mindy bak north heights lutheran church arden hills mn: the toxic aftermath of mike breen 3dm

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Following North Heights Lutheran Church (NHLC) extrication from the clutches of 3DM in April 2014, there is an ongoing bitter dispute with details emerging that NHLC are experiencing a gargantuan division due to financial difficulties, the closure of its satellite church in Roseville and leadership problems. Interim Pastor, Mindy Bak, has been accused of attempting to gain leverage by feeding the secular press her own very biased view of the troubled situation, saying that "many have rebelled" - strong words from the woman who is at the epicentre of these problems! The congregation of NHLC has decreased dramatically by two-thirds from 3,400 at its peak about ten years ago, to 1,600 a week earlier this year according to Interim Pastor, Mindy Bak. A breakaway group of about 900 strong calling themselves "Bondservants" are now meeting at the AmericInn Hotel & Suites in Mounds View. 

MELINDA (MINDY) BAK:
Interim Senior Pastor North Heights Lutheran Church 
Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area 
 2007 – Present (8 years) Arden Hills 
Education:
University of Wisconsin-Madison
BA Journalism, Print and Documentary Production 1980 – 1984
Luther Northwestern Theolgoical Seminary
M.Div., Pastoral Studies and Theology 1984 – 1988

It appears that no thorough background check was carried out on Bak when she was employed as a staff member of NHLC in 2007. Bak is said to have been removed and escorted out of two previous churches for dishonesty and deception. A horrifying catalogue of Bak's alleged misdeeds can be found on the link below {1}. Bak resigned her previous position as Principal of Gethsemane School and her membership of Gethsemane Lutheran Church following a successful vote by members of to remove her. Frankly, had the leadership of NHLC not been so negligent, they might have avoided this awful situation!

Bob Shaw's Article at TwinCities.com. Pioneer Press Local News: North Heights Lutheran Church is a Church Torn Apart dated the 3rd of October has many inaccuracies and is obviously biased towards Bak. The acrimonious comments at the end of his article give quite a different picture and speak for themselves. Bak has attempted to claim that this is a gender issue, though her detractors vigorously deny that gender has any bearing on the problems.

NHLC:  "It is our desire that this church body be functioning through and reliant solely on the Word of God, the Lordship of Jesus, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit." It always amazes me when churches make these kinds of statements, but then only implement them when it is convenient!  (Luke 6:46-49) 

      RED FLAGS AT NHLC - A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE:

• 1 Timothy 2:12 precludes a woman from taking up a pastoral role in authority over men. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; 
• Bak's history of dishonesty and divisiveness.
• Bak was part of the leadership of NHLC when they introduced 3DM. Where was the spiritual discernment at NHLC prior to taking on Breen/3DM? They could not have done their homework or they would have known about Breen's ecumenism and the scandal surrounding the Nine O'Clock Service. In my view, it was foolish of NHLC to allow Bak to continue in leadership after the removal of 3DM (aka 3D Movements aka Missional Communities UK).
• North Heights Lutheran Church is a registered 501(c)(3) organisation which means they are government controlled. A 501(c)(3) church will jeopardise its tax exempt status if it openly preaches against, or organises anything in opposition that the government declares "legal", for instance abortion or homosexuality. In other words, in many cases, 501(c)(3) churches put financial considerations and political correctness above God (Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:10).
• NHLC hosts the controversial and much criticised Alpha Course. Alpha is the vehicle which has been used to introduce false doctrines and the Third Wave into the church. For more information about Alpha see the link below {2). 
• Church membership is unbiblical if it involves taking oaths or making commitments and promises. The procedure for becoming a member at NHLC is not on their website. However, dual attendance was unknown in the early church, and in my experience it does cause a "them and us" situation with non-members being excluded from important decisions.
• On or about September 21, 2015 Bak's ordination license was revoked by International Ministerial Fellowship (IMF).
• There are rumours of Bak's continuing involvement with 3DM.
• Bak oversees an authoritarian leadership style at NHLC which circumvents the congregation and lacks accountability. 
• Bak closed down the Roseville location without having a congregational vote according to NHLC bylaws.
• Bak: "We all tithe 10 or 11 percent. We have the goal of increasing that by 1 percent a year, so it will be 20 percent in 10 years."  Tithing is not found in the New Testament. Malachi 3 is the passage commonly cited in order to justify tithing. However most people do not realise that Malachi condemns the abuses of the priests of Israel (Malachi 1:6; 2:1), and the sons of Levi (Malachi 3:3), not the people! To have this goal of 20% is legalistic and an unreasonable burden to put upon any congregation. No one should give under compulsion! (2 Corinthians 9:7)
• The decision by NHLC Council to retain an attorney to investigate misconduct allegations against Bak and certain Council members flies against the scriptural mandate for internal disputes to be settled within the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:1-8). The expense of hiring an outside attorney is yet another matter of ethical concern which has been described as "irresponsible stewardship of the congregations tithes and offerings." {3}
• Bak: "There is going to be an outpouring"..... This phrase is the repeated mantra of many false teachers. The Bible has a great deal to say about end time apostasy and delusion, not revival! (Luke 18:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:3)
• NHLC Announcement to Remove 3DM was very questionable in its wording:
  "North Heights DNA is one soaked in the Holy Spirit;"  "DNA" is a typical Breenism! "Soaking in the Spirit/soaking prayer" is a phrase used by the Arnott's of false Toronto fame among other false teachers. Why can't these people use biblical language rather than parroting dubious phrases from known apostates? (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:18) {4} 

