2 Samuel 16:9,11 - "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head...let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him."

Matthew 7:15 - “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Matthew 24:11 - “…and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.”

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Senior Defends Junior: "Ed and Lisa Give Away More than 1/2 of Every Dime They Touch"



Update: below I've imbedded a YouTube video of the entire Ed Young/Ed Young Q&A session. The video above comes at around the 31 minute mark...but around the issue of money, Ed Young Sr has some very interesting things to say about how he deals with the many millionaires in his church, and the importance of not allowing them to give him gifts so that he can be a friend and not a peer - in fact Young Sr. talks about how he counseled a convert who was one of his richest member NOT to give ONE DIME to the church so that the man would know that his relationship to God had absolutely NOTHING to do with his money. Also interesting in this video to hear Jr. take a shot at the SBC, saying that ever since his dad ended his SBC presidency in the 80's, the SBC has been in a "nosedive". Definitely worth a listen.

------

Ed Young, Sr., pastor of Second Baptist Church in Houston, spoke in a Q&A with his son at the C3 conference in Ft. Worth last week, and he defended his son against the recent news reports of him living a lavish lifestyle by saying:

"...What they didn't tell is that he [Ed Jr] and Lisa give away - I hate to give a number - maybe half or more than half of every dime they touch personally. That didn't come out in the news. Its not what you make, its what you give. And if, you know, if he were hoarding it up, it would be a different thing, or having cash, he does not have that, because he is a giver, we're givers."

Well, Mr. Shipp of WFAA didn't report that because its COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT. What Ed does or does not give away doesn't provide justification for him earning a million dollar salary, or a $220,000 "parsonage allowance", and it certainly doesn't justify his church leasing a jet!

And why throw a percentage out as to how much he gives away? If Ed wants to tell everybody how much he gives away, then show us the real numbers. These ministers will never, ever share raw numbers, they will tell you percentages, or make broad comparisons to other ministers. One of my favorites is Mac Brunson's "We've decided to tithe on the tithe" announcement last year to show how committed he is to giving some extra money to the church - and "tithing on the tithe" means increasing one's giving from 10% to 11%, by the way.

And for your viewing pleasure, Ed Young the rapper belts out his new tune "UBU":




Here is the entire 45-minute Q&A session:

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Morning WD:

Here we go again - another example of a mega church Daddy defending his kid when there is some kind of backlash. Also another reason why a church should never hire ones family member. If they want to work, then let them do it as the lay people who receive no paycheck and volunteer their services.

Thanks be to all you pastors who read this blog and are not in this league - shameful to use a pulpit for anything but to preach the gospel - using it for a defense stage is an embarassment. Daddy should have just left it alone!

Bro./Pastor Rod H. said...

"U-B-U"??? Unbelieveable!!!

It is beyond and without a doubt,absolutely,Unequivocably,unmistakablely,unambiguously,definitely,certainly,assuredly,indisputably,positively,clearly,undeniably,undoubtedly,unquestionably,plainly,clearly,and shownuff the age of the Laodicean church!!!

Anonymous said...

Man this guy is so vulgar. I can only believe that his followers ERRRR church member are simply CLUELESS!! But how can so many thousands upon thousands be fooled? I mean, this cat has "campuses" all across the city. And they are packed for the most part.

I don't get it. I really don't. I mean, there are some very professional looking people at his church that are obviously educated. How the heck can they buy into this? How can so many educated people be soooo dumb. I mean there are tons of young, under-40/45 people there and their kids. Man I can't stand his church. Just another Dallas "scene".

Anonymous said...

How can one vouch for how much another person is giving in terms of percentages?

I understand that it is human nature for a father to protect his child.

But I would be careful vouching for how much other people are giving away.

