Twitpic

Brian Houston - How long until he gets bored with his new executive toy?

 

Brian Houston twitters…

“WHAT A GREAT DAY. I HAVE TO GIVE MY CAPRICE BACK SO I GOT A NEW CAR. A MINI!!!!

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@AndreasNielsen YES. A British Racing Green mini cooper clubman! That’s wot happens when you are 55!!

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I am so excited about my new mini clubman.. Stay on twitt for that photo when I pick it up tomorrow afternoon. Fuel is 6.9 litres for 100km”

From http://twitter.com/BrianCHouston

Bobbie Houston twitters…

“….also, just went for a burn in brians new downsized car. Fun!!”

From http://twitter.com/bobbiehouston

Former Hill$ong staffer nails it again

The Thinking Theologian blogs… “

“Quite a large part of the mega-church worldview comprises a performance mentality, which basically believes that a good church attracts people, and in order to attract people you need to put on a good show for them. Hillsong is a perfect example of this, and Brian has made it clear on numerous occasions that they put most of their effort in to the week-end services.

Praise and Worship

There has been more and more emphasis placed on praise and worship over the last few years; perhaps directly attributable to the rise in prominence of popular music in our society generally.
But where as praise and worship traditionally involved a few hymns before the sermon, in the more contemporary church it is moving further and further toward the centre of the church service.
Hillsong’s praise and worship has become their signature, and it is a veritable industry. Most of their income is made through sale of praise and worship “resource”.

Music touches people emotionally. But when does music become emotional manipulation? Worship leaders talk about “creating an atmosphere” (using the analogy of Genesis, where we see God create an atmosphere, then fill it. This, we are told, is now our role: we are to create an atmosphere, and He will fill it). Although the link to scripture here is just nonsense, this is nevertheless what the worship team are mandated to do: create an atmosphere. But what does this mean? The wrongful use of the scripture I just mentioned conjures romantic ideas of the creative process, once initiated by God, now to be carried on by his servants. But what has that got to do with anything? What’s really being worshipped in this case is creative talent, not God as creator. As for “atmosphere”, I am sure that all this means is to heighten the emotional state of the congregation in order to open them up to the ideas preached from the platform (including that incessant tithe-talk!)

Sermons

Let’s me honest. Hillsong sermons (and, I suspect, those of similar mega-churches) are little more than motivational seminars, and the revered pastor nothing but a self-help guru or life coach (interestingly, I know of many pastors who do life coaching on the side).

The trend seems to be to take a scripture verse, and link it in some tenuous way to an idea that you want to talk about. Once this shaky foundation is established, and the subject topic has taken hold in the minds of the audience, the message continues; entirely Bible-free, and yet unquestioned by its hearers. By way of an example, I remember Brian preaching at a staff retreat a few years ago, from a scripture about “as the fathers, so the sons” (I don’t even remember where it was from!) The scripture wasn’t expounded, and in fact was totally irrelevant to the message (or, more importantly, the message was irrelevant to the scripture). The scripture’s only use, was as a catch-phrase. And this is often the basis of sermons and books by Brian and others like him.

Another trend seems to be to define a word’s meaning, perhaps by contrasting it to a synonym (one that begins the same letter is always good!) and then extolling the virtues of the former, and deprecating the latter. Anyone who’s sat through a Connect Group study will be able to relate to this dichotomous use of language. But what’s wrong with that? Surely we need to be on the same page if we’re to appreciate the sermon’s content? True. But my point is that there is no sermon content! All there is, is an introduction to an ideal – defined by one word, and contrasted with another – which the listener is encouraged to uphold.

And in this way, nifty quips and one-liners become holy writ and, by and large, replace the true gospel. For example, “you’ll never come second place by putting God first” (Brian Houston) may be an alluring piece of rhetoric, but my Bible tells me something quite different. Jesus himself (oh, tough choice I know; Brian or Jesus!) said that to follow Him would bring persecutions. I wonder if Brian was preaching in the 3rd century to Christians being marginalised, tortured, and horrifically murdered, he’d use such glib expressions? I imagine the martyrs peering down from on high every Sunday morning, shaking their heads at these pathetic crowd-pleasers.

In conclusion, the emphasis on church as a performance or event, has gently drawn people away from what Christianity’s truly all about (a relationship with God), and replaced it with a lifestyle “choice”. Rather than being “in Christ”, people are content simply to be “in church”, and they are persuaded that this is all there is, or even that these are one and the same.

Hillsong pays lip service to Christ the Saviour and His Church; but it points to Brian Houston the entrepreneur, and exemplifies commercialism.”

From http://thethinkingtheologian.blogspot.com/2009/02/at-heart-of-hillsong-part-v.html

Kenneth Copeland’s fond memories of ‘the little town of Adelaide’

A little town

Click here for Kenneth Copeland Australia invitation video

Why ‘tithing’ is obsolete

‘Tossing Tables’ writes…

“The modern definition of tithing is giving 10% of one’s income to a religious organization. During New Testament times “tithing” referred to the Jewish practice of giving 10% of one’s income to support the Temple. The words “tithing” and “tithe” come from an old English word meaning “tenth”.

Genesis 14:20 contains the first Biblical reference to the practice of tithing. After Abraham is victorious in a battle against some neighboring kings, he gives a tithe of his treasure to Melchizedek the high priest of Salem. It is important to note that Abraham tithes voluntarily and, as far as we know, he tithes only once.

It was not until 500 years later (circa 1500 BC), after the exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt, that God instituted a law requiring the people of Israel to tithe (Numbers 18:21-26). The purpose of the tithing law was to provide support for the priests and Levites who served in the Tent of Meeting. Another law requiring each Jewish male to pay an annual temple tax had a similar purpose to the tithing law (Ex 38:26). The Tent of Meeting was where the priests administered sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins committed by the people of Israel.

In about 950 BC, King Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem to replace the Tent of Meeting (1 Kings 6 – 10). Upon completion of the Temple, the priests and Levites relocated their sacrificial ministry from the Tent to the Temple. The people continued to support the priests through tithing and the temple tax.

From this time forward, the Jewish people practiced tithing with varying degrees of compliance until the last Temple was destroyed by the Romans around 70 AD. With the destruction of the Temple, the ancient Jews ceased tithing as there was no longer a Temple or priestly ministry in need of support.

The Christian Church emerged some time before the destruction of the Temple (Acts 2). Almost all of the first Christians were of Jewish descent, many of whom struggled with understanding how their new faith in Jesus impacted their practice of Judaism. The Letter to the Hebrews was written to such Jewish Christians. It taught that the Temple was no longer necessary, as forgiveness of sins now came through faith in the death and resurrection of Christ, not through the sacrificial ministry of priests in the Temple (Heb 10). It follows that if the Temple and the priests were not necessary, tithing to support them would also not be necessary. Considering this, it is not surprising that there is no record of Jewish Christians tithing to the Temple after the foundation of the Church. Additionally, the New Testament does not contain any command that Christians tithe.

References to tithing in the New Testament are limited to Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42, Luke 18:12 and Hebrews 7:8-9. The verses in Matthew and Luke are spoken to Jews still subject to the tithing laws, not to Christians. In these verses, Jesus questions the priorities of Jews who place a heavier emphasis on tithing than on charity, mercy and the like. The author of Hebrews refers to tithing to make the point that Christ is greater than the Jewish high priest (Heb 7:8-9, see also Matt 17:26). The author does not instruct Jewish Christians to tithe. To do so would contradict the main theme of the letter which is to prove to Jewish Christians that the resurrection of Christ renders the Temple obsolete.

Soon after Pentecost, with the help of the Apostle Paul, the Christian faith spreads beyond Israel and many Gentiles become Christians. (Jews refer to non-Jews as Gentiles). The first Gentile converts to Christianity were often “God-Fearers.” God-Fearers were Gentiles who appreciated Judaism and attended Jewish synagogue services, but did not convert to Judaism usually due to the circumcision requirement. As God-Fearers did not undergo circumcision and convert to Judaism, they were not expected to follow the Jewish Law, meaning they were not obligated to tithe, pay the temple tax, obey the sabbath and the like.

In each city the Apostle Paul visited, he evangelized the local synagogue first, resulting in God-Fearers and Jews converting to Christianity. These new Christians formed local churches in homes (Acts 8:3, Rom 16:5, 1 Cor 16:19, Col 4:15, Phm 1:2). Paul and his colleagues repeated this process in several cities, founding churches in Galatia, Ephesus, Thessalonica, Philippi, Colossae and elsewhere.

As Paul traveled from city to city, he would instruct his churches remotely through letters. These letters make up the bulk of the New Testament. Some of them were likely written prior to the destruction of the Temple (e.g. 1 Thessalonians and Galatians). Paul insists that Gentile Christians (including God-Fearers) reject circumcision and subjection to the Jewish Law (Gal 5:2-6). It is not surprising then, that Paul never suggests that Gentile Christians begin tithing to the Temple or paying the Temple tax. Nor does Paul–or any other New Testament author– institute any system similar to tithing for the support of the Church.

Since there was no New Testament equivalent to tithing, a question arises regarding how churches were supported. During New Testament times, churches were not institutions. They did not have dedicated buildings or full-time leaders supported by attendees. Instead, churches were similar to modern day home groups. They met in homes with leaders who had means of income other than congregational support. New Testament churches, in other words, had no costs of operation.

Just because they did not tithe does not mean that the early Christians neglected supporting their leaders or giving to Charity. Paul teaches that apostles had the right to request financial support, a right Paul himself did not exercise because he did not want to burden the congregation (1 Cor 9:14-15). The churches also routinely supported widows, orphans and other poor people (1 Tim 5:9, Acts 2:45, Acts 6:1). Paul placed a special emphasis on supporting famished Christians in Jerusalem, asking the Corinthian Christians to take a regular collection for a time to support them. Before asking this, he reminds the Corinthians that the collection is voluntary and not a command (2 Cor 9:7). In summary, whether to apostles or charity, the early Church gave freely as they had means, not because of an expectation or religious requirement that they give a fixed percentage of their income. The Church continued with this voluntary approach to giving for over three centuries.

In the fourth century, the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. Prior to Constantine’s conversion, Christianity was illegal and, as discussed above, churches met secretly in homes with part-time leaders who had other sources of income. After his conversion, Constantine made Christianity both legal and a status symbol causing the Church to expand rapidly. The Church moved out of homes and into buildings and employed full-time ministers, thus creating a much greater need for income. The New Catholic Encyclopedia’s article on tithing nicely summarizes this situation and what happened next:

“The early Church had no tithing system. The tithes of the Old Testament were regarded as abrogated by the law of Christ…..As the Church expanded, however, and its material needs grew more numerous and complex, it became necessary to adopt a definite rule to which people could be held either by a sense of moral obligation or by a precept of positive law. The tithing of the Old Law provided an obvious model and it began to be taught—more commonly in the West, however, than in the East—that the faithful should give tithes of their income. When the view began to get sufficient support, it found legislative expression. The Council of Macon in 585 ordered payment of tithes and threatened excommunication to those who refused to comply.”

