Platt came to McLean in 2017, while he was still president of the Southern Baptist Conventions International Mission Board. David Platt, pastor of McLean Bible Church near Washington, D.C., and founder of Radical, a resource ministry that serves churches, preaches during the second session of the two-day 2019 Pastors' Conference held June 9-10 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. And so I think I simply put into words what many people were already sensing.. Of course, not. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Thanks so much. In the course, Platt fuses Christian teachings with the worldview assumptions of Critical Race Theory. Platt was forced to defend himself in 2019, when then-President Donald Trump showed up on a Sunday morning at McLean Bible with little notice and asked Platt to pray for him. Things began to change. The church approved a 2021 budget slashing $2.5 million from what it budgeted in 2020. The heart of the complaint really comes down to truth, transparency, and a free, open, and uncoerced process, said plaintiffs attorney Rick Boyer. Plaintiffs hope that a court will declare Sundays election void and require the church to hold a new election. And depending on how the provisional ballots were adjudicated, those elder nominees got either just below or just above the 75% threshold. Which enabled a small group, just to put it in perspective, less than seven percent of our current membership on Wednesday night, including some people who we know are not actually members, less than seven percent kept elders from being overwhelmingly affirmed by our church family for the first time in our history.. So here I am, piecing together a years-long scandal for you. It does not store any personal data. 'At the end . NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to journalist and pastor David Roach about an ideological rift at a Washington, D.C.-area church that highlights similar divisions in evangelical groups across the U.S. We have a story now of divisions within a single church that suggest wider divisions in many churches. The podcast is two hours on the use of Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality at the MLK50 Conference and the T4G Conference sermon by David Platt. COVID-19, Frazer said, has made that rule unenforceable. For Ravi Zacharias, it was the fact that he was having a sexting affair.For Mark Driscoll's latest shenanigans, it was Mars Hill, and before that falling out there were several ignored reports about his leadership.James MacDonald is remarkably similar to Mark Driscoll, with his fall from Harvest Bible Church in . Despite its elite membership, McLean has long been a conservative theological church populated by politically conservative evangelicals. From 1980-2017, I had the honor of serving as the Senior Pastor of McLean Bible Church (MBC) in McLean, VA., in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. When Platt began preaching at McLean, the church was identified as an SBC church in press accounts. That is not acceptable for the Body of Jesus Christ. with Max McLean: C.S. 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. Save McLean Bible Church. Platts teaching explains that some people (no doubt an oppressed racial group) can better see sin than those people part of a larger group of people guilty of racism.. INSKEEP: David Roach is pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Saraland, Ala., and also writes for Christianity Today. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. This letter urged Platt and the current elders to reject the Woke path. And then even within the Southern Baptist Convention more broadly, there is a group called the Conservative Baptist Network that has charged some convention leaders with advocating critical race theory and downplaying the Bible's sufficiency. But he argued that Virginia law does require churches to follow rules outlined in their constitutions. The conservative voice and Christian content are being silenced more and more. He also warned against letting tensions swell. degree in chemistry (1971) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Th.M. Even before Dr. Bauchams book, other Christians were critiquing the David Platts Social Justice sermon. Critics say the churchs leadership has become woke and has substituted critical race theory and social justice for biblical teaching. SBC Elites cite distinguished lawyer and Southern Baptist Matthew Martens; however, Martens has written persuasively, Supporters of a constitutional amendment to ban women pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), New intel points to Covid origin in a lab leak, remember when this was a, NAMB PR VP Mike Ebert emerges as key witness in McRaney v. NAMB What will, David Platt explodes at McLean Bible Church, plays the race card, the man responsible for dividing McLean Bible Church by teaching Critical Race Theory, It couldnt be that David Platts Woke rhetoric has driven about 40% of church members to attend church in other non-Woke evangelical churches in that part of Virginia, Ed Litton Plagiarism Scandal: A Sermongate Timeline, Baptist professor strongly suspects former SBC President J.D. And he said that there was a group that was trying to take over the church. And there really were some