Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Some of you may or may not know the VERY popular South Florida mega-church pastor (now former pastor), Bob Coy. His Church, Calvary Chapel, Ft. Lauderdale, part of the California based Calvary Chapel chain, practically exploded overnight, now boasting a membership of some 20,000 persons, which probably does not include the thousands of "guests." I used to attend when it was receiving about 7,000 per Sunday service(s) and just when it opened its doors at its current location. It was also around the time, the wheels fell off for me when it came to being a Christian and I have not looked back since nor had or have any desire to.
Couple weeks ago, Pastor Coy was forced to step down due to “moral failings” which are alleged to have been extra-marital affairs and a compulsive porn habit and has left the church reeling. While the church has tons of assistant pastors, none even approached the eloquence, charisma and likability of pastor Coy. When I attended, if Pastor Coy was not preaching or went on vacation, people looked bored or just did not show up to church if they knew he was not there. He was the kind of pastor who was a goofball, witty, not afraid to laugh at himself and one who sold the message of forgiveness very well. He constantly gave the idea that he was “just like you,” often spoken in a tone of extreme humility which endeared him to a cross section of the local population and made him the “golden boy” pastor of South Florida, Florida itself and within the massive Calvary Chapel organization.
Some time after I left that church and Christianity, I recalled stumbling into a radio show hosted by Coy. Despite me not being in the church anymore, I still had fond memories of the place. My departure from Christianity had NOTHING to do with any issues with the church or any church. It was solely an intellectual decision so while I enjoyed the church and enjoyed pastor Coy’s refreshing teaching and teaching style, by brain could not buy into the BASIS or proposed “truth” that his messages were based on anymore. In short, the alleged bible’s authority and its god and Jesus no longer held their once revered place in any part of my life anymore.
Anyway, the day I heard (come to think of it, it was a TV call in show) him on the TV, I recalled something that disturbed me. I remember him being very defensive and rather rude when callers would call in and take issue with the bible or God. He was not the patient man I knew on a Sunday morning. As has been my experience since leaving the church and being out there in internet land in religious debates, he would get defensive, quote the bible to prove the bible and cut off callers who appeared to get the upper hand or have points that were not easy to refute. I found this rather perplexing and I felt rather embarrassed knowing that I once looked up to this man and defended him to detractors. Being that I had come across so many like him on sites such as this one, I saw him in a whole new light and it further confirmed to me that Christianity, when cherry picked can yield some great messages, but when reconstructed in an academic way, the whole foundation is fraught with issues.
Of course, after this fallout, his die-hard fans are in shock and are using the usual comfort words (“he’s a human like the rest of us.” “Satan is trying to destroy a man of God.” “God is working on him.” “Look at King David” and blah blah blah). Still, there are those who realize that the church is in deep trouble because Calvary Chapel was pastor Coy and pastor Coy was Calvary Chapel. He was the big draw. He was why people came. He was the face and spirit. Now he is gone and there is a great chance he will never be restored in the capacity as senior pastor, but as often happens, these guys reappear in another setting and set up rival churches, pulling away the die hards like a Jimmy Swaggart did after his two know stints of “moral failings.” They never come back quite as strong though, but I guess we will wait to see. After all, pastor Coy was not the fire and brimstone type of guy. He never really beat anyone over the head with a bible nor was he Mr. flamboyant, living up the high life in the face of parishioners or the public so he never gained that notoriety that led the 20/20s and other investigative TV shows to his church’s door like other high profile “televangeslists” have. This might go a very long way in people accepting him back because he is still seen as the regular guy who always admitted his humanity, though never detailing what that humanity was all about while a Christian. Good luck to him. He is going to really need it, especially after his wife gets finished with him. In short, another one has bitten the dust.
What I have often seen is a "fallen" pastor issues a "Public Confession" announces the error of his ways, begs for forgiveness and makes a come back. It is hard for a former Pastor to live any other life style and they will seek a way to return to the pulpit.
This sometimes happens several times before they learn how to hide their indiscretions.
Wowwee ... news about an affair in this day and age is about as exciting as an insurance seminar in Des Moines.
He'll be up and running again in less than a year.
(Never mind the fact that the Bible commands that adulterers be put to death - just like homosexuals - so adulterers should be just as marginalized from society as gay people are. So yeah, the hypocrisy is pretty sickening.)
If things falter because he is irreplaceable and revenues drop, then the business interests of the organization will most likely override any other considerations. There will be talks with the parties involved and reminders about just how much is at stake. Other things can be rationalized away with a little work. A couple of apologies later, and it's all good to go.
Now if there's some divine intervention that takes place before hand, then all bets are off.
if things falter because he is irreplaceable and revenues drop, then the business interests of the organization will most likely override any other considerations. There will be talks with the parties involved and reminders about just how much is at stake. Other things can be rationalized away with a little work. A couple of apologies later, and it's all good to go.
Now if there's some divine intervention that takes place before hand, then all bets are off.
I have to admit, I feel for the guy a little because when you achieve "rock star" status in a church setting, considering they are often populated by majority women and many of them being lonely and there because of past hurts, it is quite easy to have vulnerability rolling up on you. This guy was well loved and I am sure he sought out and women sought him and it was a match made in wherever. For him, it was a disaster and now his wife and children are left to endure the shame.
Bob did a lot of good for a lot of people. It is not mans place to judge, only God has that right. It is our place to pray for those who have faltered.
So I do pray for you Bob and Diane and the kids. And say Thank You for all you have done for me and so many others.
God blesses and forgives.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
