From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia First Family Church
First Family Church
Exterior of the First Family Church/campus had grown to a membership of over 4,000.[2]. On Septem-
ber 11, 2011, First Family Church closed it doors, having
the bank seize the church’s buildings and everything in-
side of the buildings. [3]
Basic information
Location 7700 W. 143rd Street, Overland Park, Kansas,
Current
66223 In July 2001, First Family Church launched its television
Affiliation Southern Baptist
ministry.[4] Some sermons were broadcast globally via
satellite and archive web video-streaming.
Status Inactive/Closed Its 125,000-square-foot (11,600 m2), state-of-the-art
Architectural description facility featured an indoor jungle gym and youth center
with basketball courts, fitness room and youth café.
First Family Church was a large Evangelical Christian In the fall of 2007, First Family launched First Family
church located in Overland Park, Kansas. The church was Academy[citation needed].
situated on 51 acres (210,000 m2) in southern Johnson First Family Church offered many outreach min-
County, in the Southwestern portion of the Kansas City istries to the community of Kansas City. Some of which
Metropolitan Area of the United States. were: the annual Operation Thanksgiving which provides
First Family Church was affiliated with the Southern hundreds of meals to those without. The Shelter Shower
Baptist Convention, and has among its guiding princi- ministry which provides a baby shower for expectant
ples, the stated mission to reach lost people, bring them mothers who do not have friends or family to offer that
into God’s family, and inspire them to mature in Christ.[1] for them. The Shelter Barrels ministry that are available
for First Family Church members bring designated items
each month for families in need. Every month First Fam-
ily Church members prepare meals for homeless shelters
in the Kansas City metro. Gifts were taken to a battered
women’s shelter and Bibles and blankets were taken to
those in need during the winter months.[5]
With the closing of First Family Church, it will be re-
launched as "New Day Church KC". New Day Church will
be meeting at Olathe East High School. Jerry Johnston
will be leading the church with his son Jeremy Johnston.
Christian Newsome has founded another church. [6]
Worship Service during Discover Life Kansas City Crusade 2005 Impact of First Family Church
held at FFC First Family Church launched a sermon series on Christ-
ian Ethics. In a Reuters publication the writer addressed
Leadership the issue of “Ethics crisis in America? Church leaders say
yes.” The pastor of First Family Church commented on
Founder and Senior Pastor, Jerry Johnston (1996-2011) the crisis “Honesty is honesty. It doesn’t matter if you are
Christian, Jewish, Muslim, whatever. A lot of these deba-
History cles we’re seeing can be traced and sourced back to a lack
of good old ethics”.[7]
First Family Church started with Pastor Jerry Johnston, The Boston Globe reported that conservative church-
who liquidated nearly $200,000 in assets from his debt- es in the state of Kansas, First Family Church among
free ministry organization JJM to start First Family them, opposed same-sex marriage and supported a mea-
Church in his hometown of Overland Park on September sure to ban it.[8]
22, 1996. From its beginnings in eleven different rental On May 7, 2005 First Family Church’s pastor Jerry
facilities, everything from schools to movie theaters, FFC Johnston reportedly stands against evolution and be-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia First Family Church
lieves evolution is a non-scientific theory and should be count of the Johnstons’. The article also reported that af-
taught as such. Other evangelical Protestants and ter the initial March 2007 articles in the Kansas City Star,
Catholics worked together on passing Kansas’ ban on the Kansas Attorney General’s office began an investiga-
same-sex marriages.[9] tion into whether Jerry Johnston used church money for
In an interview with ABC News First Family Church personal gain.[22]
pastor Jerry Johnston comments on the Mel Gibson A contractor who worked for the church filed several
blockbuster film The Passion of the Christ and whether or complaints regarding the companies with the Internal
not children should be allowed to view the film. First Revenue Service, charging that church employees are
Family Church arranged for a number of private screen- forced to work for the companies, that church donations
ings for adults and youth in the Kansas City area.[10] are used to fund Jerry Johnston Publications, and that
In 2004 Religious Tolerance.Org reported on the Pas- church resources are used by J Cubed Media to conduct
sion of the Christ film and if children should be allowed business.[23]
to view it. First Family Church commented in support of
the educational value this film provides to children re-
garding the life of Jesus Christ.[11]
Foreclosure and shutdown
The Baptist Press News reported that pastors and In February 2011, Regions Financial Corporation filed a
their wives of First Family Church all graduated with foreclosure petition on the church. The bank requested
their Masters of Divinity.[12] the church be placed in receivership. The bank claims the
September 22, 2004 The Lawrence Journal World re- church currently owes $14.4 million on two loans. Part
