Restructure
Posted on June 2nd, 2005 by catalyst into the PBC, Pastoral Staff categoryI have been thinking about the recent layoffs at PBC. The official version seems to be that City Bible is restructuring PBC and they no longer need the services of Larry and Ken. Which is fair enough.
Here is my concern. I thought City Bible was a family. I was unaware that it is acceptable to restructure family members. Not that I oppose, mind you. Immediately upon hearing a family restructure is posible, I fired off a call to my mother asking whether perhaps we could restructure a certain Joel Morton out of the family. She, of course, was less than amused. But my younger siblings gave it great thought and, much like Pastor Hank, decided that, "Yes a family restructure was definately possible. And Joel has to go." They’re excited to see the basement room finally become available as a TV room.
Seriously though, to me this is just another sign of City Bible running the church like a business instead of a ministry. I understand that churches have to support themselves and tough decisions have to be made. But instead of using corporate lingo for firing someone, why not just be honest and say, "PBC isn’t making enough money to support both of your salaries. But, you are family, so we’ll do our best to support you until you find another job."
A business probably wouldn’t do this. But a church might.
Anyway, I don’t know either Ken Ross or Larry Taylor but they seemed like genuine sincere leaders, not hype-masters like most of the elders at City Bible.
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June 2nd, 2005 at 7:08 am
Here is a quote from an anonymous person (with no backbone ofcourse) expressing their view on why Larry Taylor and Ken Ross were fired:
“These men were let go because the classes that they were teaching are being changed and they will no longer be needed.”
Hmmmm…So what you’re saying is that at Portland BIBLE College classes such as these listed below are “no longer needed”:
Prison Epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon)
General Epistles (James, 1 & 2 Peter, Jude)
Wisdom Literature (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon)
John’s Writings (John, 1,2,3 John)
Acts (History of Church)
(Not to mention other classes such as Faith & Reason, Philosophy and Ethics, etc..)
This means PBC no longer needs 26% of the Bible for next fall. Anonymous..your logic simply does not stand on firm ground.
I guess the Bible is taking a back seat to other more important items in shaping ministers for the pulpit.
June 2nd, 2005 at 7:10 am
word, KR and LT were not yes men, they made you think for yourself (very dangerous), they did not blindly toute the party line or parrot cbc theology (err. kevin conner theology). with such barbs on their berries in a time of another campus plant, needing all the voices with any influence to chant the same montra,with the need to raise funds again , how could you afford not to take 90′ish g’s a year.
i guess this is a justifiable move because God did tell frank that the fist step was to retire the debt. 1 church 3 locations, i see the trinity illustration all over again one church for the father, one church for the son , one church for the successfull spirit.
honestly interested to see who they bring on to fill the teaching needs, and hearing from other cbcers.rrrrack me i’m out
June 2nd, 2005 at 7:40 am
This is terrible news! Those two guys were wonderful men who brought a breath of fresh air to the hall(s) of PBC. They were serious about theology, even to go so far as to obtain multiple degrees from accredited institutions. They inspired students to think for themselves about why they believed what they believe about Christianity instead of repeating rote dogma.
I feel fortunate to have known them and believe PBC has made an egregious error in judgment. As it were, PBC lacked in credibility as a serious academic institution. This latest turn of events makes it seem like they had a wound in the shoulder and decided to shoot themselves in the foot.
There has to be more to the story than what is being purported by PBC. Can some of the fellow bloggers here try to find out what the real story is? There is sure to be more to it.
June 2nd, 2005 at 7:54 am
Larry and Ken saved that school. They are actually too good for PBC so for their sake this is probably good. For the students this is tragic. Larry and Ken Thanks for giving me some good memories there! You are way better off! PBC, your screwed…talk about the worst move possible.
June 2nd, 2005 at 12:39 pm
Erik, I don’t think any of those classes will be eliminated. They’ll just be given to other teachers. Pauline Epistles, for example, will revert to Lanny Hubbard.
What is truly a mystery to me is what they will do with the Humanities courses such as Intro to Philosophy and Ethics. Without LT, there is really no one else qualified to teach them.
June 2nd, 2005 at 12:46 pm
Does anyone know why they are restructuring?
June 2nd, 2005 at 2:37 pm
Here’s some of the stuff I’ve been hearing from people as to why PBC is “restructuring”. Any fellow PBCers here can correct me if I’m wrong.
