The purpose of this website is to be faithful to biblical commands to walk in the light, to speak the truth in love, to expose wrongdoing, to invite repentance, to warn those in harm’s way,  to preserve the witness of the church to a watching world, and to love our neighbors.

Since September 2021, Chapel Hill Bible Church has been the subject of reporting in publications such as the Washington Post, Religion News Service, The Roys Report, The Daily Tar Heel, and the Wartburg Watch, a blog.

Me: Do you believe in Total Depravity?

Pastor: Yes

Me: How so? You claim you’ve done no wrong?

Pastor: You are totally depraved

Me: I don’t think it works like that

Pastor: I’ve done no wrong

Me: So it’s a case of “Depravity for Thee, Not for Me? “

Pastor: I’m the real victim here  –Emily Hyland @EKHyland on X (X.com) Aug. 4, 2024 Depravity

It’s not literally that blatant of course, but a pastor, like any person, can claim to believe in total depravity and acknowledge in the abstract that he is a sinner and maybe occasionally acknowledge a few minor sins. But to grossly minimize one’s own sins, to attack the people who say you’ve sinned against them,  and to be the final arbiter of whether one sinned in the face of  a multitude of evidence to the contrary, is to be self-deceived and is evidence of a seared conscience.  “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8.

August 7,2024

Is it important to you to be part of a church where people of all ethnicities are integral parts of the body?  If so, it’s likely that one of the first things you do when looking for a new church is to check out the staff webpage,  and you’d be pleased to see multi-ethnicity on the staff.

But what if you could go deeper and hear directly what people of color actually experienced at the church in their own words?  You can. And not just from one or two people;  multiple former insiders  have believed it was important to tell their stories publicly about why they left Chapel Hill Bible Church.

Imagine yourself in this situation:

Shock. You’ve served faithfully on staff at a church you love. Yet you’ve just been told you’re being fired. Your mind is spinning. Why is this happening? You’ve consistently had good evaluations. Is it because of the concern you brought up with the pastor? You may never be told.  You’re losing your job, but this also means that your whole family is losing their church community.  And how will you manage financially?

So you’re relieved when you’re told that at least the church is offering you a severance package. But it includes an NDA. You’ve never heard of one before, but as you read it, you realize that in exchange for the money you need for your family, you must give up your voice. The permanent silence required may even keep you from telling anyone that the NDA exists. It’s a wrenching choice.

What would you do?

* This is a composite sketch taken from very similar scenarios that have happened in churches and Christian organizations all over the country, including at Chapel Hill Bible Church.

Star cluster Westerlund 2

Photo Credits: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI), and the Westerlund 2 Science Team

 God is light. God is love. (I John 1:5 & 4:7)

“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1: 5-10

People are created in the image of the God who loves them. He desires that we live in the freedom of walking in the light. The Gospel message sets us free from hiding, from trying to look different than we are. Because we are loved,  we are free to walk in the light without fear, admitting when we are wrong, and finding forgiveness and deep relationship with God and others.

“Transparency” is the word used in vernacular English in a way that reflects the Biblical concept of “walking in the light.”  In posts to come, we’ll be examining transparency at the Chapel Hill Bible Church.

Members of the Chapel Hill Bible Church will be asked to vote on proposed changes to the bylaws on June 5, 2024. The bylaw changes are significant and substantial and deserve thorough consideration by each member before the vote. Most crucially, members will have to discern how well the proposed changes align with Scripture.

If you prefer to start with a simple summary of changes  before reading through analysis, you’ll be able to when you click “Read more.”

Scripture is always a good place to start analysis

Now at this time, as the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint developed on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.  So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.  Instead, brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” The ^]announcement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose ….  And they brought these men before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. Acts 6: 1-6 NASB

This passage  in which the first deacons were chosen and commissioned formed the basis for the governance structure of the Chapel Hill Bible Church. In this passage, you can see 3 separate spheres of authority: the apostles, the congregation, and the deacons.

These three spheres of authority are reflected in the current Chapel Hill Bible Church Constitution and bylaws, with the elders filling the apostles’ role…

Take a minute and ask yourself: What does Scripture teach about the characteristics of a dangerous spiritual leader? How well-equipped are you to recognize a wolf or false shepherd? How likely is it that you’d be fooled?

Spiritual abuse is a phenomenon as old as the Bible, but because the term is relatively new,  people may not understand what it means. The ability to discern the often subtle dynamics of abuse can be especially hard for congregants who are in a church in which abuse has been alleged,  leaving them unsure who to believe.

How is spiritual abuse defined?

Several Christian writers from different perspectives have offered definitions.

What exactly is spiritual abuse? Is it happening in our church? Is it happening to me?

Is spiritual abuse real or just modern victim mentality? Those words aren’t found in the Bible.  True, but you also won’t find the words “Trinity” or “triune” in the Bible, yet we agree those words describe something real. The Bible contains many examples and descriptions of  the phenomenon of spiritual abuse. And there are repeated commands to beware of the kind of leader who perpetuates it.

When abuse is uncovered in any organization, the smoke and mirrors of deception create confusion. When abuse happens in a church, not only is there the additional layer of spiritual abuse, but the smoke and mirrors will be comprised of seemingly biblical language,  creating even more confusion.

People struggle to understand. What is even happening? This can’t be true–or can it? I don’t want it to be true, but what if it is? How do I know who to believe? Who can I trust? Help! But do I even want to know? It’s not my responsibility, right? Or is it?

Certain patterns of behavior are found across different types of  abusive situations. These patterns can serve as recognizable landmarks to  help you navigate your way through the fog. The resources recommended here reveal the patterns and expose “biblical” smoke and mirrors for the deceptions they are, guiding you as you seek to discern the truth in your situation.