Telling another woman, how she looks in a dress and how it accentuates her body, everything up to an alleged affair, to Pat Baronowski, Bill Hybels longtime assistant, stating in the New York Times said Bill Hybels made her obtain pornography and they watched it together. Pete grew up in a home with intelligent and committed parents: both Thats one of the things that attracted me to it is that he would admit something that he had failed, like, I remember one Wednesday night at a midweek service, and he got up and he said how that day he had seen somebody who was, you know, he could tell that they were upset and in need, and he just walked right by the person and totally blew them off. Why did so many look the other way for so long? Thats a bad default state. Pete grew up in a home with intelligent and committed parents: both At least, thats how I saw it. So when you have someone who is trusted, whos supposed to be an expert, you know, like a pastor, like a longtime senior pastor whos supposed to be a theological expert, and someone whos in authority like a senior pastor, people are willing to do things to satisfy that person that they would not otherwise do, even if those things seem harmful to another person. Fortunately, we have not had so much as one complaint about any one of our pastors or staff members. Can you imagine what that does for book sales to be on stage at the Global Leadership Summit among people all over the world and touted as an expert in something? WebPete Briscoe, Stuart and Jills youngest son, was a key contributor to the ministrys teaching team from 2003 to 2021. I hope someday I can overcome this cynicism because I need Church as it should be. Yes, in the course of representing these women, it became obvious that this was not what Ill call an echelon or tier leadership problem, just at Bill Hybels level. Great question. Pete is the son of Jill and Stuart Briscoe. And Hybels said, essentially, Yeah, well, well do it that way. And Clinton showed up and then didnt comply with anything that the board had said. That way, youll never miss an episode. And gratitude is where we must go in this time, as Kurt Baxter reminded us on Sunday. I think one of the ways that Willow tried to reckon with the situation was to permit Bill Hybels to retire from his role at the church. Today, Telling the Truthis heard anytime and anywhere, thanks to international radio programming, the internet, and our mobile app. Pete Briscoe @petebriscoe 12 Dec 2021. About Stuart and Jill Briscoe Its M-I-L-G-R-A-M the Milgram experiment, but basically American researchers were trying to figure out after World War II, why so many in German society were willing to go along with the Nazis or go along with their leadership, do incalculably horrible things to people. Pete Briscoe, our pastor at our church came out in support of the Dyers, which was bold, and it was brave. He currently leads a multi-faceted media ministry called Telling the Truth which he shares with his parents Stuart and Jill Briscoe. And wasnt there something with Bill Clinton coming to the church and speaking? Id like to share a few things as we navigate this loss together. Pete Briscoe, Stuart and Jills youngest son, was a key contributor to the ministrysteaching team from 2003 to 2021. What eventually broke the culture of secrecy and protection? I think its Pat Baranowskis story that ran in the New York Times that actually caused that. It was stunning to me. Its not okay. And what lessons can we learn from Willow Creeks mistakes? Or what is the church think about Calvinism? something along those lines. I wonder, I wonder what effect that might have had on them. In the early 2000s, as Stuart and Jill transitioned into minister-at-large roles and spent more time traveling to serve the global church, an additional voice was added in order to bless the supporters ofTelling the Truth. John and Nancy Ortberg had been at Willow Creek as pastors. WebPete Briscoe is a podcaster and evangelical pastor. Im so grateful now for that heritage. That has been documented and proven through therapy notes. Jill Whats our theology? Its something like Child Protection Policies. Like so many of you, I love Pete. Volunteers monitored the process in real time, turning over cassettes at the appropriate time to record on the second side. Its How do we protect the entity and the entity as expressed through the person of Bill Hybels? Once you make that decision that youre willing to protect the entity or the person in charge of the entity to the detriment of members of the body or members of the staff, youve made some poor choices that are going to have consequences. So, while I have strong feelings about this, as you can imagine being a lawyer, but at all points, legal advice has to be subservient to Scripture. JULIE ROYS 23:38, What I meant by that comment is that unanimity didnt create any problems for the board and senior pastor because everyone agreed with James MacDonald. Likewise. Its all a Business and Power tool and stage for Virtue Signaling. I just, Im amazed that they were in such geographic proximity to one another dealing with almost the exact same problem. And unless theyre pollinated by hand, on the one day that the bloom opens, they wont make anything. What is it was Chicago? You know, Hybels daughter had her own book on Oprahs book club. So since youve seen a lot of this kind of up close and personal through talking to witnesses and elders and staff people, how bad was the abuse at Willow Creek? Well, and thanks so much for listening to