Apostacy

Rejected, Yet Rejoicing Vol 8 – Purposes Fulfilled and Questions

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The Purposes of These Testimonies Fulfilled

When I began assembling this massive testimony for the edification of the saints of God, I had a few things in mind:  1.  How does the body of Christ avoid such future problems?  2.  To make sure that it was recorded when it was fresh on our minds/hearts  3.  To build the body of Christ  4. To ensure that any current members, including elders, would have our perspective in case they repent in the future. That has been and continues to be our prayer.  5.  To ensure our children have the testimonies for the future whenever they might desire to refer to them.

Thankfully, it seems that all has been fulfilled in these goals except the repentance of the elders and the three remaining men in the fellowship.  ERRATA:  As of 12/01/16 two of the three remaining men have heard our side of this situation, were repentant and reconciled to us.  The ‘elders’ have shunned them and their families as well.    So they know, we have forgiven and continue to forgive them and all the people in RFF.  As they have said, “We can never have fellowship with John McGlone.  We can forgive him, but he will not be allowed back in RFF.”  We are not seeking fellowship with them, but at least a civil relationship that can operate for the good of all concerned.

NOTE:  Two more families have departed from Refining Fire Fellowship as of 11/23/16.  I pray they give testimonies of how the Lord was convicting them through this mess as well.

 Many Things to Learn

Conclusions, Questions, and Summary

I would exhort the body of Christ to judge themselves, their current thinking on ‘church’, and how they would handle a correction within their local assemblies.  To have the overseers or elders ruling these issues in a Nicolaitan way will lead the group back to the apostate system that most holiness believers end up fleeing from.

In the interest of doing the goals outlined in the preceeding paragraph, I would ask you to do the following; Go through these rhetorical questions, answer them according to your understanding, comment below that we all may be able to discuss this, let’s see what conclusions the Holy Spirit would lead us to…

Throwing out the Baby with the Bathwater?

  • Should we abandon the fellowship of the saints?
  • Can a local Christian fellowship grow too large?
  • How does the body of Christ grow?
  • How should  elders be established among us according to Scriptures?
  • How can the elders rule well?
  • How can the saints operate under this rulership according to Jesus and the Apostles?

What is Normal Growth for the Body of Christ?

  • Jesus discipled twelve men, all forsook him, one betrayed Him directly
  • Jesus had thousands of disciples follow Him due to signs/miracles.  He challenged their thinking and hearts with a hard doctrine.  They all left except the twelve.  He did not chase after them.  John 6:53-71
  • In Jesus’ most dire time of being arrested for trial, all forsook Him in the Garden of Gethsemene, John and Peter followed Him at a distance.  John followed Him all the way to the foot of the cross.
  • The NT church met in homes.  With that said, there are practical and spiritual limits to being able to meet in a home
  • These natural and spiritual limits should lead us to the conclusion that there must be spiritual divisions which occur over the course of time.  I suppose that as the Lord raises up new teachers, elders, etc that they would split into another group in an amiable and godly way with some of the fellowship members  to follow to this new meeting place.

Body Functions

  • Prayer
  • Preaching/Outreach
  • Disciple making of family members and others
  • Study
  • Gifts sought for and operated
  • Disputations/Councils
  • Caring for the needy; widows and orphans
  • Visiting those imprisoned or sick

What is Proper Biblical Shunning?

  • How can the saints of God judge internal matters?
  • Marking the divisive man.
  • Is shunning a person biblical?
  • What happens when a shunning crosses close family ties?
  • What if the issue is a matter of doctrinal disagreement vs. known willful sin?

What does Local Church Mean?

  • Localities Seen in Scriptures
  • Localities Appealing to Regions
  • Regions Appealing to Other Regional Saints[worldwide]

Revelations During and Since the Dispute and Rejection

  • Translation differences between the NKJV and KJV  1 Tim 5, 1 Cor 6, Titus 3
  • Fear of man is a snare
  • Not dealing with problems quickly and to conclusion
  • Each group and individuals within those groups are at differing places of maturity, experience, and understanding
  • Elders ruling well, is much more than teaching or organizing.

