tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post5639167289898248200..comments2024-03-23T22:54:58.661-04:00Comments on FBC Jax Watchdogs: Mac: Coming to Jax was "Terrifying" and "We Were on Trial"...FBC Jax Watchdoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10740366031265491559noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-55816869930544831272008-09-15T22:49:00.000-04:002008-09-15T22:49:00.000-04:00I thought fbc WAS a good church, but i'm not an ac...I thought fbc WAS a good church, but i'm not an acceptable person for the church (whatEVER) And now i wonder if there is any point in continuing to try to find a church. Oh well, heck, i guess I'll try...there's like what...about nine million churches in this city? I've just sort of lost my enthusiasm for church searching and attending...I can't go to too many more churches like this..Its getting old ya know? You look for a place that will make you be closer to God, not make you feel like God probably doesn't want anything to do with you either...and thats ALL i get out of the baptist church. Watchdog, I agree...its not healthy to stay in a situation you are miserable in...just move on. You will probably be a lot happier. There are too many baptists in the south.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10506926841698204953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-17956311687987868852008-09-15T10:19:00.000-04:002008-09-15T10:19:00.000-04:00I have listened to Mac's broadcast here in Texas t...I have listened to Mac's broadcast here in Texas the last three Sunday nights. He hasn't done any of the things that are mentioned on the blog so I guess they don't put those sermons on TV. <BR/><BR/>What I have heard (sermons about the OT heroes) is pathetic. There is no way I would stay and listen to preaching like that. There has to be some good churches in Jacksonville.RMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10769726517498571207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-3589232022127673752008-09-15T00:40:00.000-04:002008-09-15T00:40:00.000-04:00Thanks for the advice. I stay for my reasons.But ...Thanks for the advice. I stay for my reasons.<BR/><BR/>But it is unbelievable to sit in a church like FBC Jax where the Bible has been faithfully preached by men who took the Word and applied it to people's lives to help them...to help them get saved, to help them be better husbands, fathers, obedient children, better employers and employees...I mean real life application every service...to where we have digressed to have to watch a show where a pompous man lectures us like a Bible history class, telling us irrelevant historical facts and information about Greek Gods...at the end of the service we're sitting there wondering...what was that all about...how did anything that this guy talked about help me or my family grow closer to Christ?FBC Jax Watchdoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10740366031265491559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-52541998541763735332008-09-14T22:13:00.000-04:002008-09-14T22:13:00.000-04:00Watchdog,I've been reading some of your posts for ...Watchdog,<BR/>I've been reading some of your posts for a while. Some I agree with and some I think are a little over the top (I've never been a member of FBC but live in Jax). Seriously though, you need to find a new church. It's not healthy (or right) that what you mainly get from the sermons is new material for this popular blog as opposed to a blessing and spiritual guidance. The mindset of "I'll stay and protest and try to open eyes" is wrong. At least get a new church, and somehow keep up w/ what Dr Brunson is preaching if you so wish.<BR/><BR/>Based on previous posts, I realize this won't change your mind (this has been mentioned before) but I would at least consider it if I were you. You'll be thankful, I assure you.timetickerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03234693799678663606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-13780522806150590692008-09-14T20:29:00.000-04:002008-09-14T20:29:00.000-04:00Whatever in the world has happened to expository p...Whatever in the world has happened to expository preaching in our church where there is life application to where we are in life? How long must we suffer through hearing extended diatribes on historical facts...detailed information on the different Greek Gods and what their names were, and what they ate, and which Gods had the most power? Its amazing. A typical Mac Brunson sermon is like going to a restaurant wanting to feast on a gourmet meal, only to be fed crackers and butter. Sorry, but its the truth. How about some life application every now and then?FBC Jax Watchdoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10740366031265491559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-89692762884986814782008-09-14T17:01:00.000-04:002008-09-14T17:01:00.000-04:00William and RM: anyone that comes into a leadershi...William and RM: anyone that comes into a leadership position in any large organization is going to have those fears. Its not unique to pastors, not by a long shot.<BR/><BR/>But Mac mentioning that was not primarily to tell everyone how tough pastors in general have it. It was to tell us how incredibly terrifying it was for HIM to come to our church...and not unfounded fears did he have when he came, but that he was attacked and second guessed, and put "on trial" when he came to FBC Jax. Not true, he had 99%+ support from his congregation...until a small number of recalcitrants about 9 months into his tenure added things up and realized this guy was fleecing the sheep.<BR/><BR/>Compare to Vines - Vines had many detractors at FBC Jax, especially after Homer died. But he knew the majority of the church supported him thus his expressions about us to our faces and to others outside the church were that we always treated him with respect and love, that we were a loving congregation. Vines could have concentrated on and talked about those who didn't like him and gave him trouble, but he had too much class...and too much WISDOM to lower himself to speaking ill of the people of God when he knew that most of them were loving and supportive of the pastor.