The Roys Report, a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. Yes, I have be disillusioned many times by churches and some leaders. For the next 90 minutes, Pete Briscoe enraptured us with his presentation of The Bema. I was blown away. And theres a lot of people asking, Is that just too great a burden to ever put on one person? How do you respond to that? Maybe some of your listeners are familiar with that you can go on YouTube and and see what thats all about. Destroyed by a staff person is my understanding. If youre looking for a car I encourage you to visit my friends at Marquardt of Barrington. ) So, Willows pride did not allow them to see any flaws in their leadership, especially their premier leader. Ive even friended a few. I learned that from Bill. Well, and I hope there are Christian leaders listening to this who take note because is the time of just being silent and thinking that because youre silent, nothing will come back on you, thats past. So I was quite taken aback when this scandal came out. I was the senior pastor of Bent Tree Bible Fellowship for nearly 30 years. It took me a long time to agree that he had done the things of which he had been accused. You know, Willow creeks pastors family members benefit from the Penumbra of Willow Creek and its just sheer size within evangelicalism. Thank God I have Jesus. Now, I coach pastors and business leaders in communications and self-care. And heres what we have to do as people leading churches, okay, you have to understand what the signs of grooming are so one of the things that I did that really helps me, my good friend, Boz Tchividjian, put out a book through his organization G.R.A.C.E. As a lawyer whos represented some of Bill Hybels victims Mitch Little has seen a side of Willow Creek that few others have. which Hybels assented to including you know, repenting for his behavior and not talking about politics and some other things as well. I will let you know as soon as I figure it all out. Literally thousands of people have come to know Jesus under Bill Hybels teaching and yet, he was morally bankrupt at the same time. I would love to see Chicago experience revival. I dont know. He even cites a conversation with Darrell Bock, a member who disagrees with the elders but who also says it is not an issue worth dividing over. This is simply a place where I share the message of Gods unadulterated grace through my preaching sermons and bible teaching. Yeah. Thats not to say there arent authentic people there. He even cites a conversation with Darrell Bock, a member who disagrees with the elders but who also says it is not an issue worth dividing over. They had these Global Leadership Summits. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. They had so many churches, thousands of churches coming on board and being a part of those. I dont think that theres anything at a mega church that innoculates it from being good. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. And when I came into the representation, that was a new term to me, Id never heard anything like it. So a young person in our high school ministry. Who hasnt given a friend a friendly kiss once in awhile? Like if you go back and you actually read his books line-on-line, there are some things in there in those books where you go, For a pastor, that should be unacceptable. But he was attenuating his church culture and culture at large to him in his behavior. And youre in the process right now of looking for a senior pastor. And it had all of these allies not just in the media, but among the angelical industrial complex, other megachurch pastors, everything. He, Becky and their kids have been part of the fabric of BT for so long, it is I came out of Wheaton College, as I know a lot of kids do when youre in a Christian environment and maybe see some disillusioning things and I just, it was really a hard spiritual time for me. And Willow lost the battle of PR on social media. Subscribe Sign up for my daily email devotionals and to stay in touch! And Willow just, they got killed because they wouldnt respond and say the truth. He is with us today to talk about growing communication skills to improve preaching as well as how we can find deeper fulfillment in our work and lives. The Elder Board has accepted Petes decision, and his resignation is effective March 31, 2019. He has been married to Jill for more than 59 years and has three children and 13 grandchildren. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. I was just trying to build a relationship, or whatever you just go, But I see you for what you are and youre gonna have to go.. The Elder Board has accepted Petes decision, and his resignation is effective March 31, 2019. Yeah, totally agree. Pete Briscoes father, Stuart Briscoe, who I loved dearly, hes not in good health, I wish he was, I wish he could hear this and Id wish him well. So Im guessing youre not against lawyers being on board. Briscoe says that he wants Bent Tree to be a place where people can agree to disagree over this issue. Is that right? But its an analog. God is doing a new work both in the lives of the Briscoe's and in the life of Bent Tree. Later Telling the Truth began airing in several countries in southeast Asia and across 10 countries in southern Africa. Well, again, Joining me today is Mitch Little a partner with Scheef & Stone in Frisco, Texas. Although theres been some. To view their entire showroom online. Heres to better days and better church health. And thats what, thats what you end up protecting right? It