May God bless you as you seek His will for your life, for your families, and the fellowship of the saints.  May His face shine upon you as you seek to lift up the Son and give Him glory for all the great things He hath done in our lives.

We love you.

RYR, Historic Email – Elders Direction to Avoid a Brother 04/29/15

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From: Kevin Lovell <preachingvancross@gmail.com>
Date: April 29, 2015 at 5:07:35 PM CDT
To: Reggie W. <XXXX@gmail.com>, John Mcglone <johnmcglone@msn.com>, William H. XXXX@gmail.com>, Kyle C.f <XXXX@gmail.com>, Joshua G. <XXXX@gmail.com>, Joshua L. <XXXX@gmail.com>
Cc: Kerrigan  Skelly <rev_kerrigan@yahoo.com>, Tracy Bays <tabays@msn.com>
Subject: Important RFF Info
Hello brothers. Hope your doing well in the Lord today. There is a grieving situation that has progressed to the point of potentially effecting the fellowship, and we as shepherds are taking some steps that we needed to let you all know about.
I think we all know and love Jeremy and Sarah R., but recently, we as elders, have become very concerned about some serious issues of legalism that they are declaring and promoting which would be dangerous  for RFF if allowed to come in.
We totally understand that we are not their elders, and they are not part of this local fellowship, but because they have had a close relationship with RFF, we are seeking to do everything we can to turn them from this legalism out of love for them and so that we can continue to be able to fellowship with them in the future.
The main areas of legalistic contention that they have been promoting so far, have been regarding Music, Food, Health, and Movies. Jeremy has been making videos on these topics that are very accusatory and condemning.
Therefore, we want to ask, that for the time being, everyone at RFF refrain from any involvement with Jeremy and Sarah (unless absolutely necessary for non-fellowship type reasons) until we come to some sort of resolution on these important matters with them.
Please pray for them and for us as we communicate about these things. We are hoping that the current teachings brother Tracy is doing on legalism will be used by the Lord to help them, and that there won’t be any need for further separation. If for some reason you had to communicate with Jeremy and Sarah for some unavoidable reason, please don’t talk to them about this email or anything related to this.
Thank you for understanding and please be sure to share this with your wives as well so that they understand and will be in unity with the fellowship on this also.
May the Lord bless you as you seek Him today,
Kevin

This letter sent out before Jeremy and Sarah were communicated with concerning these issues.  This reveals the problem with their thinking on Matt 18.  This out of order direction by the elders to the members, led people to block and defriend on FB and other medias.  Even one elders wife is reported to have gossiped about this to the other women. Another elders wife, even had the gall to call Sarah Rice and let her know that she could not be her FB friend until these things were resolved.  The same woman also blocked Sarah’s sister and mother who have no part of this whatsoever.

Whomever, was the first to become offended at these video teachings should have approached Jeremy alone, then brought a witness, and then the church could have admonished him to repent if he was actually in sin.  The elders plea in this situation was, “He is not part of our fellowship, so we wouldn’t do a Matt 18.  What would that look like?”  They believe that this process only applies to the local church,[RFF].  However, this is not nor has it ever been my view and I believe it a grave error.  I believe we should treat every part of the body of Christ, (the church wherever they are) with the same dignity and respect that Matt 18 affords however impractical it may be.

This letter was the catalyst which led me to consider that I would have to finally deal with this misapplication and misinterpretation of Matt 18.  Within a few days I contacted Jeremy and began to share with him the things which had been going on since the first shunning almost three years before.  That dialogue led me to my first letter for an informal meeting with the elders. 

Rejected, Yet Rejoicing Vol 1 – History and Background

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Some History and Background
As some of you already know, my family and  I have been rejected and shunned by Kerrigan Skelly, Kevin Lovell, and Tracy Bays, who are the elders of Refining Fire Fellowship. They have convinced most of the other families to do the same since 6/11/15.  They have rebuked and rejected me as a divisive man according to:

Titus 3:9-11.
But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law;  for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,  knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Their Titus 3 rejection of me is based on me attempting to bring witnesses to bear on ideas they have implemented for Refining Fire Fellowship which I found to be extra biblical and legalistic for us as well as people outside of our local fellowship.  They have stated that the way I attempted to do this was divisive and led to the Titus 3 rebuke of me in front of my home. CLICK HERE  for the audio of their unplanned meeting with me at 9 pm at night. Have I been the one that has divided our fellowship or have they?  This is what you dear reader are called to examine in the light of :  Scriptures, the Holy Ghost, my testimony and others, and the forensic evidence of historical audio and emails.  I call the elders of Refining Fire Fellowship to release and make public any and all recordings of meetings they have had with me or any present or former member of our former assembly.

