Lets talk about Summer Jubilee for a minute. Do you all remember when it was about giving the kids in the community supplies for school, about blessing and helping out the community? I know that there has been some concern about the direction that it was taking, about the "show" that it's become. Attender mentioned a short time back that the school supply budget had been significantly reduced this year. I just got word, for someone that went, that the cost of the supplies, per child this year might have totalled $3 (this was at the elemntry level). They received a package of paper, a box of crayons, a glue stick and an eraser. Tell me, what blesses a child more, standing in line all day to play on bouncy houses, attending a rock concert, or having enough supplies for the school year? TP should be ashamed of themselves. Mike continues to get his fat paychecks, but the poor in our community are getting ripped off. It's sickening.

Please, someone, tell me that I am wrong, that I misunderstood, that TP did, in fact, give kids what they really needed to start the school year off right. Please.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2009 03:04AM by Brokenhearted.

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Brokenhearted
Lets talk about Summer Jubilee for a minute. Do you all remember when it was about giving the kids in the community supplies for school, about blessing and helping out the community? I know that there has been some concern about the direction that it was taking, about the "show" that it's become. Attender mentioned a short time back that the school supply budget had been significantly reduced this year. I just got word, for someone that went, that the cost of the supplies, per child this year might have totalled $3 (this was at the elemntry level). They received a package of paper, a box of crayons, a glue stick and an eraser. Tell me, what blesses a child more, standing in line all day to play on bouncy houses, attending a rock concert, or having enough supplies for the school year? TP should be ashamed of themselves. Mike continues to get his fat paychecks, but the poor in our community are getting ripped off. It's sickening.

Please, someone, tell me that I am wrong, that I misunderstood, that TP did, in fact, give kids what they really needed to start the school year off right. Please.

I can tell you exactly what was missing:

PRIMARY: no scissors or markers - less pencils and pens
SECONDARY: no scissors, binder or page dividers - less pencils and pens

That is what was missing from the basic starter pack that they have done in years past - two years ago Jakes House bought back-packs for the kids that was not there last year or this year.

I have asked myself - what is the goal of Summer Jubilee. If it is school supplies then it was not a success. Not all were handed out because of the new location and they did not get everything they have got in years past. If the goal is salvation and redeeming the name of the bride of Christ then it was successful. There were salvations and the church was reflected in a good way to the community.

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tpcwocattender
I can tell you exactly what was missing:

PRIMARY: no scissors or markers - less pencils and pens
SECONDARY: no scissors, binder or page dividers - less pencils and pens

That is what was missing from the basic starter pack that they have done in years past - two years ago Jakes House bought back-packs for the kids that was not there last year or this year.

I have asked myself - what is the goal of Summer Jubilee. If it is school supplies then it was not a success. Not all were handed out because of the new location and they did not get everything they have got in years past. If the goal is salvation and redeeming the name of the bride of Christ then it was successful. There were salvations and the church was reflected in a good way to the community.

I wonder, if it really was a success, if the church really was reflected in a good way, if people walked away disappointed b/c they didn't get the things that they needed. Not you or me...b/c we have our own disappointments clouding the issue, but people who went, and stood in line b/c they had a real need, that they were promised would be met, only to walk away without it. I'm sure that salvation is a goal, but I wonder how the numbers would be reflected, how many were won for Christ versus how many left there feeling ripped off. Could salvation have come with a simple worship service, w/out the expense of all the "entertainment", meanwhile using those funds to give people what they were in need of and what they were promised?

Am I over speculating?

The point of Church In The Park / Summer Jubilee was to bless the school children in this area with school supplies. I heard Mike say on more than one occasion in the years that I provided supplies and then money for the supplies it was about making sure the children had what they needed to start school and use that as an opportunity to spread the Gospel. Everything else was secondary. So if money was spent on bouncy houses instead of school supplies, there is a reason for concern. School supplies should have been the primary focus with everything else secondary to giving children who had a need what they needed to begin the school year successfully. However, if we did not give to one of the churches (NOT TPC) who was involved with procuring and supplying school supplies, I don't think we should criticize anyone. If you did give, then yes you have reason to criticize if you don't think the dollars were allocated correctly.

