What makes Mac's rapid departure Sunday and cancellation of the visitor's reception particularly egregious is that our church paid for a TV commercial spot Saturday evening on the local NBC affilitate during the Olympics at around 9:00 pm - it was Mac's "make FBC Jax your third place" commercial where he tells prospective church members to visit and after the service "the coffee's on me". No telling how much we paid for that prime time spot to air during the Olympics, but couldn't Mac perhaps arrange his preaching gigs so that he can make it to the visitor's reception on the Sunday immediately following a high-priced TV spot inviting visitors? NO ACCOUNTABILITY
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Again Mac left the church service during the invitation this Sunday. He had to catch a plane to "go to the mission field up north to preach to Yankees". As soon as he said "Come to Jesus", he made a beeline for the exit door, bouncing off the plebe coming to the front wondering why the pastor was leaving so quickly.Again, where's the accountability? I thought he said he was accountable to his congregation LAST WEEK? If he was accountable to his congregation he would show us the respect of at least staying for the entire service and not leaving before the invitation is over like he's some high-paid rock star. Can't our lay leadership explain the rules to Mac: don't leave services early...ESPECIALLY when you bless-out the church when THEY leave early!
Yep, that's Mac a few months ago angrily telling us to "sit down for once in [our] lives". Does he look for ways to sound like a jerk? And notice he gives the one acceptable reason to leave early: medical reasons. He needed to add a second acceptable reason: "...if you have to leave to catch a plane so that you can earn some supplemental income at another church by recycling the sermons you've already preached to your congregation."
And to make matters worse, poor Brother Jim Whitmire had to announce to everyone that the guest reception was canceled because our pastor has to catch a plane after the service. Why oh why do we need Mac Brunson to hold a guest reception? What happened to the cup of coffee that Mac promises visitors ("after the service, the coffee is on me" is what Mac tells our visitors in our "third place" commercial running after midnight on TV-12 and Fox News channel)? Can't we still greet them, have our highly paid executive staff there to greet them and answer their questions about our ministries? Was John Blount too busy yesterday? What about Smyrl, was he needing to get to Golden Corral? Most of these executive staffers could stand to skip a meal anyways. How about George Kemp? And the others...they aren't qualified to greet our visitors?
NOTICE TO LAY LEADERS, SPECIFICALLY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND CHAIRMAN OF THE DEACONS: Will you please do your job, and go to Mac and our "executive staff" and explain that we expect them to hold a guest reception EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY MORNING? Mac has told us that "people aren't home anymore", so our one chance to perhaps shake their hand, showcase our ministries, and ascertain their spiritual condition might be while they're at the church! We have AMPLE staff members to do a first class visitor's reception every single Sunday morning. That should be a priority every single week - we have people COMING TO OUR CHURCH TO VISIT and we need to do everything we can to have our staff personally greet them - having representative staff members to explain ministries that would be of specific interest to them.
But apparently our executive staff is either too lazy to hold this event on their own, or they won't stand up to Mac and convince him that Mac and Honey are not the focus of the reception, but the GUESTS are the focus of the reception. If we can't trust our highly paid, seminary-trained, executive staff members to do the right thing on their own, then the lay leaders need to come forward and explain it to them. Brother Jim Whitmire, you might be the one man down at the church who might be able to exert the influence. Tell these young whipper snappers to greet our visitors, that you're tired of explaining to our guests to "come back" next week to see the pastor.
But its amateur hour at FBC Jax. The Watchdog is trying to help, but they won't listen.
22 comments:
Wow, this site is pretty extensive - I looks like it has been up since before I quit working for FBC.
Just one question - and you can email me if you want to take the convo "off the air" - why? Why not just leave the church if you are this unhappy? Do you think this is helping change things for the better?
I ask out of curiosity, I can assure you. I've read a few of your posts and have/had some of the same concerns.
You should change the title of this blog to "It's All About Me".
Just out of curiosity, have you brought up any of these issues with Dr. Brunson? Have you taken the time to meet with him and address any of your concerns? Anonymous emails don't count, either.
Ok, So I have read this blog for a while now just to see the crazy stuff you have to say but now I feel the need to respond. Dog, you are someone who is filled with hatred in your heart. You have gone beyond being critical of FBC Jax, Mac Brunson, and his staff, but now you routinely hurl insults. You were making fun of the weight of the staff members in this blog. Really.... Now I know this is strickly for attention and I am sure you are getting a lot of it, but I implore you to get on your knees and talk to the Lord about this. You are doing a disservice to not only your ministry but the ministry of the Church. Paul spoke in his letters how we are all members of the Body and the Body cannot function without all involved. You sir a tearing aways at the Body of Christ and are tearing away at your Church. I recommend you spend hours and hours on your knees, seek professional help, or leave this Church. And just to let you know, I have no vested interest in any of this. I live in Texas and attend a small Southern Baptist Church south of Dallas. I did have the opportunity to hear Mac several times when he was the Pastor of FBC Dallas and found him to be a great Bible-teaching Pastor filled with the Spirit. You are not uplifting your Brother in Christ. You are tearing him down. You should be ashamed and you one day have to answer for your words that you speak today. I pray you find direction in your life and come back to loving your Church.
