Homeless Chased Away Before FBC Jax Pastor's Conference

In today's Florida Times Union (1/30/10) is a story by Deirdre Conner describing how this week in downtown Jacksonville the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has ramped up the efforts to clear people sleeping on the sidewalk near the City Rescue Mission's New Life Inn.

This is all within a stone's throw of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville.

In fact in the picture above you can see one of FBC Jax's parking garages and the crosswalk leading to another of their garages.

Says the article:

"Since Tuesday, people sleeping on the sidewalk near the mission's New Life Inn have been chased away and, in a few cases, arrested."

And this:

"Mission leaders say they were blind-sided by the actions, because the few dozen people who sleep outside the mission's New Life Inn - which has been full for months and has seen a 33% increase in demand - have been doing so for more than a year."

Is it just a coincidence that these efforts are occuring just days before the FBC Jax Pastor's Conference begins, when thousands of pastors and high-profile Christian speakers are flying into town?

The article goes on:

"Jacksonville Sheriff's Lt. Steve Gallaher said the department had received a complaint on Tuesday about the area of Julia Street near State Street getting worse, which led to enforcement actions."

I wonder who made the complaint.

More from the article:

"On Friday afternoon, two police cars pulled up on Julia Street and ordered people waiting for intake to get their feet and any property off the street and onto the sidewalk."

Friday afternoon. The day the Pastor's Conference starts just yards from the homeless shelter, two police cars pull up.

More from the article:

"Duguid [CRM COO] said that some of the 'trash' on the sidewalk was actually the personal belongings of homeless people. He said many of the people who slept near the shelter said they did so because they saw it as a 'safe zone' where they would not fear violence...Duguid said no one at the mission could remember it previously having received notices of code violations by the city for a similar infraction."

It all may be just a coincidence that this is occuring just hours before the start of the FBC Jax Pastor's Conference. Even if it is just a coincidence, what a sad state of affairs when in the shadows of the city's largest and wealthiest church holding a conference full of pastors - there is a homeless shelter yards away that is at such over capacity that the men and women needing help are being arrested and moved off the sidewalks. A conference where money is flowing, promotions sold by the church to vendors for thousands of dollars, and speakers who will get paid thousands for their speeches - even wealthy church marketing consultants in town Twittering about their lavish meals and desserts at fancy restaurants - yet for over a year the homeless shelter next door can't house and feed all the needy people. The pastors at the conference are busy Twittering about all they are learning from these very wealthy speakers; I wonder if any will be emphasizing the need to care more for the poor.

How ironic also, that the first night of the conference, FBC Jax pastor Mac Brunson announces to the attendees that they should take pictures of the auditorium, because just after the conference concludes they will be starting a renovation of the auditorium. Millions available for renovations of an auditorium that is at a fraction of its capacity, but hardly any money for the poor.

This should cause ALL of us Christians to hang our head is disgust that we and our churches are not doing more to help the poor.

Most of these pastors who come in town are likely telling their congregations that the bible says to fork over 10% minimum of their income to the church...which the Bible does not say...yet these same pastors and their churches ignore the clear direct command of Jesus Christ to care for the widows and orphans and the downtrodden.

God help us all.

Snuggie's from the A-Group

Apparently one of the perks of being an F.O.M. is you might have gotten a Snuggie from the A-Group for Christmas! Their Christmas present for their special clients was a Snuggie with the A-Group logo. I agree with Maurilio - excellent gift, and nicely delivered. Maurilio does it right.

As Watchdog readers know, Maurilio and his A-Group firm are the geniuses behind the increase in promotions and marketing that have become the standard at the FBC Jax Pastor's Conference in recent years. Congrats to Maurilio and the FBCJ PC coordinators, as this year, apparently all of the "promotions packages" (ranging in price of $1000 to $12,000) have been sold, generating nearly $100,000 in extra revenue selling access to the eyes and ears of the attendees. And the display tables at a whopping $750 a pop were mostly sold as well. Let's hope the SBC does NOT follow the FBCJ lead when it comes to charging for vendors at their annual convention.

What a marketing accomplishment in this down economy - to be able to sell "promotions packages" for thousands of dollars to Christian ministries when so many churches and religious organizations are suffering from a reduction in contributions. A Christian organization forking over $10,000 to a church for the privilege of promoting something-or-other to pastors at a pastor's conference held inside the walls of a church - especially in this economy - just seems to be over the top.

