Similar to Naples, McLean Bible Church recently held a vote to confirm three elders the first vote failed. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. In a complaint filed Thursday (July 15), five McLean members allege that Platt and other leaders illegally barred them from voting at a recent congregational meeting to approve new church leaders. On June 30, 2021, McLean Bible Church (MBC) in Vienna, Virginia, held a members meeting to affirm three new elders via vote.MBC is pastored by former Southern Baptist's International Mission Board (IMB) president and bestselling author David Platt. After graduating from the University of Georgia with two bachelor's degrees, he earned an MDiv, a ThM, and a PhD from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; he completed his education in his early 20s, becoming one of the youngest students, if not the youngest student, to ever earn a terminal degree at NOBTS. If you *really* care about gospel unity, racial reconciliation, and the least of these, do better.. Platt went on to call the church to give up everything for the glory of God, echoing the message of his 2010 book, Radical, a bestseller that called Christians to give up the American dream in order to serve Jesus and transform the world. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Back at McLean, Platt and his fellow elders are urging the church in that direction. Under the "woke" new pastor who succeeded the legendary Lon Solomon, however, it may soon not even rank as the biggest church in McLean. If youre the Red Cross, thats problematic. But a series of controversies and the countrys growing political polarization have turned Platts dream into a nightmare. David Platt's Megachurch Names New Elders Despite Controversy This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Specifically, Platts course reveals his assumption that disparity is proof of racist systems. Pastor David Platt, left, prays for President Donald Trump at McLean Bible Church, in Vienna, Virginia, on June 2, 2019. CRN offers a lifeline to conservative people of faith. #302 Falls Church, VA 22042 866-788-7770 The election came amid simmering unrest at the church, where political polarization in the wider culture seeped into the congregation the larger woke war in the evangelical world. Dr. Voddie Baucham specifically highlighted David Platts 2018 sermon at the T4G Conference as Woke. CBN-backed candidate Mike Stone received 48 percent of the vote in last months SBC presidential election, finishing second to Alabama pastor Ed Litton. Is it to be humble? The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. And even though people who take the Bible seriously and as the inherent word of God should think certain things about certain issues, then they might prioritize those differently when they go into the voting booth. Those inclined toward CSJ found it inspiring. (RNS) A yearlong legal battle over a contested election at a prominent Washington, D.C.-area church appears to be over for now. David Platt's Dreams for McLean Bible Church Sour as Members File We are zealous in the present not to prolong or replicate in any way racial injustice from the past. They have several campuses. Also, Sadly, within evangelicalism, and the MBC pulpit, we see the following principle at work: the presence of preaching/teaching based on the wrong assumptions, resulting in wrong conclusions, thereby leading to the wrong solutions. Opponents of McLeans current leadership wrote in a blog posted by the right-wing Capstone Report that Plattwho became pastor of the DC church full time in 2018was attempting to purge conservative members., Platt also described one email circulating that claimed MBC is no longer McLean Bible Church, that its now Melanin Bible Church., I know its so ugly and painful to even hear, but I want to point out the approach thats being used by people giving leadership to this group in these meetings, he told the congregation, calling the claims made about him and the incoming elders unquestionably untrue and in many cases completely unreasonable.. Platt, the senior pastor of McLean Bible Church in Northern Virginia, is now caught in the middle of a scandal that is reminiscent of events that took place in 2019 at a large Southern Baptist Church in Naples, FL. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Former President Trump even attended a service there once. Platts silent embrace of the radical Black Lives Matter movement and the promotion of Kelsey along with Social Justice Bible studies including Platts own book legitimizing Christians who vote for Pro-Abortion Democrats, conservatives are leaving the church for new homes. David Platt addresses Trump prayer controversy at SBC pastors We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Because of the mass exodus McLean cut spending. Something is wrong here,' he told Religion News Service in a 2013 interview. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Longtime member Bill Frazer, 69, believes Sundays election violated the churchs constitution, which states that any member who misses services eight weeks in a row can be designated as inactive. Despite its elite membership, McLean has long been a conservative theological church populated by politically conservative evangelicals. We just want to give believers freedom to disagree on things that aren't essentials. Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. After new elder nominees failed to be elected for the first time in the churchs history, Platt told the congregation in a sermon in early July that a small group of people inside and outside this church coordinated a divisive effort to use disinformation in order to persuade others to vote these men down as part of a broader effort to take control of this church.. