Deb February 8th, 2009

Great show! I don't call this a depression - I say it is a "correction." Only a fool wouldn't know this was bound to happen with almost everyone living it up like there was no tomorrow. Early last year I knew this was coming down following the real estate bubble- I told my husband to move our investments to gold which did better than mutual funds but no, he wouldn't listen. I disagree, however, with what Tony said about things not getting better. I believe in this country's resilience - things are going to get better by the end of this year once we get out of this mental funk. There is still much work to be done by Christians and I believe God will give us the resources we need to fulfill his will. I don't know about the pagans…they're on their own

jojojo February 9th, 2009

what about a pastor that asks for his yearly raise when the congregation is by enlarge suffering economically….does anyone think they should not ask for raise?

Thomas February 10th, 2009

Absolutely not! He survives on the donations of the people, its not about profit so he shouldnt ask for a raise. It does show how out of touch he is with the people he Pastors.

Obed February 10th, 2009

My old church faced this issue. The two elders who get paid wanted a raise, but the two volunteer elders told them 'no' because the congregation was suffering financially.

titus February 11th, 2009

I was very disappointed to hear Steve and Tony dismiss Dr. Ron Paul as a "whacko".

But then I cheered up — if people as far apart politically as Steve and Tony can agree on that, then Dr. Paul *must* be doing (and saying) something right!

.

Thomas February 11th, 2009

Steve is one of the most underrated evangelicals in the country who should have much more exposure than he does. He's the best representative of the reformed tradition. With Keller right up there with him. However, when Steve starts commenting on American foreign policy or politicians like Ron Paul, he makes me cringe. Steve's politics are stuck in the era of the Nixon administration. Its all good though…

Jeff February 15th, 2009

This whole thing is the most entertaining piece I have heard in a long time…( Disclaimer: My idea of a social life and entertainment is sitting @ Starbucks in Marysville WA listening to KeyLife and Etc. ) That said, I like the diverse meld of people that Steve gets together. That is what makes the whole mosaic of life and relationships so much fun…..Love everything about it…Thanks for keeping it real !!!!!

Robin February 16th, 2009

Who are we to say that Oprah is NOT a person of faith? I usually love to hear this show, but that one made me "want to talk" as Eric put it! How judgemental. If you haven't watched Oprah and really listened to what she has to say and what she has been offering in her "spirituality" sessions on the radio and on the web, then you have missed something! I have learned more about living in God's love from watching this woman and listening to her guests than in many years of growing up in an Evangelistic church. I hate to offend anyone, but lighten up. That is between Oprah and God.

Pastor Bob February 16th, 2009

The person out of touch is Thomas himself. Pastors have as much a responsibility to their family as they do to their church. I have never asked for a raise as a pastor, but have made it clear that they have to be concerned that another church isn't whispering into my ear a salary package that will provide for my family in a much better way. Pastors traditionally go deep into debt in order to pay for an advanced education [often an MDiv] and then take positions that barely provide for their long care financial security much less the paying off of student loans. Churches have a RESPONSIBILITY to adequately support a pastor and have no right to claim finanacial hardship as a reason for not doing so. Most parishioners would be embarrassed to allow their checkbooks to be examined as it would show what far too many of them really spend what they have been blessed with on. If you cannot afford to adequately support a shephard, maybe you need to merge your flock with one that can. When pastors are compensated on par with similar "professionals" within their faith community, we won't need to have this discussion any longer. We never took a vow of poverty…and the church within the protestant tradition has never agreed to provide for their needs for life. Enough said?

Pastor Bob February 16th, 2009

Deb..

I know some pretty poor Christians and some pretty rich pagens. How do you make sense of that? Thinking for an instance that God's will has anything to do with finances spits in the face of everything Jesus has ever said. Consider the poor…they are just as faithful to God as the rest of us and under much more difficult circumstances, and yet poor they still are, God's will has a way of working through them just as effectively as through someone like Bill Gates [an agnostic by the way] or Rick Warren [who now apparently has MORE money than God but gives a good portion of it away]. Interesting how you "invested" your money in gold just before it all fell apart. I believe the Isrealites did the same thing when Moses went up the mountain….except they fashioned theirs into a calf. [smiles] Enough said?

Pastor Bob February 17th, 2009

Thanks for the program….it was great!

Deb February 17th, 2009

Pastor Bob,

I know some pretty rich Christians and some pretty poor pagans. I think your train of thought and my train are on different tracks…

You assumed what I do with my investments…and I assume you think you are correct. Sadly, sir you don't know me.

Deb February 17th, 2009

oh and to add, Pastor Bob…

You don't know my heart - but God does.

P.S. I don't even know where your comment came from - I was merely reacting to the show and what is going on in real life…

Thomas February 17th, 2009

Your buggin Bob! If you wanted to be a Doctor you should've went to med school. Two entirely different callings. If I were on a board and you said " Oh yeah, I know you guys are hit hard by the recession, but the Church of the Redeemer down the block is willing to give me a 120,000 dollars and pay my medical, what are you willing to give?" I'd tell you to get the eff out…. Like I said a Pastor who asks for a raise during a recession is out of touch. And its not about taking a vow of poverty, that's a straw man argument, many businesses, let alone Churches, put off giving raises so as to show they are being responsible to there shareholders. Bob,you sound like you should be working at Citicorp rather than the Church.