Hi Texas - just telling it like it is. Not "hurling insults" really. Many pastors like Mac like to preach against their list of sins, but the more portly ones like he and Smyrl never seem to like to preach on "gluttony". Very interesting.
I'm not sure of the purpose of this blog, Watchdog. It either has to be (1) to let anyone reading your blog know how "hypocritical" the staff of FBCJax is being or (2) to incite some kind of change because you genuinely care about the church. And there's the 3rd possibility of you being just really upset someone did or said to you at church that you're just trying to cause trouble for the sake of causing trouble. If its choice 1, you're not going about it in the right way at all. If you genuinely think that Dr. Mac and his staff are caught in some kind of sin of hypocrisy then you, Watchdog, and another Christian should confront the sinner in the church. If its choice (2), then you should confront Dr. Mac. Arrange a meeting and address some of your concerns rather than right an anonymous blog, which is really sad. At least stand behind what you have to say. Or if its the third choice and you just want to cause dissension, Watchdog, you really should examine your spiritual condition. Do you consider yourself a Christian, Watchdog? Sorry if that's a silly question, but I meant it seriously. If you do, you're not handling any of the problems you have with the church in the way a Christian should. If you do not consider yourself a Christian, then that adds some insight into where all this hatred is coming from.
Hi Dusty - my purposes don't fit into your tidy little multiple choices. My deep reasons for this blog really I don't expect to be interesting to anyone. But I'll say this: I'm sharing my thoughts, observations, and analysis of what is happening at our church for the benefit of those in our congregation who ARE concerned about the abuses of Mac Brunson, and for the benefit of other church members around the country so they won't let happen at their church what Mac and our lay leaders are allowing to happen at our church. That's it. It started with questions that I had, now I have no more questions. Just observations and commentary of what is going on at our church. If it disturbs you, or if you think my words have no credibility, or if I'm mean and you think me to be not saved and of Satan, or if I'm all the things Maurilio says about me, then by all means don't read what I say, and that will be fine with me.
But many people at my church, even a few mostly silent staff members, and many people around the country know and understand what is happening at the hands of Mac, and they are glad someone is standing up and saying something, as little effect as this blog has....it still is being read by Team Brunson several times a day.
"Standing up and saying something," anonymously? You say "our church" like you care. If you really cared about the goings on at FBC then make a real effort to change something and address the root of the problem (the Brunsons according to you) instead of posting anonymously. You call for accountability but you refuse to hold yourself accountable for your own comments. Go to Dr. Brunson and address your concerns. Have you done this?
Dusty and all - I'm so glad to see people have so many questions for the watchdog! That is great! Accountability for the watchdog...what is your name? where do you live? Have you truly accepted Jesus? You have a hate blog, don't you? When have you sat down with the pastor? Are you really standing up? Why don't you leave the church? You need counseling watchdog! You're hate filled watchdog! You aren't saved are you? You're crazy watchdog!
All great questions and observations and assumptions . But I'm not accountable to any of you. I'm not your pastor, so I owe you no answers. I have a blog. Deal with it. Read it or don't read it. No one is reading your blog Dusty, because no one cares about your personal life. But that's fine, blog away, I don't care and I won't judge you or ask you questions about your motives. You're not accountable to me, so blog away and I'll continue to ignore it if I don't like what you have there.
I just wish some of you FBC Jax members would hold your pastor about 1/100th as accountable as you demand for the watchdog...
Tap the brakes just a little bit there on the rant watchdog. I cannot speak for the people of Florida, but I can tell ya one thing. I could care less about your personal life, your name, where you live, blah, blah, blah..
Here is what is important. You are not accountable to me, but you will one day be accountable to the King of Kings for your mistakes, as will I. There is missing that point.
The simple fact is that you are going about your issues in a wrong way. Christ spoke directly to this as did Paul. You state yourself that it is no longer about questions, but about "observations". This is nothing more than gossip.
For example, so really, Mac and the other staff members are overweight and you have a problem that he doesn't preach on gluttony? Really....
Bottom line is what you are doing is destroying your Church and ministry from the insideout and that is not forwarding God's kingdom. The Bible clearly provides guidance on how to handle problems and "blogging" about them is not it.
Make an appt with Mac. Write a letter to the Deacon body. Address your concerns in business meetings.
Something inside me though tells me you are caught up in the attention and hatemongering though more than you have a general concern about the wellbeing of your Pastor and Church.
