Mon 27 Nov 2006
This is Dr. Jerry Johnston, and he is one piece of work.
Dr. Johnston is the pastor of First Family Church in Overland Park, Kansas. From the looks of it, FFC is not a mega-church yet, but soon will be with the current ability to broadcast worldwide in many different languages. Once you hear what Dr. Johnston and his ministry have to say, this will be a disturbing idea.
Tonight’s sermon was entitled, “Secrets of the Sabbatical Year.” This message is part of the video archives portion of the FFC website. Since this is the most current topic in the archives, I decided to review it first. You can view the sermon, in its entirety at the following link: http://www.ffc.org/media/Players/TV/JJ/JJ_TV_T06E062_LBL_1.html
If that doesn’t work, you can stream the file here:
mms://69.56.252.12/ffcod/TV/JJ/TV_JJ_T06E062_LBL_1.wmv
Dr. Johnston begins by telling us all that if we “got honest,” we would ask the following questions:
1) “Why have I not experienced God’s blessing in my life?”
2) “Why have I had such a challenge with my finances?”
3) “Why, in my life’s journey, have I not developed any net worth whatsoever?”
Can you guess the answer to all three of these questions? I bet you can. Personally, I sat dumbfounded, anxiously awaiting the answer, that would free me from the trials and tribulations of my “life’s journey.” The answer, my friends, is Jesus… well, Jesus and making sure that you give your money to the church. Don’t forget that second part. EVER.
Jerry goes on to tell us that to truly obtain the blessings of God in your life, and to dwell in the protection and provision that God can provide, you must understand 3 principles.
1) The land was a gift from God.
2) The land was to keep a Sabbath every 7th year.
3) If we disobey God’s command, we will lose his protection and provision for our needs.
I can imagine you are wondering what number 1 and 2 mean. If you listen to the sermon, you will find that Jerry is referencing the biblical promised land that was given to the Israelites when they were freed from the captivity of the Egyptians. Basically Dr. Johnston draws an analogy between the covenant of God and the Israelites for the promised land, and the covenant that the faithful are supposed to adhere to concerning God and their finances.
What is this covenant you ask? Basically, you are to tithe 10% of your total income to God. Dr. Johnston explains that tithe is not just required from one member of a family, but from any person who receives income. If you go to work, give 10% of your income to God. If your husband or wife works, they should give 10% of their income to God. If you receive a monetary gift, 10% of that should be given to God. See the pattern?
I think before we move on, there should be one major distinction that needs to be made. When you give your tithe to God, you are giving your money to the church. Let me repeat that. You are giving your money to the church. Your money does not magically go to heaven, where God blesses it and puts it in the Holy savings and loan to draw eternal interest. I’m sure no one is misunderstood in this fact, but allow me to tell you that much like water into wine, your money will magically be turned into a shiny new SUV, that the pastor of your church will drive up in one day. Now take a look at your commuter-class compact sedan, that has transmission trouble. Maybe you’re not living under the blessings of God? Maybe you should tithe more! March on slave mentality! Let’s continue.
As we move along in the sermon, we find out that the ability to make money is a gift from God. Not only that, but everything great about us is from God. Jerry tells us that constantly, he has great ideas, so many in fact that he keeps a notebook at all times on his person and beside his bed at night. Many of these ideas are beneficial to him, his family and the church. But here’s the kicker. Are these ideas spawned from the crafty mind of Dr. Jerry Johnston? No! They are God’s ideas, and they are given to Jerry by God! So why would anything that Jerry has to say, not be from God? Obviously, a sermon on tithing that is going to heavily increase the influx of monetary donation to Jerry’s religious organization has to come from God, doesn’t it? Think about that for a second.
Finally after all of the building up of the human spirit, by telling us that everything great about us is God breathed, and that we are mighty in the Lord, Jerry brings us back down. “If we disobey God’s command, we will lose his protection and provision for our needs.” Jerry tells us that there is no way that he would ever want to lose the protection and provision of God in his life, and he would never forsake that protection and provision in his children’s lives. Did you catch that? Oh yeah, he says it. Not only are you affecting your own life when you disobey the commandment to tithe, but you are affecting the lives of your family members.
