At left is Jack Graham, pastor of the mega church Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.Being the loving, caring pastor that he is, Pastor Jack delivered a sermon on December 8th explaining how his church members can have their best Christmas ever.
Here is Pastor Jack's advice:
"There's lots of bloggers and watchdoggers who love to attack pastors and churches...maybe people you hang out with who love to attack churches and be negative about the church. My advice to you if you want to be happy in life is to get as far away as possible from those people. They're only going to drag you down....Instead, get around people who say something like this: 'Isn't it great what God is doing in our church?'"
Here is a 3-minute excerpt from Pastor Jack's December 8th sermon:
Ah yes, one of the keys to having your best Christmas EVER is to determine in your heart that you're going to shun those who might criticize your church or your pastor.
Most pastors don't stand in their pulpit and say these kinds of things. To Pastor Jack's credit, at least he wasn't too angry about it.
But why would Jack Graham want to use his pulpit to tell his church members to not read blogs, to basically shun all people who criticize the church or pastors? Because it was a blogger who helped begin the process of calling Graham's church to explain why they failed to report pedophile John Langworthy to police, resulting in the pedophile moving to Mississippi where he molested more children.Amy Smith is probably one of the "bloggers" that Graham would tell people to shun and stay away from. As I wrote back in 2011 in my article "In the Langworthy/Prestonwood Story, Bloggers Once Again Show They are Sorely Needed to Get Truth Out" I wrote:
"With the help of the New BBC Open Forum blog recently, former Prestonwood Baptist staffer Amy Smith was able to get the attention of folks in Langworthy's new church and community. Finally as word spread among the people at Langworthy's church, and they did Internet searches that landed them on the New BBC Open Forum post here, they realized they may have a pedophile in their midst. Their church leadership began an investigation, and then Brett Shipp became involved. Brett covered the story because of the connection of Langworthy to Prestonwood, and their apparent failure to report Langworthy's crimes to the police back in 1989 and instead let him slip away to another church."Yes, those darned "bloggers and watchdoggers". They dare to criticize Jack Graham's church for not reporting a pedophile which resulted in John Langworthy continuing his abuse at another church.
So Prestonwood Baptist members: don't listen to your Man of God on this issue. He is one of the many mega church pastors and their minions who view bloggers as a problem. You should know that the New BBC Open Forum blog I mentioned above that helped bust one of your former pedophile ministers was one of the blogs that Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Detective Robbie Hinson subpoenaed (click here to see the subpoena for yourself) back in 2008 when he investigated my blog to uncover my identity (which resulted in a first amendment lawsuit ultimately settled out of court) - all while Hinson was on the discipline committee of his megachurch which sought my identity. Detective and Discipline Committee Member Hinson for good measure also subpoenaed Tiffany Croft's blog - a blog that actually assisted our State Attorney's office in gathering information from fearful Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist church members who reported Darrell Gilyard's (pictured at right) sexual abuses.And don't forget about Prestonwood's treatment of Chris Tynes, another critic worthy of shunning in the wacky world of Pastor Jack: don't call the cops on the pedophile, but call the cops on the guy demanding answers about the pedophile. And one more reason Pastor Jack doesn't like Watchdoggers: we were quick to point out that Pastor Jack was one of those pastors who got duped by Ergun Caner right after 9/11 and allowed Caner to use the Prestonwood pulpit to create his new "former terrorist" image.
But hey, Prestonwood members, perhaps Jack's advice will indeed give you the best Christmas ever, and help you live a happy life: see no evil, hear no evil - and certainly speak no evil. As one friend said recently: if your pastor publicly declares that you shouldn't listen to this or to that person and tells you to shun a person - that should trigger a red flag to cause you to consider that this person is on to something, and schedule a lunch date with them immediately.
Or at least cause you to visit their blogsite every week or so.
Merry Christmas to you, Jack Graham, and thanks for sending me more readership from your church.
45 comments:
Good free advertisement Watchdog.
