tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post9099217671981343740..comments2024-03-23T22:54:58.661-04:00Comments on FBC Jax Watchdogs: Johnny Hunt and Steven Furtick - They Explain What "Counting the Cost" to Follow Jesus Means in Today's MegachurchFBC Jax Watchdoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10740366031265491559noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-69242349978688379402017-01-08T15:57:58.538-05:002017-01-08T15:57:58.538-05:00I am a member of First Baptist Church of Woodstock...I am a member of First Baptist Church of Woodstock and Johnny Hunt is my pastor. I am appalled at a lot of these comments directed at this church and this pastor. I have NEVER attended a more giving church in my life. They go above and beyond the call for the community. I don't believe for a second that this lady asked for help and was turned away. I am apart of the congregation that actually takes on projects and helps the helpless with construction, financial and even automobile issues for free. They give out free food and clothing weekly to those that need it. Once a year, the entire congregation gives back to the community with labor sweat and money to help the needy during what we call Love Loud. We supply medical, dental and construction to ANYONE who needs it free of charge. Don't get me wrong, we don't do this just once a year, it's an ongoing thing all year long but we ramp it up during October every year. I don't know who or what church you are referring to but it isn't First Baptist of Woodstock. Don't assume anything just because other churches are a certain way. Anonymous.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00556848592336665110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-54092107310471951892016-10-27T09:29:59.451-04:002016-10-27T09:29:59.451-04:00Wow. Such vituperative. I've been a member of ...Wow. Such vituperative. I've been a member of large, medium and small SBC churches and all of them have this in common - they have humans attending and leading them so they all have sinners. Many of you have made blanket statements condemning all pastors and all 'mega' churches. Many of you write incorrectly about the tithe. I haven't attended all the mega churches being condemned and I haven't recorded every sermon so I cannot speak about all large-church pastors. However, I think there may be some confusion in some of these posts: the tithe is not being asked of you for your salvation. Salvation comes from believing in Jesus Christ. The tithe is for believers as an act of obedience after salvation. No one will go to hell because they didn't tithe. If any pastor says they will, then indeed they are wrong. But the tithe is in the Bible and it is directed to be given to the local storehouse/church. It is monetary (cash, jewelry, land, etc.) and not your personal time. <br />If your conscience bothers you about submitting to a pastor then don't go to or give to that church. But PLEASE don't condemn all and in doing so hurt the body of Christ.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-16039158956979693402014-06-27T23:14:42.490-04:002014-06-27T23:14:42.490-04:00My mother attends a small Baptist church where the...My mother attends a small Baptist church where the pastor rants and raves at the congregation to tithe the 10%; guilt trips galore.<br />She is struggling financially, but still manages to give what she can, which is a lot for her.<br />At one point she was moving and needed help getting her heavy furniture out of her apartment.<br />She went to her pastor and asked if men from the church could help her move.<br />He flat out said no, there was no one to help. He wouldn't even ask any of the attendants if they were willing.<br />She had to figure out how to move her huge furniture herself.<br />She complained about it to me, but sadly, she still attends that church because she thinks "that's where God wants her".<br />I highly doubt that. <br />I'm pretty tired of "Christians" acting like uncompassionate fools.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-81608804291954555152014-06-24T17:09:54.457-04:002014-06-24T17:09:54.457-04:00Hi watchdog.Thanks for sharing your post.It's ...Hi watchdog.Thanks for sharing your post.It's the truth,praise God for your obedient boldness to proclaim the much needed truth to be shared with the whole body of christ.Tithing and enforced giving is one of those battle royales but through people like you and many others God's people shall be free in Jesus name!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-32258383028926881062014-06-23T08:46:18.073-04:002014-06-23T08:46:18.073-04:00Another "cost" of following Jesus: You ...Another "cost" of following Jesus: You may lose your wife if at some point in your marriage you disagree with whatever she has been taught about religion. Think about this single men, before you latch on to that "good Christian wife."