Ed Young Videos Back Up: Lawyers Claim WD Videos "Infringe Upon The Church's Ability to Market the Work"

"This unlawful use of the Work is harmful to the Church's ability to utilize this Work both as a means to educate its attendees and members about God's Word, but also as a marketable product. The Church markets this Work to other pastors, churches and ministries, and licenses it for that purpose. The availability of this video obtained without the knowledge or consent of the Church for free on your site greatly infringes upon the Church's ability to market this work."
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The above quote is taken from a December 2010 letter sent to Vimeo by Ed Young's lawyer that resulted in temporary removal of my three videos from the Internet that I created for the purpose of educating Christians about the dangers of preachers who abusively preach a tithing doctrine. The videos are:

"Ed Young Goes After Access to Bank Accounts of Church Members"

"Ed Young's Tithing Long Bomb"

"Give and Live: New Prosperity Gospel in the SBC"

While Young's lawyers were successful in having the above three videos removed in December and January, my lawyer was successful in getting them restored in March by contesting their claim and sending a letter to Vimeo arguing that if the sermons are copyrighted, the use in my videos falls under the Fair Use doctrine of the copyright laws. The ball is now in Ed Young's court.

Yes, church work isn't just about preaching the Word and spreading the gospel anymore, it is about "marketing the work". They need to market "the work".

A few comments on this:

- It is interesting they claim my videos hurt their ability to market the work, because the Ed Young 10/10/10 tithing sermon was posted for free on their church website for at least a month after the sermon was preached, and was removed from their website AFTER my videos were created and posted. I know, because that is how I retrieved it to use it.

- not sure how my videos harm their ability to "educate their attendees and members about God's Word." I would say the sermon itself, not my videos, harmed their ability to educate people about God's Word, because in my view his 10/10/10 tithing sermon was about as un-biblical as any I've ever heard on the topic of Christian stewardship. It was embarrassing. Watch the "long bomb" video to get a taste of what he was preaching that day.

- another portion of the lawyer's letter reads: "Permission was not sought to use this work and no license was given to the individual that posted the video to utilize the video in such a way." True, I didn't seek their permission or a license. I didn't think I needed to under the Fair Use doctrine of the copyright laws. But I wonder, did Fellowship Church seek "permission" or a "license" when they used the Gatorade trademark logo in their video and called it "Haterade"? Maybe they did. I hope so, because that video had a commercial purpose in advertising a pay-to-attend church conference. Did Fellowship Church seek permission from author Stephanie Meyer of the "Twilight" series, to use the name and the characteristic trademark in Ed Young's sermon series "Twilight"? I sure hope they did, because as you see below, there is an unmistakable match between Ed Young's use of the Twilight logo and imagery (at left) and that on the book cover (right). And I would point out that Ed Young's "Twilight" sermon series is being sold for commercial gain here.

- Ed Young's lawyers claimed that my videos were not a "fair use" of the original work, that I purposely split the videos into two parts to fall with the Fair Use doctrine. They claimed that the portion of my work that was critical was only incidental, and that my videos were "...an opportunity to run the Work without authorization or compensation". This is not true...the entire creation of the videos and my commentary in the video and on my blog was to critique his work, not to profit from it or to prevent them from marketing it.

I realize my strategy of contesting their take-down has much risk. It would have been easier, less hassle, to just let it go, and let the videos stay down. But really, this blog has evolved around the theme of not allowing mega church pastors and preachers bully people, to expose their antics in real time. So I decided to contest Young's claims because I believe I am right, and keeping my work up for other Christians and non-Christians to see serves a tremendous purpose worth fighting for.

I used this blog to expose the bullying tactics of FBC Jax when they delivered their letter of 16 sins and trespass papers to me and my wife in November 2008. When Judge A.C. Soud read his Deacon's Resolution 2009-1 live streaming over the Internet to the people of FBC Jax and made the members stand and ratify it, I put the transcript and video on the Internet. When I got copies of the subpoenas that FBC Jax and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office didn't want me to know about, and their official trespass notices filed against me and my wife, I put those on the Internet.

When a famous pastor in Texas had his lawyer bully me with a threatening letter in 2009 claiming I defamed him for blogging about news articles referring to his "shady land deal" demanding I take down a post from 2008, I kindly told him to jump in a lake (actually jump in a harbor) and blogged about it here.

So I will do the same now in this matter with Ed Young as best I can.

There are a many of us who believe great harm is being done to churches through this ridiculous tithing doctrine that Ed Young and others are aggressively pushing. Many modern preachers take their cues from Ed Young, and people need to know how awful and unbiblical this teaching is through videos like mine and others'. It is sad, really, that pastors are stooping so low as to use guilt, fear, and intimidation as tactics to raise revenue. I will continue to shine a light as best I can on these abuses.

As they use the Internet and technology to get their message out, so must we Christians do the same in response.

If Ed and Fellowship Church decide to pursue this matter in the courts, and I have no reason to believe they won't, I'll blog about it here, so stay tuned.

"Take it to a Ho' Nutha Level" - 30,000 Feet and Over $2 Million a Year?

Its been about 4 weeks since the Ed Young story broke about his leased jet and lavish lifestyle, and we have not heard the end of it for sure. Sadly, very few, if any, SBC leaders will dare call Ed Young out on the over-indulgence of his church leasing an 8 million dollar luxury jet. As I said a few weeks ago, it was the president of the Florida Baptist Convention, John Cross, who flew out to Fort Worth to defend Ed Young and the church's use of "private air travel". Imagine, a president of an SBC state convention defending a pastor's use of a luxury private jet. Wow.

Three weeks ago the SBC Today gang took up the issue on their podcast (2/11/10 podcast), and they pulled all their punches and would hardly say one critical word about Young.

Even the SBC Today gang guest on the 2/11 podcast, SWBTS seminary professor John Mark Yeates pooh-poohed the money issue, saying Ed Young is accountable only to God concerning how the church's money is spent. Unbelievably, Yeates dismissed the entire WFAA news report as a "smear" and characterized the Saturday 2/6/10 dog and pony show starring Young, Cross and Richard, as Young "attempting to be very, very transparent by opening the books". Huh? Opening the books? Yeates even defended Young's lifestyle by saying that "many of the clientele" at the church are much more affluent than Young and have larger houses. And none of the SBC Today gang challenged these nonsensical defenses offered up by Yeates.

So no one in any leadership position in the SBC will dare call Ed Young out on the plane or the lack of transparency about it. Further proof, as I have said many times on this blog: it is up to the lay people to reign in these guys by stopping the money flow. The IRS can help, if they would ever require 501(c)3 religious organizations to release detailed financial records to their donors as do other non-profits...I pray that day is soon approaching.

Speaking of money flow....its worth considering just how much money does this airplane siphon away from doing God's work each year. Since Ed Young and John Cross will never say, we'll have to make some assumptions:

- we shall assume the plane is indirectly leased by Fellowship Church and/or Fellowship Connection. While not the direct lessors, the names "Fellowship Church", "Fellowship Connection, and "Ed Young, Jr." appear on the lease document, and Ed's departure from FC is a condition of contract default (see page 6, paragraph 12 of the lease document here).

- we shall assume the plane is not a fractional, time-share kind of lease, and that Fellowship Church is the sole user of the plane, and therefore responsible for the operating and maintenance costs. If they are just sharing the plane with other users, I assume that information would have been shared on 2/6/10.