First, there’s been a concern (probably on Frank’s side) that PBC’s connection to CBC has become fuzzier and fuzzier over the years, which has been evidenced by less and less students getting involved with the corporate church machine. I know out-of-state students who, after coming to PBC, started going to other churches in the area and getting involved there (which is a no-no in the Student Manual). Needless to say, that means less “body count” in CBC Sunday services, and less free labor, err, I mean, “volunteers.” So the word I’ve heard is that Frank’s pushing for PBC to structure things so that education is 50% study, 50% practicum (in all levels, not just junior and senior). Considering that Frank is the president of PBC (which I disagree with, the senior pastorship of CBC and presidency of PBC should be held by different people), he’s trying to use his “executive privilege” to get his proposals through.
As for who’ll take over LT’s and Ken Ross’s classes with their dismissal, I honestly don’t know. Like John said, I could see Lanny picking up one of KR’s classes, but across the board, if PBC wants to continue these classes without doing away with other core classes, they’ll have to either bring in some new staff, or give more work to the present faculty, which will add to their workload, and some of the present faculty do have lives outside of PBC, so that may strain them a bit.
Anyways, that’s my assessment, please correct me if I’m wrong.
June 2nd, 2005 at 6:28 pm
CBC will be supporting them and helping them out until they find other jobs, and they are still members of the “family”. PBC is a part of the church, but it is also a college, and they have to make changes now and then. I know that all of you are trying as hard as you can to find every little thing wrong with anything connected to CBC, but this is just pathetic! Especially for the people who are currently attending PBC, if you have a problem with the church, why are you attending the school?
June 2nd, 2005 at 6:57 pm
People attend PBC because of people like KR & LT, who not only understood the Word of God but have a spirit of excellence in their teaching. They challenge their students to think beyond what they are told, and to really seek a relationship with God. That’s why I went, and that’s why so many people choose to stay even if they don’t agree with CBC. You can understand that watching teachers who you not only know are extremely talented and passionate, but have also changed your perspectives and your relationship with the Lord is frustrating. It’s especially frustrating when you’ve seen the same kind of foolish decisions being made over and over again. And what’s pathetic about being shocked over the removal of two teachers whose reputations brought and kept students at the school? If Hank is so worried about losing students, he should have “restructured” Eugene and Joy Greco, two of the most useless teachers I have ever had. Nice guys, but useless. People aren’t trying to pick apart CBC - people are sad that so many bad decisions are being made so quickly, and that no one whose voice really matters has the guts to say anything about it.
June 2nd, 2005 at 9:20 pm
“if you have a problem with the church why are you attending the school” ? what you should only attend the school if you have no problems with the church? what kind of reasoning is that. hear no evil, see no evil speak no evil. hey bud i have got problems with my church and i still go there, i have got problems with my parents and i still have not left them, and i have got problems with most of my friends and we still hang out. it’s called working through things , giving grace, seeing christ in the midst of our problems.
i am not a clone of my parents, and they don’t want me to be. is that a problem? should cbcers feel they are to be clones of frank or doug? no that would be cultish, we are to be like christ we are all works in progress, all different parts of one body called to unity not uniformity. in fact if you go to cbc and don’t have a problem with pbc your head may be in the sand. if you go to any church and don’t have a problem with anything your blind, you will never find a perfect church without problems, everything ,everyone, will fall short except Christ. please take your church off your pedestal and dust off Christ and the cross and the gospel and exalt that.
June 2nd, 2005 at 9:44 pm
Anonymous said…
“if you have a problem with the church, why are you attending the school?”
In response to the above statement the name of the “school” is Portland Bible College, not CBC College. I made the mistake of attending PBC thinking it was a real college. Yes I recognized the attachment to the church but it was still billed to me as a Real School but with a ministry focus. There were even comments regarding continuing to seek accreditaion. Tell me, how many people who are not actually from CBC could possibly understand the truly “special” relationship between PBC and CBC. Thus it is very easy to see how someone could attend the school and “have a problem with the church.” College is about an education not indoctrination from one particular church or theology.
I have mixed feelings about my time at PBC but it is clear by the actions taken by leadership in the removal of people like Larry & Ken, and the removal of all non-bible type classes in this “restructuring” that CBC is seeking to move away from being a real learning instution and focusing towards being more of a Church Training Center. Well, they should also think about changing the name to take the word COLLEGE out of it completely.
I wonder how the rest of the PBC staff feel about working at a training center… My guess is those with less formal educations are fine with it, while those who have worked hard to educate themselves might be insulted.
By the way, ask anyone outside of the MFI world if they have heard of Kevin Conner. He was indeed a good man but not someone whom a COLLEGE should be base their entire theology on. For the most part PBC teaches one line of thinking (except for Larry & Ken and usually Lanny) and in this regard they are more like an indoctrination camp then a real COLLEGE.
