The $3.65 MillionParsonage: “God Has Blessed Us”
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, April 02, 2007
- Viewed 87
- (35) comments so far
“I also have faith in God, but I don’t expect to live in such opulence,” said Evgenia Asimakis, a single mother of two who lives nearby and has trouble paying her property taxes.
Her neighbor, Gary Wall, is blunter: “You don’t need a multimillion-dollar place to see God. He’ll take a lot less.”
Detroit World Outreach Church isn’t apologizing. In fact, members say the mansion is proof God has blessed them.
The 4,000-member church is part of a growing movement that preaches prosperity. Also known as “health and wealth” theology, the ideology preaches that God wants followers to do well, be healthy and have rewards—such as the $50,000 Cadillac Escalade the church bought the Giberts, who have four children.
Ben Gibert said God surrounds the faithful with beautiful things.
One of the leaders of his church agrees. “God’s empowerment is to make you have an abundant life,” said Elder Marvin Wilder, a lawyer and general counsel for the church.
“In this country we value rock stars, movie stars and athletes. They can have a lavish lifestyle, and a pastor who restores lives that were broken shouldn’t? When our value system elevates a man who can put a ball in a hole and not a man who does God’s work, something is wrong.”
Born in the 1950s, prosperity theology has a strong following among some fundamentalist and nondenominational churches. It’s gained popularity among mega-church ministries of such well-known national pastors as Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes and Pat Robertson.
Even so, most Christian denominations disparage the belief as consumerism run amok, said David G. Myers, professor of psychology at Hope College in Holland who has written about the movement.
“Are people really any happier for that sort of self-indulgent spending? The answer is clearly no,” Myers said.
Wilder said the four-bedroom mansion “isn’t flamboyant” and is compensation for Ben Gibert leaving his job as a high-paying automotive executive with DaimlerChrysler’s minivan division after the sudden death in 2005 of church founder Bishop Jack Cameron Wallace.
Wallace dropped dead in Zimbabwe doing what Wilder said was the church’s work. Wallace, 47, was an accomplished weight lifter and co-founder of Prosperity Nutrition Inc., which sold performance enhancement supplements, such as creatine, online.
Wilder said Gibert saved the church whose membership, once at 10,000, had fallen by more than half. Its services still are carried on a host of television channels throughout the Midwest.
“We know that it will cost the township some tax revenue, but every church in the state gets property tax exemption,” Wilder said. “Having a parsonage is a historical precedent. Ours happens to be worth $3.6 million.”
The mansion sits on 12 acres and behind a quarter-mile-long driveway and a tall, electronically controlled gate. That’s necessary because the church has spoken out against homosexuality and Islamic violence, Wilder said. Wallace once had a live bullet delivered in the offering plate, Wilder said.
For Discussion: Is a $4 million dollar parsonage ever justified? If so, when? Do we make too big of a deal about the money? How much is too much?
A Redford Township church that believes wealth is God's reward is raising eyebrows for buying its pastor a $3.65 million mansion and taking it off the tax rolls. This month, township officials grudgingly conceded they had no choice but to remove the 11,000-square-foot home overlooking Maybury State Park from its assessment rolls, losing $40,000 annually in taxes. They concluded the plush pad is a parsonage, but that hasn't quelled debate among township officials and neighbors about whether Christian charity extends to the Detroit World Outreach Church's purchase in September of the home for Pastor Ben Gibert and his wife and co-pastor, Charisse Gibert.
Comments
if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.
Phil DiLernia on Wed, September 24, 2008
Just a little Bible correction for GR GUY (please don’t take this as an act of agression but only seeking to set the biblical record straight)
The KJV translation of 1 Th 5:22 “Abstain from all appearances of evil” is much more accurately interpreted by the NIV “ Avoid every kind of evil.”
The Greek term for “appearances” or “kind” is ‘eidos’ which literally means;
1) the external or outward appearance, form, shape
2) form, kind
This term is used 5 times in the New Testament and in each case, in both the KJV and the NIV, it is interpreted as a form, shape, or appearance that matches reality. Only in the KJV and only in this particular instance is it interpreted to mean an “appearance” or “shape” or “form” that does not match reality. When someone says “avoid all appearances” of evil they are saying that the appearance doesn’t match the reality. But in the Greek the word ‘eidos’ means an outward appearance, form, or shape that matches reality!
