Generally, I avoid news media outlets. I’ve long grown tired of what they try to tell me is important. Ignorance can be bliss sometimes.
But I log in to the local newspaper online once a day just to make sure half of the city didn’t blow up and I missed it. Also, as morbid as it sounds, I read the obituaries. The poverty culture lives shorter lives than the wealthier cultures. You’d be surprised how many people I know die each year.
So I stumbled across this story the other day.
Damn. I don’t get it anymore.
$6 million bucks on what? God’s front porch?!?
Not that I’m a member of this social club nor should I care what they do with their abundance.
God’s front porch? Sounds like another euphemism for “we want a new building”.
Never mind that they already had (what I would consider) God’s front porch with a dilapidated building they owned across town that was inhabited by Pastor Hawking and his church two years ago. Read about that ridiculousness here.
OK, to avoid bagging on this mega-church too much...they DID give some former neighbors of mine a minivan when this family of six went car-less. Thank you CEO.
But $6 million bucks??
Brick and morter?!?
Dust of the earth?
I don’t know anything anymore.
I can see it now - The Lost Parables of Christ: “The kingdom of god is like...a multi million dollar property built in a field, where the whole damn town sold everything they had and came in droves to visit this physical place...”
That’s it. I quit.
(slaps agent credentials on the CEO's desk)
10 comments:
BTW, that picture is stinkin' hilarious!
So what ever happened to Pastor Hawkings church? Were they able to find a new building?
The article about the mega church is frusterating...beat my head against the wall kind of frusterating.
That said, they do seem more outreach minded then some churches... but the term "God's Front Porch" Yikes!
Ashlee -
Pastor Hawking and co. eventually moved out and into a north side storefront location. Their "grand opening" was earlier this year.
I understand the rent is affordable and about 90% of the inside renovations were performed by their church. It helps when over half of your church are sheet rock hangers, welders, and plumbers for a living.
Miller and I got to participate in sheet rock hanging for a few weeks last summer.
And they have no debt over this property as they did the work themselves. It's amazing because the inside is very functional and nothing fancy by any means. But they act as if they are in a $6 million dollar building...
I am with Miller on this one. Pick up the badge, you just can't quit who you are. It is in your blood to love your neighbors regardless of the dysfunction of many believers that claim to know the Lover intimately. Maybe you can just think of them as in remedial class. They need special tutoring and still might not get the whole concept of "the last shall be first and the first shall be last" I just watched an old Cary Grant movie 'Girl Friday', in the story she just can't stop being a reporter, even when she tried. I have a feeling that you will be an agent til you are forced into divine retirement.
by the way- I vote 'bass player chic/graphic artist' instead of 'another church admin'
talitha: i don't know WHAT you are talking about but I happen to know a bass player chic/artist/church admin....
Last time I checked we weren't supposed to be watching others, B. You know it's going to drive you nuts, so just don't do it anymore. Just be the agent you were meant to be and stop focusing your lenses on everyone else.
You already know this but I'm reminding you because I know that probably everywhere you look stuff like this is in your face.
Just keep looking at Him, okay? And put your freakin' badge back on already before one of those tract happy fools grabs it and undoes all the work you've done!
what is worng with a big building, yeah the money can be used other place, but they think this will do good. jesus spoke the masses and so did peter and paul, so i do not think you have a right to quit, i think the are a chruch and as a chruch peopel they think this is a good thing. yeha mega-chruch have problems, but so do home chruchs. Just beacue they are readching people in a different way then you does nto mean that they are worng. Or that you need to quit, sometimes people need to see a place to call a chruch home. some people need a sercet agnet to show them the way. so pick up you badge, quit crying and get back to work.
All - I'm not quitting the agent-hood.
The credential slapping was a mere expression of frustration. Thanks for the concern and encouragement anyway.
Supafat - Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Yes - I believe home churches are no different than mega-churches and etc. For the record...I am not part of a home church.
What's wrong with a big building?
I don't know.
But this mega church already has a large, multi campused big building. SO...why $6M because "the foyer/lobby gets congested" once a week.
I would bet that this building will end up getting used 3, maybe 4 times a week.
Build a $6M building open 24/7 to the homeless, poor, youth and etc, then I'll quit whining.
And oh yeah...
When that 24/7 building gets built, don't run to the newspaper, TV news and related media outlets to showoff your big project and good works.
Do it as quietly and as incognito as possible.
...then I'll gladly quit bitching.
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