grows on the vanilla orchid, and it only grows in really exotic places like Tahiti, and there are some places in Mexico it grows too, but what is unique about the vanilla orchid is when it blooms, its got to be pollinated within one day. And to do that, we must avoid falling into the trap of our Christian beliefs being pitted against culture in the public sphere of debate. Hes also the chairman of the elder board at a multisite megachurch in Dallas, Texas. Can you imagine how many books that sold her? This was an excellent interview and elders need to read this interview. Guest Bios Show Transcript Many times, those who have experienced spiritual abuse are retraumatized when they try to speak about whats happened. I dont think I could survive the corruption I see today had I not seen so much thats good and beautiful in the church growing up. And presented them with the information, he essentially tossed it to the side and said, So what?, No consequences. Hes also a strong believer and advocate for abuse victims. Well, lets talk a little bit about the leadership that protected him because I think that is the question that I keep hearing over and over from folks is, How do we prevent this from happening? Well, and it troubles me too, that so many of our Christian organizations seem to be more beholden to lawyers advice and counsel than they do the Word of God. Youre its just not its not a matter of if its a matter of when. These are people that may be in the cubicle next to you at work, who have an acuity for blending in to normal life. Its biblical. So Mitch has a very unique perspective. "For many of you, he was preacher, pastor, mentor or friend. The Journal Sentinel reported: Elmbrook resignations are the latest to rock evangelical Christian churches. And someone Im extremely glad is serving in church leadership. WebSince that time he has ministered on every continent, written more than 40 books, pastored a church for 30 years, and founded a media ministry called Telling the Truth which now broadcasts daily worldwide. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Really what it is, Julie, if we want to get down to it and go to spiritual or biblical terms, these are these are works of the flesh when were not led by the Spirit. WebIt is with heavy hearts that the Elders of Bent Tree announce that Pete Briscoe has submitted his resignation as Senior Pastor. How did that all happen? Yes, probably a number of your listeners are aware of the situation where the Ortbergs and Mellados had tried to report to the board an alleged long term affair that Bill Hybels was engaged in and the church hired an outside investigator to investigate the situation. Heres my belief, Julie, I think the church at large, the big leaders in evangelicalism, we can name names if we want to, and Im sure that people have names on their mind when theyre hearing this, Why were they silent? I think that they were scared of what Ill call the Christian Industrial Complex that had risen up around Bill, the economic consequences of speaking out on a topic of high consequence. They wont produce any vanilla beans. Today were talking with Pete Briscoe, who served as the senior pastor for nearly three decades at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Carrollton, Texas, and now consults with and coaches pastors. Its designed to be fought asymmetrically. But you had said you had gotten this manual and it was about, you know, basically how to be an elder and how to lead. And so when you see behaviors that look like grooming, you know, John Calvin, Im not a Calvinist. But if you have a pastor with a glaring character flaw youre fooling yourself if you think youre gonna keep that character flaw in line with a pastor who doesnt put Jesus Christ first in his life, am I right? And we need to start on the work of reconciliation and repentance now. And you have two or three board members who go, I dont think so, they did nothing. I was blown away. Pete reminds us that our goal is not to win arguments, but to win people. But the thing that was so shocking to me, is that Bill Hy Hybels was the first pastor I had ever seen be so vulnerable from the pulpit. Gifted with wisdom, discernment, and a bit of English humor, the Briscoe's bring God's Word to life. Heres my belief, Julie, I think the church at large, the big leaders in evangelicalism, we can name names if we want to, and Im sure that people have names on their mind when theyre hearing this, Why were they silent? WebPete Briscoe answers that question by pointing us to Paul as the perfect example of one who speaks with tender boldness. And if you dont have a character to lead, no manual is going to help you. They made a lot of friends. Youre absolutely right. The thing that is so terrifying is that someone who has been a senior pastor in an organization like that is not beyond it. WebPete Briscoe answers that question by pointing us to Paul as the perfect example of one who speaks with tender boldness. But they spoke. (See page 54 and following) Jill I havent seen a lot of true owning, true repenting, true confessing. Scott Dyer was the worship pastor at Bent Tree Bible fellowship. When you have a woman who says I was molested by a staff member, or you have a staff member who says, Bill Hybels just threw a punch at me, or dog cuts me up and down the hallway, those arent matters of policy, Julie. and so I almost feel like the elder boards are there to keep the honest person honest. Think about the psychology of someone who could be doing what was alleged by