Arrowhead Intro

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.

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[Arrowhead]

Greetings, wonderful people.  I’ve lurked here for the past few days so I might as well say something.  How do I view my past involvement?  Was I a victim of GCI or a willing participant?  Weren’t the leaders opportunists for their own gain “in the name of the Lord”?  After all, McCotter is a businessman.  GCI was run like a business.  As for me, I made the choice to join, but then again, I was 19, away from home and missing “family”.  I was an open target.  Sure, I’m 43 now, with life experience behind me.  Nowadays I can smell organizations like this one a mile away.  Do I think of GCI?  No, not very often – not even once a month.  I’m grateful for that.  Do I wish I could look back at my undergraduate college experience with a smile?  Yes, I do.  No, I can’t.  They took 4 years.  But then again, was I a victim or a willing participant?  It’s strange to me to read some of the posts where people defend the leaders with the belief that they are victims, too - boo.  I don’t think so.  When I was 19, I gave my present and my future (as I vowed at the time) to grown men in their 40s.  Now I’m at that age and I wouldn’t dream of preying upon college kids in their teens and twenties to build a church even for the most noble and glorious reasons.  Oprah tells a story from her childhood of being violated by a man (a relative) and then cooking him eggs in the morning.  When you’re in it, you don’t see your own victimization for what it is.  (Oprah went into “survivor mode” as a coping mechanism.  Been there?)  If there’s a victim, there’s a perpetrator.  Everyone can’t be a victim.  No, I don’t have the corner on understanding victimization.  I do have, however, 20 years of non-GCI living which has given me clarity.  I realize that I also live with the scars that come from the battles I fought while making myself fit into an organization where business often usurped humanity.  I was in D.C. in 1985 (all summer living at the University of Maryland in a roach-infested frat house being fed limited portions for meals “for the glory of God” – of course, don’t feed them too much or they might have enough brain power to think for themselves and you know what mutiny means!  I would love to expound upon discussing the fear that drives GCI leadership…. another day…) and 1986 for a huge national gathering of churches.  I was in South America knocking on more doors in 1988 and passing out more tracts at a local college campus.  When I realized I was more interested in improving my Spanish than helping GCI grow, I got out.  (I make it sound easy, but of course, it was devastating.  Long story, but I was already a “fringe person” as we called those GCIers at that time in Bloomington, Indiana who dared to blossom and start thinking for themselves.  I went to South America on the “outs”.  How grateful I am for that little voice of reason.)  So I ask:  victim or willing participant?  20 years later it almost doesn’t seem to matter – but I know it does.  I wouldn’t be here if it didn’t – right?

[steelgirl]

Greetings, wonderful people.  I’ve lurked here for the past few days so I might as well say something.  How do I view my past involvement?  Was I a victim of GCI or a willing participant?  Weren’t the leaders opportunists for their own gain “in the name of the Lord”?  After all, McCotter is a businessman.  GCI was run like a business.  As for me, I made the choice to join, but then again, I was 19, away from home and missing “family”.  I was an open target.  Sure, I’m 43 now, with life experience behind me.  Nowadays I can smell organizations like this one a mile away.  Do I think of GCI?  No, not very often – not even once a month.  I’m grateful for that.  Do I wish I could look back at my undergraduate college experience with a smile?  Yes, I do.  No, I can’t.  They took 4 years.  But then again, was I a victim or a willing participant?  It’s strange to me to read some of the posts where people defend the leaders with the belief that they are victims, too - boo.  I don’t think so.  When I was 19, I gave my present and my future (as I vowed at the time) to grown men in their 40s.  Now I’m at that age and I wouldn’t dream of preying upon college kids in their teens and twenties to build a church even for the most noble and glorious reasons.  Oprah tells a story from her childhood of being violated by a man (a relative) and then cooking him eggs in the morning.  When you’re in it, you don’t see your own victimization for what it is.  (Oprah went into “survivor mode” as a coping mechanism.  Been there?)  If there’s a victim, there’s a perpetrator.  Everyone can’t be a victim.  No, I don’t have the corner on understanding victimization.  I do have, however, 20 years of non-GCI living which has given me clarity.  I realize that I also live with the scars that come from the battles I fought while making myself fit into an organization where business often usurped humanity.  I was in D.C. in 1985 (all summer living at the University of Maryland in a roach-infested frat house being fed limited portions for meals “for the glory of God” – of course, don’t feed them too much or they might have enough brain power to think for themselves and you know what mutiny means!  I would love to expound upon discussing the fear that drives GCI leadership…. another day…) and 1986 for a huge national gathering of churches.  I was in South America knocking on more doors in 1988 and passing out more tracts at a local college campus.  When I realized I was more interested in improving my Spanish than helping GCI grow, I got out.  (I make it sound easy, but of course, it was devastating.  Long story, but I was already a “fringe person” as we called those GCIers at that time in Bloomington, Indiana who dared to blossom and start thinking for themselves.  I went to South America on the “outs”.  How grateful I am for that little voice of reason.)  So I ask:  victim or willing participant?  20 years later it almost doesn’t seem to matter – but I know it does.  I wouldn’t be here if it didn’t – right?

I was not in GCM till I graduated from college.  The campus church somewhat succeeded at becoming community which was more of an attraction than the family oriented Baptist church I grew up in.  They had a great college ministry back when I was in school.  I was in a different group.  I hope they are still doing well.  The GCM campus church went through a lot of changes.  The 1st 2 yrs I was involved was great with friendships.  The next yr was hard, I had the opportunity to go on a great ministry opportunity.   That was a great experience.  However from 01-04 something was missing.  I was still involved with this church but checked something out in 03 and left in O4.  I wonder if some people thought I was stretching the bounds with my talents.

[maranatha]

"I was in D.C. in 1985"

If I remember correctly, that's when they wanted the DC area to be the "hub".  

Many, many  pastors, etc. moved there(McCotter, Clark, Whitney, Hopler,Short, Bovenmeyer, Bartley, etc. etc) and the idea was that people would be trained and sent out to plant churches from there.

[steelgirl]

"I was in D.C. in 1985"

If I remember correctly, that's when they wanted the DC area to be the "hub".  

Many, many  pastors, etc. moved there(McCotter, Clark, Whitney, Hopler,Short, Bovenmeyer, Bartley, etc. etc) and the idea was that people would be trained and sent out to plant churches from there.

Columbus Ohio was where the hq were for a time and then they moved to Orlando.

[wastedyearsthere]

Does anyone know where Dave Giesman is?  He moved out to OH in the 80's and haven't heard if he is still involved with GCC.  He was a leader in our local GCC church

[DesiringTruth]

Dave Giesman is no longer with GCx.