Clearly there were two people who experienced emotional strain in the Rogers to Gaines transition. Rob Mullins and Jim Whitmire were subjected to bureaucratic blunders that left them somewhat devastated emotionally. I sat down with Rob in an interview and I know his devastation and his slow recovery. He was very close to Dr Rogers, "he was like a father to me."
I witnessed the Whitmire retirement announcement on a December Sunday night service at Bellevue. As soon as the Singing Christmas Tree was over he announced to the staff his retirement plans December 14, 2005 and afterwards there was a public announcement before the congregation. I had been a pastor for 25 years and understood pulpit posturing and Dr Whitmire and his wife's postures spoke of embarrassment and disappointment.
I'm sure that the Whitmires would take exception to my opinion. There was not a surprise with their retirement announcement, but there was in the suddenness and way it was handled. That same night an announcement was made that Jamie Parker would be coming after the New Year by Gaines personally. The spontaneous outburst of applause by the congregation was embarrassing and I felt the Whitmires hurt. This was insensitive of Gaines and the congregation and was unacceptable conduct.
This change was for a man with a fifth avenue, used car salesman's smile, for a humble man who had dedicated his life to worshipful ministry in music. It was style over substance!
The pain inflicted to these two families, Whitmire and Mullins was not so much Gaines' doing but a nucleus of Bellevue rulers who had fostered contempt for the way things were going under Rogers.
These people were a product of Rogers' ministry.
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6 comments:
CP:
Where did you pastor for 25 years?
I don't have time to list all my reasons why but back when I attended Bellevue, I thought Adrian Rogers could be QUITE insensitive. Also, after a while, it became very clear Joyce Rogers was rather jealous of young women and forbid Adrian Rogers to be around them...even though he was still their Pastor. I feel this was wrong and a jealous spirit trickled down throughout the church.
No offense, Charles, but I HATE your new bravenet popup. I have a pop-up blocker but it doesn't stop your ad from coming through. Bravenet probably offered you a free counter...but accessing your site is a pain now. It is time consuming and also clicking to close the ad becomes annoying.
Hope you don't become like Bellevue and Adrian Rogers and get obsessed with numbers.
Btw, did you ever find out the age and name of PW's other son?
"The pain inflicted to these two families, Whitmire and Mullins was not so much Gaines' doing but a nucleus of Bellevue rulers who had fostered contempt for the way things were going under Rogers."
Who were the TOP THREE nucleus of rulers?
What "things" did the rulers have contempt about?
The Church of God, a pentecostal denomination. Fairborn, Ohio (associate pastor) Pastored Christian Servicemen's Centers in Turkey, Italy and Germany
also pastored in Chicago, Glen Ellen and last pastorate was Grahamwood Church of God in Memphis.
left the ministry over furstration over political ways of the denomination and doctrinal differences.
got rid of the block-ups
still working on finding the age of the brother.
keep reading the blog for futher speculations
Charles
I know for a personal FACT that these wqere not the only two families to suffer at the hands of the Gaines-witch hunt. It is so sad to watch and even sadder to hear others rejoice at the failure of an enemy.
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