Windows: Frank’s Soul
Posted on April 25th, 2007 by Reformed Pope into the Pastor Hank categoryI just listened to Frank Damazio's lastest sermon titled "Windows: Heavens Treasure". I'm going to tell you about it, but I think it would be best if you just listened to it yourself.
At this point in life it appears that Pastor Frank is just making things up. I don't think he cares about anything but his own agenda. After what I heard today, it will be amazing if anyone shows up at church next week to hear Part 2 of this series (I of course will listen to it online, but that's because I have no life).
Here's the Running Diary:
:57 - Frank starts out with this quote: "I do not teach for Knowledge, I teach for Transformation…". At least he's honest right? The last thing he needs is his congregation to actually learn anything. No, it's much better if he can just get them pumped up enough to follow him around. Anyone questioning whether CBC is founded in "hype" need not look any further than that quote. Go ahead and listen to it yourself.
2:49 - Through this sermon he is going to teach us how to "Throw open the windows of Heaven"…how much do you want to bet giving him money is going to be a key factor in this?
2:57 - Yup, he wastes no time: "Let's start with Malachi 3:10"…I do believe this is the only scripture Frank actually knows. It's unbelievable…wait a minute, I spoke to soon…Frank is following up by offering a disclaimer: "This is not a finance series" (right). He actually mentions that he doesn't want people to tune him out just because he's speaking out of Malachi 3…"This is not a finance series". This is great, he just had to clarify so his congregation doesn't walk out on him. I think we are getting to them.
5:03 - "Every person has a window" Translation "Every person has a wallet".
5:50 - Back to Malachi 3:10
Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
I can hardly believe him at this point. He just told his congregation, that this scripture used to bother him when he would teach it only on finance because "I've never ever been in a place where I can say I don't have room for any more money". Apparently there is always room for more money. …I kid you not, listen to it yourself. Anyone questioning where Frank's heart is at need not look any further than that quote.
Fortunately for and according to Frank, this scripture is "not just about finances".
7:56 - Reads Malachi 3:10 again this time in the Message translation.
Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams.
Frank is an amazing guy. He is taking his special tithing scripture, skipping past the tithe part, and applying it to his sermon on "opening the treasures of heaven". I can't believe I'm about to say this but, "Frank, you can't do that. You can't leave parts out. If you are going to apply that scripture you need to apply the whole thing. The tithe stays." (I'm sure he will get to that later anyway). Personally, I don't think this scripture can be applied to us today, but if you are going to use it Frank, please use it right.
9:40 - Starts defining the words: THROW, OPEN, WINDOWS, and HEAVEN.
14:47 - Quote of the year. This quote by Pastor Frank is probably the most telling thing I've heard him say in a long time (at least in about 4 minutes anyway). After giving his descriptions for the words above, Frank says,
"There are scriptures for every one of these, but I won't take the time FOR THAT".
That's right people, Frank Damazio won't take the time for…Scripture, The Word Of God, The Holy Book…he has a bad habit of misinterpreting scriptures, and expects us to take his word on this stuff because he doesn't want to "take the time for that". "THAT" happens to be the foundation of Christian beliefs. "THAT" happens to be the middle part of his churches name. "THAT" happens to be "THE BIBLE". Why doesn't he have time for it? It's unbelievable.
And finally, anyone wondering what kind of Teacher Frank is need not look any further than that quote.
I can't take any more of this sermon. I'm shutting it off now. If anyone else can bear to stomach it, go ahead and finish this post for me.
This is just absurd.
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April 25th, 2007 at 10:49 am
What amazes me from time to time is how there are thousands of people up there (and millions worldwide) that eat this stuff up without having any kind of internal alarm going off.
And I’m sure those same people view themselves as having a desire to follow Christ, and would probably look at bloggers here and think we are “wrong” in what we’re doing/saying/thinking. (We see them all the time pop in and blast us, then disappear)
Yet I see and hear these kinds of sermons and my spirit just wants to hurl, and I feel that the people who fall in line with these leaders like Frank are being deceived.
It’s just sorta surreal sometimes. Why God only opens some eyes, and how much more my eyes need to be opened to other areas that are skewed and screwed in some of today’s churches.
