Author Archives: Jim Wright

Predatory Grooming in Our Churches

April 1, 2013 By in Impropriety, Predatory Leaders, Sex Abuse, Warnings! 33 Comments

I have been involved in dealing with a number of cases involving sexual predation and exploitation by church leaders – in all kinds of churches (including “organic” or “simple” churches which naively think they are immune from this kind of abuse).

liesMy wife and I have also done pastoral counseling, over the years, with literally hundreds of sex abuse survivors – as well as many abusers who seek help after truly confessing and openly repenting.

One thing I see over and over – especially by predatory church leaders – is the same kind of initial “grooming” behavior. It is amazing how sexually exploitive men in “ministry” all seem to use the same methods.

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Resurrection Sunday

March 31, 2013 By in Conversion, Faith, Postmodern, Sovereignty 8 Comments

Forty-eight years young in the Lord!

On Resurrection Sunday in 1965, when only eight years old, I had a deep, deep conversion experience as I totally surrendered to the Lord.

It was in an old-line Pentecostal church that met in the pastor’s home.

I’m told that my tears of repentance on that worn wooden floor made permanent stains.

grace

Wow, how time has passed.

My years of service to Jesus have been – and continue to be – a wonderful adventure. Even during some tough times, I never once regretted belonging to Christ – my King and my Redeemer.

Through it all, I’ve always felt His hand on my life. He blessed me with a solid foundation from Godly parents and mature teachers, which has served me well over the years.

In an age of cheap grace, crazy doctrines, postmodern spiritual angst and “deconstruction,” that foundation yet stands firm.

For those willing to surrender their sensibilities to the Living Word, in submission to His written Word, He offers the same assurance.

Really, it’s just not that complicated.

But it does mean letting go of your own foolishness and impulse to define Jesus – and what ultimately is right, real and true – on your own terms.

My life is a living testimony to His sovereign Lordship, and His passion is my very life.

I invite you to also surrender …

And find life.

~ Jim Wright

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Storing Up Riches?

March 25, 2013 By in Faith, Grace, Gratitude, Life, Peace 7 Comments

walking_with_JesusYesterday, as some folks in our fellowship prayed for me, I had one of those rare times when I heard the Lord very directly speak to my inner man.

He said I had laid up many treasures in heaven from a life spend serving Him and His people.

He let me know I could begin a new season of life, in transition toward my life to come, with the settled peace of His pleasure and honor.

Then He asked, however, if I was willing to spend those treasures, over whatever remaining time He chooses to give me, by investing them in others?

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The Sin of Silence

March 18, 2013 By in Frank Viola, Predatory Leaders, Sex Abuse, Warnings! 26 Comments

Leaders who stand conveniently silent – or willfully ignorant – regarding the abuse and exploitation of God’s people by another leader, are idolaters.

shame

Your Silence Abuses The Abused

They sacrifice innocent men, women and children on the altar of their own ease and self interest, which they often justify by their own warped concept of unity and misguided sense of friendship.

Understand that eventually you will be forced to give an account of your silence – not only to God, but in the “here and now” to His people whom you profess to serve.

When that happens, don’t get mad at me for doing what you were unwilling – but obligated – to do as one entrusted to protect His people.

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Exposing Abusive Church Leaders

March 14, 2013 By in Christ Chapel, Frank Viola, Predatory Leaders, Sex Abuse 13 Comments

Into the Light: A Series on Abuse and the Church looks like it will be a good series by Rachel Evans on the need to expose abusive church leaders and those who hide the abuse. We need more such voices of courage and resolve.

The recent situation with Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM) illustrates this need. Over the years, Marianne and I have seen lives destroyed by one of their churches near us. We tried to raise warnings locally, but they were lost among the outward images of “success” by that church and the charisma of its leading “apostle” and popular author and conference speaker.

Yet behind the scenes, the arrogance of leadership there, and their attitude of being untouchable, was astounding. Fortunately, however, God has a way of protecting His people by eventually exposing such sin, after all opportunities to first confess and repent have been ignored.

I’ve been involved in way too many of these kinds of cases – as a friend, a counselor, a church leader, and even as an attorney. Each one has deeply affected me as I had to come beside the victims and be strong for them, while also unflinchingly standing up to some narcissistic – but always charming yet manipulative – exploitive church leader.

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Frank Viola: Feed the Need

March 13, 2013 By in Frank Viola, Postmodern, Predatory Leaders, Repentance, Sex Abuse 1 Comment

Sorry, Frank Viola, but when your “revelation” of Jesus looks a lot like your own sensibilities, I’m not impressed.

And when “deeper life” merely reinforces your own postmodern proclivities, I’m likewise not impressed.

Nor do I find a persistent failure to be a functional part of any healthy, local fellowship – despite all your books and blogs on organic church – to be a virtue.

Really, didn’t you get the memo? Postmodernism and existential angst just ain’t that compelling or counter-cultural anymore.

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Organic Church Leadership (Part 2)

March 11, 2013 By in Church Planting, Elder, Leadership, Ministry, Organic Church 6 Comments

This originally was part of a longer post, which I’ve now split in two. If you haven’t yet, I recommend you first read Part 1.

Small is Beautiful

These days, “small” seems to be the new buzz word – and I generally agree with that focus. When our gatherings become too large, it is impossible for folks to participate in sharing and ministering to each other and freely expressing the life of Christ with one another.

