Mark Darling starting new church?

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[JesusRocks]

I'm a former Rock attendee. I've heard that Mark has been trying to start a new church in Minneapolis with a small group of folks from The Rock including the Rundquists, Picketts, Martins and others.

Does anyone know anything about this?

He shouldn't be a part of operating any religious establishment.

[Linda]

I have received a few private messages indicating that a church made up of former Rock members has started. I was told it is called Anchored Faith. A couple of the names you mentioned were also mentioned. Mark is pictured on the Facebook page in the group shot, but I have no idea if he was just visiting or who leads it. Perhaps you will recognize some of the people. Here is the link to the Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/anchoredfaithchurch/

There is a letter from John Meyer that has been widely circulated. I was sent a copy. In that letter he explains why he believes Mark is innocent and how ECC mishandled the investigation and basically didn't have Mark's back. He also discusses a future ministry with Mark. It seems as if he is talking about a more national ministry rather than a new small church. I was told privately by a couple sources that this involves the S and SW GCC churches splitting away from GCC
(a schism, so much for unity! ) and this appears to have already happened.

Have you seen that letter?

[Rebel in a Good Way]

Is the letter shareable?  I'm intersted in seeing it if someone is able.

[IWishToRemainAnonymous]

http://anchoredfaithchurch.com/

[Janet Easson Martin]

They list the Pastor as David Putthoff.  Who is he?  When you click on his name an email box for a message comes up addressed to GC Heartland.  Is Mark Darling connected to leadership of this church?

[Huldah]

It looks like Mark's son-in-law is one of the deacons.

[Del]

Good grief! Leave the man alone! Can you imagine the sheer tonnage of such puerile shallowness that would weigh-down the WWW if every miscreant religious leader was similarly enshrined? Get over it...advance something positive!

[Linda]

There is nothing childish or trivial about false doctrine. It is to be exposed.

[Del]

From what I understand of this controversy, it has less to do with doctrine than with personal wounds that are not being allowed to heal. In light of eternity, this is, indeed, childish.

[Huldah]

From what I understand of this controversy...

Perhaps that's the problem. Perhaps you're basing your criticism on a very superficial and incomplete understanding of the issues this forum was created to address.

I invite you to take the time to do some reading here in the forum, and at http://gcmwarning.com/History.aspx and in the GCXLibrary at http://gcxweb.org/. I understand that it's a long and daunting project to get caught up on 40 years of ongoing history, but it's kind of hard to have a meaningful discussion with someone who doesn't know the history of the GCx movement and how it got to where it is today.

(Edited for typos and for clarification.)

[Del]

Huldah, I fully agree that it's kind of hard to have a meaningful discussion with someone who doesn't know the history of the GCx movement and how it got to where it is today. Let me ask, were you in Belen, NM, in the summer of 1976 or 1977, when Herschel Martindale taught on the subject of "controversy" from the letter to Titus? I was. If you were there as well, you should consult your notes or, if not, listen to the message if it's still available. It's good stuff, and right on point.

[Linda]

Does this letter reference the “good stuff” you are referring to?

http://www.gcxweb.org/Misc/BillTaylorToHershel-11-21-1978.aspx

[Del]

The teaching session I remember was at a Church camp in Belen, NM, but the address of the conference may have been Albuquerque.

If this letter by Bill Taylor is all that is available of that message, then the only statement he makes that matches any of the notes I have would be "No controversy, strife, or dispute can be right." I would add "...by itself and unresolved". That thought, alone, being quintessential of the session, IS "good stuff". Wouldn't you agree?

But let me ask again, were you there? Have you heard the message? I have carried a very different impression of Hershel, and of that particular message, for 40+ years. Linda, one has to be careful not to take part (or "sides") in a dispute until both sides are heard, and not by way of second-hand or biased media. Furthermore, anyone who does take part becomes, de facto, part of the solution...or part of the problem.