And I say that having a great deal of respect for Ed Young Sr. I attended Second Baptist some during the summer of 1985. That was the summer that Ed Young took to the pulpit and said that he was going to support the CR. He said that he had been ill-trained at Southeastern, that many of the profs under whom he studied had a very low view of scripture, and that as a result, when he got out of seminary he was really not able to feed the sheep. He said that it took him several years and additional study after seminary to correct what he had learned, to gain confidence in God's word so that he could feed the sheep with the Word.

That was not an easy thing for Young to do in 1985 given who was in his church at that time.

But that was 25 years ago. It is sad to see his energies invested in having to defend what appears to indefensible.


Louis

FBC Jax Watchdog said...

Louis - if you get a chance sometime, listen to the entire interview that I just posted as a revision to this post, down at the bottom. Ed Young Sr. says some very interesting, wise things. He might be the last of the old-school guys like Lindsay and Vines and Rogers' generation - guys who had megas, but unlike the current generation they didn't do it through marketing and they didn't enter the ministry SET OUT to build a monster church.

Very interesting story you tell about his education at Southeastern...I do recall Vines telling similar stories of his experiences at his first Christian college (which was not an SBC seminary, but I think one of the SBC funded undergrad colleges).

I think today's SBC pastors might need to listen more to guys like Young who while he is a mega church pastor, that was never his ambition, as when he started pastoring the megas were non-existent.

Anonymous said...

Not that it is relevant, but who is receiving Ed Young's generosity? Who does he give "half his salary" to?
My guess is that he invests it back into his church, probably for tax reasons. I bet he doesn't pay a dime in taxes.

Anonymous said...

Nice payback on the rap video to John Cross for him coming to Ed's aid...Ed gave John Cross his own line and two face shots in the video. Something like "I ain't country like JC"

U-B-U

Some upcoming videos now being shot at Fellowship Church:

U-Fly-U

"We be flyin' while you homies be cryin'

"We ain't ridin' no mule, we be buyin' up the jet fuel"

"My Homie JC Ridin' on My Jet"

"My boy Noah saved the Falcon...my boy Eddie Y Now Flyin on da Falcon"

Anonymous said...

Dog:

It is interesting that you say that, and thanks for those thougts. I will try to list to the entire thing later.

It may come as a surprise to you that we are not far apart on this. I and many of my friends who are of my generation saw guys like Vines, Rogers, Young Sr., Criswell etc. as being different. And we noticed a change when the torch was starting to be passed as they left the scene. Those guys weren't perfect either. And maybe it was because of our age that we admired them so much. I don't know. But the guys who came along behind them (not all, but many) did not seem to have the fortitude and conviction that the older guys had. I got the impression from Rogers et al. that he really would have lost his job and started over if he was asked to do something he felt went against his convictions.

The guys that came along behind them don't impress me in the same way. That may not be fair to them, and, again, it may be a generational thing. And there are younger guys, too, who do impress me.

I was talking about all this with my pastor recently (who is 2 years younger than I). I have known him since he was 14 and I was 16 when we both came to Christ at a local Baptist Church youth group. When he read the numbers involved in these stories (members, dollars etc.), he and I, again, vowed not to ever let our church get like that. We would rather spin off new congregations than have a big "thing."

Again, I am not condemning everything that is big.

But the schamltziness and impersonal nature of a lot of the big places nowadays turns me off.

Louis

Anonymous said...

Not Fooled.
Something is not being said when he says that half is given away. They want us to believe that half is give to charitable causes, but I bet little or none of it is.

Bro./Pastor Rod H. said...

"Man this guy is so vulgar. I can only believe that his followers ERRRR church member are simply CLUELESS!! But how can so many thousands upon thousands be fooled?"

February 23, 2010 10:49 AM"




The irony and sadness in this whole scene Anon,is that the Bible has predicted that men "WILL" follow the sensuality/destructive heresies of "GREEDY" men devoid of the truth.[2Pet.2:1-3]

Paul warned Timothy to be faithful in preaching the Word,seeing that he would have to give an account to the Lord,who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing!!!
But Paul also exhorted Timothy to be faithful to preach the Word of God in spite of the fact that a time would come when people "WILL NOT" tolerate hearing It!!!

