The men of the West Side congregation have determined that, in order to protect the good reputation of the congregation, it is necessary to make public the events of December 19, 2018. If you wish to read the statement, click on the “continue reading” link below.
On Wednesday evening, December 19th, 2018 the congregation identified Jerry Gallman and Brad Gallman as men who are unqualified to serve as elders, and as a result, the congregation submitted to God’s will in accepting that truth. These men have been removed from that office.
This action was not majority rule, it was an acknowledgment by the many, (2 Corinthians 2:6), of their responsibility to seek unity with God and His will for this congregation. If a man is unqualified to serve in that office, he is not an elder. This fact was acknowledged on Wednesday night.
Men of the West Side church presented to the congregation the facts establishing this truth.
Evidence was supplied that Jerry Gallman’s health issues and age have robbed him of the ability to effectively serve as an elder of the Lord’s people. His self professed deafness, and decreased mental acuity have combined to lead him to continually misstate and confuse the statements and arguments made in his presence. His misrepresentations and inability to grasp and maintain an awareness of the truth in the present conflict decisively prove his present lack of competence.
The serious charge of being self-willed was levied against Brad Gallman. Examples were given. He was also charged with being prideful, and lacking in gentleness. He does not have the scriptural qualifications to serve as an elder.
These deficits have led the elders to act as “lords over” those entrusted to them, and led them to commit sin against members of the congregation. For these sins they were and are entreated to repent and to seek God’s forgiveness.
We desire and will seek to convince these men of their need to repent. Regardless of whether they do or not, Brad Gallman and Jerry Gallman are not qualified to serve as elders, and as such do not have God’s approval to hold that office, (1 Timothy 3:2). This truth was acknowledged by the congregation, who stood to show their conviction.
(This statement has been signed by members of the West Side congregation, and that signed copy remains on file)
Unfortunately, false claims have been made that an “unscriptural majority rule” took place on that evening. In order to combat the accusation of unscriptural action on part of the congregation, an article was written, that appeared in the December 23rd bulletin. This defense was endorsed by the men of the congregation, and is reproduced here:
The Right to Do What is Right
On Wednesday evening, the congregation identified Jerry Gallman and Brad Gallman as men who are unqualified to serve as elders, and submitted to God’s will in accepting that truth. These men have been removed from that office.
This action was not majority rule, it was an acknowledgment by the congregation of its responsibility to seek unity with God and His will for this congregation.
This is the overriding precept that must govern both an individual’s interaction with God, and the actions of a collectivity of Christians. The local congregation is compelled to do what is right. That principle remains, and is demonstrated even if right action is not unanimously endorsed or approved.
In 3 John, we learn that Gaius did what was right, despite the ungodly opposition of Diotrephes. In this he was commended by the apostle John, “Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 5-8). Consider John’s concluding thought on the matter, “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God” (3 John 11).
Interestingly, in Revelation 3, the consensus in the congregation was to do evil. The church in Sardis was characterized by the Lord as “dead.” However, verse 4 reveals, “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” The right to do right is an inviolable principle of God.
Unlike the evil, dead church in Sardis, the consensus in Jerusalem and Corinth was to do what is right. In Acts 15, the church, together with the apostles convened to deal with the dispute between Paul and Barnabas, and the Judaizers who wanted to make Jewish proselytes of the Gentile Christians. James, Peter and Paul all argued against the Judaizers, and “it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church” (15:22) to send a letter with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch with instructions that refuted the Judaizer’s view. While there was great unity expressed, rest assured the Judaizers themselves remained opposed to the measure, and plagued Paul throughout his remaining years as an apostle and minister of God.
There is a clear indication that the actions of the Corinthian congregation, though right and righteous, was not unanimously endorsed. Paul sharply rebuked the permissive arrogance of the Corinthians in his first letter, calling upon them to “deliver” a unrepentant fornicator “to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (5:5). His rebuke led the majority to do what was right. “This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man” (2 Corinthians 2:6).
This passage correlates exactly with what happened on Wednesday night, and serves as clear scriptural precedent and authority for the action taken. The word translated majority, (pleion), is defined by Thayer: 1) greater in quantity; 1a) the more part, very many; 2) greater in quality, superior, more excellent.” While it is unsurprising that a few in Corinth remained “puffed up” and refused Paul’s exhortation to do what was right, the majority, (or “the many”) did what was required by God. Doing what is right can not and should not be thwarted just because some are unwilling to take a stand.
There is not only a scriptural precedent, there are congregational precedents as well.
Years ago here at West Side, it became necessary for the congregation to withdraw fellowship from an individual. The many determined to do what was right, and the action required by God was taken. Jerry Gallman was in agreement with taking that action, despite the fact that it was not unanimous. Our congregation lost about 10 members because some were unwilling to do what God required. The action taken was not majority rule, and it was completely scriptural. We are thankful that then, as now, the consensus was to good, not evil.
Also a number of years ago, an individual petitioned for membership in our congregation. She was self taught regarding the gospel, and rightly understood the necessity of being baptized in water for the remission of sins. She, however, like the Eunuch, did not know where to go, or who to turn to. She asked a Baptist preacher to baptize her (Just like Alexander Campbell over 160 years ago), but made clear her belief that the Baptist church taught error, and she would not join their fellowship. Based on her circumstances, the congregation rightly determined to accept her as a member of the congregation. It was not unanimous, as one family contended that because she was not baptized by a Christian, her baptism was not valid. The argument is not logical, nor scriptural, and was rightly rejected by the many. This family left the congregation because we did what was right. Jerry Gallman was in agreement with our actions.
Jerry Gallman and Brad Gallman have sinned against members of this congregation. They are lacking in the necessary qualifications to serve as elders of this congregation. We pray we can bring them to repentance. We are right to reject their oversight. It is what God requires.
The idea of consensus only impacts whether most will do what is right, or whether most will do what is wrong. It doesn’t in any way impact the legitimacy of what is done.
Regardless of whether a decision is unanimous, or even if it is supported by a majority, we are compelled by God to do what is right. This is what “the many” did on Wednesday night, despite the opposition of a few.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).
This article was requested and endorsed by the men of the West Side congregation who met on Friday, December 22:
Tommy Davis, Paul Tietze, Earl Schauperl, Monty Suttle,
Dennis Craig, Lorenzo Liendo, Joshua Scroggins, Jim Godfrey,
Ed Matney, Joshua Jackson, Joshua Cox, Stan Cox