April 25th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Are you sure that was Frank preaching, RP? I mean, like, there was NO COUNTING!
April 25th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Maybe some of the time that PF will be saving by avoiding “inconvient truths” of Mal.3, he could use it to refer to and explain what his version is of the “very, very, inconvient thuth” of 2Cor.7&8. But maybe he doesn’t put much confidence in money matters as tought in the New Testament. Hard to say. (chuckle!)
Thank You For Your Time
April 25th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Now I’m all curious. I’ve gotta listen … when I have time. Tonight I go to a Bible study. (Which CBC doesn’t offer).
April 25th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Let me take a stab at finishing the sermon from where RP left off.
14:48 - blah blah blah blah blah…this isn’t about finances…blah blah blah….
27:32 - this isn’t about finances…blah blah blah….
35:08 - blah blah blah…trust me, this really isn’t about finances…blah blah
45:00 - blah blah blah…I feel the Holy Spirit telling me to call a special offering…blah blah…
April 25th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
You know what’s amazing to me, is that I know of at least one teacher there and I won’t say his name, that sees this stuff go on and on and rather than confront these issues and address them, even though I know he doesn’t agree with them, he doesn’t say a thing. For the sake of his job and to hell with the sheep, if they want to believe a lie, let ‘em, who am I to confront false doctrine. He thinks, besides I won’t be here very much longer, and I value my paycheck. What a sad state of affairs we live in. Society preaches false doctrine daily and gets away with it and the little people suffer. The church preaches false doctrine weekly and gets away with it and the little people suffer.
And those who stand up are shot down. It really is just like a business. What a sad state of affairs.
April 25th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Dear Stop: we’ve experienced the identical situation here in Boise. Sad isn’t it?
Of course they know their head will get cut off if they say anything.
Hey - doesn’t that remind you of the Queen in Alice in Wonderful -
” off with their heads”
April 25th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Dear Free AT Last
That’s why David Mackin, Tom Sparks and others speak on this blog. This becomes the only forum left for people to address these issues. Those on the inside are either a…kissers or ch….its. Unless you can write a book and actually publish it or obtain another venue, you don’t have much recourse.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:10 am
What you say is true. The problem is we all want to make up our own Christ based on what we think or what we want to hear. To some of us this money garbage is so wrong is stinks like a landfill and it is beyond us that anyone could not smell its foul smell. On the otherhand we can ignore other areas of the Bible because we find them hard to do or not do personally. When someone else might look at that and say the same thing to us “that smells foul!” The problem is we all fall short in some area…the key is being determined to mold our lives to the Word of God not the Word to our lives. Otherwise we are following a gospel that may not have anything to do with the Truth of Chist, and in a sence we make our own false god. We need to be seekers of Truth! Christ is the Truth! I’ll have to admit some of the things I see on this blog make me cringe, on the other hand so do all the things you speak out against.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Cringe would make a great name for a rock band …
April 26th, 2007 at 10:51 am
Hey, I want to take a rare opportunity to be serious, and ask the theologians / greek scholars here a real question that occurs to me.
Why does that scripture say “windows” and not “doors”?
I mean, windows are for looking in and out of, NOT for going in and out or passing goods in and out. Doors are for going in and out and carrying parcels in and out.
In a sense, windows are for intangibles - like seeing - catching a glimpse of heaven - almost as if to say that God in throwing open the WINDOWS of heaven was going to give us a long and interrupted view of what He is doing there, where we might SEE and learn from Him - it suggests the impartation of vision and wisdom and understanding - but NOT a God who is shoveling currency out the windows to us …
Opening a door would seem to suggest coming and going - and a more physical provision than windows …
Any thoughts from someone who has studied this scripture more and who has knowledge of the greek?
Thanks! ‘Scrupe
April 26th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Wow, Scrupe, that was deep. It certainly is a different perspective on that verse.
April 26th, 2007 at 11:49 am
During a visit to the local CBC franchise in Boise Idaho, Pastor D was the guest speaker. When called upon to give his sermon, the only materials that he took to the podium with him was one of the books that he had recently written…no bible, only his book. I was totally dismayed when he opened his book and began to read from one of the chapters as if it were the Holy Scripture. After spending over 10 years at CBC and then witnessing that “show”, I longed for the olden days of Dick Iverson (if anyone remembers those days) where the Word of God was priority!