This has been a spiritually devastating and yet refreshing season in our lives at the same time, praise Jesus!

Some background on our relationships.  As many of you know Kerrigan Skelly and I have been in ministry together for almost eight years beginning in Dec of ’07 when I quit my job with the U.S. Postal Service to join him in full time open air ministry in Fayetteville, NC.  Jesse Morrell also worked with and had fellowship with us for almost a year before hitting the road preaching with his young wife from an RV traveling through these United States.  I had contact with Tracy Bays as early as Dec ’08 before we moved from NC to KY.  He moved from Ohio after we had done a ministry outreach with him there in Apr/May ’09.  He preached for the first time during our outreach.  Within some months he wanted to move down to KY.  He moved in with our family and stayed for about 8 months before going on a year long trip around the country preaching by faith and support of the saints of God.  Then he returned and lived in his RV in our driveway for over a year.  Kevin Lovell and his family joined us after meeting downtown Nashville when they were at an adoption conference there.  About August of ’10 they moved from northern California to our home and stayed with us for quite some time before moving into one of our rental units, then to another property we bought and leased to them to own.  For most of the rest of the families of the fellowship have similar types of migration/hosting stories.  We believe we are called to host the saints of God as a part of our ministry to the body of Christ.  Rom 12:9-19

Kerrigan Skelly is the founder of Pinpoint Evangelism and runs a tract and graphic design business called Pinpoint Gospel Tracts .  Kevin and Tabitha Lovell run a business called Adoption Airfare which serves travel needs for adopting families. Tracy Bays is the founder of Hope Possible ministry, which appears to no longer have a website.  These men are the elders of Refining Fire Fellowship .

Lastly, I always want to be primarily about our Father’s business with our new missions for Him called, Jesus Preacher Ministries and Living Stones Fellowship which I teach and oversee at this time.

Update:  Praise the Lord, two more families have come out of RFF in humble reconciliation as of 11/23/16!  

The First Family Shunned from Refining Fire Fellowship Vol 2

This disputation began in Aug 2012 with a Matt 18 rebuke by the elders of the Franklin family which led to their rejection and shunning that day.  During that rebuke I did not understand what was happening asking the elders if we could table the discussion to later.  This scene was growing in tension and finally ended with Kerrigan demanding they leave the fellowship and our home.  James turned to me and asked if they had to leave.  Reluctantly, I agreed with the elders that they had to go.  I didn’t understand it but was willing….see continuation of story here:

RYR, Historic Email – Informal Meeting Request and Response 05/30/15

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Email sent from Kevin Lovell in response to my email requesting an informal meeting with the elders to discuss many issues that had come to a spiritual head in my heart. My questions are bolded for emphasis.

Re: Meeting

 Kevin Lovell
 6/03/15
To: John Mcglone Cc: Kerrigan Skelly, Tracy Bays

Good afternoon brother John. It’s been a few days since we sent you our email clarification and we haven’t heard back from you. We just would like to know if you did in fact receive the email and also if you had a chance to read it. Thanks.

May the Lord bless you as you seek Him today,
Kevin
On May 30, 2015, at 2:16 AM, Kevin Lovell <preachingvancross@gmail.com> wrote:
Brother John,

