Deaf pastor signs a mighty surprising message

[rug]

February 10th, 2014
06:13 PM ET
Opinion by Justin Vollmar, special to CNN

(CNN) – When I was 18, I was drawn to a strict Christian sect known as Independent Fundamental Baptists. They convinced me that they were the only true church and I became a born-again, washed-in-blood Christian.

I left Gallaudet University, the nation’s premier school for deaf students, to enroll at Capital Baptist Deaf College, where I graduated with an unaccredited bachelor's degree in pastoral studies.

For the next seven years, I was a pastor in Silver Spring, Maryland, working 60 hours a week for little pay. My senior pastor was a harsh taskmaster, scolding me and always pushing me to work harder. Meanwhile, he earned $80,000 a year and played golf two times a week. I lived in poverty and did not see my children much. I got burned out.

I resigned my position and was shunned by the church. My faith in God was severely shaken. I started to have doubts about the Bible’s claims. I questioned whether God’s love, which is supposed to reside inside Christians, was real.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/10/deaf-pastor-atheist-a-big-surprise-to-his-congregation/

[JNelson6563]

1. Another has broken out to freedom!

[cbayer]

2. I'm a bit more skeptical.

These televangelists who find a "new path" should be examined closely in my opinion.

Has he "broken out to freedom"? Or has his well gone dry and he needs to find a new one?

I am particularly skeptical when their "conversions" are such media blitzes.

We shall see.

[progressoid]

3. The Cartoon in the middle of the video...

[rug]

5. He's an interesting guy.

Here's his blog.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nakedpastor/

[cbayer]

6. I like a lot of his comics

and his commentary is generally really interesting as well.

[oldandhappy]

4. this is what happens

when people ideas get in the way of God. I have seen this before. Wonderful examples in Congress!! What God says and what people say are so often diametrically opposed. I am sorry for him and allow him his new path. His senior pastor person was obviously not a mentor. I would like to think churches would look at this and learn, but I am a realist!

[struggle4progress]

7. "I enrolled into Liberty University’s seminary, aspiring to be a scholar"

Vollmer started off among the Independent Fundamental Baptists, which seems to be a schismatic movement in which conservatism Baptists withdrew from churches and church-related institutions, that they considered too liberal or modernist, to form their own institutions. Bob Jones University seems to be one of the schools of Independent Fundamental Baptist stripe, for those wanting some idea of the flavor

Vollmer then went to Capital Deaf Bible College in Silver Springs MD, whose students attend the associated church Hampshire View Baptist Deaf Church: this seems to be a white trailer attached to the red brick Hampshire View Baptist Church

It is a reasonable guess that HVBDC is where Vollmer was next pastor for seven years -- before burning out and moving to a Southern Baptist Convention church. The Southern Baptists, unlike HVBDC, do not seem to require a belief in the Rapture and subsequent tribulation. Similarly, the Southern Baptists, although believing in the inerrancy of scripture, do not require the KJV, as HVBDC does, so this move may have represented somewhat of a liberalization of his views

But doubt continues to seize his heart: I moved toward ecumenism and tried to promote unity among churches. That this must have seemed heretical to him, in light of his Independent Fundamental Baptist training, is suggested by the HVDBC Statement of Faith page: We take a separatist stand regarding the current trends that lead to discrediting the Bible and undermining the fundamentals of the faith. These trends include ... the Ecumenical Movement. His hesitancy is clear, since he goes no further than saying he moved towards ecumenism

The stress is finally too much: he quits as a pastor, casts about in hopes of finding another purpose in life, and finally enrolls in Liberty University, yet another venue where inerrancy of scripture is taught. Liberty's doctrinal statement, for example, is quite specific about seven years of tribulation preceding the second coming, so it is not far removed from the HVBDC doctrine

At Liberty, his doubts increase and his faith collapses

It does not seem to me a particularly wide theological amble that starts from Independent Fundamental Baptist views, wanders into the Southern Baptist Convention, steps hesitantly towards ecumenism, and ends at Liberty University