<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-23374434544355869972014-06-22T20:19:29.678-04:002014-06-22T20:19:29.678-04:00It's all business. It's all about making a...It's all business. It's all about making a living under the guise of some sort of " serving Jesus."<br />No longer do we have the pastor who works for his members, it is the pastor expecting the average person in the pew to work for them....<br />I have to write this so I can remain unknown....<br />I know a young man who is in the Christian Music Industry as a performer. His wife supports him while he tries to " make it big." <br />Says all the right things, does the right things, and expects from this a big contract and tour from his " devotion." <br />He is now to the point it is either make it or not time. Has no skills other than music, no education....<br />Maybe it is just me, but this make money off Jesus really bothers me. <br />I don't know, but is this something Jesus really supports? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-77973581799564156072014-06-22T17:10:25.151-04:002014-06-22T17:10:25.151-04:00Most of these pastors are poor examples of how to ...Most of these pastors are poor examples of how to serve the Lord. The laymen are doing it right. Working a full time job and still serving the Lord week after week for free. They do it because they love and serve Christ. Full time hirelings do what they do because they love and serve mammon. Men like these are an insult to the gospel, and enemies of Jesus Christ. These are the wolves that our Lord warned us about. They are the blind leaders of the blind, and whitewashed tombs. These are they that make merchandise of you. They are the ones that Jesus said would hear, "Depart from me, I never knew you."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-47669094860001071702014-06-22T16:57:51.439-04:002014-06-22T16:57:51.439-04:00I WILL NO LONGER BE EXTORTED BY PREACHERS SELLING ...I WILL NO LONGER BE EXTORTED BY PREACHERS SELLING ME THE LIE OF TITHING! <br /><br /> I still give God money, but I certainly give not a penny to a pastor who will not use money for God's kingdom, but only to build the pastor's kingdom. I create books, CD'S and gospel tracts and that money is being used to proclaim the Gospel to the lost by my own hand. Now I know where the money is going and it is going to God's work. I was duped by pastors and television ministers who bilked me with their lies of thousands of dollars only to discover them living in mansions. But remember they said, "Please tuck in a little love gift to share the gospel with the lost." Well, one television show ministry owns over 250 homes and two mansions in Southern California and Florida. The family drives expensive cars, and live in expensive homes in the Hollywood Hills, etc. My money did not go to save the lost, it went into their pockets. <br /> I was robbed, cheated, embezzled by these pastors and ministers. It's like this in the small churches too. The money is taken and mismanaged and the saints in the church suffer hardships and never see the money again. Clearly this is not New Testament Early Church examples being followed. My advice is for you to read your King James Version Bible and then get out of your church and go to work directly with the Lord to share the Gospel with the lost. Start your own ministry and self-fund it. Bear good fruit and sound the alarm of warning to expose these wolves in sheep clothing robbing God and His people. God does not want your money, pastors want it and they have distorted the Bible to create the tithe lie. God wants you to go save the lost, pastors don't want you to have your own ministry. <br /> Still doubt? Read your Bible one more timeand see that what I am telling you is way more true than what your pastor is telling you. God's Word is true. Your pastor's word is untrue! <br /> You too will thank God for being set free from pastoral bondage!Ronniehttp://www.thebreadoflifefellowship.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-43067418099214531782014-06-22T02:59:28.423-04:002014-06-22T02:59:28.423-04:00Leandrea, years ago I attended Billy Joe Daugherty...Leandrea, years ago I attended Billy Joe Daugherty's big church in Tulsa. I was a single parent who tithed to the church. When my electricity got shut off in winter one January, I asked the megachurch for 87 dollars to get it turned on. They said, no, that I wasn't active in the church so I wasnt worthy. Well, I had been active but the Lord told me to stop and concentrate on my kids and school for a semester (I was an ORU student). I told them this but they still said no. I went home, to my cold home crying. Told the kids to get in their camping bags. Next day at school I was crying over the hurt, someone saw me, and gave me 87 dollars. A pastoral student. These mega churches are run by people who don't spend time with God, thus they don't bear fruit. They became puffed up, leave the faith, and are blind to the blind. If you see, dear sister, leave. Find another church or stay home with God. These mega churches are mega wolves and their howls: "HOWWWWW will I ever buy my third mansion if my sheep don't pay their tithes off their gross income? HOWWWWW WILLL it happen?!