I Love My Church at The Crossing Church

So The Crossing Church just finished an "I love my church" series.  Well we've heard this bedtime story before (2011).  Though they seem to have learned their lesson from years ago, as this very series was the deal breaker for many, it's the same message simply tamed down and softened a bit.  

Lets compare:

2011 version - I love my church series told us: You will revolve your life, your time and your money around The Crossing Church or plan on being kicked out the back door.  (I walked out that back door freely which lead me to the alley - hence the name "Thoughts from the Back Alley")

2014 version: "I will do whatever it takes - money, time, talent", "the church of Jesus does whatever it takes", "what if you partnered with us...what if you were the Christian Jesus intended"

Oh my!  So to give of your money, talent and time to The Crossing Church is to be the Christian Jesus intended.  Churches are fabulous at subtle manipulation but this is one of the better ways I've seen.  Because flip it the other way; the insinuation is that if you aren't giving and serving is that you aren't being a real Christian.  Even in their new code (the old code)it says "Our staff and leaders go above and beyond to give sacrificially...We don't do this because we have to, but because we WANT to!" So what does it mean if you don't want to?  You aren't serving God correctly?  You aren't a Christian?  It becomes more about what's not being said than what is actually said.

The sermons were the usual Crossing dogma: lots of shaming on their congregants for wanting to be fed (learn), saying "we expect to live unselfishly" yet also talking about how they like half and half at the coffee shop (Jesus was all about lattes) and how this "reflects their personalities" (uh no..it's about controlling your empire), and of course the money shot "I will do whatever it takes, money, time, talent".  Money.  Time.  Talent.  Much more subtle this time but the same message of revolving your life around The Crossing Church....or you're not being the Christian Jesus wants you to be.  

So what can you expect next?  THE BIG GIVE!!  I'll predict that they will ask for another big money give in the next 4-6 weeks.  Church attendance in Minnesota gets low in the summer which means tithing is down so that means they'll need a special manipulative way to get those dollars rolling back in.  It will most likely be something about a Fall Kickoff (churches love Fall kick offs!) and needing more money so people can come to The Crossing and meet Jesus (because where the hell else could they possibly find him?)  Come on friends, million dollar buildings don't pay for themselves so you'd better open those wallets for Jesus just like Pastor Eric's mentor Ed Young tells you to!