<BR/><BR/>Today's sermon was an absolute classic Mac sermon. Chock full of contradictions, confusing illustrations, incorrect interpretation of scriptures (the "church" in Rome was made up of satellite churches according to Mac) and huge doses of legalism...and then Mac told us that we aren't what we used to be, we no longer witness like we used to, we no longer love pastors like we used to, we no longer are committed like we used to be. And he doesn't do it in a loving manner, encouraging us to rally together but as a "Mac versus us" mentality. He ignores the fact that he's been pastor for more than 2 1/2 years and if we aren't what we used to be that he's part of the problem as the leader of the church!<BR/><BR/>Also, he announced that on our budget committment Sunday this month (our Chest of Joash service) we need to collect $900k for 4 things: a new chiller for the Ruth Lindsay Auditorium, new carpeting in one of our buildings, new wall paper in select locations, and roof repairs for the Children's building (which seems strange since its 6 years old - but maybe he mispoke about which building)....but are not those things in our operating budget? Do we need special offerings to do what should be budgeted expenses? And his challenge to us was that unless we raise the money we'll have to go into debt to do these things, and since so many of us don't like debt, then we better give the money. Newsflash to Mac: maybe the operating budget can be corrected? Can he do what other CEO's do and maybe cut expenses somewhere else? When we decided to put Mac on national TV, did we think that we had some other expenses that needed to be taken care of?<BR/><BR/>And the fleecing continues.<BR/><BR/>So Daniel Davis and Mayor Payton you are right about our "sorry church"...just look: Mac has a $16 million dollar budget and everytime there is a need: like maintenance of the buildings, or sending Bibles to the Middle East, Mac holds his hand out for more money, a special offering. The question: just what ARE we spending the $16 million dollar budget on if we don't have money for Bibles to send to the Middle East or money to do the maintenance on our buildings?FBC Jax Watchdoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10740366031265491559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-8955313206234953612008-09-14T15:19:00.000-04:002008-09-14T15:19:00.000-04:00Since over 50% of our Southern Baptist churches ru...Since over 50% of our Southern Baptist churches run less than 100 in Sunday School, this isn't a huge problem in reality. <BR/><BR/>Personally, I agreed with everything Mac said about his first Sunday. All pastors feel that same way when they walk into a new church for the first time--or they should.<BR/><BR/>Now that I have said that, let me also say that my fears would subside a great deal if I got the deal that Mac got when he came to Jacksonville!!! I don't even know of many pastors who have a signed employment contract. All they have is a call from a church that feels like they have selected God's man to lead them. <BR/><BR/>And maybe I am naive, but I think that's enough. God is quite capable of taking care of His church and His man for the job.<BR/><BR/>You guys have a pathetic mess in Jacksonville. Its gonna take a lot of prayer and God's intervention to fix it...RMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10769726517498571207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-46059243218829659732008-09-14T08:24:00.000-04:002008-09-14T08:24:00.000-04:00Actually, I thought the quote from Mac about a pas...Actually, I thought the quote from Mac about a pastor's feelings and fears about going to a new church was pretty accurate, although having an employment contract, a hefty salary, and the like would certainly ameliorate my fears. It is difficult to come up with a lot of sympathy for megachurch pastors going to new megachurches and megasalaries. Completely different universe.<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>WilliamWilliamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11457157842977849666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-50239203181721229812008-09-13T22:09:00.000-04:002008-09-13T22:09:00.000-04:00Gabriella, Are you looking to go to a non-Baptist ...Gabriella, <BR/><BR/>Are you looking to go to a non-Baptist church??? There are many great smaller Baptist churches in the area worth checking out. Since I don't have any experience in non-Baptist in the area, I can't name any though, sorry.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11197234108999855234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-45042140705217474082008-09-13T20:50:00.000-04:002008-09-13T20:50:00.000-04:00anyone know of any churches in jax that are differ...anyone know of any churches in jax that are different from this...non baptist please? Names of some?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10506926841698204953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-3747247205185614772008-09-12T18:13:00.000-04:002008-09-12T18:13:00.000-04:00Way overstated Thy Peace. It was not one of the lo...Way overstated Thy Peace. It was not one of the longest standing ovations. It was a courteous ovation. The people of FBC Jax have class and respect and restraint, and they showed it. <BR/><BR/>Believe me, if Mac is feeling heat, its not the blog. There must be more people who are directly emailing him with names, and he's getting frustrated.FBC Jax Watchdoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10740366031265491559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-50503496977580037022008-09-12T16:47:00.000-04:002008-09-12T16:47:00.000-04:00When I watched the ovation Dr. Brunson and Mrs. Br...When I watched the ovation Dr. Brunson and Mrs. Brunson receive for their 2nd anniversary, I knew MOST of the church loved them. It was one of the longest ovations I had watched.<BR/><BR/>Maybe, Mac's idea of people questioning him, is coming from his reading of Watchdog's posts. Maybe he should give that up. Then he will become more positive.<BR/><BR/>I do not know, how many bad emails he gets. But I bet most of them are positive and that he is doing such a good job.Rameshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09728392311602332613noreply@blogger.com