Steven Furtick Gets Mulitple “Spontaneous” Standing Ovations in Charlotte! *facepalm*

“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

http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=32842&picture=-100Lots of dollars

Update 8:15 PM Dee was right. They gave him a standing ovation today as well !!! Never doubt your adorable blog queen link  

Furtick says his house is big, beautiful and a gift from God. They stand and PT Barnum is proved correct once again.

I have always tried to make this a church where you could be proud of your church,” Furtick said. The congregation responded by giving Furtick a standing ovation.

I predict that Steven Furtick will continue to receive "spontaneous" standing ovations in all services at Elevation today. This same thing happened when Ed Young Jr.'s lifestyle was exposed by the media in Dallas link. And we know that Ed is advising Steve, perhaps about real estate link?  Read this post from FBC Jax Watchdogs, written during the Ed Young Jr expose.

Here is a report by WCNC's Stuart Watson describing Elevation's Saturday evening service. The video in the report is not working well but there is a report to accompany the video. Note: he is still trying to downsize the actual square footage of the house.

Furtick spent about eight minutes before his 5 p.m. Saturday sermon stepping down from the pulpit and addressing the congregation directly, saying he was sorry if the house and surrounding questions caused them, the congregation, to have difficult conversations with co-workers, friends and neighbors.

(Furtick said)  "Holly and I made a decision to build a house. It’s a big house. It’s a beautiful house. It’s 8,400 square feet of heated living area to be exact. That’s a big house; no doubt about it,” he said 

Then the audience at the Blakeney location of Elevation Church gave him a standing ovation on camera.

Here is the question. For whom do you give standing ovations? Should it be expected for  a man who admits to building a bigger house that the richest family in North Carolina and is forced to talk about it? This is courage? This is a role model for the faith? 

No wonder people are fleeing from the evangelical church. How utterly embarrassing…

Comments

Steven Furtick Gets Mulitple “Spontaneous” Standing Ovations in Charlotte! *facepalm* — 141 Comments

  1. “For avoiding of idolatry, it may chance that ye be contemned in the world, and compelled to leave the realm. But obeyers of idolatry, as before God they are abominable, so shall they be compelled body and soul to burn in hell. For avoiding of idolatry, your worldly substance shall be lost and spoiled; but for obeying of idolatry, heavenly riches shall be lost. By avoiding idolatry, you may fall into the hands of earthly tyrants; but obeyers, consenters, and maintainers of idolatry, shall not escape the hands of the living God. For avoiding idolatry, your children shall be deprived of father, friends, riches, and earthly rest; but by obedience to idolatry, they shall be left without God, without the knowledge of his word, and without hope of his kingdom. Consider, dear brethren, that how much more dolorous it is to be tormented in hell, than to suffer trouble on earth; to be deprived of heavenly joy, than to be robbed of transitory riches; to fall into the hands of the living God, than to abide man’s vain and uncertain displeasure —so much more fearful and dangerous it is, to obey idolatry, or dissembling, to consent to that abomination, than avoiding the same, to suffer what inconveniences may follow thereupon by man’s tyranny. Oh, be not like Esau, that sold and lost his birth-right for a mess of pottage!”
    -John Knox, “Letter to the Faithful in England”

  2. Pingback: Quote for the day | Civil Commotion

  3. It used to be it was for doing something courageous and self sacrificing. Like War Veterans. Things have changed.

    But nowadays, pastors are considered “persecuted” if they end up on the news for excessive living off tithe money.

    Why are we surprised the unbelievers around us think Christianity a total fake “religion”?

  4. I’m sure it was ‘spontaneous’ :rolleyes: A few of Furtick’s lackeys stand up and cheer and the rest of the chumps follow. Why are they cheering? Because their ‘minister’ conned them out of their money to build himself a mansion? The congregation can be proud of itself for being such dupes.

  5. When I think of the congregation of Fortick’s (and others of his ilk) I see the hypnotized crowd scene from The Mummy “Im-ho-tep, Im-ho-tep”

  6. Steven Furtick knows who to apologize to. He knows who he doesn’t want to offend or cause embarrassment to . . . the people who give the funds, buy the books, and attend the conferences. He even comes off the stage, down to their level to engage. How humble of him. He knows how to tickle ears quite well.

  7. Standing ovation because he is a preacher with a mansion……is this now what we want from our pastors? If so, the evangelical church is doomed….

  8. Is it any wonder why Steven "Hey Haters" Furtick attracts a young crowd? They are less likely to ask questions and expect accountability from their pastor. Just look at how much say the congregation has in the operation of Elevation Church – NONE!

  9. sad but not surprised. The scriptures actually speaks to these things.

    ESV 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

    ESV Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

  10. JeffT wrote:

    When I think of the congregation of Fortick’s (and others of his ilk) I see the hypnotized crowd scene from The Mummy “Im-ho-tep, Im-ho-tep”

    Here’s what I think of:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD_Bdq1MLWg
    (Skip to about 1 min 20 secs in for the main Standing Ovation. And remember, Comrades: “Jee-sus!” chants to the exact same rhythm as “Ing-Soc!” or “B! B!”)

    Or (Godwin’s Law Warning), the Standing Ovation from 3:00 to 3:45 of this Revival Meeting?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z__YAGCPOv8

  11. Deb wrote:

    Is it any wonder why Steven “Hey Haters” Furtick attracts a young crowd? They are less likely to ask questions and expect accountability from their pastor.

    Furtickjugend?

  12. Headless Unicorn Guy wrote:

    Deb wrote:
    Is it any wonder why Steven “Hey Haters” Furtick attracts a young crowd? They are less likely to ask questions and expect accountability from their pastor.
    Furtickjugend?

    Now that’s funny…..

  13. Hmm….this passage keeps coming to mind when I read about this….

    Acts 12:20-23 –
    “21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.”

    I remember when I was still immersed in the Kool-aid of my former church. There was a fairly regular turnover of membership (which should have been a red flag all by itself) but there was (and still is… 🙁 ) a core group (of which I was one) who supported the pastor – he could do no wrong. After I left it took a few months for the effects to wear off enough to really start seeing….the best and most apt description I have is that it is like being under a spell.

    And when you are deep in it (or under the influence of it), you cannot see it. You really don’t see what is obvious to everyone else. You really believe the persona rather than the reality. When you are under the spell of a man (or woman) of charisma and sucked into a closed system….you become afraid of the outside. Afraid of being deceived (oh, the irony). Afraid of being rejected as ‘lukewarm’ by God, Himself – afraid of being a disappointment to Jesus. This is a powerful dynamic that blinds to reality.

    For me, it took a pretty egregious action on the part of my pastor against my closest friend. An action that resulted in my friend (with my full support and testimony) filing a lawsuit against him and that church (the administrator was his wife and knew what he was doing and did nothing to protect the women in the church – she chose/chooses to blame the women). It was settled out of court and My friend accepted that option for the sake of protecting her children from the public scrutiny that would have come with a public trial. It took this to shake the blinders off – to break the spell.

