A Start

Hello and thank you for stopping by this little spot on the internet. I have been reading blogs and news stories for months now and I wanted to create my own little spot on the blog-o-sphere detailing the workings of Bellevue Baptist Church from behind the scenes.

I am new to this blog stuff, so please forgive me as I learn and post my stories and thoughts.

I am a (now) former staff minister from Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tennessee. I worked there for more than a few years and was blessed to serve under Dr. Adrian Rogers for the majority of that service.

People need to know what really goes on behind the scenes at this "mega-church". This church, which has been championed as "the flagship church of the Southern Baptist Convention" for many years, has been an example for hundreds of churches in the areas of doctrine, missions, and leadership for decades. Sadly, this has changed drastically in the past few months.

For the past few months this church has been at the forefront of the Memphis, Tennessee media for a number of reasons. For starters, the pastor was allegedly involved in less-than-Christian matters in the areas of finance and personal security. An associate pastor (yes, he was considered as such on staff) who was named as a child molester. Very important lay leaders have been seeking media attention for issues that have been ignored by the church membership, not to mention a host of other news stories which simply fall by the wayside.

Bellevue Baptist Church has done more to harm the cause of Christ in the past 2 years than ever in it's rich 70+ year history. The fact that the current church administration has been silent on so many important issues shows their lack of concern towards the impact this church has for the cause of Jesus Christ to a hurting world.

There is absolute proof that members of the current administration have misused church funds for their own personal gain, yet the overall membership (and staff) have remained silent. At the last (and only, for that matter) church "business meeting" members were silenced by a shortened session which did not give the congregation their full say towards the new direction of the church. Members were outraged but pretty much kept their silence, thereby granting "a free pass" for these things to continue.

Because Bellevue Baptist Church is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, and because it is allegedly a "congregational approved" body, the membership should have a say in what goes on as far as the pastorate and his leadership is ultimately concerned. That, however, is not the case any longer.

There is an EXCELLENT blog up here: http://exodus20idolatry.blogspot.com - look for the Bellevue link on the side....

How can anyone who witnesses this not have a problem with the leadership at Bellevue Baptist Church? When I read this, as it was forwarded to me by a great Christian friend, it prompted me to start my own blog about the atrocities that are taking place at this "flagship" church.

This aforementioned blog details how the wife of the pastor is literally "idolized" in a case which is in a main atrium of the church. I am in full agreement with this blogger in the sentiment which asks how this gives glory to the crucified Christ?

With the stance of women in the Southern Baptist Church, why is this woman singled out in such a manner? This case used to hold memoirs of the former pastors and important milestones from the past of Bellevue Baptist Church. Is this woman to be compared to the likes of R.G. Lee or Ramsey Pollard?

Is she to be held up as high as former pastor, the late Dr. Adrian Rogers? Not once, in my 31 years of attendance at Bellevue Baptist Church, did I ever see any pastor's wife "enshrined" as Mrs. Gaines has been in this latest endeavor.

And this is just the "tip of the iceberg" as far as this church is concerned. There are ministers currently on staff at Bellevue Baptist Church, ministers in very high positions (as far as the new leadership is concerned) who hold less-than-Christlike views of other people groups.

There are VERY important "lay leaders" who have tremendous pull with the pastorate who have their own agendas and who make focused and gainful decisions on behalf of the church membership on a weekly basis - and the membership has no idea that this is going on.

How sad that this very important church, this cornerstone of church in the United States, this church which holds more importance than anyone involved could ever realize, how sad that it is falling faster than a boulder from the top of the Hernando-DeSoto bridge.

I left because I could no longer be privy to the falsehoods being shoved down people's throats every Sunday. From the looks of the numbers in the past 14 months, thankfully I am not alone.

Grow up and use the mind that God gave you. Use the Word of God to lead you as a lamp in the darkness. You will find the truth as you truly seek it.

More to come.

In Christ,


Howard