Dallas Megachurch of Robert Jeffress to Open $130 Million Campus in March

Bearmaster,

are you serious?

Why would Jesus not be in this?

p.s. And I'm not a baptist.

I have to agree with Bear on this. Where did the monies to build such a place come from? Will this new building, that I assume was built with tithes house the poor...feed the hungry, care for the sick...will it house the widows, cloth the naked reach the lost? I am not attempting to criticize but rather wonder at the use of GOD resources to build such a place? Perhaps many good things will come from this but it does cause me to wonder how many good things could have come from 130 million dollars. How many children could have been fed, how many widows looked after, how many poor cared for??? 130 million dollars might have gone a long way to do much good in the name of JESUS but then men would not have a beautiful cross-tower and large fountains to enjoy as they come together to worship GOD. I wonder how JESUS would have reacted, didn't HE say something about our bodies being a temple unto the LORD and that we the church were living stones that build HIS church...if that be so then why would HE need a 130 million dollar building anyway???

Just some of the questions on my heart and mind.

God bless
maryjane

Bigger isn't always better , however it appears that the church has a ton of ministries helping people in various needs. here's the link if anyones interested in checking it out before making a snap judgement.
http://www.firstdallas.org

John 12:3-8 (KJV)
3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Read...Ponder...consider...What are you doing for the poor? How much are you helping to get the gospel to the poor? It is easy to criticize others but we will all be judged by what measure we use toward others in trying to justify ourselves.

I'm not one to advocate a large church, however there is a place for such in different places I'm sure. I have learned to take a good many things by faith, especially people and leadership and their directions, etc...If I don't feel a check in my spirit about something or when I ask the Lord about it, I stay silent as long as He's silent toward me about it.Who art thou to judge another mans servant seems to ring in my ears much these days as my words have become increasingly fewer and fewer. I guess I have so much on my own plate to worry about(or if you like ... take care of) that I don't have time to spend looking at what others are doing, outside of an occasional glance or maybe even a short prayer for them.It would be my hope that a church that size with all the ministries they have and the very large staff they have would be honoring to the Lord and that He would keep them from the evil one.

It's really hard for me to personally find anything wrong with the name Church in it, after all we are the church. So is it wrong to have a mega Church inside the walls? I have always been told, Bill you always think way outside the box, and I have always took that as a compliment. I guess my thoughts would be, that the mega churches will touch more lost souls because of the exposure they get, and as long as they are running the church they way God would have it, well who am I to judge?

bearmaster.....Such a gathering connotes intimacy with Jesus and one another. Where does one get this at First Baptist? .

Bear, I am a member of a large Church, and I can personally tell you, I have never been to a Church were the intimacy with one another and God is better. If you have never been a member of a large Church as I have for 16 years. Trust me, when I walk in the doors, I feel like I am walking into an old Country congregation, hugs and lots of Love and how are you's shown at the doors. It's a preference, and just because some don't prefer the larger Churches, I respect that, I have been Blessed so much, and had the opportunity to Bless and Pray for old and new members, I just could not ever see me going anywhere else.

Rember that Jesus ministered to the multitudes, there are many references to the multitudes pressing in on Him, note the woman with the blood issue, the multitudes who needed feed and several occasions, Peter even needed to use his boat so Jesus could teach the multitudes at the sea shore. So just because anyone of us belongs to a small gathering as opposed to a larger gathering is not a good test for spirituality.
What I think we focus on is cost, the cost of the building in this case..if we are not careful we can end up in Judas' camp complaining to the Lord that the cost of the ointment could have been better spent on feed or giving alms to the poor. Again...you have to trust that God is working through the leadership of this church and its congregation to move in that direction in "their" stewardship of the funds they seem to be entrusted with.

As to the cell groups? I have seen this method work well in many different settings, but God is diverse and is able to direct His church however the circumstances dictate, in order to meet the needs present for the time period and the church grows.

Personally I am seeking to be guided by two words I felt the Lord whispered into my heart a while ago:

"Think small."

Allan H.

Friends really!

I'm actually amazed that there would be a question on this, If its not up your street just walk away, It is before his own master that he stands or falls.

I know nothing of this church, but taking the article at face value I'm saying AMEN!