And did you know that there is a devourer in this world that seeks to destroy your life? Indeed there is! Queue the violins and creaky doors! Just like the devourer of the fields, that plagued the agricultural survival of the farming infrastructure of the Israelites, there is a devourer that seeks to keep your life from being fruitful and blessed by God. All you have to do, to defeat this devourer, is accept Jesus into your life as your lord and savior… and… and… and… here it comes…………………… Begin to tithe!
Now, if you reference my last post, you will see that I like to keep the most absurd part of my review for the end. Jerry gives us a shining example of absurdity, that I now pass on to each of you. At the beginning of his sermon, right after Dr. Johnston presents principle 1, he turns to the camera and says the following:
“Let me say to those of you in the Middle East. The land of Israel is Israel’s land. It is not Hamas’ land. It is not Hezbollah’s land. It is the land of God, given to the Israelites, and all of us Christians understand that God’s covenant with Israel is an unerasable covenant.”
Tell me this. What does a fat, white man from Overland Park, Kansas know about the Middle East? What right does he have in the religio-politcal affairs of people half way around the world? He has no right, no right whatsoever. Jerry Johnston has been brainwashed by his own teachings. He actually believes that he can be a mouthpiece for an almighty creator and that his word, because it is given to him by God, is final. In the past I might say that anyone who falls for this type of charade, gets what they deserve, but I don’t believe that anymore. This is a manipulative form of mental slavery, that builds people up and tears them down, only to build them up and tear them down again, because they will never be worthy of the blessings of God. You may feel the blessings of God, but oh no, never be comfortable, because if you mess up, God will strip his blessings from your life in a heartbeat. And what is even worse, is that all of this is backed by a supernaturally absurd pyramid scheme that robs people of their hard-earned money, and gives them absolutely nothing in return other than more manipulative mental slavery and self-loathing to retribution run-around.
You are a charlatan “Dr.” Johnston, and you should be ashamed of yourself.
My rating of today’s performance:
3 halos. (because I had to pause the sermon 3 times to laugh and yell at how ridiculous it was)
November 28th, 2006 at 7:08 pm
I am a Christian. I do believe that the land was given to Israel by God and it is their land. That is in the Bible. I believe that titheing is biblical, and that with titheing come God’s blessings.
BUT
I wouldn’t give my tithe to Jerry’s church. I used to go to that church. Here is something interesting I found on the internet:
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:Bxu42tRTYucJ:dubiousguy.blogspot.com/2004/11/what-bills-would-jesus-not-pay.html+jerry-johnston+kansas+finances&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=83
Interesting because when I read it I thought “Yep. This guy met the Jerry I know.” The description of him and his wife being livid? Yep - I’ve seen that too!
The truth is, Jerry is all about money. He preaches on money ALL the time. A person I know who also went to the church once expressed their dislike of the constant preaching on titheing to Christie (Jerry’s wife) and Christie’s response was “tough.”
In Jerry’s sermons, he acts like he cares. He acts like he cares about the poor and the hurting. But if you are poor or hurting and you go to him, you will find he doesn’t care, he doesn’t want to hear what your problems are, and he doesn’t have time to talk to you. What he cares about is attracting rich people to his church, rich people who can tithe a lot.
Jerry’s kids were driving an SUV - a new 4-Runner, back in 1996. Jerry lived in the same subdivision that Joe Montana lived in, the prestigious Hallbrook. Here is partial information on Jerry’s present house, from the county website:
Description: Single Family Res.
Value: $586,400
Square Feet: 3,593 sq. ft.
