FBCH 2013 Homecoming Bible Conference!

[Binaca Chugger]

What should they have done?  Waited until someone contacted them?

I was under the impression that the selection committee fasted and prayed until God showed them who they were supposed to ask, but then that person was not "asked to be the pastor" but rather was "asked to candidate for the position of pastor"

Sounds like someone was basically approached and told he could have the job if he wanted it...and that totally takes out the candidating / membership vote aspect of it.

Of course, I was also disappointed that there were not a number of candidates presented...I envisioned it would be a process whereby several candidates were introduced over a period of time, and then the church would vote and whoever got the most votes would win.  I didn't realize we were going to be presented with one candidate only.

What you described is pretty much how most Independent Baptist churches select their next pastor.  The pulpit committee researched several possibilities.  They interviewed several men.  Some of those did not want the position, but traveled for the interview.  Some seriously considered, but with their own stipulations.  I believe the pulpit committee did fast and pray in making the decision (why lie about that?).  Again, there are many good people at fbch who really believe and really believe in the church.  Most Independent Baptist churches will only vote on one man at a time so that there is no popularity contest.  It is a one at a time, up or down vote from the church.  The committee considers several candidates and chooses who will be presented in what order.  The church chooses yes or no, one at a time for each candidate.  This process is very similar to the manner in which federal judges are chosen.

I would imagine the verbage used was as you were told.  However, let's be honest, the sheeple at FBCH are going to vote in agreement with whatever they are presented.

 

[Binaca Chugger]

I have no problem with this conference. I talked with several administrators while it was still in the planning phases and told them I thought it was a great idea. It is a "homecoming" conference, it is not about spreading or gaining more national influence. A lot of friends and alumni came to Pastor's School every year and enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship. This conference is a humble, low-key attempt to recapture that fellowship. I am looking forward to it, and I hope a lot of my old classmates and ministry co-workers are going to be there.

So why have staff people (who sat there and let Schaap teach and preach heresy) teach afternoon sessions?  Why not have a FBCH revival meeting with an evangelist?

When you have an evangelist preach a series of messages at a church, you as a church are humbly submitting to what God is going to teach you thru that man of God for that period of time.
Not only the church people are submitting, but the pastor as well.
As a pastor, I always look at revivals that way.
God has something to teach me and the church.

My estimation is that the prevailing attitude at FBC has been and is now: that there is no one that can teach us anything. 
Letting an evangelist who has no one to impress preach would be like saying that there is something we don't know and we need to grow and become more spiritual.
We need to humble ourselves.
The leadership at FBC has yet to figure this out.
I don't believe that can happen when you have a bunch of guest preachers all preaching their 'sugar stick' messages.

That is what many IFBs seem to believe. It gives employment for retired pastors I guess.
I do not ever remember Bro. Hyles having a Man of God evangelist come in for a church wide revival.

He always said he was the evangelist and he would lead the revival meetings. We had them every week.
We did not need some outsider coming in.

As a church congregation we were not accustomed to having a big time Man of God type monopolize a whole week of our time. Bro. Hyles was the only Man of God we needed.

We do however have them come in for our youth dept. on a regular basis.

Who says he has to be a 'big time' man of God?

Bro. Hyles was the famous Big Time Man of God with the incredible drawing power to pull in the crowds.
We never had anyone come in that could match him except maybe John Rice or Lee Roberson.

I recall Dr. Roberson preaching at FBCH.  I believe Bro. Roloff preached at FBCH.  In the late 80's and 90's, there were the Revival Fire conferences and God Save America Conferences.

The teen group always got different speakers.  Bro. Hyles never really spent time with the teens except the select few who would go to his office before Sat. soulwinning, and very few respected Eddie.

 

[Binaca Chugger]

I have no problem with this conference. I talked with several administrators while it was still in the planning phases and told them I thought it was a great idea. It is a "homecoming" conference, it is not about spreading or gaining more national influence. A lot of friends and alumni came to Pastor's School every year and enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship. This conference is a humble, low-key attempt to recapture that fellowship. I am looking forward to it, and I hope a lot of my old classmates and ministry co-workers are going to be there.

Not about national influence?  Sure.

It is about Wilkerson introducing his friends and compatriots.  "This is our new camp."
It is about showing the IFB churches in America that FBCH is "Back on track."  "Everything is okay here now, business is back to usual and Mecca is open for you."
It is about showcasing the college and trying to regain trust from pastors nationwide to send kids to HAC.

