Yesterday, Evangelical Dark Web reported on G3 Ministries insisting that Steve Lawson was a member of Trinity Bible Church, in a statement meant to reconcile their commitment to ecclesiology with the apparent hypocrisy of having associated with Steve Lawson for a number of years. In their statement, they accused With All Wisdom and Protestia of slander and gossip for their initial report (without naming them.)
Now Protestia has responded. David Morrill wrote a response defending their reporting.
Buice’s statement indicates that G3 confirmed through “two sources within Trinity Bible Church” that Lawson and his wife were indeed members of the church, describing reporting done to the contrary as “rumors” and “false accusations” that “spread like a destructive wildfire.” The “podcasts and polemics websites” remained unnamed in the statement despite Protestia being the primary “polemics” site that reported the information. While not naming Protestia in the video, Buice responded to several social media commenters linking our article, waving it off as “false information.”
The “false information” is apparently our determination that Lawson was not a church member, as no attempt was made to dispute the (more serious) claim that TBC had a non-pastor or non-elder preaching their Sunday sermons. Given the various definitions of “membership” employed by evangelical churches (and TBS’s elders being the determiners of “membership”), whether or not Lawson was a member is entirely subjective. Most tellingly, the reporting that TBC is not disciplining Lawson is defacto proof that he is not a member in any real sense, no matter what anyone calls it.
Protestia examines the ecclesiology of Trinity Bible Church, which grants extensive power to its elders, who have agreed not to share their authority or responsibilities with Steve Lawson.
Trinity’s statement of faith and vision & mission assign broad authority to the elders, describing them as serving “under Christ and over the assembly,” stating that they “have Christ’s authority in directing the church,” with the congregation being required “respect and obey” them. to submit to their leadership. Church discipline is “exercised by the elders” against “sinning members of the congregation.” The elders “determine all other matters of membership, policy, discipline, benevolence, and government.” Although they list “mutual accountability of all believers to each other,” elders are described as “subject to Christ” in a reinforcement of their position “over the assembly.”
By this ecclesiology, TBC elders would be entirely permitted to hire a “lead preacher” who had no responsibilities as a pastor/elder and modify any component of “membership” they see fit, including (quite possibly) having different standards of accountability for Lawson and the rest of the church if they saw fit.
Was Protestia (and many other outlets) right that Lawson was not a member? Or is G3 right that he was and that suggesting he wasn’t is sinfully damaging? Since Lawson was not an elder, TBC is not disciplining him, and their polity allows “member” to be redefined at any time, what difference does it even make?
Protestia’s conclusion makes it so that Trinity Bible Church could retroactively determine that Steve Lawson was a member despite not functioning as such. The lack of an attempt to discipline Lawson as previously reported was highlighted in With All Wisdom’s response that there is no real membership responsibility that the elders feel towards Lawson.
5 Responses
I will be honest here, in this case, if there are questions about what Lawson’s real status are, because many Christians and churches do not understand it, how can it be sinful to suggest what it looks like. It’s not like the idea that lawson was neither, pastor, elder, or formal member, of trinity is something we all hallucinated into being. The manner in which Trinity has addressed this issue has left the door open to such questions because of the feeble initial statements they gave. So in the end the fault is on their elder board apparently.
That having been said, I still have yet to see an explanation from G3, Masters, and every other institution that used Lawson’s material, writings, and videos, on why the claim that his theology was ‘perfect’, does not contradicft their rush to suddenly remove them from their venues with such speed and absent any real explanation.
Because of that it starts to look like a cover up, an attempt to get out ahead of internal ‘self fault assignment’ for not recognizing what Lawson was doing for 5 years (or more), but without thought to the consequences of treating Lawson’s theology as simultaneously perfect, and heretical at the same time. (Note these two things can’t both be true)
I seem to recall Jesus or Paul somewhere talking about people who may talk aboiut the Gospel and spread some of what was witnessed, but with whom they may not yet know Christ. At the moment I can’t remember where that Passage is, but I digress. G3 is trying to seem like an accountability group of the Ecclisiasticweb, while admitting they are not a Church and have no power to discipline. Another strange conundrum, but then again, it still feels like they are trying to get out ahead of the problems Lawson has brought, which in and of itself may show a lack of wisdom on their part in the past or now, but that doesn’t mean their motives are impure, even though it looks like they are trying to deflect what they think they are being called out as ‘sinful’ on by deflecting to anyone else they can land the responsibility upon.
I also do think there are elements of Sin involved here, but I question whether wanting to know the truth so the entire church can be purified while calling out those who advocate for this as somehow being gossips or sladerers is not also sinful. These have been dark days, and I’m not even apart of Lawson’s circles and I can see it pretty clearly.
THose in those circles should have the log removed from their own eye, before they try to remove the plank in another’s eye.
Would that there be unity in purpose amongst the brethren, but we have shunned wisdom and welcomed folly in her place.
Also, something about G3 straining gnats.
Anyway, is there a way to get email notifications for the comment section here? Unless I go back to the article and scroll to the comments, I don’t see any responses.
The Lord knows who’s is his. It is clear that churches often do not want to operate under the direction of God. – elders should be rebuked publicly after a patient examination warning the Flock! thank you for recognizing the lack of responsibility of Loving God and Steve L. That said look at the teaching opportunity missed to edify the church, not at the expense, but the restoration. I hope of Steve many are entrapped, warning the congregation. Remind them that they have a holy God. Ps. An ad popped up for a local church in my area – while on your site Overlake Christian Church. (Redmond, Wa )
It stands as a good reminder on August 7, 2016. They introduced homosexual communion. The church went from thousands to practically empty. I would love some commentary. I have my own opinions and left the church at that moment. Many Froggies stayed in the water. They now practice wokeisam
A man aged to be a grandfather littermate groomed a 20 yr old kid into an illicit affair and your splitting hairs over church membership . Wow. Ravi Zacharias 2.0
*literally