Year Built: 1999
When I was at the church I saw Jerry’s family take vacations to Hawaii, Israel, Greece, and assorted other places. They and their kids drove very nice cars. Christie wore huge furs - reminded me of Tammy Faye! They ate at the nicest restaurants. Right now Jerry’s mother, wife, two daughters and their husbands and his son are all on the church payroll. What the person says in the article I liked above is true about the auditor - I was at the church during that time. This person relates the same story I heard, that the finances were a mess. I also know of a couple who attended the church. The husband took the college fund they had been saving for their daughter, who at that time was almost out of high school, and gave it to the church. When the wife found out she went and talked to Jerry and asked him to please give the money back, as it was their daughter’s college money, and Jerry REFUSED to give the money back. The woman ended up divorcing her husband and leaving the church because of it.
I am a Christian. I just don’t see how God would approve of a pastor living a lavish lifestyle with money that was tithed to the church. There is a reason that Jerry keeps preaching on titheing - he needs that money to support his lifestyle.
November 29th, 2006 at 7:47 pm
Luzianne,
Thanks for taking the time to comment, and great information. I checked out that link about the guy who interacted with Jerry Johnston about his finances… crazy. If it talks like a swindler, and walks like a swindler, you can bet your bottom dollar, that it’s a swindler. Jerry Johnston is a prime example.
Thanks again for commenting!
I would like to ask you one question though. Why do you believe what you believe? I always like to ask this of religious people, and I mean it in the kindest tone imaginable. If you’d like to answer, I’d be all ears!
Thanks,
GoingChurching
January 17th, 2007 at 7:57 am
As I Jew, I’ve got to say that I tend to find these things entertaining. Because here is how we’ve been interpreting the tithing rules since the destruction of the Temple: 1. You ought to give 10% of your income to charity (could be to a religious organization, could just be to the poor). 2. If you can’t afford to give 10%, then don’t.
Not to mention that the modern State of Israel was founded by Socialists, which is to say that they were by and large opposed to even the idea of organized religion.
February 4th, 2007 at 8:52 am
I have been listening to Jerry’s Anti-Mormon speeches for 2 days now - just happed to find them. I, being a Mormon since 1963 (we are definitely Christian), find it very good for the LDS Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). He is a good almost-missionary for the LDS Church. He makes people curious. However, he takes words out of context, uses old sources that aren’t relevant today. I think that a person who really wanted to find out about another religion, should not take the word of someone who has so much financial interest in putting down another religion. What are his motives? Maybe, his job and lifestyle. Just sit back, he, too, will tumble. I think the Bible teaches us to beware of false prophets in sheep’s clothing……. Jerry’s has a whole closet full of them!
March 5th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
I will be very surprised if my comments in their entirety remain here after I’ve submitted them and will give Kudos to that fact. I consider myself a tolerant, open minded person and Christian and will listen to other viewpoints. However, not to the point that some viewpoints are dangerous or just plain foolish and not as a matter of my opinion but as a matter of statistical fact, historical wisdom that has endured the test of time or just plain common sense. You are free to commence to bashing away at me later if you are one of those “you are free to express your opinion- as long as it mirrors mine” people. Might I present a different viewpoint to goingchurching and the respondents?
In the commentary presented concerning “Secrets of the Sabbatical Year.”. This sermon is directed at believers and followers of Christ’s teachings and the Bible. If you are neither, you are not to feel obligated or guilty about not tithing. I will not go into listing passages, an Internet search can provide this. This is also commonly referred to as the Law of Reciprocity. It is promoted in other world belief systems, even Oprah is promoting it at the moment http://www.oprah.com/presents/2006/pay/challenge/challenge_214.jhtml http://www2.oprah.com/spiritself/slide/20070208/ss_20070208_284_101.jhtml . Who can forget Kansas City’s Secret Santa who started giving away money when he was desperately poor himself yet died a Millionaire even after giving away millions?
True, “Your money does not magically go to heaven, where God blesses it and puts it in the Holy savings and loan to draw eternal interest.” However, how many people through the ages have benefited from charities that have been funded through giving (tithes and offerings), perhaps even you or someone close to you? And the notion that these principles were dispelled solely to Jerry Johnston, they’ve been available for people to read for themselves since the Bible was printed for the masses.
He keeps a notebook near him, and your point is? Many people do (or PDA’s, electronic recorders, etc.) for recording thoughts and ideas- writers, inventors, medical personnel to name only three.
