Many of us ex-XCFers have noticed how nervous, cagey and guarded our overlords were at, eg, MCF (Melbourne Christian Fellowship) & Brisbane Christian Fellowship (BCF). Both when they were trampling us and when they were covering it up (or kicking us out).
It’s because the whole thing was a big bluff.
How much could Brisbane Christian Fellowship get away with?
They had to walk a fine line between asking us to give up everything and something we could lay down without thinking twice.
It had to hurt. But not too much at the start. By the end, you had suffered so much for what they made you believe was for your own good (or for the sake of others), you let them hurt you even more until it was utterly soul destroying.
They talked you into dropping all of your interests and opportunities! You would oscillate between being as mad as hell and the calmness of no longer caring because you now knew you would never get anything. You gave up on any hope. Nothing mattered anymore. We became play things to the elders.
We just let them walk over us like doormats. Trampled underfoot. Slapped in the face. Nothing of our humanity remained.
The first thing they had to give up as Brisbane Christian Fellowship & MCF leaders was having any common decency. The line that would tell them: even if it’s true I can’t ask them to do that! They learned to go BEYOND that line. And with a straight face.
That’s what made a good elder at XCF churches: how good a poker face could you keep?
I think they take the Scripture too far on being ‘as gentle as doves and as cunning as foxes’ to win souls. Just slightly!
They have made a mockery of Christianity. These elders time is not spent in prayer and serving and searching the Scriptures. They taught themselves how to bluff and keep a straight face.
In my case they spent 18 months before they finally said ‘no, you can’t start your business’ or change jobs or do my internship or move house or travel overseas or even think about technology or run our craft night . . all whilst making me think I could eventually. They led me on and were just sus-ing me out the whole time trying to work out how far they could take me.
Other men who wouldn’t take any funny business could do anything. But the compliant, gullible and trusting . . idiots . . like me.
Well, Brisbane Christian Fellowship & MCF took us all for a ride.
I am disgusted by you David Bonham. Laurie Holland. Steve Anderson. Steve Holland. And the game-playing, careless & delinquent MCF and Brisbane Christian Fellowship presbyteries.
Your non-apology partial apologies carry no accountability or meaning.
Open Letter to Melbourne Christian Fellowship (MCF) 