Friday November 6, 2009
Six Flags over Jesus
Jared Wilson writes about the new $130,000,000 building program at First Baptist Dallas. "Nobody should fault FBC Dallas or anybody else for building a building. But this isn't a building. This, and a bunch of other stuff, is Bible Belt Disneyland. This is evangelicalism with more cowbell. This is Field of Dreams attractional church. And it stinks to high heaven."
Inmates Save Guard
Here's a bit of a feel-good story from behind bars. "Hillsborough County, Florida, Deputy Kenneth Moon was alone at his station at a county jail facility near Tampa when an inmate attacked him with no warning. Moon, 64, was no match for Douglas Burden, 24, in custody on various drug charges. With Moon still in his chair, Burden put him in a choke hold and pulled tight."
Carsonisms
A reader directed me to this list of his favorite "Carsonisms" (i.e. phrases written or uttered by D.A. Carson).
Compassion Bloggers
Compassion International is taking a handful of bloggers on a journey to see what they are doing in El Salvador (similar to how they took me to Dominican Republic a year ago. Was it really that long ago?). This time Molly Piper is going along for the journey. Be sure to check the link to find out more about the trip and to read along.
Jared Wilson writes about the new $130,000,000 building program at First Baptist Dallas. "Nobody should fault FBC Dallas or anybody else for building a building. But this isn't a building. This, and a bunch of other stuff, is Bible Belt Disneyland. This is evangelicalism with more cowbell. This is Field of Dreams attractional church. And it stinks to high heaven."
Inmates Save Guard
Here's a bit of a feel-good story from behind bars. "Hillsborough County, Florida, Deputy Kenneth Moon was alone at his station at a county jail facility near Tampa when an inmate attacked him with no warning. Moon, 64, was no match for Douglas Burden, 24, in custody on various drug charges. With Moon still in his chair, Burden put him in a choke hold and pulled tight."
Carsonisms
A reader directed me to this list of his favorite "Carsonisms" (i.e. phrases written or uttered by D.A. Carson).
Compassion Bloggers
Compassion International is taking a handful of bloggers on a journey to see what they are doing in El Salvador (similar to how they took me to Dominican Republic a year ago. Was it really that long ago?). This time Molly Piper is going along for the journey. Be sure to check the link to find out more about the trip and to read along.
Comments (14) »
1. Terry
November 6, 2009
8:07 AM
As far as the FBC Dallas building program goes, all that came to my mind was something I heard years ago that goes something like this. “That is a Travesty….that is a Sham…..it is a Mockery………..THAT SIMPLY IS A TRAVESHAMOCKERY!” What else can be said.
2. John
November 6, 2009
8:34 AM
“This is evangelicalism with more cowbell.”
best line/rub in the FBC Dallas aritcle
3. Brandon Cozart
November 6, 2009
9:26 AM
when i was growing up the “Six Flags” moniker was held by the football stadiumesque (and surrounding gigantic campus) Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas. i guess First Baptist is trying to outdo PBC.
everything’s bigger in texas?
4. Arthur Sido
November 6, 2009
9:28 AM
I blew a gasket about the First Baptist idolatry as well, but other than the price tag, how much different is what they are doing from what many a church around the country does on a regular basis? Many churches have building funds, capital campaigns, “retire the debt” campaigns, etc. What is different between building a modern day Tower of Babel and replacing serviceable pews with new ones or paying for an expensive new A/V system? The church idolizes buildings and the big difference between First Baptist Dallas and many local churches is the number of decimal places.
5. Andy
November 6, 2009
10:04 AM
Whenever we are being extravagant, we need to ask whether we’re being extravagant in glorifying God, or extravagant in glorifying ourselves.
Spending lots of money isn’t inappropriate per se, it’s the motivation behind the action that is importing. (And we who criticize spending need to check the motives behind our criticism as well! Is it because we are concerned about the cause of the gospel, or is it because we are concerned with money?) Remember the story from John 12:1-6:
“Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief…”
6. Andy
November 6, 2009
10:06 AM
Oops, sorry about the double post. “Preview” apparently posts the comment?
Also, sorry about the typos :) “importing” should be “important”
7. Natalie
November 6, 2009
11:50 AM
I got a kick out of the fact that this a la carte is labeled “A La Carte 6/11.” Tim, is it so cold up north already that you are pining for the days of summer?!
8. J.D. Hawg
November 6, 2009
11:54 AM
My church is the same…but different. We are currently running about 260 folks in a room that holds 280 in a single worship service. Our elders are leading a building campaign to double the size of our church…to 7,000 square feet. With a price tag of $750,000, the funding has gone as follows: $200,000 previously raised; last Sunday - an offering of over $200,000; future offering to raise $200,000 to finish off first floor. At some later date, the second floor would be finished for $150,000. That first floor will allow us to move adult Sunday School out of the main room and hold two services.
Two key differences here: First, the elders only spend what they have - they don’t borrow. If they don’t have enough to pay a subcontractor for his entire job, they don’t hire him until God provides. Second, the church is a gathering of believers gathered to learn the Word and to care for others in the body (evangelism occurs outside the walls on Monday through Saturday - and hopefully Sunday as well). The new space is to allow more of God’s children to do the same. It’s not meant to allure the church-hopping “professing” Christian who got their feelings hurt at their last church.
9. Dan H.
November 6, 2009
12:22 PM
Andy (7), Tim’s blog has done that preview/post thing to me several times and I got the distinct feeling that Tim didn’t believe me when I reported it… ;—)
Natale (8), Good catch… It’s funny how we tend to see what we expect to see rather than the reality. (Besides the accidental rhyme, I sense that there may be a bible/discernment lesson somewhere in that statement.)
Dan…
10. Dan H.
November 6, 2009
12:25 PM
Ouch!! It happened again!!! Natalie, I never got a chance to fix the spelling of your name…. Sorry!
11. pentamom
November 6, 2009
12:37 PM
Natalie, Tim’s being a Europhile today, I think.
12. Curtis
November 6, 2009
3:01 PM
Thought this was appropriate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MJlbt-dP0s
13. James
November 7, 2009
11:00 AM
Our church is in the midst of buying a piece of land to build a new church because we are outgrowing our present facility.
What should the limit be for a God honouring church expansion?
14. DR
November 8, 2009
3:47 PM
I’ve gathered with the church in various countries and venues: in a one room house in Nepal, in various buildings in India and Africa, and in St Giles Edinburgh (where Knox preached…I wonder how much that one cost to build in it’s day). I belong to small house church which meets in … houses… What’s my point? If this mega building is used appropriately as a gospel sounding, bible proclaiming venue who am I to stand to condemn. I wonder if we would be so critical if a Wesley or Whitfield were to stand up to preach in it and the crowds were pushing the walls out to hear the gospel of truth. Whatever the motive - if the gospel is proclaimed - may God be glorified. If this is not a work of God - forget about it and move on.
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