    It is a very difficult thing to see people who were my friends still caught in that spell – talking of the terrible things that will happen to them if they ever leave “that church” – and wanting so deeply to make them see…..but I do not have the power to make them see. As my friend said a little while after we left….”it would not be deception if you were not deceived.” When you are under the power of a deception, normal reason won’t help. 🙁

  14. Revelation 3: 14-18

    To Laodicea

    14 Write to Laodicea, to the Angel of the church. God’s Yes, the Faithful and Accurate Witness, the First of God’s creation, says:

    15-17 “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.

    18 “Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.

  15. Unseemly for a shepherd of God’s people but as graceless and sordid as it is and looks, it is NOT the norm among pastors or the evangelical churches of America. This and the abberations of other pastors straddling the “prosperity gospel” are prominent but not normal or common. Most pastors in evangelical churches are faithful servants of Christ, ministering and caring for people in obscurity and happy to be so. They seek to be faithful preachers of the word, live simply and try to lead their congregations with humility and love.

  16. I think Steven Furtick and his buddies should paint their faces green, wear pointy hats, put warts on the ends of their noses and carry cauldrons door to door this Halloween because that’s what they’re doing to people – bewitching them. But they’ll probably stay disguised in their Sheep costumes. Pity they’re not scaring more people in that get-up. I watched Furtick on video and I was C.r.e.e.p.e.d.O.u.t.!

  17. Marty Schoenleber Jr. wrote:

    Unseemly for a shepherd of God’s people but as graceless and sordid as it is and looks, it is NOT the norm among pastors or the evangelical churches of America. This and the abberations of other pastors straddling the “prosperity gospel” are prominent but not normal or common. Most pastors in evangelical churches are faithful servants of Christ, ministering and caring for people in obscurity and happy to be so. They seek to be faithful preachers of the word, live simply and try to lead their congregations with humility and love.

    Marty, Dee is correct. One of the biggest problems I have with ministers is their silence. I co-host a politics and religion radio show on a couple of stations in East Texas in which we discuss the ministry and money grabbers from time to time. We are amazed at the church staff members who come to the defense of even the worst of the worst. Preachers who drive German luxury cars while their church members have a hard time making the food money stretch until the next payday. Many pastors will not say a word about other ministers for fear, they might be next….it’s like they don’t want to rock that boat. It’s like I am 5-6 years from retirement, let’s go along to get along, or maybe they are afraid of what might be turn up if someone kicks the rock they live under.( poor analogy, but you understand what I am saying..)
    There’s also is a growth among young staff members that because they are “called by God” they can do no wrong…..unfortunately, people my age are starting to not attend church. ( 55+ Feel like why am I going?) We get calls and emails…and it seems to be growing…

  18. GOOD NIGHT! The people at Elevation gave standing ovations today as Furtick says his house is big, beautiful and a gift from God. Guess the people who threw money at Elevation had nothing to do with anything. PT Barnum was correct!

  19. @ dee: Dee, I think Furtick is actually a reincarnation of P.t. Barnum. He sure has the slick showmanship down pat!

  20. K.D. wrote:

    .unfortunately, people my age are starting to not attend church. ( 55+ Feel like why am I going?) We get calls and emails…and it seems to be growing…

    It’s also 40s and up who are feeling that way.

    I began noticing problems with churches when I was in my mid 30s, first with how family centric churches are, and when you’ve never married and never had kids, you feel really out of place in most evangelical or Southern Baptist churches.

    40+ Adults And The Church / Outgrowing The Congregation?

  21. Furtick has a communications degree – his little speech to his congregation was slick.
    I wonder if the local tv station received threats, (“This is a news story and the media is not our enemy”) and Furtick, knowing which side his bread is buttered on, chose to play the cards he did, wilfully, deliberately and carefully.
    He knows to tell people what they want to hear, must have been paying attention in his communication classes.

    Smooth move, discrediting, then watering down what are facts and calling them opinions:

    “They have the right to run any story they choose to run and people have the right to have any opinion they choose to have. That’s OK.”

    Smooth move offering something that isn’t available or complete (I’m thinking of his offshoot earnings)

    “…people could always have copies of audited financial statements of the church…”

    What happens to congregants who will/may ask for a statement?
    I bet news media won’t be offered one.:^)

  22. Ha. Another smooth move:

    ““Having to have those conversations – that really bothered me. And it made me sad and I am sorry that you had to have those conversations this week,”

    Giving him the benefit of the doubt, perhaps his conscience was pricked, perhaps he was shaken and saddened. But, the predictable response/reaction of his fans is seen under the news story. His followers are piling in justifying, rationalizing and playing the us/other card. Of course he is sorry, he wants to grow his church to 100 thousand, the pool he can draw from isn’t bottomless, and I doubt he wants too many waking up, growing up and walking out the door.

  23. I watched online Saturday and saw that standing O for the big house. Then attended a location on Sunday…and saw the same standing O for the big house. I understand it coming from Blakeny, they are all about big houses out there and understand that type of thing as normal. But why are single moms, or anyone, in the other locations jumping to their feet for Furtick’s mansion?

  24. Daisy wrote:

    “Stuff Christian Culture Likes” noticed that Furtick’s wife recently made a blog page about how wonderful her husband is.
    10 things I [Holly Furtick] love about my pastor [Steven Furtick, her spouse] (part 1)
    It was posted on October 22.

    Just read that post and had a little bile in my mouth. Really weird that she refers to her husband as “my pastor.”

  25. And interesting if you look at Mrs. Furtick’s second post on her blog, she discusses the family grocery budget. If that were my budget, I’d really have to question the building of that large of a home. Of course, it was written in 2006, seems like things have greatly improved for them. Maybe I should join Elevation so those blessings will trickle down to my family!

  26. This is all a closely choreographed response designed by the same people who helped Ed Young through his private jet scandal a few years ago. Trust me, there were plants in the audience ready to jump up and cheer and get everyone on their feet.
    They have a rapid response team designed to put out the flames of media criticisms.

  27. @ Amy Smith: They are crude individuals who mirror their role model. Give em a few years. When the don’t get the houses and the cars like “Prosperi-me,” reality will set in.

  28. @ Daisy: Weird. I can tell you why it is up. Really quite simple. When Furtick is doing well with no criticisms, it is all about him. Get the criticism, he brings in the little woman to hide behind.And she puts up with it.

  29. What a cynical response by Furtick. The only thing he’s sorry about is that the extent of his greed became public. Whatever “gospel” he’s preaching he didn’t get it from the Bible. Greed itself is apparently not a sin at Elevation and God’s “blessings” are measured in cash. If you’re rich, you’re a good ‘Christian’, God loves you. If you’re struggling financially, well, that means God doesn’t like you – you need to give more money to Furtick’s “church” and then maybe God will change his mind.

    The members of Furtick’s congregation can step up and claim their due: sucker, chump, sap, dupe, mark, pigeon, fish, take your pick.

