Interesting Article

[SolaScriptura]

While I disagree with just about every bit of the theology and methodology described in this article, I nonetheless found it to be a very interesting bit of reading:

God, Inc.

 

[WrittenFromUtopia]

This year, the 16.4 million-member Southern Baptist Convention plans to "plant" 1,800 new churches using by-the-book niche-marketing tactics. "We have cowboy churches for people working on ranches, country music churches, even several motorcycle churches aimed at bikers," says Martin King, a spokesman for the Southern Baptists' North American Mission Board.

Gee, way to go, Southern Baptists ...

Thank you Lord, for dragging me away.

 

[ABondSlaveofChristJesus]

Especially controversial are leaders like Osteen and the flamboyant Creflo A. Dollar, pastor of World Changers Church International in College Park, Ga., who preach "the prosperity gospel." They endorse material wealth and tell followers that God wants them to be prosperous. In his book, Osteen talks about how his wife, Victoria, a striking blonde who dresses fashionably, wanted to buy a fancy house some years ago, before the money rolled in. He thought it wasn't possible. "But Victoria had more faith," he wrote. "She convinced me we could live in an elegant home...and several years later, it did come to pass."

Dollar, too, defends materialistic success. Dubbed "Pass-the-Dollar" by critics, he owns two Rolls Royces (NasdaqNM: RYCEY.PK - News) and travels in a Gulfstream 3 jet. "I practice what I preach, and the Bible says...that God takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants," says Dollar, 43, nattily attired in French cuffs and a pinstriped suit'

Bill Hybels, who hired Stanford MBA Greg Hawkins, a former McKinsey & Co. consultant, to handle the church's day-to-day management. Willow Creek's methods have even been lauded in a Harvard Business School case study.
Hybel's consumer-driven approach is evident at Willow Creek, where he shunned stained glass, Bibles, or even a cross for the 7,200-seat, $72 million sanctuary he recently built. The reason? Market research suggested that such traditional symbols would scare away non-churchgoers.

[Edited on 5-18-2005 by ABondSlaveofChristJesus]

 

[Poimen]

I doubted whether or not I would be able to purchase that $10,000,000 home that I wanted. But then after several years of teaching a prosperity gospel that directly encouraged people to give money to my ministry for the express purpose of filling my spiritual coffers thus enabling me to expand the kingdom, I was surprised to find that one day I had enough money to do so! I guess what I preached was really true all along...

[Edited on 5-19-2005 by poimen]

 

[Scott]

Wow, this is a striking contrast to Rick Warren. While I have not read his various material, in an interview I saw last night, he gives 90 percent of the book/material profits away, does not take a salary from his church, and lives in the same house he had before he started earning the big bucks.

Without commenting on his theology (which I know little about), my hat is off to him. Very impressive and a wonderful model.

 

[Robin]

Originally posted by Scott
Wow, this is a striking contrast to Rick Warren. While I have not read his various material, in an interview I saw last night, he gives 90 percent of the book/material profits away, does not take a salary from his church, and lives in the same house he had before he started earning the big bucks.

Without commenting on his theology (which I know little about), my hat is off to him. Very impressive and a wonderful model.

RW is the owner (copyright and sales) of "www.pastors.com" where his theology is sold to any subsciber. None of his "sermons" or teaching materials are ever free; There are many other properties as well.... BTW, so far, he doesn't seem like the party-animal Mr. Dollar is (currently the family is struggling with his wife's cancer)....but as I recall, he resides in/near Coto de Caza (one of the most opulent neighborhoods in our area.)

Check-out his theology here:
http://www.sacredsandwich.com/warren_scripture.htm

R.

[Edited on 5-20-2005 by Robin]