Point #1

  • Clarification as to whether or not we as individuals have liberty to agree with Jeremy’s conclusions on music and/or movies.
– As a member of RFF you have the liberty to agree with whatever conclusions are not legalistic. You also have the liberty to walk in the Spirit and not become legalistic yourself.
Point #2
  • If the Lord has used a person to convince a member to a view, that is not held by our fellowship.  Do we have the liberty to discuss that openly among the members, that we may all come to a new understanding if we are mistaken?
– When you say, “If the Lord has used a person to convince a member to a view that is not held by our fellowship”, how could we do anything except submit to the Lord’s view? It would be safer for you to refrain from saying that the Lord convinced you, and rather simply say that you’ve become convinced of a view not held by the fellowship.
With that in mind, if a member becomes convinced of a view that is not held by the fellowship, they absolutely Do Not have the liberty to discuss that amongst the other members. This can bring confusion and division into the fellowship.
Rather than that member discussing the new view with other members, it would need to be discussed with the elders and then it would either replace the old view or be rejected.
At that point, if the elders didn’t agree with the new view, the member who brought the new view would have a choice to either continue holding onto the new view and cease being a member of RFF, or reject the new view and continue being a member of RFF.
Point #3
  • Clarification of what should be done with a Matt 18 situation with people who are believers but are not members of RFF, ie the [Rice’s].
– The [Rice’s]  were not in a Matt 18 situation. They were specifically in a Titus 3:9-11 situation. The Matthew 18 model is only for the local assembly. So, there cannot be any scenario regarding the Matthew 18, our Fellowship, and those not a part of our fellowship. We have explained this many times.
Point #4
  • Clarification on your views of Matt 18 that you the elders represent the ekklesia in the Matt 18 process.   As I understand, you all told me a few years ago after the Franklin family shunning that you are the shepherds of the church and that the process would end with you all reproving the offender in front of the local body here.  I made known my concerns and disagreement with that to you all at that time.
– We have already discussed this with you at great length and we will not be discussing this again. Our view has not changed on this.
Point #5
  • Clarification of where you got this interpretation of Matt 18
– See Point #4
Point #6
  • Clarification of any other elders outside our fellowship that you all are counseling with and/or submitting yourselves to,
– This we have also discussed with you. We are submitting ourselves to the Chief Shepherd. Of course there may be other elders that we respect and we can learn from, but we are seeking the Chief Shepherd and desire to be shepherds after His heart.
Point #7
  • Clarification of what local church means vs. the church in relation to public reproofs and associations.
– The context of 1 Timothy 5:19-20 is clearly speaking of the local church.
Point #8
  • Clarification of Rom 14 and how that relates to each individual believer’s choices/preferences on matters of doctrine, behavior, and associations.
– We have discussed this extensively many times and brother Tracy just covered this topic in the teachings on legalism.
Point #9
  • Clarification of exactly whom the members of RFF may not associate themselves with.  Would this be a recommendation or a command?
– Anyone who fits the description in the following passages regarding disassociation, we would not associate with: Matthew 18:15-17, Romans 16:17, 1 Corinthians 5:11, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14-15, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Titus 3:9-11, 2 John 1:10. These are simply not our preferences. If someone is a sinner, especially if they call themselves a Christian, we are not to associate with them. As Christians, we shouldn’t disagree with God.

Brother John, after seeking the Lord further regarding your desire to meet and discuss these points that are all interconnected and directly related to issues we’ve already discussed, we’ve decided not to meet regarding these things. We believe that our previous discussions along with the above answers are sufficient.

We realize that this may be difficult for you, but we want to encourage you to trust the Lord with all your heart regarding these issues and also trust that we are shepherds who are seeking after His heart and desire to watch out for the souls of RFF with fear and trembling as those who will give an account. If we have shown ourselves to be trustworthy and faithful stewards, please have faith that we are walking circumspectly and caring for the flock. Please let us do this with joy and not grief. Hebrews 13:17
May the Lord bless you as you seek Him today,
Kevin

 

Commentary on the elders response to my initial email.
There were many places as you can plainly see where non answers are given.   My original email was prompted by the elders sending out a letter concerning the Rices and some videos that Jeremy had recently done which apparently some members were feeling condemned.  That email directed the fellowship to abstain from any contact with them unless absolutely necessary for non fellowship reasons.  Jeremy was not even aware of this rejection until some days later when I spoke with him about it.    Even if this were a Titus 3 situation as these elders are claiming.  Shouldn’t they have spoken to him as a brother, individually to see if he would repent according to their view of this sin before this shunning proclamation?

To review that email CLICK HERE.