CURRENT PBCers!! There is much more to theology and the bible and many more points of view than PBC is teaching you. You will learn this once you enter the rest of the world. That’s how it went for me.
…just some thoughts.
June 2nd, 2005 at 10:07 pm
I agree with what you’re all saying, that PBC is very questionable in terms of its “academics.” It drives me crazy to keep hearing that it can’t get accredited because it refuses to “compromise” its “relationship with CBC.” The main reason it can’t get accredited is because the staff don’t have the required formal education (i.e., Master’s & Doctorate level degrees that accreditation organizations require of higher education institutions)…because PBC/CBC is more concerned about having teachers who will buy into the Kevin Connor/MFI “theology,” thus controlling how the teachers and students view theological concepts, than they are with providing academically sound instruction.
Legalistic, fear-based Christianity fears teaching people to use the mind the Lord has given us (yes, the same one He commands us to love Him with all of), fears exposing people to multiple perspectives on a key concept or issue…instead of trusting God and trusting God IN His people to analyze various perspectives and issues, all in light of (ALL of) the Word of God, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and draw their own conclusions…etc. You know what I’m talking about!
Who knows what the CBC/PBC leadership’s “logic” (I use the term loosely) is for eliminating LT’s & KR’s positions. I’d be hard-pressed to believe that it doesn’t boil down to control and fear. Most of their “logic” does.
(yet another) former/recovering PBC-er (who now thoroughly enjoys conversing with members of the “weaker” sex for longer than 30 minutes at a time).
June 3rd, 2005 at 7:48 am
the reality is they are not willing to spend the money it takes to have an “academic institution” or to get accredited so students can get real federal loans, and they can raise tuition and pay for a real school. They have stuck their foot in their mouth so long about the church/college thing that they now can’t do what it takes to support themselves. They have instead decided to cut humanities, and good men and revert back to a mom and pop glorified adult sundayschool. Our degrees officially now mean less than they ever did (if that is possible)!
June 5th, 2005 at 12:43 am
“Please take your church off your pedestal and dust off Christ and the cross and the gospel and exalt that.”
Wow, I love it. This is what a lot if it boils down to.
June 9th, 2005 at 9:00 pm
It’s too bad about those guys getting, they are the ones who inspired me to continue on past a BA.
Although both those guys are great teachers and will find jobs elsewhere–I believe Matthew 6 will still apply.
I was one of those students who went to PBC and worked in another church and appreciate them letting me mooch off their resources, I am better off because of it.
However, I don’t blame them for wanting to restructure PBC to get it back to what they originally intended it to be–a church college that trains leaders to feed their ministry. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s their college and they can do whatever they want with it.
I’m just glad I got to glean from their ministry.
P.S. Was that THEE Erik Kowalker??? What’s up hombre, I appreciate you being a man and signing your name to your words.
August 24th, 2005 at 2:46 am
Good move PBC/CBC leadership!!! Not only have you managed to put a psychotic drill sergeant with a bad habit of mis-quoting scripture at the helm, but now you have let go of two of your most valuable teachers. PBC students!!! Get out while you can, take it from me.
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July 5th, 2006 at 8:54 am
You know, many many people aren’t just going to be educated and get a degree in Theology. In fact, most that I’ve heard of are going merely for the experience of being in a powerful, God-loving, God-fearing, caring community. Sure, any Christian college you go to will have it’s opinion of how the Word should be taught, but that hardly means they are brainwashing students or teaching false doctrine as many of you are implying.
But perhaps I am mistaken and have overlooked key details… If have, feel free to rip my comment to shreds. In the name of Christ, of course.
December 1st, 2006 at 10:46 am
It is not just Larry Taylor and Ken Ross that have left PBC. Larry Asplund, also a degreed teacher, has exited. This exodus of thinking, educated men should tell us something about the true nature of CBC and PBC.
The Origins of the University Transfer Program:
In about 1987, Ken Malmin, PBC academic dean, asked me to research what classes PBC could develop and potentially transfer to other accredited institutions, e.g., Warner Pacific College, etc. At the time, we called it the University Transfer Program. When I made my presentation to the PBC faculty with Dick Iverson present, I made a passing comment like: As we follow this University Transfer Program course of classes, e.g., philosophy, logic, ethics, etc., we will be giving the students the tools to question and reject the very theology that we are trying to instill in them! I did not say this to discourage the academics but to be able to say some day that someone warned them about how their narrow local church restoration theology was going to come down with giving critical thinking skills to the students. (This happened to me even as a PBC student (1972-1974): the more I read scholarly resources - even from the PBC library shelves! - the more I disagreed with a lot of BT/PBC teaching, which frequently go me into trouble.) But, the BT elders did not bat an eyelash when I gave them this warning. I remember Dick saying, “No, I feel good about this!” Needless to say, I think that the prediction has come to pass. It appears to me that the cat was let out of the bag, and now Frank is grabbing the cat and throwing him into the river.
