on JMac & the slanderous hit piece on him and GCC
A GCC church discipline matter.
I do not have all the info from the counseling, did not have access to the other info not included in the "report" and dont know the people involved. I do not know everything and can only go by what is revealed and what was shared as likely, and what came about later afterwards. And the responses from reputable people in leadership. Should further info be revealed in the future, or the church speak to the wife and the counseling sessions all made public, then the below can be updated.
Were you deceived by the reports?
Even if elders (the elder board) bring a matter to him, it appears he is only briefed and then passes the info along to the congregation. He wouldn't know anything beyond that, unless something new is presented, or further revealed in the distant future to him. So he cannot be held responsible in the way people assume he might be, since it is the elders who bring the info to him.
In this case, sadly it seems Satan has deceived you, and you believed the hit piece report against him. You also harbored hatred, gossip and slander in your hearts possibly in speaking about John. You fell for & accomplished what Satan & the activist wanted: for you to stop listening to a solid man of God, speak ill of him, and by doing so - prevent you from hearing solidly God's Word, and turn others from him, (and his useful sermon archives of biblical education on truth from the Word). Don't let Satan win like that.
When the news broke, as one who has been at the church for a long time, i looked into it myself. The Elders were right and John also.
That woman journalist hates John, hates God and truth. After running out of her [false] repeatedly attacked John MacArthur over 38 times in the past, she had nothung left so she pulled out a 20 year old situation, and...without all the facts, went on to twist it all up and make false claims, creating a report to try and slander pastor John in 2022. Just another attempt to try and slander him and get him fired/hated by the Christian community and world. Typical behavior of Satan and his minions.
You need to look at what John knew, not all the he said she said that went on during counseling with that couple and the elders, and what the hitpiece news claims. The church believed they were following everything rightly, based on the evidence and investigation through counseling, & John followed everything believing the elders. The elders did their best and dealt with it and a lot of it was not revealed to public. There is only mostly 1 sided info from the wife "reporting" and the anti John reporter twisting it and church matters in the hit piece to suit her narrative. The former member had her motives as did the reporter.
Below is some research you can do to see that the elders was dealing with a lot with that family. Info came out over time , and eventually was escalated to John, not everything happened in timeline of A-Z 123, there were things found out later, closer to & after court case as well. And of course the pastor, who cares about the lost, the redeemed and those in his church would want any Christian marriage to be restored... and the husband who was eventually convicted, to have proper counseling, be advised by the pastor, & if possible repent, and be restored in marriage. I did hear he visited him in prison for a while, & the church worked with him (for repentance and restoration), as they should.
The church followed what Scripture teaches about counseling, advising, encouraging, admonishing, calling to repentance, involving those around them, and escalated church discipline to a church wide notice for help, and the final removal from the church for not repenting >> all in proper order. With the information they had at the time.
Here is info to investigate on the situation and church discipline. But focus on John's part. Dont lose focus... This entire hit peace was attacking John. Once you are done, think graciously, dont be deceived again, .... but also, repent to God for any wrong doing on your end(¹) for falsely judging the pastor, elders and the church. Be restored, and use Christian discernment next time. And especially in matters not of your church, and if you are not a elder dealing with that counseling/discipline issue.
Dont let Satan deceive you.
Investigation:
David Gray, a former teacher at GCC, was convicted on multiple counts of the sexual and physical abuse of children in 2004, while still claiming innocence. He is serving 21 years for aggravated child molestation, corporal injury to a child, and child abuse.
During which time he repented of child abuse and failing to be a better father. GCC was later aware Gray started a fellowship ministry in the prison. His reach has gone to several facilities. Pray for God to use that.
Again. The Focus of the attack is on John, so dont get bogged down in the drama of all that's here. Focus on Pastor John. And you will see he did what is right and biblical, with what knowledge he had, and as he always manages, as the final person re church discipline matters.
Not listed in order.
*Response to issue 2022
*Incident in 2001
*Update 2023
The Response:
#1 The Accusing of a Shepherd- read part 2
The issue:
The hit piece in question March 8, 2022
Some details were revealed about Eileen (from hitmaker). Keep in mind this activist "journalist" isnt Christian, nor understands Christianity. *Use spiritual eyes and discernment on this entire issue.