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-30616135416673810062014-06-22T02:50:07.752-04:002014-06-22T02:50:07.752-04:00Most pastors today see sheep as a means to an end....Most pastors today see sheep as a means to an end. We are numbers in their crowd, walking ATM's created to enrich them through tithes and offerings. We are to sit in the pew, listen, become ushers or SS teachers if we're really good, and obey the man of God. Really, we are nobodies in their eyes. The American church has polluted the world with its stray from truth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-35379183043601309572014-06-21T22:41:38.339-04:002014-06-21T22:41:38.339-04:00Pastors with a Penchant for Prospertiy - A four pa...Pastors with a Penchant for Prospertiy - A four part series of 3 point sermons that explain the benefits of increasing your pastors wealth with sacrificial giving. <br /><br />JAAB<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-17356247269066034712014-06-20T18:49:22.461-04:002014-06-20T18:49:22.461-04:00Thank you so much for posting these video clips. ...<br />Thank you so much for posting these video clips. It really helps when people can see for themselves how obscene and disenfranchising this level of avarice has become. I think you give Furtick too much credit though. He is not really pursuing honesty but, rather, following his mentor Robert Morris' advice which is to chase off non-tithers to make room for new potential tithers. These men of God only want full 10% paying butts taking up their seats and they regularly insult the non-f0% "giving units" saying things like you are "stealing from god" or you don't love Jesus and don't believe He died for you, UNLESS you're giving the full 10%, which is what Furtick was saying in that clip. Imagine finally getting one of your non-Christian friends to attend church once and this is what they hear? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-41099741584102220802014-06-20T16:21:35.608-04:002014-06-20T16:21:35.608-04:00I wonder how Steve's home turned out?I wonder how Steve's home turned out?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-77072204221081991582014-06-20T12:24:25.993-04:002014-06-20T12:24:25.993-04:00Is Brunson in London this week? Why isn't he g...Is Brunson in London this week? Why isn't he giving up vacations so that the kingdom can ADVANCE?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-11154016437157695442014-06-20T11:12:51.418-04:002014-06-20T11:12:51.418-04:00Leandrea, the youth in our church would be glad to...Leandrea, the youth in our church would be glad to take on the project, with the supervision of youth pastor and other volunteers. Can't imagine your being turned down by the mega.<br />Florence in KYAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-5720574493536122452014-06-20T10:06:19.808-04:002014-06-20T10:06:19.808-04:00I recall one mega pastor claiming you have to pay ...I recall one mega pastor claiming you have to pay me big bucks to hear me preach. I don't recall Jesus ever taking up a collection and He wrote the Book all these supposedly use to gain their way into the kingdom. Geesh!<br />__________________________________<br /><br />I heard Jerry Vines say it loud and clear. During the pastor's conference no less. Sheesh!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-30333463135610395202014-06-20T10:01:20.213-04:002014-06-20T10:01:20.213-04:00Thank you for your kind words and assistance.Thank you for your kind words and assistance.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14868215098247249159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-80769322593054852382014-06-20T09:06:08.558-04:002014-06-20T09:06:08.558-04:00Anonymous 3:38
Good News! You don't have to w...Anonymous 3:38<br /><br />Good News! You don't have to wait.<br />There are lots of real Christian gatherings out there. Find one and join in.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-35215264981988371712014-06-19T23:38:41.678-04:002014-06-19T23:38:41.678-04:00Leandrea: I'm sorry for the manner in which yo...Leandrea: I'm sorry for the manner in which you were treated as it is shameful. But, always remember it is always about MONEY. Catholic charities is a real fine organization. Possibly they can lend you a hand. God bless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-49361021840520914922014-06-19T22:04:19.608-04:002014-06-19T22:04:19.608-04:00I am a member of first baptist church h of Woodsto...I am a member of first baptist church h of Woodstock where johnny hunt preaches. I had a member of my family that would of died if he didn't get heart surgery. I asked for help with the church for