We remain members of Prestonwood for now but do not attend as frequently as we once did. We did drop in this past weekend for the big Christmas show as several friends were singing and performing. I was not aware of this "shunning message" from 12/8 but now that I've seen the video it seems to explain some of the treatment we received the other night as I have been known to question some things at the church. A Deacon who is supposed to be a friend of ours saw me then turned and went the other way. My wife commented how she somehow felt out of place in her own church. Make no mistake, Jack's loyal followers take his instructions very seriously. If I am out of line in some way I would expect the church leadership to confront me directly instead of avoiding and shunning long time members of the church. It seems like they just want us to go away quietly but I want some answers first. Some may call me a coward for remaining anonymous. If this was only about me I'd go public with all of it. Jack and his team know where to find me if they decide to do the right thing and talk it out. I'm not holding my breath.
These old school mega-church leaders still haven't learned that they are fighting a battle that they just can't win.
They think they are still in the 70's and can intimidate critics and no one will find out about it. Those days are long gone my friend.
Reminds me of this quote from Citizen Kane:
"If it was anybody else, I'd say what's going to happen to you would be a lesson to you. Only you're going to need more than one lesson. And you're going to get more than one lesson."
You are truly a blessing, Watchdog. Reading your blog has open my eyes to see and understand what's been disturbing me for many years. Pastors are manipulating, taking for granted, and abusing God's people.
thank you so much and please keep it coming.
UNCLEAN! UNCLEAN!!!
I'm betting he's thankful he's not like us...
And people wonder why I no longer attend church?
Prestonwood Member, that is so sad.
But Rick Warren and other church growthers popularized it with his endorsements of Dan Southerland's (purpose driven model) book "Transitioning" in which he calls us questioners "Sanballat" aka "leaders from hell" and teaches everyone how to have a shootout at the OK Corral to drive us out.
There are a million spin offs to this but they all amount to the same thing. It is just 'sanctifying' our natural desire to either submit legalistically to a leader and not think and be Bereans for ourselves, or be a leader and have all the control. It's normal, unregenerate human social group dynamics.
And then you know, after teaching how to oust dissenters he teaches them how to make "course corrections." (It doesn't really include considering the critics' complaints and who is going to complain after watching their friends get run over /dragged by the purpose driven horse? It also doesn't include discerning whether your 'vision' for the church is actually Biblical, or how to discern between divisive people who are dragging the church away from the truth, and people who are complaining because they're noticing YOU drifting from the truth.)
LOL, we are "miserable?" Wrong again, Jack... WE walk in freedom... because the TRUTH has set us free.Not your definition of the truth but by God's word.
The title reminds me of Joel Osteen's book "Your Best Life Now." Hey, maybe Jack can write a new book...Your Best Christmas Ever.
Pastors generally encourage the laity to confront the mistakes that the laity make (sins?), and to confess those, repent and move on. But when they refuse to confront their own mistakes, they are angry that anyone would point out their failure and seek to hold them accountable. This is "biblical", as in the "biblical" word for it is HYPOCRISY.
It's important to know the truth as Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free", and sometimes a blog is the only way to reveal the truth because the media are controlled by organized religion. Here is a blog that speaks of the truth about the big statues of saints and their relics but the truth is saints never said anything and they did nothing to protect children from pedophile priests more than 6,100 of Biblical Proportion in the USA - and their victims number more than 15,750 plus , that's five times more than the 3,000 victims of 9/11 http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/
I'm not the same Anonymous as above. Just call me Anonymous3.
Yes, up until 5 years ago, a big pastor could control his own press, but with the Internet, these guys are hopelessly outmatched.
The Internet tells their congregation things their lay leaders don't even know.
Please demand these neo cons to budget over 26% to widows, orphans, and immigrants in their churches if they teach tithing. Ever wonder why 75% of Jews vote Democrat, because they understand tithing a whole lot better and how it works accordingly.
Oh no, they do not like bloggers, including yours truly. Before I ever even knew who the pastors were at Prestonwood, I was sent a list of the pastors and started looking up their names on Twitter. Each and every one had me blocked before I had ever Tweeted them. I wonder how many are on their Damage Control team to ward against bloggers like us?
Not a whole lot of focus going on Jesus with all the effort of trying to diss on bloggers. Wow.
Dear Mega Church Member,
I am a full time, single staff pastor. I get paid less than 50K a year and put in, on average 70 hours a week. My church attendance is around 75 on a good Sunday. We worship, work and minister together as one large family. In my church everyone has a job/responsibility that is vital to the ministry of the church.
