This Outraged Me!

[rural_preacher]

This is in complete opposition to James 2:1-12!! Truly, truly sad...

SKYBOXES, CLUB CARDS WOO 'CHURCH CUSTOMERS'

FRESNO, CA, April 1 - On Sunday morning at the 18,000-member Calvary Church, tithers flash green Costco-like cards at greeters, who let them in early and usher them to special seating areas.

"The seats have more padding, and they recline," says tither Dan Phelps, kicking back before the sermon. "I feel a little guilty, but you can't knock the comfort."

Calvary is believed to be the first church in America to use membership cards to dole out privileges to certain members. First-time visitors are offered the best seats - plush recliners in the orchestra section - while non-tithing attendees carry orange membership cards and are forced to sit in hard, stadium-style seats on the mezzanine.

"We give honor to whom honor is due," says pastor Jerald Dennis. "If you tithe or volunteer in some way, you deserve a special thank you."

Churches like his are drawing wealthier "church consumers" by promoting luxury and social stratification inside the sanctuary. As rich people attend, the theory goes, tithe revenues increase and the church better promotes the gospel.

At Life Family Center in Abilene, Texas, members at all levels earn "reward points" similar to frequent flyer miles for tithing and attending. The points add up to free hotel stays, vacation packages and tickets to NASCAR events.

Ringing the church's cavernous sanctuary are private skyboxes where groups watch the service while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and deep leather chairs. Some pay only occasional attention to what takes place on the platform.

"We compete with professional sporting events, not other churches," says pastor Lovey Pederson. "I would rather people come here than a football stadium, so I offer bigger perks."

This year, at least a dozen more mega-churches will introduce some form of "club card."

"The credit card commercial said it best: 'Membership has its privileges,'" says Pederson.

 

[GreenEyedLady]

Very sad although not as uncommon as you think.
Many churches used to have paid seating.
Some even had the benches marked with the family's name.
GEL

 

[seebs]

Wow!

I mean, just wow.

 

[LostnFound]

How nauseating! I could not be a member at a church who did that.

 

[Gwenyfur]

White washed sepluchres filled with dead men's bones!

 

[Gold Dragon]

 

[seebs]

Hee!

"As rich people attend, the theory goes, tithe revenues increase and the church better promotes the gospel."

You could totally get that framed. It's like that famous French surrealist with the picture of a pipe. It's so wrong it's beautiful.

I mean...

 

[Fat]

I wonder how much to buy your way out of hell? < sarcasm off

It would be nice to see them do that for visitors.

 

[WolfChik]

Why would people do that? That makes me not even want to be a christian anymore.

 

[mesue]

I was reminded of these verses when I read this:

Mark 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
Mark 12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

How would this widow be rewarded by these churches?

 

[Ave Maria]

That is sick! My prayers go out to God for this church.

 

[Victrixa]

I much much prefer hard church pews!

 

[FreeinChrist]

wow - that (the stuff in the OP) is just wierd !

I cold see doing some of that stuff for a church social event that is done in fun, but not in regards to any worship service.

 

[aReformedPatriot]

Oh man.. That's terrible.

 

[Talie]

pity the poor and disabled in our churches when it comes to the likes of this - peddling the word of God - gotta be one of the most harmful sins in our world today

 

[ZiSunka]

18,000-member Calvary Church

I think I see the problem...

"We give honor to whom honor is due," says pastor Jerald Dennis. "If you tithe or volunteer in some way, you deserve a special thank you."

Matthew 6:1-4 1 "Take care! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give a gift to someone in need, don't shout about it as the hypocrites do – blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I assure you, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone, don't tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

 

[crossrunner]

I'd love to see Jesus "turn over the tables" in that place.

 

[ZiSunka]

"We compete with professional sporting events, not other churches," says pastor Lovey Pederson. "I would rather people come here than a football stadium, so I offer bigger perks."

This is so upsidedown that it astonishes me. Competing with sporting events? Is this a church or an entertainment venue???

 

[rural_preacher]

I felt much better when I found out the article was an April Fools joke...whew! (larknews.com)

I'm glad that so many others were also outraged by such news.

However, I checked it out and found that it was not true. It was only meant as a joke. But I think that there are some churches that are not far off from being like that.


--

 

[ZiSunka]

Thank GOD!!!!