I have followed many of the leaders of our convention and few have surprised me with their personal lives.  Though, I have not met all of those who are leaders in our convention, I have met some and those I have come to know have integrity and would never promote anything that is questionable.  Well, I have not met Dr. James Merritt personally but I sat in a class that he taught once in Orlando.  I was very impressed with his conviction and his oratory skills to get his point across.  While I was impressed by him then, today I am disappointed and very concerned.  Check out the video below and then see if you agree that my questions are some that should be asked.

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/21867437]

First, Dr. Merritt seems to be promoting a questionable, already fined, ponzi scheme using the auditorium at Cross Pointe Church.  Of course Cross Pointe Church is an autonomous body and that is their business.  However, this is certainly not the kind of conference that I am used to seeing Dr. Merritt support and promote.

Second, Dr. Merritt, at around the 3 minute point, expresses how he counsels people at the end of the service concerning financial needs.  I am not understanding how Dr. Merritt believes this financial scheme helps people better than sound scriptural advice. According to Dr. Merritt’s statement instead of expressing the Gospel and how people can be set free financially by adhering to the clear teaching of scripture he asks for 30 minutes of their time to sign them up as an employee of his.

Third, Dr. Merritt gives his word that this business has nothing to hide and has done nothing unethical.  However, Dr. Merritt forgets to express that the state of Montana fined the company over one million dollars as being a ponzi scheme.

Fourth, Why is Dr. Merritt promoting, in April 2011, a company that, in March 2010, was fined by the state of Montana and had to totally reconstruct their levels in order to do business there?

Fifth, at about the 9:30 mark Dr. Merritt seems to encourage the provision of financial rewards as being “hope” for those who have lost their jobs and are in sad financial conditions.  If this is the case, then as  a pastor, maybe Dr. Merritt should go to the starving nations of the world and promote Fortune.

Why am I disappointed in Dr. Merritt’s latest promotion?  He always struck me as one that would derive his income from the Gospel only and not allow himself to promote anything like this. He has passionately,  in the past, presented himself as offering hope only in the Gospel of Jesus Christ but now offers hope for a future in Fortune, an already fined Ponzi scheme company.   I guess I have gotten naive in my old age.