The Eldership

 The Eldership of Wellspring is a curious and bizarre take on having a plurality of elders. Most churches see the scriptural patter of multiple elders or pastors, but the Wellspring “doctrine” and Chris Otis bylaws version of it is very strange. They have about 10 elders, all teaching elders, trying to have equal authority and say in everything, but really everything is dictated and run by one person: Elder Chris Otis.  He is the first word and the last word in everything, and anyone who really disagrees with him or won’t let him do what he wants is removed and ostracized. Kind of like Julius Caesar in the Roman Republic. 

 But the Eldership had to go this route, otherwise these other elders would not have supported Chris Otis in his rebellion, in his coup against the James family.  He had to promise them greater power and more preaching and teaching opportunities and a fair shake for each one, at least initially. 

 It is worth an update on the recent addition of a two new elders from the former destroyed and dismembered Columbus Church. In particular, Jason Elliott has left an indelible mark on Wellspring as a forerunner of cruelty, viciousness, harshness, arrogance, and greed. He seems to have been appointed to carry on the corrupt legacy that Elder Chris Otis has begun.

I think some of the elders of Wellspring started off with good intentions and desired to be a good man of God serving his church, but that was not the path he was going to take. When he signed up to be a part of Chris Otis’ eldership, he had to sign up for and take on everything that came with it: the corruption, the false promises, the half-truths, the elder summons of friends and family. What is more heart-breaking are the one’s who were forced to sit through cringe-worthy meetings and confrontations and keep up a “united front” for the eldership while their own conscience was tormented that they had become a part of this corruption. I hope some will do the right thing one day regarding their continued part and share in this, but I am not optimistic.

 “If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, all his ministers become wicked.”  Proverbs 29:12

It has been emphasized and stated over and over, how Wellspring NOW has a plurality of elders and how unique and better this is. However, Lakeview always had a plurality of elders - Lakeview had always had 2 or 3 pastors who shared in all key matters, counseling, and doctrinal discussions, and even a few, key senior elders who were given precedence over the rest of the elders. So, Wellspring, you always had a plurality of elders - defined as “more than one.” The plurality was there, but this new “doctrine” was just more window-dressing.

A key to Chris Otis’ takeover had to be find a government model that appealed to the egos of the other elders so he could finally usurp and overthrown Norman II and be king. Plurality to him was a just a means to get himself on the throne and a few key family and friends of his into enviable positions of influence and authority.