- we will assume that Ed Young or his business partners own some sort of stake in the lessor company, Medill Co, which was formed just weeks before the lease was signed. In fact, "Medill Co." is not a company, it is a Delaware Trust, and whoever has the financial interest in that trust is unknown and cannot be known.

So, what would it cost to lease, operate, and maintain this jet?

Let's consider the following:

1. Leasing Costs: Some research shows that the annual lease fee for a jet of this type might be on the order of 1% per month of the value of the plane. Brett Shipp put the plane's value at 8 million. A 1990 model of the plane is on the market at over $11 million, so the $8 million price tag is not unrealistic. This would put the the lease fee at around $80,000 per month. A bargain for sure.

2. Annual Maintenance Costs: According to this document, the annual fixed maintenance costs of the N188FJ Falcon 50 triple-engine jet would be nearly $700,000. That's just to put the thing in the hanger.

3. Per Nautical Mile Operating Costs: the same document puts the per nautical mile operating cost of Falcon 50 at about $8.50 per mile. Thus, a round trip to New York City would cost around $21,000. That's chump change to rap artists, NBA superstars...but it ain't chump change to the faithful church members who fork over their hard-earned money to their church. I'd like to see how much they would raise if they held a special offering to raise $20,000 on a Sunday to pay for Ed's jet fuel for his next speaking gig.

So this plane would cost about $1.7 million a year to lease and maintain, and if Ed flies about 75,000 miles per year, tack on another $640,000.

And perhaps the biggest questions to be answered: What is the residual, buy-out option that Medill Co. has at the end of the 10 year lease in 2017? We don't know. But a source on the Internet claims it is well below market, and the question then becomes: is Fellowship Church, through the 10 years of lease payments, purchasing a jet for Ed Young? We don't know, because they won't give any information on the lease terms.

And John Mark Yeates characterizes Ed Young as being "very, very transparent".

So, the total annual price to lease and operate and maintain private jet for rockstar megachurch preacher?

$2.3 million

The cost of wasted dollars for God's kingdom that could do so much other good?

Priceless.

The deafening silence from those in SBC leadership?

Not surprising.

"Would a Man Rob Ed?" - Ed Young Issues the God Challenge - Signed Tithing Committment Cards With a Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee

A new tithing gimmick has been introduced into the Southern Baptist Convention, by Ed Young, Jr. at the SBC's Fellowship Church.

Last year Ed Young pulled a stunt to try and collect checking account and bank routing numbers from his people to allow Fellowship Church to auto-withdraw their tithe.

This year the salesman Ed Young is trying a new tithing gimmick: a money-back tithing pledge. Ed distributed tithing commitment cards to be signed by all members last Sunday for them to commit to tithe 10% of all their income for seven-weeks, and if they are not satisfied with the blessings Ed has promised they will receive, Ed says he will give "God's money" back!

Ed says in the video above:

"Here's the deal: this is the 'God challenge'. This is a money-back guarantee, is what I'm sayin'. In other words, we have 7 weekends from now until the end of the year. And I'm going to ask you to sign up. If God does not bless your life and show up in huge ways, we'll give you God's money back. [scant applause]. I'll say it again. I know it's hard to believe, a church doing this. You do this for seven weeks, make sure you participate in a way that we can track it in our financial office, we'll give you God's money, ha ha, did you get that, God's money, back!"

Let's analyze this:

- first of all, it is absolutely amazing that Ed says while laughing heartily, that "we will give you God's money back" (watch the video, I looped this laugh several times, it is incredibly revealing). I think he laughed accidentally at the ridiculousness that it is "God's money". Ed knows it is not. The entire premise of his sermon was that your first 10% of your income is not yours, it is "God's portion", and it belongs to God. According to Ed you can't even "give" it, you can only "bring" it, since it is not yours. But if the money is God's then on what authority does Ed claim the right to give it BACK to you? This gimmick actually shows that Ed doesn't believe his own nonsense - if that money you give - sorry, I mean bring - to Fellowship Church is holy and God's property, Ed certainly would understand he has no right to give it back to you. But it is Ed's money once you give it, and he can give it back.

- does Ed not fear the God he preaches about? The bible says he is a jealous God, and would not share his power or glory with anyone. Yet here is beautiful, blonde Ed Young in his skinny jeans, telling people that giving 10% to his church will unlock all sorts of blessings. God is a genie, and he is released from his magic lamp when he sees you put in 10% of your income to the collection bags at Fellowship Church. But now Ed removes even the requirement to trust God because God has apparently anointed Ed Young to manage God's storehouse. Ed will take your money, but he has the power to give it back to you.

- I know of no one who donates their hard earned money to their church, or to the United Way, or to a rescue mission, that expects ANYTHING in return. What does this guarantee offer say about how Ed views Christians? He thinks people are stupid enough to believe that 10% of their income is the magic key to blessings, that 8% or 9% means God's cursings and 10% means blessings. Then he thinks people are stupid enough to be motivated to give to their church by their pastor promising something in return. Hey Ed, people donate to your church or to any 501(c)3 non-profit because they believe in the ministry or cause and they don't expect anything in return.

- God can't be confined to the limits of a 7-week test defined by Ed Young, Jr. God may or may not bless someone between now and the end of the year, whether they do or do not tithe. How about a test to see if someone gets blessed WITHOUT tithing? Ed's ploy is pure poppycock and gimmickry, and I feel sorry for any person at Fellowship Church foolish enough to play into Ed's scheme by signing that card.

- do we need any further evidence to demonstrate that Ed and the other first-fruit tithing teachers are peddlers of the gospel for profit? Only companies selling things for a profit offer money-back guarantees. When will the IRS begin taxing these mega temples? They are salesmen at heart. As I wrote back in 2008 and then in 2010, Ed himself acknowledges the intense pressure he has as the church's "franchise player", responsible for raising money, when he said:

"We're responsible [pastors] every year, we're the main one, that raises money. I call pastors the 'franchise player' because we're the ones who are responsible before God for raising money...every year I've stared a lot of money in the face, and I know at the end of the day it's up to me to raise that money...and now it's many, many millions of dollars, and that's a taxing thing."

There you have it: Ed has to "raise" the millions. I thought it was God who did it all, that he was sovereign over matters in his church. But no, apparently God needs Ed and other franchise-player-pastors to raise the money, thus we see these cheesy gimmicks like this money-back guarantee to extract more money from trusting Christians.

- interesting how the money back clause is worded: "If at the end of 7 weeks you believe that God did not honor his word and pour out blessings in your life, then Fellowship will give God's money back to you promptly." So you have to call God a liar to get your money back, saying he didn't honor his word. Actually, it should read: "If you discover at the end of 7 weeks that Ed Young's claim of blessings for tithing is nothing more than a gimmick to get his hands on your money, then we will give you your money back." Can you imagine being put on the list of people at Fellowship that called God a liar and asked for "God's money" back? Might be a sure way to not be asked to serve in any capacity at the church, right?

- will Fellowship Church require you to show that you gave 10% of your income in order to get your money back? After all, if all you did was give 9% of your income, and come and claim God didn't honor his word and bless you, you didn't keep your end of the bargain. Of course God won't bless you at 9%, right? So get ready to hand your tax forms over to the finance department of the church so they can confirm that you indeed were tithing on the gross for 7 consecutive weeks.

This is a just a repackaged form of the false prosperity gospel that is peddled by televangelists that has now made its way into the Southern Baptist Convention. You give to get blessed, and you call God's hand by tithing, he HAS to bless you.

