Very perceptive question has come in from a podcast listener named Matt.

He asks this, in episode 313, Pastor John, you said that there was one period when 230

people left your church and the church didn't grow for years after that.

What happened there and what did you learn from the experience?

Yeah, I often make clouded reference to that season in our church's life and it might

be helpful to say a little more about it here and then just a few lessons at the end.

This is very delicate and I must be careful because I suspect that people who were deeply

wounded and deeply complicit in those events will listen to this podcast.

And so on start by saying, I don't speak out of any remnants of anger or vengeance that

I know of.

I'm the hardest corrupt and I'm deceived often about myself but as much as I know myself,

my heart is right about this and I bear no one any lurking grudges.

As much anger has been in the past, I want those who listen to this to hear that.

I want to say to the people who listen, who know what I'm talking about and were there

and were involved.

I don't want to go to my grave with any bitterness or unforgiveness in my heart.

Here's what happened.

Two of our staff members committed a adultery together and I was the person who discovered it.

Only that discovery was circumstantial for several weeks.

In other words, I couldn't prove it.

This is a horrible position to be in.

I was profoundly convinced it was happening.

...