Homecoming.  Interesting title.  In a family where you were loved and nurtured people long to visit home.  In a family where you were abused, manipulated, used and given an incorrect outlook on life, people have great tension at the consideration of coming home.

Why would I willingly subject myself to the teaching men who are so position-hungry that they willingly accepted and applauded the heresies of JS?  Now I should view them as having something to teach?  Seriously?  Really.  Really? 

 

[16KJV11]

So, is anybody going?  C'mon, fess up.

 

[Fresh Air]

I live within driving distance, and I'm more than willing to give John Wilkerson some time to change things, but I'm not going back until they are independent Baptist again. Period.

...and if they do change that and I did go back I wouldn't sit in on any sessions taught by any senior FBCH staff, that's for sure.

 

[Boomer]

but I'm not going back until they are independent Baptist again. Period.

I thought they were independent Baptist. Did I miss something?

 

[Fresh Air]

but I'm not going back until they are independent Baptist again. Period.

I thought they were independent Baptist. Did I miss something?

When you control a local/world-wide network of churches, when they are staffed by your people that are still on staff at your church, when they come to your church for consultations with your pastor, when you determine who stays and who goes, when you exert control over those churches...and when you will allow those churches to go autonomous but have no specific plan or purpose for them to do so...

...then you can still call yourself independent Baptist but you aren't. I can call myself an all-star point guard but it wouldn't be true. Oh, I used to be one in high school, but I'm not anymore. FBCH still calls itself independent Baptist but will somebody please tell me what the independence means if it doesn't mean 'autonomy of the local church.' And if you are controlling dozens of others churches then you don't believe in it and you aren't independent.

 

[myeyesareopen]

I will say, that while for personal reasons I am still very much on the fence, I think we have a new pastor who is taking steps in the independent direction. The most recent satellite church was made autonomous, (portage in) and its pastor (Cassada) left the fbc staff in order to run it.

 

[lnf]

I will say, that while for personal reasons I am still very much on the fence, I think we have a new pastor who is taking steps in the independent direction. The most recent satellite church was made autonomous, (portage in) and its pastor (Cassada) left the fbc staff in order to run it.

myeyesareopen, I don't have any sort of history with FBC, but many here do.  Taking liberty with your own quote, I hope you will "chime in more frequently" as you see them taking steps toward healing...because it might help others here to heal as well.

 

[bgwilkinson]

but I'm not going back until they are independent Baptist again. Period.

I thought they were independent Baptist. Did I miss something?

When you control a local/world-wide network of churches, when they are staffed by your people that are still on staff at your church, when they come to your church for consultations with your pastor, when you determine who stays and who goes, when you exert control over those churches...and when you will allow those churches to go autonomous but have no specific plan or purpose for them to do so...

...then you can still call yourself independent Baptist but you aren't. I can call myself an all-star point guard but it wouldn't be true. Oh, I used to be one in high school, but I'm not anymore. FBCH still calls itself independent Baptist but will somebody please tell me what the independence means if it doesn't mean 'autonomy of the local church.' And if you are controlling dozens of others churches then you don't believe in it and you aren't independent.

Tom you are spot on. You nailed it.

Bro. Hyles always said he was more Catholic than Charismatic. I believe that we became more Catholic just like Bro. Hyles was more Catholic than Charismatic. As a local ekklesia we proclaimed IFBx but we practiced Roman Catholism right down to a Baptist Pope and yearly pilgrimages to the holy city of Hammond. People looked to us to see what we would do or say before they would take a position.
Don't blame us for all the slavish followers. Follow Christ not a man. Not any man no matter how famous and how Great, so called. I do not like to hear people say the Great First Baptist Church of Hammond. Pride goeth before a fall.

Jesus is Great. God the Father is Great. The Holy Spirit is Great.

We are only men. We are not Great. We are sinfull. We have desperately wicked hearts that only God can know. We are only Great at being proud and lifted up.

Our Greatest need is for humility that comes from being like Jesus.

My prayer is constantly for us to turn from our wicked ways and be more like the LORD in every way, every day.

 

[BALAAM]

I will say, that while for personal reasons I am still very much on the fence, I think we have a new pastor who is taking steps in the independent direction. The most recent satellite church was made autonomous, (portage in) and its pastor (Cassada) left the fbc staff in order to run it.

