Ministry Audit

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[puff of purple smoke]

One thing Dave mentioned in 1991, when he was announcing the church error statement, was the possibility of a “Ministry Audit.” Similar to a financial audit, this would involve people knowledgeable in cults and doctrinal issues to regularly check in on GC churches across the country. Much like a financial system of accountability, this would keep churches accountable to not fall back into their old ways. It is unfortunate, but I believe nothing ever came of this idea.

[nateswinton]

I’ll ask him about the follow-up on that. Thanks for mentioning it.

[exshep]

The audit might be a good idea. You may be on to something. The accountability would not hurt. Yesterday I was praying that the Lord would churches and leaders still in their abusive ways accountable and for God’s healing tide on the GC church.

If one is comfortable, it might be interesting to have bloggers bring out their report cards. That may need some further thought and discussion. The church I attend I would give a B+. There are churches I could give passing grades, based on cursory subjective impressions. One church I would have to flunk. There is enough supporting data to demonstrate the leader was engaging in hiding data.

It does demonstrate how the GC churches vary all over the lot. I am not too sure how to summarize my thoughts. It is going to require a lot of thought and prayer.

[puff of purple smoke]

Nate, did you ever ask him about this?

[banished]

The problem is the leadership does not care. This is my personal experience:

When you bring the issue of an abusive pastor to the attention of leadership, instead of addressing the core problems, they will argue about insignificant details. The pastor will create diversion problems to take the focus off of the real problem.

In my opinions leadership is aware that something is very wrong, but they don't care to fix it.

[exshep]

After the recent post on history rewrite at Grace and my comments about the denial of the existence of the Athens OH church, I guess I should not be surprised.  

I guess that I take an attitude of "take what I like and leave the rest" when it comes to GC dysfuntion.  There are many sermons and leaders I can listen to for hours; when they fall into the "old tapes", I change the channel.

[puff of purple smoke]

One thing Dave mentioned in 1991, when he was announcing the church error statement, was the possibility of a “Ministry Audit.” Similar to a financial audit, this would involve people knowledgeable in cults and doctrinal issues to regularly check in on GC churches across the country. Much like a financial system of accountability, this would keep churches accountable to not fall back into their old ways. It is unfortunate, but I believe nothing ever came of this idea.

The audio of this announcement can be found in this thread: http://gcmwarning.com:8080/decomm/index.php/topic,450.0.html

[MidnightRider]

Did this "ministry audit" ever take place?

[puff of purple smoke]

Did this "ministry audit" ever take place?

No.

[puff of purple smoke]

Here is the exact quote from Dave Bovenmeyer in 1991 (audio can be found in this thread) in which the ministry audit idea is introduced:

Another thing we're praying about is called a Doctrinal Ministry Audit. And what that would be is to get 5.. 10.. maybe about 5.. 3 to 5 Christian leaders in different disciplines.. Maybe a psychologist, a sociologist, or a cult expert *laughs* or ah.. a ministry.. from the ministry aspect.. just different areas like this that could look, not so much at our financial- it's not a financial audit.. not at your books, although sometimes you guys may want to have someone look at your books from time to time - anyway, but that wouldn't be what this was, but a- ministry audit, and they would just go and - to different churches, fly anywhere in the country, talk to elders, talk to people in the churches, try to just ah- talk to some of our critics and their concerns, try to ascertain and give a report about the health and condition of this ministry.. of our movement. And then we could use this if it turned out positive, which I think it would.. we hope.. but ah- *laughs* if it turned out positive we could use this to put some of our - some of the critics - I don't think we're going to gain recouncilliation with everyone, and especially I don't have hope with some unbelievers that are attacking.. they're attacking everybody from Catholics to eastern orthodox people and uh- so I don't have a lot of hope with some of these people but I think if we have something to put them on notice, "look this is just not true", um- why I think it could calm and stop some of the attacks from some of those quarters. So that's something we're praying about, it's not for sure we're going to need that, but it may be something that we will do.



-- Dave Bovenmeyer, 1991 GCAC Pastor's Conference

[namaste]

So, in other words, the point of a ministry audit is not to keep church leaders accountable, and ensure that abuses are not occurring, but to squelch the opposition.

That's great.  Real great.

I wonder why they decided not to do it.  Not.