Monthly Archives: July 2008

Update on Senator Grassley Investigation

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Senator Grassley has filed a press release updating the public on the progress of his investigation into the ministries suspected of violating tax laws.

Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn, seem do be doing pretty well:

"Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn have engaged in open and honest dialogue with committee staff. They have not only provided responses to every question but, in the spirit of true cooperation, also have provided information over and above what was requested.  "Both Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn have indicated that they are also instituting reforms without waiting for the committee to complete its review."

Kudos to both Meyer and Hinn. This seems like a more Christ-like approach to handling this investigation. Turning the other cheek and all that.

Joel Osteen: God Wants Me To Be Rich

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Here is one extremely saddening article God Wants Me to Be Rich about Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, that has an average weekend attendance of 45,000 and an annual budget of $72.6 million. Couple of highlights:

"Osteen will tell you that his success is a result of God’s favor, that his message is God’s message, and that all that he has achieved is a blessing from God. Clearly, he is more than just an inspiring pastor; he is also a master marketer and—pardon me for saying this, Joel—a damn good chief executive."

"Last year, Lakewood generated $76 million in revenue, which amounts to just over $1,600 for every member of its congregation. Its take includes $44 million donated directly by congregants, who are asked to give 10 percent of their gross income; $10 million in product sales and sermon tapes; and $13 million brought in through direct-mail solicitations. The church’s greatest expense is the TV airtime it buys: $22 million last year to broadcast the show in more than 100 markets…An additional $13 million goes to administrative costs and salaries, and $9 million a year is spent on facilities and maintenance."

And the best reader comments I found:

"It's funny Osteen is preaching this message, because the person he links the "prosperity gospel" to was homeless, did not carry money on Him and depended on strangers to facilitate His meals, shelters, and companionship.  He called his apostles to drop their careers and follow Him and the early followers did not believe in earthly wealth and dispersed their resources so that no one would be left behind."

"I am not Christian, but I do find these mega-churches rather amazing. You have a silver tongued man and his pretty wife beside him coning thousands of worshipers out of millions of dollars. What an amazing business model. As the US economy falters and the masses become more uncertain of their worldly futures I am sure these self appointed silver tongued men will do quite well."

So I find it completely disgusting and repulsive that in a time when people in China, Africa, and the Middle East are being raped, tortured and killed for simply saying they are a Christian, a church like this will spend $22 million dollars on TV promotions.  As the article points out, Osteen is known for being a very liberal, lukewarm, middle of the road preacher.  He doesn't like to offend.  I think this is the kind of church/person Jesus was talking about when he said "I will spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:16).  God be with the man come judgment day.

And for more information on America's impending destruction be sure to check out this gem of a story: Megachurches, Megabucks

It’s all about works.

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I heard a message from the CBC website this week.  The message was about saying no to vain imagination (??).  Here are the highlights:

Main points: 1) Know that God knows, 2) Deny self, 3) Tear down wrong thinking, and 4) You finish the race so God can finish the work.

Key thoughts: Put your humanity to death for the will of God in your life; The Cross was only good to kill the flesh; Unless you deny yourself the cross means nothing.

Notice a theme here?  This is the problem with churches like CBC.  They constantly preach works, implying that God's grace means very little to our salvation.  It may be subtle but its all about what WE do for Christ instead of what HE has already done for us.  The harm from messages like these is that they put all the pressure on us to live "holy", and when we can't measure up they and we eventually give up.  I don't know about anyone else but all I want is the real Jesus, not one that asks me to work my way into heaven.

To Stay Or Not To Stay?

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A new blogger recently had this to share:

Our old church shut people out when they brought up concerns and launched an outright attack complete with false and very incriminating stories when they left the church. We’re going through that now and its beyond painful – its devastating.  Sure you can say “hey, just leave” but it can tear a family/individual apart to break way from something that you gave so much of your life too.  Although I have faithfully attended church since I was a teenager (BT/CBC, than LHF), I can very easily see now why people walk away from church forever. If it weren't’t for our children, I would never go again.