The Greek term ‘eido’ (where we get ‘eidos’ from) is sometimes interpreted as “mint” as when someone mints coinage. With that in mind let’s look at the surrounding context in this passage. Paul is telling us not to “put out the Spirit’s fire” (v19.) How do we put out the Spirit’s fire? We “treat prophecies with contempt” (v20.) Paul then tells us to “test everything and only hold on to the good” (v21.) In other words, in this play on words, hold on to the ‘genuine’ coinage. Then in verse 22 he is saying to “avoid” or “abstain” from all ‘counterfeit’ coinage! How does one know genuine from counterfeit coinage? They test it!
Last, the passage isn’t necessarily speaking about behavior but rather ‘false’, ‘counterfeit’, or ‘evil’ teachings!
Based on all of the above I believe the scripture interpretation of the NIV is more correct. We should avoid all ‘counterfeit’ or ‘evil’ teachings AND behaviors! Not the mere “appearance” of them. That is, in my opinion, a twisting of God’s intent.
The reason why, in my opinion, this incorrect interpretation of “appearances” in the sense that doesn’t match reality can cause great harm is this. It can be used as a hammer by someone to guilt someone to stop behaving in a way that ‘they’ don’t approve of but which behavior is not evil in God’s sight. If someone is to say “but isn’t it better to avoid EVEN the appearance of evil” we need look no further than Jesus; who never worried about how He (or anyone else for that matter) “appeared” to be but was always concerned about whether their ‘realities’ reflected God’s Kingdom or evil.
Marty Banks on Tue, December 16, 2008
I just moved here from Detroit and I attended Detroit World Outreach. First you all need to get your facts strait. Ben Gibert is a honest hard working man. He gave up a large part of his retirement package from the church in order to get the house and he preaches a very balanced message . The church its self helps many poor and homeless people in the Detroit area and is the biggest food giver in the state of Michigan! Pastor Ben has helped others buy homes and at Christmas many people have been helped by the church- from new furnaces to food, washers and dryers, stoves and toys, free medical checks and much more. The church got the house at a million dollars less than market value so in the long run money is being placed back into the church to help thousands of more people! Dwo is also bring people together from many different races and backgrounds! So please check your facts and remember that the media is coming from a carnal mindset!
Taylor Davis on Fri, January 02, 2009
I’m not agreeing or disagreeing with anyone. Pastor Ben and Dr. Charisse are my Pastors. I am a member of Detroit World Outreach. If I may cut in on the blabbering commnts, Pastor Ben was given the Church by Bishop Jack Wallace. Bishop Jack Wallace trusted him and was obedient to Gods word. Pastor Ben already made a phenomenal salary BEFORE he became Sr. Pastor at Detroit World Outreach. Now that he is Pastor he is following in Bishops foot steps and reaching out to people, which is his job. The people that have made these outrageous and yet unecessary comments are judging the actions of the members and the Pastors, and not their intesions. He didn’t know he was going to become Pastor and when he did he “intended “ to maintain a Church for ALL colors and maintain from a position of Peace Power Purpose and Prosperity. For being the obedient man of God that he is he was rewarded by his spiritual sons and daughters. I am almost Positive that none of you know Pastor Ben and Dr. Charisse and in result of you not knowing them I would expect your comments to be as dull as they are. Your are entitled to your opinions and there is nothing wrong with that, but you have NO right to judge him, their children, their money, their house, nor our church!! I think that it’s a shame that you all are grown and I am only thirteen years old, defending my Pastor because you want tovoice hatred towards him. There is nothing wrong with luxurious living or having a extravagant vehicle. My opinion is to come visit Detroit World Outreach and get to know him before you start to judge his actions and not his intesions.
jiajiacomment on Tue, February 10, 2009
yes pass4sure n10-003 640-863 350-018 642-845 642-892 sy0-101 220-601 70-290 70-270 350-001 |642-436 642-812 642-901 640-802 642-642 640-816 220-602 VCP-310 642-825 640-822 |642-524 70-649 642-453 642-446 640-553 642-552 MB7-517 70-236 642-973 642-523 |642-426 70-431 1z0-042 642-503 000-330 646-204 70-647 350-030 70-291 642-415 |640-460 000-974 HP0-J23 xk0-002 640-801 70-294 642-873 642-164 640-721 642-971
John on Tue, February 10, 2009
Jade said the most accurate thing in the fewest words. you guys are just outsiders looking in. only thing you guys know is what comes on your televisions and on Google. The Lord tell in in Proverbs 28:5 to not jump to conclusions- there may be a perfectly good explaination for what you just saw.
Page 3 of 3 pages < 1 2 3
Post a Comment