Swan Song
Posted on April 9th, 2005 by catalyst into the When We Quit categoryRecently, the church leadership at The Well asked Johnpaul (Reformed Pope) to stop blogging. They felt this blog was creating a rift between The Well and City Bible Church. They felt their church was becoming an anti-City Bible church.
(You think? I could have told you that. Two years ago I went to The Well and it was all ex-City Bible members. If you ask me The Well is just City Bible for people who like to booze it up. But I’ll blog my thoughts on that later.)
Nevertheless, no sooner does JP tell me he’s quitting the blog, than he sends me the following email. So enjoy this post, as it will be Reformed Pope’s last.
Justin,
They get it. I hate it, but they get it.
Conferences make money. This one may take the cake though.
City Bible Church is holding:
“The TOTAL LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE. This conference is an uncensored, practical and up-close look at leadership in the local church.”
A one week conference cost $250.00 each.
However if you want to also participate in Leadership Uncensored (I know, I can’t stop laughing either) then you pay an additional $75.00. PER NIGHT. That’s right, per night. There are 3 Uncensored nights for $75 each. The good news is that you can get PBC credit for going (an extra $100).
So, total cost (excluding parking)
Conference $250
PBC credit $100
Uncensored $225
Total Cost $575
Also, the first Leadership Uncensored is hosted by PF @ HIS HOME.
And there it is…. Farewell, sweet pope. You will be missed.
(Somewhere there is a joke about art mimicing life, but at this point, I’m fresh out of Van Gogh jokes.)
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April 9th, 2005 at 3:14 pm
I would like to point out that Catalyst spends his Saturday afternoons drinking heavily.
He’s not in a proper state of mind right now.
April 9th, 2005 at 3:23 pm
Touche
April 10th, 2005 at 3:00 am
well, i have to admit, you boys are very funny. i know you both and have always liked your sense of humor, but i think you guys are taking it too far with this thing. all that comes across is bitterness. i dont care what smart-aleck comment you post in reply to this. you have both made fun of me before, in fact most of the brothers have. but i love ya guys and hope you the best… but still, be careful. i really care for your family, and hope you can all walk away from this still close. of course cbc has its problems, its made up of men, therefore… problems. so get off it. why not try and make it better than just ripping on it all the time. you think what you are doing is biblical? you want to talk about hypocrisy? you guys are horrible too. you probably know this though, so why waste the space telling you. how old are you know? grow up. catalyst, why dont you take all the precious time you spend on this pathetic little blog, and put you time into finding a wife… its about time. and pope (creative name by the way) glad to see your quitting. even though it should have happened long ago. take your wife out for dinner, enjoy life. everything has a season… the season of this blog is quickly coming to an end. at least walk away with your dignity. if you still have it.
–cheers,
an old friend
April 10th, 2005 at 8:39 am
Did that last commenter just tell me to put all my time into finding a wife?
That’s the best.
I do love this blog.
April 10th, 2005 at 8:45 pm
Dear Pope,
Please don’t say it is over.
You light up my life and make me smile. You go the extra mile and take the heat for ALOT of us who agree. This is a fun site! Your humor will always be appreciated.
If you only knew who this anonymous was..
April 11th, 2005 at 11:26 am
Find a wife, it’s about time? Who says that? That may be the funnist thing I have read on this blog.
April 11th, 2005 at 11:33 am
In all honesty, I was just glad they said “wife” and not “life partner”.
April 11th, 2005 at 11:53 am
Reformed Pope, I respect your decision and am sorry to see you go. For all the detractors, please take notice that he obeyed the leadership of his own church with a motivation of love. It’s truly hard to be objective and independent sometimes when your statements affect those around you. Congrats on taking the higher ground. That being said, I truly hope this blog won’t go away because I’m sure there will be plenty of things to make fun of at CBC in the future. And to repeat myself, no, I don’t hate CBC or the people there, but there is so much *nonsense* there that needs to be corrected that I can’t help but point it out. And I hope others keep pointing it out. — FICM
April 11th, 2005 at 3:29 pm
“Please take notice that he obeyed the leadership of his own church with a motivation of love”.
“Congrats on taking the higher ground”.
What kind of politicol/lawyer/youth leader talk is this. Use a real username and stand behind your “convictions” ANONYMOUS.
If ANONYMOUS folks are going to post they could at least do it for a good reason. This motivation of love for what… his mother?
