Televangelist Schuller’s empire in trouble

Leadership stumble brings financial chaos

I think it was the word “televangelist” that did it.  I think what they do is despicable. They pray on the weak-minded and frequently the weak-walleted.  Screw ‘em… glad their “empire” is crumbling.  Maybe we’ll make some enlightened progress in this country yet.

More of the article

By GILLIAN FLACCUS
Associated Press
Sunday, February 01, 2009

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — Once one of the nation’s most popular televangelists, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller is watching his life’s work crumble.

His son and recent successor, the Rev. Robert A. Schuller, has abruptly resigned as senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral [you've got to be fucking kidding me]. The shimmering, glass-walled megachurch is home to the “Hour of Power” broadcast, an evangelism staple that’s been on the air for more than three decades.

“Hour of Power”… they aren’t kidding.  Take a look as these numbers:

The church is in financial turmoil: It plans to sell more than $65 million worth of its Orange County property to pay off debt. Revenue dropped by nearly $5 million last year, according to a recent letter from the elder Schuller to elite donors. In the letter, Schuller Sr. implored the Eagle’s Club members — who supply 30 percent of the church’s revenue — for donations and hinted that the show might go off the air without their support.

Holy shit.  Eagle’s Club? Do they get to go to the front of the line when they die? 

Nevermind.  You just get the same crappy eagle pin, regardless of level: Regular Eagle, Golden Eagle, Platinum Eagle, or Diamond Eagle (allow 4-6 weeks for processing and shipping – not kidding).

“The final months of 2008 were devastating for our ministry,” the 82-year-old pastor wrote.

Awwww… sniff.

The Crystal Cathedral blames the recession for its woes. But it’s clear that the elder Schuller’s carefully orchestrated leadership transition, planned over a decade, has stumbled badly. [...]

Today’s increasingly fragmented media landscape is also to blame, said Quentin Schultze, a Calvin College professor who specializes in Christian media.

Church-based televangelism led by powerful personalities filled TV in the 1980s, but now only a handful of shows remain, he said. Among the struggling ministries are those of Oral Roberts and the late D. James Kennedy of “The Coral Ridge Hour” TV show.

I am praying that these collapse soon as well.

“I don’t see a scenario for maintaining a TV-based megachurch anymore. The days of doing that in the models of Schuller and Jimmy Swaggart and Oral Roberts are over,” Schultze said. “It’s amazing to me that the ‘Hour of Power’ was able to keep going as long as it did.”

Yay!!

He studied marketing strategies to attract worshippers and preached a feel-good Christianity, describing himself as a “possibility thinker” and spinning his upbeat style into a 10,000-member church and a broadcast watched by millions worldwide.

I’ll bet he did… just tell them what they want to hear!  If we aren’t cautious and wise, some asshole will gallop in and find a new way to package the religion message.

The church’s main sanctuary, the Crystal Cathedral, is a landmark designed by renowned architect Philip Johnson, with a spire visible from afar amid Orange County’s suburban sprawl. Thousands make the pilgrimage to see where the broadcast is filmed before a live congregation.

The Schullers consider the church a family business and the younger Schuller’s 2006 appointment was sanctioned by the Crystal Cathedral’s parent denomination, the Reformed Church in America.

Thank GOD they reformed because they were a bunch of sinning, theiving whores before and on their way to hell in a handbasket.

The church has since instituted a rotating roster of high-profile guest preachers, including Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church, the Chicago-area megachurch, and evangelist Luis Palau.

No one really gives a shit, but I figure if anyone goes searching for these guys, at least Google now has their names indexed. 

On the church Web site, concerned members and TV fans have posted hundreds of comments protesting the upheaval, with some indicating they have stopped giving or will leave altogether.

That’ll teach ‘em… no seriously, that will do it.  Definitely stop giving… and leave.

Melody Mook, a 58-year-old medical transcriptionist from El Paso, Texas, said she stopped her $25 monthly donation and is looking elsewhere for her spiritual needs. She said she dislikes the guest pastors.

I am very, very sad for Ms. Mook.  She should go volunteer at a homeless shelter or something to fill that spiritual gap.

“I feel hurt and confused and I’m not sure that I want to sit and watch when I know there’s problems beneath the surface,” she said. “You feel like you’re in somebody else’s church every Sunday.”

Others said they felt betrayed that the Schullers couldn’t put God before their family spat.

“They have not been forthcoming at all,” said John Dewart, an insurance agent from New Jersey who’s watched for 30 years. “Why can’t a father and son work together for the glory of God? That’s my big question.”

That’s an easy one.  Because God is not really first.  Power (ahem) is first and control follows the power.  Also, God doesn’t exist, so it’s difficult for Him to have any divine influence over this upheaval. At any rate, it’s too much to wish them eternal damnation, so I hope it merely destroys them financially so that they have to be productive for a living rather than spreading the message of personal powerlessness for three decades.

If you want to see something sad, click here:

Crystal Cathedral: http://www.crystalcathedral.org/

Crackpots.

Anyway… that’s all I really have for now.  Just wanted to revisit in writing my thoughts from February prior to the complete economic meltdown we are in now.  As I have said before, I am very moderate in my views so I have no particular issue with either party winning the election as long as they do the least amount of damage (the dreaded, obsolete two party system is a topic for another day).

So, my thoughts have turned to Obama’s first 100 days in the White House.  What will he do… and will we like it?