As a survivor of sexual violence/institutional abuse in vineyard who really tried to speak out, I’m so thankful for Brian. If I may offer the slightest reframe — as victims and survivors of sexual assault in vineyard spaces, we aren’t voiceless, they just won’t listen to us. Brian amplifies our voices and advocates for us which I couldn’t be more grateful for.
No need to apologize, Brian. What needs to be said, needs to be said until what needs to be said is received by those who need to hear or by those who are missing the point spoken by anyone in authority who is deflecting from the point of what needs to be said and heard.
Outstanding! Whole books are written on “not touching God’s annointed” or some twisted perspective on Matthew. Jesus consistently teaches the fallacy of “ being in charge” and confronts the manipulation of Gods word and our sinful desires for power.
Amen! It's a collection of dozens of works about humanity's experience of the divine written over the course of several millennia, starting long before Christ, from a wide array of authors with often conflicting perceptions of God. Proper for teaching in righteousness? Sure, everything inspired by God is. But everything written by human hands still has the fallibility of humanity, and if you want to know what God wants of you, you need to look up from your books.
Have you ever seen the movie Priest (1994)? It's the most powerful representation I've ever seen of the tension between extending Christ's mercy to the worst of sinners and protecting the victims of those sinners. It's not an easy conflict to resolve, there are no good answers, and if there's any issue where we need to listen for the patient and kind voice of the Living God who knows your exact circumstances and can guide you through them, it is this.
They don't want to hear the truth. Thank you for continuing to speak the truth. Brian-I'm not sorry you are saying it again. Say it again and again. Our daughters deserve the truth to be said again and again until something changes.
You’re absolutely right that Matthew 18 has been misused to silence/cover up egregious abuses in the church. You also nailed the irony of a Vineyard leader appealing to fundamentalist hermeneutics utterly devoid of cultural context… how very SBC of him. Echoing what others have commented, thanks for speaking up to protect and defend those who have been crushed by mishandling of Matthew 18.
It might be of note that Jay never went to seminary. He went to VLI. He doesn't get contextual issues nor historical situational influences on interpretation.
Thanks for speaking out for the voiceless, Brian. This matters.
As a survivor of sexual violence/institutional abuse in vineyard who really tried to speak out, I’m so thankful for Brian. If I may offer the slightest reframe — as victims and survivors of sexual assault in vineyard spaces, we aren’t voiceless, they just won’t listen to us. Brian amplifies our voices and advocates for us which I couldn’t be more grateful for.
No need to apologize, Brian. What needs to be said, needs to be said until what needs to be said is received by those who need to hear or by those who are missing the point spoken by anyone in authority who is deflecting from the point of what needs to be said and heard.
Outstanding! Whole books are written on “not touching God’s annointed” or some twisted perspective on Matthew. Jesus consistently teaches the fallacy of “ being in charge” and confronts the manipulation of Gods word and our sinful desires for power.
"...the Bible is a decidedly non-Christian work"
Amen! It's a collection of dozens of works about humanity's experience of the divine written over the course of several millennia, starting long before Christ, from a wide array of authors with often conflicting perceptions of God. Proper for teaching in righteousness? Sure, everything inspired by God is. But everything written by human hands still has the fallibility of humanity, and if you want to know what God wants of you, you need to look up from your books.
Have you ever seen the movie Priest (1994)? It's the most powerful representation I've ever seen of the tension between extending Christ's mercy to the worst of sinners and protecting the victims of those sinners. It's not an easy conflict to resolve, there are no good answers, and if there's any issue where we need to listen for the patient and kind voice of the Living God who knows your exact circumstances and can guide you through them, it is this.
They don't want to hear the truth. Thank you for continuing to speak the truth. Brian-I'm not sorry you are saying it again. Say it again and again. Our daughters deserve the truth to be said again and again until something changes.
Scot McKnight was a great listen. Thank you for standing up for what is Right! You are a better person for that! Sad that it makes you a target!
You’re absolutely right that Matthew 18 has been misused to silence/cover up egregious abuses in the church. You also nailed the irony of a Vineyard leader appealing to fundamentalist hermeneutics utterly devoid of cultural context… how very SBC of him. Echoing what others have commented, thanks for speaking up to protect and defend those who have been crushed by mishandling of Matthew 18.
It might be of note that Jay never went to seminary. He went to VLI. He doesn't get contextual issues nor historical situational influences on interpretation.