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Railroad Job

Commentary on the Pilgrim Presbyterian Bible Church's congregational meeting against Pas. Joe McKnight. A classic example of how not to do business in a church.

(Commentary; Sept 2019)

By a petition of 49% of Pilgrim Presbyterian Bible Church's members *, and through secret ballot, Pastor Joe McKnight was voted out by a score of 14 to 11. 

I have never seen such anger, wrath and bitterness directed at a Pastor before.

The entire meeting was the classic definition of a "railroad job". The written petition announced two (2) weeks before the members-only "congregational meeting " (a blatant contradiction, as regular visitors are part of the congregation and could be extended the privilege of the floor without vote) was to revoke the "Office of the Preaching Pastor".  As written, they would have removed the entire office —preacher and pulpit— but they already printed ballots with only two (2) options, a vote "For Joe McKnight", or "Against Joe McKnight". That statement was in neither the petition nor the announcements; in fact, this was the first time we saw his name in connection with this event.  Some non-members in the congregation had no idea when they went for Sunday worship and did not find the Pastor in the pulpit.  Apparently precise wording is not too terribly important. 

Elder Tim Everett, chief accuser, even kicked out Pilgrim's founding pastor Keith Burd when he began to defend certain session practices from the past 30 years, such as not proceeding on a matter unless the Session (elder and Pastor) are in agreement. Tim pointed out that Pas. Burd is "not a member", so Keith left.  No one tried to bring Pas. Keith back in, leaving his ailing wife, Livvy, to most nobly defend her husband's and the church's practices.

You kicked out your founding Pastor from the meeting?

It was also no small struggle to actually allow Pas. Joe to speak let alone remain in the meeting while accusations were hurled at him, in order to defend himself. They didn't seem to care to hear his defense; they had already made up their minds.

Consider this example.  One lady angrily said, "we were told from the pulpit that any letters from the congregation would be read at the meeting.  That didn't happen.  We were lied to.  We expect truth to come from the pulpit!"  Joe replied, "that's not what was said" (true).  After a bit of exchange, I chimed in, "So why don't we just read those letters now?" 

The answer from several of Joe's accusers:  "Those letters don't matter now."  Really?  So why are they coming up if they don't matter? 

Moderator Ken Olson from Faith Presbytery opened the meeting with a reminder for everyone to speak "TNK":  speak the Truth, speak that which is Necessary to the motion, and to be Kind. The latter two were only enforced for Pas. Joe's side.  In fact, when I raised my hand to speak, Ken didn't want to allow or recognize me, indicating I had already spoken. (I had asked an opening question about the motion, and how it differed from the written petition.)  Two separate members graciously yielded their time to allow me to speak.  As I read a prepared statement, none were bold enough to face me.  Some mocked the scriptural warnings given at the end.

In spite of all that, Joe behaved himself the fine, admirable Christian man. His calm demeanor, truthful answers backed up with written evidence against verbal assertions, and a pleading spirit for them to plainly disclose his offenses so he can explain and apologize as necessary, set forth an excellent example of a servant of the Lord.  

It is worthy to note that not one attendee could identify any doctrinal errors, or any moral impurity, as the reason for Joe's removal. Both Joe and I asserted this point at two separate times, to which no one could answer.  Ken simply reminded us of the church's bylaws, which states the pastor serves "at the pleasure of the congregation". Sounds like the by-laws are well structured for a hireling, not a Pastor.

They weren't happy. Therefore he had to go. And he very graciously departed. 

As an unintended consequence, a remnant of the faithful saints from Pilgrim and others are very happy to have Pastor Joe conduct worship services at the Edward and Abena Bentsil house ** 

Mission Bible Church
8754 Mission Road
Jessup, MD  20794
Time: 11:00 am ET
 

Sermons are recorded and available on SermonAudio, under missionbible.  Video recordings are found on the new Mission Bible Church website, under Services > Recordings. Consider supporting Mission Bible Church. 

Thank you for your prayers during this tribulous time.

 

Footnotes

* Petition of 49%:  According to Pas. Keith Burd, due to a miscount, they actually didn't have the required 51% per the by-laws.  Only 17 members signed the petition, including a lady with early stages of Alzheimers/Dementia.  Who knows what she was told.  The Elder counted 33 members, but in fact, there are 35, possibly 37 members.  17 / 35 = 48.5%, not 51%.  If accurate wording doesn't count, accurate math doesn't either.

** Update: We are now meeting at the Kluth house; see http://mission-bible.net/ for more details.

*** Two have contacted me regarding Maryland's electronic and wiretapping laws, and one filed a complaint, to remove the audio recording of the Pilgrim Presbyterian Bible Church's members-only congregational meeting of September 4, 2019.

Under Presbyterian policy, all Elder-led meetings are to have written minutes captured and disseminated to interested parties, unless the Moderator declares the meeting in advance as an executive session.  I saw that meeting minutes were being captured, but they have not been disseminated in typical Presbyterian fashion. Moderator Ken Olson did not declare the meeting as an executive session.

Though it was a public meeting, the voice recorder was in plain sight, and you cannot wiretap your own conversation, I removed it from this page as I don't care to defend a record of their evil words.

Lastly, Jesus said "I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing" (John 18:20).  Would Jesus be upset that someone recorded Him?

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