April 7th 2009 "jim" wrote:
"The situation at CLC is an abomination. The pastors influence over the wife apparently did not include an encouragement to keep this quiet. She let the genie out of the bottle to the extent that the details have made it to my inbox.
Gentlemen, when all is said and done in this case, I’m going to make you famous.
I promise."
I may be reading this wrong, and Jim, please chime in if I am, this sounds like a threat. Are the gentlemen that you refer to anyone in leadership in SG? "I'm going to make you famous"? Really Jim?! Do you think you are in an espionage war or something? Do you think you are Jack Bauer with some damning evidence in your "inbox" that you can use to leverage a response from CJ? Will you resort to breaking into CJ's office, use a knife under his eyeball to get him to "talk"?
Are. You. Serious?
You take many liberties with your perceived knowledge my friend. How's your investigation going? Is the reformed "big dog" ready to march into CJ's office with your large manila envelope of offensive documentation and demand that CJ be "relieved of command"? I've been waiting to hear news of this "bombshell" but have only heard good reports and good things about SGM.
A brief aside. I remember the first time I saw a picture of you and noted that you have a remarkable resemblance to the Hughes Family. Then I read your comment about wanting the comments to stay away from Bob Hughes saying, "Not everything is meant for the Internet." This stopped me in my tracks. It was a notable change in your M.O. of "Everything damming SGM belongs on the Internet." Are you related to the Hughes or do you know Bob personally? This sudden switch in your personality was very intriguing. Could you elaborate possibly?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Really.
ReplyDeleteIt's what I do. I guess your Jack Bauer thing was another attempt at humor, as I can't figure out what it has to so with my statement.
When I publish pages of court documents, the men involved will be exposed. Famous is a relative term-their names and actions will be known to more people than sgm has members. Maybe semi-famous. I'm doing them a favor in warning them that if they continue their current course of action, it will not remain in the dark. These are helpful reminders, as SGM has operated without the benefit of public scrutiny for years.
The fact remains that exposure from the blogs has already brought about change in the way SGM does things. Ask your pastor what the topics discussed at the last pastors conference were. Four issues, all brought to light on the blogs.
You're welcome.
I'm not related to the Hughes family. I wouldn't know them if we bumped in to each other.
I'm told that your stiking resemblance comment was not a complement, but that you were actually slamming the Hughes family appearance. Nice.
My Pastor could care less about what your blogs say. He's told many that we won't live in fear of what others may say about us, in person or online. That's called fear of man. And quite frankly you aint got nothing on us. The topics preached at our church have never been on your blogs. See we preach from the Bible. Not our feelings.
ReplyDeleteMy Jack Bauer reference was alluding to your Jean Valjean-like dogged pursuit of recording SGM's "infractions" and threatening to expose them and tear down their reputation. You view SG as a terrorist cell who needs to be ripped apart. Your actions and your words sound like someone who's been burned. Not like someone who gives a rip.
Whoever told you my resemblance comment was a slam against the Hughes family appearance is an idiot. Your profile picture actually does resemble some of the Hughes'. I know the family very well and was not in anyway smearing them. You paradoxically ended the conjectures and smears of there family name on some blog somewhere.... This was interesting in light of what you just commented.
You are an enigma Jim. I must ask. Were you ever a Pastor in SG?
I was not a pastor. I was a cgl and a staff member for two years-"the counseling guy".
ReplyDeleteI'll tell the SGM regional team leader that he's an idiot on your behalf. I have no idea what they look like, nor do I know anything about them.
Someone I trust was concerned where the Hughes conversation would go, being fond of the family, so I asked our guests to change the subject.
You know something you might consider? You might want to call me on the phone, since I'm obviously willing to talk to you. My number is on our "about" page.
Satirist,
ReplyDeleteI have been wondering how these conversations and blogs should be viewed in light of Jesus teaching regarding our words: "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:36,37). In giving thought to what the Bible would say about how blogs and general communication should be used, this verse surfaced to mind, and I can't help but wonder at it's application in these situations. Any thoughts or reflections on this?
Jim, why do you continue to talk to me? I'm being real here. Lets cut the crap and put our differences aside. Obviously you have no reason to trust me or listen to what I have to say. Succinctly put: what you are doing is, I think, a good thing, how you are doing it has the appearance of being wrong.
ReplyDeleteWe both can agree that Sovereign Grace Ministries has things that it needs to change. But can we not find a way to BE that change together? We don't need pastoral approval to live Biblically. Scott, thank you for your gentle prodding there, yes you are right. Both this blog and others are awash in careless talk. Jim, instead of trying to uproot and expose issues and problems you see in SGM, couldn't we work on them? I'm quite sure I'm biased but trying to help someone else with their problems and issues looks a lot like helping a speck out of a brothers eye while having a plank in one's own. I've done this many times! I can easily look over at SGMrefuge and SGMsurvivor and point out the wrong and sin over there all the while failing to see my own heart.
Jim, you and I and others don't need to battle this out. We really don't. If we do, then we all misssed the point. I'm a sinner. I screw up. As do you. As do we all.
Stacking ourselves up against each other over differences of opinion and holding onto past wrongs must really put a smile on the devils face.
Where should we go from here Jim, you and I? Are our differences of perspective too great to agree? Is there a way of proceeding here that includes a ceasing of SGM wrongs recording? Is there a way that we can either work together to promote the needed change without the secret meetings, conspiracy, and careless blogging, or at the very least go our separate ways.
Jim if you have a heart for SGM, come back to a SG church and live your life as the Lord calls you to and be the change you wish to promote. If the differences are irreconciliable and you don't wish to ever be a part of SGM church ever again, might we just leave things alone?
If God has honestly put SGM this strongly on your heart as it appears He has, then lets build together. Not underut and tear down. Let us both be concerned with our own sanctification over others. Let us both consider the other better than ourselves.
I continue to talk to you because you are asking me questions. Seems sort of normal to me.
ReplyDeleteI have no desire to have a battle with you, or with SGM.
If SGM was interested in dialog, there would be no refuge blog.
I'll leave things alone when I completely lose interest, which could happen, or when sgm pastors stop abusing their authority.
There is Biblical precedent for what I'm doing. There is no Biblical precedent for "the SGM way".
I understand you love the assembly you attend. That's a good thing. Anger directed towards me is a normal response, even if clothed in satire.
The deal is, you're smart enough to compare SGM's view of pastoral authority with Scripture.
That's really all I'm asking people to do.
It may be too early to sing "ding dong the blogs are dead", but have you noticed that there are now only maybe 2 or 3 comments per day on sgmrefuge and sgmsurvivors? Some days last winter there were more than 20 times that many. Kris and Jim now maybe write a paragraph every other week rehashing old material. Both are tired.
ReplyDeleteYet, my Sovereign Grace Church had a nearly full auditorium with much joyful participation last Sunday. I think it is clear who is winning...
Your observations are correct, except it's not about winning or losing. SGM is not in competition with any blogs.
ReplyDeleteSGM is about fulfilling the mission God has called them to. They have done this and will continue to do so by God's grace, as the gospel is preached and the grace of God is lived out according to His word among unbelievers. We are not perfect, but changes have and will continue to take place.