Sattler College Turmoil

[jahertz]

If FOTW was working to make things right with the folks who believe they have been wronged, and if FOTW was getting outside assistance to help them walk a path of repentance and restoration, I would not post publicly about them as I have in this thread.

FYI, I am informed that FOTW is engaging outside help. My earlier statement conveyed the idea that they are not doing any of this, so I am acknowledging here that they have made some attempts.

As a bystander, based on these two statements, should I be watching for your written retraction of the things you've posted publicly about FOTW in this thread, or are you counting on the contradiction to speak for itself?

[Soloist]

As a bystander, based on these two statements, should I be watching for your written retraction of the things you've posted publicly about FOTW in this thread, or are you counting on the contradiction to speak for itself?

If Ernie is wrong, he generally says so. If Ernie says unpopular truth, he doesn’t retract it.

[cooper]

I find it revealing and disappointing that some folks who are highly critical of various Anabaptist groups are now arguing we shouldn’t be discussing FOTW dirty laundry. The true test of character is being willing to call out your own tribe. It seems clear Ernie is not the one lacking integrity here.

[Josh]

Does anyone know who the outside help is? In a typical Anabaptist church, this information is not secret.

[Soloist]

Does anyone know who the outside help is? In a typical Anabaptist church, this information is not secret.

Although it’s not generally published when a Mennonite church requests assistance. It’s known but not published.
In my experience anyway…

[Soloist]

Honestly, it’s a little like CAM. When one waits until public opinion shifts against them, it’s hard to address the issue after the fact.. if they had been more proactive in addressing why the board members left, why the president left…

[Josh]

Does anyone know who the outside help is? In a typical Anabaptist church, this information is not secret.

Although it’s not generally published when a Mennonite church requests assistance. It’s known but not published.
In my experience anyway…

Yet if I asked, I would be told who is providing the assistance. Generally speaking Anabaptists value transparency.

For whatever reasons, these Sattler and FotW situations have lacked transparency. I wish Sattler, FotW, and associated personalities like Kuravilla great success in being part of building the kingdom of heaven, and I think with a few adjustments, these problems could be avoided.

A place to start is significant transparency about what is going on, rather than demanding to keep a lot of things secret. Particularly for people and an institution that has been VERY willing to criticise many other Anabaptists. As an example, Milioni personally told me that John Holdeman was a “false prophet” who was inspired by “demons” to found my church with false doctrine. That’s a rather strong claim, and those willing to make such claims should be more open to hearing criticism of their own denomination.

[ken_sylvania]

If FOTW was working to make things right with the folks who believe they have been wronged, and if FOTW was getting outside assistance to help them walk a path of repentance and restoration, I would not post publicly about them as I have in this thread.

FYI, I am informed that FOTW is engaging outside help. My earlier statement conveyed the idea that they are not doing any of this, so I am acknowledging here that they have made some attempts.

As a bystander, based on these two statements, should I be watching for your written retraction of the things you've posted publicly about FOTW in this thread, or are you counting on the contradiction to speak for itself?

The second comment you quoted sure looks to me like a retraction of the implication that FOTW was not getting an outside assistance. Are you suggesting you think Ernie ought to retract all of the true things he said because a part of what he said was partly incorrect?

[mike]

Conservative Anabaptists could benefit from a broader perspective sometimes. However, it annoys me when an organization panders to plain folks, appearing to be a friend to them and their goals, while only wanting the association to benefit from the strengths plain people have to offer. As an example, I have heard that a member of a certain relief organization soliciting donations from plain people once said to somebody they they were "spoiling the Egyptians." That organization will never see a dime of my money.

I don't know much about the controversy over Sattler/FOTW but it would go a long way to build trust in the Conservative Anabaptist community if there would be an overt willingness to not only recruit from the CA community but also to learn from it and truly serve its interests.

Schools such as Faith Builders actively seek board members, input and advice, and actual oversight from the Anabaptist communities they intend to serve. Maybe Sattler isn't interested in serving the same clientele, which is of course fine. But from what I understand many of their students do come from CA communities. If that is something they wish to develop, it might be worth looking at becoming accountable in some way to those communities.

[AndersonD]

FoTW isn't on my radar but reading over this thread, their relationship with the Anabaptist community is reminiscent of the Bruderhof's relationship with the Hutterites in the West.

And I don't see what is "conservative" about the student body at Sattler, same for Faith Builders. Go to a state/ secular college and you will be better off.