I am not a fan of the ICoC subculture at all. However, when I read on Google News that there will be a lawsuit filed against one of the churches, I stop and wonder.

Certainly there is the admonition of Paul that believers shouldn’t take other believers to court. Based on my limited history with both parties, I believe that each would consider the other a non-believer. (To be fair, though, the burden of this admonition is on the plantiff, not the defendant.) Because of this verse, though, I have mixed feelings about this specific lawsuit and others, in general, that may follow.

On the one hand, it was best for me to admit to myself that I allowed others to control me. I was afraid of those in leadership so I let them control me because it was easier. A bitter pill to swallow to be sure, but it is true for me. I thought of taking vengenance of some kind, but I believe that vengenance is the domain of God, not me. Deciding to let go has helped me to find a safe emotional place and ultimately to find my wife and my heart. It’s true I spent the time and money to talk to most of the people I felt harmed me, even upper level leaders. I didn’t always have healing talks, but I did have atwo good talks, and that helped a great deal emotionally. This also helps me because no one can accuse me of not trying Matt 18 – my conscience is clear.

On the other hand, I am not Jack Pelham, one of the plantiffs. In my conversations with him, I get the sense that he did not have any good talks. In fact, he experienced the opposite. I do not like him, but I can sympathize with no one being of any help. I can understand the machinery in place that shut down any ability to grieve, express grievances, be heard, and be loved. Jack is a human being trying to do the best he can to deal with a tremendously difficult situation. I think of Prov 12:25 and wonder if a kind word could have averted this mess.

Then I wonder if God allowed this to happen for some reason. This line of reasoning goes as follows:

The HKL(tm) was written by one that had competence and experience to write truthfully about the issues he raised. Almost anyone that was a part of the ICoC Subculture that read it, quickly recognized the issues he raised. In short, it rang true and most everyone realized it. However, now there is a lawsuit that could encompass former world sector leaders and Hope Wordwide(R). Maybe this will be a stiffer warning and penalty to those that did not address the financial corruption of the former ICoC. It’s not uncommon for God to work this way – he used the Babylonians and Asyrians to discipline his people throughout history. Why wouldn’t he do this now?

The problem with the line of thinking is that it assumes a lot. It assumes that the Nashville Church specifically is guilty. It assumes that HOPE Worldwide(R) and former WSL’s will get involved. It assumes that other former ICoC congregations will take note and make changes if the court finds for the plantiff.

It’s tempting to assume that the defendant is guilty. Other ICoC Subculture related websites may call this ‘persecution’ and go on to disparage the plantiff’s character. The temptation is to provide equal time to balance out a different reaction. The other issue with assuming that the defendant is guilty is that it would be a judgement on my part without knowing pertinent facts. Association does not prove guilt, nor does it imply guilt in a logical sense. As such, I want to be careful in making a hasty judgement.

In any case, I can see this as a good thing. No, really. I mean that, and not because I believe that the folks in Williamson County deserve it. What I mean is, if the court finds for the defendant, they are exonerated. If they are found guilty, then other former ICoC congregations will need to institute some kind of reform. Both of these are positive outcomes.

Outside of that, I’m trying to avoid looking at events as signs from God. Too much of that and you get situations like Hal Lindsey and others: everything is a sign of the end times. I want to avoid looking at situations as a measure of God’s approval or direct involvement. Truth is, God’s ways are higher than my ways, so I can never be certain. What I can do is to allow God to do what he has already decided to do.