  30. Bene D wrote:

    What happens to congregants who will/may ask for a statement?
    I bet news media won’t be offered one.:^)

    Awesome assessment!
    The statements from the church will be vague, throwing all sorts of things in the salary department. Even an accountant could not figure it out because it will be impossible.

    Eventually, just like what happened with Ed Young Jr., someone will spill the beans. They are afraid of that and this is why they have the confidentiality agreement.

    There are some things that local investigators need to check out. In particular, how he is transported to events, etc. Then his buddies and how they are paid. We will be bringing up a few things today.

    For example, we know his BFF, Ed Young Jr had (or still has) a leased(or owned) jet because he is “needed” around the world at a moment’s notice. Does Furtick have access to one or does he insist on flying first class? Also, he is BFFs with Lisa Terkeurst. Do they share any perks in terms of transportation, for example? I have no idea but it should be looked at.

    When you have a guy hiding his big, beautiful mansion from his “flock,” one has to wonder what else is not being disclosed. Color me suspicious.

  31. Bene D wrote:

    he wants to grow his church to 100 thousand, the pool he can draw from isn’t bottomless,

    I am actually curious about this. Amway is a bottom feeder organization. The ones who made the dough are the ones who got in first. They must keep bringing in the slugs, the ones who actually want to sell the soap, and stick with it, to keep things going. They have to promise the Mercedes at the end of the road to keep them slogging in the trenches.

    He will have to spread his satellites far and wide to get enough suckers to believe that God will give mansions to those who love him. He needs the money to keep this up. When he said his mansion was a gift from God, I know what path he is going down. Ed Young did this. He claimed that the reason he is so wealthy is because he and Lisa tithed from the beginning. Therefore, if you give Ed the cash, you, too, will have his mansion. Watch for this sort of schtick from Furtick in the months to come.

    Ed has located his satellites in rich suburbs. Furtick will continue to need to do the same. But he will have to watch out. Other pastors will start gunning for his audience as well. It happened to Ed Young. He did an infamous sermon in which he accused preachers of accessing his flock.

    http://www.outofur.com/archives/2008/06/ed_young_jr_tak.html

    It is happening here in the Triangle area as well.

  32. Aunt Sassylips wrote:

    But why are single moms, or anyone, in the other locations jumping to their feet for Furtick’s mansion?

    It’s really quite simple, Furtick claims the big house is a gift from God. Some poor souls believe if they follow such a materially blessed man like Furtick, they too, will get the house.

    Then, add the peer pressure of those around you standing, and you stand to avoid seeming controversial. Lemmings, all…

  33. Lola wrote:

    Just read that post and had a little bile in my mouth. Really weird that she refers to her husband as “my pastor.”

    His wife is complicit in this whole affair. I am getting tired of pastors’ wives getting a pass. i believe women should have a backbone. If she had stood up and said “Hold it, buster.” he would have had a hard time implementing the Furtick family fortune.
    Also, psychologically, think of it. “I have to do what my pastor tells me to do. He is a man of God.”

  34. Lola wrote:

    Of course, it was written in 2006, seems like things have greatly improved for them. Maybe I should join Elevation so those blessings will trickle down to my family!

    This whole thing is a carefully orchestrated move to show that the Furticks really were one of the bourgeois. They just got rich because God wanted them to get rich.
    Caveat: God does not want you to get rich. He wants you to give your money to Steven.

  35. Mark wrote:

    This is all a closely choreographed response designed by the same people who helped Ed Young through his private jet scandal a few years ago. Trust me, there were plants in the audience ready to jump up and cheer and get everyone on their feet.
    They have a rapid response team designed to put out the flames of media criticisms.

    Needs to be restated. I wonder how Ed feels when one of his own accumulates wealth far faster than he did? Ed was still slumming when he was Furrticks age, living in a 3000 square foot house.

  36. dee wrote:

    If she had stood up and said “Hold it, buster.” he would have had a hard time implementing the Furtick family fortune.

    She probably is very happy to be moving into a multimillion dollar home. That’s my guess.

  37. @ Mark:

    Is this fact or your suspicion? I’m no Furtick fan, but I see statements like this from time to time and I wonder if there is proof to support them.

  38. I wonder if you could transfer this kind of ‘theology’ to Africa? You know, a 8,400 square feet mud hut? ….

  39. Ken wrote:

    I wonder if you could transfer this kind of ‘theology’ to Africa? You know, a 8,400 square feet mud hut? ….

    Unfortunately, some of these “get God and get rich” types go to Africa and preach this nonsense. The pain inherent in this theology is untold.

  40. @ dee:
    After posting that, I did wonder if it was perhaps not a very kind thing to say in view of the poverty so much of that continent has to endure. But it does show how the materialist ‘gospel’ is culturally bound to the West, to affluent societies. It is in essence the American dream dressed up as Christianity. The bible is always balanced on this issue of wealth, and a favourite is:

    Two things I ask of you;
    deny them not to me before I die:
    Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
    give me neither poverty nor riches;
    feed me with the food that is needful for me,
    lest I be full and deny you
    and say, “Who is the Lord?”
    or lest I be poor and steal
    and profane the name of my God.

  41. dee wrote:

    @ Marge Sweigart:
    bet she is looking forward to spending all sorts of money on decoration, etc. Can you imagine how much that is going to cost?

    The outrageous part is that furnishing and appliance expenses can be counted toward the clergy housing allowance which is EXCLUDABLE from Federal income taxes.

  42. Anyone –

    Is the “clergy housing allowance” an arbitrary amount or is it a set or capped amount? Who caps or sets the amount?

  43. dee wrote:

    I am actually curious about this. Amway is a bottom feeder organization. The ones who made the dough are the ones who got in first. They must keep bringing in the slugs, the ones who actually want to sell the soap, and stick with it, to keep things going. They have to promise the Mercedes at the end of the road to keep them slogging in the trenches.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW4jaol5_Yo

  44. dee wrote:

    @ Marge Sweigart:
    bet she is looking forward to spending all sorts of money on decoration, etc. Can you imagine how much that is going to cost?

    “TITHE! TITHE TITHE!”

  45. @ Bridget:
    I do not know but I do know that there is a reason an attorney is involved in this process. My guess is they advise how much he can get before the law starts getting interested.

  46. dee wrote:

    bet she is looking forward to spending all sorts of money on decoration, etc. Can you imagine how much that is going to cost?

    You can bet they’re not going to IKEA to furnish the house, either. A friend of mine pointed out to me the $1.4M building permit doesn’t include appliances or finishing work. So when it’s all said and done, it’ll cost way more than “just” $1.4M.

  47. @ TedS.: I have a feeling that there is a lot more to come. Any guy who builds that big of a house and doesn’t think twice about it, is a guy who doesn’t think twice about lots of things.

  48. @ Marge Sweigart: If anyone thinks that this extravaganza only costs $1.4 million, then they need to make sure they get good advice before they try to purchase a house.

  49. Another question that always concerns me is – who/what entity owns/oversees the properties and material assets that these mega churches purchase with the TITHES and GIFTS that people give? (To God?) Do the congregations of these churches have knowledge of how any of this is set up? If the/a mega church dissolves, what happens to all the assets?

