Remnant Network - 10

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

@#$%

@#$%

    A friend told me that a friend ("The enemy of my enemy is...") warned him, "You better tell Kopp that this remnant stuff is the Confessing Church Movement with teeth and they know it.  If he's not careful, he's going to get his head chopped off."

    Whoa.

    Sounds sooooooo familiar.

    Hmm.

    Quickly, I read Psalm 55.

    Then I thought - inspired or indigested - "Could it be that they are like them with the same spiritual indigestion masquerading as a faithful inspiration?"

    Yep.

    They come in...

    Moretheless, here are more voices from the remnant...

@#$%

    Parenthetically, for context, you may want to check out #9 and preceding by going to the right column and clicking 'em on.  Go to the right column, click on August, and then click on the #s and catch up.

@#$%

    Here's a voice from Lake Stevens, Washington from an engineer:

Dr. Kopp,

I've been reading with interest the KDS following the latest GA and its accompanying theological atrocities.  Of course resorting to such terminology means I'm reactionary and anti-progress.  If that sounds like something out of Orwell, its only a coincidence (you can take it from me).  I know this doesn't please you, but I'm very glad that group (PCUSA) no longer speaks for me.  The gay rights people aren't done though.  A couple of things I've observed about them and the left in general are the following:  1) They're ruthless, and 2) They aren't interested in  honest give/take.  They're just as satisfied to see dissenters silenced by some decree instead of out-argued in a fair debate. I'll tell you what concerns me now, based only on the trends I've seen:  I believe there will be a concerted effort to apply additional legal pressure to churches/pastors who have stayed faithful to the biblical definition of marriage, by making it federal policy to lift 501 c.3 tax-exempt status from such organizations.

The republican style of government in PCUSA had, some years ago, been the apparent reason PCUSA was vectoring more slowly in this direction than other denominations, and it was seen as a safety valve.  Now it appears they're running ahead of other denominations in this detestable direction as more of the "faithful"have decided to be faithful by leaving, and those active in its policy making apparatus become more radical in composition.  I understand you made a decision to stay put and shepherd any left who were interested in actually following Christ, and I respect that.  Of course there is  not perfect church government here on earth - there's a pendulum that swings between the plodding bureaucracy of something like congregational or presbyterian government,  and the more efficient top-down government such as seen in other places.  I've had issues and run-ins with each.  The potential for abuse in the latter is probably something hard to avoid even among the 

best-intentioned leaders.  There's an example I wanted to bring to your attention, if you care to look into it.  There is a non-denominational church called Mars Hill, begun in Seattle, that now hubs a network of such churches in the northwest.  I've never been a part of it.  I think you can look at the string of articles on it by checking in on www.seattlep-i.com or www.komonews.com and searching on "Mars Hill".  There is a chain of events that I cannot do justice to by trying to describe here.  Their founding pastor (and they only date to 1996 - have grown like alfalfa) is a man named Mark Driscoll, and while I might agree with most of what he has taught, I have grave difficulty with certain things they've allegedly done.  Of particular concern to me are the following:  1) a government streamlined to facilitate executive decree to this man, 2) a lavish (apparently 7 figures) compensation paid to this man, 3) congregant money paid into funds earmarked for specific purposes which is diverted to other purposes, among which was to bolster flagging sales of the latest book written by this man (the leadership apologized for this oofer), 4) an appearance of immaturity on this man's part, behind the scenes, that manifests itself in exchanges with a flavor that would get me fired, 5) insufficient accountability (apparently there have been incidents of mistreatment of those, paid staff and congregation, who have dissented, and discipline/restoration is being handled too much "in-house" for my satisfaction - six weeks is not enough and many have been scuttled completely out the door in the process as the leadership's method of solving the problem.  Of course, for the many outsiders here in the northwest, it's a field day because it validates what they've said and many probably believe about churches in general, and evangelicals in particular.  I'm not sure if Driscoll will be able to retain his job or not.  Given my distaste for insufficient accountability, I can't help but enjoy this.  It really stains Christ's reputation, though.

Hope you're doing well.

@#$%

    Here's a voice from Indiana from another really smart guy:

Dear Bob,

Well, my response to the below comments is this:   Quite frankly, no one of a sound mind could in anyway consider "marrying" a same sex couple in any form a "Christian" ceremony.  No one of a sound mind could/would consider paring up for the purpose of sexual intercourse with a same sex partner.  Neither would anyone of a sound mind living/representing the culture of our Western civilization vote to support Hamas over Israel.  Very simply, this is what the GA vote boils down to.  What are we currently witnessing in the PCUSA is nothing more or less than is what is occurring culturally/politically in our Nation as a whole.  It has been carefully orchestrated into the fabric of the country through a propaganda campaign worthy of Nazi Germany and Hitler's best.  The PCUSA bought into this campaign early on.  Way back to the 1960's and the "Great Society".  Way back when our Western Society/USA began the veneration of the "poor", the "disadvantaged", the "single mothers", the "black thing", the "the hillbilly thing".  Way back in the TV commercials when folks of a lower socioeconomic group appear to possess the "wisdom of Soloman" - at least when compared to the very white, buttoned down businessman appearing in the same ad.  And now the chickens are coming home to roost - as we of the Heartland are want to say.  Western Civilization bad...everything else good.  Except when you travel to observe these other venerated civilizations you are left scratching your head wondering out loud: they don't look so great up close and personal.  In face, they appear damned inferior as compared to Western standards.  Ah, but that's when the excuse making begins by the propaganda machine  Well, it's because "these people" were ruined/corrupted early on by Western white conquerers.  Before the evil white Europeans showed up, these were a happy, peace loving people.  You know the drill.  I've been listening to it since 1964.  Can the situation be reversed? Yes, but the time for decisive action is now upon us.  Keep up the good work.

Best Regards. 

@#$%

    Quick thought.

    Yeah, ya may get your head chopped off.

    If it's happening over there, it could happen over here sooner or later and probably before the end.

    People in mainline denominations and other sideline franchises will not get that last sentence because they don't allow Bible readings during their current decision-making abominations.

    Oops.

    Back to getting your head chopped off for Jesus by the book...

    Yeah, ya may get your head chopped off.

    But, really, wouldn't you rather be held in contempt by them than Him; considering, you know, the, uh, eternal consequences of temporal choices?

    "What does it profit a...?"

@#$%

    A few years ago, some denominational jingoist pulled me aside and threatened to bring charges against me for upsetting the peace and unity of the franchise.

    Come to think of it, he didn't say anything about purity or Jesus or the Bible or our confessions or...

    I told him to bring it on.

    Last time he checked in with me, he seems to have left that idolatry for Jesus by the book.

    Praise the Lord!

    It happened to me, big time, in October 2011.

    Moretheless, I want to be held in contempt by people who don't like or even hate Jesus by the book.

    Go ahead, take your swing.

    No match for Jesus by the book!

@#$%

Blessings and Love!