[Vision2020] Once again my friends (for the list): The Sad Sad Story of How Jack Van Deventer Learned to Schlep into Submission

[Junior Varsity Douger]

Friend and Neighbors,

In March 2000, Jack Van Deventer (JVD), living at 
  , , , cast a “no” vote against
Bob Hieronymus becoming an elder at Doug’s Church.
But, Jack asked the elders not to tell Hieronymus that
he (JVD) voted against him, because he and Bob had
been longtime friends going back to a church in Boise
and JVD wanted to hide behind anonymity rather than
let Bob Hieronymus see his disloyalty. The Doug’s
Church elders honored Jack’s wishes so that he could
continue pretending to be Bob’s loyal friend.

In October 2004, the music minister at Doug’s Church
and fellow at NSA voted against promoting Nate Wilson
to fellow at NSA. Within three months, Doug Wilson,
pastor of Doug’s Church, forced the music minister to
resign from both Doug’s Church and NSA by demanding
that he sign a pledge of loyalty to Doug Wilson. (It’s
ironic that Nate Wilson voted against Chris Schlect
being an elder at Doug’s Church, and now Schlect is
Academic Dean of NSA. Did Nate Wilson sign a pledge of
loyalty to Doug Wilson? Would Jack Van Deventer sign a
pledge of loyalty to Doug Wilson? Or perhaps voting
against Schlect and Hieronymus is not as weighty a
matter as voting against Doug’s son? One does wonder.)

>From the April 5, 2001 Doug’s Church elders’ minutes,
we read: “Jack Van Deventer joined the meeting. Jack
described his conversion and spiritual pilgrimage. He
explained he became reformed and post-millennial. He
has lived in Moscow seven years. His marriage is good,
and his children are doing well. They are good
students and they all love the Lord. He is in full
compliance with the church’s statement of faith. He
was thankful for the opportunity to work through the
elder questionnaire with Lisa, and is aware of no
scandals which could come to light in his life. Jack
left the meeting. Motion (DW/JN) to put Jack on the
ballot for elder candidate. Passed.”

But a few days after this elders’ meeting, Doug Wilson
heard that Jack Van Deventer had loose lips and that
he would not send his children to NSA because NSA
failed to provide adequate vocational training. Doug
Wilson investigated this matter and actually contacted
JVD’s veterinarian (now a former member of Doug’s
Church) to ask him if Jack Van Deventer would ever
send his daughters to NSA. The vet said, “Jack would
never send his children to NSA.”

This explains why the April 19, 2001 elders’ minutes
read as follows: “Doug Wilson encouraged the elders to
table the motion to put Jack Van Deventer on the
ballot. Doug explained that Jack does not appear to be
on the same page as the elders regarding a liberal
arts education. . . Motion (DW/RA) to table the motion
to put Jack on the ballot for elder. Passed.”

Since then, JVD has sought to rehabilitate his
standing with Doug Wilson, which probably accounts for
this 180-degree turn around in a 2003 edition of
Credenda/Agenda: “My daughters receive a classical
education (including vocational training) in
preparation for college at NSA. . .”
http://www.credenda.org/issues/15-6sharpeningiron.php

Jack, a word of advice: you should either change your
pastor or your vet.


		
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