I am not criticizing anyone who voiced a concern, I am only stating my opinion. I for one, do not think a casino parking lot was an appropriate venue to hold an event centered around children. If we were still attending TPC, neither my husband and I would have served at that venue.

Daughter of Dorcas

Some observations about Summer Jubilee based on recent posts:

1. Who cares about "the name of the bride of Christ"? Turning Point has a bad habit of navel gazing, of being concerned about how they're looking to others rather than just being true to the Word (without tooting their own horn about it). Let Christ take care of issues of redemption, as we look to and follow Him. It's the name of Christ that must be lifted up, not our own. We simply must live with integrity, and then we won't be in the way.

2. Mike is able to justify any approach or outcome with his smooth talk, and no one dares question him. He has set it up this way; whether intentionally or unintentionally, that is how things work at TP. If one year he wants Summer Jubilee to be about getting kids school supplies, then he can craft a wonderful persuasive speech in that direction. If he wants it to be all about "salvations" (to draw attention away from the lack of school supplies), then he again can give you a disarming argument in that direction. In my experience, however, these justifications are only skin deep. They are enough to placate those who feel ill at ease about what's going on and speak to their concerns; they may not feel satisfied, deep down, with the justifications, but Mike's purposes are accomplished when they don't dare express any more ccncerns. Mike steeps his explanations in spiritual-sounding reasoning. BUT, your posts here reveal the chameleon nature of Mike. He can change stories, approaches, "colors" to fit whatever suits his purposes in the moment.

3. The bottom line about Summer Jubliee is to identify what the original purpose was and then determine whether it has changed. HAS that purpose changed? If so, people need to be made aware of the change(s) so that they can determine whether they can, in good conscience, remain behind the "ministry."

4. Please don't forget: Mike has a deeply held belief that he is specially anointed and called to be the lead apostle over Marysville and vicinity, that this is his spiritual destiny. Involving the other churches is about a different kind of unity than you or I imagine. Be careful of chasing a word, such as "unity," without understanding what true biblical unity is and then determining whether that's what's really going on at TP. Many people have a superficial (and worldly) understanding of unity and try to apply that to the church. Or people listen to teachers who twist passages that speak about unity and so have a warped understanding of biblical teaching on the subject. Know what it is you're involved in.

5. If our wonderfully humble and fully just Jesus walked into the "festivities" of Summer Jubilee, with a complete understanding of what had been spent on what and saw the attitudes/demeanors of the "performers," etc., would he say that it reflected His own heart? To where do you think He would gravitate? To the stage? To the dancers and brick breakers? What would grieve his heart? What would please him? As a church (Turning Point and the church as a whole), whose name are we concerned about glorifying?



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2009 10:32AM by LearningPoint.

I would have thought that with such a small congregation, SJ would have become a more modest event then previous years. With less money coming in, leaving out some performers and the venue, maybe more could have been put toward school supplies. It's turned more into a carnival then a chance to give back to the community.

At the same time, Praise God that He can work on souls in any venue and people came to Christ that day!

hidden;

It is not often when we get to read something with as much insight, concern, understanding and truth as with your post. You are a loving and couragious person that I know we can all learn from.

Winning souls to Christ is an awesome thing.

However, it pains me to think of all the new believers that became disillusioned because of the snobbery and the failure of TPC to follow the Gospel in caring for those members of the Church who needed help whether it was emotional, mental, or monetary. It bothers me that anyone experienced snobbery by failing to live up to the expectations of the inner circle of TPC or didn't realize they had a place and were snubbed when they stepped out of their place. I think we all know more than just a few of those. It bothers me that believers who were not at the beginning of their walk with the Lord, and who left TPC because of the differences in opinion about doctrine and accountability, lost friends and had family ties tested to the point of nearly breaking. It bothers me that TPC tried to use indoctrination through discipleship, SOMA, and an atmosphere where it was never okay to question what you were taught or told by anyone in the inner circle to create a body of people whose sole purpose was to provide a lavish lifestyle for two families.

