This article by Gresham Machen is must-read; as timely today as it was in 1936. I have seen almost all these same tricks used at every level, including congregational meetings.
There is nothing more wicked than cloaking power-religion with the form of godliness.
Excellent. I never knew Machen wrote something like this. This is the manual on how to spot dirty tricks and power plays. If you are an elder, read this before every session meeting, presbytery and GA. If you are a layman, read it before every congregational meeting. And be ready to quote from it when you make your objections (“As Professor Machen, founder of the OPC, once said . . . “). Machen name still has some cachet in the OPC and even the PCA.
all i can say is wow.
steve hoffmeister
Well I guess I can say more than wow in this way.
I will list some of my ideas that i have had the unfortunate experience to have witnessed:
1. The Smoky Backroom agreement:
This is a group that wants to maybe “fudge” a little for “now,” then, when we really mean business it will change to what it should be; or its close brother, The “We are all christian brothers” here and let’s make a verbal agreement for X. However X never happens and when you bring it up, there is memory loss, or worse, you’re attacking someone…
2. The Pious Biblical standard:
This one is very sneaky, in that, you hear a Biblical idea or term. Example: A pastor/teaching elder “should not want for anything.” This idea has some merit and Biblical backing and in of itself not a bad idea. The problem occurs when then that teaching elder wants a new computer or his car fixed or his roof replaced outside the normal way of doing so and going into church funds and the church paying for it.
more to follow later
s. hoffmeister