6 APR 08: THE CHURCH THAT GREW TOO MUCH
"He DOES need a boat." So said a Columbus pastor's wife, during a worship service Saturday night. Before someone twists this comment out of context, the wife was explaining how the pastor does NOT walk on water. She was NOT asking for donations for an Evinrude.
BLOG EXCLUSIVE: It's a big weekend at the biggest church in Columbus, as Bill Purvis marks 25 years as pastor of Cascade Hills. He admitted Saturday night the celebration was timed to coincide with the Muscogee County Schools' spring break. But no, they are NOT adding special services until midnight every night this week.
Wife Debbie Purvis had a rare speaking part in Saturday night's special service, introducing her three sons and what I'd call their "significant others." Two sons are married, while the third will wed in three weeks. So the best time to ask the Purvis family for a loan might be mid-May....
The special anniversary service included a video presentation on Bill Purvis's years at Cascade Hills Church, accompanied by a 16-page glossy booklet. This may explain why the church has changed from full-color bulletins at services to one-page photocopied handouts.
The service answered a few unsettled questions I've had about Cascade Hills Church. When Bill Purvis arrived in 1983, he insisted on having the congregation accept him unanimously. Two families were opposed to him, but both missed the meeting where the vote occurred. The whispering campaign against Purvis may have started right there....
The Cascade Hills financial statement for February 1983 was shown, reflecting $5,319 in offerings that month. Many people will be disappointed to learn the statement for February 2008 was NOT included - including possibly those U.S. Senate investigators of mega-churches
But the anniversary booklet reveals Cascade Hills Church has "over 20 million dollars worth of property and an annual income of almost seven million dollars in 2008." Take that, you critics! That income is not even one percent of what Aflac earned last year....
Any ministry with a lick of sense will tell you the issue is NOT how much money they bring in - it's how many lives are changed. The booklet shows Cascade Hills Church has had 5,610 baptisms since Bill Purvis became Pastor. It's a good thing this church is down the street from a Columbus Water Works treatment plant.
While membership at Cascade Hills Church grew to a record high of 8,144 last year, Pastor Bill Purvis and his staff may be puzzled about some of the most recent statistics. The number of members grew by only 25 last year, after a surge of more than 1,000 in 2006. Perhaps people searched for his name online, and concluded Purvis had become a Scientologist.
The number of Cascade Hills Church baptisms increased last year. But it was less than half the record-high total of 2000. I would have thought the baptisms would peak in 1999, because so many people were scared of the Y2K bug....
But back to the service: Bill Purvis choked back tears, as he took the Cascade Hills Church platform to a standing ovation after the video presentation. Twice he pointed upward during the applause - which I think meant he was giving honor to God, not declaring himself number-one.
Bill Purvis noted the family portrait which was taken when he moved to Columbus in 1983, including his full beard. He joked of it: "That was our Mennonite look."
Bill Purvis recalled how his senior pastor tried to talk him out of taking the job at Cascade Hills Church. The pastor met Purvis in the parking lot of the old Macon Road Shoney's and said, "Nothing will ever come of your ministry." Purvis did NOT name that man, so we could learn if his career turned out any better.
Bill Purvis says he has "plenty of apology letters" from critics -- but he reminded worshipers he's not perfect. "My wife and I still have arguments," the Pastor admitted. Then he claimed in true Purvis style: "When we get to heaven, she'll find out how right I was."
There was NO special offering taken to mark Bill Purvis's 25th anniversary at Cascade Hills Church. There wasn't even a special cake-cutting afterward - or at least one wasn't announced. Considering the church didn't have a wild game dinner this past winter, maybe there wasn't enough rattlesnake oil to put in the batter.
Bill Purvis gave glory to God throughout the service, for whatever success he's seen over the last 25 years. But he quoted one church analyst, who said Cascade Hills has "outgrown the culture." That may be a nice way of saying some people who see Columbus as a small town think this mega-church has become "too big for its britches."
As folksy, humble and self-deprecating as Bill Purvis is during sermons, I left Saturday night wondering why occasional rumors keep surfacing about this pastor....
+ Is it jealousy, because Cascade Hills is so large? Purvis openly said he hopes to see "50 mega-churches" in Columbus someday - which could leave many more empty buildings on Cusseta Road.
+ Is it personal, because that many people hold grudges -- and they somehow feel strange praying for God to make a senior pastor repent?
+ Is it skepticism, because the Purvis family seems so perfect? The Pastor openly will tell you he's not - even admitting a few weeks ago during a sermon, "I pull out in front of people."
BIG PREDICTION UPDATE: Instant Message to Columbus fireworks maven Stephen King - thanks for moving the big Columbus State University fireworks show downtown Saturday night. But you're supposed to set those things off AFTER Kansas wins the big game, not before it....
My old alma mater Kansas advanced to the NCAA men's basketball finals Saturday night - but in the process, the Jayhawks almost blew a 28-point lead. North Carolina fought back to within four points in the second half, before losing 84-66. They tried hard, but at last UNC said Uncle.
And oooo, did it feel good for my Jayhawks to defeat Coach Roy Williams - the man who left Kansas for North Carolina five years ago. There's a good reason why the Tar Heels lost in the semifinals at San Antonio. It was the first time in the tournament they had played outside North Carolina - and in the Central Time Zone, they were one hour slower.
Kansas nipped the Tar Heels despite losing a key player on Friday. Backup guard Rodrick Stewart fell wrong and broke his knee, while attempting a 360-degree slam dunk in practice. Some people should leave the "360" stuff to Anderson Cooper.
Kansas moves on to a marvelous Monday match-up with Memphis, for the men's national championship. I like the Jayhawks' chances here, because they have a more balanced scoring attack. Besides, the other team has a history of cheating at basketball - you know, from that song "Walking in Memphis."
By the way, did you notice CBS Sports kept its studio hosts in New York for the Final Four - and did NOT send them to San Antonio? Either this network is tight on money these days, or they couldn't find a cowboy hat big enough for Seth Davis's inflated brain.
Before I go to sleep counting alley-oop slam dunks, let's quickly check other weekend headlines:
+ Columbus received a splendid Saturday soaking of rain, with more than 1.6 inches at the airport. My power went off for nearly an hour during the storm - so I hope the people who promoted "Earth Hour" last weekend are satisfied now.
+ The front-page banner headline of the Ledger-Enquirer declared the widow of a Fort Benning soldier wants sperm harvested from his body, while her in-laws are opposed to it. If Britney Spears lived in Columbus right now, she might be at the top of page one twice a week.
+ Columbus Urban League President Reginald Pugh announced he'll run again for Ed Harbison's State Senate seat. Harbison beat Pugh two years ago - but now Pugh's staff has had time to spy outside Harbison's house, and count how many days he actually lives there.
+ The Georgia General Assembly ended its session, by approving a bill allowing people with permits to carry guns inside restaurants. This should settle the "live or dead" sushi debate once and for all....
+ WRBL reported Debbie Ball will retire as Shaw High School softball coach and athletic director in June, to take a job at Brookstone. I personally don't understand this. Doesn't Superintendent John Phillips need staff members, for his new consulting business?
SCHEDULED MONDAY: Readers comment on the Doctors Hospital killings....
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BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 630 (- 54, 7.9%)
TRUDGE REPORT, DAYS 34-35: Spring cleaning, 150 minutes. Total: 104.70 miles run, 14.5 walked
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