Praying, Not Criticizing

The headline caught me, so I hovered over the newspaper stand at Wal-Mart, and read the first few lines of the article, while holding a replacement mum in each hand. First Family Church, in Overland Park is losing its 15 million dollar campus to foreclosure. Wow! Another mega-church bites the dust.

After planting my new mums, and doing a few other things, I grabbed my own newspaper and read the rest of the article. After a year of intense negotiations and refinancing rejections, the bank has requested that the property and everything in it be sold.

I am fairly familiar with First Family. I drive past it whenever I take the "back road" to Olathe. I attended one of their first launch services while I was in college. I sat on a blanket on their then-new property and listened to the testimony of a father of one of the Columbine victims. I listened to the frustration of two of my seminary friends who were re-starting a church in the area, grieving the loss of church members to First Family Church and another giant church nearby, churches that had "more to offer."

I have also heard the rumors of political upheaval and the accusations of financial mismanagement by the pastor at First Family. The newspaper article mentioned them, and noted the significant decrease in attendance.

It is easy to criticize from a distance. It is easy to become jealous, even for, no especially for, pastors. I disagree with Pastor Jerry in a lot of ways. Theologically, strategically, financially, etc. I am guessing some might say, "he got what was coming to him." Okay, maybe not out loud, but I am guessing that the thought has careened through the minds of not a few newspaper readers today.

But I am not going to criticize. I am guessing that Pastor Jerry and his team are hurting right now. He is my brother. He needs a hug and not a fist. So I am going to pray for Jerry and the church formerly known as "First Family." In fact, I am going to pray for them before I pray for my own church. Every day this week.

And if any of my brothers and sisters in Christ might read this, I ask you to do the same.