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| Calvary Assembly of God, Orlando, looks ready to jump into action. In an auditorium built for 5,000 or more, 500 worship. |
A historic Florida megachurch that has seen a large decline in membership over the past few years is considering selling off a portion of its property.
Calvary Assembly of Orlando was founded in the 1950s. Considered one of the first megachurches of the United States, at its peak it had around 7,000 members.
However, steep declines in membership have led Calvary Assembly to consider an offer to sell part of the church's property to a developer.
Ed Garvin, lead pastor of Calvary Assembly, told The Christian Post that since he accepted his position in January 2014, the congregation of about 650 is working on a "revitalization process."
"Part of the revitalization process has been to thoroughly evaluate all of our resources, including our facilities. Our worship center was built in 1987 and seats over 5,500," explained Garvin.
"With the trend among megachurches shifting to smaller auditoriums and multiple services and campuses, one of the options we considered was selling our campus and building a new facility that better reflects our ministry focus."
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/declining-florida-megachurch-planning-sell-part-church-campus-reflect-shifting-ministry-focus-167441/#sZ8rISUh4825WGs1.99
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http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/41019-despite-rumors-calvary-assembly-megachurch-is-not-for-sale
Charisma spun off from Calvary in 1981 as a separate organization, shortly before the late Roy Harthern, then the pastor, stepped down due to moral indiscretions. The history below recounts some of the ups and downs. The church experienced a sort of renaissance under the ministry of both Dr. Mark Rutland and Clark Whitten. But over the years many people left—including me and my wife—and Calvary has struggled to stop that trend.
[GJ - Harthern's daughter married the adulterous Benny Hinn.]
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http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2013/may/three-megachurch-pastors-resign-over-adultery-in-orlando.html
Three Megachurch Pastors Resign over Adultery in Orlando
(UPDATED) Discovery Church elders believe David Loveless 'can be restored to ... productive Christian service,' but not as their pastor.
[ POSTED 5/16/2013 03:49PM ]
Flickr / Jared
Update (June 7): Experts say disgraced pastors face a long road back to the pulpit even after they repent, according to the Orlando Sentinel. But the main problem is not lust, but pride.
CT reported when concerns over pride prompted leaves of absence by two high-profile pastors.
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The head pastor of one of America's "10 healthiest churches" has resigned after confessing that he committed adultery three years ago.
David Loveless, head pastor of Discovery Church, relinquished his pastoral duties at the Orlando megachurch this month, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
But Loveless is not the only Orlando-area pastor to confess an adulterous relationship lately. In the past six months, two other pastors, Summit Church's Isaac Hunter and The Gathering Place's Sam Hinn, also resigned.
According to a statement released by Discovery Church's elders, Loveless's affair ended approximately three years ago. However, he only made it known to church leaders within the past few weeks.
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A quick trip to a Pentecostal Church will reveal what the Lutherans covet and copy. They think the Pentecostals have all the answers and they want those shiny castles more than David wanted Delilah.
What I saw a few years ago had more to do with commercialism than religion at a Pentecostal church:
A coffee bar.
An ATM for giving outside the entertainment area.
An auditorium rather than a church.
A stage rather than a chancel.
Secular music.
Parking valet "ministry."
This mega-church in Orlando built too large a building, a cathedral that matched the ego or insecurity of one pastor. Then Benny Hinn's father-in-law came along and got the enormous mortgage paid off while having an affair with a church member.
As 29A has said to me, "I work with a lot of pagans who do everything you can imagine, but they have no use for clergy who are unfaithful."
Huge buildings are supposed to be magnets that draw the masses, as Robert Schuller claimed before his own castle went bankrupt. The carillon dedicated to his wife no longer worked, because the Schuller staff lacked or mis-spent the money for repairs.
Church leaders of all denominations are so materialistic and greedy that they imagine everything "works" except teaching the doctrine of the Bible. That doctrine is an adiaphoron when popcorn, soda, and entertainment are clearly what the masses seem to desire for the moment.
As WELS has shown, adulterous and abusive ministers leave a trail of destruction, hidden only for a short time by their glamorous and deceptive PR. The officials do not care. As Mrs. Ichabod observed, "They must be adulterers too."
Just don't question them. Then you will discover the meaning of "The Wrath of God."
