BCC Heals

Elder Question and Answer Sessions

BCC has posted an electronic sign-up sheet on the church web site for the opportunity to attend a question and answer session with elders. The 3 hour sessions will happen each evening through Thursday of this week on the Hope Park campus.

Click here to access the sign-up sheet on hopepark.com.

Message from Dr. David Foster

Dr. Foster posted this message on his blog at MySpace:

This is the not the way you want make the news

I hardly know where to start expressing my feelings about the events of the past week, especially the past 2 days. My thoughts are random and hard to organize at this moment. Mainly Im feeling this odd sense of peace as I think about the situation I find myself in today and how I am processing the emotions and experiences. I know many people want to hear something from me, so here are some of the random thoughts filtering through my brain:

I feel overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for Paula, the girls and me. People Ive never met expressing their love and understanding. While other Ive known for a long time for the first time shaking my hand, hugging me, and pledging their love and support.

I feel saddened this morning as I read the Tennessean article and saw the picture of my friends on the stage of BCC agreeing with the actions being taken. I love these men, have a long and good history with them and know, without a doubt, that what they did was hard for them. I wish I could still be with them, for I love them and cherish their friendship.

I feel embarrassed to be apart of yet another church conflict story on the news and in the papers. With all my heart I have only wanted to bring honor to Jesus and His church. But when your deepest convictions say, this is what I believe and I cant say or sign anything to the contrary, you stand as best you can without rancor or malice, you just stand.

I feel glad that I did show up and face the hurt, anger, and hard questions people had for me. Up until 4:00 Saturday, I had planned on staying home away from the spectacle I knew this type of thing could devolve into. It was only the relentless demands of my spiritual advisors that I gave in and agreed to drive over to the church. My argument was I do not want to cause hurt to people or the cause of Christ. Their argument was that the Shepherd doesnt abandon the sheep when the going gets hard. I felt people deserved the right to look me in the eye and ask whatever hard question they had. Because in my heart I am their pastor as long as theyll allow me to be. After 16 years, you dont just turn off you feelings for the people you feel called to serve.

I feel grateful for the privilege of the past 16 years. What a ride it has been for me. This past yea, especially the past few days have made me appreciate even more what I think I had started to take for granted. God has called me the preach the gospel of faith, hope, and love. To think that God has used me in any way to bless people and point them to Christ is a great gift.

I feel excited about what is ahead. I have always felt that if I can keep my heart right before God and live as best I can as a follower of Jesus, then God will have plenty for me to do. I do not know exactly what opportunities will present themselves after this, but I am open and will to follow. I love more than ever what Gods has called me to do and I love more than ever this great city. Yea God!

I feel humbled that so many people would feel so strongly about BCC as being their church. This is not a complete revelation to me, but it does feel good to see so many people taking ownership because of their love for their church.

I feel strangely energized and ready for the next leg of the journey. People have said, I know you must be weary. But strangely enough, I feel free. While I am not glad that good men can disagree this markedly, I have glad to have the lid off this situation so the light of day can shine on it. No to expose anyone, but to just air our differences, make a decision and get on with the greater mission at hand.

I am grateful and amazed that after 34 years as a pastor, this is the first public church conflict situation Ive been apart of! Yea God!!

I am comforted to know that my wife of 34 years loves me and my children respect me; at the end of the day what else is there?

I feel at rest in the fact that whatever happens with BCC in the next few weeks in not in my hands and certainly not about me. The issue is now much, much bigger than me. I am so glad to be out of the fray, resting, and awaiting my next assignment and writing everyday.

I also feel that I should warn you that if you write a book called The Power to Prevail, prepared to have your resolve tested. And if you write a book called Accept No Mediocre Life prepare to have to commitment to excellence questioned. And most of all if you write a book called A Renegades Guide To God be prepared for anything, because to dare to live free, have fun, and change the world will make dangerous to the status quo.

Whats next? Let me think about that and I will be back in touch.

BCC lands on the front page

Our church's crisis is splattered all over the front page of Monday morning's Tennessean. 

