My Indictment of LifeCenterChurch.com
Why am i doing this? For validation, that's it. I rebuilt a web site that was getting 500 hits a month, and turned it into one getting 5000 hits a month. That's not much by industry standards, but it's quite a feat for someone getting paid less than part time, and with little to no help. i recieved numerous compliments and was notified by many people that they came to the church soley based on the web site. i even got a compliment from Bryan Duncan who said the site was bitchin'. I don't need a pat on the back, what I do need is for some to realize that my plan worked. When the site drew people to the church it has done it's job.
Now for some history, Life2U.org was established by Glenn Garvin, the Associate Pastor at the time around 1999. for the longest time the site was an eyesore, rarely updated and rarely visited. Around 2004 Tommy Marshall began updating certain portions of the site and began to prune. I took over in 2005. I archived the old site and rebuilt it from the ground up. I gave Glenn and Tommy credit for their part in bringing this vision to life. That's when the site really came to life. We had current announcements, photo galleries, videos, sermons, direct access to pastors through for e-mail, a complete listing of missionaries with there contact information, weekly devotions, staff blogs, church history, downloadable bulletins and calendars. And all this from a person who grew up in the church. i had a love for the church and strived to better the site not for the praise of my work, but because i wanted others to love Life Center like I did. Did everything I want to happen come to be? No of course, was it a perfect site, absolutely not. But it did it's job.
Now for the betrayal. I came into the church one day to get some paperwork from the soundboard. I over heard George Fessler and Heidi Morgan discussing the new site proposal and if it had come back yet. I ignored confrontation at the time wanting to tackle each individual on their own. That was a Friday, on Sunday I first confronted Heidi, she said I would have to talk to George. So that's what I did. i went in with a clear head and a clear objective. I asked specific questions to get specific answerers. And the conclusion is this. If the proposal that was sent out to this unnamed company came back they way George wanted to, they would take over the website.
You have no idea the since of betrayal I felt. The church I had been faithful to for over twenty years just took my ministry from me behind my back...
That's why i do this. So that others will know how things work now. And not even that but their was never a public display of my departure. They give that to the volunteers who run the nursery. But here i was a paid employee, robbed of my job, and shoved out the back door. Shoved by a man who I had 19 years on. that was my home. I lived there, I served there, I met the men that would shape me there. All my earthly heroes can be found in the page sof that churches history. And now that I could contribute to the churches greatness, they hamstring it from me in the dark at it's apex. Ho dare they?
So I handed the reigns over to some corporate suit with no connection to the church besides a pay check and e-mail, to make a site devoid of a soul. And alienate a son of Life Center. Someone who served, and while I was on his knees they kicked me in the back of the head. It nearly took me back into the depression that almost took me years before.
Do you understand? I hope you do.
That's why i do this. So that others will know how things work now. And not even that but their was never a public display of my departure. They give that to the volunteers who run the nursery. But here i was a paid employee, robbed of my job, and shoved out the back door. Shoved by a man who I had 19 years on. that was my home. I lived there, I served there, I met the men that would shape me there. All my earthly heroes can be found in the page sof that churches history. And now that I could contribute to the churches greatness, they hamstring it from me in the dark at it's apex. Ho dare they?
So I handed the reigns over to some corporate suit with no connection to the church besides a pay check and e-mail, to make a site devoid of a soul. And alienate a son of Life Center. Someone who served, and while I was on his knees they kicked me in the back of the head. It nearly took me back into the depression that almost took me years before.
Do you understand? I hope you do.
Listen to one of the last conversations I had with George Fessler
So now we go to the present. The current LifeCenterChurch.com is still filled with my art work. This wasn't about talent, this was about control. My ideas are still there. This was about being more corporate and less familiar. This is an institutional site. A site for a school, or business. The family, local, and quaint feeling of the site is gone. it's stock photography and boring text. Except of course except for the work of mine that is still there. George's two big ideas, only ideas were online giving and registering for events online. Those two things are no where to be found. The vision is not there, and the warm familiar site a local church has been replaced by a cooperation.
Update FEB 26, 2008:
Well I asked a few people that I trust to read this blog and get back to me. I've read there responses and a few thoughts came to mind and i would like to share them.
1. I have no ill will towards the church it self. I love the people who attend the church and will always have a fondness for the memories and people and times a shared there. I also have not been affected in a bad way towards my walk with God because of this experience. in fact it's made me grateful for the times that God used me and the people around me to make a great church body and get things done for Him. it also showed how things can be.
2. I am more willing and wanting to get involved in a church that still has that connection with God, so that I can once again work with amazing people, share talents and have that true family experience.
3. I have forgiven those involved, the anger is still there, but I think it's more of an acute awareness of the fake Christianity that led to this situation. And yes i do relize that not all are like this. I'm so glad I could spend time at Faith Christian Assembly with the Vaughn and Lemming family before I left for the Army. And I'm grateful that my wife Annalisa has a church that I trust will help her through these times when we have to be apart.
Update FEB 26, 2008:
Well I asked a few people that I trust to read this blog and get back to me. I've read there responses and a few thoughts came to mind and i would like to share them.
1. I have no ill will towards the church it self. I love the people who attend the church and will always have a fondness for the memories and people and times a shared there. I also have not been affected in a bad way towards my walk with God because of this experience. in fact it's made me grateful for the times that God used me and the people around me to make a great church body and get things done for Him. it also showed how things can be.
2. I am more willing and wanting to get involved in a church that still has that connection with God, so that I can once again work with amazing people, share talents and have that true family experience.
3. I have forgiven those involved, the anger is still there, but I think it's more of an acute awareness of the fake Christianity that led to this situation. And yes i do relize that not all are like this. I'm so glad I could spend time at Faith Christian Assembly with the Vaughn and Lemming family before I left for the Army. And I'm grateful that my wife Annalisa has a church that I trust will help her through these times when we have to be apart.
posted by Don Croswhite at
7:11 PM
1 Comments