    With Furtick’s church having no elders or deacons, WHO determines all these issues?

  50. I used to be under the impression that the people in the pews were just being deceived. I’ve now come to the conclusion that this is exactly the pastor that they want and the type of church they want to be a part of. I really don’t know what to say at this point other than I am glad there are many other bodies of believers and we can vote with our feet and our pocketbooks.

  51. @ Marge Sweigart:

    A few of the funnier ones I’ve seen so far:

    Zack Morrow ‏@zackbmorrow 13h
    I Am Washed in the Porcelain Tub #furtickHymns

    Colonel ‏@ColonelJWBates 28m
    “It is Well with My Bankroll” #furtickHymns

    Colonel ‏@ColonelJWBates 17h
    “Were you there when they selected my compensation board?” #furtickHymns

    John Callaway ‏@JohnRCallaway 22h
    Count Your Square-footage #furtickHymns

    Mortal Fool ‏@themortalfool 6h
    The foolish man built his house upon the flock. #furtickHymns

    Jeremy Vold ‏@Pirate77 4h
    The Old Account Was Settled Long Ago… the new one is held by a trust. #furtickHymns

    Christopher ‏@runchrisrunn 18h
    Jesus Paid it all, all from him I stole #furtickHymns

    Thomas Richardson ‏@thomas_rich 21h
    .@ChrchCurmudgeon “Financial Assurance, Money is Mine” #furtickHymns

    John Callaway ‏@JohnRCallaway 22h
    Were You There When They Handed Me the Keys? #furtickHymns

    Brandon Russell ‏@brandon805 22h
    Shall we Gather at my Estate #furtickHymns

    Tommy Mann ‏@TommyCMann 22h
    “Just a Bigger House for Me” #FurtickHymns

    George Wisley ‏@GWisley 18h
    Great Is Thy Mortgage Loan #furtickHymns

  52. Keith wrote:

    I used to be under the impression that the people in the pews were just being deceived. I’ve now come to the conclusion that this is exactly the pastor that they want and the type of church they want to be a part of. I really don’t know what to say at this point other than I am glad there are many other bodies of believers and we can vote with our feet and our pocketbooks.

    This is the only conclusion I have been able to come to as well.

  53. @ pcapastor:

    I can come to that conclusion for some of the people at these churches, but not all of them. Some are willing participants and some refuse to look behind the curtain, but there are new believers, young believers, and immature believers who are being deceived unknowingly. This last grouping are the ones I am upset about. They are the ones who, when mature in Christ, will struggle with the Christian culture that they were engaged with and the men who were supposed to be their leaders. And, yes, some in this group will jump to the group of willing participants and those not wanting to know who/what is behind the curtain.

  54. @ BeenThereDoneThat:
    Too bad the house isn’t finished. The Daily Fail is the kind of outfit that would sneak a photographer on the premises and get juicy pictures.

  55. For those who think all of us Elevators are blind sheep swallowing anything Steven Furtick dishes out, think again. All of the over 40 members I have spoken with lately all have grave reservations about this extravagance. True, almost all the younger people seem fine with it. They haven’t been around long enough to see through the nonsense. But it was hard to see people cheering on greed. It was the last straw for me. But leaving was not that easy as I have met more great people at Elevation than any other church I’ve ever been to. Many of your posters have never been to the church and don’t know anything about all the great things that have happened here in the last few years. Over 20,000 have made decisions to follow Christ. Pastor Steven certainly has his faults but there is no doubt that God has used him up to this point. Going forward, who knows? Pride goeth before the fall.

  56. regarding frugality, not wasting money, and working for the joy of it:

    just read National Geographic, August 213 issue, the Editor’s Note at the beginning of the issue regarding the work of an ecologist with lions in the Serengeti:

    “Craig’s is a shoestring operation. HIS passion comes without frills. His equipment consists of five beat-up Land Rovers held together by wire, a falling-down house with no power, and a staff that works hard for the sheer love of it. ‘There is nothing that even smells of a wasted dollar.’ It is all about the research — and the lions.”

  57. John wrote:

    Over 20,000 have made decisions to follow Christ. Pastor Steven certainly has his faults but there is no doubt that God has used him up to this point.

    How do you know that either of these are true?

  58. @ John:
    Jim Jones did a lot of good works for the community in his heyday, too. After leaving my former cult, one of the first things I watched was a documentary on the People’s Temple that aired on PBS, I think. It interwove interviews from former members as it told the story. You’d be surprised how many of those people miss what they experienced in the People’s Temple. These were people who lost family members and friends to the Kool-Aid.
    My point is, it’s difficult. You want to believe in something good, but you have to face the reality of what’s going on.

  59. John wrote:

    For those who think all of us Elevators are blind sheep swallowing anything Steven Furtick dishes out, think again. All of the over 40 members I have spoken with lately all have grave reservations about this extravagance.

    So will you “come out from among them” and take your wallets with you, or will you continue to feed the monster?

  60. John wrote:

    Over 20,000 have made decisions to follow Christ

    But here’s the thing, John. Did they make a decision to follow Christ? Because Christ didn’t live anything like Furtick. Or is following Christ just a dressed up magic prayer? I’m not disparaging anyone at all, but am truly curious. Going forward in church or signing a prayer card just isn’t the same as “following Christ”.

  61. @Dee

    Elevation has a plant in Toronto.

    Was started by one of Furticks original couples.
    politeness here – John and Heather Bishop, go back to Charlotte. We don’t need any more US plants, God can and does use Canadian Christians, we don’t need or want any more American evangelical consumerism.

  62. Bene Diction wrote:

    Elevation has a plant in Toronto.

    Grab the babies and head for the hills. On behalf of the people of the United States, please accept my sincerest apologies. Dang-the mother ship is in my state.

  63. Yes, we are leaving and our finances with us. Many things are said about Elevation and some of the wild cult accusations are pure garbage. However, I’ve been around long enough to see financial mismanagement and lack of accountability when I see it. That doesn’t make Pastor Furtick a bad guy, just a greedy one. The decisions for Christ are between the people and God. I know several people who made first time decisions there including our former next door neighbors and those were all certainly genuine. Who can say for all the rest – certainly not you or I. In the end, God will sort things out and I a hope Pastor repents of his greedy spirit and continues to be used. He is an amazing preacher who can reach a younger unchurched generation.

  64. just wondering what is going to happen to all these enormous energy-devouring structures when this fad runs its course and people have sobered up for common sense. I’ve long thought church buildings are quite the ball & chain, holding the mission hostage.

  65. John wrote:

    That doesn’t make Pastor Furtick a bad guy, just a greedy one.

    How do you differentiate between bad and greedy? Maybe it would be better to say that Furtick is a sinner who has sold out his office f pastor for a big house.

  66. @ elastigirl:

    respite in the woods for those recovering from illness, retirement home, homeless shelter, home for mothers who need a support, homeless pregnancy shelter . . .

