Estimated reading time: 32 minutes
Table of contents
Clouds Without Water
An Open Letter To Pastors Of Independent Baptist Churches
Preface
More than 2 years have gone by since the sedition of our Church on the 17th of March 2024. More than enough time to hope and pray for repentance should wicked men be permitted to see their evil for what it is. But when corruption is coddled by vain ministers, when the sin of the malevolent is mollified by wilfully ignorant pastors, when “the unfruitful works of darkness” are now REWARDED rather than “reproved” for their sin (Eph 5:10) and those who have done good are now charged with doing evil, then “judgement is turned away backward and justice standeth afar off: for truth has fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter” (Isa 59:14); then it is time to “mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which [we] have learned; [to] avoid them” (Rom 16:17-18)
Dear Pastors, this letter to you is written on behalf of Hope Baptist Church. It is written by the Pastor, Edi Giudetti, in conjunction with the Deacon, Phillip McKenzie, and with the full knowledge and consent of the leaders of this Church.
Twenty-six of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, warn us of sinful men who will come to lead people astray. Such is not expected to lessen in the Last Days but to increase all the more as we see the day approaching. Nevertheless, the Church sits largely apathetic to the dangers and will not obey the command of the scriptures to warn of the wolves that should come (Acts 20:29-31, Rom 16:17-18 et al).
Perhaps it is our own sinfulness that leads us to disobey God to warn the Churches of wicked deceivers or perhaps it is our fear of man subverting our fear of the Lord, or perhaps there are self-admonishments respecting our own imperfections. There are however those among us who have personally experienced some of the greatest evils by those who have blasphemed the name of Christ by their actions, who can both teach and warn on the matter.
It is both warning and our Constitutions, together with An Ethical Standard For Pastors ministering to members of other churches, to be considered as you read of our experiences.
It is certain that a book of some 50,000 words could be written (35,000 words to date) respecting the details of how God has worked through this trial and all we have learnt, we have done all however to limit to a tenth the testimony and the warnings below that you may take opportunity to read and apply that which is needful.
Introduction
The testimony below involves an unrepentant sower of discord who led a rebellious sedition of some 20 persons at Hope Baptist Church on Sunday morning, the 17th March, 2024.
The testimony also sadly includes an unrepentant, recalcitrant pastor who both ministered to this man beforehand and now justifies the evil that was committed.
That pastor now elevates this man to a public pulpit and intends to reward him with a ministry amongst I.B. Churches (1 kgs 13:33), calling evil good and good evil (Isa 5:20).
Can we protect our Churches by an alteration of our constitutions? Yes!
Can we teach a standard respecting the limitations of pastors in dealing with members of other churches? Clearly, yes!
Affirmation
Both the testimonies of members and leaders of this Church affirm the acts done by both the wolf and that pastor are manifestly and evidently true. They are brought to your attention ONLY due to the now promotion of Cody Kereopa to that public pulpit and the rejection by that pastor of every admonition.
All effort is made in this letter not to speculate, but to speak to what happened and to show that which is self evident and allow the reader to judge for themselves. There is no concern whatever on our part to convince you of the truth of the matter, but responsibility only to WARN you respecting our experience and for you to prepare where nessesary as men who have responsibility over your own churches.
Our conclusion in referring to Cody Kereopa as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” is self evident, for if we did not firmly believe this to be the case based on all the unrepentant evil which he had committed (only part of which is testified herein) we would see no reason to “mark” him as such.
The information contained below attest to both an increase of such evil within the church and the astonishing level at which it is being cosseted and even legitimised by far too many indulging, fearful ministers whose ear scratching ministries reward the wicked and condemn the just (Isa 5:23).
Our priority is to first “mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (Rom 16:17-18).
Our secondary purpose is to teach through this testimony, to encourage you to look at your own constitutions, their strengths and weaknesses, to deal with the perilous times which are evidently upon us. Also to ensure a basic ethical standard respecting pastoral responsibilities related to members of other churches.
- When does ‘advice’ cross the line to become ‘subversion’?
- How familiar ought pastors be with the sheep of another shepherd’s pasture?
- How do you identify an undermining of your ministry?
Apostasy Warning
Paul wrote saying;
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 3:1–5
It is the church Paul was warning about in this passage not the world!
The examples in the text are similar to those witnessed in Romans chapter 1, which teach of a world perpetually in such a condition. Paul here was writing to Timothy of the state yet to manifest, saying “in the last days perilous times SHALL COME“, this passage describes the state of men in the apostate church future to him, in the last of the Last Days.
