Updated information on reason for Mark's ordination being rescinded - full text

Welcome to De-Commissioned, a place for former members of the Great Commission movement (aka GCM, GCC, GCAC, GCI, the Blitz) to discuss problems they've experienced in the association's practices and theology.

You may read and post, but some features are restricted to registered members. Please consider registering to gain full access! Registration is free and only takes a few moments to complete.

[bourneforHim]

So sad, GodisFaithful, of Doug Patterson to be saying this.  Of course I've heard him dis others in such a way before.  This isn't the first time.  For some 14 years or so I attended Doug's locations.   Time and and time again people who approached Doug privately were simply stone walled.  At first I took peoples first hand stories with a grain of salt but over time heard far too many similar stories.  Doug once said to a close friend of mine how surprised he was to have to use forceful leadership so often in a church.  I always thought of Jesus as more of a servant leader myself.  Many who left were said to "have fallen away".  "Don't try to contact them".  I should have called Doug out a few times in the middle if Sunday service as I was still in contact with many of those brethren and knew different. 
   My take after so many years of experience is Doug wants people to come to him with questions and issues, without their own witness, rather than "gossip", in order for him to stonewall them back into line.  There is no way on earth I would encourage ANY current attenders to meet with ANY Evergreen pastor without bringing along THEIR OWN Matthew 18 witness.  Doing otherwise is just an excercise in complete and thorough futility and dissatisfaction. 
   As hard as it is to leave Evergreen because of the friendships you have just remember, your real friends will still be there for you as mine have.  When you find a new church family you'll build new friendships as well.  That's something we do all of our lives.  Finally, many of the friends you have now at the GCC church you may be attending will also move on at some point,  Few are lifers and most of those are a part of  the "privileged" inner circle.  You have to keep following God where he takes you.  If God leads you somewhere else He will be there providing for you!!

[GodisFaithful]

Your experience at Evergreen, BourneforHim, over a fourteen year period is so chilling and sad. It takes so long to see through the manipulation of these pastors. They tout their behavior as love and concern, but in reality they are all about controlling people under them and hanging on to their position and power. This is not the way the church of Jesus Christ was ever meant to function. Like you said, Jesus came as a servant ("he took a towel...") and he warned against leaders trying to figure out who is the greatest and who is on top and he warned against lording it over people like the Pharisees loved to do.

I talked to someone who met with the investigator of the Mark Darling debacle. This person told about how people are often treated when leaving Evergreen and the investigator acknowledged that she had heard from many people that members are often told to leave if they have disagreements or they are negatively talked about after they leave and also that current members are told not to contact the ones who have left.

What on earth did Doug Patterson mean when he said he had to use "forceful leadership"?? Sounds like he is well trained in the areas of lording it over, being heavy handed, and in general spiritually abusive to people.

Of one godly family who left soon after us, I heard that Evergreen people were told "they are listening to Satan." More likely, for people leaving,they are listening to God or to their gut instinct which is telling them to get out of there and should not be treated like this as a thinking human being. Like you said, God is well able to take care of those who leave. God is Faithful.

I am hoping that anyone thinking of meeting with Evergreen leadership will heed your warning to take their own witness.

Whether ANY of the so-called apologies of the top dogs at Evergreen are truly sincere remains to be seen.