Church on the Rocks; I support everyone.

    1995 I got a letter telling me about a meeting to determine whether or not we should retain our pastor.  His wife had filed for divorce.  In the Baptist church at that time a separted man was not considered to be fit to pastor a church.
    Charles Stanley had been pastor of First Baptist Atlanta for nearly 25 years.   He spoke at the downtown location.  His son Andy Stanley spoke at the North campus.  I considered Andy to be my pastor.  Of course I had kept up with his father for years on the radio and TV.  Dr. Stanley would not allow a divorced man to be deacon or be a teacher in his church.  The Bible is clear- a leader is to be in full control of his family at all times.  Then it happened to Dr. Stanley.  His wife, Anna, suffered from depression and was tired of being the "second wife".  Dr. Stanley's ministry came first.  He had been President of the Southern Baptist Convention.  His was the second largest TV ministry in the world.  
     I got to the North Campus one morning.  Andy started his sermon by saying how strong his marriage was and then he resigned.  Like he wanted his Dad to do.  First Baptist had fourteen thousand members.  The bylaws were written in the 1840's.  According to those bylaws if seven members signed a letter they could call a business meeting, that was done.  And I spent 12 hours in church, on a hot August Sunday, wondering what was going to happen to Dr. Stanley. I saw people I never saw before and people I would never see again. I had decided to keep Dr. Stanley no matter what.  He wanted reconcilliation.  In fact, the Church had set up a committee on reconcilliation to monitor the Stanleys. One young lady tearfully begged the church not to turn Dr. Stanley out.  She had gone through a divorce she never wanted. I was prepared to speak.  I was going to use Moses as an example of a man who was separated from his wife and was allowed by God to keep his ministry.  I  didn't have to.  We voted to keep Dr. Stanley by 93 per cent. He promised to resign if hs divorce became final.  I left that night lamenting the fact that TV cameras had surrounded our church.
    I supported Dr. Stanley.  I supported his wife in prayer. Then I supported the son as Andy started a new church.  I kept my membership at Dr. Stanley's church and I attended Andy's church without joining it.  I never felt so divided in my life.  People quit the church. Including the girl I had a crush on. I never saw her again. 
    To make a long story short,  the divorce went through, Dr. Stanley didn't resign, there are two mega churches where there once was one, both churches have thriving divorce recovery programs.  And I moved to Texas vowing to never give a woman veto power over my ministry.  God works in mysterious ways.

In Light,
Enoch