We are no doubt in “the last days” for which such a warning is necessary. “Strifes, seditions and heresies” are the fruit of the flesh (Gal 5:20), adding this to the character references of 2 Tim 3 and we have all the ingredients of the Laodicean church of the last days.
Have we ever thought such ingredients are within our own churches (Acts 20:30)?
Look again brethren, the very business structures of your churches may allow for sedition to manifest as it did in our own. And if pastors of familiar churches see no sin in ministering to your members without your knowledge or permission, what are we to say of pastors unfamiliar?
While the sedition of our church on the 17th March 2024 is manifestly unique, there is little doubt it will inevitably affect all IB Churches if you allow it. If such men as below can be so flippantly justified when constitutions are not presently prepared, the “perilous times” of 2 Tim 3 may overcome you brethren.
I implore you therefore to please remain engaged as you read this warning and testimony.
Several pastors are now receiving this effectively as an “update“. They are good men who had given valuable advice to us when we had been so troubled. You know who you are, and we truly give you heartfelt thanks for our church has certainly prospered since, and many changes have given us rest and confidence for our ministry to survive well into the future.
However, we now warn you! 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ…. 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (Jude 4, 12-13).
For the man who sowed discord and did such evil in our own Church is presently being rewarded and sanctioned to soon “minister” among you.
Jude had not written merely of a 1st century anomaly in his letter, but a very real and present threat, a truth of godless men who feign themselves as sheep among you, for “…grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:29-30).
Many of you have met such people, I have dealt with eleven such people in my thirty years as a Christian (three prior to ministry and eight since). None but this evil man moves us to warn you, for it is his promotion now to a PUBLIC PULPIT which motivates our marking.
What happened?
Cody Kereopa: The Wolf.
(Pictured. July 2019) entered the congregation of Hope Baptist Church not long after his professed salvation in October 2018. He became a member of the Church in August 2019.
Certainly a wonderfully friendly and cheerful disposition who, like Absalom, stole the hearts of many, including this pastor.
In early 2024, Cody Kereopa was set under the disciplinary action of the Church twice in two months. His written rejection of the authority of this Church had then placed him, in accordance with our constitution, at the third stage of disciplinary action where, without repentance, he would have been removed from membership.
Unbeknown to the pastor, from late 2023 Cody Kereopa had been gaining self-confidence through ministering primarily to a disgruntled husband and wife who originated the sowing of discord in the Church.
The gossip built up (Ja 3:6) to what became a purposefully intended split, which was miraculously revealed to us through an interstate Pastor on Monday 11th of March that year. It confirmed this pastor’s own email to his deacon after the second disciplinary action against Cody Kereopa; “I think we are going to have a small split in the Church” (email 5th March, 2024).
After the confirmation of March 11th, we called out the split on Friday the 15th of March 2024. With no individual being singled out (for a split being attended to in secret, we did not know how many were involved), but encouraged any who wish to leave to do so peacefully and in accord with their church covenant obligations.
After three weeks absence, on the 17th of March 2024, Cody Kereopa entered the church with a document containing twenty signatories (see below) and a group of individuals who had all met together in the carpark, entering the sanctuary as one body.
Via an evident conspiracy, Cody Kereopa and a gathering of individuals entered into the Church for the written purpose of overthrowing the pastoral office (see the second paragraph of his letter). As they had left their children behind, their musical instruments also left behind, and abandoning any ministry on the day, their disruption to our church service was as deliberate as it was unpredictable. Who could believe Christians could behave in such a way?
NB: Aside from the husband-and-wife initiators, none of the undersigned individuals had approached the pastor with any concern prior to that day. The husband and wife were given six written opportunities to reconcile with the pastor biblically, but they would not. The husband became co-conspirator with Cody Kereopa.
24 hours following the sedition, at 10:52 am Monday morning, this pastor had received a text to advise that the husband had suffered a sudden, unexpected heart attack and died.
Never had I experienced such a mix of grief and anger as I had that morning.
Brethren, there are no pastors who have ministered to Cody Kereopa more than this pastor has, no pastor has know him as well as I, and none who have been more deceived by him than I.
In short, Cody Kereopa manifested as the most perfect representation of Matthew 7:15 which we have ever witnessed. For five years he was given the benefit of the doubt until the Lord was asked to reveal the truth of him.
