Christ Church of Wiesbaden

Significant immaturity issues and inexperienced (or overwhelmed) leadership. Unfortunately some very important marks of a healthy church are missing. Having respect for the Westminster Confession (which is a good confession!) is practically useless, if proper church discipline is not applied -starting with the Pauline "admonish each other!" / "exhort one another!" +Mt18. E.g. when people who live in open rebellion are still allowed to participate in the Lord's Supper, even when they stated that they will not submit to elders. Important cases of church discipline have not been handled well - no proper witnesses and documentation. Unrepentant people were appeased, victims accused. Now that criticism has reached the public sphere here on Google, suddenly many 5 star ratings are popping up quickly imo. But still there is no effective dealing with the issues, nor apologies or a true U-turn which resembles repentance and insight. Immaturity issues were bemoaned by several people - at least two witnesses to immaturity imo. The leaders are not able to deal with justified criticism so far. Attempts to keep things out of the public, but no steps towards improvement or repentance in these areas imo. The main pastor said he will never be the greatest counselor, but he sees himself as a good generalist. But gets involved even in areas of having no expertise or proper knowledge, while claiming to know his boundaries, imo. Rather young or inexperienced leadership - and members (!). The lack of the presence of spiritual fathers and mothers, or senior pastors is not really bemoaned or understood imo. E.g. attempted mutual mentoring among women can not replace Titus 2 and the normative need for aged mature women and mature men, who can teach the younger generation, including the leaders. To become a teaching leader (pastor) you must generally have a masters degree from certain seminaries - exceptions are rare in the PCA worldwide - the Apostle Paul's model of simply instructing trustworthy men (who then also instruct trustworthy men in local church life) seems insufficient for PCA/CCW. Ambitions and actions to start a German assembly - but little contact with those who have labored before on that field around Wiesbaden. Reformed Baptists can sometimes preach, but generally all other denominations than PCA (even Reformed Baptists) have been called distant relatives that we like to see being distant in our regular church life ("we are PCA" is the parole - so I ask: what about we are Christians and we need each other as true believers, as Paul said?). Church discipline was seen as a terrible last resort thing only - reluctance to address rebellion is sold as patience imo. Neglecting daily mutual admonishing as part of church discipline means that the Westminster Standards are not applied. Therefore, some priorities seem off. Attempts to preach verse by verse and expositionally suffer at times from the aforementioned things. Misunderstandings about mutual submission also imo, and clear biblical roles. There were some positive experiences, and not everything that was taught is wrong (some basics were taught right), but where are the complete marks & notae ecclesiae of a healthy church here, even as in the Westminster Confession? And consistently? With this faulty practice of church discipline as only a last resort thing (and not much mutual admonishing or mutual exhorting of mature people) this group will remain in the ER, as long as this condition lasts. No matter how nice a Sunday sermon might be, and how nice the conversations and the meals might be. But imo there were some things already watered down significantly - even in the teaching and in the practice (orthodoxy and orthopraxy suffering). These are my opinions that I weighed carefully over the course of several years. I am sad about the state of this group, but I am glad that I am out. I found a local church with a experienced pastor. It made a big difference. I forgive everything, but reconciliation can only happen, when certain things change with consistency. 🙏🏻