Does anyone know what this church preaches, what its outreach program is to the community, does it feed the poor, and more importantly does it preach Jesus Christ and him Crucified?

You are falling into the same trap as the pharisees, Dont judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.

Greetings

I have been in prayer much about my previous response to this topic. I have considered the words I chose and upon reflection feel that some were written from the wrong heart and have since repented of my attitudes. On the topic I still do have many questions as to whether the money GOD gives and allows should be used in such a way but I will work those things out with HIM. I do still see Bearmaster point and the points that Greg makes.

God bless and thank you for allowing me to clarify what I have been seeing.

mj

it is troublesome to me to read the responses to this article on this forum. what a bunch of judgemental hogwash, my friends. have any of you who have responded ever darkened the doorway of this church, or met robert jeffress? do u know anyone who goes to this church? ever visited their website to see what they believe or what outreaches they may have?

bearmaster and others are crying out aganist this mega-church while at the same time LOVE times square church in nyc, founded by david wilkerson (speaker of many false prophecies), that has a weekly attendance of 8000. times square church is a mega-church that is ok, but this one in downtown dallas is not? who gets 2 make that decision? based upon what?

people, come down of your high horse and judgementalism. whether this church builds a $130M campus or duznt has no effect on your life, so leave it alone. if it is not of god then it will be judged by him, not any of u. if it is of god then u are kicking against the goads and struggling against god.

sum1 compared jeffress and this church 2 judas, but actually when the woman poured out expensive purfume on jesus it was JUDAS who declared how that money could be used to feed the poor. sounds 2 me that sum people have things backwards around here.

also, as sum1 w much construction experience i can tell u that it duznt take much to build a $130M campus these days. and i bet their are a number of architects, engineers, contractors, carpenters, etc in the dallas area that were very grateful 2 be able 2 keep their people employed during these economic tough times. i bet sum of them even give thanks to jesus christ 4 that project that put food on their tables.

shameful, people.

by bearmaster on 2013/2/19 2:47:41

MaryJane I have read your post and do not see that it was written from a wrong heart. But you had the courage and conviction to ask the questions that should be raised.

I know to pose these questions people will say "You judge, you judge". For sure this church is accountable before God. But when such things are done in the name of Christ then the questions have to be asked. Particularly when the head of the church had no place to lay his bead.

My thoughts.

Bearmaster.

_____________

Greetings Bear
Thank you for your response. You have brought up very valid thoughts on this topic. As I read over what you and others have shared I would really like to take more time and pray over this. I appreciate your heart as always and the things you shared are some of the same questions I have also but I really want to be sure I am hearing from the LORD before saying anymore.

On a personal level, as I have been considering this I was thinking about my own heart and how I use the provisions GOD has given me...there is always much room for growth in this area of my life I know. I was thinking about the house I live in, the car I drive, the clothes I wear? I wonder if another from a much poor nation might look at my home and ask me if I have feed the hungry, clothed the naked, or cared for the widows? I want to be sure that I am not walking with a hypocritical heart in the things that I say or do. As a CHRISTIAN living in this country I am blessed with physical comfort that others do not have and I am grateful for that so much but do I use these blessings as HE would guide and lead me to?? Surely it is worth examining my own heart in this...

I guess what I am trying to say is that I came to this topic looking at the amount of monies spent to build a building(still praying on that) but as I seek HIM I also must look at my own heart and life and examine what I do in living unto HIM daily...

Thank you all for sharing what you are seeing.

God bless
mj

How much is "one" lost soul worth? If one life is turned from their sins and and repents and accepts Jesus Christ into their life because of this Church,
was it worth 130 mil? Or have we now put a value on salvation? It never seizes to amaze me, how some Christians will be so vocal about the Churches business, yet have such an issue minding their own. I guess all the naysayers were spoken to by God to speak negative words about his house. Comparing Jesus speaking to large crowds in public to a Shepard speaking to a large flock within walls, makes no sense. I guess if there would have been A 50,000 seat indoor arena back in the days Jesus ministered, he would have just passed up the opportunity to minister there because it was to big? It is sickening that even one saved soul would have anything negative to say about something that has not even been built yet, what, we serve a big God that only thinks small? This all amounts to opinions, please show me one scripture that says, souls are only saved in small Churches. Billy Graham has brought more lost souls to Christ than anyone, within large stadiums, surrounded by walls. The Church needs to wake up, and focus on bringing in the lost sheep, and quit worrying about we're their brought in to.

very well said, mr bill. these people may not want to be allowed into heaven becuz it will be bigger than big there! talk about a mega-church!