  67. No apologies necessary Dee, we’ve exported Patrica King, Todd Bentley, James MacDonald, Ted Cruz etc.:^)

    Interesting the Bishops see themselves as ‘urban’ planters, next to one of the wealthiest and highest churched areas in Canada. They are planting in Mississauga, which has a population of just over 700 thousand and about 110 churches.

    They didn’t chose to plant in a medium size city in say, Labrador or the Yukon, or even Ontario. Gee.

    John Bishop’s twitter feed is Steven this, Steven that.
    Maybe the cold weather will simmer them down and maybe exposure to Canadian culture will help them break out of the Steven bubble and help them mature. Or not.

    Elevation Church registered with Revenue Canada in 2012, but hasn’t filed a return as yet. Elevation brags this is the first ‘international’ plant. John Bishop isn’t registered with the province as licensed/ordained to perform marriages.

  68. John wrote:

    He is an amazing preacher who can reach a younger unchurched generation.

    What about the middle aged and elderly unchurched?

  69. @ Daisy:
    Would you please warn before posting things like that – some of us might have been drinking our coffee ….. !!

    I liked Steve Hayes’ comment on this theme: they have the best pastor money can buy.

  70. @ Daisy: You are just supposed to shut up and cough up the cash so the pastor can live in comfort while he toils in the vineyard of the young. Old people are only good for one thing-money.

  71. Bene D wrote:

    They didn’t chose to plant in a medium size city in say, Labrador or the Yukon, or even Ontario. Gee.

    Ed Young started this theory of planting churches in wealthier cities and suburbs. Many others, such as SGM and SBC church plants, did so as well. Dee is about to make a prophecy. The new church will make money and someone will raise the question as to why the church is doing little in the missions department. The answer will go something like this. “We are our own mission. All the money that comes to this church supports building this mission church.”

    Why do I know this? I sat in Ed Young Jr’s church when he said this to an audience, filled with people who drove BMWs, Mercedes, Escalades, etc. and lived in huge houses in gated communities. And Steven and Ed are BFFs.

    I am so sorry that he is coming to Canada. Your country is absolutely beautiful. I have spent time in Vancouver, Toronto, Glacier, New Brunswick, etc. My husband and I are talking about getting up to Banff and Lake Louise.

    Here is the most beautiful place that I have ever stayed-the Prince of Wales hotel in Glacier/Waterton

    http://www.firstlight.com/feature/canada/images/waterton_national_park_alberta.jpg
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_of_Wales_Hotel

    I remember sitting in the lounge, as the sun was setting, overlooking the incredible beauty while sipping on a glass of wine and thinking that heaven is something like this.

  72. I’m concerned by the size of this house as well as other things at Elevation but it is either dishonest or misleading or both to keep up with the “he is still trying to downsize the actual square footage of the house” line and the 16,000 square foot number.

    No one measures their houses the way it is done for a building permit and clearing the news media is going with that greater number because it’s more sensational. Look in the real estate section of your newspaper and you’ll see square footage numbers that do not include basements, un-heated attic spaces as well as porches and patios, etc.

    I’m not even saying that 8,400 feet is more defensible than 16,000 (1,700,000 is what it is) but when Joe church member is comparing this home to his 2,500 square foot home he is not using the same standard for comparison when he has another 1,500 feet of chilly basement as well as maybe another 600 feet between the deck and front porch. (That’s a pretty common house and would measure out to 4600 sq ft if we were applying the same standard.)

    Criticize if you need but be honest about it.

  73. @ dee:
    I live vicariously through my contractor husband’s experiences with this. One of his current customers replaced her old fridge with an $8000 Sub Zero. She replaced her kitchen faucet with one that cost $$1,500. Her guest bath hardware is even more expensive than that.
    I can almost guarantee that a house Furtick’s size is going to have top-notch appliances and hardware. After all these years, I’m still shocked at how much the accoutrements cost.

  74. @ dee:

    WOW — this is going on my places to visit list! some day I WILL travel (or resume travelling). as soon as my youngest is launched.

  75. BeenThereDoneThat wrote:

    I live vicariously through my contractor husband’s experiences with this. One of his current customers replaced her old fridge with an $8000 Sub Zero. She replaced her kitchen faucet with one that cost $$1,500. Her guest bath hardware is even more expensive than that.

    Fifteen Benjamins for a kitchen faucet?

    This is called “People with Too Much Money — let’s remedy that!”

    Or “People with more money than brains/sense!”

  76. Daisy wrote:

    John wrote:
    He is an amazing preacher who can reach a younger unchurched generation.
    What about the middle aged and elderly unchurched?

    They can go to Hell.

    Because they can seen through the “TITHE! TITHE! TITHE!” scam.

  77. Dr. Fundystan, Proctologist wrote:

    John wrote:
    Over 20,000 have made decisions to follow Christ

    The “Look how many $oul$ he $aved!” is right out of the Mike Warnke fanboy playbook. Anyone remember when Cornerstone exposed Mike Warnke as a flat-out fraud? And got piled on for the effort? Besides the usual Grand Unified Conspiracy Theory painting Cornerstone as Heathens/Satanists/One of THEM, Warnke’s fanboys rubbed their face in “And how many $oul$ did YOU Save? HUH? HUH? HUH?”

    Because “Souls” are the Christianese currency, and the Golden Rule applies: Whoever has the most Gold makes the rules.

    Aside: Note “Souls”. NOT people. Notches on the evangelist’s Bible, nothing more.

    All the Warnke

  78. Victorious wrote:

    Ken wrote:
    It is in essence the American dream dressed up as Christianity.
    Wow! How profoundly true!

    It strikes me more as a cartoon of the American dream.
    Exaggerated to the point of absurdity/insanity.
    With a God-talk coat of paint.

  79. John wrote:

    Yes, we are leaving and our finances with us. Many things are said about Elevation and some of the wild cult accusations are pure garbage.

    I’m glad to hear both these things.

    I’m just curious.

    Did Pastor Furtick mention any heroes of the faith besides his close buddies. I mean like, were there ministers who had gone on before him that he pointed to as inspiration?

    Not really important. I’m just curious of the history and evolution of the “Mega Church” phenomenon.

  80. William wrote:

    Criticize if you need but be honest about it.

    Oh good night.
    First, even at 8400 heated his house is still larger than the richest man in North Carolina (Jim Goodnight).

    Secondly, most modest dwelling either have no garage or a garage for 1-2 cars. More expensive homes have garage for 3. I am going to laugh my guts out when we see the lovely garage with its roomy expanse and a porch/deck to beat all porch and decks. Oh yeah, the extra 8,000 is really just going to be a hunk of space with no amenities.

    So, it is silly to try to make his house sound more modest by “accurately” describing the heated sq ft.I cannot wait to see the finished product.And wait until the decorators get going. This is going to be one heckuva house and I am sure Furtick is so glad for all the nice people who bought his book and paid his salary. But, he won’t invite them over.

  81. BeenThereDoneThat wrote:

    I can almost guarantee that a house Furtick’s size is going to have top-notch appliances and hardware.