The principle of protection- common sense. You teach a child to avoid dangerous areas, you warn a child about a certain acquaintances, you warn a spouse about their negative behavior damaging the relationship, people are warned about risky behavior in social, lifestyle and eating habits. If people refuse to listen, they receive natural consequence. Following Christ is of Free Will. If we listen, we are less likely to succumb to various pitfalls and tragedies, if we don’t, it is our choice. God warns us and he also gives us freedom to choose that path though the consequences will likely follow somewhere in the journey. Yes, our choices can also affect the innocent around us.
The Middle East conflict is as old as Ishmael and Isaac. A fat, white man from Overland Park, Kansas (your words) may not know about it first hand but this guy does http://www.shoebat.com/comments.php.
******************
To the first posted responder, you know he does not preach on money “ALL the time”. Perhaps you were there for a short time and came in during this series before leaving to return never again, perhaps you were there longer? I’ve been there off and on since the very first Sunday in Shawnee Mission South’s auditorium. To make the blanket statement “if you are poor or hurting and you go to him, you will find he doesn’t care, he doesn’t want to hear what your problems are, and he doesn’t have time to talk to you. What he cares about is attracting rich people to his church, rich people who can tithe a lot” is irresponsible. In trying to make your point, avoid presenting these opinions as solid fact, it causes readers to nullify everything you’ve posted. I have witnessed charitable, loving and sensitive actions concerning this church. Tit for Tat.
Everyone has a critic and the media loves dirt. Why haven’t more people come forward with complaints such as yours and Dubious Guy about mishandling of finances and emotional outburts? I know this is the kind of scandal the media loves to air! Until that day, your posting is libelous. Becoming a Christian does not form you into an automaton and he has often been the first to admit his shortcomings to the congregation.
The incident claimed concerning college funds, this is unfortunate if true and equally a statement of the husband’s insensitivity to his wife and I suspect there was much more than this single incident that lead to their divorce.
Since when is it a crime to live in a larger than average house and drive a newer vehicle? If it is, fill the county jail with the majority of those living south of 95th street, and east of Quivera in Shawnee, not to mention good ol’ Mission Hills!
If you know anything of his beginnings, he started as a itinerant preacher in a hand me down beater van that broke down constantly, until a wealthy man thought so much of him that the man bought him a new one. He spoke in churches large and small. He’s made connections throughout his journeys, as naturally occurs when you are a traveling human. Might it be possible that some of these material possessions were gifted in kind to them? Might it be possible that a vehicle or two was purchased by a grandparent for a grandchild as is so common in American society today? He was making an income via public speaking and book sales for years before becoming a pastor.
As happens in wisely selected real estate, houses appreciate, making it easier to afford larger dwellings as time rolls on. The point is you really don’t know what the inside story, with all it’s facets, is.
Of the vacations/trips, many of these destinations were to historic, biblical sites and there are people in this world who happen to be able to afford it and this is not a crime. Men all over the world take trips to Asia so they can have lots of sex with children and under age girls for $5 a session and possibly leave them with the gift of deadly STD’s. Do they use there left over money to care for them until death? No, this is usually left for charitable organizations, many of which are funded through tithing and this money is funneled to them from individual churches and faith based organizations. What have you done about this? Have you written to people who can do something to make a change and donated money as I have or have you thought to yourself ” gee, that’s terrible but what can I do” and then flip the channel?
Yes, the son and two in laws are “on the payroll”, because they are pastors with earned degrees or in the process of, spouses included. What you might not know is that larger churches have made better offers to many staff members but a high number choose to stay at First Family. His mother is being compensated for the secretarial duties she performs (as you are compensated for your job). If you know anything about being a full time pastor, rarely is it just a 40 hour a week job. If you know your Bible, you will remember an entire tribe (related individuals by blood or marriage) was charged with producing priests.
For the second posted responder, I agree the current nation of Israel was constructed by secular means as a humanitarian attempt to respond the the atrocities of the holocaust. They chose this area as a place they were hoping the Jews could be safe and they looked to history to try to find the part of the globe that was commonly regarded once as the dwelling place of their ancestors.