There are churches like mine scattered all across this United States. If you ever get tired of your mega church experience, let me invite you to find a church like mine. You will discover what true worship and true ministry looks like and feels like.
If you feel you are being abused in a mega church just remember, you have two powerful weapons at your disposal; your wallet and your feet. Grab hold of your wallet, point your feet toward the nearest exit and start walking.
Actually there is a biblical basis for your blog. What about new church plants that go up in Plano? One thing I here compliants from ministers a lot is new church plants that fish out of other churches. As long as you don't break the ninth commamdment your blog is legit and is asking leaders to correct their errors. I can tesfify Tom of ministers and even myself when holding onto a false testimony about someone else.
Off subject but what is the deal with all the Mormon adds?
All of the ranting and ravings on the blogs don't bother Jack Graham one iota. He still makes his huge salary and his church is bursting at the seams. The congregation has absolutely no idea how much money he makes and it is going to stay that way. There isn't a church in Dallas that can even begin to compare with Prestonwood. Bloggers are like ants on a railroad track--they don't bother the engine one bit.
Bloggers sure must be making a difference for pastors to result to such cult tactics as this.
This is typical of many cults and now Baptists are using it too. I always said the SBC would eventually be a cult when God calls His people to come out from among them.
Dear Anonymous Pastor (December 17, 2013 at 10:29 AM),
It's great to hear that you are being a faithful humble servant. Keep up the good work.
I just switched from a mega-church (with my wallet, feet, and 10 other people) to a church with about 80 adults in attendance weekly.
My new church is excellent and has a pastor who is better educated and more loving than "Pastor Mega-Church."
Hang in there. Many of us are coming your way. In my case, I set up an appointment with the new pastor and explained my reasons for switching to his church. It was clear we were on the same page.
It is one of my best decisions ever.
Blessings, Anonymous3
I can't help but wonder if the 'called' men of God who pastor big churches but keep all financial information regarding salaries locked up tighter than a vault would continue to do the very same amounts of 'ministry' if they were not getting that big paycheck and living n a mansion. Being of the situation that I'm in, it doesn't take a million dollar home for me to consider it well to do. If you're really called to obey the Bible and preach wouldn't you follow Paul's example? They can preach about Job all day long but I have trouble believing their hardships when they're talking about shopping. I don't even know that I can get my family gifts. We are supposed to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep? Would they give up theirs knowing some people won't have any? I'm more and more disillusioned with church. Help me LORD!
Anon 557 I'm not sure if you are serious. Prestonwood is not busting at the seams. I hear the Dallas campus is like a ghost town. The North campus pastor recently resigned and hasn't been replaced. I think bloggers and other anonymous critics do bother Jack. Granted they are basically a nuisance to him and pose no real threat to the empire at this point but believe me, he is easily irritated. The new FBC Dallas campus actually outshines the Prestonwood facilities in many ways. Prestonwood is also losing the younger crowd to YRR type churches. The congregation seems to get gray-er by the week. I do agree about the salary, no one knows and most don't want to know.
"All of the ranting and ravings on the blogs don't bother Jack Graham one iota" I disagree. If bloggers didn't bother him and other mega "pastors" then they wouldn't talk about bloggers in their "sermons." Bloggers(who are real people) are obviously a threat to their kingdom.
It isn't any better at the small churches. 5 out of the last 6 Baptist churches I visited, I was able to pull up on my phone the very sermon the hireling/pastor was plagiarizing here in Georgia, the pastors each preached entire sermons from sermon websites without bothering to tell the congregation that they could just stay home and read the Sunday sermon for themselves online and cut out the plagiarizing middle man.
The congregations probably don't even care that their spiritual example is a fraud and a cheat.
But God does care. Look what he said about the false prophets that plagiarized each other in the old testament:
Jeremiah 23: 30-32 These unfaithful prophets claim I give them their dreams, but it isn’t true. I didn’t choose them to be my prophets, and yet they babble on and on, speaking in my name, while stealing words from each other. And when my people hear these liars, they are led astray instead of being helped. So I warn you that I am now the enemy of these prophets. I, the Lord, have spoken.
