What Would You Do with $130 Million? Let's Build a Church!

What Would You Do with $130 Million? Let’s Build a Church!

Posted on November 05, 2009
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That's the plan at First Baptist Church of Dallas... build a $130 million church complex in the Downtown Dallas arts district.

According to the Associated Baptist Press, First Baptist Church in Dallas has launched what leaders say will be the largest church-building campaign in modern history -- a $130 million project that includes the congregation's first entirely new sanctuary since the 1890s.

Once considered the largest church in the Southern Baptist Convention, First Baptist Church has declined from 25,000 members under its legendary pastor of 50 years, W.A. Criswell, to about 11,000 today.

Under leadership of Robert Jeffress, who took over as pastor in 2007, leaders say the church is growing again, but present facilities are inadequate for innovative ministries needed to reach today's generation.

The plans for the church campus include a high-tech, 3,000-seat worship center, which will double the church's current worship capacity. There will also be an education center and 500-space parking garage.

Several of seven major buildings currently in the church's sprawling complex on six city blocks will be demolished to make way for construction. The current historic sanctuary will remain, with a steeple restored to its original height. It will continue to be used for weddings, funerals and special events.

New landmark features include a towering stone waterfall topped with a luminescent cross. A shallow pool surrounded by green space will provide both a common area for downtown residents and guests and a place for open-air baptism services.

"We're creating what I like to call a spiritual oasis in the middle of downtown Dallas," Jeffress said Oct. 3 on Dallas radio station KBCI. "It is going to be the most beautiful facility in downtown Dallas."

What do you think? A great plan or a total waste of money? $130 million well spent or wasted?

Comments

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Tom on Thu, November 05, 2009

WOW! We built a facility back in the mid 90’s for $14 million, and that is a 5,000 seat facility. Seriously? $130 million? I can see maybe $30-40 million. I must revert to the earlier comments of being a good steward of what you’ve been given. Does this fall under that principle? Seriously?
Trey on Thu, November 05, 2009

FBC Dallas needs to stop this project immediately as it is a tremendous waste of money and will just be another monument to man. The church needs to take its cues from another Metroplex (and SBC) “mega-church”, The Village… This is a church that is bursting at the seams because they only offer the unfiltered Gospel instead of seeking to tickle ears and senses. Instead of spending tens of millions of dollars to build a bigger campus The Village is retro-fitting a former Albertson’s for a fraction of the price. FBC Dallas really should be ashamed as all it is doing is building bigger barns (Luke 12).
Pastor Matt on Thu, November 05, 2009

So should we build a church with the power of God or the power of mammon? I wonder…
Steve on Thu, November 05, 2009

Though I initially cringed when I read this as I began to mull it over the question came to mind, “so how big is too big?” Is it okay to build $100million facility? $50 million facility? $10million?

I’m sure there are some pastors in 50 year old facilities who shutter to imagine a church going into debt for $500k.

Bringing a little closer to home….is it okay for Christians to drive BMWs? Why or why not? If not, is it okay for them to drive Escalades? What about a nice Toyota?

All i know is my dad would roll over in his grave if he knew I spent $4 on a coffee yesterday
CS on Thu, November 05, 2009

Kevin Bourne:

“It�s so interesting how people are so quick to be critical. How can you judge another man�s vision?”

Just because a man or a church has a, “vision,” does not mean that it is exempt from biblical scrutiny. For example, Todd Bentley had lots of, “vision,” but we’ve seen what happened in his ministry.

“If a man wants to build a $130 million church that�s between him and God.”

I would think that it would also be between the oversight of the people who will contribute the $130 million (or let that church go into that much debt via a mortgage), too.

“I believe this kind of facility will testify of the dominion and goodness of God.”

Or it could be another tragedy in the works like those assets TBN and PTL Ministries once possessed and Church Without Walls encountered more recently.