To the third posted responder, the statement “I think that a person who really wanted to find out about another religion, should not take the word of someone who has so much financial interest in putting down another religion”, put the stone down before being tempted to hurl it at that glass house. Rather than getting into a similarities and differences debate with you, I will state the fact that the LDS and RLDS/Community of Christ churches are quite wealthy and this is not a criticism on my part. They do a good work with their charities while allowing the recipients to keep their dignity, and this is all possible due to how they define tithing as one of the requirements of being a good follower.
Now, bash away, bash away, bash away all!
March 11th, 2007 at 6:31 am
Hello,
Today, March 11, 2007, the Kansas City Star newspaper has published a large expose on Jerry Johnston. Although the KC Star is basically a liberal “rag” and I am a conservative Christian it seems that we have found something we agree upon. I live down the street from the “kingdom” of Jerry Johnston. In 2001 my husband and I decided to take our family to First Family since it was so close and we were in search of a new church home. I remember the date specifically because it was the Sunday after 9/11. I won’t get into the experience of walking into the church and the excess that we saw because that is common knowledge. I will go into what happened. We were handed a lovely red rose. What a nice gesture, or so I thought. We sat quietly awaiting the sermon and here are the basics of it. Christi Johnston stood waving her arms about here and there seemingly trying to look saintly. It looked as if she were acting. The post 9/11 sermon was incredible. My memory my have faded or else I was just so appalled over the content that it seemed that the focus was a “singing Christmas tree” for the church and collecting funds to pay for it. Yes, the USA had just been attacked but what really mattered to this man was a “singing Christmas tree. I could not believe my ears and was eager for the whole thing to be over with so we could leave. But the agony continued. I am completely comfortable tithing and know that it is a part of pretty much any church service. But when the pastor (Jerry Johnston) decides that the first passing of the hat was not good enough and that we did not give enough and that we should all get our checkbooks out again, well that is unconscionable. Appalling, disgusting and totally inappropriate, but by any means the church was going to have that “singing Christmas tree”. After the service was over we were more than ready to make a quick departure and never look back but no, the rose, the kind gesture of the rose, was nothing more than a signal that we were Jerry Johnston’s next herd of cash cows. We were all corralled by a solid line of his staff into a small room and were seated. Not wanting to be rude we stayed and listened to the presentation from each member of the church hierarchy. We were not impressed. We had been members of another church that was very Godly and the pastor and his wife definitely had their hearts in the right place. They were (and are) honest and good people that lived their lives to honor God and to help lead other people to God. I won’t go on and on about them but we were at that church for many years and I can say all of the above without doubt. So, coming from that situation into Jerry’s play land of material necessities was a great eye opener and we immediately saw it for what it was. That is an awfully big complex to be built on sand and my heart goes out to the people being misled by this man.
March 11th, 2007 at 10:36 am
Investigative report on Jerry Johnston and his “ministry” in today’s Kansas City Star:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/16877951.htm
March 12th, 2007 at 9:47 am
I remember being a young boy and my mother was donating money to FFC as we were among the first members. We were on welfare at the time, but my mom still gave and I would always ask her, “why?” When I was 18 years-old, in 2003, I became very ill and developed a chronic illness that I am still battling today. I went to Pastor Johnston and asked for a love offering to be taken in my name to assist me in funding some medical treatment. His response was, “If we did that for you, we would have to do that for everyone who needed our help.” I was shocked and appalled, and from that moment on, I did not set foot back in that building. My family continues to attend, but this article reinforced my suspicions and changed the point of view of my family members. Hopefully members of FFC will not be so blind and do what’s appropriate. Yet, hopefully people do not associate all Pastors with this type of behavior and hypocrisy. And I say that without bias, as I was raised Muslim, converted to Christianity, and am now non-religous.
March 12th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I was a member of that church for almost four years, I am ashamed to say. I got too close to the top and got to know way too much. Anyone who asks to see the books, they are told “no” and if they insist, they are asked to leave the church and never come back.