Below are some testimonies of that revelation.
Testimonials
Several of the remnant were asked to write a one-page testimony of what they witnessed that day. Below are some anonymous excerpts. These are not fabrications nor taken out of context, they are as written (sic).
Letter Excerpt 1
(HBC Husband and Wife Members)
Dear Pastor Edi,
This comes with a very saddened heart not just for D___ and me but for you and your precious wife Maria and those who were there to attend the church service on Sunday the 17th of March 2024.
The reason for me saying this is…Codie Kereopa and his supporters marched into the service with intent to disrupt the service which they did. The verbal abuse and attack on you Pastor Edi were extremely upsetting and having to watch your wife start shaking with fear for her husband and wanting to protect you from the onslaught of this attack was beyond comprehension. Codie was loud and aggressive in manner shouting out and pointing his finger at you calling you a liar and a hypocrite, this is defamation of character. Your daughter became extremely stressed having to watch you, and Maria being verbally abused by Codie and his supporters. This especially upset me seeing this fear and anxiety just envelope your daughter’s face with tears streaming down. I went to the entrance of the kitchen to find your daughter sobbing and was trying to console her. Eventually she calmed down and we three prayed for peace over you, Maria, the church. ….
Letter Excerpt 2
(HBC Husband and Wife New Members).
My wife and I were fairly new at Hope Baptist Church, Sunbury (we had only been going there for a few months) when Cody caused a big scene at the church on 17th March 2024.
We attended church that Sunday expecting the normal weekly church service. We certainly did not expect the unbiblical and disgraceful behavior that took place in the church that morning…..Everyone that was present was seated, waiting for the service to begin. Then moments later, the usual rest of the congregation all walked in the church together. I noticed that none of them brought their children that usually attended church with them. I had also noticed that one of the men who usually plays the guitar alongside the pianist, had no guitar with him. I noticed that leading this group of people was Cody, who did most of the very aggressive talking and accusations against Pastor Edi….They were shouting at Pastor Edi from their seats. Cody and his ‘followers’ (or more appropriately referred to the ‘mob’ because of their behavior that morning) caused so much confusion and chaos that visitors to the church and parents with young children walked out of the church.
Letter Excerpt 3
(Charter Member of Hope Baptist Church)
I was witness to the events which occurred on the 17th of March 2024. I came to Hope Baptist Church expecting a Sunday service like usual. That soon changed when Pastor Edi spoke about a text message that was sent out to the congregation on the 15th of March 2024. Which spoke about a group of people orchestrating a church split. Pastor than asked for those involved in the split to please stand up and exit. Cody then stood up and said that he was not a part of this group but would like to know who is. Pastor than said that Cody was one of them. There was a lot of back and forth conversation between Cody and the pastor which was difficult to follow, as Cody kept interrupting when Pastor and others were trying to speak. The way Cody spoke to pastor, his wife and the congregation was disgusting and extremely disrespectful. He told Maria (pastors wife) that she was not to speak on behalf of her husband….
Many people were brought to tears and utterly disgusted by the actions of Cody, Jason and others.
Before the service began, each member was emailed a letter from Cody telling them why Pastor Edi is no longer fit to lead a Church. The email was also printed and placed on the back tables for anyone to read.
Letter Excerpt 4
SMS Excerpt on the 17th March, 2024 at 2:46pm
(Charter Member of Hope Baptist Church, absent on the day)
Good afternoon Pr Edi;
I received a letter via email from Cody this morning that no doubt you are aware of. The allegation he makes against you are not nice to put it mildly. He is really sinking his teeth in and doubling down on you.
His claims are absurd but for new members that aren’t privileged to the behind the scenes and the history of Cody’s behavior, I’m hoping the mud against you doesn’t stick.
Cody is definitely opening himself up to be used by Satan. He is allowing his feelings and emotions to dictate his behavior instead of stay strong in the Lord and allowing the word of God to guide him in thought and action (easier said than done granted).
This is a personal attack at the most senior level of Hope Baptist Church; the Pastor! This attack cannot be taken lightly….
Just curious; have any of
those 20 people on the
bottom of Cody’s letter
come to you with any
concerns prior to this
letter?
Letter Excerpt 5
(Charter Member of Hope Baptist Church)
Dear Pastor Edi,
Today I witnessed something that I never thought I would experience in the remaining years that I have left,…
The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Pro 9:10. No respect was given to the congregation that came to worship. I ask, can any of those who separated themselves from the church gathering stand before a holy God and justify their actions.