“Fourthly, It�s interesting that at one point in history the hospitals, universities, and other major institutions, were built and run by the Church (i.e. Catholic and Anglican chuches, as well other denominations) because they were a major provider of services in our cities. Now we have a problem with churches building large facilities.”

Apples and oranges. Different properties and facilities for different purposes. Those help treat and educate millions of people. This will have 3000 seats in the main area.

—
CS
DavidMeys on Thu, November 05, 2009

God is made happy when we look more like His son Jesus, not when we build bigger buildings.
Ditch the plans to build and dig some water wells in Africa, help some orphans read better and invest in something to stop trafficing sex slaves.
Jesse Phillips on Thu, November 05, 2009

I disagree w/ all the guys that are saying “how can you judge someone else”, “how can you judge someone’s vision” - that is not a valid argument, in my opinion.

If they were bringing strippers on stage to get more people to come, would it be appropriate to condemn that? How about if their strategy was to NEVER build a building & never have paid staff - I bet the same people that defend FBC Dallas would harshly criticize the “never build no matter what” people.

Now, I agree, this is somewhat gray area - so perhaps judgment should be reserved. I don’t take issue w/ $130M building as much w/ the whole building idea in the first place - I think this $130M building brings the issue into sharper contrast. Exactly right, if $50M, why not $130? Where’s the line.

It’s not about buildings, or the size of your crowd, it’s about whether the people in the pews are becoming more like Christ, are loving God and others (as scripture directs), whether outsiders are being loved using resources of The Church.

I think generally, in those huge buildings you end-up w/ very anonymous congregants that don’t love each other, don’t confess sin to one another, don’t have the relationships they need to be strong disciples of Christ. Or if they do, they get it outside of that big building. furthermore, you end-up spending very little (10% or so of the budget) to help/love outsiders.

A building is not especially honoring to God. I think that argument is false as well. God said his temple is built of living stones, the members of his Church. God lives in each of us, He’s with us where we go. The early church had no building to call home. They met in natural meeting places, homes and such. Because of these personal meeting spaces, they were more intimate, and facilitated intimate relationships - the kind that The Church is built on. The kind that mature Christianity is built on - accountability, mentorship, discipleship.

the Church does not grow from hearing a “Ra-Ra” pep talk once a week. We grow from digging-in to God, praying, reading, discussing with others, using our gifts (as we’re commanded in scripture) to build each other up. Almost none of this happens in that silly building.

I think the problem is we don’t read the bible anymore or even care about it. We just want “butts in seats.”

And to the person who compared it to the hospitals & orphanages of ages ago - that is a very dishonest comparison. It’s not a flippin hospital, or any kind of service oriented thing. It’s a selfish, hardly ever used concert & conference venue. If it was a hospital or something, that would be a totally different story. I mean, where is your logic, for you to even say that or believe that makes me furious, it makes absolutely no sense.
Joshua on Thu, November 05, 2009

Millions of orphans and widows are dying as we speak. This money could save MANY lives, provide water where there is none, etc.

Instead of following that commandment, we have made our own: “be relevant” ... no matter how much, or how many lives it costs.
Kevin Bourne on Thu, November 05, 2009

This just proves my point. Feeding the poor, helping orphans, and freeing sex slaves is what YOU would do with $130 million. That may be your calling or your vision. Yes, we’re all called to do that to a certain extent, but the reason someone would spend that kind of money is because they have a vision. Just because you would go to Africa and provide social services doesn’t mean everybody should do that if they had that kind of money. God has given us all different ministries, passions and issues we’re supposed to address. Why judge another man’s ministry through the lens of what you would do with $130 million?

Again, that’s exactly what Judas did to Mary. Why use such expensive ointment to anoint Jesus when she could’ve sold it and given it to the poor? Jesus wasn’t bothered.
CS on Thu, November 05, 2009

Kevin Bourne:

“Yes, we�re all called to do that to a certain extent, but the reason someone would spend that kind of money is because they have a vision.”

Again with, “vision.” How do we know if this vision truly came from God and not from somewhere else? Just because someone may claim to have a vision does not automatically bless what they are doing.