I was wondering about these. What about Southpoint? Is John Cuozzo still on the church staff or does he pastor Southpoint full time? Are his members also fbch members?

 

[myeyesareopen]

I will say, that while for personal reasons I am still very much on the fence, I think we have a new pastor who is taking steps in the independent direction. The most recent satellite church was made autonomous, (portage in) and its pastor (Cassada) left the fbc staff in order to run it.

I was wondering about these. What about Southpoint? Is John Cuozzo still on the church staff or does he pastor Southpoint full time? Are his members also fbch members?

I do not know anything about Southpoint. Basically unless something is announced from the pulpit I do not know about it because I am not part of any 'information circuits'. I did look at Southpoint's facebook page....it said the church has a new intern so I am guessing a young church like that could not necessarily afford an intern unless it is being supplied by FBC, but that is only a guess. I also know that at least for awhile Ken Schaap was kind of 'sharing' Southpoint with Jon Cuozzo but now it seems mainly Jon who is listed as pastor and preacher. But I really do not know the status of that satellite.

Edit to add two things:
>I did see on the Southpoint website that when you are asked to send in a donation for the church, the address listed is FBC Hammond. So I think that answers that question.

>To Whom It May Concern: The humility that is in place at the pulpit of FBC Hammond currently is truly genuine. My husband did have a chance to speak directly and openly about a few things to the new pastor. JWilkerson is a genuine man, who only came here because he truly and completely believed God wanted him to, despite how he may have felt about it himself. My husband thanked JW for "not always having to be the best Christian in the room and throw it in our faces", to which JW replied with something self-deprecating, but then gave an ironic laugh and admitted that there is a lot of pastor idolatry here at FBC and it has always been a problem.

I believe the new pastor is entirely aware of issues, and issues about which he was not aware are being brought to his attention on a regular basis. He needs us to pray for him.

Why am I still on the fence? For the same reason many are. I completely distrust some staff that are still fully embraced by the system. And, personally -- when you wake up and realize you haven't really thought anything through or studied it for yourself in the quarter century you've been saved, you start re-thinking everything. So that is personal. Publically, I can assure anyone who wonders -- there really is a different attitude and mindset at the helm here at FBC.

One more example. When he was candidating, JW asked, "When will I be able to have a Q & A session with the people?" He was told, "You won't." He replied, "I will." I guess the upshot was "they" (Lapina and crew) were horrified at the idea of the candidate having an open Q & A session. I don't know if JW realizes that every question had to be submitted through Eddie Lapina, but the Q & A session did indeed happen. Baby steps...  It exemplifies the tendency the "old guard" had -- You can't tell these people anything! You must not let them ask questions! Do NOT allow them any liberty! It's really hard for the new guy to change that mindset. So, again, anyone interested could just pray for him.

 

[longlivedunkin]

myeyesareopen, I'm with you regarding the general mistrust of the staff. I have N-O-N-E. I do love and appreciate Pastor Wilkerson's humility in all areas of life. I work very hard when I'm in a service to just focus on what is being preached and not all of the 48 "company men" sitting on the platform and all that they represent to me. As long as Bro. Wilkerson has his way, and I hate to word it like that bc it sounds so man worshipy, but I can't think of anything else, things will start to change around FBC.

Bro. Wilkerson does not have to be the head man in the room, he is not the alpha male, and for all that I thank God. It is so refreshing. He's as genuine as it gets.

 

[Fresh Air]

I was wondering about these. What about Southpoint? Is John Cuozzo still on the church staff or does he pastor Southpoint full time? Are his members also fbch members?

When Southpoint started a few years ago I emailed Jon and asked him if they were autonomous. I didn't want to throw stones if I had misunderstood something. He emailed me back a one sentence answer that said yes. Then, some weeks after the JS disaster I saw on the Southpoint fb page that they were having a meeting to discuss voting to become an autonomous church...

 

[Fresh Air]

...and I'm very glad to hear that those of you who attend there are being ministered to by your pastor's spirit and approach. That warms my heart very much.

 

[bgwilkinson]

For those interested Life Point will be cut loose in tonights service.
Tune in to the live stream if you are interested.

 

[myeyesareopen]

so which one is Lifepoint?

 

[BALAAM]

so which one is Lifepoint?

LifePoint is in Portage and Brian Cassada is the pastor. I think they are buying a building in Portage.

 

[myeyesareopen]

I thought that was already announced / accomplishesd last week...I get these things all mixed up!