[Janet Easson Martin]

Thank you SO much for the link to that crucial letter, Linda.  The tactic “No controversy, strife, or dispute can be right” handed down by McCotter and taught by Martindale and others still is the fundamental abuse in the GCx Church Organization.  It is not based on the Truth of God’s Word.  It is a TWIST that carries perverted power!  It creates dictatorship.  Checks and balances have departed.  I would have to say this is how I saw GCx Leaders (and some of us minions) mindlessly revere McCotter.

It is RIGHT to say we should be wise not to take sides until we have heard the other. I heard mostly only one side while I was a member of GCx because I was instructed from the elders NOT to listen to family, friends, and others who disagreed with The GCx Church.  As Bill Taylor pointed out in his letter.  We were taught “THE CHURCH”, as GCx was referred to, was more closely following scripture, more effective, and more fruitful than any other Christian group.  Not only is that deceptive, it’s persuasion is powered with abusive spiritual GUILT, as Taylor rightly describes.  We carried that nonsense in our soul, to our families, to our friends, and toward other Christian groups.

As it turned out, my family, friends, and other Christian groups and authors were right about what spell I was under.  And, it wasn’t from God.

[Del]

Then forget GCx et al and move on, if you can.

[Huldah]

I've had enough Herschel Martindale to last me a lifetime, so I'll spare myself the sermon you recommended. Herschel Martindale is one of the 70's leaders who created GC's culture of bad doctrine, spiritual oppression, and bullying. He's one of the reasons this forum exists.

This forum isn't here because people can't let go of the past. It's here because still, forty years later, we get new members who are traumatized by their recent experiences at GC churches. You want this forum to go away? Stop supporting bad teachers. Stop enabling spiritual abuse.

[Del]

Hmmm...curious.

I don't support ANY Christian teachers, and spiritual abuse happens to be one of the many pandemics we currently face. My concern is for anyone trapped in a burning building with no exits and elevators that only go down.  

[Huldah]

Del, you come here defending GC and minimizing the harm they've done, and then you do a 180 and tell us that you don't support any Christian pastors and that you oppose spiritual abuse. The people at this forum aren't all believers, but we all take spiritual abuse seriously. I'm not interested in wasting time with someone who's just playing games.

Edited because I feel like my original response was just buying into the nonsense.

[Del]

Huldah, if you, in fact, think I have defended GCI and minimized harm done by that or any religious body, than that would certainly constitute a 180. I would be guilty as charged, but that is not the case.

In my initial post my expressed concern was for a forum, any forum, on the WWW giving "the religion haters ridicule material".

My second post dealt with proper procedure for adjudicating offenses within a community. The fact that an on-going controversy can have greater negative effects on a community than the initial offense is clear. I only cited Hershel M's teaching as one instance from my Christian days I considered germane to that point.

The third issue dealt with conflating personal offense with errant theology. Both are major concerns that need to be addressed, but they need to be addressed separately.

The principles of all three instances are not specific to any community or belief, but should be the case with regard to all.

The last post expresses where my focus has been for the past 20 years: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with my G-d. I trust yours to be the same. The need is great, the time is now, and...as you intimated...this is NOT a game.

[Huldah]

When you suggest that the harm to the wounded sheep is less significant than the fallout to the community that supports the wolf, you are indeed minimizing the harm to the victims.

You know that the deck is stacked against the victims at GC churches. You know that "proper procedure" has been weaponized against them.

Some atheists really are searching for the truth. They don't expect pastors to be perfect, but they expect the church to deal decisively with egregious behavior. It's not the occasional bad apple pastor that fuels their contempt; it's the cover-ups and the denial. Atheists aren't stupid. They can smell religious hypocrisy a mile off.

The ultimate blame for harm rests squarely on the wolves and their allies, not on the victims or the victims' advocates.

Question: Why are you here trying to persuade us to join the cover-up, instead of going to the wolves and holding them accountable?