Counselor Elder Cary's letter. July 12, 2004
* Feels skeptical to the charges
* Several have difficulty believing the accusations
*Don't know an individuals heart,
....but accusations dont fit what many of us know about him
Cary ltr re membership & discipline Nov 27, 2001
Informing of Church discipline Mar 13, 2002
Letter to Eileen of notification to inform congregation Apr 30, 2002
(A) Church member's lovingly calling to repentance June 5, 2002
The reason her church discipline matter made it all the way to the congregation via pulpit wasnt why the "news" claimed. The counseling Elders pointed out areas she was in sin all along the way. Eillen admitted her sin and culpability in the matter. Her refusal to pursue reconciliation with her husband, hold unforgiving spirit, bitterness, her overall unchristian behavior was why she was under church discipline still and escalated to the worst furthest level it could go & ended in disfellowship. Not on the basis of what was allegedly being said of molesting one of his kids. Not to mention her seeking & going into the counseling with "ulterior motives" (asking/demanding to "record" all sessions; for illegal use in court), for an easy out of her marriage. She hoped they would agree/grant such divorce if she spun it well. But more on all this was revealed years-later incl. during her children’s counseling. (*)
Also note: Grace church has a regular conference at the church, like Shepherds Conference, called Biblical Counseling, and a degree for that profession at Masters University, so yes they believe in Biblical counseling, but not worldly psychology that doesnt deal with root causes of issues: sin. They greatly believe in counseling from a Christian worldview, as they should. They handled this biblically. Would you want forgiveness? Would you want to correct your sin and follow God rightly with such chance? What happened to forgive 70 ? 7? For me but not thee?
Final note...
Please realize through this entire situation that if you as a Christian "sin" and refuse to correct yourself, things can escalate with church discipline, and outsiders may hear, and evil ones will use this to slander all global Christians, your entire church, your leaders, and your pastor, just as this example had. And both now or 20 years later, false articles and accusations will be in news articles, picked up by "Christian" and Christian news organizations but every major news station nationally broadcast in every town and go viral on social media And remain on the internet for decades harming that ministry those leaders and so much more... it can happen if you step into a sin, do not repent and correct yourself right away. So, keep short sin accts, so something like this does not keep people from Christianity, or cause people to leave the church (based on whatever the issue is. In this case the claim was staying married to an unrepentant abuser who physically & sexually assaults the children, and other things she mentioned (revealed and not revealed)...
>>> no woman would want to be part of a or any "church" if leadership and the Bible supposedly teaches to stay with such a person, and the perception is 1. Male church leadership will cover it up, 2. abusive men purposely join churches to find prey among religious people knowing women cant leave them. And so the victims or all women hate all men, all churches and Christianity).
One sin left undealt with, has massive devastating ripple effects. So keep short sin accounts and live rightly. 🙏🙏
Footnotes:
think graciously, dont be deceived again, .... but also, repent to God for any wrong doing on your end(¹)
(1) hatred, anger, grudge holding, slander both online and verbally, in this way judging others without full evidence, judging another church's (and leaders') decisions without full facts, judging believers and the church who stood behind the decision, and anything else relevant worth repenting over.
for falsely judging the pastor, elders and the church, and causing long reaching harm to Christianity, John, and others. Be restored, and use Christian discernment next time. And especially in matters not of your church, and if you are not a elder dealing with that counseling/discipline issue, and having the knowledge and info they had at the time. Dont let Satan deceive you. 🙏
I exhort, admonish, request this and encourage you in brethrenly love. ❤
And remember, no one is beyond forgiveness & reconciliation.
***************************************************
Update 2023:
There was update that came out, and here is info on that.
* Personally believe Cho left cuz he would be under church discipline (for his sinful part in all this) and it would escalate to disfellowship due to his behavior [doubtful he would repent]
(*) David Morrill, above article
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Topics:
God's view of divorce Pt1. Pt2
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