This internal document was a response to Platts promotion of The Gospel, the Church, Justice and Racism whitepaper. CRN offers a lifeline to conservative people of faith. It's little outside of Washington, D.C., in Virginia. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Why is that? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". After a year of litigation, the outcome of a contentious election at a renowned church in the Washington, D.C. region appeared to have been settled. Francis Chan, Evangelical Pastor, Faces Backlash After Preaching on the 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. Critics say the Virginia church's leadership has . When longtime leaders and perhaps thousands of members are abandoning the church, what is the lesson David Platt draws? Welcome to the Arlington location of McLean Bible Church. That is not acceptable for the Body of Jesus Christ. McLean Bible Church is one of the largest and most influential churches in the nation. All rights reserved. In May 2021 following the Social Justice push and Platts book on politics, McLean Bible Church reported average attendance of about 7,300. She added that she is not familiar with the specific policies and procedures at McLean. Things began to change. David Platt and McLean Bible Church Elders Sued After - ChurchLeaders These leaders were also worried about Mike Kelseys promotion of the Black Lives Matter movement on social media. Also, there are close ties to the SBC since the NAMB . That speaks volumes about the problems in the McLean leadership team and specifically David Platt. And he said that there was a group that was trying to take over the church. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Yet, even before this course, some noticed David Platts trajectory away from the Bible and into the Woke error. So wherever possible, we want to work together to move forward together on mission even with our different perspectives.. 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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.. And it would appear that the vast majority of the church sided with Platt and the other leaders by their support of those elders. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Why is David Platt undermining elections? No Celebrities Except Jesus: How Asbury Protected the Revival, After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, The Kings College Faces Threat of Closure, Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church, left the presidency of the SBCs International Mission Board, With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal. Critics say the Virginia churchs leadership has become woke and has substituted critical race theory and social justice for biblical teaching. Platt's McLean Bible Church Hit With Attempted - News & Reporting And as we walk faithfully with God during these days, keeping our eyes fixed on him, I trust that he will work all these things together for our good and ultimately his glory.. Platt and other leaders, they say, have abused their power by violating the churchs constitution. The church in question is a prominent one, McLean Bible Church, where many Washington Republicans worship. The Local Church Wins Out in David Platt's Decision. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Boyer said courts are often reluctant to get involved in church disputes. The dispute at the church came to a head on June 30 at a congregational meeting held to approve three new elders to the small group that wields most of the authority at the church. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Former President Trump even attended a service there once. Thousands have fled the church since it was taken over by David Platt. And that leadership is not listening, he said. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Solomon pastored the church from 1980 until becoming pastor emeritus in September 2017. This is pretty shocking, even if you have been reading our warnings (here, here, and here - to start) about the apparent in-coming embrace of LGBTQ+ among Southern Baptist Elites.Eric Saunders, Pastor of McLean Bible Church of Arlington, MD, has released a video in which he claims Jesus experienced a kind of body dysphoria like that experienced by transgender claimants. Platt is a polarizing figure. The Evangelical Church Is Breaking Apart. ''differentattitude.' ''''Now,'friends,'that's'true'of'you'and'me'as'well.''Itdoesn'thave'to' ''be'this'way'for'us.' Lon Solomon made one statement in opposition to the Social Justice heresy. I don't think that it was about the specific elders so much as the direction of the church. Barber pointed out that voting is usually donein a public way, by voice vote or raising hands, so theres no historic expectation of privacy, but using a ballot with a church members name on it, especially for a leadership role, would be unprecedented, in his experience. Video screen grab via MBC. 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. Solomon signed the Dallas Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel. RELATED: David Platt interview: A summons to lose your life. Platt took a shot at blogs and social media. We hope you'll consider joining us on Sunday for a worship gathering. Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. Platts 2020 book Before You Vote also drew criticism from some church members as being soft on traditional evangelical issues like abortion and sexuality. The conflict at McLean Bible Church is significant not only because of the congregations size and influencewith several thousand attendees and a prominent place in the DC church landscapebut also because the incident marks the latest salvo in an ongoing clash within American evangelicalism. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Reflections of a Former Senior Pastor | Lon Solomon Ministries Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. McLean Bible Church, the multisite megachurch in McLean, Virginia near Washington, D.C. where David Platt pastors, confirmed three new elders Sunday in a revote where members labeled their ballots with their names. 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.. Six people are part of the lawsuit, including both members and former members. The dispute at McLean may now end up in court. COVID-19, Frazer said, has made that rule unenforceable. The church was rocked by controversy in 2019 when President Donald Trump stopped by the service for prayer . 