I'm still trying to figure out which is worse: this tithing gimmickry by Ed Young, or James Merritt peddling FHTMC, a suspected pyramid scheme, in his church.

Either way, the Southern Baptist mega church pastors, the "franchise players", need your money, and they will go to any lengths to separate you from your money, even under false pretenses, even during the holiday season.

"Jet Fuel for Jesus" - Other Churches Pay for Jet Fuel, Refers to Critics as "Haters"

In the video above, which is a portion of some sort of "interview" conducted by one of his staff members, Ed Young gives some additional information about the jet aircraft leased by Fellowship Church. At the bottom is the latest video from Brett Shipp that discusses Young's use of the jet that I blogged about here.

Good to know that Fellowship Church doesn't pay for Ed's jet fuel - but the OTHER churches he flies to and speaks at...they are ponying up the money: JET FUEL FOR JESUS!!

Some Ed Young quotes from the above video:

"I would not have been able to do what I have done over the last, whatever 5, 6, or 7 years had we not utilized private aircraft. I've had the opportunity to speak probably to over 200,000 pastors and leaders here in North America because of that."

Maybe so, but I find it hard to believe that if not for using a luxury jet he wouldn't have been able to do these events. The counter to that logic is: if you had traveled like the average American would travel, how much more money would you have saved that could have done more. I just reject this notion that Ed Young to accomplish his mighty deeds for Jesus has to do it in a private jet.

"We don't use any of the offerings or the tithes to pay for this aircraft. This aircraft is paid for by other resource streams. And usually when I go into a conference or a church to speak they usually pay for the fuel. And we don't own an airplane. We have a charter deal, and we have a lease situation with one."

I think its disingenous to say that a long-term lease means "we don't own an airplane". And I hope someday Young will open the books to show his church that their tithes and offerings are NOT going to pay for his luxury plane travel, and to explain what "other resource streams" ARE able to pay for the millions per year it costs to lease and operate a luxury private jet. If this is true, why didn't he tell his congregation this back when he had the dog and pony show with John Cross and Mac Richard (prounounced "re-SHARD")?

"Why do we have the ability to fly? Did God give us that ability just to share the gospel? I don't know - but again, what the media will say, or what the haters will say is, ok, a Christian, a pastor, whatever, a man or woman who teaches God's word and shares the gospel should not utilize private aircraft. But it's ok for an entertainer, a professional athlete, its ok for a CEO who is selling this widget or that widget...."

Yep, God had man create the French-made Falcon 50 8-million dollar jets for Ed and Bennie Hinn and Kenneth Copeland to "spread the gospel". I suppose according to Young that Brett Shipp, the WFAA reporter is one of those "haters" (this is typical celebrity-preacher speak - any critics are "haters"). Young is misrepresenting the questions asked by Brett Shipp. Shipp is not saying that a pastor should not ever utilize private aircrarft. Brett Shipp wants to know why the plane is being used for trips to exotic locations, and who pays for those; and Brett Shipp might like to know the lease arrangements and who pays for that.

And the more Young calls him a "hater" and doesn't answer any questions, I'm sure the more determined Brett will be to get answers. These reporters can be mighty determined and persistent.

Interesting that Young compares himself to entertainers, professional athletes, and CEOs and questions if private air travel is OK for them, then why not for him. I would counter that by saying the opposite: if even most entertainers and professional athletes and CEOs do NOT fly around on luxury 8-million dollar jets, why does HE, a "called" minister of Jesus Christ, think that HE needs to? Most millionaires utilize commerical flight. It's just too expensive to lease an 8-million dollar jet. But this goes to the mentality of Ed Young and how he views himself as the "franchise player" of the church, as I blogged about several years ago here.

I'm sure that Brett Shipp, the "hater", will stay on the case.

I'm sure that Brett Shipp still has questions. And when he doesn't get answers and only attacks from Ed Young as a "hater", that raises more questions. I hope he finds answers as to why the jet is used for travel to exotic locations, and who is paying for that.

And memo to Ed Young: according to Chris Rosebrough of the Pirate Christian Radio, Chris has spoken to Brett Shipp and knows Brett Shipp is a believer in Jesus Christ. He is a brother in Christ who has questions, he is not a "hater".

Brett, those of us regular lay people out here know you are not a hater. We love you as a brother in Christ, and appreciate the service you are doing by asking questions of Ed Young.

These CEO pastors don't like people who ask questions and call for accountability.

Bloggers and other lay people like me LOVE people like you, Brett, who ask questions, because CEO celebrity pastors ignore our questions and just tell us to leave the church if we don't like something. You, Brett, are a bit more difficult to ignore.

Thank God for freedom of the press. :)

Ed Young Breaks New Tithing Ground: Demands Bank Account and Routing Numbers on Tithing Commitment Forms

Update: There is one place you can still listen to the Ed Young sermon excerpt asking for his church to fill out forms with their checking account and routing number. It is at Fighting for the Faith, on the November 2nd, 2010 podcast, starting at about the 9:00 minute mark. Chris Rosebrough analyzes the audio of the video that was removed. So far Fellowship Church hasn't successfully removed it from the Rosebrough website.

Fighting for the Faith - Nov 2, 2010

"When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Will you give me a drink - along with your bank account and routing number?' " John 4:7

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Ed Young, Jr. of Fellowship Church delievered a humdinger of a tithing sermon on 10/10/10. As you see in the picture above, Young blazed a trail that likely no other Southern Baptist has gone down: he actually is trying to gain access to his church member's bank accounts to withdrawl their tithe automatically. He doesn't just want THEM to use online banking for an automated payment, Ed wants the church to have access to their bank accounts! This is not a joke or a parody. He really did this. Watch the video above.

I'll have more to say about this sermon later, as it might be the most heretical, nonsensical, self-serving, manipulative sermon I think I've ever heard. I can't wait to hear what Chris Rosebrough has to say about this.

By the way, men, if your pastor has recently used the line: "come on men, 'man up' and start tithing and supporting your church", chances are they got it from Ed Young. He started this sermon by appealing to the men to be spiritual leaders, and wrapped it up by insinuating that if you aren't forking over 10% of your income to his church you aren't a real man and you're under a curse, and it's no wonder your marriage is lousy and your career is on the shaky ground. According to Ed, you can't possibly be blessed by God if you don't tithe.

He even said if you aren't tithing, why bother coming to church, you should just stay home, play golf, and not waste his (Ed's) or God's time. Even said if you're sitting next to a non-tither, watch your wallet because that person is a robber. These pastors can't help but accuse their own church members of being criminals if they don't fork over the dough. It is sickening.

I would submit to the men of Fellowship Church: if you want to be a man, a spiritual leader in your home, then "man up", admit to your family that Ed Young is a false teacher, and that you're sorry you have been subjecting your family to his false teaching. Stop letting your family see you drinking the Ed Young Kool-Aid. You're setting your kids up to follow in your footsteps and be duped by some guy holding a bible that wants to get his greedy hands on their bank account.

But Ed saved the best for last. He made every person pick up a tithing commitment card, and he told them to put their routing number and bank account number on it, and commit to giving 10% of their gross income. Ed said some of them would become very wealthy as a result, because "God will get it to ya, if he can get it through ya." As shown in the photo above, Ed even showed a picture of a check, and where you can find your routing number and account number.