So pastors, when you hear a ministry mentioned from the platform, and you see their logos plastered on banners and on image screens - know those were paid-for advertising. Ministry names on bottled water and trinket bags and pens - those were all sources of revenue for this event....and who knows, maybe you'll be treated to a special purchased "testimony" on the platform, just like the Jim "Jesus" Caviezel "testimony" back in 2007 which was more of an infomercial for a new Bible on CD product.

Back to the Snuggies: for some reason, unbelievably, I wasn't on the A-Group Christmas list, as I didn't receive my Snuggie from the A-Group. Maybe it was lost in the mail. Perhaps when Maurilio is in town for the Pastor's Conference he can stop by the house and drop one off. Maurilio, if you need directions, check with your clients at FBC Jax - I'm pretty sure at least two of the ministers know how to get to my house and make special deliveries on my doorstep.

Above we see Maurilio modeling his special zebra Snuggie. Fantastico! As Austin Powers says, "Yeah, baby!" Note to Maurilio: please, no more Twitters this year at the conference about "man crushes" on Tim Tebow.

Below, we see Mac taking a nap with his Snuggie. Is that a Snuggie or a dang body bag?

Below that, we see Maurilio and what appear to be his 12 disciples in their Snuggies.

I want my A-Group Snuggie!

Adrian Rogers on the Tithe

According to the late Adrian Rogers, if a person's finances aren't "right with God", then a person cannot be "right with God". And true repentence must reach the "bank account" or its not real repentence.

Here is the January 24, 2009 Daily Devotional from Love Worth Finding Ministries, which quotes Adrian Rogers:

Proving God in Finances

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Malachi 3:10

You can say all you want about getting right with God, but if you don’t get right with God in your finances, you are not right with God. The kind of repentance that does not reach the bank account, has never reached the heart.

In Malachi 3:7, God says, “Return unto me, and I will return unto you.” And the people said, “Wherein shall we return?” God’s answer in verse 8 reveals that they were to return in tithes and offerings.

The point of return is the point of departure. If you’re going to come back to God and if you’re going to renew your fellowship, you’re going to have to begin with the tithe.

It’s time to put the good book to the checkbook!

How are you doing in the area of your tithes and offerings to the Lord?"

Any thoughts?

Was the Earthquake a Judgment of God on Haiti?

I have a few questions.

When I heard Robertson declare that the Haitian earthquake was a judgment of God on that country, I thought it ridiculous and dismissed it entirely based on what I know about science, and what I know of the Bible and of God.

There was an earthquake when the seismic plates shifted. Where these plates meet a tremendous amount of energy can be stored for centuries, and when released and the plates move, earthquakes occur. God certainly knows this, as he is the one who created the plates and created all energy. And I know that God loves all people and wants them to turn to him. In fact the reason he doesn't end all of the suffering and sin on earth now is his longsuffering. He doesn't want people to perish eternally.

So I dismissed Robertson's declarations, as did so many evangelicals.

But I have read statements by Al Mohler, and hear statements by Mac Brunson, that leaves the door open to the possibility that the earthquake WAS indeed a judgment on this nation. Wise, learned men who are our religious leaders.

Said Brunson Sunday in a sermon out of 2 Chronicles 11-14, contrasting the disobedience of Rehoboam and the obedience of Asa:

"If they ever invite me to the Congress or the White House to preach, I'm preaching this. It is not rocket science, figure this out. Rehoboam you sinned against God, the prophet said, God abandoned you. Asa, you have followed God, you have been delivered. I mean its not that hard. God does that with nations....when man is disobedient, when nations are disobedient, the enemy comes. See also the United States in the year 2010.

Don't mistake this. Have your eyes open. Let there be a remnant in this country that understands fully that what we're experiencing in this country is most likely the judgment of God. We look off down at poor little Haiti, and bless his heart, Pat Robertson, you can't help but just to pray for him, you know. He may be right, but what a dumb time to say something like that. But let me tell you something, we don't need to worry about seeing the judgment of God on somebody else, all we gotta do is look within our own borders, and congregation, let me tell you something, we've got the judgment of God here. We gonna have to edit all that out when we get to the TV thing. We don't need to look and say 'Well, is that God's judgment on them?' Folks, listen, you don't need to worry about God's judgment on somebody else, its coming on us, its coming on us."

Not that Robertson is absolutely wrong. No. "He may be right."

Mac is very smart and learned. He hs forgotten more Bible knowledge than I will ever know, and he has been educated at a prestigious seminary. So maybe I've been wrong about my perception of who God and Jesus is, and I need to be set straight.