But will choose a host of teachers to tickle their ears(E.Y.and others),and they will turn from the Truth in order that they may believe in myths,fables,and fairy tales[2Tim.4:1-5]!!!




"I don't get it. I really don't. I mean, there are some very professional looking people at his church that are obviously educated. How the heck can they buy into this? How can so many educated people be soooo dumb."

February 23, 2010 10:49 AM"



Anon the Wisdom of God is foolishness to men!

Men because they believe themselves to be wise,actually negate the Wisdom of God!

Many of these people who sit under these charlatans are nothing more than spiritual babes in Christ,and just like a baby will put anything into their mouths(in this case their heads)!

The other people are nothing more than the results of this purpose driven nonsense that masquerades as a more relevant means of drawing people to Christ.
You have to understand,Anon that this new breed of preacher considers the Gospel Message as given by Chist and His follwers as outdated in this new more modern,intellectual age.

The results are worldly people who are actually lost filling up these churches.
And that is the true tragedy,because a Day of reckoning is coming where many people will stand before Christ,only to hear from His Mouth these tragic Words; "DEPART FROM ME,FOR I """NEVER""" NEW YOU"[Matt.7:21-23]!!!

Anon the things of God are spiritually discerned too men by the Holy Spirit,who has,and reveals the mind of God too men,why,because He(The Holy Spirit)is God!!![1Cor1:20-31;1Cor.2:6-15]!!!

We are most definitely in the prophesied "FALLING AWAY"!!!

Anonymous said...

Hypothetical: Jesus comes back and sees all the homeless on the sidewalks around the church. He goes to Mac Brunson inside the luxury office suite to ask how much money can he get his hands to buy food, clothing and shelter for those in need? Mac says "about a million every month." Jesus says, great let's help these folks with that money. Mac says, we can't. Jesus says why not? Mac says because it's just not enough to help anyone. You see, we pay a church marketing guy named Maurilio to teach us how to market my brand and this church. Jesus says "stop doing that. I know the hearts of the givers and NONE of them want Maurilio to receive funds ahead of the poor and hurting. In other words, if you do it for the least of these, you do it for ME. These folks gave to help ME, not Maurilio."

Jesus: What about the rest of the millions? I hope these loving folks pay you enough to support your wife and family." Mac: No, they don't. I have to write books and preach at conferences. And my wife also has to work for us to make ends meet. Really, our combined take, if you count my son and friends I have on staff, is almost 1 million dollars. Jesus: Stop that. I will provide for your needs. Trust me. Why are you robbing ME (the least of these) for your own branding and family?

Mac: And it takes money to maintain all these parking garages and that lighthouse. Jesus: These folks outside should never take a backseat to the parking garages and lighthouse. Tear them down."

Mac: But where will people park? Jesus: In all those half-filled parking lots they pass on their way down here each week.

Mac: But I give 11% of my income back to this church.

Jesus: How does that help the least of these? And what about the land gift, did you tithe on that? You have robbed me, Mac, in tithes and offerings, use the whole tithe to minister to the least of these, not for yourself and your family. There is ample money here to do my work, why do you rob me and keep asking for more?

Mac: I guess you don't want to cruise the Danube with us either?

Jesus: Now you are learning about ME and my priorities.

Anonymous said...

I will agree it is not how much you make but how much you give, ONLY IF, the percentage includes what percentage of your discretionary income you give away. In other words, a family of four making $4000 per month most likely has nothing left over at the end of the month. But assuming they do have $400 per month left over after they pay the mortgage, car payment, school, groceries, medical, maintenance, etc, they would be doing good. They could save this 10% (recommended by most financial advisors) or they could spend it on themselves (cuff links, vacations, Chart House restaurant, cruises, etc.), or they could give it to help orphans, widows, the oppressed, the homeless, the hungry; or they could give it to the local church budget as a "tithe."