With that and all the TV news coverage Sunday night, it's pretty clear to me that anyone who's behind the elders, including the elders themselves, aren't talking.  In other words, they think by burying their heads in the sand that this matter will remain private and then blow over.  I've got (literally) news for them: If that's your approach, you're getting creamed.

Does anyone know of any support for David's firing outside these 8 or so men and a handful of staffers?  Will these "cottage meetings" shed any more light on the reason for his ouster?  Dear elders, PLEASE tell me you have something other than your concern for the direction of the church and David's leadership style behind your decision to fire our founding pastor.

I'm starting to believe that Foster may succeed in taking back the pastor-ship of our church.  What's going to stop him, if hundreds of his congregants rise up against this decision by the elders?  So that may or may not happen, but all of this is a shame on our church.  Dr. Foster has often said the biggest threat to Christianity is Christians themselves.

BCC Blow-up

While BCC church elders insist this day has been long in the making, the bulk of the BCC family woke up to the shock that their church had been ruptured.

On Thursday, July 27, BCC elders including Randy Holland and Mike Hueneke, 6 in all, decided to fire Dr. David Foster, the founding pastor of Bellevue Community Church.  Also fired was David's wife Paula Foster who ran the children's program at the church.

Saturday evening, July 29, at the church's regularly scheduled 5:30 PM service, the elders made the announcement to those in attendance.  Reportedly there was some disruption and the announcement cut short.  Dr. Foster said Sunday that Metro Police threatened to arrest him if he entered the church building he helped build.

On Sunday July 30, the Tennessean ran a story on the front page of the local section about BCC. Elders made the same announcement at the regular scheduled service times of 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30.  During that same time, Dr. Foster and his wife spoke with supporters at Bellevue's Red Caboose Park.

More local news media showed up to follow the story and found several hundred vocal Foster supporters at the park.  At the church building, no one representing the elders elected to speak to the media.

BCC elders did make themselves available to those in attendance at the church.  While the official announcement was read from a piece of paper and contained little detail, one on one discussions revealed that side of the story.  Based on conversations I had with 2 elders, Dr. Foster was fired because he would not submit to input of influence from the board of elders.  Additionally, they accuse Dr. Foster of a leadership style that compromises his "moral authority".

For his part, Dr. Foster made it clear he believed a small group of individuals had "hi-jacked" BCC.  He, along with advisers, are pursuing an injunction that he says will force an up or down vote on his job.  He spoke of being grieved by his friends who ended up firing him.  Ironically, Dr. Foster had appointed the elders and gave them some authority by which they acted.

In the week ahead, elders plan "cottage meetings" to provide church members more detail on the situation that lead to their decision to fire Dr. Foster.  At the same time, Dr. David Foster seems intent on getting the church he founded back - perhaps through legal means or possibly as a result of his supporters actions.

Dr. Foster and his wife Paula have had an enormous impact on me, my wife and now our two children.  They are heroes to me for the way they unleashed the energy, enthusiasm and hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They've inspired and challenged me over the years and I've told anyone who would listen about his teaching.

As a member of BCC for almost 9 years, I will try to publish news and views relating to this crisis. I have drawn no firm conclusions, although I'm well on my way.  I feel pretty sure of one thing however: BCC won't ever be the same and this episode brings shame to the church. I will watch and pray for the miracle that shows how God works through all things for good.

Dirk Plantinga - BCC Member

My wife Lyn and I became members of Bellevue Community Church in 1997 when the church met in Bellevue Middle School.  We made BCC our church home shortly after we married having realized our church backgrounds were not the same.  BCC was the first church we attended that immediately felt right for both of us. And it was right around the corner!

What attracted us to BCC was contemporary, high quality music and David Foster's approach to presenting the gospel.  I realized that my faith could be relevant to everyday life and it wasn't all about what you should and shouldn't do.

What kept us going to BCC was a commitment to care for children in the 2 year old class in Kid's Place.  That's where we got to know Paula and appreciate how well she complemented her husband.

I care about BCC AND the Fosters.  I'm counting on God's promise to make all things work together for good. 

Contact me here.