Sunday, August 05, 2007

Sign It or Yer Out!


At a recent coaches' meeting BBC's volunteer coaches were given the following documents to fill out and sign and told that it would be mandatory if they wished to continue coaching.

The
first document includes the Basic Application, the Leadership Covenant, a Background Information sheet, and a Volunteer Authorization/Consent & Release form. It is obvious from the wording of the "Leadership Covenant" that it was written for use with Sunday School teachers and other workers.

The
second document includes the Coaches Covenant and a sheet concerning Biblical Peacemaking.

Finally, attached was a
copy of A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Can we assume this means there will be credit checks, too?

In this day and age I don't think anyone who's going to work with minors should object to a criminal background check, but the "loyalty oath" and checking members' giving records is too much. The latter has already been happening for some time. People have already been "called on the carpet" for not giving as much as Steve Gaines thought they should. I wonder if it's ever occurred to him that some people drop cash in the collection plate. So how does he know people aren't tithing 10%? And even if he knows how much someone gives, how does he know how much someone makes? They've got your Social Security number and a signed release to do what? Check with your bank?

Of all the red flags that were raised as I read through these documents (and they were legion), the one that stood out the most was this one:

"I waive any right that I may have to inspect references provided on my behalf."

So if a background check shows something in someone's past that is questionable, and the person questions it, he is waiving his right to ever see the information? Think about the implications of that!

Recent numbers I saw revealed that the number of Sunday School classes at BBC for 8th through 12th graders for the coming year has been reduced from 126 to 75. That's a decrease of 40% and a loss of 102 teachers (two per class). At that time they were still short 30 teachers or about 20% of the number needed. Perhaps if this is accurate, there has been a similar reduction in the number of youth participating in sports. So maybe by requiring the coaches to sign these covenants and other agreements they're weeding out the "dissenters" while reducing the staff to the actual number of coaches needed. It would certainly ensure that only the "loyal" remain.

This comment was left by "junkster" in this thread and deserves highlighting:

From the BBC Volunteer Application, last page (Volunteer Authorization/Consent & Release):

I FURTHER AUTHORIZE ALL GOVERNMENTAL, LAW ENFORCEMENT, LICENSE AND RECORD-KEEPING AGENCIES AND ANY OTHER SOURCE TO PROVIDE ALL INFORMATION REQUESTED WITH RESPECT TO MY BACKGROUND, INCLUDING CRIMINAL RECORDS, TO BELLEVUE BAPTIST CHURCH AND/OR ITS AGENT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO PROTECT MY MINISTRY AND/OR BLUE LINE INVESTIGATION.

Note the words "record keeping agencies and any other source." Signing this form authorizes BBC to do a credit/financial check. From such checks it is easy to determine one's income, which can then be used to check tithing records (assuming donations are not given anonymously, which they usually aren't, so people can claim them as charitable donations on their tax deductions.)

But even scarier is that signing this would authorize BBC to collect background information from any source, including, in theory, your school records, traffic tickets, video rentals, library records, medical history, psychological/psychiatric history, etc. I doubt that just because I signed a church document my doctors would share my medical records with my church without checking with me first, but my point is that, legally speaking, by signing that document I'd be authorizing pretty much anything. It would not be wise or prudent to sign that sort of release, for a church or for anyone.


Sunday School teachers, staff members, ushers, choir and orchestra members, and... déjà vu, deacons... all beware. Your day is coming! Choose you this day whom you will serve!

626 comments:

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gmommy said...

What am I missing??
Where is the post about new ads?

New BBC Open Forum said...

gmommy,

See 12:57 p.m. comment.

feelingblue said...

Thanks Rod! My feelings exactly.

New BBC Open Forum said...

Rod wrote:

"It was his heart that called a very spirit man the hezbullah. It was his heart that caused him to strong arm and intimidated a spirit filled man to do his will. It was his heart that broke the law by climbing over a no tresspassing fence that was TOO HIGH FOR ANYONE TO JUST STEP OVER~~~ it was his heart that gave money to a church that preaches homosexuality is just fine not matter what God says about it and that murdering babies is just fine no matter what God says about that. It was his heart that said to all the congregation: if you don't like the worship music GET OVER IT! It is his heart that causes him to have to have the last word or the last singing solo etc. I can go on and on."

But I thought those were mistakes of the mind, not the heart. Am I missing something?

Crushed said...

Karen,
As far as I remember, I do not think Mike was a member before dating Wendy. I do remember them both attending "old Bellevue" while they were dating and I am pretty sure they were married there. I was about 5 years behind you in the youth group. I remember sitting by them in church and Wendy and Mike helping with youth stuff at old Bellevue. I remember when Phil Weatherwax left Bellevue and came back as a guest preacher one Sunday night at new Bellevue. He shared about the loss of Wendy & Mike's child. I guess that will always stick with me and they will always be "old Bellevue" to me and have a special place in my heart.

fogmachine said...

rod,

Madison Avenue can replace one on one evangelism. Steve said early on he was going to use the budget to plow into advertising to get the people here.