Cody kept on badgering the Pastor with previously answered questions and it was evident that he was not going to cease until he made the pastor capitulate and give answers which he wanted to justify his objective whatever that may be.
In short, todays actions by Cody and his cohorts was nothing less than a (lynch?) mob for want of a stronger adjective.
If any visitors who were here today searching for a new home, they would no doubt have left and probably never return. Potentially a soul may have been lost through the misconduct of the lawless uprising.
Letter Excerpt 6
(Charter Member of Hope Baptist Church)
Quoting from 2 Tim 3:1-5
The key phrase I would draw your attention to is, “despisers of those that are good”.
As we seek to do good, know that evil is present with us (both within and without). We may possibly be hated by those we once considered friends. But rejoice because blessed are those who are persecuted for his namesake.
That the days are evil, was never more evident than last Sunday March 17th regarding what elapsed during the church service. This was nothing short of evil. Rather than employing biblical methods to resolve their grievances, the mob employed “rules for radicals”.
Everything perpetrated by these individuals was done in secret…in the dark.
Letter Excerpt 7, written directly to Cody Kereopa on the 13th of March 2024 by one of the leaders prior to his sedition.
Dear Cody, how far are you prepared to go if you don’t get your way? The church needs people like you who have displayed desirable qualities, but for some reason you have changed and can no longer be considered for ministry other than what the pastor has offered. The door is not yet closed, and I sincerely would like to see a genuine change in you that would make you fit for ministry in due course.
Yours sincerely in Christ
K…..
Cody, I just now watched the video of your testimony with tears running down my face. What happened?
Pastor’s Comment
Scripture presents an identifying marker of a wolf: The wolf never comes to gather the sheep but to scatter them (Jer 10:21, 23:1, John 10:12).
Cody Kereopa used the individuals who were deceived by him for his own personal vendetta. Those gathered (including himself) were all babes in Christ (Heb 5:12), they had more differences than they had commonalities. Now Scattered, and providing a clear testimony of the “fruit” of Cody Kereopa, attempt remains to deny the self-evident nature of this man, to hide the truth.
The excerpts above barely touch on the evil that occurred in our ministry both on that day and since. On that day, a day in which I was ironically preaching on “The Body of Christ” (Link), our Church looked nothing like the Biblical Body of Christ.
Two individuals were frightened to return to the Church due to this act, one of whom was a young woman who suffered an anxiety attack that morning as a result and left sending and sms to the pastor’s wife asking “is it safe to come to church on Sunday?”.
The countenance of some of those individuals were so changed that it startled many of the remnant, the devil so clearly being manifest in several of them, it was clear the entire event was satanically inspired. Such was also the witness of several of the leaders of Cody Kereopa during a meeting he sabotaged on the 31st of January 2024, which resulted in the first disciplinary action against him.
The Church body is to serve one another, the gathered “body” that disturbed our service that day were determined to serve only themselves. None more so than Cody Kereopa, who testified on that day that he “serves not the Lord Jesus Christ but his own belly“.
Summary
That SMS to my wife, by a woman who never returned, saddened this pastor greatly, for the shepherd is charged to protect his sheep but this pastor was too busy attempting to appease the goats. The sin of this pastor in doing so remains the greatest regret, but also the greatest lesson learnt.
Never would backbiting, sowing of discord or heresy be tolerated again, never!
The determination of this church the week following the sedition was to revoke the membership of 14 individuals and the fellowship of another 6 attendees.
All who signed their names to the document below and all who joined in affinity with Cody’s sect were removed: They testified that they have no place amongst us, they went out from us, but they were not of us (1 Jn 2:19). These people subverted the entire nature of relationships that ought to govern the church (1 Cor 13:4-7, Mt 18:15 et al), all for the diotrephic ambition of a prideful, entitled child in the faith.
Should Such Men Be Trained For The Pulpit?
Discern if you will whether such an unrepentant wolf is fit to minister among our Independent Baptist Churches. Is this our new standard? Is this what the Lord refers to as having “a good report of them which are without…” (1 Tim 3:7)?
Men such as Cody Kereopa may appear very much like sheep. Indeed, that pastor recently defended him after our rebuke to his first public sermon, as having
“a genuine heart for the Lord and in a world filled with bitterness and strife, his gentleness and grace is a breath of fresh air“.
