OK, I’m just being dramatic, but what are they thinking???
Saddleback church have come up with a cool new card for people to swipe in every time they turn up to something, tithe or simply walk through the church doors.
If somebody came up with this in real life (as opposed to church life) there would be cries of horror from civil libertarians the world over.
With scanners all around the Saddleback Campus, the cards can be used for:
- dropping children off to and picking up from childrens ministries
- clocking in and out of ministry
- clocking in and out of special events
- registering church attendance
- tithing
- generating reports of how much time has been spent by each person serving within the church (“Time and Talent” reports)
- generating reports of tithes and offerings given by each person
- a great management tool to show leaders who showed up to serve that week
- to keep track of “lost sheep” who may have dropped out of ministry
I shudder to think what the “church family” is coming to when they need scanners to know who is doing what, and who might have disappeared off the radar. What happened to genuine family care and love?
Listen to the podcast about this “incredible new upcoming adventure” if you will and try not to cry too much.
(HT and many kowtows to Deacon and Usher)
So you’re asking me to listen to a podcast from Saddleback AND to a Hillsongs song in one day? Sheesh, Heather!
(I will gear up for both of them).
Your mark of the beast thought was what i was thinking too when I read it. Seems we are both amenable to a bit of melodrama
Consider this my virtual scan card letting you know I read and commented on your blog. Ask my wife, I literally shuddered when I read this; partly because of my personality and partly because I just go, “What the heck? How much like a business can we become?” Oh wait, not even a business would do this—at least not this glaringly obvious. Never mind
Thanks for sharing this bit of “What are they thinking?” news.
Can you hear me sigh? Thanks for bringing this up, but seriously? And the people went for this? There is something so very wrong with a leadership that would think this was a good idea.
This seems very, very impersonal at best. I don’t think a scanner should every replace real shepherding.
Wow. I’m just curious as to why they need to know all of these details.
Shane: ’cause it is all about control, which is a fruit of fear.
What the…? That’s just impersonal and idiotic, IMO.
Another reason to love the junk drawer.
Sue, yeah, sorry about that! It is a bit of overkill for one day. And a little melodrama never hurt anyone
Jeromy, thanks for checking in. But my records show you haven’t donated to my blog. What’s going on there? Consider this your first reprimand.
Erin, that was my first reaction – how can people fall for this stuff? But that’s the way of the church world, I guess. Nods and amens all the way as they walk one by one off the cliff…
Shane, Jeromy has it exactly. Fear = a need to control. Very sad.
Shelly, mmmm, the junk drawer… So much less stressful!
Heather I came across a ‘word picture’ for barfing in the back of a taxi. ‘It’s like throwing a stick of gelignite into a tin of pineapple’
It was just the first thought that came to me while listening to this!
Cheers lol
So. Like. Where do I sign up.
Good, freakin’, grief. To think this has been going on since ‘07 and it’s under the radar of so many blogs.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention Heather (and to the birds, as well.)
Talk about Big Brother keeping tabs on you! I don’t know which is worse – the leaders of that church for implementing something so stupid, or the people for meekly assenting to it! If I was a member of that church I’d deliberately never swipe my card, just to make a point.
Actually, no – I’d just leave and avoid being controlled by others.
Josh, ew! Now I have to get that picture out of my head. Any ideas?
Bill, I know! I couldn’t believe I hadn’t read anything about it myself, except for Deak’s post.
Barry, like I said to Erin it’s the way of the church community. Church members are taught to agree with leadership because disagreement just isn’t tolerated. The only way to disagree with leadership in many (most?) congregations is to leave, or have a bunch of people leave ending in a devastating church split. Not many options there.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!
That is stinking scary. Fortunately for these people, those sheets will help God distribute heavenly rewards
God don’t do nuthin’ without consulting saddleback first
Very interesting.
Nice Blog you have here Heather, this is my first visit. I like the “junk drawer” mentality. Can I be the the crud that accumulates at the back that no one ever wants to deal with?
Saddleback…..well, how else would they “connect” with all 20,000 people who walk through the doors on a weekend?
Barf!
Some people just don’t care what they are involved in, as long as they feel good about “being involved” what ever that might look like.
Barf! Barf!
Tyler, LOL!
Rod, thank you and welcome to my blog. I’d love to see you around again, and you absolutely can be the crud if you wish
That’s the first request I’ve had for that particular junk drawer component.