Several years ago I was asked to teach at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention on the topic of Christian television programming.  I asked the attendees which one of them did NOT show yet another church preaching show.  None of them raised their hands.

I asked them to raise their hands if they honestly thought their local TV program was on par with not only churches like Charles Stanley’s, Greg Laurie’s but how they brought something unique and different to their market.  Again, no hands were raised.

I then asked what would happen if they spent their TV airtime on creating a show that looked like a “Dateline meets Oprah”, where investigative reporting on community issues could then be addressed in an Oprah-style the-church-did-this-to-help-these-people kind of show.  All I got were blank stares.  Of course, this was well before “reality shows” were on TV.

My point then is your point now:  what can the local church do to make community-wide impact that puts our words into tangible action?  You’re on-target, Todd.  The church needs to stop thinking “me-too-istic” and get ahead of the curve in leading where we ought to be leading.

Great post!

Thanks, Ricky…

You know… (and you might think it funny that I would say this)… there does have to be some balance here.

I have no problem with facilities as long as they aren’t outlandish.  But buildings don’t excite me.

Making a difference in people’s lives does.

Will the 20 million reach people?  Buildings are just a tool… and yeah… probably the building will help facilitate the making and growing of disciples over the year.  But the cost per will be huge and amortized over the next 50 years. 

There are ways that we can impact our community in greater ways, for much less in many cases.

But I don’t know… maybe that same church is doing things like this… I have no idea.

So, rather than looking at the negatives, I’d just like to encourage people to look for ways they can help in ways like this.  We shouldn’t be giving up this area to the likes of ABC or NBC. 

Just my opinion.

Todd

Quote:

“So, rather than looking at the negatives, I’d just like to encourage people to look for ways they can help in ways like this. We shouldn’t be giving up this area to the likes of ABC or NBC.”

Todd, one can’t help but look at the negatives when billions are spent each year by “churches” on their facilities instead of directly helping people.

How refreshing it would be for an organization to fully divest itself on behalf of others.  Do you think that that would catch the attention of others for the sake of Christ?

I do.  Jesus fully “divested” Himself when He died on the cross for us and people are still speaking about that ONE event two thousand years later.

Shouldn’t we be willing to do the same?

Why is ABC and NBC doing the work of the church?

Well, I really don’t think they are.  For every “one” family they help during the week, the church helps thousands.  Men and women, boys and girls meet on weekends, spend their vacations going on mission’s trips, donate their money, give their clothes, have bake sales, sponsor less fortunate children etc, etc…

I recall many a mission trip I spent helping “no named” people turn their lives around, while handing out “cups of water.” Did I do it in the spotlight of TV cameras? No, but most of what the church does is not in the light of TV cameras yet it doesn’t escape the eye of our Heavenly Father. 

And yet with all the work we do as a church to help the comfort and real physical needs of people, the primary “work” of the church is making disciples, something ABC isn’t doing nor do we actually wanting them spreading their “view” of Salvation.

The bottom line, yes many churches spend too much on facilities, yet those “facilities” are gathering places for the church to worship God; however, churches also spend a vast amount on helping those around them.  The point isn’t what the “collective” church is doing to help the poor, what are “YOU” doing personally.  In the end we will only by judged by how we handled our sphere of responsibility not by the deeds of others.

Blessings,
Pastor Al

OH… hey… let me clarify…

I’m not saying the church is doing nothing.

The church is wonderful; and SO MUCH is done every day by churches (LARGE and SMALL).

But, overall, you have to admit that most of us and our churches do a pretty poor job at fulfilling that James passage.

And many times that help that we give; and the compassion we show is actually for people inside the church.  Good thing… but not necessarily what James is talking about here.

We’ve made numerous meals over the past year for people in our small group.  We’ve visited, prayed, helped financially (anonymously) to help meet needs; watched kids, etc.

But I’ve not helped make or provide a meal for a person outside my church.

I’m just saying that I (and, I suspect most of us and our churches) have much area to grow here.

Todd

Hi All,

Great topic and challenge!

I really enjoy Extreme Makeover Home Edition.  Yes, they are doing great things for deserving people.  However, I think an important point may be missed here. 

The network is a contributor bringing “star power” to the project.  I think their biggest role is that of project facilitator. 

Much of the work appears to be done by the individual and business community of the family they are helping. 

I’m sure some of those involved do so for the PR opportunity.  I pray the vast majority of the people want to be part of making a difference; that everyone involved is changed for the better.  I can only assume that some of those may be “churched” people.

The possibility of doing something similar (a smaller scale, on a consistent schedule) rather than a one time extreme project is very doable.  If THE church (not MY church, YOUR church, THEIR church) would come together, I truly believe WE could have a similar effect on the needy in our midst.