Wow. Imagine giving a mega church access to your checking account. I thought at first maybe I was watching a Saturday Night Live skit - the preacher collecting the bank account access numbers. Maybe next year Ed is going to ask for their ATM card to be put in their tithing envelope, along with the PIN.

FC church member, if you did give this information to Ed on 10/10/10, I hope and pray that you have, or will, write the church office and retract your permission to have access to your checking account. This is not good for you, and it is not good for your church.

This is greed, pure and simple. Ed Young wants you to trust God with your finances, but he doesn't want to trust God that enough money will be collected each Sunday. He doesn't trust you, so he wants to get DIRECT access to your funds.

Tell Ed that you will give him access to your checking account, the day your employer gives YOU access to the company checking account for YOU to get access to your salary directly. No, it doesn't work that way. You trust your employer to give you the money when it is due you. It is that simple. If you want to automate the giving process, you can set up through your bank for online payments to go to the church. There is absolutely no reason to give your bank account info to your church. I can't believe a church would ever want to do that. But maybe Ed will start a trend, and the SBC can have Dave Ramsey add this to his stewardship pitch.

But hey, perhaps Ed's bible says "It is more blessed to give your account number, than it is to receive." - it could be in the Greek.

Ed Young Acquires Church Just 1/2 Mile from Perry Noble's Columbia, SC Satellite - Who Will Win the "Battle of the Tight Pants"?

Ed Young announced last week that Fellowship Church has opened a new satellite church in Columbia, South Carolina - just 1/2 mile from Perry Noble's Columbia satellite church!

Ed Young's new Columbia satellite is actually an acquisition of an existing church (Friend Church) that is joining Ed Young's system of churches. Ed did the same thing in Miami last month, acquiring a former hispanic baptist in Midtown Miami. These acquisitions are a perfect business strategy for Ed: each of these new churches will be a place where he can sell his books and sermons, and where revenue can be brought back to the mother church.

Seeing Ed Young expand his church brand into South Carolina should not come as a surprise, given that Perry Noble has seen explosive growth with his satellites with revenue in excess of $25 million a year. There are plenty of peeps in South Carolina ready to join mega churches,and who are gullible enough to obey Noble's and Young's abusive tithing sermons (for sampling, click here, here, here, here, here, and here)

The continued expansion of mega churches using satellites and church acquisitions is further proof that modern evangelicalism is about mega church personalities who are seeking to build their personal and church brands by expanding into areas already saturated with churches to tap into wealthy markets.

This reminds me of this quote by SBC pastor Bart Barber that I featured on my blog last year:

"I predict that you won't soon see the following multi-campus sites opening: Fellowship Church Wilmer-Hutchins Campus, Saddleback Watts Campus, NorthPoint Community Church Bankhead Campus, or Second Baptist Houston Third-Ward Campus. The multi-site movement and the preponderance of domestic SBC church planting is focused like a laser upon those areas where people with lots of money live in church-friendly cultures—places where it is easy to fill a church with rich people." Bart Barber, Pastor FBC Farmersville (TX)

Bart is right on the money; Ed Young is a Southern Baptist, and he is expanding into areas where he can get new church members who have loads of money who just might be willing to give Ed their checking account numbers.

Recently, Pastor Tom Messer of Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville announced the church's plans to open a new satellite church in affluent St. John's county, just south of Jacksonville. Messer told his congregation how much it would cost, who would pay for it, and how the initial investment will yield positive dividends.

Said Tom Messer in Trinity's evening service on September 16, 2012:

"Look, its going to take us probably $150,000 in a budget and $150,000 in capital investment to start a South Campus. About $300,000. You say 'where is that money going to come from?'  You.  You say 'Really? We're going to give it to all those people down there in St. John's county?'  Yes!  You say 'Will they ever give it back?' Sure. Absolutely. They're going to invest it in YOUR rescue mission, they're going to invest it in YOUR college...". Pastor Tom Messer, 9/16/12

That quote is very telling, and gives us a glimpse into how pastors view satellites! The satellite church members are viewed as people that can give money that will come back to the mother church to the benefit of the church members!  

That is the modern model of mega church growth. Potential new church members are viewed as a market to be tapped. Potential church members are viewed as "giving units" who can begin generating positive cash flow to the mother church. Starting new, autonomous churches doesn't generate cash flow for the mother church, doesn't help hire new staff, or provide the needed revenue to justify an increase in the pastor's salary and expense budget.

It will be interesting to watch the battle of Perry Noble and Ed Young in Columbia. Reminds me of this video, where Will Ferrell and Jimmy Fallon quarrel over who has the tightest pants in the land.
 

Ed Young's 8000 SF Mansion On the Market in Texas: A Steal at Only $2.2 Million - And We Get a Glimpse Into the Lavishness of His Abode

"Why are you even coming to church, if you're not bringing the tithe? Seriously, what are you expecting? Just hang out at home, man, play golf. You don't need to be here. What are you, crazy? You're not going to get anything [from God for not tithing]...You're wasting your time, my time, you're taking up space here.." Ed Young telling his church members to tithe or stay home.

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Ed Young told his congregation in October 2010:  "Its...all...about....the money....show me the money!".  You did, Fellowship Church, show Ed the money, and now we show you what your money bought. 

Below are some of the pictures now online displaying Ed Young's 8000 square foot mansion located on Lake Grapevine northwest of Dallas - the house has been on the market since April 2012.

And the asking price is a steal at only $2.2 million.

The listing portfolio has 25 pictures showing exterior and interior views of this lavish house. When you browse the pictures, Fellowship Church donors get to see what a reported $1 million per year salary, along with a $250,000 tax exempt "parsonage allowance" will allow a mega church pastor to purchase.

Take a good look, Fellowship Church tithers and givers. This home is what you are giving to each week. Pastors like to show you pictures of missionaries telling people about Jesus, and shelters for unwed mothers to which the church gives a miniscule percentage of their revenue - and tell you THAT is what your donations are buying. But look at these pictures, Fellowship Church, because your pastor's lifestyle also is what you are helping to fund. Lavish, outlandish luxury for your Man of God.

It is quite sickening when you see these pictures of his 6 bed, 6-bath, 5-fireplace, 4-car garage, 4 acre "parsonage", to think that just a few weeks ago Ed was mocking Christians who feel a sense of urgency in traveling to remote parts of the earth to help dig wells so that impoverished people can have access to clean drinking water. Earlier this year, Ed blasted the "heretical poverty vibe" in Christianity (while Mary the camel took a dump on the platform), and Ed boldly declared:

"No where in the Bible does it tell me as a follower of Christ I'm to take an oath to poverty. Where's that in the Bible? Where's that in the Bible that I should feel guilty if I'm blessed of God?"

If you really want to experience the full effect of Ed's hypocrisy, browse all 25 videos of his lavish home here, then watch 10 minutes of video where he blasts his church members for not tithing. It will all make sense; you'll see what Ed is all about. Ed Young is telling people to not even bother coming to church unless they are bringing their tithe with them, pronouncing God's curses on people who donate less than 10% of their income to his church. Ed uses the money he does take in to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

After all, as a Man of God, Ed Young is rich, and he is famous.

And Jesus wept.

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The prosperity gospel according to Ed Young:

"You wonder why your marriage is stoned. You wonder why your kids' future is stoned. You wonder why your career is stoned. You wonder why you don't have joy....it's all about the money! It's all about the money, you don't get it!....80% of you are robbing God. 20% of Fellowship Church pays for everything. 20% pays for it all. We're just operating on 20%. Only 20% are bringing the tithe. Only 20% are living in the land of 'more than enough'....