If you want proof about Prestonwood then drive by there on a Sunday morning. The parking lot is filled to capacity and so is the sanctuary. The Dallas campus is also completely filled on Sundays so please don't say they are a ghost town. I don't agree with Graham on anything he says or does but the place is growing like crazy.
"It isn't better at the small churches" It isn't and that is because you're still dealing with the same kind of people with the same mindset.The only difference is that they don't have a mega-church.
"There's lots of bloggers and watchdoggers who love to attack pastors and churches...maybe people you hang out with who love to attack churches and be negative about the church. My advice to you if you want to be happy in life is to get as far away as possible from those people. They're only going to drag you down....Instead, get around people who say something like this: 'Isn't it great what God is doing in our church?'"
No, actually I hate it. I wish it was not necessary. Unfortunately, we have a generation of preachers who distort the Word. They are only interested in themselves and in creating a cult like, no questions asked mentality. They only want to have “quality members” not members who think the leaders need to be open and transparent.
Speaking of being open and transparent, why do worldly not for profits lead the way in accountability?
That being said, isn’t Jack Graham guilty of the same sin? Isn’t he of being critical and fault finding, too? Isn’t he being negative? Of course, he is doing it from the pulpit so somehow that makes it acceptable.
Anon 801 I frequently GO to Prestonwood on Sunday mornings . It is NOT filled to capacity. The worship center in Plano holds 7000. Prosper also has 2 services on Sunday, Dallas has only one. The Dallas campus has been a disappointment and is not growing. Many members from Plano committed to attend there for a year in order to "seed" the congregation but that doesn't seem to have worked. Ghost town was an exaggeration, but the Dallas campus is far rom booming.
I also regularly attend Prestonwood. The services are most definitely not full in Plano except on Easter and Christmas. The Dallas campus has roped off the entire mezzanine level of the sanctuary because of the sparse attendance. It is typically at something like 33% capacity, not "completely filled."
Oh. Brother.
Quite a stretch to relate having the best Christmas ever to not reading/listening to "church critics" - REALLY?
Dear Jack Graham,
I happen to like the watchdog blogs and believe they are an platform for people to talk about the kinds of things guys like you don't like seeing or hearing discussed. Like you, for example. Or the kinds of things you preach about. Out of curiosity, when is the last time you allowed someone to raise their hand and ask a question during one of your Sunday monologues? Or invited your congregation to just pepper you with questions? Hmm, not in the habit of that you say? Because you think it's your exclusive right to control the flow of information, and then to regard the questions and concerns that arise over things you don't welcome discussion on "gossip & slander?"
How convenient for you.
Try opening your mind and heart this holiday season to people with minds that are apparently more open to freedom of speech and intelligent discourse than you are. What are you so threatened by? Losing your authority or something? Well guess what, we have the authority to judge what you do and say, and to decide whether what you're measuring up to being the kind of servant your position requires of you. And compared to Christ, we're just not feeling the love flowing outwardly from the Father's heart, through you as a messenger of the Glad Tidings of Great Joy, to us whom God loves. Rather you came across as an old stocking hung by an unlit fire with a lump of coal for us at the bottom as an offering. Pretty pathetic sermon at this time of year if you ask me.
So tell ya what, Jack. How about you get out a bun, spread it with a little mustard & ketchup, and put me, a watchdogger in it.
Then bite me.
Wow! Anyone else think it was insulting this morning for Brunson to say they were blessed to be able to pay $400.000.00 on land after letting go some long long time workers/members? Does anyone else see this as valuing the empire expansion over their brother and sister in The Lord?
What do you guys expect? Didn't Jesus tell us that the fowls of the air (devils) would nest in the branches of the kingdom.
The different branches are the differing denominations, the devils are not spiritual, they are human devils that have crept in privately infiltrating the ekklesia of Christ and now sit in the top of the branches (the clergy), of the kingdom (the visible religious institutions).
There are also some true members of the kingdom growing among these tares, and they are becoming easier to recognize now that harvest is near, and you see the lack of fruit on the tares.
Mark 4:It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 32 but when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. 33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
If the sanctuary at Prestonwood isn't full then everyone must come in one car. The parking lot is absolutely packed with hundreds of cars every Sunday.
Anonymous at 8:33 pm on 12/22, I thought your comment was I true and insightful. That's really it, isn't. Hard sometimes to deal with, given the number of followers these people generate who also provide them the platform and support they need to continue on spreading their deceptions.
