Paul's Passing Thoughts

If anybody thinks a thick skin comes with a ministry like this, you’re mistaken. New Calvinists are mean people, even compared to a street ministry I used to have both in Dallas, TX, and Dayton, OH. I can deal with most of them, but the comments that question my motives always trigger the reasons that I do this ministry to come to mind. More accurately, memories. Even then, I can deal with it, but why am I compelled to answer this particular accusatory comment? I think it is because my daughter is in Africa. Yes, it’s a family thing, and even more when it’s about your “little” girl. I will explain, but first, “Lee’s” comments are following:

What’s hilarious is that people like Passing Thought Paul and his sidekick Joel Taylor devote so much time and energy to displaying their garbage to anyone who will give them a look. I’m sure if Paul would let his thoughts linger a bit longer before he passes them out he would realize that neither the doctrinal nuances he obsessively defends nor the character of his “ministry” are the least bit biblical. I have not read a single article written by you “defenders of the faith” that is rooted in the pages of Scripture. You cry out “sola Scriptura” but your practice is to elevate both your interpretation of what people say and your interpretation of Christian doctrine to the place of authority. Yet, praise the Lord, you’re defending the faith and fighting the good fight. Give me a break.

You are the theological equivalent of a poorly dressed slut crying out for attention. “Look at me! Look at me! I want to be noticed!” I have never seen a self-promotion scheme more disgusting.

If Passing Thought Paul is anything like your side-kick Joel Taylor, you doesn’t even minister to real people. You have a “virtual ministry” that requires no messy contact with people. Nonetheless, the claim is that you care so much about the church that you just have to write about these things. Wrong. The only person you care about is yourself. I don’t have to know you to realize this is obvious.

This T4G guy is criticized for caring about a logo. Please remember that it is the clowns that started the “Coalition Against” that advertised they were developing a logo and who put together a logo and who stole a logo. If anyone deserves criticism over a logo it’s them.

Let me address Lee’s accusations (apart from the logo thing, I think it’s obvious what we were doing with that). I was saved in 1983 and have always been a fairly zealous Christian. My convictions are strong because of what I was saved from. As a child and young man, I experienced the impact of several divorces that occurred in my family. I remember the first one (when I was 9) like it was yesterday. So as a Christian, it is easy for me to hate divorce like God does.

Sometime around 1998, the founding pastor of the church I had been a member of for several years left for another ministry. An elder there took his place, and I endorsed him as a former elder and respected member of the church. The front door had barely hit the founding pastor in the backside when the preaching changed dramatically. In fact, several people left because of it, but I wrote it off as a style issue. What I didn’t know was that several parishioners noticed things I didn’t notice, and were being dealt with behind the scenes. There was a complete turnover of elders, and elder rule was put into place. Still, I had no problems with any of this and was also distracted with building a successful business at the time.

I will never forget what first alerted me to a problem. And let me pause here. At this point, there were absolutely no issues with me or anybody else in that church, and such is well documented. It happened during the introduction to a Sunday School class. The teacher stated emphatically, “The Old Testament is about Jesus Christ.” I thought, “Uh, ok, I’ll buy that, but what’s with all the bravado?” I started paying attention after that.  You ever seen the RCA dog commercial? That was me constantly, “Er?” What in the world was going on? I asked; it got me nowhere, so I started googling phrases. Finally, after connecting enough dots to have some grasp of what was possibly going on, I asked an elder the following question: “Are you guys teaching that we are sanctified by the same gospel that saved us?” Why wouldn’t he just say yes? Why wouldn’t they just meet with me and tell me what was going on? Why? Instead, his response was, “Paul, I am concerned that you are coming to a conclusion about what we are teaching from the internet.”

From there, things just started getting creepy and intense. It became obvious that they were teaching something new, and they weren’t going to reveal what it was. One night, three elders showed up at my front door unannounced. It was obviously done for shock and awe value. My emotional connection to the church was very strong. I had been there twenty years, had been a former elder there for five, and it’s the only church my children had ever known. All of the friends I had in the world were there, and I still trusted and respected the elders very much. And besides, had I been missing something all of those years? Maybe I needed what they were teaching, but how would I know if they wouldn’t tell me what it was!