Summary and Conclusions
Catholic Christians believe in the authority of the Pope, the Councils and the Bible. As such, they tithe as defined by the Council of Macon and later pronouncements on tithing. For Protestant Christians relying solely on the Bible to inform their faith and practice, understanding early Church practice as reflected in the New Testament result in some different conclusions regarding giving:

1. Each time the New Testament talks about tithing, it is referring to the Old Testament law requiring Jews to give 10% of their income to support the operation of the Temple and the Jewish priests. The Letter to the Hebrews teaches that Christ’s sacrifice rendered the Temple and the priests obsolete. This is why the New Testament never applies the practice of tithing (i.e. giving 10% of one’s income to support the Temple) to Christians.

2. The requirement that Christians “tithe” (tithing here meaning giving ten percent of one’s income to support Church buildings and pastors similar to how the Jews tithed to support the Temple and priests) was devised by the Church in 585 AD, centuries after the New Testament was written. This further explains why such a requirement is not mentioned in the New Testament.

3. While the New Testament neither instructs nor suggests that Christians set aside a fixed percentage of their income to support Church leaders or church buildings, it does encourage Christians to give freely and generously to worthy causes such as aged parents, the poor, missionaries and Church leaders.

4. The New Testament states that Church leaders may earn their living from the Church, meaning the leaders may appeal to the Church for voluntary support.

5. The New Testament does not give guidance on Christian priorities when deciding whether, or how much, to give to the church, missionaries or the poor. This means the common Protestant teaching that the local church should have pride of place in Christian giving (before charity, missions or other religious causes) has no Biblical support. It is worth mentioning that 1 Tim 5:8, 1 Tim 5:2 and Mark 7:11 suggest that caring for one’s family and parents is a top priority.

6. The New Testament encourages giving out of abundance or prosperity. It does not expect sacrificial giving, although it does commend it. (See Luke 21:2-4, 2Cor 8:14, 1 Cor 16:2 and 2 Cor 8:8).”

From http://www.tossingtables.com/podcasts/tithing.html

Mesiti infiltrates Baptists

The Sunshine Coast Daily reports…

“When Pat Mesiti speaks in front of a crowd, there are two words that come to mind: pocket rocket.

Short in stature but big in personality, “the 49-year-old commands the stage and talks at a million miles an hour.

“People say to me, ‘But I can’t afford it’,” he told the 100-strong audience at the Maroochy Baptist Centre at Wises Road on Friday.

“You can afford what you want to afford!”

Mr Mesiti was opening speaker for the two-day Kick Start 09: The Small Business Boot Camp.

His philosophy for successful business was simple – your mind is the most valuable asset you have.

“You cannot function without your mind in the right place,” Mr Mesiti said.

“You’ll never prosper in something you don’t love.”

He tapped his head.

“Shift this,” he said.

He put his hand over his heart.

“Touch this,” he said.

Ms Mesiti rubbed his fingers together to indicate cash.

“Get this,” he said.

“In all you do, you should invest in your mind.”

He told the audience now was the best time to buy shares and real estate; investors just needed to be brave enough to take the leap amidst the talk of recession.

Mr Mesiti even put his own cash on the line to illustrate his point.

He asked an audience member to come to the stage and give him $50.

“You won’t get it back,” he told Anne from Palmwoods.

Anne was told to tightly clutch her $50.

Mr Mesiti explained that while she clutched her $50 there was no room in her hand to grab any other notes.

But if she laid her money on the line and invested in her business, she would be able to reap the returns, as he showed by placing several $50 notes in her palm.

“Now who wants to give me $50?” he asked the crowd.

The room of people put up their hands.

“See? If you knew the return you wouldn’t struggle to invest.”

Speakers included Peter Miller, Amanda Stevens, Jennie Armato, We Buy Houses CEO Rick Otton, Declan Barnett and Daniel Kertcher.”

From http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2009/feb/25/be-brave-and-invest/

Inside the Hill$ong Green Room

The Thinking Theologian blogs…

(Part 1) “I was a member of Hillsong Church for 7 years, and experienced it from the view-point of an attendee, a volunteer, a full-time student, a paid staff member, and a key team member.

From these experiences, I have developed some very real concerns about Hillsong’s doctrines, structure and cultural emphases, and their world-view in general.

Hillsong’s popularity is self-evident, and there is obviously something incredibly appealing about what they do and how they do it. But, as the old adage goes, what is popular is not always right…
To claim that “20,000 people can’t be wrong”, or “to pull that sort of crowd every week, they must be doing something right”, just isn’t satisfactory. Cinemas all over the world attract far larger crowds, and most of the movies shown there promote questionable morals and ethics. How successful something becomes is no indication of its goodness.

So, putting aside any spiritual reasons for its growth (which would be nigh impossible to confirm, and inconclusive at best), what is the basis of Hillsong’s appeal?

From my 2 years as a student, and 5 years experience as a staff and key team member of Hillsong Church, it would seem to me that the main attraction lies in the hope of the good life, which is proclaimed so ardently from the platform. Christians are “the head, not the tail”, we are told. God’s plan for your life is one of prosperity and purpose. He doesn’t want you poor, because if you’re poor you won’t be able to help anyone else. We are told that by giving, we build the kingdom. This naturally means buildings for use of the kingdom. By building bigger, better facilites, we can attract more and more people who in turn will give, enabling us to continue building… and so on and so forth. The more the merrier; bigger is better.

But is this precept water-tight? How are the ever-increasing facilities helping people? Certainly, it gives them somewhere to go of a Sunday, and a venue at which to attend bible studies, and meet with other Christians… but it seems to me that there is more to this drive than meets the eye – a hidden agenda, and perhaps not-so-pure motives.

By drawing on my own and others’ experiences, I will attempt to illustrate the true heart of Hillsong, and expose the real driving forces behind it. By examining the ideals that have seen it grow in to the mega-church that it is today, we’ll see that Hillsong, far from the model church, embodies much of what is wrong with the contemporary Christian life.”

Part 2 “Prosperity

We have heard much in recent times of the “prosperity gospel”, usually with negative undertones. It is paradoxical for the church to claim a right to material abundance. Adherents of prosperity are quick to admonish this view, but have never once satisfactorily answered the genuine concerns of those who hold it.
So, where better to begin that by addressing the real concerns of prosperity critics:

1. Fancy Facilities
In an apparent attempt at “excellence” and “wow factor”, the focus is very much on building glamorous, state-of-the-art facilities, where people will feel comfortable. They talk about “creating an atmosphere” which inspires the masses to worship.

But it seems to me that much of this has less to do with glorifying God, and more to do with stroking leaders’ ego. The Green Room, or “Senior Pastor’s Lounge”, for instance; hang-out of the elite few who grace us with their presence at the pulpit. After the church service, they retreat to their luxurious suite where they’re waited on with gourmet food and drink.

One might argue that such luxury was designed with guest speakers in mind; to bless them for their visit, and for delivering the word of God to us. And no doubt the travelling preachers have similar facilities at their home churches, so they can offer the same courtesy to Brian and Bobbie when they make their own rounds on the preaching circuit… you know, return the favour.

Aha! Now you see how it really works.

2. Loaded Leaders
And as if these all expense paid international trips with 5-star accommodation weren’t enough – what about those love offerings we’re encouraged to donate to? I mean, you can’t expect a world-renowned speaker to go jet-setting around the globe with no reward! If we didn’t bless them, maybe their home churches wouldn’t bless our home-grown speakers. Pretty soon, there wouldn’t be any more preaching circuit, and we’d all be stuck with our own leaders.

And a few extra dollars in our wallets.

3. Poor Plebs
So this is how the mega-church economy runs: the hard-working layman slaves away at his normal job and brings a portion of his wages to church. This goes toward the upkeep of the lavish facilities, “furthering the kingdom” (i.e. building more such facilities), and paying the preacher’s salary.

But wait! Your lot in life can be so much more… because God, we are told, has called some people (the chosen few!) to finance the kingdom. If you’re a businessman, with more income than the average parishioner, it’s your privilege to join the 100 Kingdom People – where you’ll need to pledge no less that $10,000 per annum. And don’t worry if you’re not quite that rich, because there are also the Vision Impacters, which you can join for just $5,000 a year. And then the rest who can’t
even fork out that much, make up the Army of Faithful Believers.

Isn’t it nice to have a hierarchy to climb?

So what do mega-churches really prize? Souls, or benefactor members; the proclaimation of Christ and His gospel, or the promotion of their ministry?
A case study of the disabled pensioner, who watches faithfully for 8 hours every day, sending her social security/welfare cheque to the ministry in response to the constant exhortations to give generously, reveals the inherent contradiction of the prosperity message.

This capitalist approach to religion is understandably viewed by many to be at odds with the true gospel.

The topic is one that’s surfaced more and more over the past few years, and one that’s grabbed the attention of the secular public and doesn’t seem able to let go. The issue is one of hypocrisy; God’s servants profiting from His work. Salvation for the world, and financial gain for those that spread the news.

Part 3 “But what if, despite all this, we give the leaders and preachers who benefit materially from such a set-up, the benefit of the doubt… Laying cynicism aside, is this “blessed to be a blessing” idea self-consistent?

I can see that if I were a farmer, and had an unusually plentiful harvest, I would be in a good position to be a blessing to others. I can see why God would bless my farm if my heart was to bless others. I can even see how a group of farmers, all blessed by God, could pool their blessing and bless on an even bigger scale than any one of them could have individually.

But what I don’t see is this concept exemplified by Hillsong, or similar churches. It is true that they bless their communities, and no doubt a lot of good has been done. But is this good proportional to the contributions made by all those well-to-do farmers (or businessmen, to make the analogy a little more relevant)?

Who is to say that there isn’t a point when a church grows so large that its use of finances becomes inefficient? If Hillsong is anything to go on, this is in fact exactly what happens. I’ve seen first hand the wilful waste of money. They’re terrible financial stewards.

There is nothing in place to ensure the efficient distribution of resources and funds. All there is, is a senior pastor’s whim, to blow those millions of dollars any which way he sees fit. A convention centre here, an ice rink there… oh, and lets throw half a million overseas to even it all out a bit. And let’s not forget that Hillsong gross more that $50M a year. If you take time to do the sums, there’s an alarming proportion of this revenue which goes toward “administration”.

“But God still blesses it” you may say. well, no… people just keep buying in to it.

It is possible to justify such wastefulness, as anyone who has sat through a Hillsong offering message will have witnessed.
But why should we? To turn a blind eye to the moral corruption (for that is what it is, albeit secularly legal) of church leaders? Have our ears been so tickled by their platitudes that we’re willing to abandon common sense?”