Those folks would be giving 100% of their discretionary income! Now suppose Ed and Mac make $30K every month. And since their land was donated, and they have a huge housing allowance and a car and insurance provided, and their benefits cover most health insurance and other expenses, they are able to live on 1/3 of that. ($10K per month) Of the remaining $20K per month, they do buy the cuff links, take the cruises, the vacations, and eat at luxurious restaurants. But they give 50% of every dime they touch, or $15K. That is still only 75% of their discretionary income. Or less percentage wise of what the family above gives.

And God forbid that family gave 75% of their discretionary income, or $300 of the $400, to the church and "robbed God" of the other $100. They wouldn't be allowed to sing for Jesus, or serve him in the church.

Is this really what Ed expects us to believe?

Layman

New BBC Open Forum said...

"He said that he had been ill-trained at Southeastern, that many of the profs under whom he studied had a very low view of scripture, and that as a result, when he got out of seminary he was really not able to feed the sheep."

Cry me a river! Apparently it didn't bother EY, Sr. that most of his education was paid for by the support of his fellow Southern Baptists. I suspect that in the '60s tuition was less than a tenth of what it is today. (It seems I read somewhere it used to be free for SB's. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) Even today, if you're a member of a SB church, you get an automatic 50% lopped off your SEBTS tuition. I would suggest that if EY, Sr. was so disappointed with the education he was receiving at SEBTS he should have found a seminary whose philosophy/theology was more aligned with his own. I guess, though, that 12 years with Paige Patterson at the helm molded SEBTS into an institution that is now more to EY, Sr.'s liking.

Anonymous said...

It is interesting to see how many want to know what is given and to whom. I wonder what many of the pastors blogging would think if they were recieving the salaries some of these "mega church" pastors are. I believe the tune would change. It seems that many are focusing on the wrong person. Keep your eyes upon Jesus appears to be the most important issue.

Why are we interested in money? Is it possible that many are jealous?
Think about it.

Anonymous said...

Of the remaining $20K per month, they do buy the cuff links, take the cruises, the vacations, and eat at luxurious restaurants.

Oooops, you forgot to include the spiffy monograms on the dress shirt! Some interesting dialog today! :>)

New BBC Open Forum said...

"Also another reason why a church should never hire ones family member."

Just to clarify, Ed Young, "Sr." is pastor of the multi-campus Second Baptist Church in Houston. Ed, "Jr." is pastor of the multi-campus Fellowship Church in Grapevine, TX.

Flight records for his jet, just what little is public, show it's made several trips to Farnborough, England. Other than a big airshow every two years, what's there? Does FC have a British campus now? With apologies to the Trane folks ("It's hard to beat a Trane"), "It's hard to hide a plane."

Oh, and the "rap" video? Real klassy, Jr., especially the "Ex-Lax" line with the associated sound effects.

Anonymous said...

New BBC:

Hey, are you Randall Lolley's son or what?

Just because someone got to pay cheap tuition doesn't mean they can reflect on their schooling and see that it needed improvement.

I really don't get your anger or disappointment here. Anyway, it was the Baptist people who made his education possible, and I should hasten to add that he was very grateful for those who sacrificed to make that possible.

He was just not enamored with the theological positions taken by the factulty at Southeastern when he attended. That's all.

Can you imagine what Second Baptist Houston was like in the early 60s', before Young got there? Paul Pressler, a young lawyer and John Baugh in the same church. That's where it all started. And Baptists voted which way to go 20 years later.

Louis

New BBC Open Forum said...

