Texas Mega-Church Monopoly Risks 10’s of LCEF Millions
By Rev. Jack Cascione

 

Prince of Peace, Carrollton Texas

They do things big in Texas and that also means the LCMS and other churches as well. Between Dallas and Fort Worth, in the city of Carrollton, is Prince Lutheran Church. The congregation relocated to this upscale neighborhood in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

For a reported LCEF loan of $8 million plus their own funds, which are estimated at $4 million, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church purchased and renovated an auto dealership in Carrollton. The dealership is in a shopping center setting with a number of one story buildings with a pinkish colored sand stone exterior and a six story central office tower and showroom. The office tower/show room was converted into one of the largest LCMS Lutheran worship structures. The worship style is in many ways similar to Bill Hybles’ Willow Creek. Folks around there call it Lutheran\Baptist.

Prince of Peace is growing but the neighborhood is changing. About a mile down the four lane, Preston Wood Baptist Church is under construction. It is the largest contemporary church I have ever seen. It will seat 7000 people in the main auditorium. At first I thought it was a new sports arena until I read the construction sign. Its construction cost is approximately 50 million dollars. Rather than a converted auto dealership, it is new!!! It is also at least three times the size of Prince of Peace in Carrollton.

It is reported that pastor Wagner of Prince of Peace expects to lose 25% of his congregation to Preston Wood Baptist. When you play Lutheran/Hybles/Baptist mega-church monopoly congregational loyalty is more about size and glitz. When the real Baptists move next door the imitation Lutheran/Baptists pale by comparison. Even after spending $12 million Prince of Peace is just out classed.

If LCEF is going to play mega-church monopoly they had better start upping the ante by $30 or $40 million a pop. In the next few years lay people can expect some significant defaults on Lutheran mega-church investments. The LCEF has tremendous exposure when non-denominational Willow Creek/Baptist clones move into the neighborhood of LCMS non-denominational Willow Creek clones.

When the emphasis switches from Lutheran substance to style the crowds keep following the style because they don't care about the substance. When your congregation is an audience they keep looking for a better show. Its all about marketing instead of doctrine.

We expect the Johnny-come-lately enlightened LCMS COP to put all their efforts into a direction where they are least able to compete. Rather than emphasizing their unique strengths and individuality they move with maddening speed to strip themselves of all Lutheran identity. Its all about King Ahaz struggling to be like his neighbors. Missouri’s in ability to identify its "market niche" points directly to the current deficit of true leaders on the COP. Having no thoughts of their own they can only copy the other guy. The Devil checkmates every move not directed by the word of God. Satan’s market strategy is eminently superior to the COP. Even the Witch of Endor couldn't help Saul.

Perhaps Prince of Peace can refinance its Church Extension loan. We expect Pastor Steve Wagner to take early retirement or become a Church Growth Consultant. Ministry used to be about doctrine, faith, and Scripture, and now its about location, location, location. The great irony: while planning for growth without God’s word Missouri digs is own grave.

Concordia, San Antonio Texas

Under the leadership of Pastor William (I don’t use hymnbooks) Thompson, Concordia Lutheran Church moved from Basse Road in San Antonio to north of town on a six lane highway called Loop 1604. I walked the old campus of Concordia in San Antonio. Their former pastor, Guido Merkins, is now retired. It has some features similar to the Crystal Cathedral, with covered walk ways, personalized granite plaques in the side walk, and a four story office building with a glass roof.

The new facility is on 47 acres. It has five buildings, including a family life center, school, gymnasium, field house also serving as a temporary church, and an administration building twice as large as the administration building at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. I took two pictures of it and placed my wife in one of the pictures for scale. The second story verandah overlooking a 2 to 3 acre court yard is a nice touch reminiscent of the Vatican.

The parking lot with all its curb lined berms and trees is so large people are offered valet service on large golf cart like vehicles from the parking lot to the service. Concordia borrowed $14 million from LCEF, which means they may have added an addition $7 million of their own funds for a total $21 million before they build the sanctuary. There are no hymn books. When we asked our guide how one joined Concordia he said it takes six one hour meetings to be a new member. We asked about teaching people the catechism and he said we tell them about our structure and ourselves and they get all the doctrine as they go along after they join.

Highway Loop 1604 is sometimes called mega-church row. There are six mega churches finished or under construction of which Concordia is one of the average size facilities. Television Evangelist John Hagee of Corner Stone Church is just down the road from Concordia with a facility the size of the U.S. Capitol, I’m not kidding.

The Lutheran Church Extension Fund is heavily invested in Texas mega-church real-estate. Just Concordia’s two story 200 foot plus long administration building has a multi-million dollar price tag. Church Growth Monopoly is expensive. However, the Texas District, and most of the LCMS Districts are committed to growing churches the Bill Hybles way. Traditional use of hymn books, liturgy, and catechisms just do not fit in the mega-church plans. Lutheran lay people are financing their own extinction through LCEF. There are currently plans or facilities under various stages of completion for mega-churches in many LCMS Districts.


Rev. Jack Cascione is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS - MI) in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He has written numerous articles for Christian News and is the author of Reclaiming the Gospel in the LCMS: How to Keep Your Congregation Lutheran. He has also written a study on the Book of Revelation called In Search of the Biblical Order.
He can be reached by email at pastorcascione@juno.com.

March 24, 1999