What do Baptist think of this quote from Dr. Criswell

[charles at doctrineprimer]

From "Criswell's Guidebook for Pastors" 1980, pgs. 160-161.

"We face a tremendous enlargement of our church facilities. The cost of these expanded programs and enlarged buildings will come to millions of dollars. Will our local budget provide the necessary funds for such an operation? No. The budget cannot carry an answer to that capital needs program.
Our only hope, ultimately and finally, of achieving this expanded ministry lies in the estate planning of our members. It is our prayer, that our people by the thousands will remember our church in their wills, in their insurance policies, and in other ways whereby they can make possible a gift to help us in this great assignment."

 

[Hammster]

It would have caused me to leave, assuming I wasn't caught up in the cult of personality.

 

[twin1954]

From "Criswell's Guidebook for Pastors" 1980, pgs. 160-161.

"We face a tremendous enlargement of our church facilities. The cost of these expanded programs and enlarged buildings will come to millions of dollars. Will our local budget provide the necessary funds for such an operation? No. The budget cannot carry an answer to that capital needs program.
Our only hope, ultimately and finally, of achieving this expanded ministry lies in the estate planning of our members. It is our prayer, that our people by the thousands will remember our church in their wills, in their insurance policies, and in other ways whereby they can make possible a gift to help us in this great assignment."

It is a load of bunk and shows a complete lack of knowledge of God's way. It once more declares plainly the dependence of the so-called church on man hence the focus is on man.

The simple fact is that if God has purposed to do it He provides for it. God's way is the way of faith not of asking man to support it. If a so-called ministry has to ask for support it is because God isn't in it.

 

[bushinoki]

In other posts, I've stated that I'm not entirely anti-megachurch. However, it's something like this that does leave me concerned about megachurches in general. If the church in question is truly following God, there should be no need to worry about having the resources to expand when the time comes. If there is worry, then I would question the stewardship of the resources that were made available prior to this.

 

[pilgrim42]

If someone wants to will money to their church ,that's up to them. Religious institutions use this method all the time to raise money for the ongoing operations. I don't think there should be pressure on the members to do this unless they are well able to do it. We also have to think about our families and their needs also.

Maybe a better solution to the problem would be to look for ways to better utilize the facilities that they have. Maybe they need to offer more flexible worship service hours. Maybe they need to start a satellite church.

Ken

 

[Vigilant]

A much more efficient and less ghoulish approach is the multi-site church, which is a concept that has exploded since Dr. Criswell wrote his book 36 years ago.

 

[bushinoki]

Vigilant, multisite can be a good way to go, but can also have major problems if done wrong. As Dr. John MacArthur states, a man on a screen is not a pastor, you need to have someone there handling all the day to day pastoring while the man on the screen delivers the Sunday sermon. I've been to a church that did the multisite thing well, and had a great relationship with the pastor of our venue, but I've heard of other churches where nothing was done right, and it was all about belonging to the "in crowd".

 

[Vigilant]

As Dr. John MacArthur states, a man on a screen is not a pastor, you need to have someone there handling all the day to day pastoring while the man on the screen delivers the Sunday sermon.

Mac doesn't seem to realize that most multi-site churches have lead pastors for each site, not just a video stream. In fact, our church is multi-site, and we don't use video links. The sermon messages are the same, but they are delivered in the style of the lead pastor on site.

Another example is Woodmen Valley Chapel in Colorado Springs. They do use the video link sermon, but still have a lead pastor at the other site. You're quite right, there are ways to do it wrong, but having read Mac's view on multi-site churches, I think he is biased against them, and doesn't believe there is a "right way" to do them.

 

[bushinoki]

Vigilant, I'm well aware that a man in his 70s, who has been a significant leader in Christianity for the last few decades, would have biases against some applications of modern technology. Like I said, I've seen it done right.

But, I've also heard the opposite of that, where the venue lead pastor didn't have the relationship he should have had with the congregants, and was more of a glorified A/V tech.

I'll even take it a step further, and point out that John MacArthur isn't exactly the direct pastor to over 9000 congregants each week, and that all pastoring is done by associate pastors that deal with the day to day business.

Oh, and vigilant, please, oh please, don't name churches in COS, it makes me want to go check them out on a Sunday, when I already have a home church.