Crystal Cathedral Declared Bankruptcy: Mega Churches Are Hit Hard by Recession and Failing Economy

The recent news shocked everybody. But nobody was immune from the precarious conditions of the country. Faithful are not able to contribute to the works of the church. If they do, the collections are not enough to pay the debt and interests on huge loans.

Crystal Cathedral is one of the first megachurches to file for bankruptcy in this economy, but it is not the only one that is suffering due to lack of funds.

The church's budget woes have forced it to downsize its staff, cancel programming in certain markets, and even send home choir and orchestra members.

Mars Hill Church Pastor, Mark Discoll As Presented by NightLine and The New York Times Magazine: Mars Hill vs. Other Megachurches

What does Mars Hill have in common with other megachurches such as Joe Oesteen's Lakewood church in Houston, Bill Hybel's Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, T.D. Jakes's Potter's House in Dallas, Texas and Rev. Robert H. Schuller's California's Crystal Cathedral, Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Church?

They all have members in the thousands. And their ministers are very influential people leading the flock. They are respected and are not afraid of taking a stance against popular secular issues. They are willing to stand on the Word of God.

One of these pastors has been featured on Nightline and The New York Magazine lately for his position on various issues and his way of tackling various issues such as masturbation and sex. He is causing some grief to various Christian conservatives who are calling him, "the foul mouth minister or the cussing pastor." Because of his hellfire theology, a large group of critics are staying away from his sermons. Yet, they are very popular on Youtube, Godtube and elsewhere on the Internet.

Pastor Driscoll preaches that women should submit to their husband as found in the Bible. He allows his members to watch "Fight Club" movies, but not the Chronicles of Narnia. The church has worship warms up for about 1 hour of popular hymns by Bruce Springsteen's song, "Born to Run." He may preach for more than 1 hour. That is longer than most pastors do these days.

When he appeared on Nightline, the reporter asked him about masturbation. Once again, he gave an answer that made everybody laugh. "Whatever your hands find to do, use them with all your might..."

Crystal Cathedral Younger Rev. A. Schuller Ousted, Fired for Disobedience to Daddy or Rev. Robert H. Schuller Senior

Church founder Robert H. Schuller removed his son as the sole preacher on the 39-year-old TV show after the younger Schuller refused to rotate his role with other pastors. That's after three years of continuous request that he rotates ministers! It goes without saying that the Younger Schuller thought it was his daddy's ministry and that he could not get fired.

Daddy had a few surprises under his sleeves for his son!

Rev. Robert H. Schuller would not want to see his ministry destroyed because of his son's disobedience. So he did the right thing by sending him packing. What started as an internal fight between father, son and other ministers is finally revealed to the public. Rev. Robert H. Schuller did his best to work things out with his son. What greater honors he has had to have a son follow in his footsteps or replace him on the pulpit some day? But he could not let Satan get into his son to try to destroy years of hard labor.

Leaving things untouched would be a bad message to the other ministers and the rest of the church. Apparently, the younger Schuller remains in good standing with his denomination. He is still a pastor within the Reformed Church of America.

It has been announced that he is looking forward to starting his own ministry. At this point, he wants to run his own business, well, the church business!


The Younger Schuller may be stung by the entrepreneurial preaching, evangelizing bug. It is time for him to spread his wings!

Read these links:

http://bryonsweblog.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/robert-a-schuller-removed-2/

http://obadiah1317.wordpress.com/2008/12/14/robert-a-schuller-resigns-from-crystal-cathedral/

http://bryonsweblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/15/robert-a-schuller-leaves-crystal-cathedral/

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The timing of all this has a sort of rotten egg aroma to it, does it not?
Robert Schuller senior says, “I was called to start a mission, not a church. There is a difference. . . . You don’t try to preach . . . what is sin and what isn’t sin. A mission is a place where you ask nonbelievers to come and find faith and hope and feel love. We’re a mission first, a church second.”
“Because of that, we don’t want one face . . . to be a spokesman.” Yet that didn’t enter into Robert H Schuller’s mind for those first 35 years as it was only until his son began to preach sermons using Bible verses quite liberally."