Author: andy.rowell

Plural leadership instead of a single leader

Yes, "absolute power corrupts absolutely." But I caution churches when they are excited about two co-pastors or a team of three, because by force of personality, one tends to emerge as the public leader. I gently suggest that plural leadership often introduces other challenges.

The Constitutional Convention briefly considered a presidency of more than 1 man.

But–as Hamilton suggests in the Federalist–co-presidents would hide behind each other to deny their sins.

There had to be a one-man executive, so he would be held accountable for his actions.
— Dr. Joanne Freeman (@jbf1755 on lots o’ platforms) (@jbf1755) January 8, 2021

France created a five man executive in 1795. Four years and four coups d’état later, in came Bonaparte.
— David A. Bell (@DavidAvromBell) January 8, 2021

Originally tweeted by Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) on January 8, 2021.

January 8, 2021
Christian politicians in Georgia: 1969 and 2021

Thread 👇
In 1969, when Raphael Warnock was born, the Georgia governor was Lester Maddox, who became famous for chasing away at gunpoint three Black seminary students coming to his chicken restaurant in 1964—after the Civil Rights Act.

When Raphael Warnock was born in 1969, his U.S. senators in Georgia were segregationists Herman Talmadge and Richard Russell.

Warnock will now be the first Black person to represent Georgia in the Senate.
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) January 6, 2021

Martin Luther King Jr. was very upset when Maddox won the race for governor in 1966. The Klu Klux Klan had supported Maddox. A Baptist (like King), Maddox believed segregation was "Christian and American." He did not allow King's body to lie in state at the State Capitol in 1968.

Bob Jones University gave him an honorary doctorate in 1969.

Maddox was born in 1915 and died in 2003. My Grandma was also born in 1915 and is still alive at 105.

Stacey Abrams lost by 1.4% in the 2018 Georgia governor's race. She helped Warnock win the Senate seat in 2021.

Stacey Abrams

Listening to the Daily. Stacey Abrams was the child of 2 #UMC pastors. She grew the movement by following old church growth books.
— Carol Howard (@CarolHoward) January 4, 2021

Truett McConnell University president.
Baptist Convention of the State of Georgia.

https://twitter.com/EmirCaner/status/1347226898980548609

Originally tweeted by Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) on January 8, 2021.

January 8, 2021
The DeVos avoidance of integrity and accountability

DeVos Thread

Dick DeVos, Betsy's husband, is the chair of the board of the Global Leadership Network (Willow Creek Association) that runs The Global Leadership Summit. Nancy Beach, Jon Wallace, and Kara Powell resigned in 2015 because the Board would not investigate Bill Hybels.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigns after Capitol insurrection, says Trump 'rhetoric' was 'inflection point.'
— Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) January 8, 2021

Chicago Tribune:

Recall @NancyOrtberg @KPowellFYI @presjonwallace resigned from the WCA Board @wcagls in 2015 because of "the board’s decision not to pursue another inquiry." The rest of the WCA Board needs to express deep regret for their mistake. https://t.co/m2jjMtQsCT
— Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) May 18, 2018

Dick DeVos signed the May 2018 letter.
https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/997250673073905664?s=20

Here was my July 2018 response:

Open letter to the Willow Creek Association Board about its handling of the Bill Hybels situation and the Global Leadership Summit @wcagls @trdevries @DickDeVos https://t.co/bsUQLlvdBA
— Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) July 3, 2018

Dick DeVos inherited his money from his father who started Amway. (Listen to the The Dream podcast by Jane Marie about multi-level marketing (MLM)).

Amway admits in the fine print that:
99.5% of Amway "Independent Business Owners" do not make $12,303 per year. https://t.co/2gLOxkHtM1 https://t.co/8yi6awoGsS
But hey the DeVos family who started the pyramid scheme and are at the top still make money even if 99.5% struggle.
— Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) July 4, 2019

The DeVos family also opposed their local Congressman Justin Amash when as a Republican he voted to impeach Trump.
https://twitter.com/JeremyKonyndyk/status/1133543845692628997?s=20, and

Meanwhile, "DeVos family ends longtime Amash support," @jonathanoosting reports for @detroitnews https://t.co/1kc3xboYdr
— Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) May 22, 2019

And Betsy's brother is Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater. Blackwater employees slaughtered Iraqis. Trump pardoned them in December 2020.

The DeVos theme is defending unethical behavior in order to make money and get done what the DeVos family thinks needs to get done. The ends justify the means.

Betsy DeVos is resigning so she does not need to keep a man accountable.

These cabinet officials aren't resigning over Trump's incitement of the riot. They're resigning to duck their responsibilities under the 25th amendment.

Elanie Chao, Betsy DeVos, cowards to the end. https://t.co/ZikTMBuHsY
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) January 8, 2021

👀

.@BetsyDeVosED has resigned. Reminder: https://t.co/CPvwpaKvgg
— Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (@RevDrBarber) January 8, 2021

Originally tweeted by Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) on January 8, 2021.

January 8, 2021