Conflicts


What about Conflicts - How are they Resolved at Calvary?

The answer is:

 

If you don't like it, there's the door.

 

Since the Senior pastor is the central figure you very quickly learn that he is at the center of the church and if you don't agree with him, you might as well leave. This pattern was repeated when Chuck Smith removed John Wimber from CC. It was later repeated when Wimber removed John Arnott from the Vineyard and it will continue ad-infinitum as long as the people keep supporting these churches.

 

Larry Taylor has leveled the charge that the congregational form of church government has the following weakness:

 

Although democratic people like the idea, congregational forms of church government often wind up at best causing the pastor to be directed by the sheep he is supposed to lead, and at worst reducing the pastor to a hireling.

 

This same charge can be leveled at Calvary Chapel's "assistant pastors." To turn his attack around, although the Senior Pastor certainly would favor the role of the assistant pastor that Taylor recommends, the assistant pastor's role relegates him to the status of a hireling. He cannot care for the sheep and even if he feels that the Senior Pastor is leading them into spiritual danger, he can do nothing. He can not even talk with his wife. He can only leave and can never discuss the reasons why, even if he is asked directly. This is misdirected loyalty and potentially treasonous to God. This is documented in Taylor's book, "The Ministry of the Assisting Pastor."

 

Larry Taylor has recanted his previous position. Here's one excerpt:

 

My personal opinion, having tried many different forms of church government as I’ve planted six churches over the last three decades, is that the Presbyterian form of church government works best. This is the system used by Presbyterian churches, and by many independent and Charismatic churches. Final authority in the Presbyterian form of church government rests with the elders.