[Magdalen] Church as Personality Billy Graham

[Jim Guthrie]

>I have had my own experience, somewhat tangential to be sure, watching the
>rise and fall of a would-be dynastic megachurch. (Those of you who have
>heard this before may skip this part, it's for Martin's benefit). A number

One of the things most Mainliners don’t understand is the phenomena of 
independent, non-dom start-ups. We  tend to notice when they grow large, but 
fail to notice the majority of them -- failures that come and go quickly. These 
churches need to grow so the Bible-school graduate with a new wife to support 
has to attract enough members to meet family expenses.Good Salesmen achieve 
success and their new flock attract new members like Amway MLM people <g>

I hasten to add that such churches are attractive to many people because there's 
nobody entrenched in power, no dragon ladies, no :we've never done it that way" 
so that the focus can be where it belongs -- not goofy stuff that continue to 
kill TEC and other established churches.

> Not a problem among Catholics, usually. Except for folks like
> the Borgias and the Medici.

But the legacy of the time when children could take over remains in rules on 
celibacy. Solved their inheritance problem.

Cheers,
Jim Guthrie