When added to his “fruit” on the 17th March 2024, this pitiful statement proves Jesus own words …
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. ….
Longevity in a Church is not the standard by which matters are measured brethren. It took three years for Judas to manifest himself; The devil in Cody Kereopa took five years to manifest when the opportunity presented itself; Joash waited almost four decades till the death of his master before his “wolf” manifested (2 Chron 24:15-22), what is a single year in an ignorant ministry?
From the lying tongue of Ananias, through the subtlety of Jonadab and the treachery of Judas, to the conspiratorial and ambitious sedition of Absalom, this man and men like him deceive their way toward their diotrephic desires.
This particular man is one without empathy or conscience, he has no regard for law or regulation that is not practical to his purpose, he is manipulative and unpredictable, and this pastor’s personal experience testifies Cody’s subtlety is not limited to dividing only a Church.
“Put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1 Cor 5:13). If a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump (1 Cor 5:6, Gal 5:9), how will we stand before Jesus as true shepherds over his sheep if men such as this qualify to minister among us?
Undermining Church and Pastoral Authority
The full responsibility for this revelation is due to the contempt of a minister who has embraced Cody Kereopa and determined to train him in spite of the sedition committed on the 17th of March 2024.
That minister was once my pastor, who I had mistakenly also thought was my friend.
I attended Bible college with him, he married two of my children and buried my mother. The first church he planted was that which he set myself to pastor. Though we had superficial disagreements, I indeed thought of him as my familiar friend whom I trusted (Ps 41:9). This was testified to when he was the first man I called in tears after the sedition on that day, for both counsel and advice.
Such held true until, alarmingly, he revealed that he had ministered to members of the sedition, members of our church, prior to their act on the 17th of March 2024 without my knowledge. Then, If that were not bad enough, of his welcoming of the seducer into his Church without enquiry…and then of his astonishing intention to train him for a ministry nearby.
All this written in his letter to me in September 2025, privately responding in part to a formal professional enquiry requested of our church to his church as follows;
Email 11th September, 2025:
Hello Pr Frank,
I was going to call you to arrange to speak to you face to face, but thought it wiser to write and to have your formal response to the questions below respecting Cody Kereopa, and what we have been informed are your plans related to his future.
- We would like confirmation from you that you have now welcomed him into the fellowship of Faith Baptist Church without any requirement on his part to repent of the evil he did to the Church you planted.
- We would like confirmation from you that you have now affirmed your intention to have him prepared and legitimised to plant a church nearby.
- We would like you also to confirm that you believe the testimony given you by myself, the warning emailed you by Phillip McKenzie in July, and the documentation you have received respecting our dealings with Mr Kereopa, to be lies.
- We would like you to also confirm that you have provided your Church with the received information, both verbal and that written (being addressed to both yourself and Faith Baptist Church), prior to any consideration related to him. Does FBC know what this evil man did?
Your actions to date, from your communications with members of this sect prior to the sedition, your honouring of the sectarian group at the funeral of the co-conspirator, your welcoming of Cody Kereopa into your fold, and what seems to be your reward to him for his seditious act, leaves us with many other questions.
While we at Hope Baptist Church remain completely perplexed by your actions, nothing pains us more greatly than what we have recently been informed of respecting your intention to reward this evil man with his own fellowship. Such an act would indeed add insult to injury.
We would appreciate your early response in writing.
No formal response would ever be forthcoming. The unprofessional aspect of this was telling, that pastor did not wish to be questioned.
He did however provide a vile and accusatory response on the 19th September 2025 to an previous heart felt warning email, answering in the affirmative the first three questions, the last question was left conspicuously unanswered.
His was a ministry without my knowledge, without my consent; knowing of danger but without any warning, and sadly remains to this day without his repentance.
Extent of Such ‘Ministry’.
The ministry was long enough to recognise that a “split was forming in your church“.
How could it be that he knew of such a development well before this pastor had known? How is it that in knowing such was “forming”, he had not called his “familiar friend” to warn him? With 70 souls being ministered to weekly at the time, it could not be a single couple or a mere handful he was aware of before recognising that a “split was forming“, it is evident he was aware of a number of individuals gathering around Cody.
That pastor was familiar enough to be invited to and attend the funeral of the co-conspirator who died the following day.