While they were building the children’s building everyone was asked time and time again to sacrifice. At the same time $450,000 houses were being built for all of Jerry’s kids, I know because I’ve seen them. Jerry says they were a gift from a friend but I say wouldn’t it have been smart for him to say to his friend, “while I appreciate your offer, my kid’s houses are fine. I would rather you give the money to the building fund.” Obviously they could have used the money since they are getting liens against the building for non-payment. At the same time the houses were being built, FFC left a missionary family of seven stranded in a foreign country that they committed to support. Several members, including mine, left over that one because the family was reprimanded by a member of the staff for asking their friends at the Church for money to help get them home. We had garage sales and fund raisers for them.
I can’t tell you how relieved I am to be a member of a church that has their books completely open, including the staff’s salary. Anyone who can go to Jerry’s First Family Church and be okay with closed books and closed salaries, I just don’t understand your logic.
March 12th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Wow!!! I just happened on to this fourum. I live in KC and read the STAR yesterday. I’ve known for years about Jerry and his materialistic ways. I have a bit of history with the family and I remember back when Jerry was a 19 year old evangelist. I remember my dad being so impressed with him that he wanted to pay for him to go to Bible college. There was a point during Jerry’s evangelistic ministry that his budget was over $20,000 a week. I think Jerry does a lot of good things and he is one of the few guys who will not shrink away from Biblical truth despite all the critisism. That being said, I’m embarrassed for all us christians when these preachers do these kinds of things. One of the most basic tenets of Christianity is that “you can’t take it with you”. I hate it when they break out the old “well, in the corporate world this is how much I would make”. If making money is your main goal in life than get out of the ministy. Jerry Johnston, Kent Hovind and Hank Hannagraf and a lot of other guys are missing the big picture. We are going to be here for 80 years. we’re going to be in Heaven or Hell for eternity.
March 13th, 2007 at 10:19 am
It is simple. No one is in the circle but FAMILY! If you think you are then think again. The “Family” will use you, abuse you and then lose you. You think you have knowledge? The Family will use your knowledge and resources to better themselves. This money trail is all related to Mike Tompkins of Tompkins Industries. He is controlling the money and the Johstons’. When this thing all washes out we will see a federal judge and Mike Tompkins in a different light.
March 13th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
“Vengeance is mine”, sayeth the Lord, “I will repay” - Jerry Johnston will have to answer to God. As a Christian, it is not my job to judge. As a human, and a discerning Christian it is easy to see that in the last days there will be false prophets that claim to have God’s knowledge to impart to the world. My prayer is that people who go to that church will continue to love and grow in the Lord. Their intentions are pure - his intentions do not appear so. This has been the case for many many years with Jerry. We need to pray for him - and not allow him to take advantage any more. He says these attacks are a work of Satan. I say what he is doing is the work of Satan.
March 13th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I am glad to see so many Christians voicing their honest opinions and not sugar coating things to avoid denouncing one of their own. There are many great churches and pastors out there from all belief systems. However, all of us must not be blinded by faith and figures who preach God’s teachings (regardless of who you call God.) If you attend FFC, I urge you to consider moving elsewhere and not necessarily COR or another church that is “popular.” Make an example of FFC, that this kind of betrayal and disrespect will not be tolerated. If so, pastors will think twice before trying to pull a fast one on the congregation.
March 13th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
By the way, The Pitch published an article in February of 2005 on Jerry Johnston and his shenanigans. In case my fellow people wanted to read it:
http://www.pitch.com/2005-02-10/news/open-wide/
March 14th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
FYI to the person who criticized what I said about Jerry: I was at First Family Church the very first Sunday. I was there for several years after that as well. I stand behind everything I said in my original post. It is all true. And that is just some of the stuff I personally know about. Now other people are coming out and saying similar things and also things that I did not know about.
To the person who said we are not to judge. Yes, we definitely are to judge. We shouldn’t keep silent and let others be led astray by someone who is pretending to do God’s work. It is our duty to judge. The Bible says to go to the person first and confront them. And if they don’t listen, to go back with more brothers and confront them again. That has been done with Jerry. Confront him, and you get the boot.
