The first section contains an excerpt from my letter to the board of the sports ministry dated 23 May 2019. I only provide the beginning few pages of the 16,000+ word letter because all of the remaining content will be covered in my response to the elders of The Crossing Church. They are the same issues.
The second section contains my full letter of resignation dated 10 May 2019, but finally sent on 19 Jun 2019.
Section 1
To: The Board of “Organization X”
I am writing to clarify whether several points of doctrine are accepted in “Organization X”. I raise these issues so that you will have a clearer picture of my theology on various doctrines which are clouded by controversy. Then you may have more clarity whether to continue my employment or not.
I appeal to the board to please carefully and impartially search the Scriptures to determine who is holding wrong doctrine. If I am the one, please show me my error and I will repent. I don’t delight in taking unpopular positions. Taking these positions has cost me a lot. But I must take these positions because I believe firmly in carrying the Great Commission.
Matt 28v19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
If we don’t teach the disciples all of Jesus’ and the apostles’ commands, then we haven’t fulfilled the Great Commission. Below are several commands which have been increasingly rejected by church after church. I would like to clarify whether “Organization X” intends to observe them. Sadly if we don’t observe these commands, I am left with no choice but to resign.
Content Page
Page 2: Introduction
Page 3: Evangelism
Page 4-14: Should Christian women teach the Scriptures to Christian men?
Page 15-31: Should Christian women cover their heads?
Page 32- (not complete): Future fallout of misinterpreting 1 Cor 11v2-16
Page (not complete): Gifts of Tongues & Prophecy
Page (not complete): What are the conditions for church unity? When is it right to separate?
Introduction
This document is produced in the midst of controversy and debate. To reduce the already high risk of misunderstandings, I need to clarify…
This document aims to:
- To explain the meaning and application of several controversial passages.
- To welcome correction if I have made an interpretation mistake.
- To establish unity with like-minded Christians.
While what is written may challenge the interpretations you or your respected Christian leader holds,
This document does not aim to:
- Call into question other doctrines and teachings these Christian leaders have taught you. For example, your pastor may have taught you that it’s not necessary for women to wear a head-covering when publicly praying or prophesying to the church. What is written will challenge this interpretation. But it does not mean that just because I disagree with your pastor on 1 issue, it follows that I disagree with your pastor on every issue. Who knows, we might agree on everything else.
Evangelism
As we seek to make disciples to all nations, some of these people groups will be more resistant to the gospel, and consequently the persecution to disciple-makers and their new disciples will increase.
To reduce the likelihood of persecution, I’ve heard some very questionable methods being applied which are very worrying. 1 example is the attempt to teach people about Jesus from non-biblical sources, teaching people about Jesus from the literature of other religions.
Jesus and his apostles would never have done that. We cannot appeal to their use of the Old Testament to validate the gospel to justify appealing to other religions’ literature to teach about Jesus.
Jesus is the true fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures which are truly God’s word. Judaism has failed to see that even though they have the true words of God in the Old Testament. However, Jesus is not the true fulfillment of any other religions’ literature which are not truly God’s word. So there is no parallel between the Old Testament Scripture, which is truly God’s word, and other religious texts, which are not truly God’s word.
Consequently, we should maintain a strong demarcation between Jesus as the Scriptures reveal him to be and the Jesus as taught by other religions’ literature.
Much more is said in the article below.
Relevant reading: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/a-city-under-a-hill
Section 2
To: Boss “A”
I am writing to resign from “Organization X”. From the first month of work, I have already considered resigning, though I kept these thoughts private.
There are 2 main reasons.
1) I am unhappy with the way I am treated
a. Blamed for low U14 attendance
I remember the very first training I attended. The pitch was set up, we waited, but only 2 boys came and so we joined the younger group for training. Attendance remained low for the following weeks. Low training attendance was a problem I inherited right from the start. However, it seemed like I was regularly blamed for the low attendance as if I caused the problem rather than inheriting the problem.
b. Little handover / hand-holding (guided transition)
With zero coaching experience, I was soon responsible for coaching the U14 team on weekdays basically solo. When you came for training, I would have greatly appreciated your support especially in the beginning when my relationship with the boys was so new and fragile. I feared scolding them would result in them leaving and making the low attendance even lower. But not scolding also meant training became messier. I hoped that with your longer relationship with them, you could support me by disciplining them since you had built a good rapport with them over the years. They would perhaps be more willing to accept correction from you rather than from me, some new coach out of nowhere. I was quite discouraged when there was a session where the boys were misbehaving, but instead of intervening to scold the boys and support me, you stood by the side taking a video of the failed coaching session.