Part 4 “Mega-churches, particularly in the United States, boast church membership of tens-of-thousands. The accompanying television broadcasts attract even more. But the mega-church phenomenon begs the question: Can such a huge group of people legitimately be called ‘church’?

Let’s break-down the church’s purpose; what it provides for the individual believer and, of equal importance, what a believer provides for the wider church body (get buildings out of your head for a moment, if you can).

The church is Jesus’ body; his physical presence on the earth. As such, its purpose is identical to that of Jesus’ own: spreading the gospel. Now, to this end, Jesus’ followers are eager to develop themselves spiritually, and form an ever-closer relationship with Jesus. In order to do this, they need to keep themselves ‘fed’ by His word, and in communion with other believers. This is no doubt what the traditional church service aimed at achieving.
So, bible study and fellowship, leading to closer relationship with Jesus, enabling us to spread the gospel.

Now, for argument’s sake, let’s go to the extreme and take the building and accompanying facilities out of the equation altogether. We have a group of people with nowhere to meet for a church service. Or do we? Most of this group have homes, surely? These would suffice as a meeting place, albeit on a smaller scale.

Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them”. He didn’t mention anything about flashing lights, or huge cinema screens. All this set-up breeds is performance-seeking attendees. A Christian who won’t go to church unless it’s “cool” and got “good music” is hardly a Christian at all, in the true sense of the word.

So, although the alter (or floor-in-front-of-the-platform) may well be “full of repentant sinners”, one has to ask what it is they’re being “saved” to.
Let’s look again at our simplified purpose, which I’ll condense to 1) fellowship, 2) discipleship, and 3) apostleship.

1. Fellowship
It is possible (though often difficult, and in some cases not achieved at all) for fellowship to happen at a mega-church. Members of small groups sit together during the sermon, and go out for coffee afterward, for example.

2. Discipleship
There’s certainly more opportunity to serve at a mega-church, because there’s so much to do in order for a service to take place. But let’s not confuse servant hood and discipleship. Disciple means follower (of Jesus Christ, not Brian Houston incidentally!) Now obviously servant hood is a natural outcome of discipleship, but it is possible to serve without following. True discipleship is achieved at the personal level, and thus far better encouraged amongst as small a group of people as possible.

3. Apostleship
Apostleship talks about the mission of spreading the good news. The word means, “to be sent out”. About the most you can do as a member of a mega-church is invite people to church. From there they may make a commitment, and possibly join a small group. But there’s a watering-down that takes place as friends of Christians come to church, get saved, invite their friends etc. The goal is less discipleship, and more church-building. People grow less concerned with following Jesus than being part of the mega-church

So in conclusion, fellowship is achieved predominantly through small groups, negating the need for, and certainly effectiveness of, mega-church on this point. Discipleship, as well, is fostered far better through intimate friendship circles. The mega-church model skims these foundational aspects of the Christian’s walk, and focuses instead on a pseudo-apostleship; the goal of which is to grow the church in number, however shallow that crowds’ faith is.”

From http://thethinkingtheologian.blogspot.com/

Bonus ’swallow and follow’ music video for Hill$ongers

Stand-off at the OK parish

news.com.au reports…

“Rebel priest Father Peter Kennedy defied the Catholic Church by conducting mass today, after being sacked by Brisbane Archbishop John Bathersby last week.

More than a thousand people attended the service at St Mary’s church in South Brisbane in support of Fr Kennedy, who was sacked for refusing to stop unorthodox practices such as blessing gay couples and selling books that questioned the divinity of Jesus.

The parish’s newly appointed priest, Fr Ken Howell, stayed away after being advised by police not to attend following revelations on Saturday that Archbishop Bathersby had been the target of a bomb threat.

“It’s sad the Archbishop is not here because if he was he could not turn away from this community,” Fr Kennedy told the parish on Sunday morning.

Refusing to stand down, Fr Kennedy reassured members he would be at the next Sunday mass.
He then led them into two hymns, aimed at the church, including: “Will you love me, as I have loved you”.

Fr Kennedy rejected the idea of a parish member resorting to bomb threats, saying no one wanted a confrontation but rather understanding.

Parish member Tadgh Carter agreed.

“I don’t think it would be coming from this community. It’s not the way we do things,” Mr Carter said.

“It could be anyone who has a grudge against the Catholic church.”

Mother of three, Nena Morgante, has been going to St Mary’s for 25 years.

“I think the church should not be afraid to let people worship and be part of the Catholic community how they feel and want to be (part of it),” Ms Morgante said.

“This church is unorthodox and then there are traditional ones. Both have a place.”

At the end of the service, the congregation chanted “we shall not be moved”…….

From http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25090190-29277,00.html

Despicable Danny uses bushfire day of mourning to claim God was complicit in 9/11

Danny Nalliah blogs…

“Regarding The Events Of 9/11 – Anne Graham Lotz

Published by Office 2 February 22nd, 2009 in Christian Church Issues, United States of America, World News

Jane Clayson: I’ve heard people say, those who are religious, those who are not, if God is good, how could God less [sic] this happen? To that, you say?

Anne Graham Lotz: I say God is also angry when he sees something like this.  I would say also for several years now Americans in a sense have shaken their fist at God and said, God, we want you out of our schools, our government, our business, we want you out of our marketplace. And God, who is a gentleman, has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life. Removing his hand of blessing and protection. We need to turn to God first of all and say, God, we’re sorry we have treated you this way and we invite you now to come into our national life. We put our trust in you. We have our trust in God on our coins, we need to practice it.”

From http://catchthefire.com.au/blog/2009/02/22/regarding-the-events-of-911-anne-graham-lotz/#more-2255

The most hated family in America

This program about the Westboro Baptist Church’s Phelps family was broadcast recently on Seven HD.

Fair-dinkum friars skateboarding in Perth

I could spend church money how I liked:pastor

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports…

“In a phone call with investigators, a priest accused of stealing nearly $500,000 from a Delray Beach church said he felt like he had “discretion” to spend church money how he wanted.

But the Rev. Francis Guinan also said he was sorry for some of his spending and that he’d consider repaying it.

“Well, yeah, yeah,” he responded when asked if he was sorry. “It could have been handled differently.”

The recorded conversation with state law enforcement agents was played in court Thursday, the last part of prosecutors’ presentation of their side of the case.

Guinan, 66, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the charge. He is accused of stealing the money from St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach, spending it on girlfriends, trips and supporting a gambling habit.

A day after church and diocese employees detailed secret bank accounts, missing cash and unprofessional accounting practices at the church, the jury finally heard Guinan’s own words. In September 2006, agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement called Guinan as he vacationed in Australia, to tell him that he was about to be charged with grand theft.

The day before the call, Guinan’s close friend and predecessor, Rev. John Skehan, 81, was arrested on an identical charge, accused of stealing $370,000 from the church that he spent on a girlfriend, personal trips and homes. He has since pleaded guilty to grand theft.

State agents pleaded with Guinan to cut his trip short to surrender and repeatedly asked him if he felt remorse for the “misappropriated” funds.

Guinan later said he’d consider repaying the money.

In the same call, though, Guinan hit upon what has become his defense attorney’s main argument throughout the trial: the church’s rules were loose, so he was entitled to spend the money how he wanted.

“As a pastor, you feel like you have a sense of right of discretion,” Guinan said on the tape.

Today, Guinan’s attorney will begin calling witnesses in his defense. It is unclear if Guinan will testify.”

From http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/delraybeach/sfl-flppriest0220pnfeb20,0,6560862.story

‘God hates fags’ Baptist church to picket Melbourne bushfire memorial

Westboro Baptist Church announces…

“NEWS RELEASE

GOD HATES AUSTRALIA.
THANK GOD FOR FIERY
DEATHS OF HUNDREDS.
WBC TO PICKET THE
NATIONAL DAY OF
MOURNING, FEB. 22.

Yes. The guilty Australians will not repent of
their national sins of the flesh – (i.e., sodomy,
divorce, fornication, adultery, etc.) – even after
God killed hundreds in the fires and cast them
into hotter fire and brimstone in Hell. Therefore
we will picket them in their hypocritical grief; to
wit: “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with
womankind; it is abomination.” Lev. 18:22.
National Memorial Service
Rod Laver Arena, Swan St. & Batman Ave.
Melbourne, Australia
Sun., Feb. 22, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.”

From http://www.godhatesfags.com/written/fliers/20090216_australia-national-memorial-service.pdf 

And…

02/22/2009

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Melbourne, AU

Rod Laver Arena – God does not hear the prayers of Australia Swan St. & Batman Ave. One of your local major media outlets sent us an email which reads: “Australia Hates You”. YAY! We are in good company because Australia made it clear, decades ago, that they hate God. So, now that all is clear, to wit: God Hates Australia and Australia Hates God, let us speak to the fact that God is causing fires in one part of Australia killing hundreds. Then in another part of Australia God is sending floods. That is called MOCKING people. Then these insincere, violent, feces-eating brutes call themselves having a “Australia National Day of Mourning”. Here’s the only thing you freaks from “down under” bringing to pass these words: Ezekiel 7:27 The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD. Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. The Lord God will be coming shortly, so Prepare to Meet Thy God Australia. AMEN!

From http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html

Margaret Court serves up disgraced ORU wrecker Richard Roberts

Graphic:Victory Life Church, Perth

Associated Press reports…

“Oral Roberts says he doesn’t think his son, who has been accused of misspending funds at the university the evangelist founded, did anything wrong.

In a visit to the Oral Roberts University campus on Saturday, the 91-year-old Roberts said he and Richard Roberts didn’t discuss his son’s decision to resign as the school’s president in late 2007.

The younger Roberts, a televangelist, was accused along with his wife, Lindsay, of spending money on shopping sprees, home improvements and a stable of horses for their daughters at a time when ORU was badly in debt. Both have denied wrongdoing.

The school had been more than $17 million in debt until billionaire Oklahoma City businessman Mart Green’s family donated a total of $80 million and pledged to restore the public’s trust in the school. Green is now the chairman of the university’s board of trustees.

Roberts called the creation of the university the crowning achievement of his life, and said he never thought the university would close despite its financial woes. He said that “if God hadn’t sent the Green family, He would have sent somebody else.”

Dr. Mark Rutland, a former president of Southeastern University in Florida, was named the new president of the Oklahoma school in January.

Rutland said the elder Roberts told him Saturday that “I want you to receive this university from me personally. I want you to consider yourself as succeeding me as the president.”

Roberts declined to talk about his son’s future.”

From http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gJnmjc1PEPoE0QjD_nj32fr4R1YwD96C7ALO0

Hat tip:Lionfish

Church chickens

Warrick Z. commented on Danny Nalliah’s blog…

“Danny,

I just want to write to you to add a voice of support and encouragement
at this time.

