What is your church polity? Do you vote on the local pastor? What effect does a voting polity have on the congregational group dynamics?While some groups like the Church of God of Prophecy and Methodist have Bishops making pastoral appointments, others like Baptist vote on the pastor within the local church. Which causes more disruption?
Members of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth voted Sunday to keep Brett Younger as pastor. The vote was 499 in favor of retaining him and 237 against, representing about a two-thirds majority. The historic downtown church has been in public controversy for months, first over whether a members' photo-directory would include gay couples, then over Dr. Younger's leadership.
“We are a church in need of God’s healing,” said a statement released by deacon chair Kathy Madeja after today’s vote. “We will need to listen carefully to each other about the things which have divided us and brought us to this day.”
A members’ group, Friends for the Future of Broadway, called for the vote on Dr. Younger. The group argued that he had been an ineffective leader and had led the moderate church in too liberal a direction theologically.
“We respect the will of the majority and pray for the congregation’s healing, recovery and continued service to the community that befits a 125-year-old church,” said Robert Saul, spokesman for the group, in a statement.
But Mr. Saul’s statement also said that 300 people “have or want to leave” the church because of the past months’ turmoil. Mr. Saul declined comment on whether he would leave.
Dr. Younger asked the church to stick together.
“I hope that we will move forward and be the church together, and that others will come and share church with us,” he said. “Broadway is an amazing congregation that’s willing to talk about difficult issues. This is a church that challenges its members to think and serve.”
The church voted on Feb. 24, as a compromise, to have a directory with group photographs, as opposed to family photos.
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FOR YOUR INPUT: The issue aside… if the vote to keep you was 499 to 237, what would you do? Stay and fight, or call it a day? Would it not be tough to lead when nearly 1/3 of everyone was on record as opposing your leadership.
2 comments:
I love the way the COGOP appoints pastors. Pastors should not be like politicians in that they have to court favor in fear of loosing their jobs. Certainly a good pastor should listen to his/her flock. But they should never be held hostage of the flock. Paul referred to himself as a bondservant of Christ. unfortunately too many pastors are bondservants of their congregation. I absolutely need a voice in who my pastor should be. My state Bishop should and is open to my input. But in far too many churched people that want to determine if someone is worthy to be the pastor based on a sermon or two. While most people that select a pastor by this method may be able to detect heresy in preaching; they may not be learned enough to make a decision as to who is knowledgeable enough to serve as their pastor. Coming from a background where this is the protocol for determining who will be the pastor, I know what I speak of. The congregation should have a voice in such matters, but they also need the wisdom of someone who serves as a Bishop.
Here is the news release about Brett Younger's quitting:
April 17, 2008 - Fort Worth, Texas
After months of controversy, and survival of an unprecedented 1/3 to 2/3 vote to vacate the pulpit, Brett Younger is resigning as pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. He is taking a position at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia.
While asking to remain anonymous, one of his most ardent supporters said, “There was no way he could continue, even after winning the vote to vacate the pulpit. People are leaving in large numbers, pledges for the new budget are only at 54%, and last week the offering was less than half of what is needed just to keep the doors open.”
The church staff was informed this morning of the resignation, and the the announcement to the congregation will be this Sunday, April 20.
Mercer University had no comment when contacted about the hiring of Dr. Younger. Many leaders in the Baptist community cannot get over how short-lived Younger’s commitment is to those who went out on a limb to support him and his gay-friendly agenda at Broadway. “Within 5 weeks of his winning the controversial vote, he resigns. Not much commitment there,” remarked one of the staff members at Broadway.
Brett Younger’s last Sunday will be June 8.
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