Exactly right. In closing, I dont desire to argue with anyone; i have nothing to gain. Two days after the meeting with Pastor Edie and Chairmen Boone and Collier, Wicker said he was told to vacate church premises immediately. I dont think that it was right how they treated him. . Church leaders have alleged that race played a role in the failed vote to affirm Hayes, causing a firestorm of heated discussion on social media and spawning posts by religious websites and blogs. Totally the act of Satan in this issue because where the Spirit of the Lord is there is peace. Yet Easter services would be the last time Wicker would preach at FBC Naples. That's why Hayes was not officially approved, when in past years he would have been. *Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. Racism had Nothing to do with voting!It had to do with biblical principals that many questioned ( CRT, SJM, "Woke" Church). Quite the contrary the creedal history of the church was arguably constructed to exclude precisely the kind of views that were being espoused. Bonnett told the Daily News in an email Wednesday no revote has been scheduled. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. These included a lack of transparency at the church, absence of vetted elders, and the public maligning of former longtime pastor, Hayes Wicker. Yet, thats what multiple sources have alleged is happening to them. Wicker, a former President of the Florida Baptist Convention and the SBC Pastors Conference, was such a high-profile leader and fundraiser for Baptist causes that his retirement was covered by Baptist Press, which reported the following on February 4th: In mid-January, Wicker, 68, The controversy, which quickly spread in religious circles online, has suddenly thrust the North Naples church into an unwelcome spotlight, much to the dismay of some members. The Holy Spirit inspired him to write his short epistle to people who were struggling with some of these very same issues. While methods may change, our commitment to Biblical doctrine is a non-negotiable. And this statement was made by an African American pastor on Moody Radio. Thats what REALLY happened. First Baptist Naples is, ethnically, a predominantly white church but we are not a racist church.. On Easter weekend, Wicker said he received a text message that several chairmen wanted to meet with him about church unrest. Wicker said he tried to ignore it. More bluntly What have we done? . And on December 31, Wicker said the health insurance provided by the church was cut off for him and his wife, who has a serious heart condition. (Auxanos founder, Will Mancini, also serves as director of consulting for Lifeway, the publishing division of the SBC.). As a seasonal member of FBCN during the events you cover here I can share how troubling this is. Food. And we are soldierscharged with pulling down ideological strongholds and casting down the lies and deception spawned by the forces of evil (2 Corinthians 10:35; 2 Timothy 2:34). However, he stated, In the 22 years I was there (FBC Naples), I never heard a racist commentever. But what was concluded was that all things were not fair nor were they right. We believe all matters of life should be subjected to the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16). Church members are upset over the treatment of the retiring pastor who served 27 years at FBC Naples FBC Naples, Florida's longtime senior pastor Hayes Wicker announced his retirement from pastoring the church in January 2019. Until this happens FBCN will be a former great ministry. The search for a senior pastor continues, with Dorrill leading the search committee. And as of March 1, the churchs $14 million budget had a shortfall of $1.2 million. So for now we will go to Tampa & enjoy Church there, as no wish to be seen to support incompetence. Considering slave owners slept with slaves (even in my own ancestry), whites befriended their black help all while denying their equal rights it is possible to have friends and even spouses of other races and still have issues with bias and prejudice. But I dont see how the spirit of God can move among those people, unless they are willing to understand what has happened and admit that what they have done is absolutely atrocious, ungodly, unjust, and even in violation of their own bylaws.. The shooting drew national headlines, outrage and questions about whether race factored into the officers decision to open fire. Edie, the church's executive pastor, however, called Hayes "one of the most qualified men in Southern Baptist life to be a Senior Pastor of any church in this country.". A lengthyOct. 24 email signed by the "group of concerned FBCN members"and obtained by the Daily News was titled "Concerns Surfacing About Compatibility with Marcus Hayes." Takeaway: The treatment of the retiring pastor at FBC Naples is eerily similar to the treatment of the retiring pastor at McLean Bible Church. Thank you. We asked him to allow us to hug him. Unfortunately, this did not meet the threshold. No One Knows. That's not what happened at First Baptist Church of Naples, Florida. Experienced first hand Church Bullying, Over blown egos, inability and refusal to be biblically teachabe. Where in the N.T. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. To be blunt, it stinks and the whiff of corruption I detect is an autocratic sense of entitlement, with a touch of greed, perhaps, as well. 3000 Orange Blossom Drive. It seems rather patronizing to minorities to assert that every minority persons ideas must be legitimate because the propounder is of a certain colour. Curious timing of raising those concerns. According to sources, Wicker wanted a long period of transition to the new leadership, with even an overlap to help the transition process. When HE transitioned the church from Elders to committees the ground work was laid for unbiblical polity. Blake Crawford and former deacon, Mike Dolan, said they were also suspended around that time. However, no evidence of racism has yet been produced. Caudill added that Dorrill advised Caudill that any pastoral candidates suggested by Wicker would be dead on arrival., In the months leading up to Wickers resignation, the church hired Auxano, a church consulting company, to advise the church on the pastoral transition process. It isnt white people who have turned on the evil and hate. close to Wicker, contacted Pulpit & Pen with disturbing details But more importantly, Ericksen said, members feel their voice isn't being heard by church leaders. I can tell you not a single thing mentioned above played a role in my vote. It is time for the SBC to do what they should have done first, before concluding who was right: Shine the light, Brothers, shine the light in here. On the surface, Marcus Hayes