April 26th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
I still haven’t had a chance to listen to this sermon, but I doubt that there was any “point” made by PF worth taking home. I’ve listened to hundreds of his sermons and I can’t even recall one that caused a positive impact on my walk with Christ. So many were the ramblings of a man who loved to make 12 points about nothing.
The above poster’s comment about PF preaching about anything but the Bible caused me to remember this passage:
A pastor or preacher who is only interested in plugging his latest book ($) shouldn’t be given a pulpit.
April 26th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
This is so true. I remember complaining one time in high school that I didn’t think Frank was a very good preacher. And I was told that Pastor Frank wasn’t gifted as a preacher, but instead his gifts were in teaching. To which I said, “Well then, I don’t think he’s a very good teacher either.” And this was met with a blank stare.
April 26th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Apparently Frank agrees with you, Catalyst, in so much as he admits he does not “teach for knowledge.”
And I apologize for my negativity towards him, but being someone who “teaches for transformation” strikes me as synonymous with nothing more than being a “cheerleader,” and that’s the last thing I want helping me learn how to follow Christ more deeply!
PS. No disrespect intended towards actual cheerleaders out there! I’m a fan, really I am!
April 26th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
‘Scrupe asked:
Ok, so I haven’t studied it indepth, but I do have this really cool Bible dictionary. This is what is says about the Hebrew word (not Greek unless you are using the Septuagint):
In this passage, I hear echoes of II Chron. 7:14, the famous “If My people…”. It is clearly talking to an entire nation. God accuses them as a nation, and then promises abundance as a nation when they return to obeying Him. I suppose we can take national promises to Israel, and apply them personally due to our inclusion in their covenant through the Cross.
But if we are going to start defining words, let’s define the word storehouse.
I’ll look that up later. Gotto go!
April 26th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Major, major cudos to whomever was the author of the “Title” article that I found referenced somewhere in all this mess. Been around many years and always heard the same old party line. The article was insiteful (?), thoughtful and refreshing…not to mention liberating. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
April 26th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Beenthere–thanks for sharing your story when visiting the boise franchise as you so aptly put it. We appreciate your insights and how amazing. Did you have
any other vibe while visiting there? Was it a political rally that day –how about the fashion? Countless people have left there stating they couldn’t keep up with the prada line up.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
” Countless people have left there stating they couldn’t keep up with the prada line up.”
Another sad point of church life. The prada line is noo joke. I live in NYC so it’s even worse here. When I was in my church I actually had the resources to keep up with this nonsense but I didn’t. Why should I want/have too? God doesn’t care about that stuff only we do. When I was real small my mom use to do this and she was real bad and she didn’t mean anything malicious by it’s just the way she was but as she got closer to the Lord she cared less and her eyes where opened up to how the people that didn’t dress that way were treated and she didn’t like it.
As I got older she still wore nice suits but didn’t buy as many suits and cut back alot on accessories………..and people in the church started to say stuff about her LOL! “Oh my God she’s had that same pocketbook 3 weeks in a row! Five years ago she would have never done that.” UNREAL!!! Pure silliness.
Question: (particularly for Free and Been) Was the Prada line worse for the older or younger woman in the church or both?? What age group?
Some people dress nice and don’t do it to show-off. They just like nice clothes. Is this wrong? Or is it wrong when you think you’re better than others for wearing these things?
Is it the same line of thought for something bigger such as a home? Is it wrong to have a big home as long as you don’t think your better than everyone and you treat everyone the same? (Like when you have a party at your home and you just don’t invite the the pastor board and so forth but you invite the people that some people would consider less than worthy?)
Or is the question WHY do you want the nice clothes and super big house to begin with?? Honest opinions/responses please.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
“He even admits to a 400K house and fetish for designer watches.”
This is why I posted the questions I did in the post before schniedts. How do you know when enough is enough and is it the same for everyone?? To some people paying 400K for a house is nothing and in some places you can’t even get a one family house for that. In some places you can’t even buy a one bedroom apartment for that!!
So where do we draw the line and more importantly HOW do we draw the line? (I say through prayer and the bible.)
What are the standards? Should there be standards and should they be the same or everyone??