Yes, Louis, Second Baptist certainly has a proud legacy with Pressler, Baugh, O'Quinn (name dropped by Sr. in the video), and some of those other b-b-b-b-billionares. The Baptists (those who attended the convention who were a very small percentage of Baptists) voted all right... and it was based on a lie. I remember those days well. We all thought our SB seminaries were full of "libruls" who were teaching our "preacher boys" all sorts of heresy because that's what Patterson and Pressler and the state papers were telling us. Thirty-plus years later we learn, mostly through the miracle of the internet, that was not the case. Man, if only Algore had invented the internet 30 years earlier!

"Anyway, it was the Baptist people who made his education possible, and I should hasten to add that he was very grateful for those who sacrificed to make that possible."

Well, you didn't hasten to mention that before. You just said EY, Sr. said "he had been ill-trained at Southeastern, that many of the profs under whom he studied had a very low view of scripture, and that as a result, when he got out of seminary he was really not able to feed the sheep. He said that it took him several years and additional study after seminary to correct what he had learned, to gain confidence in God's word so that he could feed the sheep with the Word."

That doesn't sound like someone who's particularly enamored with his education, does it? Let's be honest, Louis, and just say we don't know.

"He was just not enamored with the theological positions taken by the factulty at Southeastern when he attended."

Then perhaps he should have done the same thing those of us who haven't cared for the way some of our churches are going did... go somewhere else. That's all I was saying in the first place. At least SEBTS was an established institution when Young enrolled. I'm sure many of the very same professors with whom he found himself at odds were there for years before Young came along, so it's not as if some radical group hijacked the seminary overnight (unlike some of our established churches).

Unlike you, Louis, I don't have splinters in my backside from sitting on the fence all the time.

P.S. I don't think I've ever heard of Randall Lolley so I'm pretty sure I'm not his son, but I assure you I know as much or more about Second Baptist than you.

New BBC Open Forum said...

I remember who Randall Lolley is now. (Momentary lapse in memory there.) Just another in the long string of casualties left in the wake of the CR. Let me add, I was all for the CR when it was going on. Like most of the other pew-warmers in the SBC, little did I know what was really going on.

Jumping back on topic, I agree with Louis on this point: "But I would be careful vouching for how much other people are giving away."

However, I don't think dad has much to worry about. Jr.'s salary and bennies are well-guarded secrets, and to say he gives a certain "percent"... really doesn't mean anything. Also, just because they touch a dime (interesting choice of words) doesn't mean it's necessarily theirs to touch. It's easy to be generous with OPM. (See congress.)

Anonymous said...

To Anon 2/23 @ 10:49

They follow Ed Young, and those like him, because it is easy and feels good. Paul predicted this type of stuff in his last letter.

2 Timothy 4:3-4

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

It's only going to get worse....

Anonymous said...

From time to time some one says; "If you don't like your church go to another one somewhere else". WHERE????? Most ALL of these "temples of entertainment" (rap video) suffer from the same disease apostacy and greed. Most of the preachers are "in the business", along with their church markerters. I wish there were some REAL churches out there! I will 2nd and 3rd etc. the truth that we are in a falling away of the church in the Laodicean church age. I would not want to be a preacher in this falling away of the church. Too much to answer for.That is why God says He will spue this church age out of His mouth.

Anonymous said...

BBC:

Thanks for the other info on your background and such. We have not dialogued much, so it's always helpful to know where people are coming from.

I thought you had attended BBC, and that Rogers had been your pastor. I guess that is still correct.

I am sorry that you feel you and all the Baptists were lied to by Patterson, Pressler, Rogers et al. I am not going to try and talk you out of that one. But it is good to know your feelings on that.

I hate it when people recommend books to me, but I'll do that anyway. Greg Wills' History of Southern Seminary is an excellent book if you have the time or interest.

As for fence sitting, I don't know what you are referring to. But I will say that law school and 24 years of practicing law trains one to see issues from all sorts of angles, and less likely to take sides without the best info.

I have no idea whether your knowledge of Second Baptist is better than mine. I don't think it really matters. If you want to claim that one, it's fine by me. I only attended there sporadically in the summer of 1985. That's the extent of my attending that church. So with that little bit of info, I would not consider myself an expert on Second Baptist.

