I blogged the other day about the 177 megachurches in the SBC where about 10% of SBCers are found on a given Sunday. Who will be the clever blogger to analyze the SBC Executive Committee, IMB, NAMB, and seminaries to see what percentage of their trustees worship with the 10% or the other 90%?
I'm looking for a reaction, an official one, from our International Mission Board and Women's Missionary Union on the labeling of the death by starvation story of Lottie Moon as a "myth." Perhaps soon? Surely, folks there are aware.
Went fishing...caught fish...feel better about life.
I just read that some "key leaders" in the SBC said that "they think that the CP faces a massive communication problem. It is so big that it’s difficult to keep people in the pews aware of all that their money goes to, and when they find out it goes to more than just international missions that can be helpful or harmful." Really? Belive that is worth a future article here.
College football started last evening. It is a morass of money and greed, is probably harmful to the academic mission at colleges...so why do I like and look forward to it so much?
Four years ago a church member who felt disenfranchised in his congregation started blogging about it. Since then, the blog has had 1.5 million page views. Pastor, you might want to check the openness and transparency level of your church. The alternative to such may be more harmful than what you perceive to be the harm in your members knowing where their money goes and being able to talk to you and your staff.
12 comments:
On Wisconsin! ;)
As hot as its been how did you catch fish? What kind of fish were they and what did you use to catch them with? It's been so hot here in Oklahoma when you can actually find water nothing much is biting.
Late in the afternoon you can catch some striped bass and hybrids when the Corps of Engineers is generating power. The fish will school and chase bait fish. Pitch in when you see them and have the pole jerked out of your hands.
Fishing is therapeutic.
After reading your post about the megas and going to Rainer's ite for the list, I did some Googling and found some interesting facts:
1) 8 of 16 CR presidents are present or immediate-former pastors of the 47 largest SBC churches (why those 47? - they make up just over 50% of the total PWA of the megas combined)
2) The former churches of both the EC president (Frank Page) and the NAMB president (Kevin Ezell) are among these megas: FBC Taylors at #150 and Highview at #68, respectively
3) Both the sitting SBC president and the SBC Pastor's Conference president lead megas: Bryant Wright - Johnson Ferry (#47) and Grant Etheridge - Liberty Baptist in Hampton, VA (#75)
4) The much-anticipated candidate for the 2012 SBC presidential race, Fred Luter, leads the 49th largest SBC church.
I guess being big has its privileges....
"Eusebius"
Good comment, Eusebius. One hardly need a list to understand that the SBC presidency has been megachurch driven. About two-thirds of the GCR committee were megachurch people.
While I doubt that the CR would have happened without Adrian, Stanley, Vines, et al, I don't know that we are better off now with megachurch pastors holding all of the top jobs.
Regarding your remarks about the CP's perceived communications problem, I think there is little problem with the State Conventions understanding the ramifications of the GCR.
While I am definitely a little fish (speaking of fishing) in this state's SBC pond, I do have friends and acquaintances, past and present, who work or worked at the state HQ. The GCR is definitely perceived as a threat there, and folks supporting the GCR have been pushed, prodded, and flogged out the door.
I can't imagine that the long-knives have not come out elsewhere.
We are definitely a myopic bunch of folks. And unfortunately, more often than not.
Gary
Gary, I don't think it will make a big difference, since the CP has been declining for so long as a percentage of church offerings.
How much more do state conventions think they can keep? The average is just under two-thirds already.
My state has a program to increase overall offerings. Not clear if it will work.
Plodder,
When you noted the Watchdog blog it saddens me to no end because of those whom this has affected in ways that can never be measured. I have family members who used to attend that church and one that was somewhat involved with the follow up front page story for the Jacksonville Times. While Brunson and his crew can't be blamed for individuals responses they certainly share some blame.
You bloggers really need to focus on some solution based ideas as well....I was just coming off from another economic-based site and it is a nightmare for a trend I am seeing in the US future economy. Local churches need to immediate change to community based model or be devoured by the economy in the months ahead. I really have a concern a stage is set for sort of a Neo-french revolution in which these mega pastors will indeed be on the wrong side of or even seduced by a federal solution.
Gary:
You said:"The GCR is definitely perceived as a threat there, and folks supporting the GCR have been pushed, prodded, and flogged out the door."
Have folks actually lost their jobs over the GCR?
Tom,
My statement says as much.
Gary
Gary, thanks for the clarification.
How many have lost jobs?
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