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Ср Сен 10, 2003 1:47 am |
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Вот, читал статью про ученичество и нарвался на это. Кто-бы перевел, что-ли ?
Response to "From Babylon to Zion"
I was dreading the thought of writing a response to "From Babylon to Zion: REVOLUTION THROUGH RESTORATION III" by Kip McKean. But then I realized I had already written the response to it three years ago, in an article entitled "A Question of Balance." How is it possible to write a response to something three years before it is issued? Because "From Babylon to Zion" is vintage McKeanism; nothing has changed.
"From Babylon to Zion" gives McKean's perspective on the "current problems" in the ICC. In a nutshell, he says that what is now needed is a "new Nehemiah" to lead the ICC out of its "Babylon." I won't do an extensive review of this 50-page article, (and all of the computer printers said "Amen"). However, in addition to what I've said in "A Question of Balance" I have just a few other comments about this article.
Babylon?
If the ICC is indeed in "Babylon" as McKean claims, then I'd say we've been there for the last sixteen years in following his system. The fact is, you reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7). If you build with inexpensive materials, what you build will not last (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). He says that systems don't sin, only people sin. That's right-- but the fact is that Kip's system made it really easy for people to sin in some very damaging ways and not even feel guilty about it. His system canonized worldliness, abuse and harshness (among other things) in pursuit of numerical growth.
Even now, after his "Nebuchadnezzar experience," Kip McKean still does not seem to understand the great harm done to people under his system. From what he has written, the extent of his perception of the harm is related to "roll-backs" of the ICC structure, such as 1) full-time ministers being accountable to their church's memberships and some leaving the ministry, and 2) the removal of a top-heavy hierarchy that he has confused with the Kingdom of God. He doesn't seem to have any understanding of the ruined lives and dreams of the tens of thousands of people who have been members (as well as many former and present staff members) of the ICC but were systematically and deliberately destroyed by the ministry model of Kip McKean.
He laments a "fishbowl effect" presently directed towards some staff members, but he doesn't stop to think how the lives of individual church members have been deliberately damaged, nor how many leaders are glad to be out from under this system. He laments how church members can criticize those who "converted" them, but he doesn't seem to understand that people feel used when they realize they have been used-- that their conversions satisfied other self-serving, warped purposes. Just because you teach the gospel to someone doesn't give you the right to use them or to abuse them, any more than a parent has a right to abuse a child.
Conservatively, there are 300,000 former members of the ICC, as well as 100,000 current members. The vast majority of these people-- members and former members alike-- have scars galore. It's sad that anybody can say to the church at large-- "we've all had our negative experiences, we all have our own 'horror stories'." It seems like everybody sees it and knows it in the depths of their souls-- everybody except Kip McKean.
Speaking Up In Love
Along with the other abuses, the ICC under Kip McKean enforced a "can't talk" rule. Anyone who dared mention that there were serious problems in the movement was anathema. This was one of the many unwritten rules.
But the Bible teaches that we are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and resolve conflicts and issues in a spiritual way. Those courageous enough to go against the unwritten rules and the popular "conventional wisdom" concerning the real results of this system certainly don't deserve the condescending criticism that McKean provides. These people who speak truth in love when it isn't popular are heroes in heaven and ought to be heroes on earth as well.
Even men whom McKean once held in high esteem and were "discipling him" are now out of his favor because they have spoken of the problems with his system. Ironically, ICC leadership has railed against "the Internet" for years but now Kip McKean himself uses the Internet to spread his message because the churches he once controlled will no longer spread it for him.
Those who cannot even speak of their problems have no chance of solving them. What Kip McKean attempts to portray as a "crumbling wall" are these individual congregations of the ICC candidly speaking of their problems and striving to recover from the years of damage of this system. That's far more healthy than attempting to maintain an image that all is perfect.
