Good Ole Boys Club
E.A. Johnston critiques the exclusivity and hypocrisy of the 'good ole boys club' mentality within religious institutions, urging the church to embrace true inclusivity and accountability.
In this topical sermon, E.A. Johnston draws from personal experiences with exclusive social clubs to expose similar patterns of exclusivity and lack of accountability within certain church leadership circles. He challenges the church to move beyond the 'good ole boys club' mentality and embrace true inclusivity and discipline, referencing Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees as a powerful example. Johnston’s candid reflections call for integrity and reform in religious communities.
Full Transcript
When I was in college, I was the member of a Greek fraternity, and it was up to me and another fraternity brother to get rid of a pledge who wanted to join our little old boys club. But as far as we were concerned, he didn't pass muster. He was uncouth and didn't dress right, and he just wouldn't fit in, so we got rid of him by blackballing him.
We passed around a wooden box that had two handles on it and a hole in the middle, and we each held a white ball in one hand and a black ball in the other. And when his name came around, we put the black ball in the box. I'm not condoning my actions as a younger man.
I'm merely relating them to you, friends. When I was a little older, I belonged to an exclusive country club in the South, and if you wanted to be a member, you had to be recommended by two dues-paying members. And then they took a photo of you and pinned it on the wall's locker room in the men's room, and if anyone didn't like the way you looked, they could take it down and deny you membership.
This way, these old boys could keep minorities out of the club. I took my wife to the first membership meeting, and I made her put on a fancy black dress and pearls, and when we got to the country club, they looked upset. And the manager rushed over to my wife and said she was not welcome at the meeting.
It was for men only. She replied, You've got to be kidding. And the manager said, Sorry, ma'am.
Welcome to the South. For years I have been a Southern Baptist, and I see a lot of similarities in it and those other institutions. It's basically a good old boy's club.
They have an inner circle you can't get into unless they allow you in there. They promote from within, and whoever has grown his church the fastest is the pastor. They will slap on the back and promote him up the ladder of that good old boy's club.
Like a good old boy's club, they hold the reins to a lot of power. But like those other good old boy clubs I mentioned, there are many negatives that give themselves a black eye as well. Because it's a good old boy's club, there is little church discipline.
If a bad egg is on staff at a church, they will usually gloss it over, look the other way, or dismiss him quietly and sweep it all under the rug. This may have worked in the past, but it's not the past anymore. I'm reminded of a story I heard about the exclusive Augusta National Club where the Masters is played.
A journalist was allowed in the men's grill, and two older members were sitting at a window having lunch, and the journalist wrote they looked as if they were awaiting the latest news from the Civil War. A good old boy's club may be fine for upper society, but it's no place in a religious denomination. Jesus denounced the good old boy's club in his day by calling woes upon the scribes and the Pharisees who held the reins of power, and when they saw their little club threatened, they eventually crucified the Lord of Glory.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Personal experiences with exclusive clubs
- The blackballing process in fraternities
- Exclusionary practices in country clubs
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II
- Comparison of exclusive clubs to Southern Baptist churches
- Inner circles and promotion within church leadership
- The power held by the 'good ole boys club'
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III
- Negatives of exclusivity in the church
- Lack of church discipline and accountability
- Sweeping problems under the rug
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IV
- Jesus’ denouncement of the Pharisees and scribes
- The dangers of protecting exclusive power structures
- Call for true inclusivity and integrity in the church
Key Quotes
“Welcome to the South. For years I have been a Southern Baptist, and I see a lot of similarities in it and those other institutions. It's basically a good old boy's club.” — E.A. Johnston
“If a bad egg is on staff at a church, they will usually gloss it over, look the other way, or dismiss him quietly and sweep it all under the rug.” — E.A. Johnston
“Jesus denounced the good old boy's club in his day by calling woes upon the scribes and the Pharisees who held the reins of power.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Examine your own church community for exclusivity and seek to promote inclusivity.
- Encourage and support proper church discipline to maintain spiritual health.
- Reject hypocrisy and embrace transparency in leadership roles.