    Firtick will not be buying his faucets from the local hardware store.
    Wait until you see the design of his shower. I bet it is beautiful…

  82. @ Mara:

    His Pastor and mentor is Craig Groeschel of Life Church. He talks about having relationships with many other pastors including Rick Warren, Perry Noble, etc. He has both reformed (Matt Chandler and Mark Driscoll) and more charistmatic ones like Joyce Meyer and Brian Houston from Hillsong.

  83. @ William:Let me add what might be expected items for a similar extravagant house. A beautiful pool made with natural stone; gazebos, trellis covering for an extensive deck system, special landscaping with expensive bushes, etc, gates with security, outdoor lighting, the duct work in order to heat and cool the garage and a work area, specialty driveways with beautiful designs, walkways with specialty stone work, etc.

    I am sure that most people of the stature of Stephen, are not going to just put up a concrete slab with no design. If anyone ever gets a tour, I would love a description of the master bedroom shower?

    Also, keep tabs on the number and kinds of cars that will be driven.

  84. Let us remember that Stalin got standing ovations and remember how many millions he murdered. Let us remember the Jimmy Swaggarts and Jim Bakers of the past and how their followers (notice I i did not say Jesus’ followers) continued to worship in awe. I just tore up and threw away all the books i purchased from Furtick. I am sad but nor surprised. How many adoptions could over 1 million dollars have helped those who are struggling financially to adopt? How many hungry people could these millions have fed? How many homes could be purchased for the homeless instead of one, now arrogant and blind former preacher of the gospel, could these millions have bought?

  85. @ John:

    Thanks for the response, John.

    People who have never been a part of mega churches don’t ‘get’ mega churches.

    Even people who ARE part of mega churches today don’t get how they should be run and who should run it.

    I was a part of one back in the late 80s early 90s.
    IMHO I believe that church did “Mega Churching” right if there actually is a right way to do it.

    The pastor of my old church was a missionary for many years before he ever pastored a church in the U.S. He lived modestly in a middle class home all during his time as a mega pastor up until his death in 1996 after 60 years of ministry. There were no 4, 6, or 8 thousand square foot homes involved.

    A lot of young bucks saw what my pastor was doing and aspired to “Win a Million” souls just like my him and other mega pastors of his day.

    What mega churching has evolved into is a sad state of affairs. Pastor Furtick is by no means alone in these sins of excess.

    Many of the young bucks that aspire to the position of mega pastor really aren’t cut out for it. It’s too easy to fall into greed or other such things as we have seen over and over in the mega church culture.

    I’m sorry that you had to be a part of this dark side of megachurching. I’m really glad that you are getting out. I hope there is a huge exodus because this is not what Christianity is about. It’s not about building someone else’s kingdom on earth at your expense. It’s about building God’s kingdom which isn’t measure in square footage.

    Please forgive my fellow commenters for their sharpness when responding to your comments. Many of them don’t understand megachurch culture. And those who have been “the frog in the pot” in other situations have forgotten how long it took themselves to realized they were being had by the wrong kind of leadership.

  86. @ dee:
    @ William:
    What a sorry attempt to try to justify such a house. When reporting the size of a house the square footage is what is under the roof. Most all houses have heated space and non-heated space but the total size includes everything. I was a building contractor many years ago and I know that the cost of each is about the same. In many cases the unheated space cost more depending on the house. I assure you Furtick’s garage or other so called unheated spaces will not be unfinished. A heated garage is not included in the square footage of a house here where I live. It’s not living space. And to just give this reading audience a better idea of how big 16000 sq feet is. The average size American home in 2009 was 2164 Sq ft. In the UK it was 818 Sq. ft. In urban China it was 646 Sq. ft. And Canada was 1948 Sq . ft. A 2164 Sq ft house is equal to 21.64 rooms that are 10×10. A 646 Sq. ft. house is equal to 6.46 rooms that are 10×10. A 16000 Sq ft house is equal to 160 rooms that are 10×10. 8500 Sq ft living space is equal to 85 rooms that are 10×10.. 16000 Sq feet is bigger than one third of an acre. 16000 Sq. feet is equal to a lot size of 85 x 188 feet. Which is bigger than most subdivision lots here where I live. If you took 16000 Sq ft and connected them in a continues row it would extend 3 miles. 646 Sq ft connected together would go just a little over two football fields. An Olympic swimming pool is 13,448 Sq. ft.

  87. Just had to leave one more illustration to try to help understand the size of this house. If you took the 160 10×10 square rooms and stacked them on top of each other they would stand 1600 feet into the air. The Empire State Building is 1454 feet tall. That poor China house is only 64.6 feet tall.
    @ William:

  88. Raymond wrote:

    If you took 16000 Sq ft and connected them in a continues row it would extend 3 miles. 646 Sq ft connected together would go just a little over two football fields

    Thank you so much for you informative comment.
    Raymond wrote:

    If you took the 160 10×10 square rooms and stacked them on top of each other they would stand 1600 feet into the air. The Empire State Building is 1454 feet tall. That poor China house is only 64.6 feet tall.

    Good night! I need to tweet this.

  89. @ Dee:

    They keep talking about a basement. Basement’s are never included in square footage . . . and how many homes in that area even have basements? It doesn’t seem like many, if any, do. In the pictures available, I don’t see a house that has a basement foundation . . . with windows. So, I’m curious how much space this basement actually takes up of the 16,000 sq.

  90. LJ wrote:

    Let us remember that Stalin got standing ovations

    LJ wrote:

    Let us remember the Jimmy Swaggarts and Jim Bakers of the past and how their followers (notice I i did not say Jesus’ followers) continued to worship in awe

    Well said!

  91. Bridget wrote:

    So, I’m curious how much space this basement actually takes up of the 16,000 sq.

    Smoke and mirrors-trying to throw us off the scent.

  92. dee wrote:

    @ Bridget:
    I do not know but I do know that there is a reason an attorney is involved in this process. My guess is they advise how much he can get before the law starts getting interested.

    “I don’t pay a lawyer to tell me whether what I want to do is legal or not. I PAY A LAWYER TO TELL ME HOW TO GET AWAY WITH WHAT I WANT TO DO!” — attr to J.P.Morgan or J.D.Rockefeller

  93. Bridget wrote:

    @ Dee:
    They keep talking about a basement. Basement’s are never included in square footage . . . and how many homes in that area even have basements? It doesn’t seem like many, if any, do. In the pictures available, I don’t see a house that has a basement foundation . . . with windows. So, I’m curious how much space this basement actually takes up of the 16,000 sq.

    First, basements are not counted in square footage. Aerial spycam pic of the house looks like around three stories, assuming those dormers mean the attic is counted. Assuming the basement is not larger footprint than the house above it, we have a maximum size for the basement alone of 4-5000 sq ft — four times the size of my house (three times if you count MY basement).

    16000 sq ft = 100 x 160 feet if it were all on one level — around 40% of an acre. AKA about 30 x 50 meters — about one-sixth of a hectare. His house has almost twice the area of the LOT under the house I grew up in, and that was considered a large lot for a Forties-era tract.