I Corinthians 6:1-4.
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
March 15th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
You have the correct interpretation about judging, Luzienne. A lot of people don’t understand the biblical teaching about that.
March 16th, 2007 at 9:41 am
My family also belonged to FFC. I had 2 issues that kept nagging at me. 1. Why do talented staff keep disappearing in the blink of an eye and replaced with “family” members? 2. When I left JJ a message asking him to call my husband prior to a serious brain surgery for a 30-second prayer, our request went completely unanswered. Isn’t that a pastor’s job? To support, lead, and counsel his flock? While I have no issues with anyone who can afford or like a nice wardrobe, Christie’s closet could feed a 3rd world country. We were even invited to Jeremy’s wedding although we didn’t know Jeremy and he didn’t know us. To me, that is just asking for a gift and very classless. JJ claims these type of postings are Satan’s work. I am not doing Satan’s work. I am an honest, hard-working, trying-to-be faithful Christian. I, too, like the nicer things in life but would never use the Church’s money to pay for trips, buy a car, or pay for lunch. There is a certain responsibility a senior pastor has and that is to be a true man of God and to keep all financial activity transparent, transparent, transparent. JJ is NOT God’s messenger.
March 19th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Jenny you bring up a wedding invitation as a reason for you to be pissed? Cmon think this out before you type. They are screwed in peoples eyes in whatever decision they make about who to invite. They invited the entire church because if you went to church there and were not invited your feelings would be hurt, but then you have people like you that get upset because they invited you. People that call themselves Christians are so petty!!
March 19th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Please consider making your monetary offerings to God for those who truly need it. Please consider helping me as an advocate:
http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/master.nsf/home/
Whole villages can be transformed. Can you imagine losing an baby? One out of five mothers will lose a baby in third world countries.
March 19th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Goingchurching.com doesn’t officially support any religious-based charity. I am not going to delete the above comment from Faith, because I also don’t feel like I should tell anyone what to do with their money. I would suggest you think about one of the global charitable organizations that has no tie to religious affiliation. With Faith’s types of charities, you aren’t just supporting the building of 3rd world countries, you are supporting the evangelical Christian movement, and there’s just no need for that.
Thank you,
www.goingchurching.com
March 20th, 2007 at 4:41 am
I happened upon this website because I was looking for websites about titheing. Having been raised a catholic and not having gone to church in many years, I have recently been looking into joining a church. Last week I went to a church where I was given the annual report and encouraged to take the “envelopes” for the church. Upon reading the annual report, I learned that this pastor made more money than I ever had in my life, he and his family lived in a beachside home, which I could never in a lifetime afford. The church paid for his truck (not car) loan, all his miles, his visits to parishoners, his children’s education and on and on. I am absolutely appalled at this. I guess I will continue to be a non church member since I find it grossly unfair to have to contribute to this man’s upbeat lifestyle.
March 20th, 2007 at 7:25 am
Average Catholic priest salary: $23,000
http://revcamp.blogspot.com/2006/12/clergy-salaries-recent-research.html
“The median salary paid to Catholic priests varied only slightly regardless of the parish size, the survey showed. Median salaries for priests ranged from $20,883 for those serving small parishes (with less than 100 people in weekly attendance) up to $26,633 for those serving the largest parishes (with over 1,000 in attendance).
Rather than being determined by market forces, Catholic clergy salaries are set by the diocesan bishop and are typically comparable across a diocese. As a result, parishes that might not otherwise be able to afford a priest are often aided financially.
Freed from financial constraints, priests can more easily move between smaller and larger parishes as needed, the researchers said. Under such a system, excellence in ministry is driven not by financial incentives, but by faithfulness to one’s call.”
October 3rd, 2007 at 8:33 am
I’ve recently done some research on this church because my parents started attending it a couple years ago. Something seemed strange in my mother’s religious views, and they both turned against me recently, telling me I’m going to hell (I’m gay) and when I informed them that my partner and I are having twins via egg donor and surrogate, they were up set and said this is just another sign of the end times. Huh?
