Good Ole Boys Club — E.A. Johnston

Exclusive Clubs and Blackballing

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.

Exclusivity and Social Gatekeeping

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 walls.

Locker room in the men's room and if anyone didn't like the way you look they could take it down and deny you membership. This way these old boys could keep minorities out of the club. I 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. Oh, welcome to the south. For years. I have been a Southern Baptist and I see a lot of similarities in it and of those other Institutions, it's basically a good old boys club.

The Inner Circle of Denominational Leadership

They have an inner circle. You can't get into unless they allow you in there. They promote from within and whoever's grown as church The fastest is the pastor. They will slap on the back and promote them up the ladder of that good old boys club.

Like a good old boys 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 boys club.

The Need for Church Discipline and Accountability

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 to miss him quietly and sweep it all under the rug. This may have worked in the past, but it's not the past anymore.

Religious Elites and Jesus’ Rebuke of the Pharisees

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 boys club may be fine for upper society, but it's no place in a religious denomination. Jesus denounced the good old boys 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.