Where Are All the Young Leaders in the SBC?

The point is that too many denominational leaders have very little fruit that last for eternity but rather have the excuse of defending the denomination. Defending and keeping a denomination is much like defending Jesus the wayt that Peter did--useless.

Several denominations need to completely die. They are useless and unproductive. The church will go on while denominations die. God's work is not conatined by denominational leaders drawing huge salaries and living lavish lifestyles whiule promoting denominational preservation. God's work is being done by the humble servant of Jesus Christ. We do not need pickled denominations.

 

When OS Hawkins went from pastoring FBC Dallas to the annuity board he received a pay increse of about 40K.

Read Rev. 2&3 and you will see some very good reasons why denominations and churches will die.

 

The wise man ponders first about his decision. When one considers the many generations who have gone before us it is easy to see where man has gone on the basis of his decisions. When I consider the fact that Spurgeon was given large sums of money and he gave it away. Then I take a look at his ministry I can gain some wisdom from that. I see how God gave him what he had and he chose to give it away to help others to the glory of God. When I take a look at George Mueller who started an orphanage on the basis of faith and housed over 1000 kids. When I take a look at men God has used mightily I see men who have chosen to remain humble and live below what they can. When I take a look back just a few years and see when the SBC had its greatest growth and who the leaders were I see men and women who gave everything for Christ. when I take a look at Billy Graham and see how he has chosen to live I see him as an example of how I should be. I see a man who has chosen to live low and be accountable so his reputation is not called into question. The greatest thing a man has is his walk with God and next his character. If a man can be brought down be a deficient character then he has a poor witness. Years ago when I was the manager of a large business I terminated an employee. That employee filed a complaint with the state agency. The state came and interviewed every employee who was under me at the time. When The man talked to me last he told me some things I will never forget. It made me to make sure that I never waiver from what I have set out to do. I never want anyone to question my integrity. If we expect to lead people we must put them first.

In 1996 a man that I know sold one of his businesses for $630 million and he lives in a house that is under 3000 square feet.In 2004 I built a home for a gentleman that makes about $40 million a year and that house was 5500 square feet.

I know nothing about SEBTS. I do know that Paterson has mentioned to people that the seminary is in need of money and tuition has gone up.

That is exactly why we must be wise in out choices. When one looks around in the community how many houses are 7500 square feet. When I visted George Bush's home in Houston it was not near that size.

We can justify most anything if we want. If we are to follow Christ then we should be looking to him as our example. When I read about what scripture teaches in regards to buildings I see no evidence that is always a good thing. While I was in seminary I had an interesting discussion with one of the SBC leader's sons. His son mentioend that he did not believe you could grow a large church without borrowing money. His dad lived out that principle and left a church a few years ago due to impropriety with money.

I know many wealthy people who make enough to easily buy that entire seminary and not one of them lives in a house that large. some of them give large amounts of money way. Some of them support missionaries entirely.

In 2002 I built a nice large home for a Christian couple who had bought a nice chunk of ground on a hill. When they contacted me I asked them some questions and encouraged them not to build. They wanted to have a ministry among people with their home. I told them to sell their land and move to where the people were. They insisted and I buolt them a nice home. The could easily affored what they wanted. I would love to tell you that they had a great ministry but quite the opposite happened. They are no longer together. The house was sold and they are divorced.

I am sugesting that the money could have been put to much better use.

The Bible does teach a lot about using wisdom.

Wealth can be great in the hands of a wise person but the downfall of another.

If one carefully considers the ministry Jesus had and compares that to Solomon there are some distinct differences.

For one to lead well he must be viewed as an example among those he attempts to lead. Ask the students and faculty at the seminary if Patterson's way of life is an example to them. The big fact is that the majority of people come to know Christ in their younger years. They are led to Christ by a friend who is their same age. If one considers that, then big houses are not necessary. At SWBTS there are some very large rooms on campus that are used for entertainment purposes. Most of the time they are empty.

When one considers how little professors make at SWBTS it is quite a contrast to see how they live and how their boss lives. I find it very difficult to find anywhere in the Bible where Jesus taught or lived out that kind of example.