I do know, however, that Paul Pressler, unlike John Baugh (RIP), is not a billionaire. I am certain that I know more about Paul Pressler than you, but I will not argue the point. I will concede that you know more about John Baugh than I. Although I do know that Mr. Baugh was seized with conspiracy theories about Judge Pressler taking over the U.S. government through the Council for National Policy.

I see from time to time other people on the internet who believe that, too. All I can say is, "Break out the tin foil."

I am glad that you recovered and recognized who Randall Lolley is. Is he still around?

But I still don't get why you are so uncharitable toward's Young's reflection on his seminary days.

To expect 22 year olds to make the judgments you require is a high bar, don't you think? I know lots of folks who went through college or grad school and thought certain things because that's what they were taught at those schools. But as the years went by and they studied and matured, they came to different beliefs as they reflected on their experiences.

I think that's a pretty common phenomenon.

By the way, my father in law lives in Memphis after retiring from the mission field. He and his wife go to church at another large SBC church there (not Bellevue).

Where did you settle down after leaving Bellevue? Did you leave before Dr. Rogers died or after? (I assume you left?).

I would probably know these things if I followed your blog closely over the years but I haven't.

Louis

Anonymous said...

"From time to time some one says; "If you don't like your church go to another one somewhere else".

Statements like this really annoy those of us who are members of a church many years prior to the "new man" coming on board.

We were there first - Mac, his family and marketing consultants are the one who needs to move on, not us! Thank you, but we have patience and can wait him out!

For sure "Gods Man" and his "A Team" have done a great job to disasembled a once great church. I'm sure those in the SBC will call him to greener fields where he's a better fit than here in Jacksonville.

New BBC Open Forum said...

"From time to time some one says; 'If you don't like your church go to another one somewhere else'. WHERE?????"

Don't you see? That's not the point. They don't care just as long as you leave.

New BBC Open Forum said...

Might I suggest there could have been another less gracious and overriding reason why EY, Sr. did not want to accept a large monetary gift from John O'Quinn? O'Quinn was a well-known lawyer who made much of his fortune off suing large corporations for such things as silicon-gel breast implants and tobacco products (cigarettes are bad for you -- who knew?) and doctors for malpractice. If he'd given any significant amount to Second Baptist, he would have likely wanted them to name a building after him. That was the "string" that usually came attached to his large endowments.

There are quite a few rich doctors who are members of Second Baptist as well as at least a few lawyers who must have at one time found themselves on the opposite side of the courtroom from O'Quinn (probably defending the doctors), and they give a lot of money to the church. Doctors had a fit when O'Quinn donated $25 million to St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital a few years ago with the caveat that one of the most prominent towers in the skyline of the Houston medical center, the St. Luke's Medical Tower, be renamed after him. In spite of the doctors' protests, the building was renamed The O'Quinn Medical Tower.

This is purely speculation, but I have a feeling EY, Sr. weighed his options -- on the one hand accepting a large endowment from O'Quinn which would tick off many of his biggest givers and possibly having to name a building after him and on the other hand turning down O'Quinn's gift and keeping the big givers happy and the gravy train going. Money does talk.

O'Quinn and his longtime employee were killed in a one-car accident in broad daylight in Houston. The streets were damp from an earlier drizzle, but he was estimated to have been doing nearly 60 in a 40 mph zone. He jumped a median, crossed the opposite lanes of traffic (it's a wonder he didn't take someone out with him), and planted his Suburban in a large tree. It took them a long time to cut it out. Neither was wearing a seatbelt. Ironic a man who made billions off class-action lawsuits against manufacturers of unsafe products took himself out by speeding and not wearing a seatbelt.

More on John O'Quinn:

MedBlog > John O'Quinn's medical legacy -- good, bad or both?