Pat Baranowski to have been done to her. He even cites a conversation with Darrell Bock, a member who disagrees with the elders but who also says it is not an issue worth dividing over. And I realized that as we were discussing this, that there might be some people who have heard about what happened at Willow Creek, but somewhat superficially, through the headlines and dont really know beneath the surface. Through Petes teaching on Sundays and through various conversations with other staff members during the week, God shifted my perspective on what it means to live life in Christ one from my own efforts to please God to one of Christs efforts on my behalf to love me deeply, extravagantly, and permanently. And theyre born knowing how to do that. And some of it also involved a culture that was willing to cover for wrongdoing. I cant vouch for all the information because I havent researched it myself. WebHi friend, I'm Pete Briscoe. And we need to apologize. And what lessons can we learn from Willow Creeks mistakes? He currently leads a multi-faceted media ministry called Telling the Truth which he shares with his parents Stuart and Jill Briscoe. But as you say its Gods grace that despite all that hes used these men to bless many, despite everything. And where does whats legally expedient for our organization? He gave me a few new friends here and there, people to pray with, to share with, to be coworkers in some small ministry, etc. I think one of the things that happens in churches, from a deformed leadership standpoint, is requiring boards to operate in unanimity or using unity as a cudgel against people who have firm convictions about things. And this is a huge problem in the Evangelical Church in the southern baptist church, I mean, just absolutely massive problem where so often the predators covered up instead of brought to justice. Now youre a lawyer. And this is one of the I think exciting things. He was like one of these, I think until Scot decided to speak up, it was, Willow had credulity to say, These are people outside our tribe who are criticizing us. I appreciate your taking time again away from your vacation to spend time with us. And basically, my understanding is his cavalier attitude was, Well, Ill just pick up and Ill open a new church down the street [if] you dont you dont like me the way I am.. WebPete Briscoe is a podcaster and evangelical pastor. He even cites a conversation with Darrell Bock, a member who disagrees with the elders but who also says it is not an issue worth dividing over. And you made the statement that if you have the character to lead, you dont need a manual. David Jankowski. Honestly, without being a part of the Willow family at any time, I saw Bill as the best Christian leader I had encountered, by far. Everyone I knew from childhoodparents, grandparents, pastors, Sunday School teacherswas upright and honest. Let me give you some examples. How does our elder board navigate things differently with that Pastor? And you mentioned to me that there were some stop signs along the way. Pete Briscoe, our pastor at our church came out in support of the Dyers, which was bold, and it was brave. There was a period of time, Ill call, The Great Loneliness after that Chicago Tribune article came out, where they were radioactive. For the next 90 minutes, Pete Briscoe enraptured us with his presentation of The Bema.. Pete Briscoe, our pastor at our church came out in support of the Dyers, which was bold, and it was brave. I know that the original elders of Harvest thought they could keep James accountable despite the knowledge that he had glaring character flaws from the beginning. Jill and Stuart came to the States from England. And so, you know, as a lawyer on the board, youre not absolved from the obligation of complying with the mandates of Scripture. The small tape recording process drew the attention of many people who were eager for a copy of the teaching they heard at church to share with friends and neighbors. This is simply a place where I share the message of Gods unadulterated grace through my preaching sermons and bible teaching. Then, I did what all good Christian college students did at that time I acquired a boot-leg copy of the drama and listened to it several times on my own. A man who "dedicated his life to sharing Gods Word with the world" has died at the age of 91. And so when these things happen, they cant just stay silent. And to do that, we must avoid falling into the trap of our Christian beliefs being pitted against culture in the public sphere of debate. He even cites a conversation with Darrell Bock, a member who disagrees with the elders but who also says it is not an issue worth dividing over. This is just the way things are in Corinth. Growing up in a ministry family, Pete watched and learned from his parents and witnessed the reach and power of Telling the Truth 's media outreach. World '' has died at the appropriate time to record on the day! About the psychology of someone who has been documented and proven through therapy notes Briscoe 's and the! Arguments, but to win arguments, but to win arguments, but what happened to pete briscoe win arguments, to... What effect that might have had on them that actually caused that know, john Calvin Im... A bit of English humor, the site requires that people use their name! People use their full name when commenting Barrington. took me a long time to record the. As one complaint about any one of our pastors or staff members in high! 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