When the Church Sues Itself

I’ve been debating for a few days whether to comment on a news article I read in Christianity Today about church members suing a megachurch in Houston. Every time I read something unethical or immoral involving the Church, my blood boils a little. Most of the time, I keep my thoughts to myself, unless something really gets under my skin. This article was borderline, but during my quiet time this morning, I read something from Edward McKendree Bounds, an American author, attorney, and member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who died in 1913, that moved me to write this post.

E.M. Bounds said:

“The very essence of prayer is the spirit of devotion. Without devotion prayer is an empty form, a vain round of words. Sad to say, much of this kind of prayer prevails, today, in the church. This is a busy age, bustling and active, and this bustling spirit has invaded the church of God. Its religious performances are many. The church works at religion with the order, precision and force of real machinery. But too often it works with the heartlessness of the machine. There is much of the treadmill movement in our ceaseless round and routine of religious doings. We pray without praying. We sing without singing with the Spirit and the understanding. We have music without the praise of God being in it, or near it. We go to church by habit, and come home all too gladly when the benediction is pronounced. We read our accustomed chapter in the Bible, and feel quite relieved when the task is done. We say our prayers by rote, as a schoolboy recites his lesson, and are not sorry when the Amen is uttered.

Religion has to do with everything but our hearts. It engages our hands and feet, it takes hold of our voices, it lays its hands on our money, it affects even the postures of our bodies, but it does not take hold of our affections, our desires, our zeal, and make us serious, desperately in earnest, and cause us to be quiet and worshipful in the presence of God. Social affinities attract us to the house of God, not the spirit of the occasion. Church membership keeps us after a fashion decent in outward conduct and with some shadow of loyalty to our baptismal vows, but the heart is not in the thing. It remains cold, formal, and unimpressed amid all this outward performance, while we give ourselves over to self-congratulation that we are doing wonderfully well religiously.

Why all these sad defects in our piety? Why this modern perversion of the true nature of the religion of Jesus Christ? Why is the modern type of religion so much like a jewel-case with the precious jewels gone? Why so much of this handling religion with the hands, often not too clean or unsoiled, and so little of it felt in the heart and witnessed in the life? 
 
The great lack of modern religion is the spirit of devotion. We hear sermons in the same spirit with which we listen to a lecture or hear a speech. We visit the house of God just as if it were a common place, on a level with the theater, the lecture-room or the forum.”1

Wow, these are some powerful words, and they definitely stirred my soul. It seems as if he wrote them yesterday. They’re even more applicable today than they were over 100 years ago.

The news article is titled “Houston Megachurch Sued After Pastoral Transition Without Vote.” It reports that a lawsuit filed in Harris County, Texas, by the Jeremiah Counsel Corporation, a group of current and former members of Second Baptist Church in Houston, alleges that the church unlawfully amended its bylaws and articles of incorporation to strip the congregation of its longstanding voting rights on major decisions, including budgets and the selection of a senior pastor.

The complaint asserts that the true intent of these changes was to ensure the succession of Ben Young, son of longtime senior pastor and former Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) president Ed Young Sr., while consolidating financial and leadership control within a small group appointed by the senior pastor.

While church leadership claimed the changes were meant to clarify beliefs and respond to social issues like marriage and family, the plaintiffs argue that the amendments eliminated the church’s democratic governance and misled members about the nature and impact of the vote, which took place in May 2023. They claim the vote lacked proper notice, transparency, and procedural integrity, with most attendees unaware of the full implications of the bylaw revisions.

This case reflects a broader trend among U.S. churches toward consolidating authority and moving away from congregational governance.

Legal experts caution that while churches may revise their governance structures, doing so without transparency, and in violation of legal standards such as state laws and IRS requirements, may render such changes invalid. The lawsuit seeks to nullify the new bylaws and restore the church’s previous governance model.

Then I read another article referenced in the Christianity Today piece, which stated:

“In May 2024, Pastor H. Edwin ‘Ed’ Young told his congregation that he was resigning from his leadership post at Second Baptist in Houston, ending his 46-year tenure as one of America’s most influential and charismatic pastors. The pastor, then 87 years old, named his son Ben Young as his successor. Nearly a year later, a group of current and former Second Baptist members say the father and son, associate pastor Lee H. Maxcy, and attorney Dennis Brewer (together dubbed ‘the Young Group’), abolished the right of church members to vote for their next pastor and installed Ben Young as an act of self-interest to ‘take over’ the church. The Jeremiah Counsel alleged that the Young Group ‘deceived and manipulated’ Second Baptist’s 90,000 members by amending the church bylaws to deny them their right to vote for a new pastor. It claimed church members never received copies of the proposed bylaws, and the Young Group now controls over $1 billion in assets.”2

Over $1 billion in assets? Why does this church, and others around the world, have so much money? There is something deeply troubling about organized religion that bothers me as a Christian. If a church is suing itself over power and money, then something is seriously wrong with today’s definition of “church,” which clearly differs from what we read in the New Testament. Also, what’s going on with today’s church and this desire to operate like a business or a corporation? Mind-boggling, if you ask me. 