Even for “Team S” training, my first few times assisting you for drills were discouraging moments for me. 1 example. There was a fitness circuit drill which I was briefed just before the training itself. I could not remember how to teach the boys when training began. It was embarrassing to me, and I don’t think it inspired confidence in the boys about my coaching ability when they observed me fail in front of them. It is very difficult to remember the different variations for the different fitness stations when it was explained to me verbally right before the training began.
Of course, this may be your chosen training philosophy: baptism by fire or throw me into the deep end and I better learn to swim, and learn fast. It is possible to use that as a training method I suppose. It’s just very discouraging for a new coach.
c. Personal Fund-raising
We agreed to this fund-raising commitment:
3 months > Raise 30% of my salary
6 months > Raise 50%
9 months > Raise 80%
1 year > Raise 100%
Over time, I have received pledges of $1000 per month and 1 time gifts of $1000. I’ve met the 30% mark already. Yet time and again, I keep getting hints that imply I’m not doing my part to raise funds.
d. Unfair reprimands / demands
Whatsapp conversation #1
[19:02, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: Can u send me photo of U14 team today and include a short write up?
[19:32, 4/28/2019] Jeremy: Team's in a good mood for the game. New players, new opportunity to build a good team spirit for all. Good game boys!
[19:32, 4/28/2019] Jeremy: Haha. Hope that's ok �
[19:37, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: Cannot
[19:37, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: Do u hav w a few more photos
[19:38, 4/28/2019] Jeremy: Don't have eh. I find it v diff to shout and think of the rotations and then also shoot photos altogether alone..
[19:39, 4/28/2019] Jeremy: Asked Sarah to come today but she was bringing parents to churcu
[19:41, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: Can u rewrite
[19:41, 4/28/2019] Jeremy: Ok
[19:50, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: I will add some pics I took
[19:54, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: Please send me by tonight
[19:57, 4/28/2019] Jeremy: Any particular points to change?
[19:58, 4/28/2019] Jeremy: I'm at a loss what to say �
[19:59, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: It’s a public platform so how can u say the team is in the mood to play
Very condescending if I’m the opponent reading this
That’s all
[19:59, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: U want to praise their hard work and good play go ahead
[19:59, 4/28/2019] Jeremy: Oh ic.. hmm.. I didn't mean that
[19:59, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: Perception
[20:00, 4/28/2019] Jeremy: New players, new opportunities to develop good team spirit. Keep up the good work boys!
[20:15, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: No one will know what new players mean
[20:25, 4/28/2019] Boss “A”: Done
[15:40, 4/29/2019] Jeremy: Ok, thank you!
Which is more condescending?
A: Team's in a good mood for the game. New players, new opportunity to build a good team spirit for all. Good game boys!
Or
B: It’s a public platform so how can u say the team is in the mood to play
Very condescending if I’m the opponent reading this
That’s all
U want to praise their hard work and good play go ahead
A: Oh ic.. hmm.. I didn't mean that
B: Perception
Was it fair for me to be reprimanded like that?
Whatsapp conversation #2
[15:42, 4/29/2019] Jeremy: On a happy note, the championship is won. We just need to field a team against F17 this Sun. Score will not make a difference to the championship. But we'll go for the win and max points of course.
[15:46, 4/29/2019] Jeremy: On a less happy note, I just came back frm visiting the polyclinic.
Sitting down, getting up, walking, anything that moves my right leg causes sharp pain in my right lower back. Doctor ruled out bone fractures. So is a muscle tear of some sort.
6 days MC till Sat. Next week go back if still painful.
[16:13, 4/29/2019] Boss “A”: Good job
[16:13, 4/29/2019] Boss “A”: 6 days MC means what?
[16:13, 4/29/2019] Boss “A”: U not working?
[16:14, 4/29/2019] Jeremy: Medical certificate. Yes, will be resting at home.
[16:25, 4/29/2019] Boss “A”: Can u go to the meeting tomorrow
[16:54, 4/29/2019] Jeremy: Sorry, I don't think I can go for the meeting tomorrow.
