Summary of Basic Needs
Each of the basic needs is either at risk or is largely unmet in the Dorion Bible Camp Leadership Team. All of the recommendations above could be handled in a series of sessions, the end goal of which is to bring reconciliation between all the members of the leadership team of Dorion Bible Camp.
Biblical Imperatives
Dorion Bible Camp's mission is based on the timeless truth of the eternal Word of God. One of the imperatives of the Word of God is that there is an intricate and inescapable connection between the relationship one has with his Christian brother and sister and the relationship one has with God. We cannot foster and claim that we are in intimate relationship with God and are in a position to carry out His will while we are in open and obvious conflict with our brother and sister in Christ. Our relationship with our brother and sister in Christ is given as a concrete and immediate and public instrument to measure our hidden, mysterious and private relationship with God.
There were just too many angry words and unforgiving attitudes and it appeared that grace had somehow run out in the administration team's relationship with Mr. Pepper. To do the work of God, together with the children of God, in a mission which teaches the Word of God, the relationship between the workers must reflect the love of God.
Jesus gave us fair warning about the error of seeking to make things right with God
before
we had made things right with our brothers or sister. Apparently a man was attempting
to
do an end run (Matthew 5: 23,24) around an offense, that he had committed against his
brother, by taking his sacrifice to the temple priest and laying his hands on the head
of
the sacrificial lamb and confessing his sins to God while the brother he had wounded
was
outside still feeling the offense that now was to be confessed to God and supposedly
forgiven by God. Jesus said, "STOP ... leave your gift at the altar and retrace your
steps
and get yourself out of the temple and go back to the man you offended and be
reconciled
and make it right this time. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God." Apparently,
this
kind of short-cut to God does not wash and we can't play at being holy with God
while we
refuse to be loving and kind and forgiving with our Brothers and Sisters.
[This is the passage referred to in
the Dorion Bible Camp Staff Handbook.]
Perhaps it is nowhere more plainly stated than in the Lord's Prayer from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, "Forgive us our sins just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us ... If you forgive those who sin against you your heavenly father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 5: 12,14,15) If you refuse to do your part you cut yourself off from God's part is the interpretation that Eugene Peterson gives to this passage in The Message.
Following are some other passages that deal with this same principle.
"This commandment to love one another is the same message you heard before." (1 John 2:7)
"Anyone who loves other Christians is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble." (1 John 2: 1 0)
"Anyone who does not obey God's commandment and does not love other Christians does not belong to God." (1 John 3: 1 0)
"If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead." (1 John 3:14)
"We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:16)
"Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we are standing before the Lord." (1 John 3:18,19)
"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (I John 4:7,8)
"Dear friends since God loved us so much, we surely ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love has been brought to full expression in us." (1 John 4:11,12)
"... for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God whom we have not seen? And God himself has commanded that we must love not only Him, but our Christian brothers and sisters, too." (1 John 4:20,2 1)
"We know we love God's children if we love God and keep His commandments." (1 John 5:2)
Clearly there is a sense that Mr. Pepper has offended some members of the leadership team on a number of counts. [I presented to my lawyer every possible offense and she still asserted that I had been treated poorly.] As well, there are a number of changes that Mr. Pepper would like to see in process at Dorion Bible Camp. Some of these offenses have been long standing and others are one time events. The issues are such that they may take a good deal of time and skill in working out. I would therefore recommend that there be a mutually acceptable mediator present and that a series of sessions be scheduled, taking ample time to resolve these issues. Mr. Pepper has been a faithful, valuable servant at Dorion Bible Camp for many years and where he has fallen short of the expectations of others there ought to be an opportunity for all to present their issues and seek the guidance of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to bring unity back again through genuine heart-felt forgiveness and reconciliation. It may not happen quickly but it is the way of Christ for His followers.
To do the work of God
With the Children of God
In a mission
Which teaches the Word of God
The workers
Must reflect the Love of God.
Respectfully submitted, December, 2003
The statements which are in quotation in this document are the recollection and the opinion of the author as to what was actually said.
[A few of the recommendations, such as Personality Profiling were, I believe, implemented. However, the central core of Reconciliation with a Mediator, although strongly urged upon me to accept as late as March 31/04 (which I did) was rejected. In my opinion then this report and all the meetings associated with it were a waste of CSSM supporters' money.]