ports First Family Church Pastor and the Reverend Jerry of the bank’s filing mentioned the church has a payroll
Falwell urge Christian leaders in Kansas to mobilize their of $915,000 a year, with over $600,000 of that going to
congregations for upcoming elections.[13] the Johnston family.[24] [25] On September 5, 2011, Jerry
May 7, 2005 NPR reported in Topeka, Kansas meeting Johnston announced the church was losing their build-
focused on how the theory of evolution should be taught ing. They will start hosting services at Olathe East High
in Kansas schools. First Family Church pastor and other School and change their name to New Day Church Kansas
leaders propose that students and teachers be encour- City.[26]
aged to discuss alternate views to the theory of evolu-
tion.[14]
External links
• First Family Church
Controversy • Recent Sermons
In March 2007, The Kansas City Star ran a front-page in- • Jerry Johnston Biography
vestigative series of articles on financial concerns at First • Board of Directors
Family Church.[15] The paper published several follow-up
articles on additional questionable activities of the John-
stons: Lavish lifestyles,[16] Jerry and Jeremy Johnston side
References
businesses,[17] as well as delinquent tax payments. - The [1] First Family Church’s Guiding Principles
Kansas City Star/March 11, 2007 - By Judy L. Thomas [18] [2] [1]
Additional reporting was done referencing that all of Jer- [3] [2]
ry Johnston’s children and his mother work on staff with [4] First Family Church - History
him.[19] Online reporting also reported on the honorary [5] [3]
degree granted to Jerry Johnston.[20] [6] [4]
After the stories appeared, Bott Radio Network, a [7] "Ethics Crisis in America? Church Leaders say Yes".
Christian network with 50 stations based in the same city Carey Gillam. 2009-01-21. http://www.reuters.com/
as First Family Church, announced it was dropping Jerry article/domesticNews/idUSTRE50K03E20090121.
Johnston and First Family Church from its local AM sta- Retrieved 2009-01-21.
tion (the only station in its network that the show was [8] "Kansans Set to Vote on Gay Marriage". Brian
on). "Bott said the newspaper report raised some seri- MacQuarrie. 2005-04-04. http://www.boston.com/
ous questions that could be easily answered if the church news/nation/articles/2005/04/04/
joined the ECFA" and that the ministry refused to join the kansans_set_to_vote_on_gay_marriage/. Retrieved
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) 2005-04-04.
pursuant to the radio networks standards.[21] [9] "Evolution and Intelligent Design in Kansas". Greg
In July 2007, a follow-up article was printed in The Allen. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/
Kansas City Star citing additional allegations, including story.php?storyId=4634563. Retrieved 2005-05-07.
the misuse of a $50,000 contribution to Jerry Johnston
Ministries that was allegedly diverted to a personal ac-
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia First Family Church
[10] "Is ’the Passion’ too Violent for Kids". ABC News. [16] Lavish lifestyles at odds with pastor’s calls for the
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/ faithful to sacrifice
story?id=128008&page=1. Retrieved 2004. [17] Business offshoots add to bottom line
[11] "The Passion of The Christ: Should Children and [18] Pastor, church have been delinquent in paying tax
Youths see the Film?". religioustolerance.org. bills]
http://www.religioustolerance.org/ [19] First Family Church payroll includes several
chrgibson6.htm. Johnston family members
[12] "Family of 4 Graduates Together". Tammi Reed [20] Honorary degree elevates ‘Dr. Jerry’ Johnston
Ledbetter. http://www.bpnews.net/ [21] "Pastor’s radio show is dropped". Judy Thomas.
BPnews.asp?ID=30573. Retrieved 2009-05-09. http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/
[13] "Jerry Falwell to Urge Johnson County Pastors to 199725.html. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
Mobilize Congregations". Associated Press. [22] "Johnston’s former ministry faulted: Misuse of
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2004/sep/22/ group’s finances is alleged". Judy Thomas.
jerry_falwell_to/. Retrieved 2004-09-22. http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/
[14] "Evolution and Intelligent Design in Kansas". NPR. 720120.html. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/ [23] "Kansas Religious Right leader shuts down
story.php?storyId=4634563. Retrieved 2005-05-07. controversial for-profits.". Church & State. March 1,
[15] "Lax financial oversight riles some First Family 2008. http://www.au.org/media/church-and-
Church followers". Judy Thomas. Archived from the state/archives/2008/03/kansas-religious.html.
original on 2007-10-12. http://web.archive.org/ [24] Salaries at issue as bank seeks megachurch
web/20071012033539/ receivership
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/ [25] [5]
35011.html. Retrieved 2007-12-04. [26] First Family Church ousted from home, will ‘re-
launch’ Sept. 18
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=First_Family_Church&oldid=458053860"
Categories:
• Baptist churches in Kansas
• Evangelical churches in Kansas
• Buildings and structures in Overland Park, Kansas
• Religious organizations established in 1996
• Christian denominations, unions, and movements established in the 20th century
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