WalMart Evangelism and Deceptive Figures

So nine new folks joined during the recent pseudo-evangelism effort called "Committment Day." Please answer the following questions:

How many transferred membership from another church?

How many had already been attending there for several years?

How many lost people were actually reached for the Lord by the pastor, a staff person or member of FBC?

Give me the numbers. Let's see how many folks were actually led to the Lord as opposed to the people simply moving their membership from Bells or from another local church. (WALMART EVANGELISM)

What do the figures say? Can you answer that one? Is it enough to finance the new showcase on the highway?

NOW, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

How many new folks joined January 20th? How many folks came to the Lord and became a member of the fellowship on January 20th?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Thinking And Investigating Are Absolutely Out Of The Question

Consider the following quote. It is from a letter entitled
"The Comfort and Security of Knowing That You Are Right"
This post was a response to an article about Rev. Mike Huckaby whom I have known for well over 25 years. Here is the original letter:
http://letters.salon.com/opinion/conason/2008/01/18/huckabee/view/?show=ec

And here is the quote:

"Thus the sweet and calming appeal of faith based religion? It is a truly
astounding experience to be in a room with about 100 people and realize that
thinking and investigating are absolutely out of thequestion.

Questioning or challenging authority is unacceptable."

It is amazing how we believe anything we are fed. It is amazing how gullible most Christians are time and time again. It is amazing how quickly we accept the words of the leaders who present the plan as though they have a hotline to Heaven. It is amazing how we act as though we are unable to think for ourselves or investigate the truth ourselves.

It is even worse when those who accept the message deride their own Christian brothers and sisters who disagree, who have a different opinion. It is interesting how we attack the persons who have considered the facts and come to a different, yet completely viable conclusion.

It is bad when a church member is confronted with facts, and instead of responding with empathy regarding the issues, quickly attacks the messenger with words such as:

"QUIT STIRRING UP TROUBLE"

(His emphasis, not mine)

"trying to sway the opinion of others is simply wrong"

(...when he himself is unaware of his own being manipulated and his own manipulation of the facts)

"get on board or get off. Those are the two options you have."

As I said before, what an ARROGANT attitude from an alleged "spiritual" leader.

You can read the above quotes at:

http://fbcalamoforum.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html

When I mentioned the seemingly non-evangelical nature of First Baptist Church, I was originally reminded of the October 2006 "revival" in which:

"45 people were saved and several families joined our church. That tells me that
GOD IS WORKING IN OUR CHURCH!"

Notice that the average Sunday attendance did not increase by 45 people, or even five people. What happened to those "45 people" who were saved? Where are those "several families" who joined First Baptist Church? Show us the numbers!

Recently, there was one other evangelical push resulting in 9 to 12 additions and thefts from other church rolls. Where are they now?

Eighteen months ago FBC Alamo ran around 170 in Sunday School weekly. Since then, according to a church staff member and recent reports, around 55 people "and several families joined our church."

Where are they now? Check the average Sunday School attendance next week and compare it to eighteen months ago, before those "45 people" were saved, before those "several families joined our church" and before the 9 to 12 were added last week. Check the average Sunday School attendance for the month of February and find those "several families." Where are the parents? Where are their kids?

"It is a truly astounding experience to be in a room with about 100 people and realize that thinking and investigating are absolutely out of thequestion.
Questioning or challenging authority is unacceptable."

Some of you have attacked me. Few of you have investigated what I have posted here. Check the numbers for yourself! Look at the results.

True Biblical evangelism is a lifestyle. True Biblical evangelism is NOT a Spring or Fall revival. True Biblical evangelism is not an emotionally charged tent meeting. Biblical evangelism is a DAILY necessity if there is going to be TRUE spiritual reproduction, not simply an emotionally-driven cheerleading session.

Check the numbers and get back with me. Better yet, check the numbers and ask the folks in charge "Where are those people?"

Attacking the Messenger, Ignoring the Message

Constructive Criticism or mindless attacks?

You have heard the phrase, "Attacking the messenger, ignoring the message?"

