Posted on 04/02/2010 7:56:21 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Easter at a megachurch in Corpus Christi, Texas, will look like the popular TV game show "The Price Is Right."
Sixteen cars, 15 flat-screen televisions, furniture sets and other prizes are lined up at Bay Area Fellowship Church and ready to be claimed by anyone who attends the church's Easter services on Sunday.
Though the church of some 7,000 weekly attendees has regularly flexed its creative muscles to draw the unchurched, the upcoming "Ultimate Giveaway" is like no other outreach it has ever attempted.
Pastor Bil Cornelius, who made the game show analogy, admits it's a bit "outrageous."
But he sees it as "an opportunity to share Christ with people who may never go to a church for any reason," he told The Christian Post.
The prizes are worth over $2 million and are all donated items or sponsored by members of the church. Pastor Cornelius asked the congregation to give and to get their businesses involved for the bold effort. Bay Area members signed up to give cars, bikes, laptops, gym memberships and other gifts.
"I'm very proud of our people for being so incredibly generous and willing to do whatever it takes to get spiritually lost people in the door to hear about the love of God," the lead pastor said.
Along with some of the bigger prizes, every individual or family attending one of the church's 30 worship services held across seven campuses this weekend will receive a "value pack" of gift certificates worth over $300 from local businesses. Additionally, more than 300 children attending the newest campus located in a lower income neighborhood on the west side of Corpus Christi will receive new bicycles.
The "ultimate" giveaway, however, will be the free gift of heaven and Christ.
"We hope to show people that while it is exciting to receive free stuff here on Earth, the greatest free gift of all time is something we havent yet seen, but can enjoy for all eternity," said Cornelius, who started the church 12 years ago with five people.
"The entire giveaway leads to the Grand Prize available to all, salvation through Christ, if simply received ... with no strings attached (Ephesians 2:8-9)," he added.
Cornelius acknowledges that the Easter giveaway has drawn some "pretty strong" criticism from other believers, some of whom accuse the pastor of turning Jesus into a product.
But the Texas megachurch pastor responded to the critics, saying: "[I]f just one of their children were lost and found Christ through this program (that they may not approve of), I bet they'd be glad we did it."
Bay Area Fellowship Church expects some 15,000-20,000 people this weekend. The giveaway is open to all members of the church and visitors but excludes staff and their families.
"They're coming for the loot and they're going to leave with Jesus," Cornelius said.
I am totally unimpressed with most of these mega churches. Preach the gospel and with working in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including signs and wonders, people will come.
I know a missionary who is trying to raise $500 so their poor little church can give some of the women in their little congregation micro-loans so the women can add another $1,000 a year for their family’s income by sewing blankets.
Praise the Lord!
The Ends Justifies The Means Church
Sixteen cars, 15 flat-screen televisions, furniture sets and other prizes are lined up at Bay Area Fellowship Church and ready to be claimed by anyone who attends the church's Easter services on Sunday.
I guess "Eternal Life" doesn't have quite the draw it used to anymore... hmmmm....
Excellent point.
This is disgusting..
Dont see anything wrong with this.
Whatever gets people to return to God.
If that's what they're going for, it won't do any good.
Having those people go bankrupt, lose everything they own, lose their jobs, be on the street -- that has a greater chance of success in turning them to God than anything else does... :-)
Cornelius, a laid-back pastor with spiky hair and bluejeans,
has weathered criticism of his megachurch before. Some
say its rock n roll band, flashy lights and large size stray
too far from Jesus true message.
forgot my /s..
Why does the vision of Jesus going ballistic on the money-changers be the first thing that pops into my head.
He didn't.
But, He did have heaven as the ultimate gift. Which seems to be the mesage this church is touting...
The "ultimate" giveaway, however, will be the free gift of heaven and Christ
Maybe a little out there. But, if the congregation has no problems donating their own time and money to GIVE the cars away that is up to them. Church doesn't accept any perfect people and it shouldn't. If it leads even 1 person to the Lord (even if the person's initial intent is greed) then it is worth it.
They're not after the followers. They're after everyone else. The followers already have their ultimate reward. They just have to be patient until the Lord calls their name.
Now, the "churches" out there sending you the "financial wealth medalions" of St Dollar Sign... yeah, thos folks are like the money changers at the temple. But, people donating time and money to attract attention to the Lord? I don't see a problem with this. And I'm usually turned off by the megachurches.
If your church has an inspired message and a Pastor able to convey that message to the congregation, such cheesy promotions would not be necessary.
Ummmm..., not necessarily so... unfortunately.
Cheesy productions don't do it and having a good/Biblical and sound message doesn't do it either.
If people aren't inclined to hear the Word of God in the first place, it doesn't matter how good the message is (even the best Biblical sermon you've ever heard) -- it just won't work.
People get saved when they're ready to be saved, it being a work of God and not of themselves.
And some people will never get saved, no matter what, and will face an eternity of torment and separation from God and all that is good, in the lake of fire.
Somebody please explain to me how winning a Lexus LS430, or a Jaguar XJ8 is going to bring them to Christ?
Deport
COME ON DOOOOOWWWWWWWWNNNNN!!!!!!! /s
I agree. If ever I decide to return to Christianity, it will be me a bible, with maybe an extension to a small prayer group. When it comes to religions, the smaller the better.
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