During mid 2003 the church we were going to decided to go independent and the nature of leadership changed and the membership bar was raised
The congregation were invited to discuss the changes and I stated that not only would people leave but the membership commitments could only be maintained through coercion and manipulation.
The new leadership model (although it was not presented as such) was predicated on the Purpose Driven Church 5-ringed model of assimilation, consensus building and “relational” synergy.
I was also concerned that at the same time the pastor (who had an RC background) began to be mentored by a Benedictine monk. Benedictines often embrace mystic meditative spirituality* (based on self-induced altered states of consciousness) giving free (and uncritical) access to the world of spirits leading to universalism and pantheism. A bit like a PC with no firewall.
Although I did express my concerns about leadership and membership I was not given a mandate to warn the pastor about his choice of mentor.
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* On the basis of Dr Andrew Newberg’s neuro-spiritual research at the University of Pennsylvania.during mystic meditation our analytical and critical faculties are suspended and the brain patterns are identical between Tibetan Buddhist and Benedictine monks/nuns
The brain patterns differ from Christians speaking in tongues, who are able to engage fully with the Holy Spirit and their analytical and critical faculties
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This was exacerbated by the literature we were encouraged to study which was all predicated on emerging church mystic spirituality.