Again, the best mode for you and all those who have conflict at church is to fall on your news to Christ. Or do you not think that is the best solution over your current exploits?
My point exactly Dusty.
The dog has done anything but stand up and say something. Like he said himself, this blog has had no effect.
Maybe if the dog really wanted to try and change anything, he would stop barking and start biting.
If not, get back on the porch you dumb dog!
And how can you demand accountability from someone when you yourself display no accountability? You can't. It's the difference between having character or being a coward.
Stand behind your word or don't say anything at all.
People who are "portly" are because of different reasons - as people get to their late 40's, their metabolism slows down and they start putting on weight. Also it could be due to genetics, that slows down metabolism. Most of these people are not gluttonous, but body weight builds up slowly if their metabolism slows down.
I understand sometimes, Dr. Brunson gets carried away with his sermons (not fully reasearched examples or misquoting or denouncing sins), but on the whole he is positive and helpful.
I am not a member of fbcjax. I listen to fbcjax internet broadcasts and love your church. The music is exceptional. And I also learn so much from Dr. Brunson. I am a "new" christian and I can not compare Dr. Brunson with Dr. Vines or prior pastors.
Mr. Watchdog, I may not agree with you lot of times, but I have to admire your courage and persistence. I pray that god will heal all of us and fbcjax.
Robert - anonymous. I really continue to recommend that you post anonymously so that your illogical posts aren't attributed to your name.
And it can be due to gluttony - that is overeating unhealthy foods like Krispy Kremes or an inability to push one's self away from the table. I'm just kidding of course...I find it interesting that saying several on our executive staff could stand to miss a meal - in the context of skip Sunday lunch in order to greet our visitors. Come on guys...
Anon - wow, that was a to-the-point post that summarizes the abuses of Donald Brunson at our church. But these few posters here would rather call for the watchdog's accountability (Robert wants me to "display" accountability - maybe I'll do what Mac did - "Hey everybody, I'm accountable to you all" - OK, I said I'm accountable so I must be, right?)
I still say the King has no clothes on - that is Mac is a farce of a preacher and leader; and many faithful at FBC Jax know it and see it, but are waiting him out.
And I will blog on...lots more to come.
Anon and brother Dawg,
I assure you the church staff gets a good laugh when they visit this blog every day. Anon, you are an embarassment to your fellow dissenters. How dare you admit you are fearful to blog with your actual name. You said:
"See Two Rivers Baptist to see what putting your name out there and seeking answers gets you".
That is why you guys won't stand up for your opinons. You recalcitrants are afraid of church discipline. I hope you are fearful. Not only because of church discipline but because of what the Almighty will say in the end. The Lord does not appreciate anyone trying to tear down his church, his people and the men of God he calls to lead them.
Watchdog, we know you will continue to blog. You told us 3 times before that you were going to stop but did not. We get it...you will keep blogging. So blog on my good friend....you make good conversation at the cafeteria tables on Wednesday night.
Robert - you're clueless, and I mean clueless. You have no idea what our staff thinks about the information shared on this blog. You have no clue - people around the SBC reading this, Robert would like you to think he knows what's going on at our church, but I assure he does not, he just likes to have the church staff see his name as a defender of Mac Brunson, but he's clueless.
Robert, you'd like to think the staff sits around and chuckles about the blog and they believe the abuses are just nonsense. But many of them know. They may not agree with the blog, but the abuses that are presented here are real, they concern our staff, but they are powerless to do anything about it. That's why it falls on the lay leaders to hold Mac accountable, but apparently they are unable.
Robert - how do you feel about your pastor lying about Sheri Klouda, yet never apologizing to us or to her? Or do you still feel that we really don't know if he was speaking of her, that perhaps there was some other famous lawsuit involving our seminary and its leader? I have blogged here about some good things Mac has done...can you show some integrity and at least admit that perhaps ONE of the abuses here on this blog is cause for concern, like is slander of Sheri Klouda from the pulpit?
Just answer the question Robert - what did you think about your pastor lying about Sheri Klouda? Or do you still think that we can't be sure who he was talking about?
I guess you don't want to answer...so you stand by your previous comments that we just don't know who Mac was referring to when he lied from the pulpit about Sheri Klouda. Because he didn't mention her name, we just don't know do we? There are so many famous lawsuits of a person against one of our institutions and its leaders that we just can't be sure. Mac slandered Sheri Klouda to help his friend Paige Patterson, and he used our church's good name to do it. It was a shameful moment in the history of FBC Jax, and you play dumb. So sad, but very telling about Mac's supporters. The king is stark naked and they refuse to see it.
You've shown just how blind you are Robert. Your pastor told a terrible lie about a woman's testimony in her gender discrimination case, and has never apologized to us for doing it, and has not apologized to Sheri Klouda for it. Take another sip of that Kool Aid, Robert.
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