04-30-2009 FIRST FAMILY CHURCH RESPONDS TO KC STAR ARTICLE A recent article in the Kansas City Star by reporter Judy Thomas highlighting problems with the First Family Church of Overland Park has resulted in a letter from the Chairman of the Church's Board of Directors to members of the church attempting to correct some facts that were raised. The letter notes "For about three years, the local newspaper has published articles that adroitly implied misfeasance but avoided printing available truth that would have presented a reasonable conclusion that the implications raised by the articles were unfounded. The current article is no exception. The church has suffered because of the articles, and the newspaper is well aware of the impact of its campaign." A source has provided us with a copy.
Judge Robert Ulrich, Chairman, Board of Directors, First Family Church
April 25, 2009 First Family Church,
The local newspaper has again published an unflattering article about First Family Church. Like the previous articles over the last three years, the author uses implication, conjecture, and innuendo to denigrate by suggesting impropriety and the absence of accountability. The article seems to castigate the church for spending money to respond properly to any potential legal inquiry, yet the necessity for the expenditures was significantly the newspaper's unsubstantiated implications in previous articles. Additionally, the newspaper is aware of measures utilized by the church and approved by experts to insure accountability and the absence of irregularity and that no governmental entity has ever asserted that the church has done anything wrong.
So why would a reporter with professed views about significant issues different from those of the church continue to dedicate so much time and print that effectively malign a large influential church that advocates protection for the unborn and marriage as a unique God instituted relationship between one man and one woman? Why would the local paper practice a policy of innuendo and surmise against a church that unceasingly professes the Gospel of Christ? And is the article about a dated PowerPoint that the newspaper attributes to the church simply coincidental to the church's current success?
Considering the nature and frequency of the newspaper's articles over the last three years, a reasonable person could conclude that the newspaper's intent is to damage the church. The pervasive and determined strategy of radicals across our country is to alter traditional values by relentlessly assailing those expressing biblical positions contrary to proponents of a homosexual lifestyle and unceasingly vilifying advocates for the rights of the unborn. Truth is a casualty. The means are everything, and the goal is destruction of the Christian pillars that have stabilized the country for more than two centuries. The incident purportedly prompting the recent article is a year old PowerPoint attributed to the church, which reflects matters that preceded the documents creation, now irrelevant. What is newsworthy to the general circulation about its content? What is the motive for the article? Is it another desperate effort by a dying newspaper to sell copy, or does the newspaper's campaign over the last three years reflect that it is championing a radical bias?
Like the preceding articles, the current piece selects facts from the whole and molds a fictional implication. The intent of the campaign, a reasonable person can conclude - stop the continued growth of First Family Church, and the strategy - create doubt in the church's polity and fiscal practices. Doubt is the author's poison. Doubt is a toxin that overwhelms reason, pollutes trust, and invidiously propagates dissention. The result, destruction of a major local impediment to the sacred causes of the radical left.
Response to the reporter's latest missive again implying unaccountability demands factual response. During the last several years, the church has commissioned routine audits by a noted CPA firm. Most churches have not. This church has. More than three years ago, church leadership initiated steps to confirm that the church's financial practices were sound. The leadership has continued to facilitate the best accounting response to any possible inquiry by legal authority that the unsubstantiated articles of the local newspaper might prompt. This includes the hiring of another nationally recognized auditing firm to conduct forensic audits of the church's finances and to evaluate the church's financial practices. The firm performed an extensive appraisal of the church's financial records and practices, which included documentation of virtually every donation and expenditure over a significant period. The firm's final report expressed that the Church's finances, financial procedures, and governance for financial accountability are in proper order, consistent with established accounting practices and prior audits, and all implications of financial irresponsibility suggested in the newspaper's articles were proved unfounded. The firm made a few minor suggestions for enhancing internal procedures, each of which the church instituted.
Additionally, to insure compliance with all legal requirements and to respond to any potential legitimate inquiries about the church's practices, attorneys with much experience representing not-for-profits were hired. Their comments about the church's practices are consistent with those expressed by the accountants. The church is compliant with all legal requirements.
The forensic audit and the legal representation to respond to any legitimate possible inquiry into church practices have cost considerable sums. Fortunately, the Senior Pastor's reputation and his relationships within the greater Christian community resulted in significant financial assistance from sources external to the church membership that have funded the expenditures.
Another significant event that preceded the external forensic audit commissioned by the church was instituting the position of Chief Financial Officer. Filling that position is a member of the church who has years of experience managing the assets of multi-million dollar companies. He graciously volunteers his considerable talent and experience as a ministry. His presence has benefitted the church significantly and has further enhanced the church's practices to ensure financial accountability to church members.
The conclusion, the church is in "good shape." The church's fiscal accountability has again been proven. In the year since the PowerPoint referenced in the recent article, church membership has continued to grow. This Easter, the church experienced the largest Easter crowd in the church's history. The church has returned to local television. Recently, the church announced its affiliation with a well-recognized private school, which together with the church's existing school will provide on the church's campus a Christian education for children from kindergarten through high school. The school is scheduled to commence this approaching fall.
The answers to the questions posed above seem evident. For about three years, the local newspaper has published articles that adroitly implied misfeasance but avoided printing available truth that would have presented a reasonable conclusion that the implications raised by the articles were unfounded. The current article is no exception. The church has suffered because of the articles, and the newspaper is well aware of the impact of its campaign. The newspaper has almost unfettered license to publish what it will, and the target of its comments has little effective recourse to persons beyond church membership. Considering the prior practice, one can reasonably expect that the thrust of any future article would be no different than the previous. In short, despite the overwhelming evidence that the church has done nothing wrong, the local newspaper continues it tirade.
First Family Church boldly proclaims that marriage is between one man and one woman and that abortion is contrary to God's directive that every individual has worth, including the most innocent among us, the unborn. These traditional and biblical positions and those expressing them are targets today of an increasingly truculent element determined to reject these biblical teachings and to form the next generation's attitudes.
This church is the gathering of Christians and Christian families intent on seeking the comfort that only Christ can provide and fulfilling His calling in their lives. And like many preceding churches of history that remained true to Christ's calling, this church, too, will experience unjustifiable derision. The church leadership will remain responsible to the church body, and all of us shall endure what seems to have become routine criticism, comforted by the realization that we are fulfilling God's calling, collectively and individually presenting to the unsaved Christ's saving grace.
May God bless you and your family and continue to bless our gathering as First Family Church.
Robert Ulrich Chairman, First Family Church Board of Directors
05-01-2009 FEEDBACK: Hey, Church Guy... Ever hear about this "turn the other cheek" thing? Why is it, in reality, the church folk really don't practice what they preach? And why is it we've got churches on every corner...but so very few homeless shelters? Spare me reverend.Dear Judge,
Or X judge! Your well-written response is exactly that. Well-written but totally without substance. You have had plenty of practice sorting out fact from fiction. Your facts are wrong. You are leading people the wrong direction. Bottom Line it judge. Jerry is in deep trouble with REAL ITEMS that are nowhere connected to his stance with those Political Hot potatoes. Jerry has not responded to his theft, his ownership of the church property, his mishandling funds, his failure to file along with at least 100 other violations. You my good judge are an accessory. If I was a hanging judge...you and Jerry would both be up on the stage. Lucky I have grace. I just want JUSTICE TO BE SERVED. Something you failed to pick up on the bench.--- Larry and friends
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