It was this revelation that stunned this pastor; ‘how did he even know him?’, ‘how familiar was that pastor with him that he could be invited to his funeral?’; ‘How is it possible that he felt obliged to be there?’; and ‘why is it that that pastor did not wisely suggest such attendance to be imprudent in light of the circumstances?’ ‘What on earth is going on?’.
Such were the questions that plagued both my own mind but also that of all who were told of that pastor’s intention to attend the funeral of the man through whom the gossip in our church was first facilitated and first reprimanded. Phillip McKenzie (our charter member, now deacon) and our charter member-elder Kest Uscinas were the first to ask respecting the logical conclusion of complicity of that pastor.
Finally, the ministry of that pastor to our members was intimate enough for his welcoming and training of Cody Kereopa, the leader of the sedition, and to reward him for a future pastoral role under his stewardship.
The end result of that pastor’s ministry to our members was the sedition that occurred in our Church in March 2024.
To this day, no protestations from myself or the deacon would alter that pastor’s perspective and no plea for him to contact any member of the remnant to learn of our side of the story, would be accepted. All opportunity to hear from the remnant was simply rejected out of hand with the sanctimonious statement;
“I do not have confidence that they can provide an objective point of reference”.
Only the words of those who would naturally wish to justify their act were blindly accepted as true by that pastor.
No amount of information; from the discipline of Cody Kereopa to the wolf’s own defamation, would he see as credible evidence of evil. To this day there remains no love for the truth and no desire to seek it respecting this matter.
Today he lifts Cody Kereopa to a public pulpit (Link) and wrote of his intent to train him for ministry amongst Independent Baptist Churches, all with the knowledge of what Cody did, but no conscience as to its evil. Is this now acceptable in I.B. Churches today?
Summary of ‘Undermining…”
From that pastor’s length of secret ministry to our members, to attendance of a funeral for members he ought not to have been so familiar, to his exaltation and reward of the wolf, all demonstrating intimacy with the sheep of another man’s pasture, and most of all, his unwillingness to learn the truth, leads us now naturally to a determination of complicity to one degree or another.
A Matters To Consider.
- Cody Kereopa was disciplined for his act and put out of the Church in accord with 1 Cor 5:3-6 and our Church Covenant. How can repentance be pressed into such a man when the authority and ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict him is undermined by a coddling pastor who not only justifies his sin, but rewards him for it?
- Hope Baptist Church, together with its pastor, leaders and congregation are now themselves seen as liars and evil for putting out a man for his evil acts. The testimony above is an astonishingly clear representation of Isaiah 5:20; a switch of the biblical standard of truth has occurred against our church by that pastor. Never had we thought to witness such a distortion among Independent Baptist Churches. Is this to be the acceptable norm brethren?
- If that pastor’s subversion of our pastoral office is witnessed as justifiable in the eyes of congregations, which pastor among you will be able to stand when his office is attacked (details below)?
- If the counsellors of the godless Ahasuerus were wise enough to see the implication of Vashti’s revolt, how can we not see that the deed of that pastor would not spread abroad to all congregants and their pastors become despised in their eyes when it is reported (Est 1:16-18)?
- If a pastor can vindicate the sedition of another church, how shall he stand when it comes to his own church?
We do not know why our former pastor has turned up his heal against us, but we do know that such an act diminishes the authority of all pastors.
The decision to accept a little leaven will be yours to consider my brothers, what is certain is that if there will be no change to any democratic style of constitution, you will unlikely survive such spots in your feasts of charity.
Summary Of ‘Matters…’
The choice to mollify the sin of that pastor and to thereby accept men such as Cody Kereopa ministering among you is your own.
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
The Church is NOT a Democracy brethren!
God does not work this way and never has. Cody Kereopa took advantage of what he had seen as a weakness in our constitution, to deliberately boast of gathering at least “half the members of the church” for the purpose of overthrowing the pastoral office of the Church.
The choice respecting your constitutions is left to those of you who know its strengths and weaknesses.
YOU MUST however look to make the changes necessary to protect your own churches, and especially that of the pastoral office. Scripture holds the precedent respecting accusations against an elder (1 Tim 5:19), so too respecting relationship reconciliation (Matt 18:15-17) and any heresy (Tit 3:10).
No member has a right to the conspiratorial sedition of Cody Kereopa.
PASTORAL STANDARDS
NO PASTOR has the right to unqualified ministry to the members of another church. NO PASTOR has the right to interfere in the disciplinary actions undertaken by the leadership of another church!