his surgery since his employer didn't offer insurance and they said they couldn't help. This is a large church and they wouldn't even try to help with donations. My whole family were church h members. Again just recently, my sisters husband died in November and she had no one to help her hang her kitchen cabinets . her house was vandalized after he passes and she went to Texas for a few months to be by her son. When she ca,me back her house was broken into. She got the materials to fix it back up and just needed some men from that church to help. I called the church for her to ask for help not monetary, but men to physically help do some work. I was told no one does this anymore for free in the church, and she would have to pay. She is a widow on a fixed income. Sorry to say but this isn't how a church treats members, a community or a widow. From then on I knew it was always about money.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14868215098247249159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-7335843537466609662014-06-19T16:15:59.702-04:002014-06-19T16:15:59.702-04:00I recall one mega pastor claiming you have to pay ...I recall one mega pastor claiming you have to pay me big bucks to hear me preach. I don't recall Jesus ever taking up a collection and He wrote the Book all these supposedly use to gain their way into the kingdom. Geesh!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-51335307164585915142014-06-19T09:12:14.414-04:002014-06-19T09:12:14.414-04:00Money will be the mega-church system's downfal...Money will be the mega-church system's downfall.<br /><br />When hard economic times hit, what do mega-businesses do? They tighten their belts. They downsize; they close/consolidate offices; they layoff employees.<br /><br />Unfortunately for them, mega-churches have used their size and constant growth as selling points. The size of the church itself is their "proof" that God is blessing the mega-church. Cutting back would be tantamount to admitting that God has withdrawn his blessing from the mega-church. Their only option is to find more money.<br /><br />IMHO, this is why you are seeing mega-churches go the hard-core tithing route.<br /><br />You have to wonder how many of these men believe what they are preaching, or if they believe the ends justify the means. How many believe the work their mega-church is doing is so important, that it justifies preaching a false doctrine to bring in money to support that work?<br /><br />What's the parable about the house built on sand?Whohttp://whoistrue.infonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-70110366686836858012014-06-19T08:53:52.204-04:002014-06-19T08:53:52.204-04:00Perplexed, o ye of little faith. Trust God to sup...Perplexed, o ye of little faith. Trust God to supply what He needs for his churches. Some people can give generously, others simply cannot. But either way, there is no need to lie to them about tithing, curses, blessing, knowing a different God, give God cash to show your gratitude to him,etc. etc. That's step one. Step two is, simply, operate the church based on what comes in. Then there is no need to beat the sheep. Recap: Trust God to provide through the generosity of those that can give. Then, be a good steward of those funds. That's how there will still be brick and mortar churches and salaries for professional clergy.Thornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-21643847968119051952014-06-18T17:01:06.075-04:002014-06-18T17:01:06.075-04:003:38, that would be nice but I don't look for ...3:38, that would be nice but I don't look for that to happen anytime soon if ever. Whatever else you may say about the megachurches, they are marketing experts, and they know what the masses want - entertainment. Our culture has become so entertainment and materialism driven that the masses demand fun and bright shiny things in all aspects of their lives, including church. The megachurch is ultimately but a reflection of the culture. <br /><br />Another thing I'd like to point out - not all megachurches are bad, in my opinion. I personally go to a multi-thousand member church that could properly be called a "megachurch." But the staff of teaching pastors doesn't preach that not tithing is a sin and doesn't try to lay guilt trips on the congregation about not giving. Also, the pastors don't write books and make TV appearances and do all the other things "celebrity" megachurch pastors do. It's not the size of the congregation that per se problematic - it's the character of the pastor and the congregation's disposition toward him. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8384632623933772727.post-80905061969394288432014-06-18T15:38:51.031-04:002014-06-18T15:38:51.031-04:00I can't wait for these mega churches to fade a...I can't wait for these mega churches to fade away so we can get back to real gatherings of Christians. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com