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Author Topic: Herschel’s “demotion”  (Read 5139 times)
tempaussie
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« on: March 19, 2007, 07:57:58 pm »

It has been quite a while since I have thought through all this stuff so I don’t remember the exact year but it was probably in the 80’s as Herschel was leading the work in Austin.

There was a big push nationwide on the need for disciplemakers and both Jim and Dennis were of the opinion that Herschel was very weak in this and was not “on board” with the whole concept.

A number of us elders had a discussion in Ames when we were together there and a reddish haired fella (Gary something or other) came up with the idea that Herschel needed to be removed from leadership, both figuratively as well as geographically. Jim suggested Herschel would profit from “working on an assembly line in a factory.”

Since I had worked with Herschel and was still in Texas, I was given the Soprano-task of taking several brothers and getting Herschel in a room where the news was given to him to leave Austin.

I think he ended up in Illinois for a while. It must have been a horrible time for he and Mardean as I know it was for his sons.

For as much as I loved Herschel, I could never understand why he could not stand up to Jim. I felt in the late 70s and early 80s that Herschel was the key to bringing the movement back into line.
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Headed to the Finish Line.
oleo
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« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2007, 07:59:49 pm »

tempaussie,

thanks you confirmed my experience with Herschel, I’ll bet he forgave you too.

Herschel actually flew from columbia mo. where he is a pastor now to help mediate our conflict. i was struck with what a Godly man he seemed to be. I had the thought after dealing with John Hopler and herschel that gcm would would certainly be more christ-like if herschel were at the helm. He genuinly believed that God could resolve things but Hopler and our pastor just wanted us out which is what happened. Sad really…if these *young whipersnappers* would just listen to the voice of experience and wisdom this web site would shut down.
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Anonymous50
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« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2007, 08:00:01 pm »

I’m pretty sure that Herschel suffered some sort of nervous breakdown at some point, but I am not sure when. It was a long time ago though. The later ’70s sounds about right.
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Samuel Lopez De Victoria
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« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2007, 08:00:17 pm »

Temp,



I’m sorry about what you’ve had to go through. Herschel has gone through a nervous break down many years ago. I talked with him about it one time. He was very candid about what the emotions were and how he had no ambition to do anything. I appreciate that he opened up about his battles. When men are young, they are so idealistic and full of testosterone that they do idiotic things and make bombastic and dogmatic decisions that they later regret. I, certainly know and am guilty of that.



I agree that Hopler is young on these matters. I have firsthand experience working with him and being at the receiving end. He means good but he is not a pastor nor is he a pastors’ pastor. He is stuck in his life in elemental levels of development which impede him from making significant emotional connections. This curtails his ability to deeply empathize. He tries but he has not had the emotional database (from mother and father) necessary to feel others’ pain and share love in a deep connection. He is referred sometimes as “the Hammer” or “robotic” because of these great deficits in his life. He can be quite ruthless when things do not go his way. He’ll be “tolerant” until you point out that his views and position has flaws and weaknesses. He then shuts becomes “lawyer” and you have to watch out, because he is no longer a “safe person” because he’ll do the lawyer thing on you… eat you up. I’ve told this to him many times, in email and in person and in front of the whole GC board. Nothing happens because the board is 1) scared of him and Whitney, 2) They are gifted primarily in administration, which the board is not, and 3) they sometimes control the purse strings or can influence those who do.



I’ve pushed to have Hopler reassigned to accounting or some other administrative job that did not entail handling mens’ lives. He has botched up too many cases (mine and Rob Irvine’s included). I think he means well, but as is the case of a child or a youth, they mean well but lack wisdom, experience, and maturity… therefore they can cause untold damage in their desire to effect change in the world.
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