So I have a question, when TPC leads a new person to the Lord and within six months to a year they become disillusioned by the hypocrisy and false teaching and fall away and turn their backs on the Christian faith, did TPC do anything to further the kingdom or did their actions harm the kingdom? When Mike drives a wedge between the heart of a new believer and the Lord, of what good does he or TPC do? Unfortunately all the Godly people we left behind at TPC, who have chosen to stay, cannot undo the harm and damage to the kingdom that Mike is doing.

When I walk out my faith, I want to do so in such a way so that others will see what I have and want it for themselves. I want to lead people to the Lord by my actions day in and day out and not because I helped give away school supplies at some annual event -- no matter how noble the intention of Summer Jubilee. I want to leave this world a little better than I found it. I want to keep the golden rule in my heart in my every interaction with others. When I stand before the Lord, I want him to say well done good and faithful servant.


Saddened



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2009 02:31PM by Saddened.

I believe the purpose of Summer Jubilee is multifacited. First and foremost is to bring people to Christ. However, when trudging into the community with the message of Good News, and the past forum has been to provide children "in need" with school supplies, one needs to be careful and must deliver the "promised or anticipated" goods.

Let me tell you why this is profoundly important. So many people have attended churches only to be disappointed and quit God altogether. They then go and have children and pass on to these children their ambivalence towards Christianity. Remember, it is man who gives Christianity it's bad reputation not to mention the evil one, but here, I don't think Satan has to work as hard as we think. We are capable all on our own of representing Christlike living badly. So, you go into the community and promise "free" stuff for the kids back to school. Year after year, young hurting families anticipate what Summer Jubilee has done for their children only to show up and be vastly disappointed. Not to mention the children's disappointment in the Church's lack of provision. Is it the church's responsibility to provide for these children school basics? NO. However, it is an anticipated responsibility on the part of unsaved parents and their children that this need will be met. So, while SJ may have led some to Christ, how many did it turn away?

I must say that when I was broken and just returning to church after a long period of sin, I went to a church for help. It was the New Life Center in Everett. I was homeless and parenting a young child on my own. I needed help. One Sunday, I called out of desperation to see if they could help me. Now mind you, I was living a right life and doing the right things according to God's purpose for me. I was told they had no ability to help me. The next Sunday I went to church and they were trying to raise 200,000 to renovate the upstairs of the church and they had reached a blessed 175,000. I couldn't believe this fund existed, but nothing existed to help me and my child. I didn't grace the doors of a church for another 8 years. And, the next church I went to was a Unity Church. but that's another story.

If an event advertises something they need to deliver it or the promoters are liars. If SJ did not deliver the goods to the children, the whole event was a lie. So what that a couple of people got saved. I know that sounds bad, but if in the process of 2 people getting saved, 2000 more were turned off, I would have to say, wow, what a disaster. Just my thoughts on the matter. My husband and I have driven past this event for years, and every year, I always had a wierd feeling in my stomach. Like, what's up with this? Never had a good feeling about it, and now I know why. MV has been kingdom building for himself. The Mike Villamor Summer Jubilee!

I think God loves if a few gave their lives to Christ at SJ. The angels rejoice when a person comes to Christ.
At the same time, an accounting will be given for any and all that are turned away from God because of a man's or a churches actions.

Saddened said:
"So I have a question, when TPC leads a new person to the Lord and within six months to a year they become disillusioned by the hypocrisy and false teaching and fall away and turn their backs on the Christian faith, did TPC do anything to further the kingdom or did their actions harm the kingdom? When Mike drives a wedge between the heart of a new believer and the Lord, of what good does he or TPC do?"

Excellent question. I got saved there. I have gone to two services at other churches in the 4 months since leaving. I don't pray. I don't read my bible. I can't get it straight in my head about God... the TP God and the God of the Bible. I'm really messed up and it ticks me off that I feel this way. Did I just waste the last 5 years of my life?