Let me briefly share my perception about my congregation. I am so proud of the members and leaders of the Denver Church of Christ. We have loved and persevered, endured hardship and spiritual pain. We have talked and listened, understood and studied. We have submitted to each other out of reverence for Christ and striven to truly "keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). We have striven to be faithful to God when it would have been a lot easier to quit. We didn't create a bogus unity by pretending problems didn't exist or by chasing out all who disagree. These men and women here have exemplified godliness, courage, patience and love. Our open forum meetings were great; though some hard things were said, they were said in love and gentleness and were hardly the godless outbursts that some have experienced and criticized.
Many years ago, I used to invite people to church by saying "I go to this really great non-denominational church." I really did, at the time. Several years ago, I sadly realized I couldn't say this truthfully anymore as the church had become corrupt on several levels. I'm glad that I can once again invite people to a "really great non-denominational church." Are we perfect? By no means! We've got a lot of work to do, a lot of things to change, a lot of issues to address. We will never be "perfect." But God doesn't expect perfection, he only expects us to be faithful in good conscience (1 Timothy 1:19). How can we possibly be faithful to God and yet look the other way when there is abuse and corruption? How can we have a good conscience without honestly, humbly addressing issues that are plainly evident?
How anyone can say these "town meetings" are not a Scriptural means to bring about healing and resolution is beyond me. Consider the story of the Grecian widows in Acts 6. These people were neglected and hurt. The Scripture says they "complained" (Acts 6:1). But the apostles listened, humbly recognized these widows had indeed been neglected, gathered the church together, and came up with a solution in concert with the church. This is a great paradigm for solving problems in the church! The old ICC approach would have been to tell them to "deny themselves," "be disciples," "get a job," "persevere," "don't be bitter" and "quit grumbling against God's anointed" or else be cast out of the church. In contrast to the example of the apostles, McKean has the audacity to bring ignorant and condescending criticisms towards the many members and well-known leaders who have persevered, spoken (or written) the truth in love, striven to be true to the Scriptures and really tried to bring healing to a church in desperate need of it.
Every Passover, Israel recalled its deliverance from the bitterness of Egypt by the bitter herbs of the Passover meal itself (Exodus 12: . Similarly, there is great value in publicly recounting and documenting tales of abuse under the ICC ministry paradigm under Kip McKean. It is important for all of us to tell the truth to ourselves and each other about this dark period of our lives. Like the celebration of the Passover for Israel, this can help us appreciate the deliverance God has brought in these recent months and strengthen our resolve to never, ever go back that way again.
Watch Out for the Bad Fruit
I was hoping that Kip McKean's past and present confessions would include specific apologies to Rick Bauer, Jerry Jones, Ed Powers, and others who, to use his own words in his resignation statement in 2002, "whose leadership gifts could have complemented" his. Alas, there haven't been any public apologies to these individuals. Though publicly condemned, history has shown them to have been correct in their analyses of the ICC. They said many of the things that many of us are now saying.
I'm left wondering just who these vague "apologies" were really for. McKean hasn't renounced any of these past condemnations and even now continues to condemn those who speak up in love but don't see things his way. In these matters, an apology without repentance is useless, mere worldly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10ff).
It is no surprise that McKean has nothing new to offer to help the churches at this time; he is sowing the same old "seed" and using the same old inexpensive materials. Like an undisciplined child who won't clean up one mess before making another, I expect that Kip McKean will "start over" in Portland. We can expect many to be baptized in the coming years. That's great, it just goes to show that God is really gracious when people reach out and teach the gospel to the lost. But unfortunately, we can also expect that 75% of those he reaches will leave, almost all will be hurt, and in time his new "movement" will be exactly where the ICC is today.
I think what Kip McKean has written in "From Babylon to Zion" shows that he has a long, long, long way to go until he understands the mess he and his system have made. And until he makes that connection, I'd recommend that everybody steer clear of his out-of-touch ideas and ambitions. We have issues to deal with that he clearly knows nothing about.
http://www.barnabasministry.com/church-kip3.html |
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