Ed Young Jr. Preaches “Thou Shalt Be Positive!”

"Some seek the house of God, rather than the God of the house." Walter Beuttler

 

                                                          Hillsong

 

Ed Young Jr. readily admits he has his critics. After a “negative” report aired in February 2010, Ed sat down with his friend and colleague Preston to pontificate…
 

Interestingly, Ed takes the negative press and turns it into a positive by explaining that:
 

“Criticism has been difficult obviously, but it’s also been one of the greatest blessings in the history of Fellowship Church because as we’ve learned there’s no opportunity without opposition, and the opposition simply alerts us to this incredible position that God’s given us. So we’ve sort of lived in a state of tension for twenty years. In fact, I don’t know if we can remember even several months, I’m trying to think, in the history of Fellowship Church that we’ve not had some sort of, you know, negativity whatever. But now it is on a different level, and uh, I think that the first real negative story from the media came out um about us maybe 2001, 2002. Then we’ve had several other negative interactions, and recently we’ve had some um negative publicity.”
 

The interview then takes an interesting turn as Ed affirms:

“So much of the negativity when it comes from the media occurs because of disgruntled former employees.”
 

Yep, Fellowship Church is a corporation, and Ed Young is the CEO. Those beneath him are just employees… Well, at least those who work for Ed now know this.
 

Preston asks: “So that’s where they get it?”
 

Ed continues:
 

“When you’re paying these people they’re not negative, but once they’re released so often that’s when they get negative. Let me tell you this. This is a huge learning about employees in the church…When someone would release someone back in the corporate world, it was not that big of a deal…In the church world, it’s not that way…When you release people in the church world, Preston, it’s like a divorce…Many times when you fire someone, not all the time, but some of the time when you fire someone, check this out, they will start a fire and become an arsonist and try to burn, believe it or not, the only institution that Jesus ever built.”
 

What a dramatic description!
 

Take a look at Ed’s recommendation:
 

“So, as a leader, you’ve gotta understand it, and you’ve got to to um spray your life with fire retardant material and you gotta walk through the fire. You gotta do what Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednigo did. It’s not easy.”

Preston then reiterates what Ed often claims:
 

“And I’ve heard you say many times you don’t read negative stuff; you don’t read positive stuff because I love how you say it, if you do that your life is just up and down. And so tell pastors why you don’t do that.”

Ed agrees by stating: “You know, Preston, if we rise and fall with negative or positive comments it’s really like the proverbial roller coaster…”
 

We found the following statement by Ed to be extremely revealing:
 

“I don’t hyperfocus because if you do what will happen is I believe you’ll shrink your vision, and you’ll only think about trying to convince that negative person or that negative reporter or negative station whatever, and we’re not gonna change negative people…only God can do that. So once you figure that out, you’re not gonna waste time chasing and running down all those things. I go back to it, an audience of one…”
 

You can watch the 8 minute interview called “Dealing With Criticism: Not If But When” here.
 

 

 

There can be no doubt that Ed Young is just another hyper-authoritarian pastor who WILL NOT tolerate criticism, despite the fact that it is justified. As you can detect from Preston’s comment, this video is directed at pastors and leaders who idolize Ed. After all, he has spoken to over 200,000 of them in the flesh during the last few years. Even though Fellowship Church has been losing members as a result of negative press, Ed & Co. want to maintain a good working relationship with pastor-types around the world who are affiliated with C3.
 

Yes, Ed Young is now franchising himself through this organization, and that will be the focus of tomorrow’s post.

 

Lydia's Corner: Genesis 42:18-43:34 Matthew 13:47-14:12 Psalm 18:16-36 Proverbs 4:7-10

Comments

Ed Young Jr. Preaches “Thou Shalt Be Positive!” — 12 Comments

  1. On the vidio Ed gives the members of his church the freedom to leave. Those who are members and have listened to him saying it. If you want out -take him at his word and go now and don’t look back ! Get back again under the Lordship and love of Christ,then ask Him to guide you to which church you should worship and serve the Lord in. Jesus is gentle and humble of heart and will not reap where he does not sow-He gives much more than you can give.He doesn’t control or manipulate but leads you with cords of love.

