and into the Woke error. Platt and other church leaders declined to respond to specific questions about the lawsuit and disputed church election. According to former members and staff, these former elders have left MBC for what reasons, no one will say: Jim Battle, Mark Gotlieb, Craig Proulx, Jimmy Mitchell, John Baber, and Lon Solomon. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This year, the church had an election of three church elders, which would normally be a sleepy affair. If you *really* care about gospel unity, racial reconciliation, and the least of these, do better.. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. And then there was some question as to who is eligible to vote as a McLean member and who is not. As Solomon transitioned from leadership following a 37-year pastorate, McLean made major budget changes, scaling back the percentage of income spent on personnel and incentivizing staff departures. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. RELATED: David Platt interview: A summons to lose your life. 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.. The heart of the complaint really comes down to truth, transparency, and a free, open, and uncoerced process, said plaintiffs attorney Rick Boyer. The suburban DC megachurchs recent scuffle over race and politics is symptomatic of a broader evangelical rift. Attendance is down about 40-percent year-over-year. Video screengrab via MBC. Putting it off is only going to make it worse. At the congregational meeting on 12/9/20, David strongly disavowed Critical Race Theory. RELATED: David Platts dreams for McLean Bible Church sour as members file lawsuit over elder vote. Boyer said courts are often reluctant to get involved in church disputes. COVID-19 also played a role. Yes, the typical political ploy used by Democrats in every election cycle has now entered Evangelical megachurches. McLean Bible Church, originally nondenominational, is a recent member of the Southern Baptist Convention. From 2014 to 2017, Platt was president of the International Mission Board. And the church has not regularly tracked individual attendance for years, he added. Sal Cordova (church member &. In response, Platt has claimed that the church is trying to fight off a hostile takeover and that Satan is trying to divide the church. Platt said the dissident group claimed it was using the elder vote as part of a constitutional process to retake control of the church. The election came amid simmering unrest at the church, where political polarization in the wider culture seeped into the congregation the larger woke war in the evangelical world. 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. 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. 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. 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. Many Christians look at the Bible and then look at the picture of American Christianity around them and think, This doesnt add up. Lon Solomon was born and raised in a Jewish home in Portsmouth, Virginia.. Solomon earned a B.S. Further, much CRT terminology continues to be used at MBC, the concerned leaders told Platt. But threatening McLean now is a group that has spread all kinds of rumors, Platt said. Lon Solomon is American evangelical Christian pastor and the founder of Lon Solomon Ministries, a non-profit ministry.. OK, so a local megachurch is having a catfight. Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors, Mormonisms slow shift away from demonizing working mothers, Faith leaders urge Biden to sign executive order for reparations study by Juneteenth, For many congregations, wiping out medical debt has become a popular calling, Woke Wars infiltrate Christian colleges, prof under fire for racial justice unit, Professor Joeckel on why his contract, teachings on racial justice are under review, Hamline University retracts Islamophobia charge as instructor sues, Vineyard USA founders widow, board members sue breakaway Anaheim pastors, alleging fraud. Platt has angered other members for maintaining the churchs reputed ties with the Southern Baptist Convention. ROACH: Yes, that's exactly right. McLean Bible Church is one of the most influential churches in the United States. 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. 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. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. #302 Falls Church, VA 22042 866-788-7770 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. The churchs constitution describes it as an independent church that shall not, and cannot, be affiliated with any denomination. But in 2016, under Solomon, the church began to give money to SBC church planting programs and it has donated about $100,000 a year as a cooperating church. If youre the Red Cross, thats problematic. March 18th, 2018. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. It was then that David Platt was named Teaching Pastor. Join us to see why God's family is no ordinary family. 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. However, this is a lie. Michael Kelsey rebuked people offended that some were upset at praying for the President of the United States. Pastor David Platt, left, prays for President Donald Trump at McLean Bible Church, in Vienna, Virginia, on June 2, 2019. 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.. 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.. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Because of its proximity to Washington, D.C., many government officials, Capitol Hill staffers, and thought leaders are members. 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. 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. Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors, Mormonisms slow shift away from demonizing working mothers, Faith leaders urge Biden to sign executive order for reparations study by Juneteenth, For many congregations, wiping out medical debt has become a popular calling, Woke Wars infiltrate Christian colleges, prof under fire for racial justice unit, Southern Baptists oust Rick Warrens Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor, Professor Joeckel on why his contract, teachings on racial justice are under review, Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. We heard about people driving in from Florida to Maine. There were some who expressed the thought that David Platt and the other leaders were soft on issues like abortion and sexuality. . AD FREE! The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. We're glad to hear from you. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT. Evangelical Seminary Explains Why It Enrolled First Muslim Student, I Was the Proverbial, Drug-Fueled Rock and Roller, Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Beautiful Mystery of Gods Silence. 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. He also wrote an article equating support for President Trump and support for BLM as equally acceptable for a Christian.. However, Solomon cannot state his opinions publicly because of a separation agreement he signed with the church. Platt and other leaders, they say, have abused their power by violating the churchs constitution. The churchs constitution requires that new elders receive 75% approval and for the first time in McLeans history, a new group of elders failed to reach that margin. (RNS) A yearlong legal battle over a contested election at a prominent Washington, D.C.-area church appears to be over for now. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. (RNS) David Platt had a dream for the future of McLean Bible Church. 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. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. In the course, Platt fuses Christian teachings with the worldview assumptions of Critical Race Theory. They have several campuses. He was senior pastor at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, from 2006 to 2014. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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.