Monthly Archives: November 2007

Please Contact Your Senator

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Pasted below is a letter that I believe should be sent to NW Senator's Gordon Smith, Ron Wyden and Maria Cantwell. 

Dear Senator:

I recently noticed in the news that the Senate Finance Committee, of which you are a member, is holding an investigation into the financial practices of mega-churches throughout the country. As an Evangelical Christian and former member of a mega-church, I applaud this investigation and commend the committee for taking this initiative.

As a concerned citizen, I would also like to call attention to a mega-church in Portland, Oregon that I believe may also be violating non-profit tax codes. The church is City Bible Church (9200 NE Fremont Portland, OR 97220) and is pastored by Frank Damazio. This church preaches the Prosperity Doctrine and promises their members great wealth if they only continue to give the church money. In addition, there is a significant lack of transparency with the finances of this church, as it is very difficult to determine how the pastoral staff spends their "tax exempt" income.

I strongly encourage the Finance Committee to include City Bible Church in any future investigations.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Instructions on sending this letter:

Click on the Senate links below and fill out the Email Form. 

Choose the subject "Taxes" and then cut and paste the letter into the message field.

Washington residents can substitute "The City Church" in place of "City Bible Church" in the letter.

Here are the links:

Oregon Senator Gordon Smith:

http://gsmith.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden

http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Washington Senator Maria Cantwell:

http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/

Senate to Investigate Mega-Church Financing

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This is some of the best news I have heard in years. Senator Charles Grassley (R) of Iowa has requested detailed information on how certain mega churches are spending their money. Because, as the article notes:

The federal tax code prohibits using income and assets from tax-exempt organizations for personal gain. Unlike many other nonprofits, churches and ministries are not required to file Internal Revenue Service forms outlining their spending.

So Grassley is asking certain churches to share how exactly they spend all their "tax-exempt" money.

Here's the list of churches being investigated:

Grassley has asked for information from ministries led by the Rev. Kenneth Copeland of Newark, Texas; the Rev. Creflo Dollar, pastor of World Changers Ministry in College Park, Ga., and New York City; Benny Hinn, a televangelist based in Irving, Texas; Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga.; and Joyce Meyer, a popular evangelist and author based in Fenton, Mo.

And why did they investigate these churches:

Finance Committee investigators chose them because of news reports and tips about alleged financial shenanigans. The committee received complaints about Without Walls from "interested third parties, you might call them whistle-blowers, people who had inside information, and they brought us information over a period of several months," Grassley said.

I can pretty much gaurantee that Senator Grassley's office will be receiving a tip on a certain large breasted church in Portland, Oregon.  His staff will probably also receive information on a Seattle/DC "City" Church, as well.

Three months ago, I got burnt out on this blog. But Praise the Lord Hallelujah, I have been revived. Nothing this political hack loves more than a Senate investigation.

UPDATE!:

Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) all serve on the Senate Finance Comittee. We'll begin a letter writing campaign this weekend.

The last days of City Christian High School

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No surpise here:

A short time after [Frank Damazio] took the reins of [City Bible Church], it became evident, at least within the CBSchool staff, that the school was not of any priority to him. It was more like a thorn in the side of his goals and ambitions.

Well, that has progressed to its actual culmination. It was recently announced to the school staff, that as the end of next year the church will withdraw any further financial support to it. The CBSchool will either sink or swim on its own. Look out Ed M!, your job may well be on the line. It seems like a “chlidren’s and young people’s ministry be damned” attitude is prevelant here.

To many of the oldtimers of days gone bye, that school was a very important part of their children’s lives and the Church. Its priority was very high on the list of the old Church”s mission. It’s incomprehensible that this is happening. How can it be?

Well! Missions and goals change as leadership changes. Where once was a Godly and humble leadership that cared for the people under its leadership, there is more of a “I don’t care what the people think.I will do as I damn well please,” attitude.