Council of Elders Special Meeting 19th October: "Consider and adopt a resolution directing the Council of Elders to terminate any and all relationship between NHLC and Pastor Mindy Bak."  {5}

At the above meeting, the majority of the congregation voted to direct the Council of Elders to remove Interim Senior Pastor Bak, but they were ruled out of order. Apparently this has happened on more than one occasion and is the response to every motion the congregation puts forward.

SOME DISTURBING ALLEGATIONS FROM THE CHURCH TORN APART WEBSITE:  

• SHE was previously removed and escorted out of two churches for making false accusations, lying, and deceptions.
• SHE falsely accused a well respected interim senior pastor from her previous church of sexual advances. SHE wanted him gone so she could obtain his job, he had to resign in shame. Women of that church stated he was a great man and never would have done such a thing.
• Several women from HER previous church stated, “SHE almost destroyed our church”.
• Women from HER previous church have warned men at our church not to be in a room alone with her because she could accuse them of sexual harassment.
• SHE maliciously fired many people at her previous school church because they didn’t agree with her way of thinking.
• “She hates men” this comment was stated by several women from her previous church.
• SHE went to the Council of Elders at her previous church and made a false statement about how a respected woman pastor of 30 years physically assaulted HER. SHE wanted her fired from that church so SHE could move into that position.
• SHE has verbally and maliciously attacked two well respected male pastors at our church, and one previous well respected male Senior Pastor at our church.
• SHE is doing everything possible to remove Pastor Greg Berglund from our church. SHE has attacked Pastor Greg Berglund with false accusations, lies, and deceived him numerous times. She wants him gone because he states the truth and he is in her path of destruction.
• SHE has lied and deceived Horace Beale who was on the Council of Elders at our church and pressured and threatened to sue him until he finally resigned in disgust.
• SHE continuously lies, assaults, and deceives many of the staff.
• Many members of our church have stated SHE continuously uses our church pulpit for political statements about running for the position of senior pastor....
.....and on it goes! {1}

UPDATE 7th March 2016

North Heights Lutheran Church Shutting Down 
http://www.twincities.com/2016/03/07/former-mega-church-north-heights-lutheran-shutting-down/ 

{1} http://www.churchcancer.blogspot.co.uk/p/facts-march-21st-2015-north-heights.html
{2}  http://www.banner.org.uk/misc/alpha.html
{3} https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1ed76762450972abcadf2cc92/files/Dekalb_Decline_to_Interview_7_13_2015.pdf
{4}  http://www.nhlc.org/filerequest/36785
http://www.churchcancer.blogspot.co.uk/p/facts-march-21st-2015-north-heights.html
{5} http://www.northheights.church/what-we-believe/department_directory/council_of_elders

Further Reading: 

http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/mike-breen-3dm-playing-havoc-with_1.html#comments
http://theoldblackchurch.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-church-torn-apart-and-woman-is-to.html
http://www.i-m-f.org/
http://www.northheights.church/media/sermon-series/arden-hills-sanctuary-media/media-item/353/living-faith
http://www.schooleyfiles.com/2013/11/mike-breen-and-building-discipling.html?showComment=1443940146353#c9131639488582734338
http://www.thecommonsenseshow.com/2014/01/02/no-501-c-3-church-can-be-a-church-of-god/
http://hushmoney.org/501c3-facts.htm
http://eliora.hubpages.com/hub/HOLY-TRINITY-CHURCH-LEICESTER
http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_28913678/north-heights-lutheran-is-church-divided
http://nhexiledservice.blogspot.co.uk/

UPDATE: 3DM is now known as 5Q with Alan Hirsch, Cairn Network. Kairos network.