[18:58, 4/29/2019] Boss “A”: Ok
I was injured on 28 April, Sunday. In the “Y league” match against Trinity, I collided with an opponent. You said I should try to walk it off, but after a few minutes of trying I knew I could not continue. I decided to be substituted out because it was too painful to put weight on my right foot. Not only did I decide to be substituted in an important match, I even decided not to go to church because the injury was too painful. In other words, it should have been obvious that I was really injured.
The next day, 29 April, Monday, I saw the doctor who thought it was serious enough to give me 6 days MC. This was a random polyclinic doctor, not a friendly neighbourhood GP who might want to do people “a favour” and give long MCs.
But after sharing my medical result in Whatsapp conversation #2, there was no concern for my injury, but an immediate concern whether I would be working, during my MC period. And then I was even asked to attend a meeting the next day, obviously within the MC period.
Were these fair demands?
Whatsapp conversation #3
[10:25, 5/6/2019] Boss “A”: Jeremy please get info and follow up on this:
1. Number of balls and cost in USD that is required by us for 2019.
This can include the number of balls needed for the fund raising project which we can keep after that for our own use.
Check also equipment we need. I’m checking on whether the ball project will allow me to include equipment in this request.
Include markers, cones, coaches jerseys and any other equipment we need
Total cost in USD. U can check w Friend “B” how much we spent in the past.
2. Connect with Friend “C” to follow up on fund raising project at Far East.
U can get previous Meeting update from Friend “B”. After that u should be the point of contact for Organization X
Point 1 above need to be settled by TOMORROW
I was just informed of this over the weekend and they like a Budget for Asia within this week to submit for request of funds from The Ball Project.
[06:27, 5/7/2019] Boss “A”: Jeremy did u follow up on this? I need this cost of equipment by this morning
[09:28, 5/7/2019] Jeremy: I will do so today. I'm afraid I'm not able to do this on my off day.
Whatsapp conversation #3 took place on my recent off day, 6 May, Monday. I had mentioned beforehand that I don’t like turning on my phone during my off day because it disrupts my rest.
Not only was I meant to respond to this message on my off-day, here I was assigned work on my off-day, to be done on my off-day. Was that fair?
e. Criticism and Encouragement
I noticed that we emphasized creating an culture of encouragement at the December camp. I wish I received more encouragement as a staff, especially a new, inexperienced staff. Instead, I have received a lot more criticism compared to encouragement.
For example, on 7 May, Tuesday. Staff meeting devotion seemed to be loaded with implied criticisms of me.
The devotion emphasized Jesus’ call to discipleship meant putting him first of all, everything else, including family, life are to be secondary compared to loyalty to him.
Then vague illustrations were brought up as negative examples. Unnamed ex-staff or ex-volunteers who cited family commitments as reasons for being unable to serve on certain timings. Then there was an unnamed “nice” Catholic boy from “Team S” soccer who was really selfish despite the initial impression he gave. He apparently would only do his part up to a certain point, and not go the extra mile.
Were these implied criticisms of my refusal to work on off-days or even on medical leave?
It seemed implied that I was refusing to accept the sacrificial call of discipleship to obey Jesus and accomplish his work and that I was actually selfish too, despite my initial “nice” impression. If this was the implied message, it was heard loud and clear.
In reply, I can only say I believe wholeheartedly in the work of evangelism and discipleship. If my commitment to the work is in question, I will point out that in addition to the discipleship efforts amongst the “Organization X” and “Team S” boys, I volunteered to join the “Y league” to help evangelize 1 more group, especially by the weekly preaching opportunities. On top of that, I’ve been actively seeking opportunities to disciple 2 informal groups of boys who meet me at street soccer courts. 1 group has already begun a Bible study that I hope will pick up momentum and continue weekly. Besides that, I teach the homeschoolers at each training session from Mark’s gospel.
Are these extra efforts recognized? And now that I’ve pointed out these extra efforts, is it going to be perceived as boasting?
But if I don’t highlight these efforts, it may be taken for granted. Then if I highlight these efforts, it may be taken as I’m boasting.
2) I am disappointed at the way my convictions are treated: Scripture is supreme
For the past few months, I have been silently enduring the unpleasant way of being treated personally. But on this issue of Scripture, I cannot remain silent.
