Prominent Memphis Area Pastor Resigns

[revrandy]

DS is interim Pastor... I don't know that he wants it... but he is a great man... Interesting to see that 47 are in the "hunt" so to speak... I wonder how much God really has to do with this stuff anymore... I don't think it's much...imo...

[seekerman]

So how long before we can refer to the building in memphis as bro so-and-so's church? It was bro black's church for so long it's going to take a time of adjustment to change identification of the building.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by seekerman

So how long before we can refer to the building in memphis as bro so-and-so's church? It was bro black's church for so long it's going to take a time of adjustment to change identification of the building.

And therein lies much of the problem...not with your perception of that church, but with the fact that he began to think of it as TB's church.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by revrandy

DS is interim Pastor... I don't know that he wants it... but he is a great man... Interesting to see that 47 are in the "hunt" so to speak... I wonder how much God really has to do with this stuff anymore... I don't think it's much...imo...

Be careful revrandy! I learned very quickly that any questioning of the search for a pastor was met with quick and certain accusations of me not being concerned about doing things in "God's Time".

I am guessing you may hear the same about your speculation about the number of candidates being considered. If in fact it is true over 40 men are in the running you can rest assured that dog and pony show is all just a part of "God's Plan" and partially explains why "God's Timing" seems to be very, very, very slow! (takes a long time to work through that long of a list!).

Of course I would not be surprised to find that that number given his highly exaggerated. It seems hard to believe they would seriously consider more than a handful of names beyond the search committee.

[webe123]

Originally Posted by CC1

Of course I would not be surprised to find that that number given his highly exaggerated. It seems hard to believe they would seriously consider more than a handful of names beyond the search committee.

Yeah, that number seems a bit high. But I figured that it would be a mess to try and search through all the names and applications that were put in.

Still, you would think they would be at least CLOSE to choosing somebody.

Or at least have it narrowed down to a very small handful of people?

I think whoever wins the pastorship for that church is knida like winning a jackpot. Maybe that is why so many have tried out.

It also makes me wonder who is really in it for what they can do for the church and who is in it for what the church can do for them?

It used to be years ago that people would pray over decisions like this and if God lead them to a church, things would work out in their favor and they would know God led them there.

Today at a lot of churches, politics seems to have taken over. When that does happen, then it is really no longer God who is in control, but man! (Sometimes I wonder what God thinks when that happens?)

Kinda sad when you think about it!

The church is not supposed to "belong" to one or two board members or even the entire congregation, it is HIS church! HE died and paid the price for it, you would think people would enquire of God what he wants for it.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by webe123

I think whoever wins the pastorship for that church is knida like winning a jackpot. Maybe that is why so many have tried out.

Maybe financially but remember at the end of the day they still have to live in Memphis! I love Tennessee but Memphis is the armpit of our state for the most part. There are some nice areas like Germantown but if you take a wrong turn your life is at risk more than probably any town in our state.

[deacon blues]

Originally Posted by CC1

Maybe financially but remember at the end of the day they still have to live in Memphis! I love Tennessee but Memphis is the armpit of our state for the most part. There are some nice areas like Germantown but if you take a wrong turn your life is at risk more than probably any town in our state.

I've lived here for 13 years and I've not had a scintilla of fear or problems. Here in the 'burbs our police forces are strong and they keep the crime out. Memphis gets a bum rap for it's crime statistics, but much of that happens in isolated areas that are notorious crime hot spots. I drive into Memphis all of the time without any fear. There are many quiet and peaceful and upscale neighborhoods and areas. It's a great town rich in culture, history, food and music. It's our home.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

I've lived here for 13 years and I've not had a scintilla of fear or problems. Here in the 'burbs our police forces are strong and they keep the crime out. Memphis gets a bum rap for it's crime statistics, but much of that happens in isolated areas that are notorious crime hot spots. I drive into Memphis all of the time without any fear. There are many quiet and peaceful and upscale neighborhoods and areas. It's a great town rich in culture, history, food and music. It's our home.

Without a doubt you are correct that there are many nice suburbs. That still doesn't take away from the actual Memphis that I don't like.