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. McLean Bible Church was once the biggest in Virginia. McClean Bible Church Pastor David Platt addresses his congregation on July 4, 2021. 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. The entire Sunday, July 4, 2021, sermon was filled with David Platts performative outrage. However, this is a lie. McLean Bible Church Sued by Members for Violating Church's Constitution Controversy at McLean Bible Church boils over as members file lawsuit over elder vote. No. The suburban DC megachurchs recent scuffle over race and politics is symptomatic of a broader evangelical rift. COVID-19 also played a role. David Platt addresses Trump prayer controversy at SBC pastors 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. Nope. Platt and other church leaders declined to respond to specific questions about the lawsuit and disputed church election. 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. God give him wisdom.. 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. It does not store any personal data. Viewarticle. The latest controversy revolves around who was eligible to participate in a June 30 vote on elders and has resulted in a lawsuit. Welcome to McLean Bible Church in the final rundown to Sunday's surprisingly contentious vote on new elders. The document says that Platt says one thing about Critical Race Theory but clearly does another. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". INSKEEP: David Roach is pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Saraland, Ala., and also writes for Christianity Today. Critics say the churchs leadership has become woke and has substituted critical race theory and social justice for biblical teaching. There were some who expressed the thought that David Platt and the other leaders were soft on issues like abortion and sexuality. Similar to Naples, McLean Bible Church recently held a vote to confirm three elders the first vote failed. The Bible speaks of individual responsibility and personal motivation and the Bible speaks to unjust systems and discrimination. 'At the end . The letter warned, Thabiti Anyabwile, despite promoting progressive talking points at the expense of Christian truth, dividing the body of Christ across racial lines, and promoting the political agenda of Black Liberation Theology, has been used to train the MBC staff and played a prominent role within MBC church life.. . McLean Bible which is seen as a conservative evangelical congregation and once had more than 16,000 attendees has long been an important church in Washington with four locations near the . | YouTube/McLean Bible Church Growing tensions between disgruntled longtime members of McLean Bible Church in Virginia and the "liberal" direction they allege their Lead Pastor David Platt has been taking the congregation erupted in a lawsuit over a recently held controversial election of new elders some fear . . But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. Failed to subscribe, please contact admin. Similar to Naples, McLean Bible Church recently held a vote to confirm three elders the first vote failed. Hannaford advises pastors not to make changes too quickly and recommends cooperation from both sides, allowing believers to differ on secondary doctrinal and ethical issues. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Sign up for our newsletter: Fired for Opposing Pride? ], Subscribe to CT Wade Burnett, a pastor on McLeans leadership team, said the congregation decided to move forward together in a difficult time. #302 Falls Church, VA 22042 866-788-7770 Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. It took repeated requests from a few conservative Elders to take down Facebook photos of staff holding BLM signs. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Back at McLean, Platt and his fellow elders are urging the church in that direction. I hesitated to share it because I know it is so ugly and painful to hear but I want to point out the approach being used by people giving leadership to this group in these meetings.. 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. When you dont follow the rules and it has an effect on a consequential vote, you have now created a huge distraction from your mission, Merkle said. 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. 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 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?. The July 18 vote has been surrounded by controversy, with some decrying what they saw as creeping liberalism within the church's . Despite its elite membership, McLean has long been a conservative theological church populated by politically conservative evangelicals. 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. Assume this is true for a moment, wouldnt that make someone pause and ask what is going on here? The conservative voice and Christian content are being silenced more and more. In a rant against causing division in the church, David Plattthe man responsible for dividing McLean Bible Church by teaching Critical Race Theoryclaimed a group of dissident conservatives were using disinformation to divide McLean Bible Church. 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 . McLean Bible Church's Apparent Theological Shift Disposition definition, the predominant or prevailing tendency of one's spirits; natural mental and emotional outlook or mood; characteristic attitude: I'd like to thank the general manager for his hospitality, kindness, and always cheerful disposition. After my seminary and doctoral work, I fully . I want you to listen closely to the words I am about to say, he said in his sermon the following Sunday. People came here this night that were recruited by this group to vote that night who had moved away to other states, Platt alleged. The bullseye of the controversy is pastor and best-selling author David Platt, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board. Are the budget cuts and declining attendance a message that Platts Social Justice Theology is unpopular with churchgoers? 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. That language has no place whatsoever here. Pastor David Platt, left, prays for President Donald Trump at McLean Bible Church, in Vienna, Virginia, on June 2, 2019. It does not store any personal data. 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. Accuracy and availability may vary. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. At the congregational meeting on 12/9/20, David strongly disavowed Critical Race Theory. We have walked through tumultuous days over the last year in the world, surfacing many challenges in our lives, families, our country, the world, and the church, Platt told CT. We all need Gods grace to love one another well and to live for the spread of his love in a world that desperately needs what only he can give. Something is wrong here,' he told Religion News Service in a 2013 interview. OK, so a local megachurch is having a catfight. Those dissident members argued that church leaders, including senior pastor David Platt, a best-selling author, had violated the churchs constitution. Lon Solomon Ministries - Live with Lon The sermon was maligned by many Protestants and praised by many Catholics, with speculation as to whether Chan is moving toward . Rick Boyer, attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said his clients plan to appeal. Faced with Allegations, Anglicans Want to Change the Traje | News Brothers and sisters, I think we see all over Scripture that the Bible speaks of both sides of this picture, Platt said. His emphasis on incorrect definitions of justice caused widespread criticism among McLean members. In that election, the elders were approved, which led dissident members to file a suit. Platt lied about the extent that Critical Race Theory and the Black Lives Matter movement influences McLean Bible Church leadership. The church approved a 2021 budget slashing $2.5 million from what it budgeted in 2020. David Platt and leaders of McLean Bible Church in public dispute with There has been a lot of confusion and misinformation about the whole process, and there many who are troubled by this development. Elevation Church was founded by Furtick in 2006 with just fourteen members. INSKEEP: I was astonished by some of the conspiracy theories that you described that surfaced during that election campaign. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. 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. Further he made the absolute statement that nobody on MBC staff supports Black Lives Matter. for less than $4.25/month. 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. He told Religion News Service that the church believes it will prevail if there is an appeal. Platt said the dissident group claimed it was using the elder vote as part of a constitutional process to retake control of the church. But David Platt has emphasized that everybody, regardless of their political views or their ethnicity or anything else, should be welcome to hear the gospel and be a part of 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 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 also warned against letting tensions swell. David Platt Net Worth 2023: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids, Bio-Wiki Contact Us - McLean Bible Church | McLean Bible Church 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. ROACH: You can pick out churches across the country where there has been this conflict between people that are sort of an old guard type of evangelical and then a younger type of evangelical that wants to reach a broader, more diverse audience with the Gospel. It is no secret that David Platt promotes Social Justice causes. Tensions over direction of McLean Bible Church lead to lawsuit | Church Members of David Platt's McLean Bible Church have filed a lawsuit against the church, claiming that leadership violated the church's constitution and used church dollars for controversial financial purchases. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. No matter what you've been through or where you've come from, you are welcome here. That comes with attendance issues and budget cuts. Platt asserts in the course that the Bible teaches both individual and corporate responsibility and that present systems are discriminatory. Further, much CRT terminology continues to be used at MBC, the concerned leaders told Platt. Doing that in a large church is difficult, Barber said, as McLean is discovering. Join us to see why God's family is no ordinary family. Services at Tennessee Megachurch Disrupted by Pastor Feud - The Roys Report Because of its proximity to Washington, D.C., many government officials, Capitol Hill staffers, and thought leaders are members. I think were going to work through this, he said. Until a chance encounter with my moms old Bible opened my eyes. 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. David Platt is a famous US author and preacher. According to the church constitution, elders must be approved by a three-quarters majority, but that day the vote failed, a first in McLean history, according to a church email. So, in May 2020 just before Platts hard social justice push, McLean Bible Church reported attendance averaged 12,154. The heart of the complaint really comes down to truth, transparency, and a free, open, and uncoerced process, plaintiffs attorney Rick Boyer told RNS. Much of that growth had happened under former pastor Lon Solomon, a Jewish convert known for his Bible preaching, zeal for evangelism and passion for serving children with special needs. But conspiracy theories and arguments over wokeness divided the congregation. 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. They organized a new election for elders in mid-June 2022, using secret ballots. (RNS) A yearlong legal battle over a contested election at a prominent Washington, D.C.-area church appears to be over for now. ROACH: On June the 30, McLean Bible Church was to have an election to elect three new elders. Steven Furtick is the lead pastor of Elevation Church, based near Charlotte, North Carolina. In June 2019, then-President Donald Trump showed up at a worship service and Platt prayed for him from the stage, an action that drew criticism from some in the church. The total was either just above or just below 75 percent, depending on whether provisional ballots were counted, so a second vote was held July 18, at which all three nominees received at least 78 percent of the vote. The course lasted about 15 hours of direct discipleship teaching. 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. Megachurch pastor warns of false rumors, takeover attempt at his church If people were motivated to drive from Maine and Florida to McLean Bible Church in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., to vote against David Platts Woke agenda, maybe the problem is not with the dissidents but with David Platt? David Platt's dreams for McLean Bible Church sour as members file 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. Similar to Naples, McLean Bible Church recently held a vote to confirm three elders the first vote failed.