“Again, that�s exactly what Judas did to Mary. Why use such expensive ointment to anoint Jesus when she could�ve sold it and given it to the poor? Jesus wasn�t bothered.”

This doesn’t apply directly due to two things. First, Judas’ intentions wasn’t to give to the poor but to keep it for himself because he was a thief. That isn’t the case with this building project. Second, that was done to anoint the Son of God, which is different than a real estate transaction.

We can and should be looking at what we are doing both individually and corporately as a Church with our funds. And clearly there is something wrong with this project.

—
CS
Kevin Bourne on Thu, November 05, 2009

Okay Jesse, don’t get steamed. I agree with you that the focus should be on people becoming more and more like Christ. That should be the focus of any church.

Secondly, look at the context in which I was saying not to judge another man’s ministry. “...I don’t know if anyone commenting on this blog actually knows this pastor personally to know what his motivations are. Do you know his motivations? Do you know his heart? People are judging his works and not his heart.” If you look at the context, I’m talking about making uninformed judgments about a man’s vision without knowing his heart. If you don’t know what a person’s motivations are you have no business judging what he’s doing. On the other side of the coin, if you DO for a FACT know that the leader’s motivation’s are incorrect THEN and only THEN are you in a place to come to a judgement. What you are saying about bringing strippers on stage makes absolutely no sense. Obviously if the pastor were to do that it would be incorrect. THEN you could come to a judgment because you have first hand knowledge that his motivations aren’t sound.

“And to the person who compared it to the hospitals & orphanages of ages ago - that is a very dishonest comparison. It�s not a flippin hospital, or any kind of service oriented thing. It�s a selfish, hardly ever used concert & conference venue.”

This goes to prove my point about people making uninformed judgments. Have you looked at the plans to see what they intend to build? If not, you’ve already deamed them “selfish”.

All I’m saying is that before you judge something or someone make sure you are completely informed. That’s what the legal system teaching us about judging matters. Have all the facts before coming to a judgement, understand motives, and people are innocent until proven guilty. Until I have all the facts I won’t say they’re wrong.
Steve Davis on Thu, November 05, 2009

This sounds a little like “What Would Jesus Drive.” I don’t know whether it would be a Prius or a Cavalier or a Volvo. But I’m reasonably certain it wouldn’t be a Lamborghini. And $130M would buy quite a few Lamborghinis. (How many struggling church plants could get into facilities if FBC spent half on their own facility and distributed half to new works?)
Stephen Wright on Thu, November 05, 2009

Congratulations to FBC Dallas! I applaud their faith. I think it is great that they want to invest in upgraded buildings, especially since they are growing again. In the Gospels, the people who complained about spending money were Judas and the Pharisees. It was Judas who complained that money would be better spent on the poor—not a good role model for us to follow!
Dave on Thu, November 05, 2009

There’s a reason Church (not jewish temple or synagogues) buildings aren’t found in the New Testament and aren’t typical in history until about the 4th century (Constantine). At the end of all time, we will not be given rewards for investing in things but rather in the lives of people.

When will the Church learn to stop building OUR kingdom and begin to build HIS kingdom? Are we really that spiritually arrogant to think that God is pleased with HIS money being spent that way when He complains about these type of structures all through the New Testament. When are we going to begin to do the things that God specifically said for us to do (Isaiah 1; Micah 6:8; Hosea 6:6; Matt. 9:13; 12:7; James 1:27; 1 John 4:7-21) and quit doing the things that make us look good (even with well-meaning intentions).

By the way for all of you who don’t necessarily agree with this, Paul tells us that we must hold each other accountable in the Church. We encourage one another in love to follow the way of truth. If we can’t do that within the context of the family of Christ, then where can we do it?

Love out Loud!!!
Leonard on Thu, November 05, 2009

Dave, there is a practical reason, prior to the edict by Constantine, the church was a giant target had it met in a building every week. After, it was free to do so without fear of reprisal.