Cast those Stones!

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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[Rebel in a Good Way]

Peace, just to clarify the missionary (Salvage Project), staff member (Music Director at The Rock) and Board Member's son is Jeromy Darling.  Not sure if you find him representative of GCC or not but he's made these statements publicly and recently. 

I really hate to go back to this thing, but from "The Reckoning:"

" In your desperate attempt to unveil hidden“spiritual abuse” in the church (which is NOWHERE to be found in the Bible, both as a “thing”or a “mission”) you’ve now become abusers yourselves. "  (see Matt 23.  And the rest of the gospels when Jesus brought about his upside down kingdom and challenged oppressors...)

On FB he wrote: "Also, someone needs to explain this new phenomena of "spiritual abuse" to me. It's nowhere in the Bible. "  I have the screen shot of that but don't know how to post it here.

Shouldn't someone on staff be aware of the history of the church organization and be on guard to protect against abuse?  I find that highly problematic.  A Catholic bishop should not be saying "What is clergy abuse?"  He's not even saying "my father is not spiritually abusive," he's saying the concept is...new?  Unbiblical?  How much awareness should a GCC staff member have about spiritual abuse issues?  Apparently none.

I'm getting ready to go on vacation so if I don't respond to the other stuff in the next few days, that is why.  And then I will be gone.  All of that to say it's not ignoring.  And I really hope we can get somewhere.  I've been encouraged by a few posts by ECC-related people on here lately.  Makes me hopeful.

[AgathaL'Orange]

Peace, I'm not sure how we're supposed to discuss GCC on this forum if we can never talk about GCC in general on this forum.  I believe that you are in one of its healthier churches.  But the history of GCC is clearly represented by who is on the national Board of Directors.  It is all throughout the GCLI materials.  It is present in statements by a current staff member, missionary, and the son of a national leader claiming that spiritual abuse isn't real.  That shows me how little spiritual abuse (related to cult behavior) has been discussed or taken seriously in (at least those) local churches. When evaluating an organization, what should we look at?  A few of the healthier churches and call it a healthy organization?  Only because writing is difficult, please read my tone as respectful.  But I am not sure how we are to discuss this here?

I saw this!  Jeromy had never heard of spiritual abuse (was it on Facebook?) and yet it is a known issue to any orthodox (small o) evangelical  or mainline Protestant Church.  This is a BIG deal.  Spiritual abuse is real and it destroys people’s walks with God.

[Peace]

That would be Jeromy's mistake. I agree he would be wrong. That doesn't make GCx to blame if he foolishly made that statement or really has that belief.

This is my point: GCx seems to be the blame for every incorrect teaching, every unkind action, every stupid comment, every wrong theological belief.... See my frustration? Maybe not, but at least we agree about this one. Jeromy is wrong if he denies the existence of spiritual abuse. But it is also different if he claimed he never heard of it. Hard to believe him on that one, but again, that's different than denying it.