Uncategorized – Page 10 – Open Letter to Melbourne Christian Fellowship (MCF)

The cult of MCF: Part II (post-1992)

The pre-1992 period at MCF (Melbourne Christian Fellowship) and BCF (Brisbane CF) was characterised by a wonderful restorationist word, originated by William Offiler (USA) and tested academically by Jeff Hammond (Melbourne), albeit delivered to us by a less-than fully multiple eldership and a womanizing top dog whom was unmasked in 1988. What happened next wasContinue reading “The cult of MCF: Part II (post-1992)”

The cult of MCF: Part I (pre-1992)

There was always something cultish about MCF. For us plebs inside we rationalized it in two or three ways: (1) about the commitment level: as simply ‘taking a stand’ for Christ, or about the stories of control, shunning or womanizing, (2) we didn’t believe the stories or (3) just accepted that nothing’s perfect. But pre-1992,Continue reading “The cult of MCF: Part I (pre-1992)”

Why did MCF fall again?

I truly think the MCF and BCF leaderships became puffed-up by a religious spirit, and strangely, simultaneously, became genuinely clueless and unprepared after the 1988 fall because they had never really needed to think for themselves under the poorly practiced multiple eldership model. Was it humility? False, learned humility perhaps. None of this would matterContinue reading “Why did MCF fall again?”

MCF, please give me the benefit of the doubt

Dear MCF (Melbourne Christian Fellowship), I hope that you can forgive me for the explosive nature of my departure. Although I do not apologise for my exposure of MCF’s psychologically abusive behaviours and lies and cover-ups over multiple decades, I do wish I had acted more calmly. But several things you need to know thatContinue reading “MCF, please give me the benefit of the doubt”

The promise of MCF

Because of, at least the theory of, multiple eldership, many of us stayed and continued to believe in the original promise that MCF preached . . despite the fall of several key players, including the founder of MCF (Melbourne Christian Fellowship), Ray Jackson Snr, and their exposure in 1988. The teachings, and promise, had beenContinue reading “The promise of MCF”

How church should be

Some of my posts sound like a big whinge don’t they? But it’s because we did and still believe in ‘the priesthood of all believers’ (1 Pet 2:5-9. I Cor14:26). We didn’t want to draw to ourselves or take over! Just contribute! The New Testament tells us how church should be: What then shall weContinue reading “How church should be”

What it was REALLY like at MCF

I’ve already blogged about what we went through but I’ve only begun to pour out what it really felt like. Firstly, you couldn’t find a more committed congregation than MCF (Melbourne Christian Fellowship). Lovely people. At every event. Every Bible Study. Every working bee. Great camaraderie. Great culture. Except we were all hideously constrained. WeContinue reading “What it was REALLY like at MCF”

The ‘Big Bang’ fiasco of 1988

In 1988, we had a fiasco that got called ‘the Big Bang’ by much of the congregation. Don’t get me wrong, it was big, impactful, and spoke plenty about the fallen nature and disintegrity of many of the leaders. The two top leaders of MCF (Melbourne Christian Fellowship), including the ‘founder’ big dog himself, RayContinue reading “The ‘Big Bang’ fiasco of 1988”

The Letter to MCF (Melbourne Christian Fellowship)

Today’s article is the letter that is now on the home-page of this blog. For forty years since the 1950s, you as Melbourne-based MCF (Melbourne Christian Fellowship, previously, Immanuel), taught wonderfully about the Body of Christ, multiple eldership and Christian unity and unfolded Biblical truths with unprecedented clarity. Then, shortly after recovering from the falling ofContinue reading “The Letter to MCF (Melbourne Christian Fellowship)”

So what was the new MCF theology?

The new theology, under Vic Hall, at Melbourne Christian Fellowship (MCF) was essentially a huge over-reaction to ‘dead works’ (Heb 6), i.e. works one does of one’s own volition that may or may not be perfectly in-line with God’s will. The over-reaction was to make everyone seek God’s face via an elder. On almost anything.Continue reading “So what was the new MCF theology?”