We need unity in the community and it needs to start with the church.  Let’s bring our “loaves and fishes” and experience the miraculous.

Ricky,
I can’t believe it I agree with you as well?!?!?  Churches spend too much on their building and not enough doing God’s work.  Did you see Lake wood Church’s building it looked like a football statdium.  Come one, that is wrong.  I can’t imagine how much money they spent on that building. 
I do not think Churches are doing their job in meeting the actual physical needs of people.  Some are churches are, but as a whole we are not doing enough. 
God help us!

Beggers said: “Much of the work appears to be done by the individual and business community of the family they are helping.”

This is a great point.  I don’t want to bash ABC for the show, in fact, we watch it as a family because it is a good message.  But my brother in law was actually a crew member in one of their early shows and he worked nearly 24 hours a day for an entire week, while the “stars” came in when they wanted.  Ok, sounds petty I know, but one has to remember… it is a TV show and not all that you see is completely reality. If you know what I mean.

Last point, it does get the community to rally around a good cause, and that can’t be all that bad!

Blessings,
Pastor Al

The real point here is that the BOOK OF JAMES is still in the New Testament....

but alot of us would rather fight, fume, and fuss over theology that we barely understand than to actually LIVE OUT theology that we have no problem understanding.

But we often have a problem obeying it.

Case in point:

Our Men’s Ministry had a recent “clean up day” for a neighborhood where we are currently worshipping on Sunday Mornings.  Out of more than 100 men in our local congregation, we had FOUR show up that Saturday morning. 

Pretty sad, huh?

Can’t disagree with you, but I would like to point out a few things I’ve noticed on Extreme Home Makeover. One is that Ty and other cast members have occasionally made references to grace and to being a blessing to people, and other references that indicate to me that they may be believers and view what they are doing in that light.

Also, I have noticed that when recipients of the new house/cash/help on Extreme Home Makeover credit prayer, their faith in God, or Jesus explicitly for the blessings they have received, ABC doesn’t edit it out and leave it on the cutting room floor - they show it to the American people.

Sure, those people thank Ty and his crew and the builder for their work and help and gifts, but they sometimes thank God publicly on air too, and that’s a good thing.

And, finally, the show inspires me and may inspire others to also “go out and do likewise,” which is a good thing.

Quote:

“You cannot give what you don’t have.”

Ah, but you don’t have because you spend money on other, less important things.

The budget of my old fellowship in Louisiana routinely shows that approximately 75% of its budget was for salaries, benefits and facility cost.  Of the remaining 25%, nearly 80% of it is spent on television/radio costs.

My point is that the same budget ratio applies to the vast majority of “churches,” meaning that because of the beast called “facility,” a relatively small percentage actually reaches people in need.

Sure, we can say, “Well, at least they hear the gospel,” but that doesn’t go very far when you’re looking across an empty table at hungry children.

If only “churches” had the nads to reverse that budget ratio.  How much more impact would they make in their respective communities?

Plenty.

For example, this is from World Magazine (Copyright © 2005 WORLD Magazine; October 22, 2005, Vol. 20, No. 41)

“Where is the money going? For buildings? Not really, since churches spent proportionally more for new buildings in 1965 ($29 per capita) than in 2003 ($27).

But the sprawling church ‘campuses’ that have become the norm today are expensive to operate.

Congregations today typically run an abundance of internal programs. The number of staff members and the amount of salaries have risen. All of this is for the good, but, as the authors of the report conclude, ‘the numbers demonstrate an increased emphasis on internal operations over the broader mission of the church.’”

And, by the way Jade, the cost of renovating Joel Osteen’s monument was 95 MILLION. 

Ninety-five MILLION on a building that he doesn’t even own.

God, help us.

Nice post.

Ricky, I noticed you parsed Todd’s words once again only to pick out what best suits your arguement, choosing to throw the rest out. At least three times Todd said, “It is about BALANCE.” A shame you missed it each time.

Which is better, Ricky: Giving $1000 to feed the poor ("directly helping people"), or giving only $500 to the poor and spending the other $500 to record the experience, using it to inspire and motivate 100 others to give just $20 each?

In fact, maybe $95M for Lakewood’s facilities isn’t all that much if you consider that it houses nearly 30,000 people in worship each week. That means approximately 1.5 million people will walk through those doors and EXPERIENCE A LIVING GOD this year alone. So if they remain in that buliding for just 10 years, that averages to about $6 per person, no? Imagine the “direct” giving/helping potential from those 15 million people over that 10 year period ... much higher than $6 each, I would assume.

It is about balance. It’s not always black & white. PLEASE don’t constantly act like each of Todd’s posts are.