My Bible teaches that one who is first must be last. I see in no case where how the president lives teaches young students hoping to be pastors to live a humble life of service to God. I do not see that their big house serves any purpose to help young pastors have hope on the field. I see no evidence that a large house like that serves those who come from countries who can afford very little and see American Christians living like kings. While in seminary I asked a young man from another country how people in his country saw those from the SBC. His response was that they saw them as living like kings. A young man I met in seminary had a desire to be able to have enough money to be able to buy some bicycles for pastors so they could ride a bicycle instead of walking to each otheir churches. Then he sees to contasting home across campus while the president ask the people in the SBC for money money because he contends they need more money for more buildings. While the students will tell you that tuition is on the incresase.

If wealth had the most impact then Benny Hinn would have a much greater impact than Billy Graham and much more than Jesus did.

 

Now compare what you just wrote to what Jesus taught and did. Just because the world teaches that image is important does not mean God honors that. In fact the Bible teaches humility as the greatest not image.

That is the same saying that has gone on around among the professors at SWBTS. Apparently you do not know how little of a salary a beginning professor makes at SWBTS. You would be ashamed to tell that to any non-Christian.

I teach at a secular university and the campus does not have a chancellor's home. The chancellor is a former state senator. He lives a few miles away from campus. When groups of people come one of the large meeting rooms at the university is used for that purpose. I have been a student at three universities and only one of them even had a president's home. For some strange reason the former presidents of SWBTS and their families had plenty of room and did not request an addition. In fact the time during Dr. Dilday saw the greatest number of students.

When one considers the ministry of Jesus I see no evidence of architectural discipleship.

 

It was an absolute waste of money to add onto such a home. Considering the community and who the president serves it detracts from those he serves. Suppose whoever donated the money for that were asked to donate the money to pastors who were in need.

There are students there who could have not ever afforded a plane ticket to come to the U.S. to study. There are faculty who make less than a starting high school teacher. There are faculty who retire from teaching at SWBTS who made less than a starting professor at a secular university. Shortly after that addition was made Patetrson announced the need for more money at SWBTS.

The main issue is not the size of the home but what it represents and if it enhances ministry among those the president serves. He primarily serves students and faculty at SWBTS. How does that home serve to meet that purpose. There are many large rooms at SWBTS which will accomodate more people than that home.

Over the years as I have travelled around I have heard a comment about one particular theological school. The former students commented about how they enjoyed eating lunch with their professors. The professors ate in the same areas as the students. When I was a student at SWBTS I can remember when Dr. Dilday would walk around the campus and among the housing units to talk with students. One of my friends had a wife who was seriously sick and a few times Dr. Dilday came to vist his family. Never once did I ever hear about how grateful they were for a nice president's home but rather they spoke of the man and his character.

Reaching people is not about having a showpiece of architecture but about reaching people where they are. It means going to them first.

Americans (Christians included) are spending more and more on extravagance and less and less on ministry while calling them needs. When I take a look around and look at people who are investing their lives in the lives of others I do not see extravagance but rather self denial and choosing to live a lower standard of living. As they are entrusted with more they give more.

Several years ago I managed a large business. The company gave me one year to turn it around. For five years it had been losing money. The first thing I did was to give the workers every reason to trust me. I did not withhold the financial position of the company from them. I always had frank honest discussions with them. Within two weeks we began to break even. In the first year we became the fastest growing branch in the company. We went from second from the bottom to third from the top. We had increased sales 3.2 times in one year. Within a short time my boss told me that I would be getting a big pay raise. I told him to give it to the workers first. It wasn't long and a worker talked with me and asumed I got a big pay raise. When I told him what actually happened he had nothing further to say. The attitude and prduction had radically changed with the same people. I did not hire any new people. A few years later the company was sold and the company who bought them were what we called greedeaters. 23 of the top 24 people left or were fired. Production went down. Eventually the company was sold. Today many of the same people who left then, are back working for the new company who were there when I was.

God blesses self denial, sacrifice, and humility. Just because we are offered something does not mean we need to accept it. A few years ago a pastor had started a new church about 30 miles from where I lived. That church accepted some money from a person who was not a member and not a Christian. That man came around to bite them later. That church does not exist today.