UPDATE: 17 Feb. 2011
Pastors Respond to Concerns - Read here.
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Original Post...
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Original Post...
On Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, during a live-airing of the radio call-in program, Pastor's Perspective, Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa advised a desperate, tearful woman to abort her "bleak chance" babies.
(Portions of Referenced Audio Clips included, entire clips below.)
Flash not working? Use the .mp3
This post is aimed straight at my fellows within Calvary Chapel circles, in an effort to stir up awareness, prayer, and further biblical response. At your
godly discretion, please consider mailing the following letter or similar
to your pastors. This error must be addressed by those in leadership and acknowledged publicly.The biggest concern is the specific teaching which may persist, not the person who said it.
Let it be mentioned, this is not an invitation to spitefully bash Calvary Chapel. I was raised in CC. My father is an elder at Calvary Chapel Oceanside. I am a CCBC graduate; was employed on staff at the bible college in
Murrieta for two years; edited their college journal for two semesters. I taught bible studies for the college group at CC Appleton, WI, and served as a missionary for CC in Newcastle, Australia for six months. I am not an outsider and maintain close fellowship with many in those circles. I am not ashamed to acknowledge my debt and affection towards brothers and sisters within Calvary Chapel. Neither is this an occassion to carpet-bomb all CC pastors. The following letter was written to CC pastors who are personal friends and mentors to me, and who have direct influence within CC. I encourage others to do the same in a spirit of humility and righteous concern.
Why I am posting this - Because teachings outlive pastors
My point is to raise a loud cry of prayer, to publicly mourn and
call others to that grief before God, and to motivate pastors to uphold
their duty to confront error in the way described in 1 Tim. 5:19-20,
"Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear."
Lastly, I hope a wave of counter-opinion moves through Calvary
Chapel to assert once and for all that Chuck's opinion on this matter is
not representative of the whole's interpretation of scripture. If it
does not, Smith may literally have a legacy of dead children for his
heirs.
Please consider sharing the following or similar with your pastors,
Dear Pastor(s),
Hello, and thank you for your time.
I am writing in hopes that you would evaluate the situation and use whatever influence God grants to exert correctional power toward this terrible error, if only to pray and contact Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.
You may already know that Pastor Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel, shocked listeners on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, on his “Pastor’s Perspective” call-in radio program when he encouraged a tearful mother to abort conjoined twins.
“It’s awfully hard to actually suggest abortion,” said Smith. “But, you know, I’m sure that, uh, in a case like this where the life expectancy is just, you know, is so bleak, and all, that I’m sure that the Lord would not condemn her if she went ahead and had an abortion at this early stage of the development of the fetus.”
"I'm totally opposed to abortion for just any reason, but I do believe in being reasonable... I do not believe in abortion as it is being practiced today. However, there can be extenuating circumstances," Smith said.
The second day, damage-control went to work. The situation was spun as if the woman's life had been threatened (as if that settled it, anyway). It is clear, however, from the original conversation that the mother's life was not jeopardized by carrying the birth through. By this time, perhaps tens of thousands had heard the program.
The audio seems somehow worse than even what appears in text.
2/8/11 - Original Complete Audio File #1 (.mp3) - Right Click and "Save as"
2/9/11 - Original Complete Audio File #2 (.mp3) - Right Click and "Save As"
Original Article here:
http://www.operationrescue.org/archives/pastor-chuck-smith-stuns-radio-listeners-by-encouraging-woman-to-abort/
This issue regarding Pastor Chuck's advice to abort was brought to my attention by confused and frightened people. Outsiders are now wondering if Calvary Chapel condones abortion for "bleak chance babies"? I am writing in hopes that you will urge Pastor Chuck to humbly and publicly acknowledge his error (rather than doing damage control) and make this announcement in an equally public way. If he does not, we may fully expect a legacy of murdered children as the enemy uses this error to sow seeds of sin in the hearts of God's people.
May God bless your service to him in defending the Church from danger, within and without. Thank you.
To contact Pastor Chuck via email,
laurajackson@calvarychapel.com
Again, I have a clean conscience notifying others of this dangerous issue. Pastor's Perspective is heard by tens of thousands; if not addressed, the influence of this error will be felt for decades as Chuck's words are quoted like a mantra to whisk away biblical exegesis and excuse murder. For all we know, women have already acted on it.
Whether or not so much emphasis should not be put
on the opinions of one man is not the issue. The fact is, in the present situation of
Calvary Chapel, great regard is given to Chuck's interpretation of
the word, if for no other reason than it is associated with general
soundness and fruitfulness by his CC associates. Whether we like it or
not, people (lots of them) do refer to Chuck, not as the Word for today, but as a
vital authority for interpreting it.
Finally, I encourage my brothers and sisters to react, primarily by praying and urging your pastors to do their biblical duty - correct an elder in error publicly.
POSTSCRIPT: My greatest concern here, for God's sake, is more than that Chuck sinned (unintentionally) in his statements. Perhaps he has already been confronted, what then is the use of stirring up so many people to write their pastors? Because of the tremendous lasting confusion which his words may bring if they are not met with a resounding correction. That he is corrected behind closed doors matters little if, as is the historical case with other errors I have observed within CC, that error is not publicly acknowledged on the same scale that it was made. In this case, real lives are at stake.
To quote Bryan Kemper, "I want everyone to Nicely and in a Loving Way write a letter to Chuck Smith and encourage him to repent and never counsel a woman to kill her child again. He also needs to plead over the air for Nikki to keep her children and offer all the help she needs." May God bless everyone involved with grace for godliness.
Finally, I encourage my brothers and sisters to react, primarily by praying and urging your pastors to do their biblical duty - correct an elder in error publicly.
POSTSCRIPT: My greatest concern here, for God's sake, is more than that Chuck sinned (unintentionally) in his statements. Perhaps he has already been confronted, what then is the use of stirring up so many people to write their pastors? Because of the tremendous lasting confusion which his words may bring if they are not met with a resounding correction. That he is corrected behind closed doors matters little if, as is the historical case with other errors I have observed within CC, that error is not publicly acknowledged on the same scale that it was made. In this case, real lives are at stake.
To quote Bryan Kemper, "I want everyone to Nicely and in a Loving Way write a letter to Chuck Smith and encourage him to repent and never counsel a woman to kill her child again. He also needs to plead over the air for Nikki to keep her children and offer all the help she needs." May God bless everyone involved with grace for godliness.
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© Michael Spotts:. 2011
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You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
———————
You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
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