Let's embrace the wonderful, multifaceted, multi-gifted Body of Christ! Ekklesia and Diverse Gifts, Part 1: The Motivational Gifts

In the New Testament, the imperative to participate – to express the life of Christ in us, among us and through us – extends to our meetings, as well as our throughout-the-week relationships.

I’m not anti-big. There are times when larger gatherings make sense – but not as the main expression of the local Body of Christ, with small groups as mere adjuncts to the big Sunday show or some leader’s grand vision.

Also, if “small” becomes mini one-man shows in someone’s home, community center, jail unit, coffee shop, homeless shelter, work cafeteria or wherever, that misses the whole point.

To keep these problems from happening, we need to restore a proper concept of leadership within the Body of Christ.

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Organic Church Leadership (Part 1)

March 8, 2013 By in Church Planting, Elder, Great Commission, Jail, Leadership, Organic Church 15 Comments

Last night, two other men and I met with one of the indigenous churches some of us helped start in the jail four years ago.

The wonderful, multifaceted Body of Christ

The wonderful, multifaceted Body of Christ

This fellowship is one of several that we have seen emerge in various housing units within the local jail.

That particular church (typically numbering six to eighteen men) has been a powerhouse for God, as the guys have learned to express Christ to one another through open, participatory fellowship.

Literally hundreds of men have come to the Lord because of them, and they’ve been effectively discipling each other in the faith

In addition, many, many other fellowships have sprung forth from them, as the men in that indigenous church – rooted in the specific cultural dynamics present in any jail or prison environment – are then transferred to other units and facilities.

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Beyond Scripture? (Part 3)

March 5, 2013 By in Bible, Frank Viola, Grace, Grace Movement, Sovereignty, Truth 6 Comments

The low view of God in the Old Testament, found among those touting a so-called “Christocentric hermeneutic”, comes from too high a view of themselves.

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

They often take personal offense at how God dealt with humanity in the Old Testament – including His sometimes fierce display of holiness and punishment of sin and rebellion.

So they make God in the Old Testament an aberration. They substitute their own perceptions of Christ – rooted in their post-modern sensibilities – for the totality of Scripture, and make their resulting “Christology” higher revelation than God’s own external Word of Scripture.

They have joined Adam and Eve in choosing the moral autonomy of deciding for themselves what is right and wrong, and have the further hubris of then imposing it on God Himself.

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God is Good!

February 19, 2013 By in Church Planting, Great Commission, Organic Church 1 Comment
toddler_walking

The Body of Christ – Toddler Stage

Two new fellowships, comprised of about twenty new believers, stood on their own two feet today.

Two of us did some foundation laying over the last month, but today we just sat back and let ’em go – and they did! We literally had nothing to say, and there was no opportunity to do so even if we wanted.

Life was popping out all over the place among them. They were amazed, but I wasn’t. God moves among us when we let Him. 🙂

Next week, I’m expecting the same with several more new fellowships we’ve been helping to start, comprised also of mainly new believers.

God is good!

~ Jim

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The Delusion of Organic Church Intensity

February 17, 2013 By in Church Planting, Existentialism, Fellowship, Frank Viola, Gifts, Great Commission, Organic Church 9 Comments

Have you ever noticed how those who heavily promote organic food and natural health with the most enthusiasm and sincerity, sometimes look the most sickly and anemic and seem to have the most health problems?

They are reacting to real problems, but have turned their idealistic and seemingly good-sounding concepts into an all consuming idol – to the exclusion of real health which comes from a balanced life.

I’ve also see this among some who are the most ardent proponents of organic church. They’ve fallen prey to unbalanced reactions and aspirations which prevent authentic life and sustainable, healthy fellowships.

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Christocentric Buffoonery

February 15, 2013 By in Authority, Bible, Existentialism, Frank Viola, Postmodern, Relativism 2 Comments

Those with the hutzpa to claim that their personal perceptions of Christ are more accurate than His written word of scripture deceive themselves. They have rebelled against God’s own chosen revelation, and worship at the feet of postmodernism instead. I would rather that my sensibilities shatter against the rock of God’s Word than subvert Christ to their subjective, existential angst. 
 
Here’s a little song about the dilemmas facing my existentially-consumed friends:
Beyond Scripture? (Part 2).

Finding Organic Church Health

February 14, 2013 By in Church Planting, Existentialism, Frank Viola, Fruit, Leadership, Organic Church 7 Comments

I believe a new “organic” move of God is emerging in the West, which affirms the good things about organic/simple church but rejects the crazy stuff of the past.

Stuck in a Rut

With this new move, we are finally climbing out of our ruts and catching up with our “organic” brothers and sisters in the rest of the world – who never fell prey to the crazy stuff and thus moved far beyond us.Âą

We also are seeing healthy connections form between fellowships in different regions, as locally-rooted leaders use Skype and other Internet tools to build mutually helpful relationships with each other.

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Breaking Free

February 10, 2013 By in Abuse, Predatory Leaders 2 Comments

More than anyone else, a narcissist knows how to make you feel affirmed, needed and important.

It’s how they control and use you to feed their own need to feel affirmed, needed and important – at your own peril because ultimately they consume you to advance their own self-serving agenda.

Whether in your personal life, church, job or wherever …

Don’t be co-dependent. You deserve better.