Bob Thune of Acts 29 Coram Deo in Omaha Greedily Reaches for More Kool Aid When Discussing Church Discipline

Bob Thune of Acts 29 Coram Deo in Omaha, Nebraska writes an article for The Gospel Coalition that plays up church discipline but ignores its abuses. This post is my attempt to get Bob Thume to put down the Kool Aid and for him to start to discuss the questionable use of church discipline by his camp. Plus…when is C.J. Mahaney and Mark Driscoll going to face church discipline?

“Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”

Narcotics Anonymous

“Unless the public sin of a believer is dealt with publicly, people will think the church does not take sin seriously and therefore gives tacit approval of it. A church that does not discipline sinning members (including the most prominent members) loses its credibility, because it does not take seriously its own doctrines and standards. A child who is not disciplined when he does wrong soon concludes that his parent’s standards are not really very important, because they are not enforced.”    

John MacArthur

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

Philippians 2:1-2 NLT

The other day at The Gospel Coalition Bob Thune wrote an article that needed a response. I have written quite a bit on the Thune family at this blog. Bob’s father leads an Evangelical Free called Grace Point Church in Bismarck, North Dakota, you can see a picture of his father here.  His brother Jeff Thune heads up an Evangelical Free at Northwest Bible Church in Tucson, Arizona. I saw “The Excommunicated Member Who Thanked Me”  in my news feed.  Amidst all  that is happening and the drunken abuse of church discipline that you see in this theological camp, I thought to myself Bob Thune of Coram Deo still doesn’t get it!

 

The Story of Jack and Bob Thune Still Doesn’t Get it!

Lets read the first paragraph that Bob Thune writes:

The only stories you ever hear about church discipline are the bad ones. That’s partly because there are lots of ways to foul it up, but also because the good stories are six years in the making. The good stories don’t make headlines. Church discipline, when rightly practiced and graced by God, “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:11) in those chastened by it. And when they come back to say “thank you,” it’s not a history-making moment. It’s just an another evidence of God’s redeeming grace.

First I think you would be hard pressed to find me or any others who are outright opposed to church discipline in the severe situations. Situations such as adultery warrant it, especially in the long term. However what rubs me the wrong way in reading Bob Thune’s article is this one sentence. “The only stories you ever hear about church discipline are the bad ones.” Someone needs to pry that jug of Kool Aid from Bob Thune’s hands. There is story after story of bad church discipline and he dismisses it outright like it never happened, or like its not an issue.  He won’t even acknowledge it! And here is the question I have…for the Karen Hinkleys and others you hear about what about the untold other stories of people who were hurt because social media wasn’t around or they are too scared to tell? Those are the wrongs that the Neo-Calvinist movement loves to forget about. Its kind of like the way Ford automotive rolled out the Pinto in the 1970’s and continuing to promote the car despite the safety record and issues  that kept coming. Ford knew of the problems and yet they kept selling, redesigning, and manufacturing the Pinto. The Neo-Calvinists do the same thing with church discipline. Could church discipline be the theological “Pinto” of our time? Is that why this issue keeps blowing up over and over and over?

Now in the story of Jack he was a covenant member of Bob’s church who was sleeping around. He was placed under church discipline and it followed him to another church. In the article Bob Thune writes that Jack thanked him for the church discipline. He closes his post with the following:

These are the stories that don’t get told. But they’re real. Real people are helped and loved and strengthened when the church has the courage to obey the Scriptures. So, pastors, be faithful in teaching about church discipline. Members, be thankful that your church practices discipline, even when it’s difficult.

Biblical church discipline isn’t punitive; it’s beautifully redemptive. But it takes some time to see the fruit.

Yup the Neo-Cals are all about discipline which is especially true if you are on the bottom of the totem pole. But there are a number of questions that I have to include the following. Can we trust that this actually happened? After all…consider the source. Its from The Gospel Coalition, which is shady and has deep issues as well. Can we take The Gospel Coalition at their word? The sad thing is that we even have to ask this question, but given their track record of denial, obfuscation, and “let’s ignore the hell out of this problem and respond with silence.; this question needs to be asked. But here is the other question I have why can’t Bob Thune admit that many parts of his system have screwed up church discipline multiple times? He has to downplay it and ignore it. Its textbook Gospel Coalition behavior. Let’s ignore it and pretend the issue is not there. Never mind that the stench of BS from Coram Deo wafts across the country to where I can smell it from Washington, D.C. But since church discipline is so crucial and since he calls on it to be practiced let’s explore that and ask about a number of situations where church discipline is called for.

 

Bob Thune When are the Following Individuals Going to Face Church Discipline?

As you greedily reach for more Kool Aid to try and defend yourself I have a question for you? When are the following individuals going to face church discipline?

1. When is C.J. Mahaney going to face church discipline for allegedly practicing blackmail? You can read the transcript right here.
2. When is C.J. Mahaney going to face church discipline for allegedly covering up child sex abuse in Sovereign Grace?
3. When is C.J. Mahaney going to face church discipline for running from Covenant Life Church and hiding behind Mark Devers’ rear end at Capitol Hill Baptist Church?
4. When is Mark Dever going to face church discipline for practicing favoritism and violating 5 of the 9 Marks?
5. When is Mark Driscoll going to face church discipline for calling women penis homes?
6. When is Mark Driscoll going to face church discipline for fleeing from Seattle?
7. When is Bryan Loritts formerly of Acts 29 Fellowship Memphis going to face church discipline for allegedly covering up his brother-in-law’s voyeurism in the restroom of Fellowship Memphis?
8. When is Bryan Loritts and John D Bryson going to face church discipline for allegedly destroying child pornography that was manufactured by Bryan’s brother-in-law in a church setting? Want to read more you can do so here.
9. When are the Elders who were involved in the alleged cover up at Fellowship Memphis going to face church discipline?
10. When is Dustin Boles of Acts 29 Mosaic Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi going to face church discipline for allegations of sexual assault?
11. When is Sandy Willson of Memphis Second Presbyterian going to face church discipline for how he treated Dr. Nan Hawkes?
12. When is Sandy Willson going to face church discipline for allegedly ignoring that there was a sexual predator at his church’s plant and choosing not to get involved?
13. When is Andrew White from Acts 29 Redeemer Arlington going to face church discipline for the false accusation that he gave birth to that took aim ta my name, reputation, and ability to earn income?
14. When is Steve Estes of Community Evangelical Free Church in Elverson, Pennsylvania going to face church discipline for practicing church discipline on an alleged rape victim?

So Bob Thune of Coram Deo in Omaha since church discipline is crucial and should be taught in all circumstances I again ask the question…when is C.J. Mahaney and Mark Driscoll going to face church discipline? I mean if they are loved and cared for why are they allowed to continue on and why do the Neo-Calvinists ignore this issue? Can you answer me Bob Thune? I will await your reply. Again I love you guys!