Authority comes in at least two guises. The first is given to a person by an organization through position and responsibility. The second is an inner gift or charism. Rev. Carey Nieuwhof was given authority by the Presbyterian Church when he was ordained a minister of word and sacrament and called to Trinity, Oro. The latter is a gift he has in spades: Tall, eloquent and bright, he is a charismatic presence leading worship.
But Mr. Nieuwhof has abused his authority in every sense, by persuading most of his congregation at Trinity to leave the denomination and associate with a U.S.-based church.
The ostensible reasons for the departures are that the Presbyterian Church, primarily the Presbytery of Barrie, was too slow to respond to requests from Trinity's session to talk about creating satellite congregations in other cities, and so other presbyteries. Further, Mr. Nieuwhof has alleged that it would take at least five years to make the necessary changes under the church's polity to accommodate them.
The facts, according to Mr. Nieuwhof's own timetable, are that Trinity's session first asked to meet with presbytery in July, 2006. Setting aside July and August for vacations, that means when Trinity's elders decided to leave the church in July, 2007, they had engaged with presbytery for less than a year.
Given the nature of the request and the various reasonable consultations required, this hardly seems a long time. True, Trinity's leaders had been discussing and planning their expansion for several years, but they apparently didn't share that meaningfully along the way with presbytery, which is the body responsible for the congregation.
At no point did presbytery tell Trinity's leadership that their model wasn't possible or that it would take years to be approved. (Though curiously for now, two satellite sites of the new church they are forming will both be within the presbytery.) On the other hand, such changes in polity and ministry should be thought out carefully.
But suggesting the denomination couldn't accommodate their timeframe masks the deeper issue that Mr. Nieuwhof has abandoned the Presbyterian Church's theology and supplanted it with his own interpretation of Scripture. Further, he apparently used his position as a minister to convert his elders and congregation.
In comments posted online, he alludes to the church's discussions around homosexuality and, as he puts it, whether Jesus occupies “a unique position with respect to salvation” as disturbing to him, his elders and staff. That may win sympathy from some but it is also groundless.
First, the church remains on the record as opposed to homosexual marriage. Secondly, why is merely discussing what Jesus meant in saying he is “The Way” disturbing? But if it is, should it not also be disturbing that Mr. Nieuwhof and his session have accepted the principles of their new associates, North Point Community Church, that women cannot be elders and ministers — a position contrary to the teachings of the Presbyterian Church?
Mr. Nieuwhof also admits he has been revising his belief in infant baptism over the years. Baptism is the most important Christian sacrament. Yet Mr. Nieuwhof and his elders have had no quibbles discussing and now disagreeing with the Presbyterian Church, not to mention the vast majority of Christians, East and West, who have practiced infant baptism since at least the fourth century and arguably since the earliest days of the church.
If you decide as a matter of conscience that you can no longer accept the teaching of your church, the proper thing to do is resign from the denomination and leave. It is another thing altogether to use one's position and authority as a spiritual leader to persuade others in your care to abandon the church and its teaching.
There are many positive aspects about the new ministry Mr. Nieuwhof and his team are planning that ought to be closely examined by mainline churches. There is undoubtedly much to be learned. But the manner in which Mr. Nieuwhof, his staff and leadership team have gone about this is not acceptable. Mr. Nieuwhof, in particular, has abused his authority. Quite simply, it is a grave sin.
