“Shun, as you would the plague, a cleric who from being poor has become wealthy, or who, from being nobody has become a celebrity.”
—Jerome
Hillsong
Have you ever heard of C3? I only became aware of it last week while researching Ed Young Jr. and Fellowship Church. According to the 2010 C3 (Creative Church Culture) press release,
“What began as a small gathering of a few hundred pastors in 1997 is now close to 2,500 leaders from 47 U.S. states and 11 foreign countries.”
This year’s C3 conference was held February 17-19 at Fellowship Church – just a couple weeks after news broke about the Young’s lavish lifestyle. According to the press release, “the theme of this year’s conference is ‘Rise of the Iguana’, based on this reptile’s exceptional qualities of rejuvenating, adapting and discerning that are necessities for any healthy church.”
Here is how the conference was advertised:
Fellowship Church Grapevine Hosts 2,500 Pastors/Church
Leaders at C3, Unveils C3 Global Network:
Pastor Ed Young, Dr. Ed Young, Sr., Bishop T. D. Jakes and other Presenters to Equip Conference Attendees to Reach New Generation
“Ed Young, pastor of Fellowship Church, will host nearly 2,500 pastors and church leaders from around the world for the C3 (Creative Church Culture) at the main Fellowship Church Grapevine, Texas campus, the first of three locations that will also include San Diego next month and the east coast this fall.
The annual conference is designed to encourage, equip and empower global church leaders with innovative tools and vital resources to help them reach a constantly changing culture with the unchanging Gospel message.
In order to make an even greater impact and to help empower churches across the country, a new church partnership program – C3 Global – will be announced at this year’s conference. Focusing on structure, creativity, support and compassion, this new initiative will provide churches a “one-stop-shop” to share leadership insights, obtain training and receive practical guidance and tools to help them in the areas that most affect ministry in today’s world.”
For a recap of this year’s C3 Conference held at Fellowship Church, click on this link.
Yes, C3 Global was announced at the conference. According to the website, it is “an alliance of churches that provides opportunities for growth, resourcing, connection and influence around the world.”
This “one-stop-shop” is in reality a franchise controlled by Ed Young and his colleagues. Who are they? Well, take a look at the first two names listed under C3 Global leadership.
John Cross and Mac Richard
Do these names sound familiar? If you have been keeping up with our coverage of Ed Young, they should. Each of them addressed the Fellowship Church congregation after Ed’s talk on February 8, 2010, just a few days after the WFAA / News 8 story broke.
Here’s how C3 Global works. Churches from around the world are encouraged to join this innovative church partnership program. By joining at the “Partner” level, a church will enjoy the following benefits:
- “Participation in Affinity Insurance Group
- Free review of property & liability coverage directed by Affinity Insurance Group.
- Discounts for Regional Coaching and Whiteboard Events
- Select pre-designed free downloads and free downloads of Leadership Uncensored podcast by
- CreativePastors.com
- 10% Discount on all products and resources purchased at CreativePastors.com
- Partnering with C3 Global Mission Initiatives and Church Planting Endeavors funded by C3 Global and led by Executive Director John Cross.
- Discounted Rate for Use of Allaso Ranch Camp and Retreat Center. www.allasoranch.com
- Special Rate for Accounting Services of Stanfield & O’Dell.
- Special Rate for Legal Services of Brewer Jackson (25% reduction of hourly rates).
- Special Rates for Counseling Services of Dr. Jonathan Cude and the Las Colinas Counseling Center (25% fee reduction for all pastors and staff).
- Special Rate for Research Services of key staff of partnering churches.
- Access to Accurate Church Data Compiled by C3 Global led by Executive Staff of Fellowship Church.
- 50% C3 Conference Discount for all Registered Staff (Free attendance for Senior Pastor and spouse).
- Complimentary Webinars (Invitations to all webinars presented by Board Members and their leadership staff.”
What is the Cost for all these perks?
Churches joining at the “Partner” level pay only $500 per month, or $6,000 per year. What a deal!
And when your chuch joins, an announcement is made worldwide (gasp!) on Twitter!
Of course, not all churches can afford to pay $6,000 a year, especially if they are start-ups. C3 Global also offers membership in this “elite” association of pastors/churches at the “Member” level.
“Member” benefits cost $100 per month, or $1,200 per year, and they include:
- Participation in Affinity Insurance Group
- Free review of all property & liability coverage directed by the Affinity Insurance Group.
- Discounts for Regional Coaching and Whiteboard Events.
- Select pre-designated free downloads and free downloads of Leadership Uncensored podcast by CreativePastors.com
- 10% discount on all products and resources purchased at CreativePastors.com
- 10% C3 Conference Discount for all Registered Staff.
- Complimentary Webinars (Periodic invitations to Webinars presented by Board Members and their leadership staff).
Have you ever heard this sales pitch – Bundle and Save? Well, here it is wrapped up in a neat little C3 Global package… Our MBA professors would be highly impressed with this innovative marketing scheme.
Did you happen to notice the law firm under Partner benefits — Brewer Jackson? Dennis Brewer is one of the principals in that law firm. Remember these quotes we shared from the WFAA article in a previous post:
“Young recently replaced his chief financial officer and replaced him with his personal attorney, business partner and fishing buddy, Dennis Brewer Jr.”
