Covenant Life Church pulling away from C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries?

UPDATE: North Carolina pastor Tim Rogers posts a piece raising the question whether Dr. Al Mohler and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary have connections so close to C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries that the recent lawsuit against Mahaney and his ministry will legally bleed all over Southern Baptists. While I cannot see myself how that could happen, I happily concede I know much too little about the legalities of such a possibility to make a reasonable judgment. 

Note: do not fail to watch Mahaney's promo video featuring Al Mohler and John Bettler, Executive Director of Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). After both men appear to thoroughly pronounce Mahaney as the (re)incarnation of Peter, James, John and the Apostle Paul all rolled into one, Bettler goes on to congratulate Joshua Harris as the anointed successor of C.J. Mahaney to lead Sovereign Grace Ministries (approx. 8:50 mark), a succession hardly fathomable now if the report below is correct.

Read "A Question for Dr. Al Mohler in Houston" by Tim Rogers

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Recently, Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM) relocated from Gaithersburg, Maryland to Louisville, Kentucky only to be served a devastating spiritual/sexual abuse lawsuit a mere two weeks after they opened their doors for a new church plant in Louisville, a lawsuit to which an initial response was thereafter released   >>> 

While the attorney group representing the plaintiffs appear to be confident their case will succeed in court, C.J. Mahaney's home church apparently is pulling away from SGM. Mahaney himself founded Covenant Life Church (CLC), and CLC constitutes the womb out of which SGM was birthed. However, according to Brent Dewiler:

"Joshua Harris moved to CLC in 1997 in order to be trained by C.J.  He lived with the Mahaney’s up until he was married.  After 8 years of discipleship, C.J. turned the church over to Joshua and installed him as the sr. pastor.  In 2007, C.J. added Joshua to the SGM Board of Directors.  He planned to turn the ministry over to Joshua next year when he turns 60.  Joshua was C.J.’s chosen replacement... . 

Last night [Sunday, November 4, 2012], Joshua provided detailed explanations to the church for why the separation from SGM was necessary.  He covered seven different areas.  It must have been the hardest and easiest thing Joshua has ever done.  Hardest, because of his deep love for C.J.  Easiest, because the reasons were compelling and the choice obvious.  It was time to leave" (//link)

If Dewiler is correct, the unsettling depression has not yet soaked in for SGM and C.J. Mahaney. CLC is the flagship church for SGM, the spinal cord for the entire Sovereign Grace ecclesial physiology. CLC has been, up until now apparently, Mahaney's Bethel. Why are they considering pulling away from Mahaney and SGM, and why now? While we have no indication they've made the details public as to why they are considering a clean break with SGM, the predictable answer in part is not hard to surmise: at least eight counts of spiritual/sexual abuse hovering over the heads of C.J. Mahaney and SGM.

Maranatha.

Come Lord.  

Comments

[Lydia]

You know, I don't think some folks realize just how much many people simply believe someone is ok based upon the recommendation of other celebrities.

What most folks may not realize is that Mahaney built a shepherding group that is somewhat cultish (behaviorally)from the 1970's Jesus Movement days. It started as Take and Give then People of Destiny where Mahaney termed himself as an "Apostle". They changed their name to SGM in late 90's and kept some of the charismata including prophecy mics and went somewhat Reformed eventually phasing out the charismata. However, their main claim to fame was really behavioral as in controlling people. Courting, homeschooling, big on patriarchy, big on obeying their leaders, etc. That is why so many young sgm pastors told victims of molestation by other church members to not call the police. Let the church handle it. It is why members called their pastor first instead of the authorities. They really believed they were obeying scripture.

So back to full circle here...we should not follow man. It is dangerous.

But the bottomline is that I truly believe Mohler approves of the shepherding type of polity which is very controlling and puts leaders in charge of members lives in almost all areas. Mohler is on the record teling a reporter that bloggers just do not like "strong leadership" of Mahaney.

Define "strong leadership"?

I am concerned that the SBC is simply going to merge what is left of sgm as SBC churches. Several of the sgm players are now going to SBTS including a former CLC pastor and Mahaney's son in law. I heard that another one of them is interning at SBTS. Like Driscoll influence in the Acts 29 and other YRR churches we have partnered with or planted, we will have churches with shepherding cult DNA. I just simply cannot support something like that.

I really believe Mohler presents two faces. One to the Reformed movement and one to the rank and file SBC. I am having a hard time with whether some of the other SBC leaders really understand what all this means for the future. What I do know is that the YRR are very much into following man thinking it is the same as following Christ. Whether it is Piper, Driscoll, Mahaney, Dever, etc. They really do have their gurus.

[Joe]

What a bunch of gossip. Quit maligning the bride of Chridt. I don't care how you feel about reform theology. Your gossip makes me sick. I can't believe a pastor would do this. Breaks my heart.

[Thomas]

I go to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I had heard that Peter Lumpkins was affiliated with Patterson. I went to some higher authority (who will remain nameless) because that really bothered me. He told me "you can rest assured that Peter Lumpins is not affiliated with ANYONE from SWBTS". He even agreed with me when I said that you do not show a Christ like character. Really think about that peter

[Lydia]

Joe, It only works when you use Mahaney's definition of 'gossip'.

[Lydia]

Thomas,

You might want to check out SBC voices. There are some YRR types over there who called Peter an anti Christ.

[Nicholas]

Everyone, Mahaney isn't even Mohler's worst connection. Check out this article: http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/11/07/phillip-gunn-sbts-al-mohler-legal-rightmoral-right/

Don't forget to follow the links to the sources it cites.

For more about this problem in the SBC, go here: http://stopbaptistpredators.org/index.htm