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I'm just curious as to the manner in which he was "forced-out" because he so often makes reference to it. There are many avenues folks can use to pressure people out of positions. One may be actually forced-out by physical removal, but in many other cases a person simply "feels" forced-out by prevailing cirumstances. In instances of the latter, persons decide for reasons of self-preservation, self-esteem, personal integrity, etc. to remove themselves from their positions. Was he ACTUALLY forced-out or did he FEEL forced-out? I'm not making a moral judgment about this, I just wanted to know whether, because of these "dirty tricks," he removed himself or if he was removed so I can put his frequent allusions in context.

Thanks, David, for retelling a painful time in your life. I know it can be a real "walk through the valley of the shadow". I relate because I had a similar experience. Since some of you know it already, I'll share mine, too.

In 2005, while I was still a campus minister, I was "strongly encouraged" by the GBC leadership to change my church membership to a church that "strongly supported the CP" if I was to remain employed. I was not singled out. This applied to a number of our dept. What they were very careful never to say in writing was clear: my church gave money to GBC and CBF. I ought to move to a church that did not support CBF. (It was giving a larger percentage than Ronnie Floyd's church at the time.) It was implied that they didn't know how much longer I would have before someone took actions we would not like. We had been members of this church since Jan, 1994. Our kids grew up there. Several of my former BSU students are there. My parents are gone, and I don't live in my home town. They are our family in many ways. Our pastor told the church what was happening after a morning service and they prayed for us. I even experienced brief celebrity when it was posted in these forums the Monday after that, and it was mentioned in Baptists Today.

I put them off a few weeks because my plate was full. The school year was ending, with all it's extra events. My father-in-law was terminal and died in late April, shortly after I was told to move. My wife and I moved in mid-May. (Our kids are grown and no longer at home.) It was a very dificult move. Our former church grieved with us and continued to minister to us after we left. They continued to choose to be a part of our lives. We continued to pay our pledge to the budget the rest of the year. too! Our having to leave did more to cement their move away from SBC/GBC than anything else the GBC could have done. I never told my students what happened. I didn't want to give them a negative view of the church in general, or even of Baptists.

We were fortunate to move to a wonderful congregation where we already had friends, including Bruce Gourley! It was a moderate church with a worship style that met our needs very well. And it did not give to CBF in any way, though I'm told a group of members send their gifts directly. They welcomed us warmly. Most never knew why we came because we didn't make an issue of it, we just did what we had to do. We remained there long enough to qualify for full retirement benefits and I took early retirement on June 30. We moved our membership back on July 2 in celebration of Independence Day .

My wife still teaches first grade, and I'm looking for what comes next. We trust the Lord will continue to provide for our material needs and provide plenty of opportunities for ministry. There is a tremendous sense of freedom now, even in being able to post on this forum, something I would have been very hesitant to do while employed.

Thanks for reading.
Neil

It's too bad you haven't yet been able to put your bitterness behind you. I hope the freedom you now enjoy will someday conquer that. (I mean that straight up: Éxanovahe.)