Godly men that speak the truth in love are rare but when you see them it
is inspiring.

It seems even some bigger churches these days are falling fowl to some
sort of unbelief/lukewarm/humanist Gospel.

I pray that I catch the fire too. We need more Godly men.

God bless you and your ministry.”

From http://catchthefire.com.au/blog/2009/02/10/media-release-abortion-laws-to-blame-for-bush-fires/#comment-268060

Rhema’s Crafty Carl

South Africa’s News 24 reported in March 2005…

“The Rhema Church said on Sunday there was nothing sinister about the sudden resignation of Carl Niehaus as the church’s communications chief.

Niehaus was appointed CEO and spokesperson for the church in mid-2004, according to Rhema’s website.

Pastor Ron Steele, now back in the position as Rhema’s spokesperson, said when Niehaus joined Rhema’s executive, nobody said he would remain with the church forever. Niehaus had found something else to do and “was moving on”, Steele said.

He also denied rumours that Niehaus had paid himself or had received unfitting bonuses. “I don’t know where they got that information,” he said, referring to reports in Sunday papers.

Steele said there were no hard feelings between Niehaus and Rhema or its leader, Pastor Ray McCauley. Niehaus was still a member of the church and he had seen him there on Friday, Steele added…..”

From http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,9294,2-7-1442_1675749,00.html

The Mail and Guardian now reports (February 2009) …

“He has been entrusted by the ANC with the strategic job of spokesperson. But Carl Niehaus has left a broad trail of bad debt and broken promises behind him.Confronted this week with allegations that he owed hundreds of thousands of rands to politicians and influential businessmen and committed fraud while working for the Gauteng provincial government, a tearful Niehaus admitted that he:

 

• Forged signatures while he was chief executive of the Gauteng Economic Development Agency (Geda) before resigning in December 2005;
  
• Borrowed money over a six-year period from some of the brightest stars of the ANC and business galaxy, much of which he has not paid back;
  
• Asked to be connected to Brett Kebble because he was “desperate for financial help”;
  
• Had to leave a top job at Deloitte and Touche in 2003 after his financial woes became embarrassing;
  
• Owed the Rhema Church more than R700 000 when he was asked to resign from his post as chief executive and spokesperson by a full board meeting in 2004; and
  
• Had to repay R24 000 to director general in the presidency Frank Chikane when he left his job there under a cloud in 2004.

Niehaus, appointed ANC spokesperson in November 2008, also admitted to using the Rhema Church’s travel agent to book a holiday for himself and his wife in Zanzibar and to using the presidency’s travel agent to book flights and a trip to Durban for his former wife.

But he denied allegations by his co-workers at the time that he intended to pass off the trips as work expenses. He disputed accounts that he left the presidency amid claims of financial impropriety and ran up implausible expense accounts at Deloitte.

Among those he asked for financial assistance from are Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan, ANC empowerment magnates Saki Macozoma, Tokyo Sexwale and Cyril Ramaphosa, Absa chair and former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank Gill Marcus and mining tycoon Rick Menell.

When powerful friends could not rescue him from what he described as “the devastation of debt” he drifted into seemingly outright criminal conduct.

In 2005, after just seven months as Geda chief executive, responsible for handling millions of rands of transactions, he wrote a fraudulent letter and forged the signatures of then finance minister and now Gauteng Premier Paul Mashatile, transport minister Ignatius Jacobs, education ministerand now ANC Women’s League president Angie Motshekga and agriculture minister Khabisi Mosunkutu.

The letter was intended to secure a loan for Niehaus from a businessman who hoped to use it to ensure favourable treatment from the Gauteng government on property deals.

Niehaus confessed this fraud to Mashatile, who told him to quit or face a disciplinary inquiry. Niehaus resigned on December 9 2005.

Told this week of a long list of former employers and creditors who told the Mail & Guardian about their dealings with him, Niehaus broke down.

“Most of what you’ve confronted me with is true. I wish it wasn’t. I’ve made massive mistakes and I’ve disappointed a lot of people terribly. I’ve no illusions that if you publish this article it will mean the end of my career,” he said, weeping.

“I asked people like Saki Macozoma, Cyril Ramaphosa, Tokyo Sexwale, Gill Marcus, Pallo Jordan and Rick Mennell to help me financially.

“I was down and out. Some of them gave me money and some didn’t. I am terribly indebted. I also received money from Brett Kebble,” Niehaus said.

Niehaus said he asked Macozoma to introduce him to Kebble. “I asked for the meeting. Saki was my friend and I asked him to help me out. I asked to be introduced to Kebble and I met him three times.

“Kebble gave me R70 000 for communications work. He still owed me money. I’m paying R100 000 back because I can’t fight the liquidators — there was no contract, only a verbal agreement. I can’t prove anything and I don’t have the money to go to court,” he said.

Niehaus is locked in a battle with the ANC’s other spin doctor, Jesse Duarte, who is said to be extremely unhappy with the circumstances of his appointment.

Party insiders say he was headhunted for the role by ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe, angering Duarte, the incumbent. She is understood to be reluctant to stay on after elections.

Those who have worked with Niehaus over the past 14 years and lent him cash to fund his and his former wife, Linda Thango’s, extravagant lifestyle say they are not surprised things turned sour.

Niehaus has always “over-promised and under-delivered”, they say.

Over the past decade he has resigned from most jobs under pressure or earlier than his contract stipulated because of debt or unhappiness with the management of his financial affairs.

Niehaus became a household name when, as an anti-apartheid activist, he was found guilty of high treason and sentenced to 15 years in jail in 1983.

He became Nelson Mandela’s spokesperson in 1994 and was then ambassador to The Netherlands.

On his return to South Africa he briefly worked at the NGO Nicro before his relationship with Mandela helped him secure a job at audit firm Deloitte and Touche in Gauteng and in The Netherlands.

While at Deloitte he was embroiled in legal action after failing to honour an offer to purchase an expensive house on Prinzen Gracht, one of Amsterdam’s most prestigious addresses. The penalty for cancellation was more than R1-million. This debt sent him into a financial tailspin.

“I felt I had to resign because Deloitte have strong ethics around their partners — they must have their financial dealings order,” Niehaus said.

A former partner at Deloitte, who asked not to be named, said Niehaus was “always” in financial crisis and that the Prinzen Gracht debacle had not led to his ousting.

“He borrowed money from partners at Deloitte. He also asked me for money but I told him I’m not a bank.

“He once booked a helicopter to fly from Sun City to Johannesburg at huge expense. He claimed to have lost his credit cards on at least two occasions [when improper expenses appeared on the statement] and asked people to help him out [with hotel bills]. He also knew somebody in Nedbank who helped him out.

“He insisted on a huge salary — more than others on the same level. We paid him because he promised to bring political work to the company. That didn’t materialise.”

Another source, also a partner when Niehaus worked at Deloitte, said that when Niehaus resigned the firm wrote off large sums he still owed.

Chief executive Grant Gelink said: “To the best of my knowledge Niehaus didn’t owe Deloitte any money when he left, but I don’t know if money was written off. I wasn’t CEO at the time.”

Niehaus denied owing the company money, adding: “I don’t recall ever claiming money from Nedbank because of a stolen card.”

On the Sun City helicpter flight he said he had addressed a conference at KwaMaritane and had to be in Johannesburg an hour later “for the launch of the strategic communications division. The CEO questioned me months later about this expense and accepted my explanation.”

He said he had borrowed money only from one Deloitte partner and had “paid it back in full”.

Niehaus’s financial troubles deepened when he divorced his wife and co-accused in his terrorism trail, Jansie, and married Linda Thango.

Four sources who worked closely with him after 2002 said Thango, a former non-executive director of African Media Entertainment and management consultant, was central to his extravagant lifestyle.

“His wife wanted all the best toys: holidays, jewels, clothes, shoes and shopping, shopping, shopping. Carl got sucked into that lifestyle, loved it and lived way beyond his means,” said one of his former ANC bosses.

Others said he had always been attracted to the trappings of wealth, but that Jansie had kept a tight rein on the family finances. Niehaus himself insists that he must take responsibility.

He said: “I never said no [to Linda]. I thought this is the way you keep love — you buy it. I should have been firm and said: ‘No more. We can’t live like this.’ I didn’t and I fell into the devastation of debt.”

After his departure from Deloitte Niehaus was “rescued”, as one government official put it, in 2004 by a job in the presidency working on celebrations planned for a “decade of democracy”.

A top presidency official who oversaw his work said: “We terminated his contract early because he didn’t complete the work he was meant to do. He turned out to be inefficient. He himself felt he had to leave — there was no fight.”

The official added: “He took his wife to Durban and used the presidency’s money to pay for the hotel. We told him that’s unauthorised expenditure and you need to pay it back now.” Niehaus denies his contract was terminated prematurely, adding that he does not remember the Durban trip.

“I worked there and finished my contract. I was paid a R24 000 advance, which I paid back to Frank Chikane.

“I suppose it’s not impossible that I went to Durban during that time, because my wife’s mother lived there,” he said. After leaving the presidency in mid-2004 Niehaus was appointed Rhema Church chief executive and spokesperson.

He admitted to being asked to leave Rhema after working there for four years “because of a disagreement about the size of my loan with the church, among other things”.

Rhema continues to insist that he left amicably and there were no financial irregularities.

“[Church leader] Ray McCauley organised a staff loan for me. They bought me a car and agreed to pay a large amount to [the seller of the Prinzen Gracht house].

“The financial officer and I increased this loan a number of times and Ray was very unhappy because it was not done with his knowledge. I resigned,” Niehaus said.

Niehaus also confirmed using Rhema’s travel agent to book a holiday in Zanzibar. While employed by the church he bought himself a Porsche and a C-Class Mercedes Benz.

Rhema gave Niehaus six months to repay R700 000. Mashatile’s offer to him to head Geda was, therefore, a lifesaver — which he admits abusing.

On the fraudulent letter in which he forged the signatures of senior Gauteng government officials, he said: “Pierre Swart managed a company called Blue Label, which offered to lend me the money to repay the Rhema debt. I was absolutely desperate, because if I didn’t repay it I would’ve had to sell the townhouse in my wife’s name that I had given as surety.

“But there was a hook. In exchange for the loan they wanted a letter committing various provincial ministries to favouring them when they wanted to rent, sell or lease government buildings in the Johannesburg CBD.”

Buildings sold with lease agreements in place are worth much more than empty structures, a developer told the M&G.

“I was very desperate but what I did was terrible. After I wrote the letter and handed it over I immediately knew that I had done the worst thing in my life.

“I went to see Mashatile. I confessed that I’m deeply compromised and he was deeply disappointed. I resigned immediately.”