Finally, I was told that I needed to mind my own business “and not worry about any doctrine they might be teaching or the hermeneutics that they were using.” Hermeneutics?! That’s what you use to interpret the Bible! As the leader of my home, I shouldn’t worry about that? During this time, and unknown to me, they were counseling my wife without my knowledge and teaching her that I was leading our family in a false gospel. They then began to use her to compile a detailed list of my private life, and also had her give them private files from my computer. They were particularity intimidated by my former friendship with an elder that had actually fled the state of Ohio to get his family away from them.

Long story short, I finally took my family and left. It was one of the most grievous things I have ever had to do in my life. About three days later, two elders came to my house and announced that I was under the first step of church discipline. Four reasons were given. I was dazed and confused. The whole ordeal had been surreal to begin with. But praise God, I had the presence of mind to tell them I wanted the charges in writing, and would make no official decision as to whether or not I would submit to the discipline until I had the charges in writing. Finally, that was done. Two ambiguous charges were put in writing, and one was more of a suggestion. The original four accusations were not put in writing. This is all documented. The counsel I received from other pastors was primarily the following: “Paul, this is really weird, but look, you have been there twenty years, go back and play their game for a month and then leave in peace.” Sounded good to me, but one month soon turned into four. I attempted to leave one time, and was told that I would be excommunicated if I did. I did not understand the church discipline process I was in, nor the counseling. I was confused, and often wondered if it was all a dream.

Finally, I was counseled by some pastors that I would have to leave at all cost. I left, and took my family to another Reformed church where my wife and I entered counseling. A couple of weeks later, the elders of my former church, without my knowledge or the knowledge of the pastor who was counseling us, issued a six page document telling my wife that I had been declared an unbeliever, and therefore had no authority in her life. They proceeded to instruct her to return to the former church with or without me. The document also told her that she was free to divorce me, and if she decided to, they would pay for it as well. In an act of abhorrent slander, when I was excommunicated, the parishioners were not given a reason, and were left to assume that I had committed adultery or something worse.

My daughter, who is a missionary and is presently 30,000 feet in the air somewhere between Amsterdam and Kenya, frantically pleaded with parishioners and pastors door to door to intervene, but to no avail. With tears, she begged people who had been her Awana teachers when she was four years old. The eventual divorce devastated my daughter and extended family, and my former wife is not allowed to visit our granddaughter until she leaves that church. It was made clear to me that the only way to save my marriage was to return to that church. Even my daughter and son-in-law, who certainly did not want to see the divorce happen, counseled against going back.

After the divorce, the church tried to separate me from my son through slander and showering him with gifts such as a laptop computer. I fought long and hard to maintain our relationship, and I’m overjoyed to tell you that he is presently living with Susan and me.  It’s true, as I am told by others, I can see it also, Heather is forever changed. That extra gear of joy that lit up a room when she entered it is no longer there. The former pastor married her and David, so the situation has even tarnished their wedding memories. I wonder if her endearment to Africa has something to do with being betrayed by American Christians. In her eyes, her family was ripped apart. And I suppose that is true.

My experience is not unique among those who question the “new Reformation” of New Calvinism. This ministry, yes, ministry, hears of  the testimonies often. Pastor Joel can correct me if I am wrong, but I called every move that his elders made before they made them. But he will soon tell his own story.

If only I had found a “Paul’s Passing Thoughts” website when I was in the midst of that confusing situation! I can’t even imagine! The elders just wouldn’t come clean, and the results were tragic. And folks, that’s why I am here. Not because I am a “slut begging for attention.” I inform confused people so that they can make informed decisions.

And this movement is false, cruel, and arrogant. So help me God, I will fight it with every ounce of strength my Lord gives me. They are fools born of Seventh-day Adventists drunk with visions of grandeur, and Lord willing, that will be made plain.

Please pray for my daughter and her family as they are in Kenya; please pray that my granddaughter can be united with her grandmother and please pray that our loving Lord will deliver churches from the evil clutches of New Calvinism.

paul