What often happens when someone offers an opinion or reveals an ignored truth? Usually two things:
1) The messenger is attacked, put-down, criticized or slandered.
2) The message is ignored, belittled, minimized or downplayed.

And so it is with this blog. I have been called a liar. Yet to this point, not a single person has shown me any lies in what I wrote. I have been called contentious, mean, angry, spreading rumors and called a troublemaker. It is interesting that the persons who said those things NEVER actually responded to ANY of the points made in this blog, they only attacked me personally instead.

Don't attack me. Respond to the points made in each post. Don't attack the messenger, respond to the message, deal with the issues. If you don't like what the post says, then click the "respond" link at the end of each post and do just that. Respond! The issues will never be resolved if you do not respond.

Show where any single point in this blog is incorrect. Show where I am wrong. I have asked that repeatedly yet nobody has bothered respond. I know for a fact that you are talking behind my back. (Gossip) Rather than break the commandment against gossip, just respond to the issues.

I haven't spoken to everyone in the church regarding this issue. But I have spoken to many "paid-up" church members over the past five years or so about this. Here is an interesting bit of information for you.

Of the people supporting the move, NOT A SINGLE PERSON mentioned reaching lost people !!!
NOBODY!
Zero!
Zilch!
Nada!

When I say "not a single person, " that includes the church staff! In fact, the church staff only mentioned the age of the building, not reaching lost people.

A few others mentioned the condition of the 80 year old building, speaking in unison with the church staff, always in the most negative terms and with the most defeated attitude, as if there is NO HOPE for this historic building. It is very telling that all who mentioned the age of the building or the physical problems with the building used EXACTLY THE SAME PHRASES as though they had been taught those phrases or as though they had heard them over and over and over again, including the church staff member who responded! They repeated these phrases without thinking what they were actually saying. They ALL repeated the same exact phrases! It was like listening to the rhetoric repeated mindlessly by the supporters of one political party or another.

Of the people NOT SUPPORTING this move, almost every person said these same points:

1) There is NO reason to move or build a new building
2) There is virtually NO NET GAIN in our church, certainly not enough to support a new building. (folks going out the back as fast as others coming in the front)
3) We sit in a half empty building every Sunday as it is.
4) There is NOTHING wrong with our buildings that cannot be repaired if they would just do it right the first time.
5) [The Church Leaders] are ignoring basic maintainance, then falsly blaiming the poor condition of the building on age.

I don't care what you say about me, especially if you do not deal with the points that have been written here in this blog. Just deal with the issues presented in this blog.

Drop the rhetoric.
Drop the platitudes.
Stop attacking me, the messenger.
Answer the message, deal with the issues.

DEAL WITH THE ISSUES!

The Charade...Reaching People For Jesus...Not Reality.

Let's end this little charade.

I'm tired of repeating myself. The idea that" ...the membership believes that this represents both the will of God and our best opportunity to reach lost people" is a fantasy. It's a dream.

Folks, HERE is REALITY...

The reality is...that idea is not a dream, it is a LIE.

If the pastor of First Baptist Church of Alamo wanted "to reach lost people," he would have done so within the last five years. Stagnant church growth reveals the truth. Empty seats reveal the truth. Yelling and screaming and berating believers does not take the place of personal evangelism.

Instead of having a "Commitment Day" on January 13, why don't you have "Commitment Day" EVERY SUNDAY?

Instead of stealing members "of a sister church," why don't you WIN LOST PEOPLE TO CHRIST as you claimed was the goal for a four million dollar building program?

If the minister of music/youth wanted "to reach lost people," he would have done it already. Instead of a "worship leading choir" why don't we have a SOUL WINNING CHOIR?!?

If the church staff and the Sunday School Teachers wanted "to reach lost people," they would do it apart from a new building.

If the deacons wanted "to reach lost people," they would get out of those silly deacons meetings and go win some lost souls to Jesus. But the pastor, church staff and deacons are far more comfortable in their ivory tower directing church traffic than they are walking on the streets to those 64 homes within one block of the church building.