Why “School” was Separated from “Church”:
As Frank arrived in Portland, he told me that PBC had drifted too far away from the church - BT/CBC. So, he said that he was going to “reel it in.” Frank did support the obtaining of a Bible college type of accreditation, but, in my opinion, the University Transfer Program was too academically-oriented and not enough local-church, i.e., CBC-centered, for him. (During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church had control of most of the learning institutions. Humanists as well as Christians fought to establish their own schools, so that they would not be under the thought control of Catholic dogma. Every private college I know of requires all/most of its students to take certain classes that reflect the core values of their institution.) Since Frank is the president of PBC as well as the CEO of CBC, he has been given the power by that system, to point PBC in any direction he so desires. This is why his own classes on church planting, church vision, etc. were immediately added to the PBC curriculum as soon as he took charge. As the CBC senior pastor/PBC president goes, so goes PBC curriculum! Unfortunately, it’s just that simple.
Kevin Conner & Apocalyptic Literature Class:
Before Frank’s reign, PBC reflected Dick Iverson’s vision and values. It was told me that Dick definitely did not want Kevin Conner to teach Apocalytic Literature class even though he had many notes on Daniel and Revelation. (A blogger said that s/he found it difficult to find Kevin’s commentary on Revelation: I just saw a copy of it in the IHOP (Kansas City) bookstore the other day; try them online.) Why? it was explained to me that it was because he knew that Kevin would present only his own one-sided view of the end times (based on an apocryphal and fallacious Redemption Week Theory of 7,000 years which he learned from a Pastor Offler; which even Ernest Gentile stoutly defended even after I shared with him the many reasons why it was inaccurate.). Thus, Ken taught he class and Dick was glad to give an exposure to the seniors of all of the classic views of the Book of Revelation. (Apocalyptic Literature class was probably the most balanced and sane of most of the PBC classes because it engaged in some true education: giving all sides of an issue and then learning how to think about them.)
Frank’s Quick Consolidation of Power:
Frank told me that when he got to Portland, that he was going to hit the ground running, i.e., he was going to exert his new power quickly and firmly. Why did he feel the need to do this? It was because he had been the peer of most of the men on BT/CBC staff before he left to plant his own church in Eugene, and, in my opinion, he felt the need to put himself on top of the heap right away showing that he was the man in charge. One way that this firm power consolidation showed itself was how quickly Frank promoted the younger generation, Ed S., Doug L., Mr. Bottler, Jr., etc. into responsible positions of leadership. Why? because he could more easily control them than he could his own peers. (In an authoritarian system, promotion isn’t based on competency, education, charisma or even character; it’s based on conformity to the senior leader’s values and wishes.)
When the “Learning” Church Becomes the “Promotional” Business Franchise:
As Frank has turned CBC, in my opinion, into even more of a franchise business than Dick ever began to do, these are some of the consequences: (1) indoctrination has replaced education; (2) sales and marketing has replaced humility and honesty; (3) blind loyalty to Frank has replaced formal education and critical thinking skills; (4) “safe” teachers have replaced “thinking/truth-seeking” ones; (5) “church” has replaced “school;” and (6) the PBC student body is being exploited as a free labor pool to serve the CBC leadership more than receiving a good, solid biblical and theological education which could serve them and many others for generations to come.
December 1st, 2006 at 10:51 am
Good stuff, especially the last paragraph. If this is an outline for a future book, I’ll be sure to buy it.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:08 am
That’s too bad about the Larry’s and Ken. One interesting thing about Larry Taylor I remember is that while he was probably by far one of the most educated staff in the “College” he had an amazing love for scripture. He would often make the whole class stand out of respect if someone was reading aloud from the Bible.
I only had one class with Ken but it was probably one of my favorites, Wisdom Literature. It was usually more of a discussion where we talked about what the scriptures were actually saying.
And of course there was Larry Asplund. I can’t imagine another teacher having the cahones to take the entire senior class up to his house to watch the infamous Robert Tilton “farting preacher” video.
Anyhoo, all they need to do now is get rid of Lanny somehow and all my favorite teachers will be gone. Thanks for letting me reminisce.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:38 am
Josh.. are your parents John and Cindy?
December 1st, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Yep, who are you