Forbes.com > John O'Quinn, King of Torts, R.I.P.

Rose speaks > John Maurice O’Quinn’s Formal Obituary by Friend Gerald Treece

Tributes.com > John O'Quinn: Famed lawyer who won huge cases against big tobacco companies, dies in car wreck

Wikipedia > John O'Quinn

Anonymous said...

11:05 AM; Well, lets pray that the selection is better than the last one. As I was more or less "encouraged to leave". So I am of the opinion....."who needs them". They need me !!!

Anonymous said...

"As for fence sitting, I don't know what you are referring to. But I will say that law school and 24 years of practicing law trains one to see issues from all sorts of angles, and less likely to take sides without the best info.
"

The right angle comes from "pure wisdom from above" (James) through the Holy Spirit.


Matt

Scott from Texas said...

You folks trip me out. I read this blog every other day for pure entertainment value more than anything. I consider posting a comment, then decide to refrain.

Just for giggles I thought, what the hec....

I am reminded of two old cliches my momma taught me a long time ago. "Worry about your own porch and not the neighbors" and "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".

You guys spend so much time laying judgement on these big time preachers that you don't really know. You talk about how they are misguided or unBiblical,not being good stewards of the Church's money, or this or that. It's pretty silly. Last time I checked, God draws men to Christ, Christ saves us, and He will judge us all.

If said church wants to pay a preacher x amount of salary, Great for them. I wish my Church could pay my preacher more. I know what he does for my congregation and believe he deserves more.

And before the fleecing occurs, I attend a 300 member SBC Church south of Dallas.

Bottom line -- worry about how you are growing personally and how you are impacting the community around you.

Stop mowing down others and judging them. Your are not Christ........and you're sure not acting like him!

Anonymous said...

Scott,

I would suggest that you take your own momma's advice. Or did you not notice that you are not "Worried about your own porch and not the neighbors" and you are not following her advice here either "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"

Do I really need to point out that you are judging us for being judgemental? What's the word I am thinking of? It starts with an H.

If your thinking is this bad in the first paragraph, do we even need to evaluate the rest?

The only other point I will make is that your "advice" while quaint and homespun goes directly against what the Bible teaches about church discipline.

You said that you wish your pastor made more money. How about one billion dollars a year. Would that be too much? Who are you to judge?

Anonymous said...

"You guys spend so much time laying judgement on these big time preachers that you don't really know."

Oh, some of us know them alright. You really get to know them best on the golf course.

I know you probably did not intend to do this but you just 'judged' others you really do not know.

Anonymous said...

Concerning judging others. The bible tells us to be smart as wolves but harmless as doves. We are to be watchmen and fruit inspectors. Rather than sit on the fence some of us actually have brains, and spiritual discernment. You are exactly what the businessmen preachers are looking for. Ask no questions, make no moral judgements, just blindly trust and obey. Pay the piper, sorry make that the preacher, and drink the kool aid. And when you grow up and wake up, hopefully you will have learned something about life and people. Albeit,the hard way.

Anonymous said...

While AIG (the Insurance Giant) is losing money in most of its divisions, it is making money in its Plane Leasing Division.

"AIG’s plane-leasing business, International Lease Finance Corp., posted a $344 million operating profit, a gain of 66 percent from a year earlier after the unit expanded its fleet and borrowing costs fell."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aOZm4lKzImYE

Unknown said...

I know this story is old but I had to comment. I worked for Ed Young Sr for about 10 years. With every man, there is a good side and a bad side. I have seen both of him. But, I can honestly say you have never met a nicer man then Dr. Young. I have also met and worked very briefly on a project for Ed Jr. Without going into specifics let me just say Ed Jr. is a waster of money and it isn't for the sake of God. It is for the sake of Marketing himself. I was disgusted with it. Where Dr. Young and his son are different is Dr. Young faces the growth of his church with plans that are smart and when they are needed. Ed Jr is trying to buy his popularity.