But I was invited into a life meaning, adventure and purpose, with something to live for and something to die for. I gave my life to Jesus on the spot, when I heard that.Then I knew everything had to change, that my life was His, and my future plans were now His to direct.
I ended up working for a bank, then doing a theology degree, then working as an investment broker in London whilst helping plant churches, and started my family during this time, having met my wife at seminary.
Carl was a huge part of my story. I wouldn't have planted a church if it wasn't for one particular meeting in Brighton, that he was involved in, that allowed me to step out within my denomination.
Then in the midst of planting, I had a full nervous breakdown in 1999, overwork, my drug of choice, instead of my parent and siblings use of alcohol.
Very few people were there during that time outside my church, finding mental health hard to get involved with.
But Carl was, I remember his phone call to me, and the relief in knowing someone had been through something similar, and he helped me find hope and connection to Jesus. So several years later, I'm still in ministry, still trying to keep it real, as I know lecture and teach at seminaries, and have found that Jesus had an academic as well as church planting journey for me.
Jason Clark
Friday, October 20, 2006 at 7:42PM People have asked me where is my 'Vineyard blog', it's in the March archives. If you can't find it there let me know, I think I can get it to you. Thanks for your interest.
Reader Comments (3)
Carl,
I was at VCF during your time of transition, though I was not a person of influence and you would not be at all likely to recall me. I want you to know that I did ask the leaders with whom I had relationship for reassurance that their approach to church discipline gave proper place to forgiveness and restoration. I accepted at face value their representations that the process had the proper motives, design, and goals. I didn't probe further because I felt that the details of your situation--in particular, the reasons that church discipline was appropriate--were none of my business. In other words, I trusted the leadership. And, they apparently breached that trust.
I don't mean to indicate that I was a person of special prescience or wisdom. On the contrary, I presume that many others asked similar questions. And, I don't mean to indicate that the leaders with whom I spoke gave intentionally misleading responses. It is possible that they misunderstood my question. It is also possible that those leaders with whom I spoke trusted the incorrect or misleading representations of other leaders.
My purpose in commenting is not to condemn those leaders but to let you know that there were those among your flock who, while hurt by your fall, continued--and presumably continue even now--to care about you. I apologize that this wasn't somehow communicated to you. I take personal responsibility for my own message of concern having failed to reach you. Thanks to your blog, I have learned from that experience and will be sure to communicate directly with any future acquaintance who is the recipient of church discipline.
I have observed that God has a habit of demonstrating His glory by bringing goodness and blessing from sin and suffering. My prayer for both of us is that we may see the good that God weaves from the fabric of our failures. Somehow, I suspect that it may outweigh the good that he weaves from our successes.
Blessings,
Bill McCarty
Bill thanks for your comment. It was a bad deal all around. My guess is the people you spoke with were listening to the people above them and trusting that they had our best interest at heart, unfortunately they didn't. But in the end my friend we can all learn from this and hopfully grow up before we grow old.
Carl, I woke up thinking about you this morning, wondering how you were doing. I see the words brokeness, accountabilily, healing, worship, love and much more and know you are doing fine!
From one who is detached from the "official church" , or am I detached?You hardly know me-probably don't, I'm one of hundreds of the Bill McCarty types in your life, but my wife and I love you like a brother, I wonder if this is the "official church"! Take care my brother and good to hear you are, as I am trying to be real while we grow up before we grow up. I am 55.
Where I am trusting in Jesus