What Happened at Bethlehem Baptist Church? Part 2

Guest Bios Show Transcript Documents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDJgYAzNZMI Is the turmoil at Bethlehem Baptist Church simply the result of different theological and political convictions? Or, is it due to spiritual abuse and control at the highest levels? In part two of my podcast on What Happened at Bethlehem Baptist, former members Steve and Janette Takata describe how a Bethlehem elder, Andy Naselli, reportedly disparaged and gossiped about them behind their backs. But when they confronted Naselli with his sin, he refused to ask for forgiveness, they say. And in exclusive audio shared with The Roys Report, Naselli argues that asking for forgiveness would be "lying to make peace" because the harm he inflicted was unintentional. The Takatas also share how an elder attacked Steve Takata personally when the couple approached the elder board with what they felt were disqualifying sins by Naselli. The Takatas say the board also effectively threatened them with church discipline if they brought a motion requesting a third-party investigation before the church. You'll hear about these and other concerning details involving not only a high-profile church, but a college and seminary that's training future pastors. This Weeks Guests Steve and Janette Takata Steve and Janette Takata attended Bethlehem Baptist Church (BBC) for around 31 and 18 years respectively and were members of the church the majority of that time.  Steve has served at BBC in Media Ministries and Janette has served in the MOMS group--they've both served in various youth ministries. They withdrew their membership from BBC in July 2021.  Steve and Janette have four adopted and two biological children. Listen To Episode One Show Transcript SPEAKERS JANETTE TAKATA, JULIE ROYS, ANDY NASELLI, STEVE TAKATA JULIE ROYS 00:00 Bethlehem Baptist Church is reeling from the resignation of three pastors and the exodus of hundreds of members. There also have been numerous allegations of spiritual abuse and calls for an independent investigation. But what really happened at Bethlehem Baptist? Welcome to The Roys Report, a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. I’m Julie Roys. And joining me today for Part II of my podcast on Bethlehem Baptist, are former longtime members Steve and Janette Takata. As they explained in Part 1, they unwittingly found themselves at the epicenter of a storm at Bethlehem after proposing two motions at a church meeting last January. This led one church elder and professor at Bethlehem College and Seminary to threaten to resign if the motion passed. That elder is Andy Naselli, and as the Takatas recounted in the months after the January meeting, Naselli said things about the Takatas in numerous public and private context, that the Takatas felt were not just disparaging, but slanderous. This brings us to a very important meeting between the Takatas and Andy Naselli with several Bethlehem elders present. We pick up our conversation there, but first I’d like to thank the sponsors of this podcast, Judson University and Marquardt of Barrington. Judson University is a top ranked Christian university providing a caring community and an excellent college experience. Plus, the school offers more than 60 majors great leadership opportunities and strong financial aid. Judson University is shaping lives that shaped the world. For more information, just go to Judsonu.edu. Also, if you’re looking for a quality new or used car, I highly recommend my friends at Marquardt of Barrington. Marquardt is a Buick GMC dealership where you can expect honesty, integrity, and transparency. That’s because the owners there Dan and Kurt Marquardt are men of character. To check them out. Just go to buyacar123.com. Now, here’s part two of my conversation with Steve and Jannette Takata. When things like this happen in church, I wish people would go to the people involved, get first-hand accounts of what happened. Not people