Should self-centered, egotistical kingdom building take precedence over nurturing of families and children within the church membership.??? Is it okay to take from the kid’s school funding in order to purchase outside expensive realestate ??? —– ——– ——-.(fill’em in)

Recent discussion with some of the old diehard members of CBC paints a picture of restlessness and dissapointment in the way that pf is spending the Church’ money. Some are now starting to vote with thier wallets and debit cards. It was reported to that tihting there is down 50% of what it was before. Maybe they can blame it on the economy, huh!

A short time ago someone on this blog asked, “When is enough, enough? Where will it all end ???”
Stick around. If the status quo is maintained there, it will be interesting, to say the least.

NYCC…an off Wall Street Production

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I received this excellent email quite awhile back. I hadn’t done anything with it because I wanted to do a bit more research before posting something. Well, the time has come to post… 

Thought you might be interested in the attached email that I recently received from my former church. "Grand Opening Kick-Off" sure sounds
strange to my ears in conjunction with beginning a church, but, then, I guess it is a Business Church. Perhaps more interesting, I went to
the NYCC web site to see if they had a web page on this Grand Opening, and it appears on brief perusal that all mention of Wall Street has disappeared from the web site. They are apparently meeting in a theater somewhere. Lots of church plants meet in theaters, so that isn't notable in and off itself. It is just that I just looked back at the fund-raising letter spam and there is all that blah, blah, blah about God providing the Wall Street facility miraculously and about how they are asking for funds so that the "men and women of Wall Street" can hear the Good News.

Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2007 22:15:21 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: NYC Church Grand Opening Event

Here is a copy of the email sent out. The names have obviously been changed:

New York City Church Grand Opening Kick Off
——————————————————

Greetings,
If you attended that "Eternity" presentation last [year] presented at [Doe] Church, you may remember that they were planning to open a church in New York City.

They are finally getting ready to open their new church and if you are interested in supporting them and being a part of their Grand Opening Kick Off please
contact [Doe] Church and let us know that you would like to take part.

There has been some interest in taking one of our vans and taking a trip to New York City from some of our church members. This can only happen if we have enough interest.

Date for the Kick Off is Sunday, October 14th. There will be activities going on October 12-14. Friday October 12th at 7:00 PM will be Battery Park Outreach Downtown Prayer Walks through the area, pass out touch cards/flyers, and invite people. Saturday, October 13th 11:00 AM Battery Park City Outreach Downtown; 5:00 PM Dinner Break;7:30 PM Prayer Meeting and Sunday, October 14th at 10:15 AM is the Grand Opening
Sunday Service.


If you are interested in being a part of this weekend activity or for more information
please contact [Jane Doe] at [Doe] Church.

It's not entirely clear to me yet why the are not meeting on Wall Street…I don't know if we should blame God, SPES, or a lack of Surplus Faith for the reasons they are stuck meeting in a theater miles away from Wall Street. At least they had enough sense to change their website…of course had I donated to them I might want a refund…

One last thought: Considering SPES's questionable past in regards to the Eternity Production, how does this latest "change" make him look?

A challenge for PBC…and Ben Windle

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I want to revisit this, even though I already posted it once before…this time though, I'd like to issue another challenge with it. This challenge is for all PBC students who read this blog (and for Ben Windle).

Can any of you explain to me how Frank can get away with telling his congregation that Surplus is a good Bible word that means God wants us to have more than enough? Please take into consideration that when I run a Bible Word Search for "Surplus" I can't find any mention of the word in the NIV or the NKJV, and when I find mention of it in the NASB it is only in the following story from Mark 12:41-44:

The Widow's Mite

 41And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.

 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.

 43Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;

 44for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on."

Please answer these question:

1. Does this scripture, with the word "Surplus" in it, support Frank Damazio's sermon series titled "Surplus"?

2. Does this scripture teach the opposite of what SPFD is teaching in his Surplus series?

3. What should you do about it?

Any good Bible College Student (or youth pastor) should be able to answer those questions…after all we are all searching for the truth….right? Wouldn't it be safer to say that Surplus is a Frank Damazio word that he has attached to the Bible to make it sound more believable?