Pretty dismal picture, especially considering their high profile and all the attention they get.
I'm curious to know your vision concerning the true members of the kingdom in a time like this. Where should we be looking, and what should we be doing when the landscape is so dotted with these types of traps? Thanks.
The answer is really simple. We should be looking to God and His Word. Simple as that. God wants to shepherd His people. Just as Israel was to be God's people and He was to be their God, until Israel rejected Him and wanted a king to rule over them like the pagans. So God gave them a tyrant by the name of Saul, that rules them and took their money, etc.
Same thing with the church. God the Holy Spirit is to be our teacher (1.John 16:13). Jesus Christ is the good shepherd (John 10), and we are to be led and taught of the Father if we are the true sons of God(Romans 8:14), but somewhere along the way the children of God left their first love (Christ) and wanted a king (pastor/priest/etc.) just as the pagan religions like Babylon or mystery Babylon (Roman Catholicism and the ecumenical movement that now encludes almost all of the religious institutions regardless of the denomination). Since the triune God was not sufficient for her, God gave the church over to human kings/pastors/priests to rule over her just as he did Saul for Israel, and our kings demand a tribute/tithe just as Saul did.
However there are some that hear His voice and are leaving mystery Babylon the great (the religious system) and following Christ alone. He is sufficient my friend.
Merry Christmas Watchdog. Here's wishing you and yours and even better year in 2014!
“I'm curious to know your vision concerning the true members of the kingdom in a time like this.”
First, there has always been “a time like this.” Paul recognized this when he noted that he was not using the gospel to build his own kingdom.
Ultimately, the answer is to remain faithful. I think the example set by Simeon, “who was righteous and devout” and Anna, who “never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”
Anonymous at 6:29pm on 12/23:
Thank you for your fine response to my question. It certainly helped to bring things into perspective for me. I hadn't made the connection between the ancient Israelites wanting a king contrary to God's will and today's leaders who Lord over God's people, demanding a tithe. Same kind of thing, different day, isn't it? Nothing new under the sun.
Thanks again. I appreciate your take on things and like where you're coming from.
WishIhadknown:
Thank you also for your reply and the encouragement it contained. And I can relate to your nickname!
However there are some that hear His voice and are leaving mystery Babylon the great(the religious system)and following Christ alone."
If a person leaves the system they are considered "backslidden" or they were never a Christian to begin with.They will use 1 John 2:19 to manipulate people. The irony is that the system is what the non-believers created to manipulate and control others.
For those who judge the attendance by the number of cars in the parking lot, don't forget the hundreds of people that are working in the nursery, entertaining the youth, cooking and serving in the mammoth cafeteria, directing traffic, etc. Not all of those cars are hauling "worshipers."
Jack Graham is running one of the largest holy land tour businesses in the country. He recently took over 200 folks at a profit of around 500 per head. Why don't you people wake up!! Who in the church will ask him the simple question of WHY NOT FULLY disclose his take.
I attend P'wood occasionally at the behest of my wife.
I don't enjoy it, but I watch alot that goes on------the worshippers, the choir, the leader of the choir, & Pastor Jack. I find Pastor Jack is abit uncomfortable at times, perhaps defensive or even self conscious. This entertains me as I see him soliticing 'Amens' from his congregation--'Can I get an Amen?'
I was appalled one Sunday when PJ discussed titheing. He said the Bible says to give 10% of your salary to the church. The FIRST 10%!!!!
Should this be calculated before deductions? AGI?
Are you kidding me?
A person's 75,000. salary would bring Pastor Jack a nice $145 weekly donation to hear PJ 's 45 minute sermon.
How about saying, ''Give what you can. We know you have morgtgages, utities and you need food and clothes, etc.''
It'a s all about the money.
I wonder when Pastor Jack will tell the sheep about him moving from his $800,000 home to his $1.4M home this past fall.
Probably not on the same Sunday that he discusses titheing.
Yes, how to have your best Christmas-disregard our apostasy and lies and just warm the pews please and pay your tithes and get out of here. Ask no questions-no there is nothing behind the curtain! We need more chandeliers and fancy carpeting so keep those tithes rolling in and don't ask questions!
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