Some questions that I would like answers to:

- we are all dirty, filthy sinners deserving hell and death, and Christians have been saved by God's grace. However, is it true that those Christians who are mostly obedient, God blesses, but those who are more sinful, God abandons and punishes? Is it true, when we sin as Christians, "the enemy comes"? I am aware of the consequences of sin, but is God ready to bring judgment? Is is true as Brunson says: "the mills of the gods grind slow, but they grind exceedingly fine"?Since we are all sinners, are the gods (whoever they may be) grinding on mills and we're all going to be ground to dust by their mills?

- is God still judging nations today like he did in the Old Testament as Mac suggests? Is he looking for those nations who are "obedient" and those who are "disobedient"? And what is his criteria? What sins does he punish countries for? Does his wrath trump his grace when he delivers punishments like earthquakes that harm little boys and girls?

- so if Pat Robertson "may be right", as Mac admits he may be, why so much ridicule towards Pat? How could it be the wrong time to say the truth? If that earthquake was Jesus' wrath, shouldn't we be proclaiming this to other nations so they can repent? And since when is it the wrong time to speak the truth?

- as I have been critical of for so long: is it true as Mac has said on numerous occasions and reiterates above: is the economy, 9/11, Katrina, the recession, high gas prices - are those all things that are the judgment of God on America? Is God really working behind the scenes to harm Americans?

- if we think Jesus perhaps decided to shake up Haiti and smash buildings and instantly kill thousands and thousands of babies, boys and girls under the rubble, how do we go and tell these same people that the answer to their problems is this same Jesus? "This earthquake that devastated your country was a judgment of God and Jesus on you...but we want you to accept Jesus as your Savior, He is the answer!"

I really already know the answers to my questions, but would love to hear your responses.

What happens on earth - earthquakes, cancers, brain tumors, divorces, tsunamis, murder - it all comes about because of fallen man living in a fallen world. Not one sin or a group of sins committed in a specific time by a specific people, but as the result of ALL sin for ALL time. Romans 8:18-25 makes it clear that all suffering in this present day is part of the corruption of mankind and this fallen world - but that a day is coming when this suffering will cease. To try and hang one event, or a series of events in our country on the wrath of God is blasphemous.

My Bible says it is not God judging people or nations and then exacting his due punishment on them.

What does your Bible say?

What Ministry We Could Do if 90% Would Stop Robbing God

Below is a video of Perry Noble, pastor of NewSpring (yes, one word) Church in Anderson, SC. No, that is not Conan O'Brien having a flat hair day.

I like to listen to Perry Noble. He is a gifted speaker. He is funny, and he has no problem speaking what's on his mind. He is the pastor who declared in his pastor's conference earlier this year that critical bloggers are "jack asses". Hee haw.

In this sermon he spends 10 minutes telling his church members that they are obligated to give 10% of their money to his church. Because, he says, it is in the Old Testament, and no gift recorded in the New Testament was less than 10% (which is false), and because his members signed a "membership covenant" that says they WOULD fork over 1/10 of their income.

But they aren't forking it over, and Perry ain't happy.

Perry admits his church is checking the finanical records of its members. He says only 10% of his members are tithing. He says he knows "because we looked". Why don't these churches just require a 10% automatic withdrawl from the members' checking accounts - it would be so much easier!

And Perry is like so many in the modern church: they whine about how much ministry they COULD do if only the recalcitrant sheep would stop "robbing God" and give their money to Jesus - and "giving to Jesus" means only giving it to their 501(c)3 and no one else's. "Giving to Jesus" is not putting your kids in a good school, buying a safe car for your teen, or saving money for your kids' education...or giving it directly to another charitable cause. "Giving to Jesus" only counts when stroking a check to the church. Perry claims that if his church members tithe the state might be able to reject bail out money because the church would be able to help so many poor people. Really? Or would that extra money be used to purchase advertising, hire more professional ministers with comfortable salaries and bennies, build a new building, and open more satellites?

Finally, something very interesting about Perry Noble's sermon is that immediately after he got done hitting the tithing doctrine, he went into a 20 minute tirade ridiculing the modern church (that is all churches but HIS emergent church) - I mean he bashed everything from deacons, to lay leaders, to Sunday School, to Church Training, to bible studies, dress shirts with long sleeves, men's ministries, Sunday luncheons...according to him, its ALL bad, but HIS church has it right.

Funny how the emergent church rejects just about everything from the traditional church...all of the traditions are out the window and trashed...but by golly not the tradition of requiring the sheep to fork over a tenth of their income.

That tradition is still alive and well, even in the emergents, apparently. They absolutely cannot let that tradition go because they need to rake in millions and millions and that tradition helps them toward that end.