I've had a number of debates over the last few years about whether or not one should stay at a church they don't like or even go to church at all.  Most of us have the same church leaving stories – guilt, condemnation, anger, pain, etc.  I've heard people argue they can't leave a church if its God's will for them to be there or if their family goes there because they will be "out of the covering."  I've also heard people say they can't leave because they have to help bring about the change and leaving won't help.  I've even had friends leave a church, go back, then leave again, all out of confusion about what's right and wrong in others eyes.  I've gone through this a few times, first leaving CBC in high school, then leaving New Song in college, both of which were not easy at the time.  I had all sorts of negative things said about me and lost a number of friendships over it.  And I always love the crazy tactics churches leaders use to get people to stay, such as when my wife left CBC after growing up there - they offered her a paid staff position to stay.  Now that's pretty funny.

In the new reformation church attenders should support people who decide to move on.  Church is a bonus to our faith not a requirement of it.  No one church is going to offer everything a person wants, likes or needs.  Toady's church's are so concerned about their numbers that they dummy down their focus to attract more people.  Instead of focusing on one area that they could be strong in (worship, preaching, outreach, drama, etc.) they try to cover all areas, being good at none of them.  Over time they become cesspools of self adoration, where members think they are the best church out there.  The bottom line is that church has become a man made show.  If we want to change the church we have leave it and start fresh.  The new 21st century church should encourage people to come and go as they please.  I don't even think a person needs a home church to be a strong believer.  Serving Christ is all about individual love and desire to know Him.  Whether you go to church 7 days a week or never at all, that love and desire should come from within, not the four walls of a church.

Anyone have any good church leaving stories or additional thoughts on the need for church? 

Chock-Full of True Believers

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Guess which "companies" are full of people who believe so strongly in the "company" and their leadership that they are willing to put all their financial safety in the "companies" hand?

You guessed it, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac:

"It's hard to overstate how — and I don't mean this in a weird, Waco, Texas, kind of way — Fannie and Freddie are kind of cultish companies," said the former senior Fannie employee. "True believers [are] gung-ho and work like crazy, and they believe in what they're doing and believe in their companies' mission. . . . And Fannie is chock-full of people like that. Just chock-full of true believers."

Cults don't apply only to churches.

"This is my family's financial future," said Lorrie Rudin, former director of executive compensation for Fannie Mae, who retired last year. "I worked there for 20 years, and I'm just absolutely devastated and terrified."

I feel bad for Lorrie. But this is why you don't put all your trust in leaders. They will fail you.

The New Kid On The Block

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Hello Bloggers!

I have been invited to join City Business Church as a registered user allowing me to post along with our fearless leaders Catalyst and Reformed Pope (who I attended high school youth group with back in the mid 90s).  I have been a huge fan of this blog since its inception and posted as far back as 2004. Recently I felt God urging me to begin speaking out again so I am pleased to have this opportunity and I will do my best to bring new ideas and prospective to the forefront.  For those of you who know me (formerly ex-City Bible Slave) I look forward to having some in depth discussion about faith, grace, and the call on young people to start a new reformation in the church.  For those of you who don't know me, I look forward to sharing my many good, bad and crazy experiences with you.  I am 30 years old, been married for 9 years, have a 1 year old daughter, grew up in Portland, Oregon, currently live in Los Angeles, California and work in the legal affairs department of a movie production studio.  I truly believe it is time to take a stand against false prophets, heresy, and the destructive Word of Faith/Prosperity lie infiltrating American churches today.  Now I know there will be plenty of haters who try to bring me/us down as they always do, but I'm used to dealing with ego maniacs and never shy away from a good debate.  I know God has bigger things in store for us and this blog, so lets pull together and usher in some change to these destructive places that call themselves a church. Looking forward to a lot of fun.

