Let’s talk about something that ought to make you stop and think.
Your child questions Calvary Temple? Your child is rebellious and pulling you away from God. Your husband wants you out of there? He’s trying to take you away from God. Your mother wants a relationship with you? She’s competing with God. Your sibling raises concerns? Better stop talking to them.
WHAT?!
And we’re supposed to believe this is all about serving God?
No. This is about what happens when a religious leader’s influence becomes so powerful that the people closest to you can be portrayed as enemies simply because they don’t agree with him.
But there’s something else I want you to notice. Tactics isn’t just describing family disagreements. The post is exposing a mindset in which a pastor’s demands can be treated as God’s commands, leaving people feeling that they must choose between their loved ones and their faith.
And when you believe that choice is required by God? That’s a dangerous place to be.
Original post: “My Precious” — August 7, 2015, including the embedded video and Scripture references.
From a young age we are taught that Calvary Temple doctrine/traditions are the final and most authoritative way to please God. So when our pastor decides to sacrifice/consume one of us for his pleasure, how do you say no? It is like saying no to God! [Let’s be clear. When pastor refers to God’s will, think: what Pastor Scott wills. One and the same. Example: If God says pastor needs more money, pastor needs more money. All the tithe is mine, meaning – pastor’s] A few tiny deeds we regularly see here in Calvary Temple-land:
You are being lured away from God [meaning pastor] by your rebellious child. Kick them out now!
Your husband wants to take you away from God [meaning pastor] – leave him today!
You love your mother more than God [meaning pastor] – get rid of her now!
Your sibling is enticing you away from God [meaning pastor] – stop talking to them immediately!
Your wife is undermining your authority [meaning pastors] – put that vile woman away from here now
FYI Pastor. We are not yours. We are precious, but not to you. To God. You have stolen us from others, stolen from us those we love. But soon our God will come. He rescue us from your thieving, white hands.
But God says, “Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 7:8-11). “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:12-13). “And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves…And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him:for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine” (Mark 11:15, 17,18).
One and the Same? REALLY?
Tactics writes:
“When pastor refers to God’s will, think: what Pastor Scott wills. One and the same.”
Read that again.
Pastor Scott’s will and God’s will. One and the same.
Well, isn’t that convenient?
If Bob Scott wants something, it’s God’s will. If he decides somebody is a problem, that person becomes a spiritual problem. And if he tells you that someone you love is pulling you away from God, what are you supposed to do? After all, you’ve been taught that disagreeing with the pastor means disagreeing with God Himself.
See how this works?
From a young age, according to Tactics, people are taught that Calvary Temple’s doctrines and traditions are the final authority on pleasing God. So what happens when those teachings are used to justify something that should make you stop dead in your tracks?
Do you question it? Or do you silence that little voice (in truth that little voice is God’s Holy Spirit) telling you something isn’t right because you’re afraid of being disobedient to God?
When a man convinces you that his will and God’s will are one and the same, he has put himself in a position that belongs to God alone.
And that’s not a minor theological disagreement. It has real consequences for real people.
Your Family Is the Problem? Let’s Look at That.
Tactics gives us five examples: a rebellious child, a husband, a mother, a sibling, and a wife.
Different relationships. Same basic message: if that person threatens the Bob Scott’s influence, get rid of them.
Your child questions what’s happening at Calvary Temple? Kick them out.
Your husband doesn’t want you involved? Leave him.
Your mother wants to remain part of your life? Cut her off.
Your sibling voices concerns? Stop talking to them.
Your wife challenges the authority being exercised over your household? Put her away.
DO YOU SEE THE PATTERN?
The person isn’t necessarily accused of committing some terrible offense. The problem, as Tactics describes it, is that the person may be pulling someone away from the pastor.
And apparently, the solution is to sacrifice the relationship.
I don’t think that it’s necessary to clarify, but just in case, allow me to be clear. There are legitimate reasons to distance yourself from a family member, including abuse and danger. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the use of spiritual pressure to convince people that maintaining ordinary family relationships is somehow disloyal to God.
There’s a HUGE difference.
Think about the consequences. A parent and child become estranged. A marriage breaks down. A mother loses contact with her daughter. Siblings stop speaking to each other.
And the person making that choice may believe they’re doing God’s will.
That’s what makes this so heartbreaking. When people believe that a human leader speaks with God’s authority, they can be persuaded to make decisions they might otherwise recognize as destructive.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: we need to look at what is actually happening, not just what it’s called. Calling something obedience doesn’t automatically make it righteous.
I know Calvary Temple from the inside. I left in December 2007, and I’ve been speaking out about my experiences ever since. When the Loudoun Times-Mirror began its article series in early 2015, I protested outside Calvary Temple every Sunday for a year.
I didn’t do that because I had nothing better to do. I did it because I believed people needed to know what was happening and have an opportunity to examine it for themselves.
So when I read a post like this, I don’t see an abstract argument about religious authority. I see allegations about a system in which loyalty to a leader can come at the expense of relationships, independent judgment, and a person’s understanding of their faith.