The REALITY is...none of these people actually want "to reach lost people." The REALITY is...they all enjoy talking about it and posting it on the church web site. They do not enjoy actually DOING it.

Prove me wrong if I am.

• Deacons meetings are more important than reaching lost people.
• Planting the flowers on the church lawn is more important than reaching lost people.
• Ripping up sidewalks is more important than reaching lost people.
• Blueprints are more important than reaching lost people.
• Sound systems are more important than reaching lost people.
• Commitment Day once a year is more important than commitment day every week.
• Joking about softball is more important than reaching lost people.
• An emotionally driven "worship leading choir" is more important than a soul-winning choir.

HERE'S A SUGGESTION:

• GO to the left side of this page.
• Then LOOK at "Archived Posts"
• Then CLICK on "February" for last year, 2007

There you can read the first posts of this blog that shine light on some important issues. Soon after the first post was up, one of the staff members responded. A few hours later, he removed his post. I suppose removing his post was more important than reaching lost people.

So are you guys gonna continue to PLAY CHURCH or are you going to actually DO WHAT YOU SAY is the reason for moving the church building? Are you going to babysit Christians and maintain the status quo, or are you going to reach lost people as the web site claims?

Are you going to REACH LOST PEOPLE or will you continue to PLAY CHURCH as you have for the past 5+ years? Will First Baptist Church remain its position as a Christian Country Club or will you actually START REACHING PEOPLE for the Lord?

First Baptist Church pays its two primary staff members well. They make a comfortable living by maintaining the status quo. I wonder how much their income would increase if they would actually "reach lost people" as the web site said was the purpose for the new building? I wonder how much their income would increase if they would reach enough people for Christ that the average church attendance would increase by 80 or 100 people per week? That kind of increase would be a glorious thing.

The book of Revelation says there is a special place in the Lake Of Fire for liars. Only time will tell. Stop lying to the congregation. Stop lying to each other. Reach lost people now and you will not worry about any new buildings.

Stop lying and start practicing what you preach.

Finally, read Matthew 23:23-28 then read Colossians 3:1-17.

Practice what you preach.

-----------------------------

Softball For Jesus

OK, the land is paid for. Now what purpose has that served in the whole scheme of things?

• How many people have been led to the Lord from this "vision" to date?
• How many new Christians are at First Baptist because the church bought new land?
• How many people have been led to the Lord as a direct result of buying new land?
• How many people have been led to the Lord because of the softball field?

The Church Staff asks for money EVERY SUNDAY! There are ugly, tall, color-filled charts in the auditorium marking how much money has been collected. The congregation deserves to know what are the results of giving these THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS while asking for millions!

Will the pastor step up to the plate and tell exactly what has happened so far? Will the Sunday School Leaders tell how their classes have grown from the results of this "will of God" in leading people to the Lord?

Where are the people this alleged "vision" was supposed to reach?

WHERE ARE THEY?

Where are the numbers?

Where are those new Christians?

Inquiring minds want to know.

WKB

The Vision or The Will of God?

What's the difference?

The "will of God" language has finally been removed from the FBC Alamo web page and replaced by the somewhat vague "vision" language. So what's the difference?

Is it the will of God or is it a "vision?"

Is a "vision" the will of God? Is a "vision" the will of God ONLY if it comes true?

I have known many churches where the vision was ultimately revealed to be the agenda of the pastor or of a wealthy financial contributor or some other local businessman or strong-willed church member. Often, that kind of "vision" was presented as "the will of God" and usually did more harm than good. At First Baptist Alamo, that "vision" was embraced only by part of the congregation at the most, but was presented on the web site as the will of God endorsed by the entire congregation. It never was! The lack of action demonstrates it. There has been almost five years since that "vision," that "will of God" was announced, and that vision is going nowhere. During that time, church members have been alienated, ridiculed while few have actually been led to the Lord.

And finally realizing that truth, the web master has adjusted the wording of the web page to omit any implication that lost people will be reached for Christ because the church builds a new country-club south of town, away from the people, away from the most strategic location in Crockett County, away from the crossroads of the county.