"I want to help you get blessed. Now hopefully you understand when I say 'get blessed' I don't mean you begin to bring your portion to the storehouse and you will become a multi-squillionaire. I'm not saying that, but some of you will. I said 'some of you will'....He's gonna make a lot of us a lotta money - I'm talking about God - because He knows if he can get it through us, he'll get it to us. But the problem is, God wants to bless a lot of you, but you're in the Jordan River, in your floaties, splashing around thinking a mission trip will do it, thinking another bible study will do it, thinking that serving the church will do it, thinking prayer will do it. It's all about the money. It's all about the money. Show....me....the...money."

The Fellowship Church Jet Scandal: What Not to Do When Caught With Your Pants Down

We are now more than a month removed from the Ed Young jet scandal at Fellowship Church. And I'm quite certain we haven't heard the last of this from the news media. John Cross' and Mac Richard's ridiculous defense of Ed Young all but ensured that the media will continue to dig and reveal more details of Ed's lavish, jet-setting lifestyle.

Ed Young and his trustees were caught with their pants down, and they handled it wrong, ensuring further scrutiny. They gave non-answers, and played the victim.

Ironically, on the same day that the WFAA report was broadcast in Dallas, here in Jacksonville another local TV news reporter did an expose' on a Jacksonville organization.

Our local electrical utility, JEA, was caught with their pants down, too.

But oh, how different was the response of JEA's leadership and that of Fellowship Church.

I'm quite certain no one out of Jacksonville is interested in reading about the JEA scandal, but it was the lead story on the February 4th news, and here's the skinny: seems a number of electrical repair work crews who immediately upon receiving their work orders for the day would drive their JEA trucks out of the JEA lot and down the road for an early morning breakfast on the clock. And some of the crews would park their trucks and sleep for hours at a certain dead-end road doing zero work. Not just once in a while, but almost every single day during the three-month long investigation.

Crews not working, but crews feasting and napping on the clock.

And the news reporter filmed it and documented it for three months, and caught JEA with their pants down.

JEA is accountable to the people of Jacksonville as they are at least partially owned by the city. And people in Jacksonville are not happy with rising electrical rates, so they are not happy to hear that their money is being wasted by having work crews eating breakfast and lunch, and taking naps with their money.

How did JEA respond when caught with their pants down? The contrasts between JEA and Fellowship Church, both of whom were caught in a scandal - is striking. Ed Young was found to be living high on the hog and leasing a luxury private jet to the tune of millions of dollars, while JEA crews were found to be eating and sleeping instead of maintaining our electrical infrastructure.

Very embarrassing for both organizations.

But John Pitre, the JEA manager responsible for the work done by these crews, faced the music. He actually talked to the reporter ON CAMERA. He looked nervous. He didn't deliver a prepared speech with make-up like Ed Young. Pitre looked like a deer caught in the headlights at times. But to his credit, he gave answers and expressed regret. He didn't refuse to talk to the reporter like Ed Young. He didn't tell JEA customers that he refuses to watch the TV report. No, the man sat down with the reporter, watched the filmed footage of his crews slacking off, and said this, on the record:

"Perception-wise it's very bad...if I saw something like that I'd be angry too. I myself I take the trust of the community and citizens seriously and if I saw something like this going on I'd probably do the same thing and report it...as my position here, now that I know about it, I'll do what I can to investigate this and deal with it appropriately."

What a contrast. Subsequent to the initial report JEA announced they were launching an investigation into the employees involved, and some received discipline. And JEA answered all questions about this scandal, and other follow-up issues like overtime pay.

If JEA took the approach that Ed Young and Fellowship Church did, they would have employed the following tactics:

- Pitre would have not talked to the reporter, and the JEA would have held a press conference to say that Pitre still has not, and never will, watch the news report.

- Pitre would have said that he has in impeccable reputation, and that God in fact called him into the power business and that his ultimate authority is God, and therefore everyone can dismiss the news report since he will give an account to God on how JEA's money is spent;

- Pitre would have flown in two board members from other utilities, to talk about what a Godly man Pitre is, how wonderful his wife and kids are, and that if there was even a "whiff of a impropriety" they have better things to do and wouldn't be board members of JEA.

- Pitre would have said that we should all pray for those people behind the report (like the reporters, the camera men, the irate JEA customers), that they would get right with God.

- Pitre would have announced that this report was an attack not just on him, but on JEA, and all of JEA's customers.

But Pitre didn't, and JEA handled this scandal by being open, honest, and transparent. They never attacked the messenger, instead they dealt with the facts presented to them.

Some may say there is no comparison: one is a church, and one is a power company. But both of these organizations are accountable to their communities. JEA's public trust is obvious. But FC is supposed to be a church that proclaims the gospel and people in the community don't expect them to operate for the personal benefit of the pastor. So they, too, are accountable to Dallas/Fort Worth citizens in that regard.

This is why these so many of these mega church CEO pastors are such a detriment to the gospel. They think they're God's gift to Christendom, when actually it is their lifestyle and humongous egos that turns the world off to their Christianity. And when the world sees church members lap it up and give the Ed Young's of the world a standing ovation for their non-answers to scandal, they realize whatever religion THAT is, its not for them. The non-Christians refuse to drink any Kool Aid that would cause them to have to fork money over to Ed Young's church and then give him a standing O when its found out that he used some of it to lease an 8 million dollar jet.

Pretty sad day when our government and quasi-government agencies are the ones setting the example for the church, instead of the other way around.

As my friend General Larry Platt says:

"Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground."

Ed Young's "Franchise Player" View of Himself Explains Quite a Bit

While the Ed Young story is very interesting, and more is sure to be told, his story is just a symptom of a bigger problem we have in Christianity today.

That is mega church celebrity preachers who are siphoning off funds that generous Christians are giving to their church. These CEO-style, mega church preachers use this money to live a lavish, luxurious, jet-setting lifestyle building massive wealth, brand name recognition and celebrity status. And many of them do it while shamelessly telling Christians they MUST fork over 10% minimum of their income to their ministries to be in a right relationship with God. While these antics for decades were relegated to the "TV evangelists", the millionaire CEO pastor phenomenon has now crept into mainstream evangelical Christianity. And it is harming the cause of Christ as non-Christians watch these men get filthy rich off the backs of their church members, and worse they see Christians continuing to fork over their money to these mega church temples. Very much a turn-off to non-Christians who might consider becoming a Christian.

How did this happen? How did we get to this point? Take Ed Young's jet for example. If you ever wonder what kind of mindset would cause a pastor and his church board (made up of other church pastors in Young's case) to think it is a wise investment of the church member's hard-earned money to lease for themselves a luxury private jet at the cost to the church of one to two million dollars per year, you just have to watch the video below of Ed Young. It will become clear how this can happen when you listen to Ed's own words.

As you watch the video below, keep in mind the timing....it was filmed by Ed Young on May 27, 2007, just a few months AFTER the jet lease was signed and very near the time that the church took possession of the jet. It was just a few weeks AFTER this video, that as Brett Shipp reported, the jet logged a week-long trip to the Bahamas in June 2007, then another week long trip to Mexico.