That deserves to be taken seriously.
My Precious — But Whose?
Let’s come back to the title and the video.
Tactics writes:
“We are not yours. We are precious, but not to you. To God.”
There’s a lot packed into those words.
People are not property. They don’t belong to Bob Scott. Their families don’t belong to him, either. And a pastor doesn’t get to claim ownership over somebody’s life simply because that person attends his church.
The question is simple: Who does a religious leader think he is when people are made to feel that their lives and relationships must be arranged around his demands?
A pastor is not Jesus Christ. He is not entitled to unquestioning obedience, and his wishes do not become God’s wishes just because he says they do.
The video reference makes the title memorable, but the underlying issue is serious. What happens when people become so accustomed to a leader’s control that they no longer recognize how much of their lives they have surrendered?
And what happens when somebody finally questions it?
That’s why the voices of former members matter. Their experiences deserve to be heard and examined, not automatically dismissed because they no longer attend.
What Does Scripture Say?
Tactics closes with Jeremiah 7:8–11 and the accounts in Matthew 21:12–13 and Mark 11:15–18.
In Jeremiah 7, God confronts people who trust in lying words, engage in wrongdoing, and then presume that standing in His house somehow makes everything acceptable.
In Matthew 21, Jesus drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple, overturns the tables of the money changers, and declares that God’s house has been made a den of thieves. Mark records the same confrontation and tells us that the chief priests and scribes sought a way to destroy Jesus because they feared Him.
Why include these passages?
Because religious appearances don’t excuse wrongdoing. A person can occupy a position of religious authority and still be accountable to God. A building can be called a house of worship without everything happening inside it being pleasing to Him.
And claiming to represent God does not put anyone beyond examination.
I’m not saying these passages, by themselves, establish every allegation against Calvary Temple. I’m saying that the principle matters: God’s Word is the standard—not a man’s claim to speak for God.
So read the Scriptures. Examine them in context. Don’t let anybody convince you that asking whether a teaching is biblical makes you rebellious.
That’s not rebellion. That’s a question worth answering.
Bob Scott: REPENT.
Bob Scott, and those who continue to uphold this system, you need to take these concerns seriously.
If people are being taught to treat your wishes as God’s commands, that should concern you. If family relationships are being damaged because of pressure to demonstrate loyalty to you, that should concern you. And if people believe that leaving Calvary Temple means leaving God, you need to examine the message they’re receiving, at the very least.
REPENT.
I’m not interested in excuses for why people who speak out should be dismissed, discredited, or treated as enemies. I’m interested in whether what is being taught and practiced lines up with the Word of God.
You are not God, Bob Scott. You are not above accountability, and neither is anyone else.
If your teachings can withstand examination, then let them be examined. If your actions are biblical, let them be evaluated against Scripture. What have you got to lose?
You and I both know the answer to that question, Bob, don’t we?
But don’t expect people to accept your authority as a substitute for the truth. And don’t expect those who question you to simply go away.
To the Bobites: It’s Time to Wake Up.
If you’re still attending Calvary Temple – and you’ve allowed yourself to read this – I want you to think about what you’ve just read.
Have you actually investigated the concerns raised by former members? Have you examined the history? Or have you accepted what you’ve been told about anyone who dares to speak out?
Those are two very different things.
Don’t dismiss this because I’m a former member. Don’t accept it simply because I’m saying it, either. Do your own research.
Look at the evidence. Read the accounts. Compare what you’re being taught with Scripture. And if you’re being pressured to turn away from family members because they question Calvary Temple, ask yourself WHY.
Don’t be afraid of the questions.
You can begin with the VIP LINKSand VIP DOCS pages here on MCTTBC. I’ve gathered resources to help readers investigate the issues for themselves. Use them. Follow the information and make up your own mind.
I know that examining something you’ve believed for years can be difficult. But difficulty is no reason to avoid the truth.
Thinking About Attending Calvary Temple?
Please do your homework BEFORE you walk through those doors.
Don’t rely solely on what the organization says about itself. Look at its history. Read former members’ accounts. Examine the evidence and compare what you learn with Scripture.
And my advice?
STAY OUT OF CALVARY TEMPLE.
I’m telling you that plainly because I believe people deserve to know the concerns before they become involved. You don’t have to take my word for it. But you should take the time to investigate before making a decision that could affect you and your family.
The Bottom Line
The question raised by My Precious is bigger than one blog post. It’s about what happens when a man’s authority is treated as God’s authority—and what people may be willing to sacrifice because they believe it.
Bob Scott, REPENT.
Calvary Temple attendees, WAKE UP and examine what you’re being taught.
And if you’re considering attending, do your research and stay out.
I’ve spent years speaking out because I believe these issues matter. I’m not going to pretend otherwise to make the message more comfortable.
Jesus Christ is Lord. Bob Scott is not.
And no human leader has the right to claim God’s people as his own.
