so folks, i tried. i really, really tried.
but creflo dollar forced my hand and now i have to comment!
watch this video and then we'll have a chat...
okay, here's all of my thoughts. i was writing somewhat quickly so it's not my usual blog, but it'll do.
1.) creflo speaking out on a hot button issue? so that really was a unicorn that i saw on the way to the gas station this morning.
2.) in some aspects i agree with him. whatever eddie long did, jesus paid the price. salvation is through grace. no doubting that at all. HOWEVER, the issue isn't eddie long's eternal state, but his earthly actions and their implications. i don't believe that we can use a future state in heaven to sidestep the issue of justice now. if wrong was done, justice should prevail.
3.) so, is admitting that eddie had "a wreck" an acknowledgement of guilt? does he know something that we don't? i think we need to be specific with the type of "wreck" that's being discussed. several young men accused long of sexual coercion when they were kids and he never flat out said, "i didn't do it." this creates a HUGE problem for folks (not enough folks unfortunately). if i was accused of something, particularly something as heinous as taking advantage of children, i'd go out of my way to prove my innocence. that is, of course, if i was innocent.
5.) again about this whole "wreck" thing. yes we all fall short. however, if i get into a car accident because you are a reckless driver, the chances of me getting in the car with you again are slim. it's not about forgiveness. it's about trust. people need to be able to trust clergy if we are to do the real job of spiritual leadership. trust is earned. it's not mandatory. once it's lost it does NOT have to be restored. trust isn't a debt that we owe, it's a privilege that is offered.
6.) ANOTHER thing about this whole "wreck" business: if the children involved were creflo's daughters, i wonder if the tune would be the same? i sincerely HOPE not. "but the dude just had a wreck and molested my daughter!" umm...
7.) this whole situation only fuels public mistrust of the megachurch culture. the pastor that's accused of a crime can get away with a speech where he never explicitly denies the allegations. then his buddy up the road comes to his defense. all the while the folks that have been damaged are forced to be silent that much more, but the overwhelming power of persona won't allow them to seek healing and justice for themselves.
8.) to whoever edited this video, your captions actually take away from what he's saying. you should let the hearers draw their own conclusions, instead of being blasted by your own interpretations. this situation touches on MANY, MANY issues that we eventually need to sort of with church culture. to diminish it to just a few isn't fair.
those are my thoughts.
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I agree. And I would agree with Creflo but he seems to be missing something key which is there has been no confession or denile. The point that Creflo is missing is that Long has not admitted to anything. He has not come forward and confessed his sin before the people and asked for forgiveness. He has side stepped answering the question and the incident(s) have been swept under the rug. I agree that regardless of what was done Christ paid the price. His alleged sin does negate or separate him from the work of the cross. He is not left uncovered. It is the side stepping that is the issue. It is the lack of honesty that is the issue. Not only that..even if he would have confessed, I am thinking that stepping down for a "season" and getting some council and being restored would have been in order. Of course we are called to forgive as God has so graciously forgiven us but umm..dude hasn't even given the Body a place to begin the healing or restoring process. The choice that he has chosen to give the Body is to reside in LaLa land where nothing has happened and there is nothing to forgive or to walk away. That is the choice given.
ReplyDeleteI love Long. His vision for young adult ministry inspired me to start a multi faceted campus ministry and conference that went nationwide. His teaching on relationships from a biblical perspective helped show another aspect of God's purpose for my life. Not only has he had great influence, he is also my brother in Christ. But that does not negate that he is in error and needs to be restored. Creflo is also is error to rebuke other believers for leaving an assembly where the leadership is asking them to reside, learn and grow in a place of untruth.
Dell, I enjoy reading your blogs; they are certainly food for thought. I agree with your criticism of the Eddie Long situation and Creflo's... speech? Diatribe? (I don't really want to call it a sermon...)
ReplyDeleteOn one hand, those who claim that one can't be an anointed preacher or used by God in general if he/she commits a sin is ridiculous because no one would be fit for God's work in the first place. Long's alleged sin does not automatically disqualify all the things he's done, people his witness/teaching inspired, etc. HOWEVER, the allegations and (particularly) the way he handled them suggest that he has some lusts and/or affections that he needs to address and crucify. If the allegations are true, he needs to address his sexual transgressions & do what is needed to crucify that spirit. If the allegations are false, the way he handled the situation suggests there are other issues that need to be identified, brought to God, and handled accordingly.
As far as Creflo goes... Again, I agree with what you said, Dell. I do not like the fact that he is using his influence to guilt people for not brushing the situation under the rug and moving on like nothing ever happened. There is a HUGE difference between how this "wreck" affects Long's relationship with God, his salvation, etc. and his relationship with people (church members, family, friends, supporters). We are supposed to forgive, but Christ never said we should forget about the things people do that give us reason not to trust them as we did before. For the members of Long's church who felt they needed to find a new church home, I support their doing so as long as it wasn't a decision they made out of anger without talking to God about the situation. Creflo overstepped his boundaries...