PCA stated clerk keeping 'enemies list'

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I cannot post the whole Facebook thread here, but apparent today or recently Stated Clerk of the PCA Bryan Chappell appeared on a podcast. He was on the subject of those who in his opinion focus on scandalizing the church. At some point he flashed a post-it note of names he apparently keeps as a token and someone screen grabbed it. He then characterized the list as those who have left the ministry, left their wives, killed themselves. That may have been true of one person on the list but others are OPC, PCA, RPCNA ministers in good standing and even the FV boys he listed (Leithart, etc.) have not left there wives or killed themselves or, at least openly, yet swam a river officially. This is a scandal. I have friends on his list (Frank Smith, Lane Keister) and others such as Carl Trueman are shocking to see; absent the FB boys, many on the list are profitable for ministry in Christ's church far as I see. The videography has since scrubbed the video and it is no longer up, but the cat is out of the proverbial bag. This in the end says more about the PCA's stated clerk than anyone on his 'enemies list'. Any way, you can see the thread here.
 
I don't think I can respect a man who can list all of his enemies on a post it note.

But what I really want is the story behind the name that is scratched out.
 
We shouldn't minimise how disgraceful it is, but it manifests an atrocious spirit in ecclesiastical politics. I know men who keep mental lists of this kind, although I've never heard of them writing it down. I also hear men speak triumphantly of the demise of people who have opposed them. It is shocking, but true. The church needs repentance on a biblical scale. Again, not to minimise what this man has done. He needs repentance of a public nature.
 
I guess I am more bewildered by it than offended. To the best of my recollection, I have never talked personally to Bryan Chapell. I have certainly not left my family, my life, my faith, or the ministry. Even in the FV battles on my blog, I was trying my hardest to keep everything focused on the bad ideas of the FV, not on attacking the people themselves. I really don't know what he is talking about.
 
Liam Golinger…just google it. Aimee Byrd?
Tim Bayly (his brother David was my wife’s pastor and married us) @Edward was probably scratched out. Disturbing thing for a minister of the Gospel.
 
Amazing. Here's the transcript from when he holds up the note. Ironic that his lead charge against them is attacking or scandalizing others: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/gospelbound/tim-kellers-overlooked-teaching/

What do we do? Colin, you and I didn’t talk about that previously, so you read that, and I didn’t know you would, but you may have seen me glance aside, and the reason I did was, I’m going to show this to you quickly. I keep the note on my desk. Those are the names of the scandalizers, the people who have invested hours every day attacking others for their supposed lack of faithfulness, for their compromise. Who? Who? Who, whose identity comes from scandalizing others, and every name on that list has either left his family, left the faith, or taken his life. Every name on that list it I can, you know, it’s amazes me. I’ve done this for almost 50 years now. I’ve been an ordained ministry, and I, I can tell you almost with certainty, those who, those who build their reputations on destroying the reputations of others, will end up with terribly dark lives you just cannot live in darkness in this segment of your life, I’m going to spend my life trying to make fun, mock scandalize other people, but I’m going to be tender and precious and kind with my wife and children, or I’m going to I’m just going to care for my church with such tenderness and and pastoral care over here and this other One, you cannot do that. You cannot segregate your life that way. And there are so many young pastors who do not recognize who think that their zeal for their cause justifies lack of godliness.
 
This is very strange and something about it doesn't add up. Was Liam Goligher known for being fiery and sharp in that way? Why would Aimee and Lane be on the same list?
 
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Ploutos said:
This is very strange and something about it doesn't add up. Was Liam Goligher known for being fiery and sharp in nhat way? Why would Aimee and Lane be on the same list?
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I can only guess that Goligher was a major opponent against EFS theologians on the internet. I'm not sure how much that involved the PCA. The main EFS guys were Baptists Ware & Grudem.
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“All of us would be wiser if we would resolve never to put people down, except on our prayer list.” – Don Carson
 
What do we think of Bryan Chapell's book "Christ Centered Preaching?" I thought it was quite good. But maybe I have to take a closer look!
 
Pomopu said:
What do we think of Bryan Chapell's book "Christ Centered Preaching?" I thought it was quite good. But maybe I have to take a closer look!
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If you happen to find a sticky note left in it, be sure to let someone know.
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Chapell's book is a fine book and worth reading. No need to offload it because of this controversy.
 
Pomopu said:
What do we think of Bryan Chapell's book "Christ Centered Preaching?" I thought it was quite good. But maybe I have to take a closer look!
Click to expand...
This list is scandalous, but I don't think there's anything here that would cause me to call into question the usefulness of his book on preaching. I was trained from that book, and found it very helpful, and I'll probably still refer to it for a refresher on certain things from time to time. But, I may be more hesitant to recommend or promote it to anyone unaware of this scandal.
 
Sadly, it is often the case that people who speak against heterodoxy, heresy, and fight for the peace and purity of the church are "marked and labeled" as those causing division, dissension, and distrust, etc. The people staunchly advocating for winsomeness, unity, and peace are often the most divisive. They cannot seem to understand the fact that someone can be both irenic and fight for truth <-- what a novel idea, right!? Guess who else would be on those lists: Luther, Calvin, and all of the Reformers.
 
SolusChristus said:
Sadly, it is often the case that people who speak against heterodoxy, heresy, and fight for the peace and purity of the church are "marked and labeled" as those causing division, dissension, and distrust, etc. The people staunchly advocating for winsomeness, unity, and peace are often the most divisive. They cannot seem to understand the fact that someone can be both irenic and fight for truth <-- what a novel idea, right!? Guess who else would be on those lists: Luther, Calvin, and all of the Reformers.
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I was thinking of how many stalwarts in church history who would make the list. Wouldn't the apostle Paul and Jesus Christ himself make the list, since they were both quite blunt at times and offended the "sensibly religious"? What about Athanasius contra mundum? Why couldn't he just get along with everyone? Chapell has issued an apology on TGC website (though I can't seem to find a specific URL for it), but it includes some blame, I am thinking for people who blew the whistle on him.
 
He apologized that people were able to read the list; nothing apologizing for actually making and maintaining the list.
 
He also blame-shifted - it was the videographer who didn't catch it and some guy took a screenshot when he wasn't supposed to. Weak.
 
Dr. Chapell's apology, and that from Colin Hansen, show that both men have clearly missed the point. They apparnetly think there would be no problem, and no sin, if the list really had been entirely illegible, or if they caught it and obscured/removed it in editing. But, as Rev. Winzer said above, even those who only maintain such lists in their own minds are guilty of sin against their brothers and against the church. The spirit that leads to the creation of such lists has no place in the church, especially in one who holds such an influential position.

And the mix of names on the list only highlights that problem. Especially when he said that everyone on his list has apostatized, failed morally, or committed suicide. Even if he were to say that he didn't really mean every single person on his list, the fact is that it's not clear that that's even true of the majority of them, and it suggests that he thinks it's only a matter of time before all of them do.
 
It's all very strange. The answer is probably in the video, which I only heard enough to see the list (which had been blurred by then) and I don't recall exactly but it seems he must have some over zealous principle against what he deems scandal mongers, which includes newsmen, bloggers, podcasters, etc., who expose problems like at CTS, as well as those who have proved heterodox and advocate error. That's the only thing I see that could bind such a diverse group together.
 
Whatever someone feels, men (especially those with power and prestige) have to behave smarter than that.
 
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