Former Gauteng premier and now Congress of the People leader Mbhazima Shilowa confirmed Mashatile told him that Niehaus was asked to leave over “financial impropriety”.

Blue Label has major contracts with Vodacom and Telkom. The company made no comment.

Said Niehaus: “The ANC job is a lifesaver for me and things have gone wrong now in a terrible way. I have to be trustworthy to do my job. I live under no illusions about what this article can do to my life. I wish I could turn back the clock.” “

From http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-02-13-tearful-niehaus-admits-fraud

The tax collectors

The Christian Post reports…

“A non-denominational ministry that provides low-cost food to the poor is being investigated by the FBI and IRS.

On Wednesday, the FBI searched the Angel Food Ministries headquarters in Monroe, Ga. The non-profit organization, which has an annual budget totaling over $20 million, distributes discounted groceries to thousands of families every month through local churches in 35 states.

FBI officials did not give a reason for what they were looking for or what prompted the investigation.

Ronn Torossian, a spokesman for Angel Food Ministries, has offered a possible reason for the investigation.

“Angel Food Ministries believes that this is an investigation of an individual or individuals connected to the organization, and not regarding the ministry itself, its service to the public or its host sites in any way,” Torossian told The York Daily Record.

The FBI agents copied records from a computer server and did not remove anything during their search, another spokesperson for the organization, Judy Engelmayer, told the local paper.

Tax documents filed by Angel Food Ministries to the IRS suggest the probe is possibly linked to tax fraud.

The ministry’s founding leaders and their family members received unusually high salaries in 2006, according to IRS tax records.

In 2005, the charity’s founder and CEO Joe Wingo was paid a salary of $69,598. His wife Linda, a co-founder, made $69,598. Son Andrew Wingo was paid $93,615 and son Wesley Wingo, director of pastoral relations, was paid $89,944.

The next year, all their salaries soared dramatically and each took home around half a million dollars in compensation.

In 2006, Joe was making $588,529; Linda, $544,043; Andrew, $529,014; and Wesley, $454,673.

CEOs at nonprofits with expenses between $25 million and $50 million in 2006 made a median salary of $220,000, according to Charity Navigator. But Joe’s compensation that year was more than twice the reported median when the charity’s expenses were just under $17.7 million in 2006.

“The salary information for the family there is kind of outrageous for an organization like that, but especially one that’s purporting to help the poor and those in need,” said Rodney Pitzer, managing director of research for the Wall Watchers, a Christian charity watchdog, according to The York Daily Record.

The watchdog’s Web site MinistryWatch.com, which regular reports on suspected misleading behavior or wasteful spending practices of Christian-based charities, recently issued a list of 30 Donor Alert ministries in which Angel Food Ministries was included for giving its leadership “higher salaries than the norm.”

In 2007, although Angel Food’s budget rose to nearly $27 million, Joe Wingo’s compensation dropped from $588,529 to $170,413. Linda’s was chopped from $544,043 to $54,723.

The family, according to tax records, also owe around $1 million in loans to the charity.

The investigation would not affect deliveries of Angel Food grocery boxes to host churches, Torossian told participating churches in an e-mail sent after the FBI visit, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Some churches are worried of the impact on the needy if legal troubles were to force the charity to shut down.

“If they go out of business, it’s going to effect a lot of people,” said Lynn Brown, administrator of the Georgia-based Ebenezer Baptist Church West, the Athens Banner-Herald reported.

“We have the same families come to our church month after month to pick up their Angel Food boxes, which are real cheap but the quality of the food is good.”

Regular Angel Food boxes cost $30 each and one box contains enough nutrition-balanced food to feed a family of four for a week. Some menu items offered in the February boxes include sirloin strip steaks, chicken breasts, pork chops, stir-fry vegetables, breakfast cereal, rice, eggs and dessert.

Each box is packed with a Gospel tract and a copy of The Servant, the magazine published by Angel Food Ministries.”

From http://www.christianpost.com/Society/ngo/2009/02/ministry-serving-hungry-under-fbi-irs-investigation-14/

Pringle said….what?

Lance writes….

I don’t normally put out requests for information (because it means more work for me) but this is significant enough to warrant it.

I’ve been reliably informed that somewhere in the early 2000’s (roughly 2001-2003) Christian Shitty Church Senior Pastor Phil Pringle addressed a pastors-only meeting at Margaret Court’s Victory Life Church in Perth (you know, one of those pastors leadership principles rah-rah wankfests) at which it’s alleged Pringle made remarks along the lines of his congregation being saps who could easily be made to part with their money if the right things were said to them and the right buttons were pushed.

I’m told that ‘jaws dropped’ among the pastors at this meeting and the question was openly canvassed about whether Pringle was even a Christian.

It’s needle in a haystack stuff but I’m particularly interested in tracking down a tape of the alleged remarks (churches do seem to tape everything) or at least hearing from anyone else who can corroborate the story as it’s been told to me.

‘I don’t want no homo for no homie’

Oh I see, so when it’s *your* son, then there’s no problem with someone being gay. TD Jakes – what a two-faced typical Pentecostal pastor creep

The Dallas Morning News reports…

“Bishop T.D. Jakes says he is offering “help, support and restorative grace” to his son Jermaine, who faces an indecent exposure charge.

“It is in moments like these that I am so grateful that we do not preach that we are the solution, but we look to Christ for resolution,” Jakes, pastor of Dallas’ megachurch The Potter’s House, said in a written statement provided to The Dallas Morning News late Friday night.

“So then, as a very human family with real issues, like many other people, we will draw from the same well of grace to which we have led others to drink and be refreshed,” the statement concludes.

According to police, Jermaine Jakes, 29, exposed himself in front of an undercover Dallas police vice detective on the night of Jan. 3 at Kiest Park, near West Kiest Boulevard and South Hampton Road.

He was detained at the scene and released, as is often done in such cases. He turned himself in to the Dallas County Jail on Thursday and was released after posting $1,000 bail.

The charge is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Jermaine Jakes is one of five children of T.D. Jakes and his wife, Serita.

The pastor is an international celebrity, based on his many television appearances and best-selling books. Last month, he was in the news for the release of a movie he produced, Not Easily Broken, and for speaking at a prayer service attended by President Barack Obama on the morning of his inauguration.

Jermaine Jakes’ arrest made the news last week and prompted much Internet comment.

But his father’s ministry will not be seriously undercut by his son’s troubles, predicted Shayne Lee, a Tulane University sociology professor who wrote a book analyzing the appeal of the Dallas pastor.

Because T.D. Jakes has consistently preached compassion, Lee said, most in the public will show compassion over the trouble in the Jakes family.

“He doesn’t have a judgmental message,” Lee said. “If he had been a Bible-thumping, finger-pointing kind of preacher, he’d be in trouble now.

From http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-jakes_15met.ART0.Central.Edition1.4c3a8a1.html

TD Jakes’ full statement…

“ As parents, we occasionally feel that our children do not live up to our highest and best ideals. When they do not, we don’t diminish our love for them as recompense for our disapproval. Like our children, we also are not infallible nor do we profess to be. Our now adult son Jermaine is 29, but when he was at home he was a recipient of correction, compassion and wise counsel. We hope that the light of what we believe will guide him through times of contradiction and moments of concern as he continues to mature.

In spite of the family pain we feel from this unfortunate situation, it has given us a chance to show him the same help, support, and restorative grace for which our family and church is noted. Through our ministry at The Potter’s House, as well as our own home, we have for years offered help in the time of need to all adults, our five children and other people’s children.

It is in moments like these that I am so grateful that we do not preach that we are the solution, but we look to Christ for resolution. So then, as a very human family with real issues, like many other people, we will draw from the same well of grace to which we have led others to drink and be refreshed.”

From http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-jakestext_15met.ART.Central.Edition1.4c39375.html

God hates Group Sects even more now *updated

*Fred Phelps berates Australia

The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas writes…

“Westboro Baptist Church

3701 SW 12th Street Topeka, Kansas 66604 785-273-0325 www.godhatesfags.com

Monday, February 9, 2009

NEWS RELEASE

GOD HATES AUSTRALIA.

THANK GOD FOR KILLER FIRES & FLOODS, 100+ DEAD; PRAY FOR MANY

MORE; AS WE WARNED.

Yes. It is WBC’s sincerely held religious belief that Australia is a land of False Prophets, many of whom are fags or fag-enablers. They helped create a hellish Zeitgeist wherein a world-wide Sodomite cult flourishes, and wherein Final Antichrist Beast Obama has been able to come to the Presidency of the United States and the de facto Leader of the so called Free World. Mat. 7:15-20; Rev. 13:1-18.

God is punishing Australia for her part in this worldwide fiasco; worse and more of it is coming from God.

“And the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book.” Deut. 29:27.”

From http://www.godhatesfags.com/written/fliers/20090209_australia-fires-floods.pdf

AOG President and big girly-girl’s blouse Brian Houston too scared to censure AOG pastor Danny Nalliah by name

Brian Houston blogs…

“As Australians it is impossible (and unthinkable) to ignore the tragedy that has so recently devastated the state of Victoria. The recent bushfires have claimed too many lives, and changed the face of some communities forever. Too many people have lost homes, and too many people are now facing the heartbreaking task of rebuilding their lives without loved ones. Our hearts and prayers are with all of those affected by these horrible fires.

In times like these, it is often easy to ask why things like this happen, and to look heavenward for answers. Too often we try to understand these tragic times, and turn to political statements and moral codes to help us grasp the depth of these situations. It breaks my heart to hear of people making broad, bold, and often very disillusioned statements equating such tragedies as ‘retribution from God’.

The God I serve is a personal being who cares about our everyday lives, and whose heart breaks over these unfair and often unjust circumstances. I believe in a God who is full of mercy and grace, a compassionate Saviour who wants to build people’s lives for the better, feels the pain of loss as His own, and who cares deeply for those that are hurting, alone, widowed and orphaned.

Our days are filled with unpredictable circumstances, and it is at this time that we must quickly focus our attention to offering support and compassion, concentrating our efforts on the restoration of these great Australian communities and our neighbours in need.”

Pastor Brian Houston
Senior Pastor, Hillsong Church”

From http://passionchurch.se/blog/?p=258

Propecia – a drug used to treat the baldness of Danny Nalliah’s followers. Propitiation – a concept not understood by Danny Nalliah’s followers

Wikipedia says…

“…………In Christian theology, propitiation is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, by which He fulfills the wrath of God (both an emotional response of anger and a moral response of indignation), and conciliates Him who would otherwise be offended by our sin and would demand that we pay the penalty for it. The concept of propitiation is associated in some Christian theological systems with indemnity, imputed righteousness, and substitutionary atonement.