  94. 16000 sq ft is also SIXTEEN times the square footage of the house on that lot in the Forties-vintage tract where I grew up — and that’s after my Dad added the new bedroom and bath for 3BR 2BA in the Sixties. Before that, it would have been EIGHTEEN to TWENTY times the square footage of the original 2BR 1BA house.

    And his nine-point-something acre lot translates to about four hectares; again around FIFTY times the square footage of my parents’ house’s lot.

    16000 sq ft is also over TWELVE times the size of the 2BR 2 1/2 BA townhouse I live in now. NINE times if we’re counting basements on both.

  95. dee wrote:

    Oh yeah, the extra 8,000 is really just going to be a hunk of space with no amenities.

    I keep visualizing Furtick’s un-heated garage looking something like Bat Man’s from the Bat Man films starring Val Kilmer or George Clooney, and I do not mean the Bat Cave, but the scenes in the mansion’s garage, where you see an extensive motorcycle and sports car collection.

    Or like Jay Leno’s garage, with his classic car collection (he’s been interviewed on TV over the years about his car collection, and I’ve seen his garage).

    Or from the Iron Man movie, where you can see part of Tony Stark’s big garage, with part of his expensive auto collection, in this scene:

    Tony Stark’s garage (from the Iron Man movie)

  96. @ William & Raymond:

    I doubt my house would add up to 2500 square feet even if the dirt basement was included. The living space is 900 square feet and the garage is detached. That’s 5.6% of Furtick’s house. 2500 square feet would feel like a palace to me. I wouldn’t even have enough furniture to furnish all of it.

  97. @ Headless Unicorn Guy:

    I hear you, HUG. My main point was that I doubt that house even has a basement to attribute square footage to. 😉

    I believe the correct acre count is 19, not nine. 🙁

  98. Some more fun facts : 16000 Sq ft is equal to 5.6 regulation tennis courts. It’s equal to 3.4 regulation basketball courts. It’s equal to two professional baseball field in fields. For those that live in a mobile home 16000 Sq ft is equal to 12.5 – 16×80 mobile homes. To cool 16000 Sq ft with a 5000 btu ac would take 106 units.8500 Sq ft would only take 53. Each family member in the Furtick’s family would have a 3200 Sq foot house if they built each a separate house.

  99. One large mission organization limits all their missionaries to homes of a MAX of 1,600 sq ft – this is around the world, regardless of size of families, or even cultural standards. It’s not just about the money but all the perception to those they are ministering to and with. By the Steven Furtick standard, I guess all these dedicated missionaries serving around the globe are just not blessed by God. My guess is the missionaries would say it’s more important and a bigger blessing to reach the lost than live in a big house.

  100. Headless Unicorn Guy wrote:

    16000 sq ft = 100 x 160 feet if it were all on one level — around 40% of an acre. AKA about 30 x 50 meters — about one-sixth of a hectare. His house has almost twice the area of the LOT under the house I grew up in, and that was considered a large lot for a Forties-era tract.

    Great comment. The willingness of Elevators to try to downplay this huge house is embarrassing, especially to them. They cannot accept that their pastor behaved in anyway but “godly.”

    They cannot accept that they have a sinner as a pastor. They defend him as if he is Jesus. I believe that Furtick has set himself up as the visionary of the church. The people have bought it. They have a pastor who does not trust anyone in his congregation to set his salary? WHY?

    It is obvious to me that he has a low view of those who follow him. He has to go outside the church to get his salary set. I find this fact, alone, the reason why I would never, ever attend his church and am shocked that people would attend when their pastor has a perspective.

    Folks, do you really think that your pastor respects you? Why in the world would you give money to this enterprise?

  101. Daisy wrote:

    I keep visualizing Furtick’s un-heated garage looking something like Bat Man’s from the Bat Man films starring Val Kilmer or George Clooney, and I do not mean the Bat Cave, but the scenes in the mansion’s garage, where you see an extensive motorcycle and sports car collection.
    Or like Jay Leno’s garage, with his classic car collection (he’s been interviewed on TV over the

    Daisy wrote:

    Or from the Iron Man movie, where you can see part of Tony Stark’s big garage, with part of his expensive auto collection, in this scene:
    Tony Stark’s garage (from the Iron Man movie)

    Thank you for the picture.

  102. AJ wrote:

    It’s not just about the money but all the perception to those they are ministering to and with. By the Steven Furtick standard, I guess all these dedicated missionaries serving around the globe are just not blessed by God.

    Excellent comment.

  103. Bridget wrote:

    I hear you, HUG. My main point was that I doubt that house even has a basement to attribute square footage to.
    I believe the correct acre count is 19, not nine.

    Then double all my figures for the lot area.
    EIGHT hectares.
    A HUNDRED times the square footage of the lot where I grew up.

  104. @ dee:

    I tried to find you movie clips from the Bat Man films with the Wayne manor garage scenes, but I couldn’t find those!

    If you ever catch the George Clooney or Val Kilmer Bat Man movies on cable (they are sometimes shown in repeats), keep an eye out for the scenes where Clooney / Kilmer take a walk with Robin (actor Chris O’Donnell), or Chris O’Donnell takes a walk there with Bat Girl (Alicia Silverstone).

    You will see a sizable garage lined with expensive sports cars and motorcycles.

  105. dee wrote:

    They cannot accept that they have a sinner as a pastor. They defend him as if he is Jesus. I believe that Furtick has set himself up as the visionary of the church. The people have bought it. They have a pastor who does not trust anyone in his congregation to set his salary? WHY?

    In a con game, it’s important that the con man get the mark emotionally invested in the con. Especially if the mark has invested time/money/energy; rather than admit they were wrong and got scammed, the mark will stay in the con getting scammed and swear undying loyalty to the con man. Otherwise, the mark has to admit he screwed up/got stupid and got taken.

    “I go chop you dollar,
    I make your money disappear;
    Four-One-Nine just a game,
    You be the Mugu, I be the Masta…”
    — “I Go Chop You Dolla”, Nigerian pop song about scammers

  106. @ elastigirl:

    So many vile comments by people pretending to follow Christ.

    If I were not a Christian, I wouldn’t set foot in one of your Whitewashed Tombs on s Sunday morning. This isn’t about a house, or a pastor, it’s about a spirit of discord lusting for the destruction of the church and leaping at any opportunity to tear down those that don’t share your particular brand of Christianity.

    You should be ashamed of yourselves.

  107. @ dee:
    Believe what you will, but, he is not a “prosperity” preacher. He’s just a young man who surrounded himself with people who shared his vision and apparently left no access for those that might not agree with him.

    During the explosive growth of the church he has doubtless had to surround himself with a small cadre of “true believers” simply to get the work done. He obviously forgot that it’s important to have a couple of “nay sayers” in the group to keep you grounded.

    Elevation Church has accomplished some amazing things in Charlotte, but, I fear they will lose many of the mature Christians who came over from older, sclerotic, dead churches to be part of the vision. That rests solely on the pastor and his hubris.