Forget all the programming during the week for the family. Just concentrate on getting the production good on Sunday morning so people will enjoy the 1 hour show each week. The people's money is really all we are interested in getting a hold of.

Joel Osteen has proven it works. They took in over $70,000,000 last year and they claim to have 30,000 members as well.

His church bought the NBA arena the Houston Rockets played in and turned it into a church.

Perhaps Steve Gaines could move the current location down to the Pyramid. That building would be better suited for performances only.

JMO

eprov said...

fog....
In my opinion SG is no Joel Osteen. An he doesn't do 1-hour shows, closer to 2! And the show he puts together ain't workin', just count the empty seats. Well, no, probably easier to count the occupied seats!

johnthebaptist said...

No advertising budget will take the place of the Holy Spirit.

SG doesn't need a big advertising budget or the JP show or DC running the place like a business.

If SG had integrity, he could preach the TRUE Word of God and Holy Spirit would draw the people to come.

That was the way it had been done for over 100 years @ BBC.

imaresistor said...

NBBCOF said, "It's not just Bellevue..."

No, NBBCOF, it isn't. You are absolutely right! Matter of fact, there are more churches that are doing this than are not doing this. Can you believe that here in the United States of American, knowing why this country was founded, that people are not able to find a good church home that isn't of this movement or that movement...apostate. Churches divided. Splits. Celebrity pastors making celebrity salaries. The church looks like the world and the world looks like the church. You can't tell one from the other. How pathetic!

johnthebaptist said...

that the TV messages effectively bring about the desired results that will honor and glorify the Lord in His purposes for our church.



Reply: Are they going to record the "leadership" resigning?

That would do it.

JMO

amazed said...

I wonder how long it will take before there will be no need for two services on Sunday morning? They have to be careful now not to show all those empty seats on tv.

johnthebaptist said...

amazed said...
I wonder how long it will take before there will be no need for two services on Sunday morning? They have to be careful now not to show all those empty seats on tv.



Reply: As long as SG's ego is as big as it is, they will just use special effects like they do in the movies and digitally add people in the seats.

amazed said...

Another thought along the same path. I wonder how long it will take before the cash reserves are all gone and the monthly expenditures exceed the income? Deficit spending doesn't work as well at a church as it does with the government

amazed said...

nbbcof-What is the purpose of the word verification in order to post and why does it sometimes take two verifications?

johnthebaptist said...

WatchingHISstory said...
johnthebaptist said...
No advertising budget will take the place of the Holy Spirit.

John, where was the Holy Spirit when PW was walking the halls of Bellevue for 17 years?

You think he may have been leaving Bellevue to run the ship on it's own?


Reply: PW is all your fault Charles. If you were in tune with the HS as you should be(claim to be), you would have known about PW.
Stop blaming AR. He is in Heaven enjoying all the wonderful things God has instore for him. Everyone knows, except you, that DR knew nothing about PW.
Now get over it.

amazed said...

What was that 4:58 post all about?

Junkster said...

New BBC Open Forum said...
It's not just Bellevue...

Read this.


From the link:

"When there's a high level of trust in the leadership, there's less questioning," said Phill Martin, deputy CEO of the National Association of Church Business Administration. "When trust begins to be broken, and you begin to wonder what's going on with leadership, a lot of times what will surface first is a questioning of financial responsibility. So many times money becomes the lightning rod for the trust issue."

True, true.

Junkster said...

For keen oberservers of history (and His story)... let the reader understand...

Acts 8:21-23

"You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin."

sickofthelies said...

It's getting gloriously dark.

,,,,Adrian Rogers

johnthebaptist said...

amazed said...
What was that 4:58 post all about?


Amazed, Watching keeps blaming DR for PW. He thinks that if DR was in tune with the Holy Spirit that he would have revealed the PW situation.

He has been singing that same song for months now. So I turn the tables on him and blame him for the whole thing. Makes just as much sense as his theory.

MOM4 said...

JTB,
You do know that WH "feels" that he knows all about the PW situation bc he had a dream about it??? True story! The man had a nightmare and was slain in the spirit over DR bc he said DR allowed a woman to be quieted during a service he had attended.

DUH......where have I heard about such "dreams" before?

gmommy said...

JTB,
well said.

and
As far as how long the cash will last....the CEO's know exactly how long.

The business minds have a strategy they are working.
They sure wouldn't want to look bad from a business perspective.
So much power....

gmommy said...

Man...the discussion on Wade B's blog is very interesting.

reminds me of when my daddy told me that "a woman didn't need an education to birth babies"...
about 50 years ago

New BBC Open Forum said...

THERE'S A NEW THREAD IF YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE UP!

Thank you,

NBBCOF

New BBC Open Forum said...

The posters "rickeypeete," "rickey peete," and "tenncare" were obviously trolls (or likely a single troll) and posted false information. Please disregard everything they (s/he) wrote, but I think I'll let those comments stand -- just to illustrate how low some people will stoop.

New BBC Open Forum said...

rickey peete wrote:

"Thank you for that as I have been proven wrong time and time again but you can take this to the bank."

Rickey, your check bounced! I'm still waiting for that apology.

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