Propitiation is translated from the Greek hilasterion, meaning “that which expiates or propitiates” or “the gift which procures propitiation”. The word is also used in the New Testament for the place of propitiation, the “mercy seat”. Hebrews 9:5. There is frequent similar use of hilasterion in the Septuagint, Exodus 25:18 ff. The mercy seat was sprinkled with atoning blood on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:14), representing that the righteous sentence of the Law had been executed, changing a judgment seat into a mercy seat (Hebrews 9:11-15; compare with “throne of grace” in Hebrews 4:14-16; place of communion, Exodus 25:21-22).

Another Greek word, hilasmos, is used for Christ as our propitiation. 1 John 2:2; 4:10, and for “atonement” in the Septuagint (Leviticus 25:9). The thought in the Old Testament sacrifices and in the New Testament fulfillment, is that Christ completely satisfied the just demands of a holy God for judgment on sin, by His death on the Cross of Calvary.

God, in view of the Cross, is declared righteous in having been able to forgive sins in the Old Testament period, as well as in being able to justify sinners under the New Covenant (Romans 3:25,26; cf. Exodus 29:33, note). Propitiation, as hilasmos, is both the placating of a vengeful God just as well as it is the satisfying of the righteous judgment of that holy God; thereby making it possible for Him to show complete mercy without compromising His righteousness or justice, i.e., mercifully covering and paying for sins, as offenses against God to turn away His wrath and to allow for, but not to include, forgiveness. This is the key to understanding unlimited atonement explained in 1 John 2:2 – Jesus Christ on the cross atoned for all sins of all people, after which forgiveness is separately then provided personally according to 1 John 1:9…………”

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propitiation

Thou art loosed – We welcome the Jakes family to the real world where the rest of us live

The Dallas Voice reports…

“The son of T.D. Jakes — the Dallas megachurch pastor who’s called homosexuality a “brokenness” and declared that he would never hire a sexually active gay person — was arrested in a gay sex sting in Kiest Park in January, according to Dallas police reports.

Jermaine Donnell Jakes, 29, faces a charge of indecent exposure after allegedly exposing himself in front of two undercover vice detectives shortly after 10 p.m. on Jan. 3. Senior Cpl. Janice Crowther, a DPD spokeswoman, confirmed Thursday, Feb. 12 that the detectives were both male.

According to an arrest affidavit, the detectives were conducting an investigation into citizen complaints of sexual activity when they observed Jakes and several other unknown males park their vehicles in the lot east of the park at 2106 W. Kiest Blvd.

The detectives followed Jakes into a wooded area, where he approached them with his penis exposed through his unzipped pants, the affidavit states. Jakes masturbated for several seconds while making eye contact with one of the detectives.

Jakes made no attempt to conceal his penis despite people walking and jogging on a trail nearby, the affidavit states. According to court records, Jermaine Jakes listed his place of employment as T.D. Jakes Ministries. Jakes was released at the scene after being detained.

T.D. Jakes is the founder of the Potters House, a 30,000-member church in South Dallas. A vocal opponent of same-sex marriage, he’s been criticized by HIV/AIDS activists for undermining prevention of the disease by stigmatizing homosexuality and drug use. 

On same-sex marriage, Jakes once told USA Today: “To date, I have not seen scriptural authority that allows me to stand on behalf of God and say I now pronounce you husband and husband, and wife and wife. This is an issue the government is undecided about. The Bible is not.”

Jermaine Jakes’ attorney, Faith Johnson, issued a written statement this week.
“We are aware of potential allegations involving Jermaine Jakes and are undertaking our own investigation of these allegations at this time,” the statement said. “Given an apparent government investigation, we have no further comment at this time.”

From http://www.dallasvoice.com/artman/publish/article_10636.php

Arsonist pastors

The Athens Banner-Herald reports…

“Barrow County sheriff’s deputies have charged the pastor of the New Life Deliverance Church Ministries with torching his own church three years ago.

Deputies arrested 49-year-old Quincy Arnold of Lawrenceville on Tuesday and charged him with arson, conspiracy to commit a crime, vandalism of a place of worship and insurance fraud in connection with the Dec. 7, 2005, fire at the church on Pierce Road between Winder and Auburn.

Arnold’s 24-year-old son, Maurice, of Dacula, was arrested Jan. 28 on nearly identical charges.

Quincy Arnold, who lives in Lawrenceville, was released from the Barrow County Detention Center on Wednesday morning on a $50,000 bond, according to a statement released by the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office. His son was released from the detention center on a $30,000 bond Jan. 30.

The two arrests cap a three-year investigation by sheriff’s deputies and agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to the sheriff’s office statement. The investigation continues, said Maj. Todd Druse, public information officer for the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office.

Arnold came to Winder voluntarily to be questioned by sheriff’s department investigators and was arrested without incident.

Druse wouldn’t comment about a motive, but remarked on the nature of one of the charges.

“All I am saying is that he was charged with insurance fraud. As far as there being any motive outside of that – I can’t say,” he said.

It is rare, but not unheard-of, for ministers to desecrate their own churches for insurance money, said John Oxendine, state fire safety and insurance commissioner.

In January 2008, Joseph Howard, pastor of the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Albany, was arrested and charged with first-degree arson for setting a fire at his church on New Year’s Eve 2007, according to a spokesman with the commissioner’s office. In 1998, a 70-year-old Hawkinsville pastor got 10 years of probation after he was convicted of burning down his church.

Druse would also not comment on what led police to look at Maurice Arnold’s father as a suspect. Maurice Arnold’s arrest was based on years of witness interviews and surveillance, sheriff’s investigator Matt Guthas said last month.

Investigators knew pretty quickly that the New Life arsonist used gasoline.

Neighbors called firefighters shortly before 3:50 a.m., but the fire gutted the sanctuary of the secluded church. The arsonist had poured gasoline on the pulpit and down the center aisle, according to investigators with the insurance commissioner’s office.

The 200 or so members of New Life held services in their cramped fellowship hall for months while they rebuilt the ruined sanctuary. New Life subsequently moved Lawrenceville.

The building now houses the Church @ Pierce Road, which has about 225 members.

Church members have been trying to buy the building from the Arnolds since September, said Terry Hawkins, pastor. The church is scheduled to close on the property in March, but Hawkins is concerned about how the arrests will affect the sale, he said.

Calls to New Life Deliverance Ministries and L.A. Ministries, another ministry run by the Arnolds, were not returned Wednesday.”

From http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/021209/new_387076096.shtml

Another of those new bland grey church buildings that will look embarrassingly dated in 40 years

Life Church, Brisbane

Pente’s sit in the corner and suck their thumbs while new Muslim neighbours reach out

The Brisbane Times reports…

“A Gold Coast church which led opposition to an Islamic college being built in its neighbourhood hopes the new facility will be a “peaceable asset”.

But the minister at the pentecostal Dream Centre Christian Church at Carrara, Tony Doherty, told AAP his church would hold city councillors accountable for their unanimous decision to approve the school.

Members of the church led the campaign against the proposal and helped gather 1,800 signatures on a petition opposing the college.

“We will look to keep the councillors and the council accountable for the decisions that they’ve made and the process they believe this will take,” Mr Doherty said.

“We’ll certainly look to monitor and keep them accountable in that regard, whilst they are still councillors.

“Having said that, we hope that our new neighbours will become a peaceable asset to the community.”

There was no plan to appeal council’s decision, he said.

Mr Doherty said his church had helped local divisional councillor Robert La Castra in the past, but could not see how that would continue at the same level.

Mr La Castra dismissed the criticism, saying the council had no legal grounds on which to oppose the college.

“We are bound by three things – the planning scheme, the Anti-Discrimination Act and the Local Government Act and we cannot … factor in any particular religion,” he said.

Meanwhile, backers of the new Islamic school are hoping sport can bring the community together.

On Monday councillors suggested a sporting fixture could be a suitable way to promote harmony after the bitter wrangle.

A trustee of the Islamic school, Keysar Trad, warmly welcomed the idea.

“I personally welcome the idea of a cricket match,” he told AAP.

“I’m a very gentle bowler, the most gentle pace anyone’s ever experienced, and I’d be able to bat a lot better if the pitch was an extra yard long.

“I’m not very good at soccer, but I used to play league so maybe a game of touch would be good.”

Mr Trad extended an invitation to lunch to the pastor from the Dream Centre.

Mr Doherty said he would consider the invitation, but so far college trustees had not contacted the church, even as part of due process ahead of the plans going before council.

Mr Trad said the fact a councillor who publicly opposed the project, Peter Young, voted to approve the college was welcome.

“It’s great that there was unity amongst councillors in the end,” he said.

Mayor Ron Clarke, an athletics legend himself, said protesters had stayed away from Monday’s meeting and he was confident the Dream Centre church would move to integrate the Islamic college into the neighbourhood.

“We welcome people from all places,” he said.”

From http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/well-hold-council-accountable-church-leader/2009/02/10/1234028031515.html

Crystal meth – odd

Christian News Wire reports…

“The primary rift between the father and the son in the Crystal Cathedral Garden Grove, CA, pulpit was about changes the son, Robert Anthony Schuller, wanted to make in terms of transparency and accountability, but were resisted by his father Robert H. Schuller, key board members and ministry heads of the church, says a source knowledgeable about the church’s inner circle.

“The son did not have all the freedom to do what was needed to make the ministry rebound from a spiritual and financial spiral downward,” the source told Church Executive.

“For all outward appearances Robert A. was in charge and had control of how the ministry was to move forward, but nothing could be further from the truth,” says the individual who saw the early disputes play out in meetings.

The individual, who asked not to be identified, disputed an earlier report in a Church Executive editorial that the father gave the son “plenty of freedom” to shape the ministry. “Robert A.’s actions were all carefully regulated to the point of specific limitation by his father and key board members with regard to direction, content and funding strategy,” the source says, calling the actions “deceitful tactics that were used to relieve Robert A. from his position.” The remarks was substantiated by another source as well.

More recently, Jim Poit, executive pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, and his wife Linda, who was director of children’s ministries there, were let go by the church in January, following by four months the departure and later resignation of senior pastor Robert A. Schuller, to whom Poit served as executive pastor of the megachurch. Deb Yurk, who had been brought on board by Poit as pastor of congregational life, was also released from her job.

A church spokesman first said they were “layed off” but went on to say that Poit, his wife, and Yurk “didn’t fit the vision, I guess, of the new leadership.” Changes were made last July whereby founder Robert H. Schuller retained the chairman of the board post, and named two sons-in-law and a third person to an “Office of the President.”

As in many organizational struggles the public face is not always the real story. In this case the source claims that “Robert A.’s goals were very simple–install an impartial board not paid by proceeds from the ministry, rework the Hour of Power to attract a younger audience, try different methods of worship to develop a more meaningful spiritual encounter, and to have public financial transparency. This process would install a level of accountability. As of now the leadership is accountable to no one. The leadership behind the scenes limited Robert A’s goal advancement and ridiculed him for lack of leadership,” the source says.