After sharing my conviction that Scripture is supreme, it seems like this conviction is treated like a running joke. I can take jokes about me. But I don’t find anything funny when this conviction that Scripture is supreme is teased or sometimes even mocked.
From your comments about “Aunty J” who is a “Scripture is supreme” type Christian, I can hear your contempt for this conviction. You voiced your inner thoughts about this type of Christian, “Go and die”, when she refused to help fold the paper offerings because of her Bible convictions.
These examples below reveal my concerns whether Scripture is supreme or not in “Organization X”.
a. 1 Tim 2v11-15
Is this being followed in “Organization X”? Is 1 Tim 2v11-15 ruling our decisions on who should teach Christian discipleship to our coaches? Or teach devotions to men? To give everyone the benefit of the doubt, maybe these verses have not been studied in detail, and that’s why we’re not obeying them.
If that is the case, would you consider downloading this ebook for free and read up on this issue? https://www.desiringgod.org/books/recovering-biblical-manhood-and-womanhood
Just to let you know how seriously I take this. After I realized it was wrong to appoint women to teach men from the Scriptures, I talked to my leaders about it, but after disagreeing with their excuses, I left my previous church immediately.
b. Partnering City On A Hill
When asked what I thought about partnering them, I politely shared that I fear exposing our youth to Bethel’s false teachings. Obviously not every single thing they believe is false. But a high emphasis is placed on wrong teaching.
However, I seemed to hear that from your perspective, financial concerns were the main criteria to take note of when considering whether to partner them. In other words, I got the impression that as long as the rental price is reasonable, the facilities usable, the location accessible, it is not really a critical concern that we will be partners in a movement influenced by false teaching and promoting false teaching.
c. Discipleship Making Movement
I see many truths being emphasized in this movement which are Biblical and true. It is good that it emphasizes the Bible being the ultimate authority and everyone, including Christian leaders, are under the Bible’s authority.
It is good that accountability and action is emphasized, and not only gaining more head knowledge without any change of life.
It is good that all Christians be taught that the responsibility and privilege of the Great Commission belongs to all of us, not just the full-time pastor.
However, I see a weakness. If not addressed, there will be danger.
- De-emphasizing the role of elders / pastors / teachers
DMM emphasizes that the Bible doesn’t really need to be taught by a trained pastor or teacher. Instead, understanding the Bible actually very easy, every Christian can do it with the help of some questions.
Quote…
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GROUP THAT DEPENDS ON THE TEACHER AND THE GROUP THAT DEPENDS ON THE WORD OF GOD. (SLIDE 8.5)
Show the slide with two pictures, and then ask: Who is the teacher in model 1? Who is the teacher in model 2?
Discuss what are the advantages of model 2.
MAKE THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSION:
“With the help of questions we can direct our discovery to the Scriptures. Only the Word of God is the absolute authority. People have to learn to individually discover God in the Bible for themselves. The Bible and nothing but the Bible.”
“Sometimes the teaching of the Bible relies on one educated and trained person so much so that when he leaves the group due to sickness or other circumstances, the group ceases to exist. We have to teach people to be dependent not upon us as spiritual mentors, but upon the Word of God, which will always be with them. We must teach them with the help of questions to discover together as a group.”
“Throughout this training we have talked about disciple making movements. These movements are only possible when multiplication continues through many generations, from one group of disciples to another. The simpler the process of transition, the easier and faster it will be passed on, and the closer it will be to the original. A complicated process of biblical study can stop the multiplication and lead to deviations from the truth in future generations of disciples.”
Compare the DMM’s de-emphasis on trained elders with the Bible’s teaching and the apostles’ practice…
Acts 14:23 - And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Titus 1:5 - This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—
1 of the qualifications required of an elder / overseer is the gift of teaching.
1 Tim 3:1-7 - The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
And not everyone has the gift of teaching.
1 Cor 12:27-30 - 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
The context makes it clear that Paul expects the answer to his questions to be, “no, of course not.”
Since not everyone has the gift of teaching, is DMM really correct to emphasize so strongly how easy it is to read the Bible and understand it without a teacher?
Last verse to show you it is not so easy to understand every part of the Bible.
