To: ncwd4change@gmail.com….Be a Man.
June 18th, 2008
Ugh. Politics. An anonymous individual mailed this to select individuals:
To those interested in the future welfare of our District. We have been made aware that Rev. David Emery now seems willing and open to be considered and nominated as a candidate for the open DS position.
Rev. Emery is greatly admired and we thought his willingness to serve would be of interest to many pastors and delegates in our district.
We want to make Pastors and delegates aware of his availability in order to let them know there is an alternative to the person that will be nominated by the DBA.
Rev. Emery has not asked for this endorsement and he is not aware that this mailing will be sent. Our desire is to have a level playing field for the election at District Conference.
This is a tragedy. Here’s my reply that I attempted to send the address stated above:
To: ncwd4change,
I am extremely disappointed by the e-mail that was sent to many people in the West District for multiple reasons:
1st - your unwillingness to sign your name to your ideas. A grass roots movement happens from time to time, and that is ok. But, mass mailing people with a personal agenda needs to be just that - personal. I think that sending an anonymous e-mail of this nature is extremely rude and inconsiderate of everyone involved - the recipients, David, and especially Jerry. Be a man (or woman), and stand behind what you are saying instead of hiding behind an address.
2nd - sending this type of mail is unfair for Jerry. David has every right to allow his name to come up from the floor and delegates have the right to nominate him, and vote for him. However, Jerry is the only one of the nominees who has gone through the process, and an attempt to undermine him in this manner is despicable.
3rd - sending this e-mail is unfair to David. What was said, overheard, or assumed by you or your colleagues was obviously not intended for public consumption as David has not made any of these feelings public. You’ve already undermined the trust of the one you are trying to get into office.
4th - this type of politicking is only destructive to the district. We need to be men and women of God who are holding ourselves to the highest level of integrity. Already, other pastors and districts are aware of this “campaign”, and I can only imagine what it makes them think of us (hint: not good things).
Let’s be a people of God, not of politics. Step up. Shape up. If you really want to change this district - please, let it begin with you.
Matthew D. Tietje
5763 Rainhill Church Rd.
Morganton, NC
h: 828.584.8444
c: 828.403.8705
To add to the cowardice, the address was not accepting incoming mail. Here’s what I received:
ncwd4change@gmail.com, it’s time to shape up. Seriously.
~pastor matt
June 18th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Nicely done. I immediately sent out a reply to this email address after I received so I’m guessing that after a few less than positive responses they shut it down. My immediate reaction to this: stomach-churning.
I appreciate and wholeheartedly agreed with what you said.
June 18th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Thanks for the objectivity and desire to make all thinga obedient to Christ. This kind of posturing reminds me of the manuvering James and John’s mother tried to do for her special sons to get them as close to Jesus as possible.
Let’s stay focused on Christ Jesus. He is Lord
June 19th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Well said Matthew.
Too often, in dealing with the church, I find myself asking, “What ever happened to integrity?” Where do we get the notion we can hide behind anonymous emails and fictitious names? In the Wesleyan Church we oppose secret lodges, in part, because of the “secrecy”.
We forget that there is a world watching. They MUST see that there is a different ethic at work in the church. That doesn’t mean we all agree and walk in lock step on every issue; however, it does mean we conduct ourselves in such a way that is above board. When we are afraid to put our name to something that we have written, it not only speaks of cowardice it also suggests that the person writing it already has/had the notion that it is/was probably not the right thing to do.
The church can handle debate and differing opinions in a public forum where everyone is willing to be counted, however, it cannot endure anonymous scuds from shadowy corridors. People see this kind of behavior all the time. It is called the world. Come on church, lets be salt and light.
Tony
June 19th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I’ve received many e-mail comments from people - but I encourage you to express yourself publicly here in the comments section of this post. I really think we need to examine this issue (and other issues like this in our Church/churches) and talk about it publicly (yet with integrity — not hiding behind the anonymity of the internet…see: ncwd4change).
One comment I received from Selina Wheeler, and she has agreed to allow me to share it:
Matt,
I received a copy of your blog about the anonymous email sent out in “support” of David Emery for DS. I appreciated what you had to say and totally agreed with you. I must admit, I was quite ANGRY when I read the first email.