wild conspiracy theories that came out of that. On Friday, a Fairfax County, Virginia, judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by dissident members of McLean Bible Church who sought to overturn the results of an election for church leaders, known as elders. A dispute over critical race theory which describes how systemic racism affects society was one of the major topics of discussion at the recent SBC annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. When I first came to faith in Christ in 1971, as a Jewish college student, I never imagined that the Lord would lead me to pastor a church. The budget has been cut to $4 million less than in 2019. The Washington-area megachurch led by best-selling author David Platt has affirmed three new eldersbut only after a public tussle over politics, race, and alleged liberal drift, plus a lawsuit filed by dissenters. This past spring, hoping to resolve the dispute, McLean leaders decided to discard the results of the July 2021 elder election. However, that is not the only vote of no confidence in David Platts Social Justice Gospel. Sign up for our newsletter: So they scheduled that vote for Sunday, July the 18. A year later, Platt and African American McLean pastor Mike Kelsey participated in a Christian march following the death of George Floyd, which was construed by some as support for the Black Lives Matter organization. All rights reserved. Lon Solomon the legendary pastor of McLean Bible Church has not set foot in McLean for a worship service since becoming pastor emeritus. Attendance at the church was steady for most of the early period of the COVID pandemic; however, following the racism class and David Platts book on the voting, attendance began a precipitous decline. Both moves raised questions for some members. The largely conservative northern Virginia church across the Potomac from Washington had . If youre the church of Jesus Christ, thats really problematic.. See more. We urge you to sign upto receive our FREE need to read articles. At Bethlehem Baptist in Minneapolis, the successor to influential pastor John Piper resigned over the summer after ongoing internal conflicts in the church and a school Piper founded. (RNS) David Platt had a dream for the future of McLean Bible Church. 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. 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. In fact, Platt's sloppy moral reasoning was one point of controversy in a letter to leadership from five long-standing members of . One former McLean Bible Church member pointed out that Platts preaching is mostly informed by sociological approaches to race through works that Platt read and promoted like Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America. Something is wrong here,' he told Religion News Service in a 2013 interview. They cited Platts use of Woke resources as further proofPlatt required for his course on Race books likeDivided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America. The Saturday evening service fills one of the smaller sanctuaries at McLean Bible Church's new $90 million complex, which officially opens this weekend on 52 acres near Tysons Corner.At a Sunday . This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. So wherever possible, we want to work together to move forward together on mission even with our different perspectives.. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. 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. He claimed people were upset by efforts at racial reconciliation. (RNS) A yearlong legal battle over a contested election at a prominent Washington, D.C.-area church appears to be over for now. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. It couldnt be that David Platts Woke rhetoric has driven about 40% of church members to attend church in other non-Woke evangelical churches in that part of Virginia! Frazer said the confusion over McLeans relationship with the SBC and the election controversy reflect a bigger problem with the church. Meanwhile, leaders like Platt see the pushback as its own sort of coup and remain concerned about the influence of opposition fueled on social media and watchdog blogs. 12,882 were here. After graduating from the University of Georgia with two bachelor's degrees, he earned an MDiv, a ThM, and a PhD from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; he completed his education in his early 20s, becoming one of the youngest students, if not the youngest student, to ever earn a terminal degree at NOBTS. Until a chance encounter with my moms old Bible opened my eyes. Three new elders were approved by about 80% of active member votes. Platt has angered other members for maintaining the churchs reputed ties with the Southern Baptist Convention. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin). In fact, in a sermon around the time of the November 2020 Presidential Election, Platt dared conservatives to leave the church over his welcoming of those supporting pro-abortion candidates, i.e. It must be an unprecedented group of divisive liars and racists! Solomon pastored the church from 1980 until becoming pastor emeritus in September 2017. Current McLean leaders have denied that the church is a member of the SBC and posted a letter from the SBCs Executive Committee to support that claim. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. A drop of 39%. Platt, a bestselling author and speaker, recounted the churchs history in a sermon in the summer of 2019, about a year after he succeeded Solomon as pastor, in whichhe asked: What if our best days as a church are ahead of us, not behind us?. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. (UPDATED) Unusual decision draws scrutiny at one of largest Southern Baptist schools. June 27, 2022. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Apparently, amid the controversy with Calvinism that Lon and the elders initially rejected, they added that position statement on Calvinism. It was an exercise in eisegesis (p. 121). 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Explanation Videos. He also wrote an article equating support for President Trump and support for BLM as equally acceptable for a Christian.. McLean stated in a Q&A on its website that Kelseys son held a poster that read, Black Lives Matter to God.. The Capstone Report can reveal the photograph was only removed after repeated demands by members of the elder board. It sits in what can only be described as one of America's Elite areas. Following the first failed election, a second election was held in early July 2021, this one where members had to sign their ballots which critics said violated the church practice of using secret ballots. A series of controversies and the country's growing political polarization have caused a rift at McLean Bible Church, where former International Mission Board president and author David Platt is pastor. 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. : Democrats. All rights reserved. The July 18 vote has been surrounded by controversy, with some decrying what they saw as creeping liberalism within the church's . And the elder vote was the occasion to speak that. According to sources close to McLean Bible Church, Platt was told about this many times and seemed unconcerned about it, but finally complied with the demand to remove the divisive political photograph. Under Solomon, the congregation had been known as a holy destination for GOP senators and Bush aides. Tensions ramped up the past two years amid political turmoil in the DC area and nationwide. Over the last several years, weve watched David take the churchthe church we built, the church we love, the church weve poured are hearts and souls and lives intoand turned it into a political, stripped-down version of what it used to be, wrote former elder Mark Gottlieb, who is encouraging members of a group called Save McLean Bible Church to admit defeat and walk away after the July 18 vote. We're glad you're here! David Platt, who has been aligning himself and his church closer and closer to the Revoice "gay Christianity" movement over the last year or so, has been making headlines as he continues to partner . 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. Frazer said the confusion over McLean's relationship with the SBC and the election controversy reflect a bigger problem with the church. Instead of defending President Trumps visit, Platt seemed to apologize for publicly praying with Donald Trump. But at the same time, he wants to say that there is not one voting requirement for being a follower of Jesus Christ. 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. You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. He became pastor-teacher at McLean Bible . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Online posts on blogs, Facebook, and email charged Platt with pushing critical race theory, revising biblical teaching on sexuality, and aligning with the SBC despite McLeans constitutional prohibition of affiliating with any denomination. Assume this is true for a moment, wouldnt that make someone pause and ask what is going on here? We hope you'll consider joining us on Sunday for a worship gathering. CBN-backed candidate Mike Stone received 48 percent of the vote in last months SBC presidential election, finishing second to Alabama pastor Ed Litton. We want MBC to be a place where people with all kinds of convictions on matters of conscience can thrive, the Q&A stated. The plaintiffs also claim a follow-up election at the church this weekend violated the churchs constitution. Platt said the dissident group claimed it was using the elder vote as part of a constitutional process to retake control of the church. Platt knows many McLean members including former church leaders opposed his teachings that appeared to be causing racial divisions by the promotion of Critical Race Theory. He is pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Saraland, Ala., and he also writes for Christianity Today, which is how he came to report on McLean Bible Church. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. We will not apologize for our increasing diversity or our commitment to humbly address racial issues from Gods Word as we unite together on a glorious mission to proclaim this good Word and our great God in a city where five million-plus men, women, boys, and girls are on a road that leads to an eternal hell and need the good news of Gods love for them, he said. At the congregational meeting on 12/9/20, David strongly disavowed Critical Race Theory. Similar to Naples, McLean Bible Church recently held a vote to confirm three elders the first vote failed. Those dissident members argued that church leaders, including senior pastor David Platt, a best-selling author, had violated the churchs constitution. Rumors had begun to circulate around the church that Platt and other leaders planned to sell a church building to a local Muslim congregation for a mosque. Congregants dance and pray with the church band before Pastor Andy Wood gives a sermon on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. Stacie Wood, the woman pastor at the . Welcome to the Arlington location of McLean Bible Church. In response, Platt accused his critics in a sermon of spreading disinformation and stuffing the ballot box with votes from former members and inactive church members. She added that she is not familiar with the specific policies and procedures at McLean. Platt later posted a letter on the churchs website, since removed, and on social media, saying that his decision to pray for the president had angered some church members. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Rick Boyer, attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said his clients plan to appeal. Any church member on McLeans inactive list was given a provisional ballot. During a sermon on July 4, David Platt very intentionally addressed some of those concerns. So those are some of the manifestations that show this is a larger discussion among evangelicals. Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. Those inclined toward CSJ found it inspiring. We're glad to hear from you. Earlier this year, McLean Bible Church released a draft for a discipleship resource designed for church members and leaders which is basically a baptized version of Critical Race Theory which obfuscates the issues of racism and individual sin.. He told Religion News Service that the church believes it will prevail if there is an appeal. Platt made further allegations that people came from places as far away as Florida and Maine to vote. What happened? Lewis famously said, "Christianity, if . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 2-minute video satire of the present McLean Bible leadership through animating the graph above. McLean Bible Church, originally nondenominational, is a recent member of the Southern Baptist Convention. Platt was presented with multiple documents from many respected past and present McLean Bible Church members over the last two years that connected concerns about racial identity politics with proper biblical application. According to course documents provided to the Capstone Report, Injustice like we see in Scripture is evident in and around us today. However, Platts course provides no proof of this assertion but launches into the typical CRT-inspired list of supposed American wrongs including things like discrimination, persecution, prejudicial creation and execution of laws, crises of excessive crime and incarceration, corruption in leaders, suppression of the marginalized, and oppression of the poor.. This fact was pointed out to the current McLean Elders in a document that warned against the syncretism currently shaping Platts approach to social justice. 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. That comes with attendance issues and budget cuts. Many of its members come from the top ranks of government, media, and business. DAVID ROACH: It is a megachurch in the Washington, D.C., area. No current McLean elders signed the document. Platt taught the course to about 1,000 church members. The church in question is a prominent one, McLean Bible Church, where many Washington Republicans worship. Financial needs: If you would like to request help with . The suit is pending despite the announced vote outcome. Church leaders and advocates in Illinois and beyond see this case as a chance for the 12-year-old denomination to establish better practices for preventing abuse and to care well for survivors. At the time he was the youngest megachurch pastor in the United States. We glorify God by making disciples and multiplying churches among all nations beginning in greater. Some of you may remember him as the guy Jerry Falwell Jr. told to "grow a pair." Platt is now in the middle of a controversy over "wokeness" at the church. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. (RNS) David Platt had a dream for the future of McLean Bible Church. McLean Bible Church (MBC) was started in the Metro Washington, DC area in 1961 as a non-denominational church. However, this is a lie. The weeks between the two votes were tumultuous. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. There is some resistance from what some would consider the old guard in evangelical circles to younger guys accused of being soft on doctrine in an effort to reach a more diverse audience, Hannaford said. THE EARLY YEARS McLean Bible Church was founded in 1961 by five families in Northern Virginia. One former Mclean member said, He (Platt) gave a sermon that essentially said, If you cant unite with us find a new church. So, people did., SBC Elites cite distinguished lawyer and Southern Baptist Matthew Martens; however, Martens has written persuasively, Supporters of a constitutional amendment to ban women pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), New intel points to Covid origin in a lab leak, remember when this was a, NAMB PR VP Mike Ebert emerges as key witness in McRaney v. NAMB What will, David Platt is harming McLean Bible Church with Woke Social Justice Theology, David Platt turned a blind eye to his staff marching in a Black Lives Matter (BLM) event in Washington, DC, Platt seemed to apologize for publicly praying with Donald Trump, One of the churchs pastors expressed outrage over it, Platts own book legitimizing Christians who vote for Pro-Abortion Democrats, Dr. James White dissected David Platts errors in a podcast examining that T4G sermon, Solomon signed the Dallas Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel, ERLC, Russell Moore raise questions about trusting the trustees, ANOTHER: Georgia Baptist chief says Russell Moore lied, SBC Elites defend credibly accused standard to ruin lives, Bart Barber flipflops on pledge to bring vote to ban Women Pastors in SBC, Evangelical Elites lied you to about the origins of Covid, Woke SBC Elites Delete History To Hide Their Schemes. Greear of plagiarism, SBC Elites defend credibly accused standard to ruin lives, Bart Barber flipflops on pledge to bring vote to ban Women Pastors in SBC, Evangelical Elites lied you to about the origins of Covid, Woke SBC Elites Delete History To Hide Their Schemes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. But there were some who were concerned about the direction of the church, and they made that elder election an occasion to speak out against the leadership and direction generally. Dr. Voddie Baucham specifically highlighted David Platts 2018 sermon at the T4G Conference as Woke. He - I've heard him preach on abortion and religious liberty and traditional marriage. In May 2021 following the Social Justice push and Platts book on politics, McLean Bible Church reported average attendance of about 7,300. View article . It is unclear whether McLean Bible Church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention or an independent congregation. McLean Bible Church is one of the most influential churches in the United States. He became a teaching pastor in 2017 and left the presidency of the SBCs International Mission Board to dedicate his ministry to McLean the following year. ROACH: Thank you, Steve. 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. The letter describes McLean as a partner with the SBC but not affiliated denominationally with the SBC.. Back at McLean, Platt and his fellow elders are urging the church in that direction. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The July 18 vote has been surrounded by controversy, with some decrying what they saw as creeping liberalism within the church's leadership. One of the churchs pastors expressed outrage over it. #302 Falls Church, VA 22042 866-788-7770 It took repeated requests from a few conservative Elders to take down Facebook photos of staff holding BLM signs. These leaders were also worried about Mike Kelseys promotion of the Black Lives Matter movement on social media. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Solomon signed the Dallas Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel. A follow-up election held this past Sunday was held under new rules. That follows the 2020 budget being about $1.5 million below the 2019 budget, according to a member of McLean Bible Church. Chuck Hannaford, a Memphis clinical psychologist who has helped churches mediate conflicts for 30 years, said McLeans troubles are the latest iteration of a broader conflict between younger Reformed Christians and older generations of white evangelicals. 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. Further he made the absolute statement that nobody on MBC staff supports Black Lives Matter. 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. He was senior pastor at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, from 2006 to 2014. Pastor David Platt, left, prays for President Donald Trump at McLean Bible Church, in Vienna, Virginia, on June 2, 2019. With many active members participating in services online, especially those, like Frazer, who are not vaccinated, there is no way to tell who is attending. INSKEEP: This, according to your reporting, seems to have surfaced as a conflict in a way that wasn't directly about the pastor but a kind of church election. As if those sources of information are anywhere close to the authority of this Word.. Welcome to McLean Bible Church in the final rundown to Sunday's surprisingly contentious vote on new elders. David Platt, the President of our International Mission Board, recently became the preaching pastor at the Mclean Bible Church, a megachurch in the DC area. Let us know how we can help, and we'll direct your inquiry to the right person. 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. Why does church leadership refuse to answer question. Viewarticle. Net Worth in 2023: $2 million. It never goes away on its own.. 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. Platt doubles down on his Woke Social Justice agenda. 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. His emphasis on incorrect definitions of justice caused widespread criticism among McLean members.

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