They're just doing what Jesus would have done...he rode around on a pimped out camel, and wore robes lined with gold threads before he was crucified apparently..
Nigeria : Wealthy Nigerians, Pastors Spend $225 million on Private Jets
- Thread starter Amnat77
- Start date
The (Big) Business of Faith – Black Megachurches…
Rock climbing walls, kids’ spaces that resemble small Disneylands, bookstores and state-of-the-art sound systems represent today’s Black church – supersized. Black mega churches draw huge numbers of worshippers and receive millions in collection plates. Black Mega churches are successful corporate entities that seek to service all the spiritual and social needs of their communities.
Black mega churches’ pastors are major corporate CEOs shepherding large business bases. Mega churches are characterized by congregations of from 10,000 to 25,000 and spectacular buildings which house sanctuaries, day-care centers, bookstores, and health centers. Most resound with crowds and activities seven days a week,
and own businesses, subdivisions, and separate community activity buildings. Almost all mega churches have TV pastorates, feature high-tech video along with foot-tapping music. There are less than 50 nationwide, but Dallas-based Bishop T.D. Jakes, Houston’s Kirby Caldwell, Atlanta’s Eddie Long, Creflo Dollar and Charles E. Blake have grown their memberships by preaching material success and sales their books, festivals, and movies. Their congregations have expanded into businesses such as: schools, assisted living facilities and ex-offender re-entry programs. Some African Americans leaders find the growth of these congregations worrisome; saying these pastorates focus on messages of personal prosperity and turn their backs on the struggle for civil rights.
The typical mega church is suburban, has a total budget of over $5 million and often more than 50 full-time staff. These churches tend to have a charismatic senior minister and an active array of social and outreach ministries. The average salary for a lead pastor in a mega church is $147,000. Salaries for lead pastors go as high as $400,000 to as low as $40,000. Executive pastors at churches that have a weekend attendance of 2,000 or more persons earn, on average, $99,000 a year. Generally, staffing costs average between 40 and 50 percent of many churches’ budget. A church with a budget of $1-1.99 million provides, on average, the senior pastor with a salary of $91,000. The average salary for a senior pastor at a church with a $10 million, or more, budget is $189,000. The median age for a mega churches’ senior pastor is 49.
In a survey conducted by the Leadership Network, churches with week end attendance of 2,000 or more provide their full-time staffers with medical insurance. Ninety-three percent of churches with week end attendances of 1,000, or more, offer their workers medical insurance. Forty percent offer medical coverage for employees’ dependents. Other benefits provided by a majority of mega churches include dental insurance, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, a retirement account and a technology/cell phone allowance. Four in five typically contribute to a retirement plan for staff.
http://thyblackman.com/2011/05/05/the-big-business-of-faith-black-megachurches/
Rock climbing walls, kids’ spaces that resemble small Disneylands, bookstores and state-of-the-art sound systems represent today’s Black church – supersized. Black mega churches draw huge numbers of worshippers and receive millions in collection plates. Black Mega churches are successful corporate entities that seek to service all the spiritual and social needs of their communities.
Black mega churches’ pastors are major corporate CEOs shepherding large business bases. Mega churches are characterized by congregations of from 10,000 to 25,000 and spectacular buildings which house sanctuaries, day-care centers, bookstores, and health centers. Most resound with crowds and activities seven days a week,
and own businesses, subdivisions, and separate community activity buildings. Almost all mega churches have TV pastorates, feature high-tech video along with foot-tapping music. There are less than 50 nationwide, but Dallas-based Bishop T.D. Jakes, Houston’s Kirby Caldwell, Atlanta’s Eddie Long, Creflo Dollar and Charles E. Blake have grown their memberships by preaching material success and sales their books, festivals, and movies. Their congregations have expanded into businesses such as: schools, assisted living facilities and ex-offender re-entry programs. Some African Americans leaders find the growth of these congregations worrisome; saying these pastorates focus on messages of personal prosperity and turn their backs on the struggle for civil rights.
The typical mega church is suburban, has a total budget of over $5 million and often more than 50 full-time staff. These churches tend to have a charismatic senior minister and an active array of social and outreach ministries. The average salary for a lead pastor in a mega church is $147,000. Salaries for lead pastors go as high as $400,000 to as low as $40,000. Executive pastors at churches that have a weekend attendance of 2,000 or more persons earn, on average, $99,000 a year. Generally, staffing costs average between 40 and 50 percent of many churches’ budget. A church with a budget of $1-1.99 million provides, on average, the senior pastor with a salary of $91,000. The average salary for a senior pastor at a church with a $10 million, or more, budget is $189,000. The median age for a mega churches’ senior pastor is 49.
In a survey conducted by the Leadership Network, churches with week end attendance of 2,000 or more provide their full-time staffers with medical insurance. Ninety-three percent of churches with week end attendances of 1,000, or more, offer their workers medical insurance. Forty percent offer medical coverage for employees’ dependents. Other benefits provided by a majority of mega churches include dental insurance, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, a retirement account and a technology/cell phone allowance. Four in five typically contribute to a retirement plan for staff.
http://thyblackman.com/2011/05/05/the-big-business-of-faith-black-megachurches/
Im just sayin....
There is a mini-mega church on Lehigh Ave in Philly. Now, Im not defending the religion and all that, but this church does hire from a predominately black neighborhood. They have outreach services in the community to aid the elderly and working poor, financial and home renovation services, offer classes and free meals.
yes, the pastor is a little extravagant, but they are probably the only entity that hires us...from the community....for like 50 blocks!
Naw, pastor aint got a jet, probably lives in the burbs, I dont know.
But they are doing something.
There is a mini-mega church on Lehigh Ave in Philly. Now, Im not defending the religion and all that, but this church does hire from a predominately black neighborhood. They have outreach services in the community to aid the elderly and working poor, financial and home renovation services, offer classes and free meals.
yes, the pastor is a little extravagant, but they are probably the only entity that hires us...from the community....for like 50 blocks!
Naw, pastor aint got a jet, probably lives in the burbs, I dont know.
But they are doing something.
I wont knock those who not only preach/teach the "prosperity gospel" but spread around the wealth.
Those who have viable outreach services are practicing what they preach so I wont knock them either.
The on-ground work some folks did in providing relief to Hurricaine Katrina/Rita victims changed some of my opinion in this regards, for example giving me another perspective on Bishop Jakes and Potter's House.
So, like you said, "But they are doing something."
peace!
as poor as that area is, i wonder if building a big butte church is the best use of the funds?