My first clue it might not be a safe place was when I first started going there on business almost ten years ago and when I had to stay in a hotel just outside of Germantown it had a high fence all the way around it and the gas station down the road not only had the cashier behind bullet proof glass but they did not even have a hole big enough to put products through for them to ring up! It was just a slit for credit cards and cash. You held up what you wanted to buy and they rang it up from memory.

My SIL was alone there on a business trip and decided to check out Beale Street for some live music. He foolishly decided to save a few bucks and parked his car a few blocks away rather than the Peabody's parking garage like normal folks do. About 10 or 11 pm when he got to his car he was carjacked. Forced to drive around with a gun to the back of his head looking for an ATM for him to get them money out. Luckily when they got to the ATM there was a lot of activity and they got spooked. Stole his laptop and ran off to their buddies car that had been following them.

So yes you may have nice burbs and Germantown but there is plenty that is not nice! I have taken a wrong turn a few times and had to have a prayer meeting in my car praying for my safety. I just don't want to live in a place you have to be so careful about where you go. In 2010 Forbes named Memphis the most dangerous city to live in. I have a hard time believing that though. I would think Detroit, Chicago, and St. Louis should have Memphis beat!

Besides it is a long held tradition for Nashvillians to hate Memphis and Memphis folks to hate Nashville (although I don't think RG Craig does).

[deacon blues]

Originally Posted by CC1

Without a doubt you are correct that there are many nice suburbs. That still doesn't take away from the actual Memphis that I don't like.

My first clue it might not be a safe place was when I first started going there on business almost ten years ago and when I had to stay in a hotel just outside of Germantown it had a high fence all the way around it and the gas station down the road not only had the cashier behind bullet proof glass but they did not even have a hole big enough to put products through for them to ring up! It was just a slit for credit cards and cash. You held up what you wanted to buy and they rang it up from memory.

My SIL was alone there on a business trip and decided to check out Beale Street for some live music. He foolishly decided to save a few bucks and parked his car a few blocks away rather than the Peabody's parking garage like normal folks do. About 10 or 11 pm when he got to his car he was carjacked. Forced to drive around with a gun to the back of his head looking for an ATM for him to get them money out. Luckily when they got to the ATM there was a lot of activity and they got spooked. Stole his laptop and ran off to their buddies car that had been following them.

So yes you may have nice burbs and Germantown but there is plenty that is not nice! I have taken a wrong turn a few times and had to have a prayer meeting in my car praying for my safety. I just don't want to live in a place you have to be so careful about where you go. In 2010 Forbes named Memphis the most dangerous city to live in. I have a hard time believing that though. I would think Detroit, Chicago, and St. Louis should have Memphis beat!

Besides it is a long held tradition for Nashvillians to hate Memphis and Memphis folks to hate Nashville (although I don't think RG Craig does).

I've gone to church services in some of the worst neighborhoods in Memphis. Never a problem. In fact I rarely hear of black on white or white on black crime. Most of the crime is black on black. You can go to neighborhoods in Nashville and find the same dangers. But if I had experienced what your SIL did I would not have fond memories either. Was this before or after the FedEx Forum was built?

[StillStanding]

Originally Posted by deacon blues

I've lived here for 13 years and I've not had a scintilla of fear or problems. Here in the 'burbs our police forces are strong and they keep the crime out. Memphis gets a bum rap for it's crime statistics, but much of that happens in isolated areas that are notorious crime hot spots. I drive into Memphis all of the time without any fear. There are many quiet and peaceful and upscale neighborhoods and areas. It's a great town rich in culture, history, food and music. It's our home.

DB defending the hood! Nice!

CC1 is letting one bad experience taint his view. I lived in Memphis for about 5 years and I enjoyed my time there for the most part. There are indeed parts of Memphis to avoid just as there are parts of Nashville to avoid. There did seem to be high racial tension while I lived in Memphis.

I now live in Nashville, and I must say that it seems to be a much safer city as a whole with a lot less racial tension.

Our cue to leave Memphis was when the school board (newly black majority) voted to give the multi-million dollar contract of computerizing the schools to a young black guy who started his new company three months before with very little capital. Financial stability didn't matter, ability to actually perform the job didn't matter, and a history of any success didn't matter. All that mattered was that his skin was black! Who did he replace? A small company named IBM!

What ended up happening was the black guy sub-contracted the work to IBM, costing the school district the extra money to give this guy his cut! The black guy was smart! It was the school board that was dumb!