In the video, Ed Young spends 10 minutes telling his audience just how incredibly difficult it is to be a pastor. I wrote an article about this video back in 2008, and I noted how his body language, his posture, his hair, everything makes it look like the man has the weight of the world on his shoulders. He talks about how taxing it is to have to speak to large audiences each week, how tough it is to lead an army of people that "you can't fire or dock their pay" (his volunteers), and then he offers this disturbing analysis:

"...and then the whole financial thing as well. We're responsible every year, we're the main one that raises money. You know I call the pastor the 'franchise player' because we're the ones who are responsible before God for raising money. Every year - we've been going here for about 17 years - and every year I've stared a lot of money in the face and I know at the end of the day its up to me to raise that money. Whether its in the early days thousands and it moved to hundreds of thousands and now its many many millions of dollars, and that's a taxing thing..."

"Franchise player"...for those of you not familiar with this term, it is used in sports to speak of the one player on a professional sports team that will be the highest paid player, with the longest contract typically, around which the rest of the team is built. He is the one that the owners believe will bring the fans in, that will sell tickets and bring in new fans and raise overall team revenue. Others on the team are brought in to support and complement this star. He is considered the most talented and demands a mammoth salary, and gets all the accolades and celebrity status and endorsements - often he is considered the "face" of the organization.

If a pastor actually views himself as the "franchise player" of the church, and the one responsible for "raising money" as Ed Young says...it stands to reason that if massive amounts of money ARE "raised" at his church, then he is responsible, he DID something. The pastor-franchise player was the money man, the go-to guy that caused the money to flow from the pockets to the plates. And why if he RAISED the money, then he should be rewarded, right? Who would argue with that? The salesman gets the commission of his sales, the CEO gets a bonus for creating shareholder wealth. And the CEO pastor gets the lavish jet.

What I come away with from this video is that Young, and other like-minded mega church pastors, believe that they are ENTITLED to the huge pay, family on staff - and perhaps even an 8-million dollar jet - because of how stressful their job is and because it is their superior leadership and speaking skills that brought the money in!

The only way this will ever be fixed, is through good old-fashioned American capitalism...Christians wising up and voting with their feet and their pocketbook - after they realize God is NOT calling them to support these temples and their rock-star preachers.

2010 in Review: Top 10 WD Stories of the Year

OK, many are posting their "Top 10" stories of 2010. Christa Brown did hers here, and William Thornton posted his here, and Wartburg Watch is coming out with theirs later today.

Instead of my "Top 10", I will restrict myself to just nine, leaving you the readers to nominate one that might be different from these.

#1. Ergun Caner and Liberty: by far the biggest story in 2010 on this blog was the Ergun Caner fiasco. This blog entered the controversy on March 29, 2010 when I posted audio excerpts from Caner's November 2001 sermon at FBC Jax in which he declared to everyone present (myself included) that he was raised in Europe and trained in Islamic Youth Jihad, and "trained to do that which was done on 11 September". I posted upwards of 20 articles during the spring and summer, and the WD blog was quoted in multiple news articles covering the Caner story. I and several other bloggers were contacted by the Liberty University team that investigated Caner as they were seeking documentation and Caner sermons.

#2. Depositions and Settlement of City of Jacksonville Lawsuit: 2010 was the year in which my First Amendment lawsuit against the City of Jacksonville went all the way through the discovery process with hours and hours of depositions of witnesses including myself and many of my family members, FBC Jax leadership, the detective and assistant state attorney, all the way up to the sheriff himself. Most surprising was the revelation that the detective wasn't just a security guard at the church as reported in the news, but was in fact a deacon and even a member of the church's discipline committee. The lawsuit was settled in October 2010, with a cash settlement and the city's agreement to train all sheriff's office detectives on First Amendment issues related to investigative subpoenas.

#3. First Baptist Dallas "Crystal Campus", Demolition, and Grinch: quite a year for FBC Dallas, several stories on this blog concerning the high-pressure tactics used to get committments from church members toward the $120 million new "Crystal Campus", including pastor Robert Jeffress asking people to "lop off a chunk of their assets" for the building program to get closer to Jesus. The church blew up their old buildings when the pastor pressed a Big Red Button, and then they wrapped up the year with their "Grinch List" website that made national news and gave Jeffress face time on most cable news channels.

#4. Ed Young Asks for Account Numbers to Auto-Withdrawl Tithe: Ed Young makes two appearances in the top nine. In an October 2010 sermon that without question was the single most manipulative tithing sermon I have ever, ever heard - Young wrapped up the sermon by trying to get his church members to fill out a tithing committment card along with their checking account and bank routing numbers. The video posted on this blog of this Ed Young performance has to date over 40,000 views, made its way onto YouTube, and even Johnny Hunt even made reference to the video in a sermon in December 2010 when he declared he would never ask for account numbers and prefers to do it "Jesus' way".

#5. SEBTS Grad Publishes Books on Tithing: David Croteau, SEBTS grad and Liberty University professor published a book that came from his PhD research under Dr. Andreas Kostenburger that debunks the modern-day storehouse tithing doctrine, and puts forth a biblical "post tithing" giving doctrine. Croteau has another book coming out next year that has several contributors where various Christian giving doctrines will be contrasted. Croteau is definitely going to make a difference with these books.

#6. Abusive Preaching on Tithing: As churches have felt the pinch of our stagnant economy, some very prominent baptist pastors have mis-used the Bible and the "storehouse tithing" doctrine to guilt people into forking over more money. Steve Gaines and Mac Brunson were featured here multiple times: Gaines accused his non-tithing church members of driving stolen cars and living in stolen homes, and all of the first 10% of charitable giving must come to his church in an "undesignated fashion". Brunson again repeated his assertion from 2008 that our ecomonic recession is God's judgement on America for all the non-tithers, and told church members that if they don't tithe, "God collects" and will take the money through financial misfortune.

#7. Ed Young Jet Fiasco: This one is for the scandal when WFAA reporter Brett Shipp broke a story about Ed Young leasing a private jet, his enormous "housing allowance", and the convoluted business transactions that make it impossible to track the ownership or leasing arrangements of the jet. But the worst part of this story really was the absolutely embarrassing dog-and-pony show when Ed Young flew in our own Florida Baptist Prez John Cross to help deflect the criticism, and John Cross declared that Ed Young's Fellowship Church is the most transparent ministry he has ever been associated with.

#8. FBC Jax Usher, City Councilman Asks for Muslim to "Pray to his God" in City Council meeting: Not a big story on this blog, but one of the most interesting that did get some press around the country. Dr. Parvez Ahmed, a University of North Florida economics professor, was nominated by our mayor to serve on a city human rights committee. During the city council session where Ahmed's nomination was discussed, city councilman and long-time FBC Jax member Don Redman asked the professor to "pray to your God" in the middle of the city council session before the city attorney stepped in to save Redman's hiney. Redman's fear of Ahmed is to be expected, as FBC Jax preacher Jim Smyrl sounded the alarm in 2009 that our grandchildren will all "come under Muslim law" if Muslims aren't converted. Another FBC Jax member and city councilman, Clay Yarborough, told a Times Union reporter he wasn't sure if Muslims should be allowed to hold public office. Scary stuff coming from elected leaders who are evangelical Christians.

#9. Crystal Cathedral Bankruptcy: with tens of millions of debt, a dwindling membership, and many unpaid creditors, Robert Schuller's "Crystal Cathedral" had to declare bankruptcy. But it is through the bankruptcy court that the creditors were able to obtain financial information that any mega church would never in a million years release: total compensation for the pastor and his family members, including six-figure "housing allowances" and compensation packages to which the bankruptcy court objected. Lesson: to date the only way mega churches will disclosed detailed financial records including pastor and family compensation packages, is when forced to do so by a court.