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The podcast is two hours on the use of Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality at the MLK50 Conference and the T4G Conference sermon by David Platt. According to former members and staff, these former elders have left MBC for what reasons, no one will say: Jim Battle, Mark Gotlieb, Craig Proulx, Jimmy Mitchell, John Baber, and Lon Solomon. Life of Christ dramatization The Thorn comes to big screens March 67, New book outlines importance of every Christian knowing theology, Southcrest Baptist in Bessemer hosting Holy Destiny on March 3, Start a new subscription at the group rate. ], Subscribe to CT However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Attendance began to decrease significantly after the first class as attendees realized the Woke content. While the church building was locked down and most of its ministries ceased amid Covid-19 fears, David Platt turned a blind eye to his staff marching in a Black Lives Matter (BLM) event in Washington, DC. One former Mclean member said, He (Platt) gave a sermon that essentially said, If you cant unite with us find a new church. So, people did., SBC Elites cite distinguished lawyer and Southern Baptist Matthew Martens; however, Martens has written persuasively, Supporters of a constitutional amendment to ban women pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), New intel points to Covid origin in a lab leak, remember when this was a, NAMB PR VP Mike Ebert emerges as key witness in McRaney v. NAMB What will, David Platt is harming McLean Bible Church with Woke Social Justice Theology, David Platt turned a blind eye to his staff marching in a Black Lives Matter (BLM) event in Washington, DC, Platt seemed to apologize for publicly praying with Donald Trump, One of the churchs pastors expressed outrage over it, Platts own book legitimizing Christians who vote for Pro-Abortion Democrats, Dr. James White dissected David Platts errors in a podcast examining that T4G sermon, Solomon signed the Dallas Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel, ERLC, Russell Moore raise questions about trusting the trustees, ANOTHER: Georgia Baptist chief says Russell Moore lied, SBC Elites defend credibly accused standard to ruin lives, Bart Barber flipflops on pledge to bring vote to ban Women Pastors in SBC, Evangelical Elites lied you to about the origins of Covid, Woke SBC Elites Delete History To Hide Their Schemes. Every time this lawsuit has been filed or amended or refiled, it has resulted in a dismissal, he said. McLean Bible Church | Vienna VA - Facebook Net Worth in 2023: $2 million. As if those sources of information are anywhere close to the authority of this Word.. Failed to subscribe, please contact admin. The Local Church Wins Out in David Platt's Decision. RELATED: David Platt interview: A summons to lose your life. Frazer said the confusion over McLeans relationship with the SBC and the election controversy reflect a bigger problem with the church. David Platt's Church is in Serious Trouble Due to His Ungodly Obsession A Pastor With Power And a Drive To Convert - The Washington Post Michael Kelsey rebuked people offended that some were upset at praying for the President of the United States. That speaks volumes about the problems in the McLean leadership team and specifically David Platt. Steven Furtick is the lead pastor of Elevation Church, based near Charlotte, North Carolina. ROACH: Thank you, Steve. God give him wisdom.. They organized a new election for elders in mid-June 2022, using secret ballots. Instead of defending President Trumps visit, Platt seemed to apologize for publicly praying with Donald Trump. But David Platt has emphasized that everybody, regardless of their political views or their ethnicity or anything else, should be welcome to hear the gospel and be a part of the church. The dispute at McLean may now end up in court. We're teaching everything that the Bible teaches. March 18th, 2018. Platts teaching explains that some people (no doubt an oppressed racial group) can better see sin than those people part of a larger group of people guilty of racism.. The weeks between the two votes were tumultuous. We heard about people driving in from Florida to Maine. A year later, Platt and African American McLean pastor Mike Kelsey participated in a Christian march following the death of George Floyd, which was construed by some as support for the Black Lives Matter organization. That comes with attendance issues and budget cuts. Following the first failed election, a second election was held in early July 2021, this one where members had to sign their ballots which critics said violated the church practice of using secret ballots. The entire Sunday, July 4, 2021, sermon was filled with David Platts performative outrage. The largely conservative northern Virginia church across the Potomac from Washington had grown from a group of five families in the 1960s to a congregation of more than 10,000 spread across several campuses, attracting politicians and business leaders to the churchs evangelical message and values. (The Roys Report) McLean Bible Church, the multisite megachurch in McLean, Virginia near Washington, D.C. where David Platt pastors, confirmed three new elders Sunday in a revote where members labeled their ballots with their names. But at the same time, he wants to say that there is not one voting requirement for being a follower of Jesus Christ. Under founding pastor Lon Solomon, McLean launched a church planting partnership with the SBCs North American Mission Board in 2016 while remaining nondenominational.