First Family Church

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First Family Church is an Evangelical Christian church. It is located in Overland Park, Kansas, situated on 51 acres in southern Johnson County, in the Southwestern portion of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area of the United States. The church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Its mission is to reach lost people, bring them into God’s family, and inspire them to mature in Christ.

Contents

[edit] Purpose

As a part of his teaching, Pastor Jerry Johnston teaches a strong biblical message without compromising the truth of God’s Word. His sermons are biblically-based. He speaks dynamically, but not over-dramatically. The altar call is not over extended, manipulative or drawn-out. His message is simple, the call to salvation.

[edit] History

The beginning of the First Family Church all started with Pastor Johnston, who has a burden for young people since rising out of his own life changing experience at a summer youth camp. As a troubled teenager, Johnston was rebellious and a drug abuser. After being hospitalized for depression that drove him to attempt suicide, Johnston was sent to a youth camp at Windermere Baptist Assembly in Roach, Missouri. It was here that he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Two months later, Johnston dedicated his life to full time ministry and immediately started a Bible study in his school. During his high school years, Pastor Johnston spoke an average of 25 times a week to other clubs and organizations.

In 1979, at the age of 20, Johnston established Jerry Johnston Ministries Association, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to revival and evangelism. JJM conducted speaking tours, sponsored events and evangelical crusades on an international level. Johnston also targeted middle and high schools with his “Life School Assembly,” an informative lecture on drug and alcohol abuse. He has spoken to over 3 million students on public and private campuses. Johnston is also the author of 8 best-selling books and videos on topics like teenage suicide, drug abuse and the rise of Satanism.

After 17 years during the peak of his traveling ministry, Johnston's feelings led to establishing First Family Church in his hometown of Overland Park on September 22, 1996. Johnston says he wanted to build a church of “doers’ and not “sitters.” He liquidated nearly 200 thousand dollars in assets from his debt free ministry organization JJM to start First Family Church. From its humble beginnings in eleven different rental facilities, everything from schools to movie theaters, FFC has grown to a membership of over 5,000[citation needed].

[edit] First Family Today

In July of 2001, the television ministry of First Family Church was launched with the support of its World Outreach Partners.[1] Some sermons are broadcast globally via satellite and archive web video-streaming.

In the past Pastor Jerry Johnston has made guest appearances on local and national television shows including CNN’s Crossfire, Good Morning America, MSNBC’s Scarborough Country and has been quoted in local and national publications including The Kansas City Star, New York Times, and numerous times in USA Today.

Through the growth and impact of First Family Church there have been over 50 ministries launched[citation needed]. The 125,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility is utilized seven days a week to minister to every age from birth through seniors. From the indoor jungle gym for the children to the Youth Center that has a full size basketball court, 3 on 3 basketball court, fitness room and youth café to reach the youth of Kansas City and give them a safe place to be with their friends.

In the fall of 2007, First Family launched First Family Academy, a Christian academy created to educate with excellence and preserve the teaching of God’s Word in the classroom. Pastor Johnston’s vision for the academy is to take it all the way through the 12th grade with a full athletics program. Eventually leading to a Bible College that will properly equip students both biblically, academically and also provide practical training and preparation to send them off into the world for the ministry God has called them to.

[edit] Controversy

In March, 2007 The Kansas City Star ran a front page investigative series of articles on financial concerns at First Family Church.[2] The paper published several follow-up articles on additional questionable activities of the Johnstons: Lavish lifestyles, [3] Jerry and Jeremy Johnston side businesses,[4] as well as delinquent tax payments. [5] Additional reporting was done referencing that all of Jerry Johnstons children and his mother work on staff with him. [6]. Online reporting also reported on the honorary degree granted to Jerry Johnston. [7].

After the stories appeared, Bott Radio Network, a Christian network based in the same city as First Family Church, announced that they were dropping Jerry Johnston and First Family Church from all 50 of its stations in nine states due to fiscal questions raised by the articles and that the ministry refused to join the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) pursuant to the radio networks standards.[8]

In July, 2007 a follow-up article was printed in The Kansas City Star citing additional allegations, including the misuse of a $50,000 contribution to Jerry Johnston Ministries that was allegedly diverted to a personal account of the Johnstons'. The article also reported that after the initial March 2007 articles in the Kansas City Star, the Kansas attorney general's office began an investigation into whether Jerry Johnston used church money for personal gain.[9]

Legal charges have not been filed but an investigation is ongoing by the State Attorney General.

In January, 2008 the Kansas City Star reported that two personal side businesses operated by the Johnston family had closed the previous month. One business, Jerry Johnston Publications, handled Johnston's books, videos and speaking engagements. The other, J Cubed Media, which was operated by Johnston's son, Jeremy, the churches Executive Pastor, bought television time for the ministry.

A contractor who worked for the church filed several complaints regarding the companies with the Internal Revenue Service, charging that church employees are forced to work for the companies, that church donations are used to fund Jerry Johnston Publications, and that church resources are used by J Cubed Media to conduct business.[10]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ First Family Church - History
  2. ^ Lax financial oversight riles some First Family Church followers. Judy Thomas. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
  3. ^ Lavish lifestyles at odds with pastor’s calls for the faithful to sacrifice
  4. ^ Business offshoots add to bottom line
  5. ^ Pastor, church have been delinquent in paying tax bills
  6. ^ First Family Church payroll includes several Johnston family members
  7. ^ Honorary degree elevates ‘Dr. Jerry’ Johnston
  8. ^ Pastor’s radio show is dropped. Judy Thomas. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  9. ^ Johnston's former ministry faulted: Misuse of group's finances is alleged. Judy Thomas. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
  10. ^ Companies operated by First Family Church’s pastor and his son are shut down