This has really opened my eyes. This church is nothing but a cult lead by a swindler. Apparently “family values” means cutting off family members who aren’t a member of this cult. Thanks Rev. Jerry. Enjoy my parent’s money and know that you’ve destroyed yet another family.
January 18th, 2008 at 8:26 am
serptenflogle jerry’s a bitch satin rocks not realy
March 6th, 2008 at 11:44 am
It amazes me that Jerry preaches so much on homosexuality, when he has one still in the closet. I went to college (in the Ozarks) with Jeremy and I personally witnessed several homosexual trist he had. I understand he’s married now, I wonder how his wife likes being married to a person who is homosexual. He’s too ashamd to come out, if he did, his daddy would cut him off from the family and he’d have to go out and get a real job making $6.50/hour.
July 13th, 2008 at 7:05 am
you lost me at the name calling - “fat white man”. is that necessary? it shows a vicious mentality. also, the comments about stopping the article to “laugh and yell” is telling. who are you yelling at? a computer screen? get over yourself! show a little self control.
July 14th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Lisa,
Um… Jerry IS a fat white man, and yes, it was necessary. Tell me, is there something inherently wrong with a vicious mentality towards a horrible man? I don’t think so. You are free to take your fragile emotions elsewhere if you can’t handle what you read. Thanks for visiting!
April 28th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
This blog has a very interesting discussion on tithing and how clergy are paid. I thought I might add how we do it in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints aka “the Mormons.” We voluntarily tithe 10% of our gross income per wage earner in each household. We follow the commandment in Malachi 3:10 (yes, we use and believe in the Bible…KJV). There is no collection plate or stewardship committee in an LDS ward (congregation). Tithing envelopes are kept outside the Bishop’s (like a Senior Pastor) office and it is upon individual initiative to retrieve the envelope and write a check. There are no pledges or pledge drives. No one puts the bite on you for money. I tithe based on my faith in Christ and because I believe his work is embodied in the LDS faith. The amount my wife and I pay is private. The Bishop and the ward financial clerk are the only ones who know. Actually many of us tithe in excess of 10% because we voluntarily contribute other offerings for specific purposes such as to support a missionary or contribute to a welfare fund. Tithing is just one element that keeps a Latter-day Saint in good standing in the Church. Only full tithe payers can worship in the Lord’s temple, which requires a bishop’s recommendation. Otherwise, there are no restrictions on those who do not pay a full tithe.
Our clergy are not paid. My bishop serves approximately seven years and puts in countless hours on top of his full time job. Other ward leaders, both male and female, put in countless lay hours. We get reimbursed for incidental expenses, such a copying costs, postage or other small expenses incurred while performing our callings. The bishop does not have a parsonage or any kind of allowance. LDS lay clergy usually do not qualify for IRS clergy tax breaks or Social Security exemption.
Much like other private organizations, the LDS Church does not open its books to public scrutiny, but there exists an Auditing Department at church HQ to account for expenditures. In the early 1990s the Arizona Republic (Phoenix) did an extensive series on the LDS Church. One of its conclusions was the LDS Church spends it tithing receipts on building churches, temples and missionary work. There was no evidence of personal wealth building from tithing among LDS leaders at any level.
I wrote this post to show there are religious entities with integrity in the world. The collection of tithes is necessary to exist in the world…to pay for building churches and preaching the Gospel to the world. It’s unfortunate there appears to wealth building and financial misconduct among some churches.
January 10th, 2010 at 4:53 am
Best ugg boots for sale for ur choice
ugg outlet
uggs outlet
uggs outlet store
February 11th, 2010 at 1:05 am
Great Post…..
I found your site on stumbleupon and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
Thanks for sharing….
April 9th, 2010 at 8:37 am
A lot of specialists say that credit loans aid people to live their own way, just because they are able to feel free to buy needed goods. Moreover, different banks give short term loan for all people.
August 31st, 2010 at 12:59 am
The perfect!These articles written too great,they rich contents and data accurately.they are help to me.I expect to see your new share