Former ARBCA Pastor Calls on Corrupt Leaders of ARBCA to Repent

By | September 8, 2018

“The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.” -Winston Churchill

Jon Cochran, pastor of Portico Church, Orange, CA

 

Jon Cochran is proof that there were some good men in ARBCA. Unfortunately, their numbers are dwindling as 22 churches left in 2015 over the “Divine Impassibility” controversy. (Don’t ask!) Cochran and his church left in 2017 because of  the obvious corruption in ARBCA leadership as it related to receiving Thomas Chantry’s former church, Christ Reformed Baptist Church into the ARBCA Association.

More good men will undoubtedly leave after ARBCA published it’s most recent document, “ARBCA Membership Process of Christ Reformed Baptist Church Hales Corners, Wisconsin, and the Case of Thomas J. Chantry.” The report is dated September 5, 2018 and was disseminated to ARBCA churches yesterday. I will deal extensively with this report in the future, but for now let me just share with you one ridiculous quote written to apparently justify ARBCA’s inaction on the sordid Chantry trainwreck:

“We must emphasize the importance that the place and priority of competent authority and jurisdiction holds in matters such as this case. No individual or entity has authority or liberty to take any action related to such matters unless the entity (i.e. church or State) possesses appropriate jurisdiction. After the exercise of such competent authority by appropriate jurisdiction, other individuals or entities should act based on the facts, the evaluation of those facts, and the actions taken by the appropriate jurisdiction. Until then, any actions regarding an accusation either violate the authority and jurisdiction of the State or the authority and jurisdiction of the local church and tend toward interference in the judicial processes of the State, or toward gossip, slander, or schism among Christians and churches. Any investigation of an allegation, evaluation of evidence/information, and determination of guilt or innocence conducted by anyone or any entity other than the due process established by God, in the local church or by the secular government with jurisdiction, violates God’s directions for handling accusations and is itself sin. While such matters certainly draw the interest and concern of individual church members, as well as local churches, we must exercise restraint, discipline, and patience in responding to such interests and concerns. That restraint, discipline, and patience must be directed by a robust understanding of God’s provision for competent authority and appropriate jurisdiction in such matters and a submission to such authority and its processes and outcomes.”

Such divine language, such lofty thoughts, such total lack of any common sense! What’s ironic is Don Lindblad’s statement given in a deposition conducted by the State’s Attorney, Susan Eazer. (You will recall that Lindblad is one of the inner circle of corrupt ARBCA leaders. He was Chantry’s “advocate” in the 2000 ARBCA investigation, served as Chantry’s go-between in 2006 and 2009 when one of the victims Chantry sexually molested was attempting to contact Chantry, listened in on the 2006 conversation between Chantry and the victim, and was sent to Christ Reformed Baptist Church in Halls Crossings, WI to attempt to convince the church members that all was well with the imprisoned Chantry. Oh, and one other thing, Judge Astrowsky had to admonish Lindblad for being evasive on the witness stand!) Here is what Lindblad had to say:

“Well our association has gone on record as believing that the subsequent charges are not true.”

And let’s review what ARBCA said again:

“Any investigation of an allegation, evaluation of evidence/information, and determination of guilt or innocence conducted by anyone or any entity other than the due process established by God, in the local church or by the secular government with jurisdiction, violates God’s directions for handling accusations and is itself sin.”

Portico Church was one of only 2 churches that voted against the reception of CRBC Hales Corners church into the ARBCA Association at the 2016 ARBCA General Assembly. They are to be commended for doing so.

Last night Pastor Jon Cochran sent a powerful email out to all the pastors in ARBCA. He called on the corrupt leaders of the ARBCA to repent.  Not surprisingly, it appears Cochran’s email had the opposite effect on ARBCA leaders.  I am told they have drawn their knives and gone after the good pastor! Unfortunately, Pastor Cochran is not the first pastor to experience the wrath of the ARBCA leaders.  If you dare cross them they go after you.

Here is a good summary of the reasons Portico Church withdrew from ARBCA:

 

Below is Pastor Cochran’s letter, followed by the letter he submitted in 2017 withdrawing his church from ARBCA. My hope is that other upright pastors still in ARBCA will be emboldened to do the same.

Portico Church Letter of Resignation From ARBCA by Todd Wilhelm on Scribd

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