The irony of this whole story, and it really does paint a vivid picture of the where the church is at, is that its all just about money.

It is quite revealing that in the gospels the only disciple who had issues with money was Judas. It is also interesting that he was the one who was in charge of the money.

Though Jesus talked much about money it is never mentioned that he took Judas to task for helping himself to the money bag. I believe that to God it is afterall 'just money'.

Perhaps, and maybe this is the lesson here for us, its a question of what was continually in his 'line of sight'. What is continually in our 'line of sight?'

I am reminded of the old Sunday school song: Be careful little eyes what you see.

I have a sense that the overall obsession with finances on both sides of the fence reveals the state of our hearts and what we truely place value in.

The questions that are raised by Bear are, generally speaking, valid. But why play devils advocate in a situation that knowone here certainly has any first hand experience with? Why create doubt about the integrity of this church and this man?

Instead of it being seen as a marvelous demonstration of Gods faithfulness and provision its twisted into story of how this church is wasting resources. Truely, in this present ecnomic climate, this is a sign and a wonder. What is wrong with us, my word!

Could these guys be hucksters and indebted up to their eyeballs, quiet possibly. There could be many things out of whack here with this church, but don't let us the church be the first one to chuck a stone when we don't even know if there is anything wrong in the first place.

One poster posted that he felt God say, 'Think small'. With all respect to that poster where in the bible do you ever get the impression that God thinks small and expects us to do the same. If anything he is asking us to lift up our eyes and see him who is eternal and live in the reality of that. Quite possibly God may have being telling him in reference to the Dodge ram he may be driving around in, but in regards to church no way man!!

I think also that this current thread represents a small sample of the general philosophy and leaning of the site admin and vocal posters here.

There is a general negativity and pessism in regards to big churches. Why? Small house churches are championed as the cure to the scourge of the mega-church culture. What?!Why? The cure to a lifeless limp church, big or small, is Jesus Christ and not a model of fellowship.

Its not how big or small a church is, the important question is, is Jesus there and do the people live in the light of that fact?

My guess is there is probably more corruption that goes on in the smaller churches than big ones, you just don't hear about them as much, why? because the small churches don't bring the bucks to the media as the big church announcements do. My guess is , if the same identical thing happened in a small hometown church as a mega church, you would never hear about the small one, unless maybe you lived in the same town.

You say that Jesus did not take Judas to task over money.

You missing the thrust of what I was saying, the primary point being that, to God, money means very little. Evidenced in the fact that he even put Judas in charge of the money bag knowing he was a thief.

Jesus said to His disciples "you are a little flock". Jesus also gave the parable of the mustard seed which speaks about that which is given small, exceeding its growth and becoming the resting place for all the birds of the air. The purpose of cultivating and planting mustard is to harvest it for its effect. The same is true for the church. If the seed of the mustard over extends its growth in any one place it becomes likely to become of another purpose and effect than the one intended.

Can you explain what you mean I am at a loss as to what you are talking about.

The Sunday School saying for children which you have quoted for our benefit brother is best suited for little children whose eyes are those spoken of in the rhythm

2 days now of sitting in judgement over a church in which no1 here knows a single soul that attends there. sad. so very sad to witness.

u folks should be ashamed of urselves and the witness u r giving to those who visit this website that may not be believers.

SkepticGuy...2 days now of sitting in judgement over a church in which no1 here knows a single soul that attends there. sad. so very sad to witness.

u folks should be ashamed of urselves and the witness u r giving to those who visit this website that may not be believers.

I had an old fire and brimstone Baptist pastor back in the early 60's, that whenever gossip was going around at Church, he would say this. "You Ain't Never Been Beat Up Until You Have Been Beat Up By A Christian". As a little child, I really did not know how to take his statement, but as an adult today, his statement rings clearer than a bell.

again with the judging of brethren of whom you dont even know. where duz such authority derive from? not scripture, i assure u.