#10: You fill in the blank! I have a few others I might nominate, but would like to hear from readers.

And Wade, I know you aren't blogging, but I sure would like to read your 2011 predictions, as you have done in years past.

Happy New Year to all, and best wishes for a healthy, happy, prosperous 2011!

Ed Young Warns of the Heretical "Poverty Vibe" in Christianity - While Mary Ann the Camel Takes a Big Ol' Dump Right on Cue

Ed Young rides in on camel for 4/22/12 sermon.

God definitely has a sense of humor. This Sunday Ed Young started his sermon by riding in on the animal prop of the day, Mary Ann the Camel.  But Mary Ann the Camel stole the show, taking a big ol' dump on the stage at the precise moment that Ed himself was using the Bible to justify his own wealth, and mock poverty and sacrifice.

Way to go, Mary Ann! You have given us all a fitting visual image of what happens most Sundays when Ed Young teaches on finances; poop comes forth and is strewn all over the Fellowship Church stage.

Camel lifts tail, takes dump at 11:59 mark.

At the moment Mary Ann the Camel let loose of her bowels, at the 11:59 mark of the video below, Ed was mocking what he called the "poverty vibe" in modern Christianity. Here is what Ed was saying as Mary Ann defecated on cue:

"God's blessed us, we hold it [money] loosely, he's going to give us more and more and more. We have it tightly grasped, we're not going to have as much.

There's a whole vibe out there these days in Christianity, it's been around for a long, long time. It goes back to the Catholic Church, it goes back to self-deprecation [cue Mary Ann the Camel, now taking a big ole dump], there's this whole 'poverty vibe' out there. A lot of books have been written about it, it sounds so sexy and cool and biblical. Fact: they're not biblical. Fact: they're heretical. No where in the Bible does it tell me as a follower of Christ I'm to take an oath to poverty. Where's that in the Bible? Where's that in the Bible that I should feel guilty if I'm blessed of God? You cannot make that argument. Think about the patriarchs and matriarchs of our faith, many of these men and women were LOADED financially."

What is he talking about?  A "poverty vibe" in Christianity? Who out there is calling for vows of poverty in modern Christianity? No, the only "poverty vibe" out there is the vibe from mega church pastors misusing scripture to guilt even the very poorest of Christians into forking over 1/10th of their income to the church which pays the pastor a six-figure salary. No one is calling for vows of poverty - although some recalcitrant bloggers are calling for a little transparency on how the money is spent in churches like Ed's, and for mega church preachers to stop using their churches as ATM's and marketing machines for their own personal brands.

In my view Ed's jab at a "poverty vibe" and "books" written about it, is Ed taking a shot at David Platt's views in the book "Radical", and perhaps even Francis Chan's recent lifestyle conversion. Platt is troubled by the materialism of most Christians while the gospel is not going forth to the nations and while many people are starving.

I suppose for Ed Young to disavow his own materialism and live a more modest lifestyle closer to that of the average pew sitter - for him that would be taking a vow of poverty, relatively speaking.

Ed asks if he should be guilty if he is "blessed of God". Yes, Ed, you should, especially given your propensity to beat people up to give more and more money to your church as you did on October 10, 2010. You should feel guilty, Ed, about the lack of financial transparency at your church while you demand allegiance from your followers to the tune of 10% of their income.

At least this time Ed didn't pull the "get out your checkbook and give me your account and routing number" routine....but at the conclusion of the service Ed did give a text number for people who prayed to receive Jesus - or more importantly, who decided to start giving money to the church - should send a text message to.

So again, thank you, Mary Ann the Camel, for putting your dung right there on the stage to provide the stench that surely Ed's money sermons are to the nostrils of God. 

Yes, God can use even a jackass to get his message across.

This time God used a camel to trump the jackass.

Young and Two Board Members Answer Critics

Saturday night at Fellowship Church, Ed Young gave some answers to the investigative piece last week. After Ed spoke for about 10 minutes, he called up two of his board members: John Cross - pastor of S. Biscayne Church and president of the Florida Baptist Convention and Austin Pastor Mac Richard (prounounced "Ri-SHARD") - they each spoke about 10 minutes.

I do commend Young for addressing his congregation. His answers were mostly vague non-answers - but he gave more than enough to satisfy his faithful followers, but not nearly enough to silence his critics in my estimation.

Cross and Richard gave no concrete answers either, except to say what great a guy Young is, and how accountable to God they are and Ed Young is, and how much integrity all of them have. They told the church that they can be trusted to watch out for the best interests of the church.

But still, no firm answers to the most pressing questions.

The questions still remain:

- what is Ed Young's total compensation? Ed said to his congregation that his "salary" from the church is not a million dollars. He even pulled a Mac Brunson and said "I believe I'm well under what others make". Too bad he can't just say what his total compensation is, and refute the TV report that his total compensation is in excess of a million bucks. Remember: his salary might be below a million - but salary means zippo in pastor-land- its total compensation that matters.

- what is Ed's housing allowance? Ed did not address the report which said it was a "parsonage allowance" of $225,000.

- what is Fellowship Church paying for use of the private plane, and why is it absolutely necessary? Young and Cross sort of addressed the plane issue by saying "Fellowship Church does not own an airplane". But the N188FJ Falcon 50 private jet has been leased by Medill Co in Connecticut - and Ed's name, and "Fellowship Church" and "Fellowship Connection" appear on the lease documents. Why is a private jet necessary for Young to accomplish God's will? According to Cross, the plane is helping to take care of Ed, his marriage, and his family. Great, but why is a plane necessary? Many men log hundreds of thousands of miles of air travel a year, but they make due without a private leased jet. Is this a wise use of Kindgdom money?

This is probably the end of the story. Ed had a packed house Saturday night, got a rousing standing ovation with hoots and hollers and whistles...and he and two of his buddies addressed the news report in thier own way. They declared the news report as not only a personal attack on "Ed and Lisa", but an attack on the board and the entire church - all of which is a sure sign, they say, that God is about to do something wonderful at Fellowship Church.

I pray for the day when the IRS requires full financial disclosure of the pastor and family compensation, perks, gifts, and travel expenses, as a condition for continued tax-exempt status for these mega ministries. Until that day, Kingdom money will continue to be wasted while the gullible sheep fork their money over to support their rock-star pastor.

And Southern Baptist Convention - wake up - because the mega wasters are no longer just the Benny Hinns and Creflo Dollars and the Kenneth Copelands - they have crept into our own ranks.

Ed Young the Performer: At His New Hispanic Church, He Mocks Complaining Christians by Crying Like a Baby

Go to the NEW Hispanic Watchdog Blog:  "Perro Guardian FBC Jax"!!!

Check out the excerpt below of Ed Young preaching at his new satellite church in Midtown Miami. In this clip, Ed is making fun of immature Christians - you know, those pesky complainers - by mocking them, crying like a baby. It is hard to believe that anyone takes this man serious when he acts like such a boob. His arguments are not even logical.

It is sad to watch Ed's interpreter having to mimic Ed's antics. It is embarrassing to watch.

According to Ed Young's intro to the sermon from which this clip is taken, Fellowship Church is "partnering" with the oldest hispanic Baptist church in Miami - First Spanish Baptist Church of Miami, pastored by Art Salcedo - as one of Ed's new satellite churches.

