Calvinist Flyswatter

Marketing "Church Planting"

THE MERCHANDIZING
OF "CHURCH PLANTING"?

Over the years, I have noticed how some ministers (and even others) seem to have the "know-how" to make merchandise out of various themes by means of conferences, seminars, etc. Themes such as marriage, prophecy, reformed theology, youth issues, finances, etc. etc. have been used so as to attract registration fees from people who have the time and are willing to pay to attend such affairs for whatever they get from them.

Timmy Brister, the sidekick of Pastor Tom Ascol, head of the Flounders (aka Founders Ministries), is an enthusiast for such conferences, and he is now promoting another "church planting" conference.

It seems that Timmy has become more or less an aficionado on "church planting" affairs/studies while very little seems to have been done to plant churches. For the past several months, Tom and Tim have been talking and twittering a lot about church planting, but if they have much to show for all their chatter, we are not aware of it. They know how to plant blogs, twitters, and conferences, but so far have not become known for planting churches.

The conference Timmy is now promoting costs from $365 to $500 for a first-time attendee. Price categories may be consulted at http://www.gca.cc/Seminar_Pricing.htm

It seems that some alleged "experts" -- such as Ed Stetzer -- are making a good living off "church planting" conferences, or at least supplementing their income to a great degree. Such conferences seem to be on the rise, and evidently "thar's gold in them thar hills."

Don't misunderstand -- we are not opposed to planting churches. We would just like to see some results of all the alleged training that fellows like Brister say they are getting. We have seen a few churches planted over the years, and I don't recall that they were planted as a result of "church planting" conferences where fees are paid to listen to the alleged "experts" on the matter.

COMMENTS: Send your comments to pilgrimpub@aol.com

posted by Bob L. Ross @ 1:23 PM