“In the past few years, Young and his attorney, Dennis Brewer Jr., have created a number of for-profit companies generating money apart from Fellowship Church, including: Creative Pastors, CreativePastors.com, Creality Enterprises, Creality Publishing, EY Publishing, Ed Young Resources and UOI Resources. All the businesses list the fifth floor of Dennis Brewer's law office in Las Colinas as their office address.”
Hmmm……
Getting back to the recently launched C3 Global, Partners and Members can look forward to an exciting conference this coming February called “2011 C3 ED Go Beyond What Is Allowed”. What an exciting line-up of speakers: Ed Young Jr., Brian Houston, and Joyce Meyer, among others. For more details, check out this link. To register, go here.
Yes, Ed Young Jr. has finally found a way to franchise (duplicate) himself and his buddies globally in what should prove to be a profitable enterprise. Why has no one else thought of this? Looks like we are going to have a bunch of “Ed” clones pastoring around the world. Unfortunately, there are two problems with this: (1) They are not Ed and (2) Why do they believe a church based on Ed’s approach to ministry will be effective around the world?
With such a slick approach to ministry, we are left wondering
(1) Where is the Holy Spirit in all of this and (2) WHO really stands to benefit the most from C3 Global?
11/10/10 addition: An anonymous reader left the following thoughtful observation,
2,500 churhes x $6,000 = $15,000,000!!!!!! TWW asks, "Who gets the money?"
Lydia's Corner: Genesis 44:1-45:28 Matthew 14:13-36 Psalm 18:37-50 Proverbs 4:11-13
The McDonald’s of the prosperity gospel world? Arrrghhhhh!
Dee,
You’re exactly right.
I should have elaborated more about this ingenious marketing scheme concocted by Ed & Co. It’s important understand that a church’s commitment to join C3 Global at the partner ($6,000/year) or member level ($1,200/year) just gets them in the door of the C3 Global shop so to speak.
Why did Ed set up all those for profit business through his attorney? He plans to sell, sell, sell to this captive market. Sermons, books, church materials and on and on and on… He’ll be using social networking (Facebook, Twitter, and websites) to promote the latest and greatest gimmick.
As I asked at the end of the post, just WHO really stands to benefit from C3 Global? I think we all know the answer to that question, and it’s not Almighty God.
2,500 x $6,000 = $15,000,000
It appears that if there were not religious denominations we would have to re-invent them.
That is what is happening here, except there is no voting franchise. At least when a church joins a denomination, there is a meeting where representatives vote etc.
The non-denom crowd, I fear, is falling prey to some very bad things.
We all need fellowship. We all want to be around like-minded people. We need to hear from creative and encouraging people.
That need has traditionally been met by religious denominations.
But now, in the name of freedom, openness, and the desire to be on the creative cutting edge (all of which denominations have bad track records on), individual churches and pastors are creating network groups.
This is not bad, in and of itself. But even if Young, Jr. were not so schmaltzy and he was doing a better job in the expositional truth department, the financial set up with all the proceeds going to Young and his friends is appalling. And, again, there is no voting franchise or opportunity to set the agenda.
All the younger pastors and creative people who think that they are taking their church in a new direction and freeing themselves from old religious denominational tradition are being taken for a ride.
And the sad part is that most of them are too unsophisticated to see it.
Anonymous said:
“2,500 x $6,000 = $15,000,000”
Anonymous,
What an excellent assessment of C3 Global!!! I’m considering adding this as an addendum to the post.
Bravo!!!
Thank you so much for exposing this rip-off.
The scope of the ambition here leaves me speechless. Not an easy thing to do.
Deb:
Thanks. What do they say about blind hogs and acorns?
Annonymous
That is a saying that I don’t know off the top of my head. Could you tell me?
Even a blind hog finds one (an acorn) now and then.
You are good, NSS
Ever heard this one: even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then…
Think of this:
55.00 x 7000=$385,000.00
That represents the take from the “gate” for ONE night of Beth Moore. The facility was free (mega church) and security was about 10 grand. The rest belonged to Beth Moore and whatever she paid her people, travel and hotel.
It does NOT include the materials, books, DVD’s, etc sold at the event.
Christianity is BIG BIG business. And very profitable.
Lydia:
I think that you and I could go on the road and just talk, and charge people $25 each. It would be better night, I bet, than what most of these folks get.
I think things like the C3 should not be tax exempt. If they are going to run it like a business it should be taxed the same.
Anonymous,
Absolutely right!
These kinds of financial abuses by 501(c)(3) organizations may result in legislation stripping all entities of their tax exempt status, which we have discussed previously with regard to the prosperity pimps.
Anonymous
I agree with you. The church deserves the scrutiny of the government when people like Ed play fast and hard with the church exemption. And we wonder why atheism is on the rise?
Dr. Ed Young just preached false doctrine on Friday (Nov 26, 2010). And he did it aggressively. Do people not care what the Young family teaches? I document the latest error of Dr. Ed Young (The Winning Walk) on my web site. I show how he opposes an important Christian doctrine and relies on philosophy instead of revelation. Here is the link to the article where I quote Dr. Ed Young and his false teaching:http://mrrives.com/Gezer/?p=2392
Steve Rives
Pastor, Eastside Church of the Cross
Steve Rives,
Thanks for holding a fellow pastor accountable. I will be sure to check this out. Since you mentioned The Winning Walk, are you talking about Ed Jr. or his father?