With the recent events at Metro in Orlando, which is the Florida flagship SGM church, and the home of the apostle of the SE, I wanted to start a new thread. SGM knows exactly how I feel about the apostle Jones, and this is an area of discussion where I find it impossible to be objective. I’ll use the first informational comment as the main post, and will move comments already posted into this thread.
Post by Dorothy is Leaving Oz on Jan 7:
Yes, Sigelman. I can. Just need a few days to process. Here is what I can get out.
Legalism of Virginia Beach Repeats Itself in Orlando.
Pastor leaves staff, as in resigns and quits after 7 plus years. No immorality, nothing inappropriate. He not only leaves Metro but SGM as well. Church is in tremendous pain. This man is more than loved here.
On one hand Danny Jones and Dave Harvey praised Todd and wanted to support him hearing from God to leave Metro and SGM, and with the other hand - backhandedly -condemned him for not wanting to stay and go through an examination process with the rest of the pastoral staff. < Staff infighting over the past year demanded big guns from SGM to step in to help bring stabilization back in November, so we were told in nicer terms.> Guess Todd said no. Why go through one more kangaroo court? Why go through any more pain? It certainly didn’t work with Brent until enough people got hurt. Something no one will talk about.
I am sorry Dave H, but the lame excuse that we are all sinners and people in a church can expect to get hurt is a POOR EXCUSE FOR POOR MANIPULATIVE LEADERSHIP. < you know, when you walk in to the office and meet with Benny over anything ,you are told what you have to say is full of pride and or sin? > We get lambasted when we sin and are declared unusable vessels but that’s YOUR excuse when LEADERSHIP sins against the church? We can EXPECT it? P.S. they continue leading in spite of the pain they inflict.
Danny made like it was a big surprise that Bob K and Dave H were there tonight. SOMEBODY CALLED THEM HERE! Like they really just showed up without letting anyone know they were coming? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Danny made like they did not see Todd’s leaving was coming.I don’t buy that either. He got tired of beating a dead horse like the rest of us on the way out the door. Maybe because they are all yes men protecting their jobs, homes, and lifestyles. Maybe Todd has an eternal prospective and is more concerned about following God than being a yes man, having a new house and job that he loved. Integrity! Todd still has his intact. He looses it all by resigning. Professionally and personally. God will honor that!
There is only so much you can say until you just give up. Guess Todd did. I am sure for the sake of his family and own mental and spiritual health it was time. Personally,I am still waiting for answers from meetings I had with Benny and then with Danny over 12 weeks ago. I am done waiting. I am leaving Oz. I am not the only one.
Todd was the only pastor on the staff with any integrity or guts to call a spade a spade and confront this group of blind men, as well as go with the wounded sheep to Danny Jones and be a third ear. Todd was the only one with any real joy and real grace. Todd handed in his letter of resignation on Sunday, hence emergency meeting three days later, Wednesday night Jan 6 th. Unfortunately, the wrong one pastor left. The score? Jocks- 100/ Worship ministry-0. Flock left bloody in the aisles. Film at 11.
Dave H and Bob K in the house. A bit too late guys! Dave attempts to walk us through with a mini sermon ” Don’t Waste Your Departing”. Don’t even ask.
He even tried to inject some humor. There was nothing funny about it or this hurtful situation. Then he tried to re-envision the church with recommitment and reflect on why you came to Metro to begin with. It was a poor attempt of damage control. The whole night was.
Now watch more people bail out. Last straw for many, myself included. I am a emotional mess. I have been a part PDI/SGM most of my adult life ….a lifetime. I can not remember the last time I cried like this. The thought of starting someplace else is devastating, but I can no longer stay. Details later, if I can even deal with repeating them.
Virgina Beach repeats itself in Orlando. Legalism has destroyed another church. Satan has another hay day. Blinders still remain on Metro’s remaining staff under the guise of being faithful, loyal, accountable and teachable. It is time for the remaining pastoral staff to face the truth. Self seeking divisiveness is in your midst. What is so funny is Benny thinks no one notices. Benny, we all notice. You have an agenda and it is being the ruling reigning King at Metro Life Church by whatever means. You’ve played this game before. You know what not to do. You obviously are playing better ball. This whole thing stinks. I am asking you all not to reveal. Please please pray. Dorothy.
Jim and I hope and pray that your holidays are filled with joy, peace, and love… love, first and foremost, from our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Whose birth we celebrate today! May you be richly blessed today and every day in the coming year!
Grace and Peace,
Jim and Carole
Hark the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
The former Sr P of North Denver, who retired, was evaluated, or whatever version you heard had quite the track record.
Now, the very publicly honored new Sr P rides in on his white horse to save the day.
Insiders are aware that this man is potentially dangerous, and some early reports have come in that Glynn’s defective counseling MO hasn’t changed, and the good people of N. Denver are now the unfortunate recipients of Glynn’s “wisdom”.
Would anyone from the wild west like to comment?
I read this on survivors. Food for thought…
- You’ve noticed a pattern of people leaving the fellowship, but don’t ask your pastor about it and don’t delve into the reasons behind the exits.
- You’ve seen your pastor act in retribution for slights or criticism by removing people from ministries, publicly or privately shaming them or refusing to listen to them.
- You excuse your pastor’s wrong behavior: he’s young, he doesn’t understand the people who are unhappy, he has a little trouble relating to people, he’ll grow out of it, I’m probably not seeing the whole picture, God will show him his weaknesses and he’ll handle things better soon.
- You find yourself blaming victims. You justify harsh behavior by your pastor by focusing on the sins of those who are shamed or shunned or criticized or punished.
- You feel that to protect the name of Christ in your community you need to keep secret the alarming behavior by your pastor or leaders in the church.
- You feel it’s your duty to think the best of your pastor, no matter what charges are brought against him, but you don’t extend the same courtesy to those who feel they’ve been abused or harmed.
- You feel it’s okay for your pastor to build up your church by cutting down other churches with “inferior” doctrines or practices, but it’s not okay for anyone to question decisions by church leaders if it looks like criticism.
- You enjoy being flattered by your pastor and seek to please him often. You spend a lot of time in church flattering and being flattered.
- You fear being criticized by your pastor or having your special ministry taken away.
- You’ve seen your pastor flatter those he can use and then later turn on them.
- You would feel uncomfortable asking to see financial records of the church, and you just assume that they are being used in a godly manner.
- You feel constantly pressured to help more in church or to give more, or both.
- Going to church often seems like a burden, but you don’t want anyone to know you feel that way.
- You have criticized other churches or individuals with your pastor.
- You like the feeling of being in the “inner circle,” and you feel you have the pastor’s confidence.
- You feel superior to Christians who don’t witness as much as you, or who don’t practice their faith as well as you, or who don’t emphasize certain doctrines like you do.
- You feel that no one quite understands the scriptures, delivers sermons or reaches out to the weak and poor like your pastor does.
- You spend much time defending your pastor, either in your own mind or to others.
- You don’t like to admit it, but you often spend more time thinking (whether positively, negatively or both) about your pastor or leaders than you do about God.
- You are exhausted.