Who???
Higher ground?? Is that the same sort of “Moral Clarity” B.S that the “Honorable” George Bush pushes… ANONYMOUS? Hello!!!
gosh… just when I thought I found a blog with a backbone…
Freedom at last!!! Whatever, well I’m glad that MLK didn’t take the “higher ground”. Otherwise the darker folks of Missisippi would still be sayin’ yes Massa’ taking “higher ground” while obeying the leadership of the White Baptist churches “with a motivation of love”.
Am I over reacting or is City Bible the biggest mindf#@* that gets away without being classified as a cult!!!
April 11th, 2005 at 10:14 pm
To Magledon, I’m sorry you’re so upset about my comments. Let me explain why I thought this was a good idea. I too have been involved in a church plant that contained former CBC members, and I was one myself. In our church beginnings, it was clear that a lot of people, including me, needed healing from the wounds and scars of the mind@#$%, as you refer to it. It was a big tendency for our members to CBC-bash extensively to the point that they would blame their own personal issues on CBC, instead of growing up spiritually. The most important thing I learned through this whole experience was how to be motivated completely by Christ’s love, and to remember how much we all need the same grace afforded to the worst sinner. This includes our own churches and other churches like CBC. For RP’s pastor to say, “hey, what you’re doing is causing members of our church to react in an unloving manner to members of CBC, can you please stop it?” For him to agree to do that for the sake of his own church is showing that he really does understand the lesson in Romans where he does not allow his freedom to cause his brother to stumble. This doesn’t change my opinion that people still need to speak out against the wrong attitudes at CBC. But for RP, it’s time for him to step aside and let others do it. If you had read my comments more carefully you would have gotten that, I think.
As far as posting anonymously, I’ve only been following the guidelines of this blog:
http://citybiblewatch.blogspot.com/2005/03/miracle-squares.html
which specifically asks for relative anonymity. Some people have actually posted their names and email addresses, but what does that prove? I’m assuming Magdelon is not your real name, and you haven’t bothered to post it in your tirade against hypocrisy. If you wish to make a point of it, I suppose I could post my name, but again, what would that prove? Does it make my opinion any more or less valid? For now, you can simply refer to me as the “Former Inner Circle Member”.
April 12th, 2005 at 2:11 am
You’re assuming that we CBCsurvivors can’t simultaneously function at a high level in our current church and go Luther on some City Business ass too. Give us some credit, some of us lead small groups and disciple and lead worship in our newfound churches, but on the side we still believe hundreds and perhaps thousands of unsuspecting CBCers are going to get hurt if the word isn’t broadcast. We’re like real life superheroes, Clark Kent at the Tuesday night prayer meetings and Superman on this blog! Look out evil, capitalist, businessman, district pastor guy, there’s no shadow dark enough for you to hide from…The Iron Quill!
P.S. The “wife” crack is a classic. So typical of the clones to think that all life’s fulfillment can be found in one’s spouse. As a married man, believe me, it can be a real headache at times and also a real joy. CBC just failed to mention the headache part of marriage to me.
April 13th, 2005 at 3:33 pm
Leadership uncensored huh? How much for the Elders Gone Wild video? I heard that MTV is planning to shoot Spring Break 06 on Rocky Butte.
April 13th, 2005 at 4:31 pm
I just got the LEADERS WITH LOW SELF ESTEEM video.
It’s great, but I didn’t think Doug would be so hairy.
April 13th, 2005 at 6:10 pm
Author–”Free From the Matrix”
RP, I respect and understand your willingness to stop blogging per the request of your church’s leaders. I hope you don’t feel guilt over blogging OR stopping.
Catalyst, I’d welcome a debate with you about your comment about the Well being for CBC-ers who “like to booze it up.” As a former CBC-er and current Well member, I seriously disagree. I think you meant to say the BRIDGE, not the Well.
I’m not sure whether to puke, cry or laugh over the latest CBC conference…wow. Gross.
April 14th, 2005 at 5:57 pm
Despite the fact that I respect Ken and Deborah, I’d have to agree with the boozing it up occurring at the Bridge, not the Well.
My sister and brother-in-law have gone to the Bridge for the past couple years, and I’ve visited several times. I liked it at first, but lots of people there are stuck in that place of bitterness without moving on.