April 27th, 2007 at 6:54 am
Jennifer & Free~ Obviously the issue here is not a matter of how you dress, but a condition of the heart. If your heart/attitude is right, what you wear and how you look will NOT come across as “prada.” However, we need to be careful. We can take “pride” in the fact that we don’t dress like “they” do and still have a very stink spirit…we’re just as bad!
April 27th, 2007 at 8:08 am
“very stink spirit…we’re just as bad!”
Beenthere said “stank spirit” LOL!.
April 27th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
My bad…was trying to type “stinky” but left out a letter…Just heard PF’s reference to the web site…must be making some inroads…lol
April 27th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
As bad a this sermon is, I have to say I have heard worse. On 1/7/07, SPFD gave a sermon about ‘Expectations’. He went on for some time about the meaning of bible words that led him to come up with the series.
It was the usual mind numbing blah, blah blah.
But then, suddenly it got far worse! He put ‘full dive’ on the bow planes and flooded the tanks….he took us lower than whale manure!
He told a story about an elderly woman who wanted an open casket funeral
arranged. She made an odd request…she wanted to have a fork placed in her right hand…to signify that she was ‘expecting more’! I felt dizzy, it was surreal, I almost laughed out loud. He said that someone had even given him a ‘presentation fork’ that he keeps in his office. Wow! What must it be like to live in a bubble where no matter what you say or do, everyone around you just keeps telling you how great everything is? Yeah, great word pastor!
If you think I’m kidding, go back and listen to it. 1/7/07. Incredible.
April 27th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Schneidt1,
Are you Dale Schneidt from Lafayette IN?
April 27th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
“She made an odd request…she wanted to have a fork placed in her right hand…to signify that she was ‘expecting more’! I felt dizzy, it was surreal, I almost laughed out loud.”
That is awesome LOL! Bat crap loco but awesome.
How about this: My mom’s best friend was at church and saw a lady punch another lady in the stomach. A bunch of people ran over and said why did you do that!! She said: “The Lord told her too.” She did it AGAIN the next week but instead of punching someone in the stomach she slapped a different lady LOL! I sooo wanna meet this nut-nut.
“He may see the drug dealer, the pimp, the athlete, and then he sees his pastor doing the same thing. What is a kid to believe?”
Yes, what’s a kid to believe. As messed up as my generation got from this hypocrisy I fear even 10 times more for my little brother’s generation.
April 28th, 2007 at 5:43 am
Please, NO! That’s WAY too close for comfort!
Sam
April 30th, 2007 at 5:31 am
So, you’re not denying that you’re the same Dale Schneidt that spent 20 years in the Navy and now teaches a web class at Purdue-Lafayette?
April 30th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
“I think that guy is in Sing Sing prison, lol”
I thought Sing Sing got closed awhile ago? lol
April 30th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Why is that Village People song popping up my head? In The Navy. lol
May 1st, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Hey Schnitzel,
In the comments you have been leaving on the Judah videos on YouTube (3 in a row looks kinda obsessive, man), you list your age as 38. You have claimed 20 years in the Army. With a minimum age of 18 for induction and 20 years of service, you must have just gotten out of the service - man you one lucky SOB what with ’stop loss’ and alla that crapola now on account of Iraq …
So when did you find 6 years to get an MBA such that you are qualified to teach at the college level? The GI bill provides for a post secondary education upon discharge - so I figure you’d have to be at least 44 to have done all you claim to be/do.
Trolls we’ll put up with easy enough, but trolls with poor math skills - that’s just too much.
Whazzup wit’ dat Schnitz?
Sam
May 2nd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Whatever you do, dont let Heathen know, she may not give me Car Insurance now
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Hey Shitzel,
Glad you could find a college that hires homophobes, sycophants and morons. Did HR know they were getting a 3 for 1 deal when they hired you?
Sam
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:27 pm
I think doing all that is easy if you don’t have a wife or girlfriend.
And that says something right there.
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:43 pm
Did you everr notice how people lash out blindly when you hit a nerve?
May 2nd, 2007 at 8:05 pm
The disintegration continues.
May 2nd, 2007 at 8:33 pm
And continues still….
May 2nd, 2007 at 8:43 pm
LOL!
And continues still…..