Don't Question, Be Happy, Robotic, Loyal--Rick Whitney

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[GodisFaithful]

Questioning is just so not cool in GCx.  At least according to Rick Whitney. And with the way leadership works in GCx, other leaders and elders follow along in perfect step.  Questioning means you are a bottom dweller, you have not even begun the ascent to the mountain tops of leadership material, you are in need of serious GCx discipling, you need a sharp rebuke. 

If you don't believe me, here is a quote from one of Rick Whitney's articles online.

"Several years ago at a conference, I had a brother stand up and reprove another man who was questioning me.  I didn't really mind the challenge, or the questions.  Actually, I have forgotten what the exact issue was.  But as I was responding, I will never forget how my first brother stood up and interrupted.

He defended me.  He was vigorous and outspoken and maybe just a little too passionate.  He spoke because he was moved to do so.  It was out of the blue, totally unexpected. 

My, how it touched my heart!  I will not forget his spirit.  As I said, I have forgotten what the challenge was or even who the challenger was.  But I will never forget my brother's loyal defense. 

This kind of speech bonds hearts together, and unites men at a very deep level.  May God help us all to speak up for unity and loyalty. 

Just as a soldier is diligent in protecting his outpost, so too we must be diligent in guarding against any word or thought or temptation that can lead to separation."


My comments:

No, this kind of speech, rebuking a questioner, unites men at a very superficial level rather than a deep level, loyalty trumping everything.  Even heretical teaching? 

I think he doesn't remember the question because questioning is so not cool. If he didn't mind the question then why is he so touched when someone rebuked the questioner? Sounds like it is a "temptation" to question, and could lead to "separation".  Does that mean that it is a sin to question?  Sounds like it. And how on earth does questioning lead to separation? If the GCx movement cannot handle intense questioning it is on very shaky footing.

Notice how the person defending Rick was "moved to do so" but the questioner was presumably not "moved" to ask a question.

Does anyone else see that they want robots/clones?  But this is not how God designed us.  God designed us with questioning minds.  Most people ask questions from the time they can think/talk.  Asking questions is a beautiful thing.  God is not afraid of our questions.  My current pastor really likes it that I and others ask questions.  I have taken many Bible classes from him.  He has told me, "I really like your questions.  Don't stop asking them.  You often ask questions that many people in the class are probably thinking but they don't have the guts to ask."

Many people came to Jesus asking questions.  We all can learn a lot from his answers to questions. God has gradually answered a lot of questions that I have. Many times my questions are answered from studying the Bible, or talking to other believers.  I have never been rebuked for asking questions of a pastor since I left the GCx movement.  I feel sorry for the poor guy in this story Rick tells. This kind of incident should be an embarrassment to the whole movement. It is pastoral pomposity.

Did you notice that the questioner was interrupted? And that was fine with Rick. It reminds me of the account in Larry Pile's book about the excommunication of a leader.  People had questions, and they were constantly being interrupted by the pompous leaders.  It was crazy.     

[Linda]

Here is something interesting.

I went to the Faithwalkers 2008 web page to find Rick Whitney's message entitled "Totally Committed to Devote Yourself to Your Local Church For the Rest of Your Life". It's gone. I know that is the exact title and I know that message exists because I have it. A reminder to everyone, if you hear bad teaching, download it if possible because the second it is discussed here, it disappears.

Here is the link to the Commitments 2008 Faithwalkers. Is it there? Did I miss it? Or, as usual, have they removed, but not corrected bad teaching.

http://www.gccweb.org/conferences/faithwalkers/west/2008teachings_west.html

[BrokenyetFree]

Thank you GodIsFaithful.  I agree and can identify with this post completely.  In my experience, anything against the church or their teaching is met with immediate dismissal and discrediting (even if their answers to the questions asked don't make logical sense).  Thanks for posting!

[arthur]

{Ramble}

I got hooked by a multi-level marketing ploy early in my life. As I think back and compare that to the techniques used by GCX, they are sometimes unsettlingly familiar. Absolute loyalty to a "product". an "Upline" that "mentors". Books, Tapes, and seminars. Imitation as a way of life. Looking back at myself, it was my loneliness in life that got me hooked by the MLM, and it was that same loneliness that got me hooked by GCx. The MLM was a parasite feeding on me, and about the time I realized that, I began to realize the same about the church I was going to. One was a drain on my wallet. The other was a drain on my spirit.

 Denial held both my wife and I there far too long. Thank God that my wife and I escaped before they got their hooks into our Kids.

Probably not the right thread for this... but the "Don't question" theme of this thread prompted the memory.

.... I wonder how many of the GCx leaders have learned tactics from an MLM of one sort or another?

{/Ramble}

[MidnightRider]

.... I wonder how many of the GCx leaders have learned tactics from an MLM of one sort or another?

arthur,

Be sure to search on this site for discussion of "Slick 50". For example:
http://forum.gcmwarning.com/jim-mccotter-gc-history/slick-50/

There is a chapter about it in the book Marching to Zion.