Have you seen the latest trends in church advertising? More and more, congregations are erecting these tall crosses.
A church in northern Louisiana has been given the go-ahead to erect a 199-foot cross.
City officials granted Central Assembly of God, east of Shreveport-Bossier City, a permit to put up the cross. Pastor Andy Harris says the steel cross also had to get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
He says he has always been inspired by crosses he has seen at churches while traveling the nation.
“It’s 199 feet tall, which is the maximum allowable from the FAA,” Harris notes. “We thank God for the other crosses across the nation that have been lifted up, and we’re excited to be part of that fellowship of crosses.”
The cross is being constructed by the Headrick Cross Company in Mississippi. Once erected, it will be visible to motorists on nearby Highway 20.
Well, that’s all fine and dandy, but they cost over $700,000:
HAUGHTON, La. (AP) – A church in northern Louisiana has been cleared to erect a 199-foot cross. Central Assembly of God, located east of Shreveport-Bossier City in Haughton, has been green lighted by local officials to put up a cross that will be one of the largest in the state, if not the nation. Pastor Andy Harris says the steel cross also had to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. Harris says he has always been inspired by crosses he has seen at churches while traveling the nation. Harris says the cross will cost about $700,000 and will take a few months to be fabricated by a plant in Mississippi. It will be trucked in sections and erected on church property. Harris says it will be visible to motorists on nearby major highways including Interstate 20. He says his church is glad to “join the fellowship of crosses.“
Maybe it;s just me, maybe I am sensitive to these things – overly so – but do we really need to spend nearly a million dollars on the entire process when bibles still need to be handed out, when translations still need to be done, when homes still need to be built and people fed?
April 9th, 2009 10:15 am
I gotta agree with you.
April 9th, 2009 10:19 am
Yes, like the 900,000,000 to rebuild the Gaza .. when Italy just had that earthquake,and all they got was 50,000 .. big difference,, and you know , I think,maybe I am wrong, but the Bible says ,one of the 10 commandments, Thow shall have no graven images…. goes along with that..
April 9th, 2009 1:26 pm
God forbids making graven images for the purpose of idolatry but does not forbid the making of graven images per se. Elsewhere he commands that statues and other graven images be carved for religious purposes. The Catholic Church permits statues because they remind us of unseen things, but it condemns the idolatry of statue worship.
“[The Lord said] make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. . .” (Ex. 25:18-19).
“You shall make the tabernacle with . . . cherubim skillfully worked” (Ex. 26:1).
“The Lord said to Moses, `Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole” (Num. 21:8-9).
“He made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high. . . . He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the Temple . . . And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. He carved all the walls of the Temple round about with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers” (1 Kgs. 6:23, 27-29).
“[The brazen sea] stood upon [statues of] twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east” (1 Kgs. 7:25).
“And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths round about” (1 Kgs. 7:36).
Regarding the extravagance, I agree-a 20 story cross is a bit much.
April 9th, 2009 1:53 pm
Not disagreeing. Just making sure we all know what we’re talking about. Words sometimes mean different things to different people, as you and I have seen in our correspondence.
April 10th, 2009 12:51 am
Thanks guys, I am still learning,,,
April 20th, 2009 3:00 am
Shreveport resident chiming in here. Not all that religious of a guy, but glad to see religious folks taking notice and making criticisms. The Rev involved said the Lord told him to do this and that now he kind of feels like Noah.
That money could definitely be used for better things. Shameful really.
March 17th, 2010 9:35 pm
I think that the cross is going to be like a beacon. Those who do not know the truth about god can see this cross and instantly fell the need of a god that loves tug at his heart. this cross can serve as a great beacon of those lost pulling them in so that they could learn the truth. It may have cost a lot but it also cost a lot to bail that bank out of bankrupsy. why don’t people who thinks this is a waste of money talk to the gouverment about wasting their money. They are doing a pretty good job at it.
March 17th, 2010 9:39 pm
John, can you show me biblical support for you notion that seeing a Cross will somehow create a tug of the heart?
Further, your ‘connections’ between a congregations wasting tons of money in building up their ego and our Government who bailed out businesses, etc… is a rather weak one, considering we are talking about two different worlds.
April 9th, 2009 1:44 pm
David, I would say that the graven image, this cross, would fall under the category of the idolatry.
April 9th, 2009 2:01 pm
I would agree to that.