 |
If you do, you know the corporation will want to reserve the right to have Michelle Wie attend services (at least Thursdays and Fridays) . . . |
Posted on 07/18/2006 7:28:22 AM PDT by siunevada
Christian festivals and crusades draw an easy 50,000-plus crowd and more big name corporations are starting to tack on to the largely popular and wide-reaching events that send out a message of Jesus Christ.
One of the newest and largest Christian festivals – Megafest with Bishop T.D. Jakes – hits Atlanta for its third year this Wednesday. This year's lineup of superstars includes Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Queen of Gospel Pastor Shirley Caesar, Donnie McClurkin, Kirk Franklin, and Steve Harvey among other stars. Also in the lineup for 2006 corporate sponsors are The Coca-Cola Company, The Clorox Company, Delta Air Lines, Bank of America, Kraft Foods, and General Mills among others.
Megafest has drawn up to 150,000 people a day in the last two festivals and with big name artists, advanced technology and a grand stage set-up, corporate sponsors have been "a big help," said Megafest spokesman Jeremy Blume. He added that Jakes is excited that large corporations are embracing Christian events.
The world-renowned evangelist Luis Palau also hasn't been shy to utilize corporate sponsors for his evangelistic "parties," which attract hundreds of thousands, not necessarily all Christian, in open public venues.
Last October's DC Festival in the nation's capital had the support of such companies as Amtrak and the Washington Capitals. The festival cost $3.45 million and major contributors filling in the cost were 899 partnering churches and corporate sponsors which constituted around 20 percent of the festival budget.
Business sponsorships began at the local level for the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association. Festivals were held in Portland, Ore., where businesses around the local area showed interest and began partnering with the Palau team. Since then, major corporations such as Chick-fil-A, Wachovia and Coca-Cola have added their support.
"Doing what we do is costing more money now than it ever has before – to rent the larger venues, to pay for premier bands ... and premier sound systems, and just to do the event first-rate, top-notch, as well as anybody else even [what people] outside of Christian circles would do," noted Michael Brazeal, senior director of Harvest Crusades, the evangelistic event headed by megachurch pastor Greg Laurie. "We want to have that same caliber. It just costs more money than it has in the past several decades."
Still, old-timers like Harvest Ministries and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) are choosing not to place the big corporate names on their sponsor lists. Their support comes solely from the area churches, donations and the hosting church or association itself.
"For us, there's a balance between not compromising what we stand for in our principles," Brazeal commented. "We don't want our message to be compromised by it being too commercialized. So we just have a very cautious attitude towards that."
Brazeal said Harvest Ministries is not opposed to corporate sponsorships and is keeping the door open to it. However, the ministry is remaining cautious of it and wants to "keep it in good taste."
Harvest has drawn 100,000 people every year for the past 17 years to Anaheim for its crusades, which are known for their cultural relevance. This year's crusade budget for the Southern California event in August is $980,000 – the largest budget for the largest yearly event attendance-wise for the ministry, according to Brazeal.
The BGEA, born in the late 1950s, is one of the oldest and widest-reaching ministries of its kind and serves as a model for many younger evangelistic groups. Yet in its 50-year history, the association has yet to utilize any corporate sponsors.
Now headed by Franklin Graham, the BGEA is leading more outreach events and drawing more people than ever, but the long-time ministry continues to follow traditions with support from local churches and offerings from the crusades and festivals. Brazeal noted that Harvest Ministries follows more closely in modeling the BGEA than other Christian organizations.
But just how ministries are approaching evangelism with various methods, whether it be in a closed stadium venue or an open beach, the way these groups handle event budgets are also diverse.
"Times have changed from the early Billy Graham days, from the Billy Sunday days, going back 100 years ago," said Brazeal. "Society is faster-paced ... and people have a higher expectation from an event than they ever had before. They expect technology, top-notch performance, and the delivery of whatever to be comparable to what they can find elsewhere in society.
"So as churches and Christian organizations, we just need to keep up with what society is expecting."
One thing is clear though, as Brazeal indicated: "Our message does not change but our methodology does need to be revamped periodically.
Lillian Kwon Christian Post Reporter
Maybe we could sell naming rights to the parish church, 'brought to you by' - or for the right price - 'The Verizon Catholic Church'. Just like the bowl games and golf tournaments.
"So as churches and Christian organizations, we just need to keep up with what society is expecting."
All rightee, then.
There's a "LivinIt" event going to the Quad Cities (Il/Ia) September 23. Will be interesting to see who their sponsors are. It's being held at SouthPark Mall in Moline.
|
If you do, you know the corporation will want to reserve the right to have Michelle Wie attend services (at least Thursdays and Fridays) . . . |
I visualize a nice white chasuble for Easter Sunday with the word "Tostitos" emblazoned across the back.
Maybe we could auction off the spots in her Wednesday night small group for the 'Faith Formation Pro-Am'. She'll be there for the pro-am, right?
What are all these guys "Bishops" of? The fellow yesterday, Randy Something, with the political candidate/strip club owner speaking at his church, was a "Bishop" too.
Another page had this:
1988, T.D. Jakes was ordained a Bishop by The Greater Emmanuel Apostolic Faith Tabernacle, Inc. in Portsmouth, OH.
T.D. Jakes is part of the Pentecostal tradition, they use the term bishop.
Thanks. It makes one wonder.
So what kind of authority does a Pentecostal bishop have? And how does self-ordination work?
"So as churches and Christian organizations, we just need to keep up with what society is expecting."
One thing is clear though, as Brazeal indicated: "Our message does not change but our methodology does need to be revamped periodically.
Indeed. Same message as it was in Eden.
Jakes. Hmm. Why am I not surprised someone like him (his schism, not his race) is pulling something like this.
Chick-fil-A is one thing; the owner is a very dedicated Christian, from what I hear (not that I'd be willing to stake my word on what is mere rumor to me); it's almost like a persnal contribution out of faith. But General Mills, Coca-cola, Kraft, Bank of America, etc.?
Not that I have ill will towards those corporations; it's nice that they see other movements besides the homosexual movement as worthy of their advertising. But the suckers who go to such events must be dumber than a box of nails.
Paging Father Guido Sarducci to the white courtesy phone... Guido Sarducci..
[Long while back, on SNL, he offered to make anyone Pope of his splinter religion, for a modest fee.)
Sounds like he was "ordained" by his own disciples at the Greater Emmanuel Tabernacle, rather than by someone of higher rank, or by several peers.
Depends how fancy an affair you want to make it.
David originally depicted Pope Pius VII with his hands on his lap. Napoleon was furious: "I did not make him come so far to do nothing," he fumed, and he made David repaint the Pope so that he seems to be making a gesture of blessing over Napoleon's reign. In fact, it looks a little like the Pope is telling him, "You da man!"
"Doing what we do is costing more money now than it ever has before - to rent the larger venues, to pay for premier bands ... and premier sound systems, and just to do the event first-rate, top-notch, as well as anybody else even [what people] outside of Christian circles would do," noted Michael Brazeal, senior director of Harvest Crusades, the evangelistic event headed by megachurch pastor Greg Laurie. "We want to have that same caliber. It just costs more money than it has in the past several decades."
Sorry I'm late to the party - not sure how I missed this thread when you first posted it. Check out this 2003 article from LarkNews.com on the same subject...
It just seems so obvious. We've already got local advertising supporting the weekly bulletin.
The next step is obvious. All the bowl games do it. And if the NCAA allows it, it has to have some sort of ethical foundation.
We're still way ahead of you on this....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