I responded, as did you, to the anonymous person. Evidently this was before they stopped receiving emails because I never got any response back. It seems my note got through to them. Here are copies of the 2 emails I sent out. I found it interesting you and I had pretty much the same reaction.
I am completely APPALLED that someone would act this way! It IS time for a change in NC West. A time for GODLY people, acting in GODLY ways to step forward and lead this district in GOD’S DIRECTION.
I’m praying with you brother!
MY FIRST RESPONSE:
who are you? why was your name not listed on the email being sent out? how do we know Rev. Emery is truly interested when he has already declined the nomination. Would it not be good to hear directly from Rev. Emery himself??
MY SECOND RESPONSE (after steaming a bit, I must admit):
You know, the more I think of what you have just done, the angrier I get. I’m just trying to make sure it is a righteous anger.
We, as leaders of the CHURCH of Jesus Christ, should be much more ABOVE BOARD than this! If you have a nomination to make, then make it and stand up for it. Don’t do things UNDERMINING the district if you say you want to save the district. The district board has worked long and hard to do the best they know how for this district. And have you forgotten that they, nor you are in charge anyway?? God is!!
I don’t understand why Rev. Emery would have declined the nomination 3 times and now have changed his mind????!!!! What INSIDE SCOOP do you have and why are you not going about making a nomination in the RIGHT way? This is NOT the way things should be handled!
Selina Wheeler
___________________________________________________
Selina,
Can I post this on my blog? I’d like others to see that there are a lot of people who won’t stand for this lack of integrity by this individual and his/her supporters.
Tietje
________________________________________________
Considering how many people are upset by this, I think that would be fine. I was just keeping it between the person and me, but I think it has gotten A LOT bigger now.
Selina Wheeler
June 19th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
You’re spot on, Matt!
Integrity, integrity, integrity. There’s no way to fake it, no way to simulate it, it doesn’t have a substitute. It’s either real or we’ve got absolutely nothing.
I appreciate your sense of honor, justice, and godly outrage. May the sentiments you have expressed and the goals you have set forth reach the length and breadth of Christendom!
Whenever it’s time to storm the barricades, I’m the guy to your right!
-Ol’ Suit
Steve Stanley
P. O. Box 1508
Pickens, SC 29671-1508
864-295-1605
June 20th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Dear Matt,
Thanks so much for the insight you have offered.
How in the world people think God will bless this kind of carnal behavior is beyond me. It has now put everyone involved in a very awkward and potentially hurtful situation…..including David. I’m praying that someone will have the guts, including the presiding GS, to confront this on the floor, call it for what it is (sin to me….but they will probably call it something else), and shed light on it…..so hopefully God can put His man in the position of DS.
This kind of political maneuvering has gone on for a very long time, and personally, I think all of this turns God’s stomach. This has never been God’s way.
Our district has lost a lot of respect across the denomination because of this kind of thing.
God has NEVER been about “anonymous”. If you can’t sign your name to it, stand behind it, and support it biblically, then “it ain’t from God!” It’s from you.
Whatever happened to praying about this issue and leaving it up to our Lord to place into office His man for the job? What a novel idea? To actually pray about it, take our hands off of it, and leave the results to God.
I fear God will begin to take his blessings and hand off of the NC West District if this stuff doesn’t stop.
Kind of scary isn’t it.
Thanks so much Matt,
Margaret Gasperson
NC West
June 22nd, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Margaret, and Matt - I’m not so sure that the Hand of the Lord has for sometime been restrained, and even removed. (OUCH).
God however is never taken aback by the carelesness of His people. Perhaps this episode will stir the hearts of those who want to be full-faced to the Lord, not in their own posturing for whatever reason and really enter into that joy that Jesus talked about in John 17:13 “I am coming to You now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of MY Joy within them, and verse 36 - “I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the Love You have for me may be in them and that I MYSELF may be in them.” I know that’s what I want and need.
Bill Tietje Pastor Old Fort Wesleyan