Actscelerate.com

A Board of Inquiry vs a Trial Board

Friendly Face Posts: 122 **1/3/14 2:05 am**

In 2006 I heard of a pastor being called before a board of inquiry concerning doctrinal error. The pastor did not know what the meeting was about. He was just told it was a board of Inquiry. The charges caught him completely off guard.

The pastor knew the AB did not care for him, but he was totally stocked that the AB was bring these charges. The AB would say "I was told you said so and so in a sermon about speaking in tongues." This went on for over an hour. All the pastor would say was I never said that or who said I said that?

After the meeting the pastor was inform that he was to be out of the parsonage in two weeks and that he was not to return to a church service. He was given the opportunity to go into a 18 month restoration process. He felt abandoned and bullied and decided to go independent and now has a church almost twice the size they took from him.

Also 3 of the men who served on the board of inquiry has come to my friend later and apologized saying later they have come to believe this was more railroading because the AB had heard this pastor had voted against him. I am happy to say He has no bitterness. Maybe even a little thankfulness that it worked out like it did.

My question: What is the difference between a board of inquiry and a trail board? Before a minister's licenses can be taken do they have time and knowledge of the charges to prepare a defense?

Does a board of inquiry have the power to take a ministers license since the minister could not be given proper time to prepare a defense if he or she did not know what they where going to be facing?

Re: A board of inquiry vs a trial board

Acts Mod Posts: 25305 **1/3/14 7:23 am**

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13680 **1/3/14 7:32 am**

I have a question too. When this happens, does the pastor not get an appeal to international headquarters?

Acts-dicted Posts: 7604 **1/3/14 8:23 am**

I bet it happens a lot more times than we know.

Acts Mod Posts: 25305 **1/3/14 9:41 am**

Truman Here

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1073 **1/3/14 9:54 am**

Fellows a Board of Inquiry is the first step in going to trial for any charges . If the Board finds sufficient evidence of wrong doings then you go to trial and then If one is found guilty of an offence then he is removed or whatever the AB wants to do .

Now the bottom line in the COG is that the AB can do WHATEVER HE WANTS TO AT ANYTIME . It may not be the same today but on our Licenses it is or was clearly stated , " This License may be revoked for any reason ". The AB is in total charge of any Minister in his state . He can fire you any time he wants to without you having any recourse.

The only recourse is for the pastor is that he endears himself to a congregation to the extent that if he is fired he can take his congregation with him when he is forced to leave . Now this is effective if he has a large debt on the properties . He (the AB) would rather be paid than to pay a churches debts .

Now the second is to threaten the AB with a law suit . Now I know that we are not to take a BROTHER to a civil court . But I would not hesitate a second if I was treated in any way that us unBrotherly . This is a statement that ABs hate to hear , " Now Brother I am sure you do not want to treat me like this , I'll take you to court in a heartbeat , I have the money to hire a lawyer and I have enough money to keep him hired . If you think I am bluffing just try me ".
Now if one does not have the money if you have a good enough case of abuse then there are attorneys that would love to have your case ,

I heard an AB say one time , " In a lawsuit The State always loses . If we win it still has cost us many dollars and much time ".

If this OP is correct in all that is stated , No question about its author , but as is often stated here there is always two sides to a story. Then I am pleased that the brother is happy and is fairing well . God Bless . T

Question

Friendly Face Posts: 122 **1/3/14 9:58 am**

The process just was not fair. He knew the AB was well connected and he knew no one.
What is the difference between a board of inquiry and a trail board?
Before a ministers licenses can be taken do they have time and knowledge of the charges to prepare a defense?
Does a board of inquiry have the power to take a ministers license since the minister could not be given proper time to prepare a defense if he or she did not know what they where going to be facing?

Re: Question

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 5431 **1/3/14 10:23 am**

Acts Mod Posts: 3346 **1/3/14 10:50 am**

I have a good friend who was charged with lying. He was railroaded by his Ab and lost.

He appealed to the Gen. Dept and won his case.

The AB's response, they may be through with you but I am not.

The AB is long gone and my friend is still at his church and doing better than ever.

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13680 **1/3/14 11:04 am**

Lying is an offense? Have they ever checked reports? Smile

Truman Here

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1073 **1/3/14 12:11 pm**

The bad news is...

Hey, DOC Posts: 53 **1/3/14 12:16 pm**

ABs can pretty much do whatever they want.

The good news is God doesn't need them to fulfill His will in your life.

Acts Mod Posts: 3346 **1/3/14 12:24 pm**

Truman there is a pastor in our state that is known better as Lying ___________ if you are in our state and have been here a while you know who I speak of.

To my knowledge there has never been charges brought against him.

As far as AB's I have been a CoG minister since 1974. Most have been men of integrity.

To mention a few:

Paul Hinson
J. Frank Culpepper
F.L. Braddock
Robert Fisher
Carl Hart

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1073 **1/3/14 12:36 pm**

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **1/3/14 12:57 pm**

I was a pastor only 6 years, and thankfully I never had occasion to think my overseer lied to me.

However in one case I have person knowledge of, a leading pastor in NC was lied to by an ICON of the COG, but the ICON saw it differently. There are times a fellow just skirts the truth so he can feel better or puts his own spin on things to ease his own conscience. (But if it is not true what one says, it could be a lie!) Shocked

But to the OP, a pastor serves at the pleasure of an overseer. Of course name recognition and debt size always brings in the human element. That is a shame. Shocked

_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
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http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/

I thought this would make interesting discussion LINK

Acts Mod Posts: 25305 **1/3/14 2:17 pm**

http://www.actscelerate.com/viewtopic.php?t=77567
_________________
Doctor of Bovinamodulation

Golf Cart Mafia Underboss Posts: 3944 **1/3/14 2:55 pm**

The story as described in the original post in this thread should have resulted in bringing charges against the AB.

He does have full and sole authority to assign and remove pastors from a particular church.

He does NOT have the authority to do it based on rumor or hearsay or to by-pass the language concerning charges made against a minister.

I quote from the 2004 Minutes. The section number changed some time after 2004, but I don't have a more recent copy.

Minutes

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1449 **1/3/14 8:26 pm**

The oath to abide by the Minutes of the COG is being overlooked more and more these days. I know of several situations where AB's gave pastors approval to deviate from the Minutes.

In my opinion the Minutes are mostly considered when they support something a pastor or AB wants and not something they don't support or want.

You can go into most local COG's and find many situations that do not reflect the Minutes. How many do you know of in your church?

Golf Cart Mafia Underboss Posts: 3944 **1/4/14 6:02 pm**

Three dots for a title of a post, and four dots for the text. Confused

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **1/4/14 9:49 pm**