  2. Andrew

    Welcome to TWW. It looks like you are from the UK by the flag next to your name. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I love “Leads you with cords of love.” In all too many churches, the love word is missing and replaced with “get with the program.”

  3. Positive is the religion of the mega’s. It is an Anthony Robbins style of religion. After all, who likes negative? So, everyone (staffers) plaster on their smiles for the “guests” (members) to come each weekend. Dying of cancer? too negative to discuss. pretend like it is not happening.

    There are NO negative truths at the mega. And anyone who dares try to deliever negative truths IS the problem. Well, actually, the only person who can be negative is the one sitting on the stool or behind the plexiglass pulpit on stage. it is not negative when they do it.

    It is a surreal world. And those who stay in it for long find their thinking totally muddled. It is cultic in that way. Remember at Saddleback, you sign a covenant that says you will not say negative things about the leadership or the church. It is serious business…this positive thinking. but there is a problem. there is NO good news unless we understand the bad news, first.

  4. Lydia,

    Absolutely! Where is the transparency? Can you picture the Apostle Paul preaching the power of positive thinkiing? We wouldn’t have nearly as many book in the New Testament.

  5. Remember at Saddleback, you sign a covenant that says you will not say negative things about the leadership or the church. It is serious business

    Where do these pastors get training in this way of doing business, er I mean church government? I was asked to sign one of those for a wannabe megachurch in my city. I mentioned it earlier in the comments section of another blog post.

    So I guess they learn it at Ed Young’s seminars? Or did he get it somewhere else first?

  6. “…Remember at Saddleback, you sign a covenant that says you will not say negative things about the leadership or the church. It is serious business…”

    Does said covenant also include or can a court of law construe it so that the signator can end up in a liability suit? And if so, is the signator liable for monetary damages if he or she loses the contest in court?

    Just curious.

  7. Junkster,

    Thanks for sharing the link to John Piper. I saw this video for the first time back in January, and we included it in the following post:

    http://thewartburgwatch.com/2009/12/31/hinn-does-not-heal-%e2%80%93-liar-liar-pants-on-fire/

    Dee and I are so outraged about the health and wealth / prosperity (false) gospel that we spent the entire month of January 2010 denouncing these charlatans. If you haven’t read our articles, please check out the “Health and Wealth Gospel” category.

    Dear readers, please do not fall for these prosperity pimps. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

  8. “Does said covenant also include or can a court of law construe it so that the signator can end up in a liability suit? And if so, is the signator liable for monetary damages if he or she loses the contest in court?”

    That is rarely necessary. the mega carries so much influence in their communities that people can be ruined (reputation, finances, etc) if they dissent publicly. It is like taking on city hall.

    But think of this…if you sign it and then publicy dissent then all the church has to do is show you are a liar. You signed the “covenant” and then “broke” it. That is usually how it is used.

    As to court…I know Mega’s that have 3-5 lawsuits going on at all times. They are constantly sued. People waste their time.

    Some do not care. They sue just to bug them. Some of the lawsuits are silly like Peta suing over the use of animals in the passion play. other lawsuits have merit but won’t see the light of day. Some are for unjust staff firings. They waste their time! One mega I worked with has a full time lawyer on staff who does nothing but deal with lawsuit paperwork. An outside firm files the motions, etc.

    Because of our laws, Chruches can get by with anything short of murder. They are not bound by any labor/employment laws and can pretty much do anything (ruin reputations, lie about people) based upon religious freedom.

    That is why the FBCJax watchdog lawsuit was SO important! Had Mac not used the civil authorities to go after Tom, nothing would have happened. Mac could say and do what he wanted about Tom. He could have excommunicated him…told the entire city that Tom was a bad person, etc. And he would have gotten by with it, legally. Remember, he called him a sociopath to a reporter and it was quoted in the paper!