How Pastors Get Rich

Here's an article and interview posted by Cultwatch.com.  Are you participating in any of this?  Are you OK with this?  Does your Pastor aspire to such things?

How Pastors Get Rich

I believe many Christians are drifting like sheep without a shepherd, even though the Shepherd has come.  Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing, especially those staring back at you from the mirror.

Happy because of Jesus,
Pastor James

Hillsong on CBS

So Charlie Rose says, "Are these entertainers who preach or preachers who entertain?"

Then she says, "They are bringing in thousands of people and that's all that matters."

For the report, click this link:   Hillsong on CBS News

Yes, that's Justin.

Urgent: Ephesians 2:8-10 needed badly!

So people say, "we have a lot of churches needing pastors."  And I say, "Well, ain't nern called me yet."  Then they says, "Problem is ain't none them churches y'ed want no how."

This is coming from people and clergy who ought to know better, and is being repeated, sometimes meaner than others:  "You wouldn't want to go there and pastor."  [The meanest was, "They ought to close down and give their property to (local megachurch wannabe)."]

Well, call me dumb, but I think that attitude is a problem.  It reveals an insanely unspiritual corporate job/career/professional viewpoint of Christianity that STILL creeps me out.

The issue has never been whether or not churches have problems.  Or whether some got's more problems than others.  Or whether Christians got problems.  Or whether churches can sin like crazy. 

The fact is Christians is people.  And people in groups can sin much more efficiently than they can by themselves.  Isn't it all about redemption and healing through dependence upon God? "...and that not of yourselves...."

How do I know this?  Because I am one of em.  Yep, ministers is people, too.  And people sin, some more one day, some less the next day, some quite well, some with difficulty.  Point is that there ain't no church more broken than I have been, or even am. Welcome to earth!

So what church is good enough for me?!?  That is the criteria for a call in this modern megachurch goin' straight to h^ll, world loving man-centered religion?!?

Better this: What church am I good enough for?  Now THAT question only God can answer, folks.  

Our attitude ought to be one of dependence on God and not our own perfections.  If churches have to be "good enough" to call a pastor, then God help us all.  We all have to come to the end of ourselves spiritually, realize that we have a need for God as individuals and in community, humble ourselves, give over our sin to the power of God, and accept and receive his forgiveness and redemption.  This is about love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  I hope.

Now, don't that sound better than "get your act together or die?"  I'm telling you, there is no grace left in modern megachurch goin' straight to h^ll, world loving man-centered religion.  It's all about performance, perfection, and spiritual self-sufficiency. "How do you stack up against the big dogs?"  No one tells you that the "big dogs" got that way by...(the spiritual equivalent of free beer).

Here's to all them imperfect churches out there without perfect pastors, waiting for Superman. (He ain't coming, especially if he says he is.)  "...we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we might walk in them..."

I just mean...dern y'all.  Fix this attitude now and stop discouraging one another.

CEO-ing the sheep

An excerpt from Left Behind in a Megachurch World by Ruth Tucker:

"According to Rob Marus, Southern Baptists are particularly tuned into the megachurch mentality because they, perhaps more than any other denomination, measure success in terms of numbers of baptisms or converts.  'The more conservative and evangelical the church, the more important growth is,' he argues. 'It becomes almost a jockeying contest to see how many you can attract, how many you can convert, and how many you can baptize.'  It is no accident that every one of the presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention int he past two decades has been a senior pastor of a megachurch."  (p.93)

CEO does not automatically equal shepherd.  Success is faithfulness.

Gigachurch!?!

After 5 years of missing out, I've heard the term "Gigachurch."  It was quite a shock to my system.  Not to mention hearing that Rev. Andy Stanley is a hologram.  I really don't know what to think.  Do you?

Five Year old article about the Hologram Preachers

Pastor Ronnie Floyd: Winning Is Everything

Last night, on UNC-TV I watched Frontline's story "Football High" about high school football.  During the program, a familiar face popped up on the screen. Someone in the room said, "He has a look like Kenneth Copeland!"  The face was that of Fundamentalist Ronnie Floyd, an SBC elite superstar.  Of course, my attention was riveted to learn what he might be doing on this program about High School Football!  After a few shocking minutes, the show raised for me some critical moral questions about the way clergy should treat people's children.

Pastor Floyd, leader of several Arkansas megachurches and past SBC executive, and sponsor of the Great Commission Resurgence adopted last year, is portrayed by Frontline's video as the hands-on number one cheerleader for his Baptist megachurch school's team, the Christian Saints. I was surprised to learn that Floyd's own son was the best head coach available to this well-financed football factory.  Reading between the lines, I saw a hyper-serious football program for children that is very heavily financed (more than your regular high school!) and exists for the gratification of alpha dog egos in a feedback loop closed society.  Why does a team with a roster of 30 need with 6 full time coaches?  Sanity please.

Let me just say that there are moral questions here about the exploitation of children by clergy.  In our times (why more than others?) clergy need to be very careful about how they allow the children under their influence to be treated.  We would expect clergy to have the highest concern, and to discourage coercion and manipulation of younger souls, and try and prevent abuses that cause long lasting harm.  In high school football individual choice and parental consent play major roles, but even these are likely muted voices in the echo chamber of Church-School-Football-Fundamentalism that I observed in the program. 

Are there not crucial moral questions here?  I think Pastor Floyd needs to re-think (using self-criticism) his quest for some ultimate football prize.  If he and others with his power and money want this kind of thrill, and pull out all the stops to get it, why say that it is a result of "God's favor?" (Yes, he said that.)  Is it more likely that it is the result of God's people's money, combined with a moral deafness to the best interests of school children? Perhaps they should buy a grown up football team, like other grown ups do.

Shouldn't we expect higher moral standards from our Baptist leaders? With this type of influence and financing comes higher responsibility!  Amen!
 
If childrens' football has the dangerous potential shown by Frontline, then a radical re-evaluation of the sport is in order.  Of course this raises other moral questions about freedom and government control, etc.  But, hey, even the NFL and NCAA have some rules! Apparently these types of renegade high school programs have freedoms they don't deserve, and children are paying the price.

Pastor Floyd, winning isn't everything.  For parents, our children almost are everything!  Football is a game!