The Cathedral is not, for example, a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, a watchdog group giving transparency to faith-based ministries and organizations.

“The removal of Robert A. was an old fashioned coup that backfired,” says the source, and that “the leadership would be wise to look for a way to repair their relationship with Robert A. quickly.” Behind the scene, the source says, “his [Robert A.] siblings were promoting division.”

Robert Anthony “was leading a worldwide ministry, in a crucial transition period, with a bad economy, with his siblings hindering key moves, while trying to be innovative to change a ministry, that was dominated by elderly membership, to a youthful audience,” the source says.

Last May the ministry put up for sale its 170-acre property in Rancho Capistrano that served as a retreat center, and earlier this month the four-storey office building, known as the Robert H. Schuller Family Life Center, that houses a school and production offices, was put up for sale for $34 million. The church is looking for a lease-back arrangement. The church in the past has denied that the church is headed for bankruptcy.”

From http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/504909401.html

Pastor prays for Mundine to get the sh*t beaten out of him

The Sydney Morning Herald reports…

“Anthony Mundine might be the biggest name in Australian boxing, but Shannan Taylor insists he is still the “baddest” – even if the reformed cocaine addict will pray in his dressing room with a Wollongong pastor before tonight’s bout.

“He wants to call himself ‘The Man’, he wants to call himself the bad boy, he wants to call himself everything, but I’ll tell you now that I am the real bad boy,” Taylor said after Mundine described himself as “a bad boy” during a media conference at yesterday’s weigh-in.

“You know why I’m the bad boy? Because I hung around gangsters when I was younger – I mean the old-time guys. They’re all 70 or 80 years old now but they’ll all be flying down from the Gold Coast to be here for the fight. I didn’t do anything too bad, I just drove them around, but I always made a good earn for myself.”

On the eve of the biggest fight of his career since he lost to boxing great Shane Mosley in a WBC welterweight title bout at Caesars Palace Casino in Las Vegas eight years ago, Taylor insisted he had now turned his life around after finding God.

Since serving a six-month suspension for a positive drugs test in 2001, Taylor has had 27 bouts and is ranked No.10 in the middleweight division by the WBA.

“I’ve lived boxing since I was 9½ so all I did was sleep, eat and train,” he said. “I had 97 amateur fights and I never got involved in anything wrong like drugs or that until I fought [Mosley] for the world title.

“But I’ve changed now, I’ve got children in my life and I go to church so I’m a good boy now. I’ve got Scott Hanzy from the Gateway City Church coming into my dressing room before the fight to do a prayer for my team, we did one today and we did one on Sunday. It really helps me out. You get plenty of cowboys wanting to have a go at you [outside the ring] but I’ve learnt to walk away now. I’ve got my runs on the board. I don’t need to prove who I am…….”

From http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/im-the-real-bad-boy-reformed-addict-shannan-tells-the-man/2009/02/10/1234028036225.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

This is an actual Geelong pastor, not a parody

(Double click below to see Youtube video)

If you’ve ever wondered why I think Revenue Church’s Phil Baker is a complete wanker……

Pastor addresses Gold Coast’s dire shortage of tall buildings

The Gold Coast Bulletin reports…

“The idea to build the world’s tallest spire on the Gold Coast came to Metro Church pastor Garry McDonald when he was wandering around a vacant Robina block chatting to God.

The audacious plan to build a 165m-high iconic spire at Metro Church’s future central campus — most likely at Robina — was officially launched to members at its 4pm ‘Vision Sunday’ service yesterday.

“I remember one day I was walking around Robina and, as I do, I was talking to God and I was on this parcel of land with nothing on it and I said ‘God, how about you just give it to us,” Mr McDonald told the Southport-based congregation.

“I asked on a few more occasions and hadn’t heard anything and then one particular day I really felt God ask ‘what would we put on it if he gave it to us’.

“If you ever have a conversation with God, it’s probably best not to tell him how to run the universe.

“So I just said ‘if you’re asking you obviously know the answer’. It just dawned on me we might be able to build a wonderful worship centre, and then I wondered what the world’s tallest church spire was — it’s a simple concept — a pointy thing over the foyer.”

Mr McDonald discovered it was the 161m-high Munster Ulm in Germany which was built in 1377, with the spire added in 1890.

He realised that despite huge engineering advances and creative skill, modern churches no longer built cathedrals to celebrate God.

“I believe people who are about to give up will look at that building in the middle of the night and it will speak to them and help them,” he said.

Yesterday, churchgoers resoundingly backed the plan. Mark Paul, of Varsity Lakes, said he thought the idea would ‘put the church on the map’.

“We are an ultra-modern church and this will reflect that,” he said.

He said he was not fazed about spending millions on the building rather than directing it to the poor.

“The church funnels millions of dollars into aid, we sponsor hundreds of children, it’s not about one or the other,” he said.

Angie Rich, 23, of Robina, sings in the church band and said the idea was in keeping with the theme of being a ‘lighthouse church’. Beaudi Dart, of Labrador, said it was ‘an awesome idea’ because everyone would see it, while Kylie Tunkara, of Varsity Lakes, said it would give the church a higher profile and create more opportunities to help the community.

Metro Church general manager Jordan Meade said the church would talk to businesses about funds for the project and had put an offer in for land near Avica Resort.”

From http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2009/02/09/47091_gold-coast-news.html

Revival Centres back bankrupt pastor

The  Age reports…

“A former fundamentalist church pastor who lost millions of dollars in investors’ money through questionable property deals has become one of Australia’s biggest bankrupts, going to the wall owing a massive $34 million.

But the real figure owed by Melbourne churchman and lawyer Glenn Duker could be even higher, up to about $40 million, because other debts that he personally guaranteed do not appear on his bankruptcy notification.

Insolvency experts say this probably puts Mr Duker among the 10 biggest bankrupts in Australia in the past decade.

Mr Duker, a former pastor with Melbourne-based Revival Centres International, threw in the financial towel on January 9 after seven years of living a rich life while losing millions of dollars of other people’s money.

His church, Melbourne-based Revival Centres International, however, stands by him. Its deputy leader, Vic Semoilenko, told the flock in December that it was “sad that people (complaining about Mr Duker) could be so bitter, and it was sad that people could make so many errors and then want to blame others for their errors”.

Mr Duker has listed his largest creditor as the National Australia Bank’s low-doc loan company, Homeloans Ltd, which is said to be owed $12 million (though Homeloans Ltd disputes that it would have this exposure). Other commercial lenders are owed more than $1 million each.

Mr Duker also owes his mother $1.4 million, and his family’s investment company $2 million.

Many of the bad debts were accrued after the Australian Securities and Investments Commission abandoned action against Mr Duker and his former property development company, RVP Group, in 2007.

ASIC accepted Mr Duker’s promises to repay money owing to investors. Some did receive their money back, but others were left short, and only those who threatened legal action were repaid.

One Victorian victim said she was forced to sell everything after Mr Duker reneged on a personal guarantee of $150,000.

RVP Group, like most of Mr Duker’s other companies, is now in liquidation, and the liquidator believes it traded while insolvent for much of its life. Other companies are under the control of his wife, Lorilea.

It is now clear, however, that, as an individual, Mr Duker continued borrowing and spending other people’s money on property throughout 2007.

Former Sydney Swans player Craig O’Brien sold a $1.3 million Surfers’ Paradise home to Mr Duker in mid-2007, but agreed to lend part of the sale price back to him, as long as it was repaid with interest. Mr Duker quickly tried to offload the house, then the bank eventually sold it at a loss to recoup their loan to Mr Duker, and Mr O’Brien saw no return.

He claims he is owed about $700,000.

Mr Duker foreshadowed his bankruptcy to Mr O’Brien a year ago in a text message that also said, “Sorry for your loss.”

Mr O’Brien said the Dukers were living last year in a Brighton house, “paying huge rents, sending their kids to expensive private schools and both of them were driving brand new BMWs”.

Asked for comment on the bankruptcy, Lorilea Duker told The Sunday Age: “I really don’t have time at the moment and I’m really not interested.”

Mr Duker began his investment business in 2002 after he was inspired by disgraced property spruiker Henry Kaye. Bankruptcy means he can no longer be sued by creditors, but his trustee, Dennis Turner of accounting firm PKF, said he could investigate whether any money had been hidden away in recent years.”

From http://www.theage.com.au/national/bankrupt-former-pastor-may-owe-creditors-40m-20090207-80ge.html?page=-1

Brian Houston – so insincere and so bloody predictable

Warning – contains footage of Brian Houston

‘The forces of darkness [bus advertising] are in retreat.’

The Washington Post reports…

“Three Christian groups in Britain are putting ads on city buses proclaiming that there is a God, a reaction to a high-profile atheist campaign here that has spread around the globe.

From the United States and Canada to Italy, Spain and Australia, nonbelievers have been placing anti-religious ads on buses — usually seen promoting toothpaste, cellphones and other products — and stirring up national debates about God.

Thousands of people in Britain recently raised $200,000 to place an ad on 800 London buses that reads: “There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”

Now, just as that campaign has ended, the Christian Party is putting up its response: “There definitely is a God.” The Russian Orthodox Church’s bus ad reads: “There is a God. BELIEVE. Don’t worry and enjoy your life.” And in the next few days, the Trinitarian Bible Society will be posting a line from Psalm 53:1: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”

“Great idea!” said Stephen Green, national director of Christian Voice, a lobbying group. Expressing delight that the godless bus-borne messages are off the road, he said, “The forces of darkness are in retreat.”

More than three of four people in the world consider themselves religious, and those who say they belong to no faith are in the distinct minority. But in many of the world’s richer nations, particularly in Europe, an increasingly vocal nonreligious movement has gained ground.

Leaders of many humanist and other nonreligious groups say their numbers are growing in reaction to rising religious fanaticism and faith-inspired terrorism, including the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.

Perhaps because atheists had rarely advertised before, the ads on buses seen by millions sparked raging debates in many places.

“A lot of people are angry, a lot of people are happy” about the atheists’ ads, said Katie Kish, vice president of the Freethought Association of Canada, which promotes secular views. She said her group, which is coordinating an atheist campaign in Canada, will later this month have buses in Toronto, Halifax and Calgary bearing the same message as the London ones: There is probably no God, so people should stop worrying and enjoy life.

In Italy, where the Catholic Church is strong, some proposed atheist bus ads have been rejected, but this one has just been approved to run this month in Genoa: “The good news is there are millions of atheists in Italy; the excellent news is they believe in freedom of expression.”

In Britain, the Rev. George Hargreaves, leader of the Christian Party, said he was annoyed that buses running past his London office bore the atheists’ creed. So his minor political party bought advertising assuring people of God’s existence. Those ads also seek to raise money by encouraging people, for a $2 fee, to text “Amen.”