Please help me understand how this all works. Thanks.

Faith Harvest Crashers

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It's the most wonderful time of the year for us at City Business Church…recently Pastor Frank and I had this conversation:

Frank Damazio:  John? I need to see you right away. It's important.
Reformed Pope: [Walking into Frank's office] What's going on?
Frank Damazio: [sighs] We got three big weeks ahead of us. It's Faith Harvest Season, kid!
Reformed Pope: You sandbaggin' son of a bitch!

Reformed Pope: We are gonna have tons and tons of opportunities to meet gorgeous businessmen that get so aroused at the thought of Surplus that they'll throw their inhibitions to the wind.
Frank Damazio: And who will be there to catch them?
Reformed Pope: Grab that net and catch that beautiful butterfly, pal! What do you like better, Christmas or Faith Harvest Season?
[RP raises his hand]
Frank Damazio: Mr. Pope?
Reformed Pope: Yes. The answer would be, um, Faith Harvest Season?

That's right people, it's Faith Harvest Season…grab that net and catch that beautiful butterfly. Frank actually had a warm up sermon last week to get us prepped for Faith Harvest…but before we get to that…did anyone else read this from the Bulletin a couple of weeks ago?

Today's Thought

There was a great need. A starving crowd of humanity. Thousands of children, women, and men, had not eaten for days and now their stomachs were rumbling. There was a great problem. There was nowhere to buy food. No restaurants, no Red Robin, no Winco, and no money. To give each person even a crumb seemed impossible.

Jesus solved the problem, and He solved it with surplus. He took a little and made a lot. With 5 loaves and 2 fish given to Him by a child, Jesus fed the multitude. In fact, not only did He feed them but they were able to eat as much as they liked.  But notice what happened when everyone had eaten. The disciples collected the left overs and it filled 12 baskets. All the doubters were now collecting left overs.  The miracle was not in the feeding but the message was in the left overs. Left overs are a picture of surplus.

Jesus used this situation to not just feed their stomachs but to feed their minds. It was an object lesson that applies to our lives today. Whenever there is a lack, a need, a crisis, an impossible situation, when God intervenes it is not by the skin of His teeth. God doesnt hold His breath and hope that there is almost enough.

Rather, those 12 baskets are the surplus God has for us. Have a 12 basket mindset. When God meets a need it is always in abundance. It may not be food that we need, but for every need in our lives God is able to go beyond a mere covering of our lives that brings our account to neutral. God is able to bring profit, overflow, more than enough, 12 baskets full surplus to our lives.

I'm really really hoping that is a typo…it could be, there are a number of misspellings as well…but I can only take things as they are written, so…

The miracle was NOT in the feeding??? But the message was in the left overs??? Uh…right. I'm sure as Jesus is feeding the thousands and thousands of people they were all saying:

"Ok, sure he can feed us…5,000 or so…but the real test is if he can have any left over"

"I'll just bet that when the last one of us is fed, he runs out of food… some miracle"

"No Surplus, No miracle".

Give me a break. The miracle was in the feeding…the message was in the feeding…the left over "Surplus" is exactly that…left over extras.

Stop trying to force the scriptures to fit what your pastor wants…instead try standing up and saying, "You know Frank, Surplus isn't really a Bible word in the sense that you want it to be". In fact when I run a Bible Word search for "Surplus" in the NIV I come up with…no results…when I search in the New King James Version (CBC's standard reading as I recall) I come up with…"no results"…when I search in the NASB (my favorite version) I come up with…1 result…shall we read it?

The Widow's Mite

 41(AH)And He sat down opposite (AI)the treasury, and began observing how the people were (AJ)putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.

 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.

 43Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;

 44for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had (AK)to live on."

That's right Frank, the one Surplus scripture that I found teaches the exact opposite of what you have been teaching. Please stop misleading your congregation and please start teaching the truth. Frank says "you can't give what you don't have" and I say "Erroneous".