This must be the standard at least between Independent Baptist Churches.
All of us as pastors are well aware of the nature of our ministry to individuals in our churches, some of which extends over many years under many diverse situations, much of which is private. No effort of our lengthy ministry to members of our churches should be assumed by a self-conceited pastor as unlawful. Very little of our private dealings could ever be subject to the scrutiny of those who could not possibly know of all the situational events, nor are such private matters to be subject to public enquiry.
Pastors have a responsibility to advise on matters according to the scriptures, those whom they counsel are free to accept or reject such counsel. Never are complaints against such counsel to be simply assumed as justifiable, especially when the fiduciary duty of their pastors prevents any private ministry to be employed in a public defence of their ministry!
Brethren, ALL PASTORS of independent Baptist Churches are to be given the benefit of the doubt by other pastors (Members clearly have a right to reject the ministry given them and to either address the pastor directly or leave the church if they believe their matter to be handled unbiblically).
No pastor can possibly have the right therefore to minister to the members of another church without the involvement of that pastor. No pastor is to assume the responsibility over the members of another congregation, such an act is irresponsible at best and, depending upon the bias of the pastor, injurious to all respective ministries at worst.
Pastors unlawfully ministering to members of other churches cannot but dig a hole for themselves: in the undermining of the authority of other ministries they undermine their own.
While pastors may certainly find themselves questioned by dissatisfied members of other Churches from time to time, they are NEVER to minister at length to these sheep without the knowledge of their shepherds. And most significant of all, they are NEVER to presume they have all the information to make any righteous judgement.
THERE MUST BE AN ETHICAL STANDARD TAUGHT TO FUTURE PASTORS!
THE DISSEMINATED DOCUMENT.
The document below has already been seen by those of you this pastor sought the counsel of not long after the event. I truly thank those Pastors who were discerning enough to recognise it for what it is.
Consider Cody Kereopa’s own words.
Replace this pastor’s name with your own name, and consider the nature of that which he claims constitutes disqualification as a pastor. Note the list of “charges” to be the advertised best evil he managed to excavate (Prov 16:27) to convince the remnant of the Church of the seriousness of his claim. And finally, recall the context which originally motivated his act.
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Conclusion
Beloved, our responsibility is now concluded.
While the letter is lengthy, it contains the information necessary to both warn you and relieve us of any further responsibility to you.
We have been forced to mark him which caused “divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine“, my encouragement to you now is to “avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the heart of the simple“. (Romans 16:17-18).
We would certainly not have taken this serious action had Cody Kereopa been refused entry into any I.B. church without first repenting of his sin.
Pastors have a responsibility to rebuke such acts;
“and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them”
(Eph 5:11).
There is no question: Cody Kereopa sowed discord, committed sedition and split the first church he was ever a member of.
Tragically, my former pastor and the individual I counted a friend, betrayed the trust and sanctity of the first church he had ever planted.
If this a sign of the division spoken of within the scriptures respecting the days in which we live, what a sorrow it truly shall be as it develops further. Our church has not been spared such grief, respectful relationship with my pastor has also now become part of the price of such sin, and my own family has not been left unscathed by it.
My anger has turned to grief, my grief to bitterness, my bitterness to the joy in the knowledge that the Word of the Lord is true and we are nearer than when we first believed. Such joy leads naturally to hope, all will certainly be revealed when the darkness is dispelled.
Pray for these men brethren, please earnestly pray for them, for if they would judge themselves, they will be not judged. How I pray a time will come when vanity and pride becomes contrition and repentance, for these only are the sacrifices pleasing to the Lord (Ps 51:17).
Lastly, I would like to publicly thank my wife Maria and my deacon Phillip who stood by my side at the pulpit the day of the sedition, one to my right and the other to my left. You were both a picture of courage and strength that day amongst an angry mob who had no idea of why they were there.
Phillip and Kest, we have known one another for thirty years now, your willingness to stand for the truth and your courage to take criticism is what our Church needs to ward off the evil that comes our way. The devil now knows where we stand, and we will stand.
Satan tried and failed, and tried again and failed again, and tried even against my own family, but he will fail again in due time.
Truth is manifest by light and courage shines forth alone. Cowards love obscurity and darkness, with confidence only in a crowd.
God bless you all.
Pr Edi Giudetti
Deacon Phillip McKenzie.
Elder Charter member Kest Uscinas
On behalf of Hope Baptist Church.
0 Comments