The good news is, as you'll see in the video, there weren't many people in attendance. If this was my first view of Ed Young - I would be running for the exits. Maybe they did.

I must say this is a good marketing move by Young: Ed is trying to make in-roads to a new market, Hispanics in South Florida that might not have seen Brett Shipp's articles on Ed's lavish lifestyle, or have read the Watchdog blog.

So, to make sure we get the word out to Hispanics on preachers like Ed Young and others, I am starting a new Hispanic Watchdog blog, "FBC Jax Watchdog" translated into Spanish:

"Perro Guardian FBC Jax"

Ed Young in Meltdown Mode, Part 1: Ed Blasts Bloggers and Calvinists, Ridicules "Only" 26 Baptisms, Declares He Could "Empty Out" Dallas Ft. Worth Churches

Ed Young, the mega church "man of God", proved many of his critics right this past Sunday when he had a meltdown on stage. Here are a few quotes from this supposed "Man of God" - is this how a "Man of God" speaks publicly?

"One of the 'fair haired boys' of this movement [reformed theology], I will not call his name, baptized 26 people last year [Ed drops his microphone in disgust]. Oh he's deep....I cannot put my head on the pillow at night knowing that our church baptized 26 people."

"I know how to do church to empty out these churches in Dallas/Ft. Worth. I know how to do it!!...We could wipe out these churches."

"Blogs: 'basement living, opinion giving'. Twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings sitting in their underwear, still living in their parents' house, talking negative crap about people reaching others."

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 Ed Young is a scary dude.

His latest sermon series on "Cool Aid", shows that he is serving up his own version of Kool Aid to his faithful followers, and unfortunately they seem to be lapping it up.

Every so often we get glimpses into the souls of mega church pastors. Sometimes we get to see right down into their hearts and learn what they are really all about. Maybe they go off script, or their emotions get the best of them and they let loose with what they really feel.

Sometimes we get to see that these people who are touted as the "Men of God" are actually not that. Just men - men with huge egos, eyes on your wallet, and interested primarily in market share. You know, like a typical CEO who wants to market his products and services.

This past Sunday at Fellowship Church was one such moment.

It was the Ed Young Meltdown of 2012. It was Watchdog's "Crybaby Pastors Part 4, 5, 6 and 7" all rolled into one. Ed's rant is mostly being criticized by those of the reformed theology, but this sermon tells us so much more than just Ed's views of Calvinism. Ed Young let us see him for the petty preacher he is, a marketer focused on nickels and noses, a professional religious profiteer who can't stand losing market share amongst the younger crowd to those whose theology is a bit different than his.

Ed has been the rock star amongst the 20 and 30-something crowd for several decades, and apparently he is in meltdown mode because some younger guys are on the scene who are stealing his market share. These guys - we'll say "David Platt" and "Matt Chandler" to name just two - are of reformed theology, they do have stellar reputations amongst their peers, they are not showmen, camels haven't pooped while they preach, they do not fly around in private jets, and they do live modest lifestyles. And they don't dye their hair.

But there is too much to be learned from Ed's meltdown to put into one blog post. So we'll start with this one, and the video below, and more will follow.

Meanwhile, Ed, take a chill pill, dye your hair blonde for next Sunday's sermon, and get busy "wiping out" all of those Dallas/Ft. Worth churches. We dare you!!!

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.

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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:

Brett Shipp and WFAA Expose Abuse at Waco Church - And Watchdog's View of Shipp's Work Versus Ed Young's View

Brett Shipp of WFAA in Dallas has spent months investigating a church compound just outside of Waco, TX, known as "Homestead Heritage". He has documented the physical and sexual abuse of people at the church, including the sexual abuse of children that was not reported to authorities in a timely manner as required by law. Last night the first of a two-part series on Heritage aired on WFAA:

As you watch this video, you will see the common threads that are observed over and over again in abusive Christian environments: authoritarian pastors and church leaders who tell their church members that they are appointed and anointed as messengers from God, church covenants prohibiting believers from having disputes settled outside of the church, labeling of church members who challenge leaders as being bitter, and a failure to adequately protect children and putting the concern of adult male members as being a primary concern.

Readers, as you watch this video, look for similar abusive traits in your own church. Does your church display these traits, or have a history of any of these traits? If they have had abuse problems in the past, have adequate corrective steps been taken AND has the church leadership been open and honest with members about past problems and explained the steps taken to correct it? Or do the current church leaders deny or downplay the severity of the past problems?

An expose like this is not just important in warning others about that particular abusive system in the story. It is important to getting people to awaken to the possibility that they're current church might be capable of the same acts. Brett makes the point early in the video that Homestead Heritage portrays itself as a bastion of old-fashioned, wholesome values, while behind the scenes they are actually worse than the outside world they rail against. Church members beware - especially if you are part of a church system that has had an authoritarian leader in the past and where sexual sins have been covered up in the past yet leaders to this day are still denying or downplaying the severity of past sins.We have several of these kinds of churches right here in Jacksonville, Florida that have been featured on this blog.

Lastly, I want to say a word about Brett Shipp and WFAA. This expose reminds me so much of the work that Jeannie Blaylock of WTLV-Jacksonville did back in 2005 and 2006 in exposing the deeds of Bob Gray and the cover-up at Trinity Baptist Church here in Jacksonville. It takes guts for reporters and news agencies to tear off the pious masks of churches in their own communities and expose the ugliness of churches and pastors that are revered by the faithful. Today it is mostly up to bloggers like the Wartburg Watch and Christa Brown who are shining a bright spotlight on abusive pastors and church systems, but Brett Shipp is one member of the media who is not afraid to do the dirty work in Christianity.

Brett Shipp is the most courageous news reporter I know in this regard. He and WFAA were not afraid of taking on Ed Young and Fellowship Church to expose the lavish spending and fund raising tactics of Ed Young. Brett even dared to do an expose on Ergun Caner last year when Caner moved to Arlington Baptist College from Liberty University. Brett's piece on the "Caner Mystique" as he called it, was absolutely the finest work done by a prominent news outlet in concisely showing the truth about Ergun Caner's decade of deception.

Sadly, while Brett is doing God's work in exposing the ugliness in modern Christianity, there are those people like Ed Young who actually portray WFAA and Brett Shipp as being "haters", as trying to thwart the work of God and being anti-church. In a recent video posted by Ed Young, Young blasted WFAA by saying the following:

"When you're doing great, people hate...there's always some [in the news media] who are negative. And I think about WFAA - a station here in Dallas that CONTINUES to attack the local church, and CONTINUES to be negative...WFAA continues to exaggerate, to falsify, to deal in fiction rather than fact....it's time for the church to stand and say 'you know what, we're not going to take it anymore, you guys aren't telling the truth'.."

Sorry, Ed. You can rail all you want against WFAA, but they are doing God's work in exposing corruption and abuse in the modern church. How ironic that Young claims WFAA deals in "fiction rather than fact" when Young is the one who stands up and misuses scripture to get people to fork over 10% of their income to his church. Shipp deals with facts and eyewitness accounts to warn people of abusive churches - while Young deals with fiction and fairy tales to get people to fork over large sums of money.

Way to go Brett Shipp and WFAA. Keep standing for the truth, keep doing the work of God even in the face of angry, bitter pastors who can't stand to have a light shone on their church and ministries.

"Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another." Eph 4:25