Sincerely,

The Reformer

Stuff Christians Like

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I don't know how this blog has managed to slip by for the past year without having anyone mention it to me…but I found it on my own anyway. Quite frankly I find it to be hilarious…and it's funny because its true.

 Last night my wife and I spent some time going through #159 "The Pray if you feel led" Prayer and figuring out who in our church matches up with each of the descriptions (Tanell and I both feel that we fit the role of "The Cave In".) Anyway, since things are so slow around here (sorry Catalyst…I know I'm not pulling my weight) take time to check out Stuff Christians Like, I especially liked:

 #301 The Prayer Score Guide

#338 The Last Night Cry Fest at Camp

 #269 Understanding How MetroSexual your worship leader is (a Handy guide)

Anyway, I apologize if someone has already pointed me (us) to this blog and i just missed it. I'm really enjoying reading it.

Act like a Business, Get Sued like a Business

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A couple readers sent in this article about a man who is suing his church after he got "slain in the spirit".

Now he wants Lakewind Church to pay $2.5 million for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Matt Lincoln is suing after the church's insurance company denied his claim for medical bills, he said.

The 57-year-old has had two surgeries since the June 2007 injury but still feels pain in his back and legs.

He said he was asking God to have "a real experience" while praying.

Lincoln said he has fallen from the force of the spirit before but has always been caught by someone.

Lawyers for the church said other congregants saw him on the floor laughing after his fall. They said he failed to look out for his own safety.

I'm sure this will settle out of court, but this is one case I would love to see go to trial. First person I would call to the witness stand would be the pastor, and ask him to explain his power to "slay people in the spirit".

And remember sir, you're under oath.

City Bible Pastor Walks for Refugees

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Last week, King Mang Zam, Pastor of the Burmese fellowship at City Bible Church, attended World Refugee Day and walked in support of refugees all over the world.

A leader of the event had this to say about the walk:

"We are former refugees living here in freedom; we feel for people who are not free in other countries, people living futureless lives," said Thar Nge, a political dissident from Burma who arrived in the United States four years ago. "People come here to escape racism, genocide, religious pressure, ethnic conflict. But the feelings are the same — without freedom there is no safety."

Maybe, it's just because the Bush Administration has turned me into a pinko commie liberal, but I'm kind of down with supporting this type of event. 

Anyway, when asked about the event, City Bible Pastor King Mang Zam, had this lovely quote:

King Mang Zam, pastor of the Burmese fellowship at the City Bible Church, also praised the work of the sponsoring organizations, drawing an analogy between the towering maples in the South Park Blocks and the network of support from earlier-arrived refugees and the LCSNW, Catholic Charities, and EMO-SOAR programs: "I am very grateful that someone planted these trees so we can enjoy this shade."

Greatest. Quote. Ever.

Several years ago, I spent sometime traveling around China with a school group. And by far, our favorite past time was finding signs in China that had been translated into English. You always knew what the signs meant, but they always had a little flair. They were the best.

(My second favorite pasttime was finding someone who sold coffee.  You could find tea at any little sidewalk cart in that country, but coffee was impossible to find.  And when I did find it, it was always a huge production, with all of the restaurant staff going into the storage shed to find their last remnants of instant coffee for the hungover white foreigner.) …good times. but I digress…

Anyway, good to see someone at City Bible has their priorities straight. That seems like something Christ might do.

I Kissed SGM Goodbye

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It's Sovereign Grace Ministry month here at City Business, so here is another blog from someone who left her church.  What's especially great about this blog, is the beautiful young lady includes the different email exhanges she had with her pastors during the time she thought about leaving. 

Here's the email she received after she finally convinced the pastor she was leaving:

I suspect that the way you are thinking you would never have been present to hear Paul's letter to the Galatians being read to the congregation.

Hahaha… Good one, pastor, Good one. You got her. PWNED!

If you have time, read through the entire email exchange. It's the classic passive aggressive approach to pastoring. "I love you.  But because you want to leave the church, you are walking in sin. I want to you help you resist this sin. Oh, and the church is the bride of Christ."