Examples of How Matthew 18 Is Really Used (To Bully & Abuse Regular Members)

It is a busy time for me right now, but despite my being so busy I have been able to have some discussions on Facebook about my being blocked by Lipehn Endere for publishing items critical of church leadership and their (at best) questionable actions.

Here are some sad examples of how Matthew 18 is really used:

Church Disciplines Wife for Wanting to Divorce Husband who Admitted Pedophile Leanings

Church Excommunicates Domestic Violence Victim Who Was Married to Pastor’s Son

I wonder if these examples might hit home for Lipehn.  I wonder what she would think if she was in an abusive marriage, or married to a pedophile and leadership forced her to remain in that marriage under threat of Matthew 18.  Maybe seeing these examples will help take off what I see as “rose colored” glasses in how she sees leadership.

Again Lipehn has both blocked me from sending her private messages or posting on the public Maranatha group, so I really have no way to privately communicate with her.  She could have at least left private messaging open. What is she afraid of?

Matt Chandler and The Village Church did back down on imposing “church discipline” on Karen Root, but only after their actions were widely publicized, and after so many began to question if not display total shock.  I imagine had it not been for this type of publicity these leaders would have continued their action.  This is an example of why questionable actions of leaders, such as the two above examples need to be shared publicly (told to the church). 

As my friend Phil Snow said in response to Lipehn blocking me “the truth hurts,” such as when one exposes the sin and hypocrisy of leaders and especially those who continue in this even when exposed.    I am sure it hurts when one destroys her image of leaders, and these leaders and those around them always wanting to do the right thing.

Matthew 18, in the hands of God fearing and humble leadership who seek God before they impose this type of discipline, can work when applied properly to appropriate actions.  These leaders also need to remember the Hebrews passage where it says that one day they will have to give an account, which I am sure includes the type of actions these leaders have demonstrated.  Sadly, many times their actions certainly don’t appear as if they have this fear of being held accountable. These leaders are supposedly “imperfect” as some like to state when excusing their actions, but then they question why I publish items that show their sin and hypocrisy.

One thing you don’t see a lot of is church leaders themselves being disciplined according to Matthew 18.  Did this ever really occur in Maranatha Ministries International (MMI) when it was in existence?  I doubt it ever happened especially with those in top leadership positions including Bob Weiner and Joe Smith, or some of their “lieutenants.”  I am sure there were plenty of cases where discipline should have been given, and had it been done the group would have had a much different history.

Maybe if the questionable actions of Bob Weiner and other top leaders were publicized things would have turned out differently for MMI.  Maybe if the sins of top leadership would had been exposed change would have occurred, or the group may have imploded even sooner.   It is a shame that their questionable actions were kept quiet for so long, and that this silence enabled the group to continue when either changes including repentance should have occurred or the group should have been shut down for a period of time.

One example of where the actions of leaders shouldn’t have been kept so quiet is how Bob Weiner and Joe Smith reacted to Steve J. allowing one local campus church to leave Maranatha.  If the sad response of Bob and Joe had been more widely publicized to those in the group I wonder what might have happened.  In this case Bob and Joe reportedly took great umbrage that a group was allowed to leave and their reaction lead to Steve J’s immediate resignation from MMI.  It is doubtful that Bob and Joe sought God on this, or saw this as some type of a warning for what was wrong with their group and what was to eventually come.

I would also highly recommend one look at this blog post by Kristen (another former Maranatha Member):

Matthew 18 and Spiritual Abuse

Kristen gives a good summary of how Matthew 18 can be used to enable spiritual abuse.  This is what is said at the end of her blog post:
“In any event, Christians, and especially Christian leaders, need to be careful about using passages of scripture to their own advantage at the expense of others.  This is against every principle that Jesus taught– and it’s what most of His rebukes of the scribes and Pharisees were about.”

In a Facebook discussion Kristen wonders if people who insist that leaders’ actions not be publicly discussed are making leaders a type of “idol.”  The Bible clearly states in Jeremiah 17:5 that “cursed is the one who trusts in man.”  The same passage indicates that doing so is drawing strength from mere flesh and is a heart turning away from the Lord.  We need to be careful of idolizing and trusting leaders versus trusting the Lord.  I am sure this was a significant reason for MMI’s failure.

One other person on Facebook posted this passage “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD” Proverbs 17:15.  That is quite an appropriate passage.  It is a shame when you see people trying to justify wicked leaders even though the person trying to justify them may be well intentioned, such as I am sure Lipehn thinks in her mind she is doing.

I do hope that Liphen and others reconsider wanting to suppress any publicity about (at best) questionable actions of leaders.