Here is one helpful portion from Josh's message:
But let me take a moment to express my regret to you on behalf of your pastors.Read the rest.
Where our leadership was characterized by these patterns—in ways that I’ve shared and in ways I haven’t fully seen— we want to ask you to forgive us. We’ve been wrong. Deficiencies in our leadership have been hurtful to some of you. We are very sorry. Please forgive us.
There are people who have left Covenant Life over the years in part because of the very areas we’re talking about. I know many people who have grown up here whose walk with God has been significantly hindered by these issues. I want to try and get this apology out to them. We’re going to have the audio of tonight’s message available online and hope you’ll pass it along to anyone who needs to hear it.
And if you’re one of these people, and you’re listening to this some time in the future, please hear this: we’re asking for your forgiveness, too. And we sincerely pray that our failures as pastors and our failures as a local church will not hinder you from trusting in the perfect Savior Jesus Christ. If you’re thriving in your faith in another church, we praise God. But if you’re not walking with Jesus, and in some way our practice and example has distorted your view of Jesus, please forgive us and please turn back to him.
I realize you may never love Covenant Life or come back to this church, but I hope that you will come back to Jesus if you’ve strayed. And I want you to know that we would love to have you join us again at Covenant Life as we seek to grow in grace together. By the power of the gospel of grace, we are committed to growing and changing with God’s help.
For everyone here tonight and anyone listening, if you want to sit down with any of the pastors and talk about any specific circumstances from the past, please contact any of the pastors. We would love to do that.
I recognize that this apology doesn’t fix anything if you’ve been hurt, but I pray that God will use it to bring healing and closure for you.
5 comments:
I tend to delete anonymous comments
Z-
I already dialogued with you on email about this but want to interact with what Ligon Duncan said.
Ligon Duncan said:
"I would then encourage you to ignore the assaults of wounded people on attack websites and blogs, and that you discount the opinings of those who have no real knowledge of these matters or relation to SGM or authority to comment upon them, and that you refrain from assuming that you (or they) are in a position to render judgment on these things."
In response, I would say:
If he means what he says here at face value, I have zero respect for Ligon Duncan's approach. If he means "wait to render judgment until all things are worked out" that's another story altogether, but he didn't say that. Supporting a friend is commendable. Suggesting that the "attacks of wounded people be ignored" (regardless of whether he has some insider information or has been part of the process personally) is deplorable (understatement).
This Christian-TMZ-celebrity-culture is insane. We declare public figures who sound like they have humility, even though we (most of us) have no regular (or any!) interaction with them personally. Some say "I follow Apollos ... or Paul ... or ..." I follow Keller and Fitch and Chester, etc. in terms of their influence on my thinking/practicing of my faith. That doesn't mean I know them to be godly men. Of course I think they are, but that doesn't mean I know they are. I wouldn't follow any one of them in saying what Ligon Duncan has said, despite the influence they have had from afar on my life an ministry. What Duncan has said [in an unqualified manner ... maybe he'll qualify it] is abusive and reprehesible.
Thanks for the articles it's such helpful information here
Marvin Locksmith
Ligon Duncan's "helpful post" is gone now. And I will say, "good riddance" to his post. - Matt Buehrle
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