It seems that everyone there is doing their best to be anti-megachurch, while everyone that I’ve met at the Well is just trying to be real.
April 14th, 2005 at 6:41 pm
I think that’s an accurate assesment. I’ve been to both The Bridge and The Well, and they are like night and day. Maybe my pompador wasn’t tall enough or my wallet chain long enough to fit in at The Bridge.
April 14th, 2005 at 7:23 pm
The important thing is that we all believe:
1. Jesus is God
2. There is a heaven and a hell
3. Salvation belongs to our God
all else is nothing
April 16th, 2005 at 2:05 pm
all else is nothing? really the bible is only clear on three things and that is all we can be sure of ? i don’t think so.
how about #4. God is a jeleous God, and will not share His glory with another.
April 16th, 2005 at 2:56 pm
A certain CBC elder once said that.
“Only 3 things matter”
You can see why that would be blog worthy.
April 16th, 2005 at 10:27 pm
How about that Jesus was crucified on the Cross for our sins, the sins of the world…and we now can approach God through His Blood and His sacrifice..that is the very meaning and essence of our Christian faith my friends…all other avenues lead to a misrepresented gospel….such as…?
April 19th, 2005 at 7:41 pm
By “Free From the Matrix” (I can’t remember my password). I was very involved in both CBC and the Bridge, which appear as polar opposites of one another, but actually are the same in their core: freedom, holiness, and acceptance are based on PEOPLE, on behavior, rather than on Christ’s finished work on the Cross. The things that CBC-ers abstain from (or at least act like they abstain from), which they think makes them holy (i.e., drinking, swearing, being fashionable) are the exact same things that the Bridge-ites think make them free. Also, both churches are completely dysfunctional in that they revolve around their pastors rather than around Christ, and membership in the “inner circles” requires performance and conformity to ever-changing “norms”. Neither model of Christianity or ministry is Biblical or fulfilling. Unfortunately, both churches view themselves rather sanctimoniously as if they are the elite who have it all figured out, while the rest of the church and world are clueless. The self-delusion is pretty thorough. Worse, though, is the number of very needy people at both churches who aren’t getting what they really need.
Anyway, enough of that. None of us are better, just better off, Hallelujah.
Peace out.
April 20th, 2005 at 2:03 am
Justin, I think you are completely right about the Well being for former-CBCer’s that want to booze it up. I know alot of them, but a real man stays at CBC and boozes right were he is at. Why change churches? that is too much trouble for me. It’s the guilt of drinking there that gets to them.
Greeting from Iraq
April 20th, 2005 at 6:49 pm
Joel, glad you found time in between dodging Iraqi bombs to post on this blog. Your thoughts are always welcome.
“A real man stays at CBC and boozes right where he is at.” That’s the best ever. Cracks me up. Why is it that Homeschoolers are so funny? Stay safe bud.
July 11th, 2005 at 9:29 pm
FFTM,
try shaking the lamp–maybe your password will fall out. i know this is way late–so maybe you’ll never see this.
February 15th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I know this is waaaaaaayy late, but I just read it. I was looking for it to end something like this
Conference $250
PBC credit $100
Uncensored $225
Total Cost $575
Impressing Jesus. . .priceless!
February 16th, 2007 at 8:39 am
What I found to be totally classic from the first Anonymous was the sandwiching of comments of love, devotion, and friendship and comments of judgment, belittling, and veiled threats. It made me smile. It’s textbook CBC leadership
Put your arm around the simpleton, tell them that you love them and wish the best for them and that you are cheering for them and then unload with the mind *%& and let it set in. Wait five minutes. Repeat. Wait ten minutes. Repeat. Pass a box of Kleenex. Quote a couple scriptures. Dismiss the simpleton. Make a direct B-line to your superiors and stab the simpleton in the back.
This person has the audacity to sign the post “cheers, an old friend” after forcing all his/her judgments down Catalyst’s throat and telling him what his life should look like and that he should be married by now. If this is not cultish I don’t know what is.
February 16th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Best part of the first Anon’s quote:
Uhhhh…yep…you nailed that one. Almost TWO YEARS later I think the gas has ran out, right?!
February 16th, 2007 at 11:41 am
There were a bunch of people posting under “Anonymous” back then. Even now, anyone could dupe a user name as long as they have a unique email. Not surprised then that the comments from Anonymous are all over the map …