David Long, a spokesman for the Trinitarian Bible Society, which publishes Bibles, said the atheist ads got “people talking about God.” That “probably was not their intention,” he said, “but we felt that it was amusing.”

Fred Edwords, spokesman for the American Humanist Association, said that “nobody is going to be converted because of a sign on a bus.” But he said the ads his group put on Washington buses in November and December — “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake” — let people who don’t believe in God know they are not the only ones.

Edwords said a new bus campaign, due to start in New Orleans in time for Mardi Gras, will feature this ad: “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.”

Hanne Stinson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, said the new religious ads proclaiming God are “really quite a compliment” and mean “our ads had an impact.”

From http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/05/AR2009020503150.html

Tower of power

The Southern Star reports…

“Clergy have come under fire after pushing for a 13.6 metre Telstra tower to be built on church land.

St John’s Anglican Church at Wishart was also forced to defend a deal with the telco which gives church powerbrokers cheap mobile phone deals, including 64 per cent off line rental, up to 55 per cent off national long-distance calls and up to 26 per cent off calls to mobiles.

The Anglican Church of Australia insists the two are not linked, and the telco backs that stance.
But residents say the church has sold out to big business.

The Brisbane City Council is considering a development application for the tower which would join existing Optus, Vodafone, and Hutchison 3GIS mobile phone transmitters attached to the church building.

Each of the telcos pays a fee to the church in return for the space they require to erect the transmitters.

Nearby resident Sima Onofrei, 27, said: “I really feel sorry for Anglicans when they find out about this. It’s (the church) not supposed to be entering into these business arrangements.’’
“I use my mobile phone but I think the phone company should research better ways to deliver these services. Like don’t put them in residential areas or near schools.’’
She said the tower would decrease the value of surrounding homes.

Anglican Church of Australia general manager Peter Read said the infrastructure deal, initiated by Telstra two years ago, was ethical and earned the St John’s parish “some revenue’’, but he was unable to disclose an exact figure.

He denied the Telstra Anglican Plan was in any way linked to the deal allowing the telco’s phone towers to be built on church property.

“The Church, like every other organisation, does have separate commercial arrangements with various phone carriers but these are totally unrelated to mobile phone towers,’’ he said.

“We are always conscious of the impact of what we do in the community. We have been assured that there is no proven adverse health effects of such infrastructure.’’

He said St John’s “geographic location’’ was favourable for Telstra’s tower, adding that the telco was already planning to put it “just outside our boundary anyway so one way or another there would be a tower there’’.

A Telstra spokeswoman said the Telstra Anglican Plan was supplied through buying group Church Resources which negotiated discount services for churches and other non-profit groups, and was in no way related to the infrasturcture deal.

She said Telstra commonly negotiated deals with businesses, government organisations, and “churches of all denominations’’ for the placement of network infrastructure on their buildings.
“Telstra appreciates the assistance of the Anglican Church in the deployment of competitive mobile telecommunications which will advance the economic development of the local community and ensure the availability of a range of services, including emergency services,’’ she said.”

From http://southern-star.whereilive.com.au/news/story/heavens-cents/

Love your neighbour as you love yourself. Ummm….except if your neighbour is Muslim

The Gold Coast Bulletin reports…

“Devout Christian city councillor Peter Young has refused to support a proposed Islamic school at Carrara because he is ‘frightened’ about the impact it will have on the Gold Coast.

The city’s God-fearing powerbroker will vote against the application to build a primary school for 60 Muslim children because it is next to the Dream Centre church.

Cr Young yesterday attacked a lack of social planning for the application and also expressed concern about a shortage of car parking and toilet facilities.

He questioned the use of the school grounds for ‘religious events’ and the proximity to the neighbouring church, which has publicly opposed the Islamic school.

“If what happens overseas happens here, then that is scary,” said Cr Young.

“There are a number of issues that have caused great despair and concern in the community.

“I have an obligation under the law to follow the Local Government Act but I have an overriding responsibility to the people of this city.”

Cr Young said he supported a ‘tolerant and accepting society’ but has refused to accept that an Islamic school should be built on the Coast.

The Australian International Islamic College has told council planners it wants to build a bigger school when it finds a suitable site.

“When you look at the experiences around the world and the change it registers, it frightens me and frightens all of us,” he said.

When you look at the land use it is seemingly incompatible. The social issues have not been addressed. There is the Croatian club and a church next door.

“I’m not entirely confident that we’ve covered this proposal properly so as to give people confidence.”

Cr Young said he was concerned that there were only six car spaces available for staff and no car parks for parents or visitors.

Three additional car parks will be requested by the council as part of the application approval, which is expected to be adopted next week.

Cr Young also questioned the merits of two toilets for 60 students and a lack of disability services.

Other issues raised at yesterday’s planning meeting focused on traffic issues in Chisholm Road, which has been congested since the upgrade of the nearby Carrara Health Centre.

Surfers Paradise councillor Susie Douglas said she was concerned by the lack of toilets and car spaces but would support the school.

“I worked at a Muslim school and found the children to be like every other child. They learned the same curriculum and were broadminded with Western principles,” said Cr Douglas.

Carrara councillor Bob La Castra said he was disappointed that Cr Young had ’stirred the pot’.

Police were present yesterday in case of a protest, but there was none. However, hundreds of protesters are tipped to attend next Monday’s council meeting, where the application will be debated. More than 1800 people have signed a petition opposing the Islamic school.

“I think it is the wrong message to send out at this stage,” said Cr La Castra.

“To say that it is frightening to have a Muslim school on the Gold Coast is unbelievable. These are the types of comments we don’t need.”

Cr La Castra said last night he would make another effort to organise a meeting between the church and trustees of the Muslim school.

Dream Centre founding pastor Rodney Gilchrist said he would like to meet with Australian International Islamic College chairman Imam Abdul Quddoos Al Azhari and trustee member Keysar Trad.

“I think that there are plenty of people who feel the same way that Peter Young does,” said Mr Gilchrist.

“But we’re happy to meet with anybody and work with anybody no matter what the outcome. The other side says that they’ve approached us. That has not happened formally. We would like to sit down face to face.”

The proposed primary school at 19 Chisholm Road includes three classrooms and six staff.”

From http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2009/02/04/45515_gold-coast-top-story.html

Haggard ground zero

The house that was built on crystal

The Christian Post reports…

“Once one of the nation’s most popular televangelists, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller is watching his life’s work crumble.

His son and recent successor, the Rev. Robert A. Schuller, has abruptly resigned as senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. The shimmering, glass-walled megachurch is home to the “Hour of Power” broadcast, an evangelism staple that’s been on the air for more than three decades.

The church is in financial turmoil: It plans to sell more than $65 million worth of its Orange County property to pay off debt. Revenue dropped by nearly $5 million last year, according to a recent letter from the elder Schuller to elite donors. In the letter, Schuller Sr. implored the Eagle’s Club members — who supply 30 percent of the church’s revenue — for donations and hinted that the show might go off the air without their support.

“The final months of 2008 were devastating for our ministry,” the 82-year-old pastor wrote.

The Crystal Cathedral blames the recession for its woes. But it’s clear that the elder Schuller’s carefully orchestrated leadership transition, planned over a decade, has stumbled badly.

It’s a problem common to personality driven ministries. Most have collapsed or been greatly diminished after their founders left the pulpit or died.

Members often tie their donations to the pastor, not the institution, said Nancy Ammerman, a sociologist of religion at Boston University. Schuller, with a style that blends pop psychology and theology, has a particularly devoted following, she said.

“Viewers are probably much less likely to give when it’s not their preacher they’re giving to,” she said. “There’s something about these televised programs where people develop a certain loyalty.”

Today’s increasingly fragmented media landscape is also to blame, said Quentin Schultze, a Calvin College professor who specializes in Christian media.

Church-based televangelism led by powerful personalities filled TV in the 1980s, but now only a handful of shows remain, he said. Among the struggling ministries are those of Oral Roberts and the late D. James Kennedy of “The Coral Ridge Hour” TV show.

“I don’t see a scenario for maintaining a TV-based megachurch anymore. The days of doing that in the models of Schuller and Jimmy Swaggart and Oral Roberts are over,” Schultze said. “It’s amazing to me that the ‘Hour of Power’ was able to keep going as long as it did.”

Through a spokesman, Schuller Sr., his family members and other cathedral officials declined to comment. The younger Schuller, 54, did not respond to an e-mail requesting an interview.

The elder Schuller, who called his weekly show “America’s Television Church,” founded his ministry in a drive-in theater after moving to Southern California in 1955.

He studied marketing strategies to attract worshippers and preached a feel-good Christianity, describing himself as a “possibility thinker” and spinning his upbeat style into a 10,000-member church and a broadcast watched by millions worldwide.

The church’s main sanctuary, the Crystal Cathedral, is a landmark designed by renowned architect Philip Johnson, with a spire visible from afar amid Orange County’s suburban sprawl. Thousands make the pilgrimage to see where the broadcast is filmed before a live congregation.

The Schullers consider the church a family business and the younger Schuller’s 2006 appointment was sanctioned by the Crystal Cathedral’s parent denomination, the Reformed Church in America.

But the church announced on Nov. 29 that Schuller Jr. had resigned as senior pastor, just a month after he was removed from the church’s syndicated broadcasts. In a news release, Schuller Sr. said: “Robert and I have been struggling as we each have different ideas as to the direction and the vision for this ministry.”

The church has since instituted a rotating roster of high-profile guest preachers, including Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church, the Chicago-area megachurch, and evangelist Luis Palau.

Schuller Sr.’s daughters and sons-in-law remain involved in the church, some in key roles. But Juan Carlos Ortiz, the interim senior pastor, hopes to appoint a senior pastor with no ties to the Schuller family within two years.

On the church Web site, concerned members and TV fans have posted hundreds of comments protesting the upheaval, with some indicating they have stopped giving or will leave altogether.

Several angry viewers have launched petitions to get the younger Schuller back.

Melody Mook, a 58-year-old medical transcriptionist from El Paso, Texas, said she stopped her $25 monthly donation and is looking elsewhere for her spiritual needs. She said she dislikes the guest pastors.

“I feel hurt and confused and I’m not sure that I want to sit and watch when I know there’s problems beneath the surface,” she said. “You feel like you’re in somebody else’s church every Sunday.”

Others said they felt betrayed that the Schullers couldn’t put God before their family spat.

“They have not been forthcoming at all,” said John Dewart, an insurance agent from New Jersey who’s watched for 30 years. “Why can’t a father and son work together for the glory of God? That’s my big question.”

From http://christianpost.com/church/Megachurches/2009/02/televangelism-empire-hit-hard-by-recession-family-split-01/pageall.html