  108. Greg wrote:

    @ elastigirl:

    So many vile comments by people pretending to follow Christ.

    If I were not a Christian, I wouldn’t set foot in one of your Whitewashed Tombs on s Sunday morning. This isn’t about a house, or a pastor, it’s about a spirit of discord lusting for the destruction of the church and leaping at any opportunity to tear down those that don’t share your particular brand of Christianity.

    You should be ashamed of yourselves.

    My! I’m confused. Just trying to figure out what in elastigirl’s comment caused this severe reaction?

    She didn’t attack people, question their salvation (as you seem to do) or state that she wished the church destroyed. She seems to simply be wondering about the excess in housing size. She might possibly (like me) be wondering about the excess spent on worship centers, equipment, salaries to have a man ‘teach’ you (and plaster himself all over screens) what you can read, learn and share yourself with a few friends.

    I certainly don’t get your explosion at elastigirl.

  109. elastigirl wrote:

    just wondering what is going to happen to all these enormous energy-devouring structures when this fad runs its course and people have sobered up for common sense. I’ve long thought church buildings are quite the ball & chain, holding the mission hostage

    The Blakeney campus was constructed in the middle of an office park to take advantage of parking spaces that were empty on Sunday. The décor is tasteful, but, Spartan. Why pour acres of asphalt for a parking lot that’s used for a few hours on one day? The Mathews campus is in a former big box left behind when the tenant went out of business. Both decisions were with the explicit purpose of using money more efficiently than the old model.

    Furtick’s house aside, Elevation has leveraged rented facilities like schools, repurposed facilities and innovation in order to be good stewards of the money that is donated.

  110. @ Bridget:

    I strongly disapprove of Furtick’s decision to build this house and I believe if he were accountable to a board, deacons, etc. that they would have counseled against it , but, that doesn’t justify the innuendo and outright lies being spewed on this board by people who don’t know any better and who are blinded by hate and envy.

    How can you criticize Elevation’s investment in two worship centers to serve TWELVE THOUSAND people on a given Sunday? The square footage of both permanent facilities in Blakeney and Mathews combined would fit comfortably in the LOWER lobby of Cavalry Church with room for several copies of his house left over. At both facilities Elevation shares parking with co-tenants that happen to be closed on Sundays instead of spending millions upon millions to provide dedicated parking to accommodate 12,000 people on a Sunday.

    Both of these facilities are designed to be multi-purpose and are available for rental for corporate or performing groups in order to better utilize the asset. Inside the surfaces are Spartan at best with stained concrete floors, exposed ceilings and drywall surfaces on the walls. Think of a nice Harris Teeter grocery store and you get the picture.

    No marble, no granite, no stained glass, no wooden pews with upholstered seats. No oil paintings of the pastor. Seating is what you would find in a high school auditorium.

    There are people on here insinuating that because contributions to the church are tax deductible that somehow Steve Furtick’s income is tax free. That is a lie born of ignorance. While churches are not taxed and the contributions are tax deductible the pastor pays income taxes just like anyone else.

    By the way, Elevation does pay fees to the city and county for fire, police, etc. and it’s employees pay income taxes to the state. Furthermore, Elevation spends a LOT of money renting Schools for Sunday services. These funds go right back to the schools.

    One Biblical Scholar earlier in this series multiplied $200 times 8,000 heated square feet and came up $16,000,000 and NO ONE QUESTIONED IT. One poster opined that the church real estate was in the name of Furtick. Really?

    How can you people sit by and watch a pastor and an entire congregation get “stoned” by a mob on the internet without saying a word?

    In the name of our Lord I ask you to drop the stones, uncircle the firing squad and take your envy and hate to the Cross of Christ and leave it there.

  111. dee wrote:

    @ Daisy: Weird. I can tell you why it is up. Really quite simple. When Furtick is doing well with no criticisms, it is all about him. Get the criticism, he brings in the little woman to hide behind.And she puts up with it.

    Jim Jones was a Marxist who had his congregants hand over their welfare checks to him in return for his “church” taking care of them. That’s like saying “Stalin made a great omelet”

    BeenThereDoneThat wrote:

    @ John:
    Jim Jones did a lot of good works for the community in his heyday, too. After leaving my former cult, one of the first things I watched was a documentary on the People’s Temple that aired on PBS, I think. It interwove interviews from former members as it told the story. You’d be surprised how many of those people miss what they experienced in the People’s Temple. These were people who lost family members and friends to the Kool-Aid.
    My point is, it’s difficult. You want to believe in something good, but you have to face the reality of what’s going on.

  112. @ cantfry55:

    Don’t have time to address all your concerns at moment, but the issue of the cost of the Furtick home was on another thread. You must have missed these:

    “Bridget wrote:
    I think your numbers are off NC. I come up with $1.6m at $200 per square foot. It will probably be more, plus the land. So, it’s close to $2m.

    NC wrote:
    Nuts. You’re right. Still not a cheap house.
    And to say they have given $10 million over the years to the community compared to spending on this house (AND UPKEEP) still seems a bit shallow.
    And would still require a non trivial number of book sales.
    (Need to turn on commas on my calculator.)”

    Yes, same Bridget 🙂

    And this blog never had a figure of $16 million postes anywhere.

  113. cantfry55 wrote:

    Jim Jones was a Marxist who had his congregants hand over their welfare checks to him in return for his “church” taking care of them.

    Jim Jones hid behind the cloak of Christianity to con people. Furtick is doing the same. Jim Jones’ followers — at least some of them — were nostalgic about the movement long after it bore its fruit. Elevators — at least some of them — are doing the same. Furtick is operating a cult of personality.

  114. cantfry55 wrote:

    here are people on here insinuating that because contributions to the church are tax deductible that somehow Steve Furtick’s income is tax free. That is a lie born of ignorance

    Are you aware of the parsonage allowance and the FICA deduction? That is what the discussion involves.
    cantfry55 wrote:

    One Biblical Scholar earlier in this series multiplied $200 times 8,000 heated square feet and came up $16,000,000 and NO ONE QUESTIONED IT

    There was a correction.It was a simple mistake. And if you think that the estate will top out at $1.7 million, then think again. I can assure you that such a palace will not be decorated by Target and IKEA. Landscaping, pool, decorating, appliances, etc. This place will be expensive to fit out and expensive to run.
    cantfry55 wrote:

    One poster opined that the church real estate was in the name of Furtick. Really?

    There is very little known about a lot at Elevation because of the lack of transparency. You don’t know it and neither does anybody except a few people.

    Remember, your church has $500,000 coming in each week. The $10 million that you gave to Charlotte in 10 years is hardly a drop in the bucket. $9 million for audiovisual equipment? Really?

    cantfry55 wrote:

    take your envy and hate

    Finally, the silliness of “envy” and “hate” is indicative of Elevationspeak. True “scholars” can usually think for themselves and do not need talking points.

    You all want to be noticed. You all say to come and see what’s going on. Well, you cannot control what people see. And maybe, just maybe, there is room for improvement.