Wow - I've heard SO MUCH SPIN around here that my head is dizzy. I decided to go to the source - Christ Churchs' own website to see what they say about a few items.

Future growth:"As we are experiencing phenomenal growth as a congregation, we sense God's leadership to prepare for the future."

Wow - that certainly sounds like they are planning on growing in the future!!!

I was wondering how a church can afford all this, so I looked further:

"I am wholeheartedly committed to the transition of our church onto a campus. Please join me in this worthy endeavor by giving your support... Join us in giving generously over the three-year term of Touching Tomorrow Today."

That seems fair enough - they just ask all their congregation to touch their wallets today and give extra so the Church can afford their campus!!! If people are willing to do that, more power to the Reverand (I'm reminded of a Phineas Taylor Barnum quote, but I digress...after all, VORT has people giving them $5 and $10 also)

But what about all this SPIN I keep hearing about housing and stuff like that...

"Our future campus will feature a 3,000-seat sanctuary, senior citizen housing, a school, a center for Leadership Studies, a Family Life Center, dormitory, offices and athletic facilities"

Amazing - they STILL say that on their website...So it IS true. I have to admit that they also say they may change if they have to...But it is still their goal.

So now we can all see on Christ Churchs' own website that they still desire housing...But I am still stuck on how much they want to grow...So I kept looking.

"It is our conviction that a campus will provide a wonderful base for local and international ministry"

Do they have an international ministry now? I truly don't know - couldn't find the answer. Is this a future growth plan or is it current?

"Our intent is to extend the ministry of Christ to the world in relevant and innovative ways." - OK - extend - that sounds like growth to me...So there MUST be some plans for future extentions..Maybe the planning board has been asking the wrong questions. Maybe they should be asking Reverand Ireland how he plans to EXTEND his ministries and NOT how he plans to grow. After all, he says he has no growth plans, but his website clearly states plans for an 'extended ministry'.

More from the website - "Effective strategizing compels us to face tomorrow today." - gee...to ME that sounds like planning for the future...but what do I know. I'm just a simple Rockaway Township guy.

Well - I can certainly understand why anyone from Rockaway Township would think that Christ Church would want to build senior housing. After all, it is still in their vision statement, just not in the current site plan. I hope that doesn't mean that at some future date they might think about putting senior housing there, or even buying up all the houses that are across the street (who'd want to live there with all the traffic anyway) and build a senior project across the street???

Nah - never would happen, would it...