2 Pet 3:15-16 - 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
Even apostle Peter said apostle Paul’s letters had some things which were hard to understand. It is too simplistic to say the whole Bible is easy to understand and additionally say we don’t need people with the gift of teaching to be the pastor / elder / overseer / teacher. Sure, there is a place for small group Bible study, with an appointed leader or not. But if the DMM does not emphasize the role of elder, it is going against the Bible’s teaching.
The apostles made sure they appointed elders in every church, men who had the gift of teaching and godly character, men who had the main responsibility of teaching and discipling their church congregation to be also disciple-makers.
Now, if it is protested that DMM was created to help Christians make disciples in regions with heavy persecution, then why did the apostles still go around starting churches and appointing elders to teach, even in persecuted regions?
For example, Peter addressed elders in his letter, 1 Peter
1 Pet 5:1 - So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:
And he was writing to Christians undergoing suffering for their faith…
1 Pet 5:8-10 - 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
The apostles appointed elders to lead and shepherd suffering Christian churches. So why should we ignore appointing teaching elders so as to get around persecution?
I’m not suggesting DMM should be entirely abandoned. I’m suggesting it’s strengths be maintained. But where there is weakness, it should be corrected so that it will help us disciple strictly according to the Bible’s method.
Conclusion
I’ve tried to bear with the way I’ve been treated as a staff and it is quite painful. I’m sure there are things I have done which are wrong and I must accept correction then. I will welcome feedback on these areas where I have been wrong and I need to apologize and grow. The biggest example is my latecoming in the morning. I am sorry, I’m trying to change this bad, inconsiderate behavior. Please feel free to let me know if there are other issues.
But this issue of Scriptural convictions is the more serious issue.
Over time, I realized that my convictions on Scripture are unlikely to be taken seriously at “Organization X”. I mean, it’s not even taken seriously enough by my own church.
I believe that Christian women should put on a headcovering when praying or prophesying to the church. I believe Christian women should not teach the Bible to men. This gets me criticized for being sexist or backward, living in the past.
I believe that the spiritual gifts should be practiced in complete conformity to the Bible’s way. This gets me criticized from Christians across the spectrum, from the charismatics to the cessationists.
I believe the Scripture can be studied in a question and answer, open-ended, discussion format. But I also believe there is a priority on hearing the Scripture preached, monologue, lecture style. This gets me criticized for being too top-down.
I believe it is wrong to partner with Christians whose teaching or practices are against the Scripture. This gets me criticized for being divisive and unloving.
Etc.
I’ve decided that I can only partner Christians with whom I agree 100% on Scripture convictions. So on hindsight, I was naive to think I could serve in “Organization X” without having total agreement on Scripture and yet escape criticism of my convictions. I was naive to think I could win your trust and implement these teachings and practices in our discipleship efforts.
And so because these differences are deep-seated and unlikely to change, I am writing to resign from “Organization X”.
10 May 2019
Jeremy
I had drafted this letter of resignation by 10 May 2019 in preparation for a meeting with my boss and a board member who was a former pastor to discuss the doctrines and practices in question. I was prepared to deliver the letter if that meeting did not result in doctrinal agreement. There was no agreement, but I decided to give it a last try and wait a few more weeks to give them some time to think over our discussion. On 23 May 2019, I sent them the 16,000 word letter explaining the doctrines in question for them to respond to. They apparently met to discuss it. I then met the board member who was the former pastor to hear what they thought. It was rejected without Scripture justification. So I delivered the letter of resignation on 19 Jun 2019. On 20 Jun 2019 my ex-boss fired me.
True Christian unity is only possible when all parties are committed to obeying the Scriptures. https://tinyurl.com/PerfectlyHolyUnity
No such thing as "agree to disagree" over whether we should obey or disobey a command of Jesus given through his apostles.
Paper more fully explaining 1Tim2-3 and critique of egalitarian and complementarian scholars who distort 1Tim2v11-15: tinyurl.com/1-Tim2-3-GodlyMenWomen
Shorter Videos on 1Tim2v11-15:
V11-12: https://youtu.be/oeaoO6yghCA
V14-15: https://youtu.be/QJMSEBQRPBU
If a woman repents from her transgression of teaching men the Scripture or exercising authority over men, she will be saved from her transgression and from the wrath to come. But if she persists in insubordination towards men and refuses to repent, she will not be saved from her transgression but is instead storing up wrath for herself in the day of wrath and revelation of God's righteous judgment. (1Tim2v14-15 cf Rom2v5)
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