Recently, I stood in front of the church and took photos looking west on Church Street. Then I stood in the parking lot and took more photos of the many residences within short walking distance of the church building. As I looked at the many homes there, I thought about the people who go on about their day to day activities, going to work, going to school, having dinner at night, living from day to day. Then I wondered if those people go to church? I wonder how many times the staff has visited those people? I wonder how many times FBC church members have visited those people to prove that love really does shine at FBC?

What about HELL??

Why move out to the county and let lost people go to Hell when they live in the shadows of the church building? You do believe in Hell, don't you? Why let people die and go to Hell when they live within a five-minute walk from the churh parking lot? If you do, then why aren't you visiting those homes so close to the Church? If you believe in Hell, why aren't you compelling those folks to come to First Baptist next Wednesday or next Sunday?

Do you believe in Hell? Do you believe in this alleged "vision" of which the web page speaks? Folks, the vision is NOW. The people are there. The fields are white for the harvest. It's time for you to practice what you claim, practice what you proclaim, practice what you preach! Go into the fields and gather.

Get out from behind that desk. Get out from behind that TV set and put your so-called "vision" into practice. Show that the "vision" is more than shallow words. Practice what you preach.

Hungering And Thirsting After Righteousness or Our Agenda?

Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness..."

Righteousness.

Think about righteousness. What is that? What does it mean? In a deeper sense, what does "righteousness" imply? In a practical sense, how does hungering and seeking after righteousness affect your life?

A lexicon gives the Greek as "dikaiosynē." Taken is a broad way, we can, and usually do, wrap our version of evangelicalism around it, claiming it has something to do with salvation. However Christians usually read the Bible through their own brand of denominational glasses, if you know what I mean. In a narrower sense, the word deals with justice or the virtue which gives each his due.

It comes from the root "dikaios," "righteous, observing divine laws" or in a narrow sense emphasises the idea of "rendering to each his due and that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others, whether expressed in words or shown by the manner of dealing with them."

In other words, Jesus said blessed is the man who hungers and thirsts after that which is RIGHT, that which is correct, that which is true regarding others, that which is honest, that which can be held up in a court of law, even in a court of divine law, even Heaven's court!

To Jesus, the essence of the kingdom of God was to hunger and thirst after that which is ultimately "right" or correct. Ironically, that "essence" can be found in people of many faiths and in people of no faith. And the opposite can be found in people, in leaders of our own faith.

So how do we react to the evil we find in our own faith? How should we react when we see UN-righteousness among our own camp? What do we do about things that are not right?

We confront it.

We confront it with righteousness that can be held up in a court of law, in Heaven's court. We don't gossip. We don't "backbite." We don't attack the messenger. We confront the error. We confront the evil with truth.

We do not confront it with with emotions, with cliches, with false hopes. We confront it honestly and with truth.

I ask you, is it "righteous" to look at an empty building and claim that "God's will" says move away from it, when the people are all around the neighborhood, waiting to come in?

Is that righteousness?

Is it righteous to tell others we want "to reach lost people" later, when we are obviously NOT REACHING LOST PEOPLE NOW???

Honestly, tell me...is THAT righteousness? Seriously, is it?

Are you willing to honestly look at the situation and cast aside error? Are you willing to embrace the righteousness spoken of by Jesus? Are you willing to admit that which is wrong and confront the error once and for all?

Or will you continue to embrace a lie, knowing it is a lie, refusing to face the truth that stands right in front of your face?

Romans 1 speaks of those who are filled with UN-righteousness, with error. Romans 1:32 says "that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

Do you have more pleasure in talking about the new building than pleasure in talking to lost people? Do you have more pleasure in talking about moving the church than in inviting lost people to come to church with you next Sunday?

So I ask again, will you continue to embrace a lie, unrighteousness or will you confront it and embrace the truth?

Which will it be for you?

A) The Lie

B) Righteousness...the truth

What is your answer?