is a highly recommended pastor who is seemingly qualified for the role. Wade Burleson is also part of the smear campaign, too. In the tweet, the attorney, Lee Merritt, wrote in part that investigators claim "all the shooter saw was black" and said that was "exactly the problem.". The group adds that national leaders within FBC Napless denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), supported the churchs leadership and furthered the racism charge. Christians should model justice and love to the world. Sadly, friction in the pastoral transition at FBC Naples has been present from the outset. Similarly, SBC president J.D. The congregation must find a way to publicly be able to bring Hayes Wicker and his family back into this fellowship as loved and former members. They arrived in Naples and gathered other Baptist families to meet with them in a small outbuilding behind the local grocery store, meeting for their first worship . Also concerning to the group was the fact that Marcus Hayes didnt respond to a letter Concerned Members of FBCN had sent him a week earlier, outlining their issues at the church. Even Jesus said so much when he talked a man who started building a tower without counting the cost. The petition for a special business meeting was never even ACKNOWLEDGED by the leadership is a Violation of the bylaws. Catholic Idolaters Claim to Find St. Peters BonesAgain. DWCF. Proverbs 18:17. I know that can seem like a simple concept, but it seems to be forgotten when the well a black person disagrees with it! argument is used. Read the letter from the church to the Southern Baptist Convention, question and answer session with Hayes and his wife, Read the letter from First Baptist to church members regarding voting results, fatal shooting of a black security guard by a white police officer, Police release name of cop who killed black security guard who was corralling a gunman, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. FBC Naples, Floridas longtime senior pastor Hayes Wicker announced his retirement from pastoring the church in January 2019. Great! Church leaders at First Baptist Church Naples have blasted a faction of their congregation, alleging "racial prejudices" contributed to a failed vote late last month to name a black man the church's new senior pastor. It noted that Hayes had unfriended or blocked several people who had signed the petition on his social media accounts. ", Although church leaders don't believe that all who voted"no" did so based on race, Dorrill said,"it is undeniable that race played a part in the final days leading up to this election.". SUNDAY, Dec 11 (7pm) **Statements about the actions taken by FBC Naples leadership assume the fidelity of Pulpit & Pens inside source. Other parts of the email laid out concerns the group had with Hayes' tweets about books that deal with race and religion and questioned whether he had the necessary experience to take the post as senior pastor. Is not the sheer stupidity of this self-evident? ", Dorrill said there had been "a concerted campaign of misinformation filled with destructive and divisive content." If I had known that, there would have been no resignation whatsoever., I was shocked that they would make this immediate. Wickers hopes for a smooth transition have been dashed. Yet Wicker said that without his approval or prior knowledge, a statement read by Boone was inserted at the beginning of the video, saying that Wicker had confessed to misuses of power and actions unbecoming of a Senior Pastor. This statement was also emailed to church members on May 23. For these crimes, he was wrongly treated, humiliated, and denied even basic due process, and most certainly treated anything but Christ like. To those who are part of the Group of Concerned FBNC Members, the church's allegations of racism have no standing. Yet despite all thats happened, Wicker said, I pray people would not use this to come against megachurches or seeing all committees as bad., Similarly, Caudill stated, First Baptist Naples still has potential to be used greatly by God. Despite this track record, Wicker said he was shut out of the new pastor selection process. Those involved either need to find a way to recover from this, not just cover it up, or decide to step aside for the greater good. I just wish so many from my former church would open their eyes and see whats going on. FBA@FBALions.org. The actions described in this article, which by the way are just the tip of the iceberg, were unloving, ungodly, and unbecoming of pastors charged with shepherding Gods flock. No, Again. At least four emails were "broadly sent," he wrote, with others privately sent. The following Tuesday, April 23, Wicker met with FBC Naples leaders including Dorrill, Chairman of the Personnel Committee Troy Boone, Chairman of the Finance Committee Don Collier, and Chairman of Deacons Terry Cole. Regardless of what specific concerns were held, its important to know that 1) no evidence of genuine racism on the part of those holding them has surfaced, and 2) the efforts these members made to ask questions and express reservations were not taken seriously. This happened just three days after the church vote concerning Marcus Hayes. Visit: firstnaples.org/media. These were ALL issues that these so-called dissenters were trying to have addressed PRIOR to the arrival of Marcus. In 2001, Dorrill pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges in connection with the Stadium Naples corruption scandal. So is my wife. Wicker said several weeks later, the church emailed him, stating that Wicker had facilitated and cooperated with a rival faction in the church, which voided his exit agreement. Our Pastoral Search Committee, lay leadership, and the Pastoral Staff all anticipated that our vote would be nothing less than an affirmative statement from our people that God had sovereignly chosen for Marcus Hayes to be our next Pastor. Of course they did. First Naples glorifies God by being a multigenerational, multiethnic, multiplying church, that raises up the next generation of disciple makers, church planters, missionaries, and world changers, to reach Naples to the Nations. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. And guess what? Stop making everything about race. No, Again. I am saying that, as I have countless experiences of colorblind people saying or doing insensitive, offensive things because they forgot Im black. First, there are blacks who strenuously object to books like Woke Church, as well as intersectionality, and reparations for slavery. It only becomes a problem if you think my worth is different because of it. Find more information about the groups that meet throughout the week by clicking below. 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