The Brian McLaren Tour Comes To Dallas
Brian D. McLaren, pastor, author and one of the fathers of the so-called emergent church movement, will be in Dallas in February - the only stop he'll make in the Southwest during 2008 "Everything Must Change" speaking tour.
McLaren will speak at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22 (a Friday) and 5 p.m. on Feb. 23 (a Saturday) at Cliff Temple Baptist Church, 125 Sunset Avenue in Oak Cliff.
McLaren will speak at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22 (a Friday) and 5 p.m. on Feb.
23 (a Saturday) at Cliff Temple Baptist Church, 125 Sunset Avenue in Oak Cliff.
The Price to hear Brian McLaren?
$99 for regular folks - students get the discounted rate of $79!
I've forked out that much to see Jimmy Buffett, Coldplay, 2003 Sugar Bowl and Game 1 of the 1995 World Series, etc. etc.
But a $100 bill to hear Brian McLaren?
Sheesh.I say the price of the "Everything Must Change" tour needs changin'
posted by Big Daddy Weave at 8:11 PM
6 Comments:
Can you post a link for registration or more information. Thanks.
7:26 AM
Why would anybody pay $99 to hear him talk? And how on earth does he justify that expense? Is 90% of it going to support missions or plant churches or something else? Charging exhorbitant speaking fees seems like a great way to lose the postmoderns.
8:39 AM
The Dallas link here
9:16 AM
I am certainly no fan of McLaren, but I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt and went as far as I could to see if what texasinafrica suggested might be true. Unfortunately, I found no evidence of such - just one note on one blog that suggest that others have thought this too high, but because the host believed that McLaren was "one of the most important theologians of our time", it was worth it. I think it's sad that people in our time know so little about theology that one would call this guy a "theologian." Yikes.
Anyway, I agree with you that this is way too much, especially given that the events are taking place in churches, not very expensive venues. And there is no suggestion that you get a free book (though I am sure they will be on sale there) or anything else. Oh, and on his site, he notes that if you register after December 15th, then it jumps to $109. Heck for only about $15 more you can have three days of preaching from Benny Hinn, Morris Cerullo, Paula White, and Myles Munroe in Nashvegas at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center!
12:04 PM
I have a fairly good opinion of McLaren, but I was outraged by these prices. Not only is D.R. right (it had to happen sooner or later) that McLaren is not one of the most important theologians of our time, but I have seen really heavy hitter theologians--usually for FREE.
Now, I know that speaking tours cost money. I helped organize many events when I worked for Every Church a Peace Church. And when I was invited by churches to come speak, I always let them pay my travel expenses and, depending on size and wealth of the church, I'd let them take up a love offering or give me a small speaker's fee. (Usually, I turned this right over to my own church as extra donation above the tithe.)
In organizing peace conferences with major speakers, I have found that, if one asks, most will come with only a small speaker's fee or even with just expenses covered. I remember the great Will D. Campbell returning a check to the Baptist Peace Fellowship with the words, "there are too few of us to go around paying each other."
This is frankly absurd.
1:37 PM
Wow, we agree twice on one thread! STOP THE PRESSES!
After reading what you wrote it made me think that there is a new generation of Christian leaders, it seems, who have begun to be obsessed with writing books, doing speaking engagements, and overall promoting themselves (often making large sums of money in the process). I think that many of these guys have conformed too much to the "Rock Star" image, from which they draw much of their inspiration.
We have too few contemplative theologian-pastors and far too many Tony Robbins-style, surface-level, motivational speakers in Christian pulpits.
7:17 PM
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