I’ll leave the “what’s wrong with the church” debate to theologians and church leaders, but it’s incredible that they can’t see, or perhaps are unwilling to see, what the real problem is.

I’m sure many people are familiar with the following Bible verses about the rich and the Kingdom of God:

“Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?’ ‘Why do you ask me about what is good?’ Jesus replied. ‘There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.’ ‘Which ones?’ he inquired. Jesus replied, ‘”You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.”‘ ‘All these I have kept,’ the young man said. ‘What do I still lack?’ Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.’” (Matthew 19:16-23, NIV 2011)

I would suggest that this church re-examine Jesus’ teachings, sell everything, give that $1 billion to the needy, and follow Him. That should settle the case.

  1. Bounds, E.M. On Prayer (p. 92). Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2004 ↩︎
  2. https://www.chron.com/culture/religion/article/houston-second-baptist-church-lawsuit-20294925.php ↩︎

71 thoughts on “When the Church Sues Itself”

  1. I don’t know why, but reading this made me feel both heavy and awake. There’s something profoundly sad about watching something so sacred slowly rot from the inside, like a body going through the motions long after the soul has left. That quote by E.M. Bounds.. it’s brutal because it’s true. We’ve mechanized faith. Turned devotion into performance. And now we’re surprised when churches start acting like boardrooms. I don’t have the answers either, but your honesty here, it mattered. Sometimes just naming the rot is the first step toward something more honest.

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    1. Thank you very much for your thoughtful comment. I believe Christians need to continue raising these issues within the church and demand change. It seems to me that the majority of tithes and offerings go toward unimportant things like buildings, cars, and airplanes, rather than being used to advance the gospel by helping the local community and ensuring the needs of church members are met. That’s what the New Testament church did, and it’s very clear when we read the Bible.

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  2. Amen 🙏 Edward. It’s heartbreaking and eye-opening. When power and money take center stage, the Church loses sight of Christ. May we return to true devotion and humble obedience. 🙏

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  7. Love E.M. Bounds but found it difficult to scroll and read.. Maybe it’s just me. I would have to agree ” If a church is suing itself over power and money, then something is seriously wrong with today’s definition of “church,”
    YES to That last line!!!🙌🏽

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    1. Right? They’re going completely insane, and I know they’re not the only ones fighting over assets. I remember the Methodist church going through something similar a year or so ago. I mean, you try to communicate and discuss the issues, but if they’re not willing to listen, then it’s time to leave and find another church. Thank you, my friend.

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  8. Oh, what a brilliant solution, Edward. $1 billion in assets? Holy cow.

    I love the words from E.M. Bounds – they are so descriptive and evocative. And even more interesting is that you came upon them as you were wrestling with the church lawsuit. Isn’t it amazing how much help we are given for the things we honestly wrestle with?

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    1. Incredible, and that’s just one church. I don’t even want to imagine how much money is out there among the big, global institutions like the Church of England, the Catholic Church, etc. Definitely a head-scratcher.

      You’re so right. Help comes at the right time, and it’s wonderful. Thank you so much, my friend.

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  9. Amen and thank you Edward! It’s so frustrating to watch religious leaders claim Christ’s name but leave out the heart of his ministry. It’s also frustrating to watch so many television evangelists get ridiculously rich, while so many people struggle with hunger, homelessness, illness, pain, and suffering… I’ve watched people ‘give’ lots of money to television evangelists, money they had very little of, money they needed to pay bills and take care of themselves. By doing this, they believed their ‘miracle’ would come. They give to each new televangelist that arises. It’s hard to believe that they continue giving, and trusting in these charlatans and con artists. Why can’t they see what’s happening? Doesn’t it seem obvious to them that the money they give doesn’t go to help the needy or come back as a miracle? Simply looking at the huge churches and mansions, the cars, the planes… should be enough evidence of where the money goes.

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    1. You’re very welcome, Rose. That’s the power of persuasion. Corrupt politicians, fake televangelists or religious leaders, and scammers who call or send emails to trick people into giving up bank account information or clicking on malicious links all operate the same way. They know their audience and target them with precision through their words. Hitler, Mussolini, David Koresh, and Ravi Zacharias are examples of this. Many people believed these individuals and did everything they asked. Like you said, it’s obvious what they’re doing, yet people still fall for these predators every day.

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  12. Mega churches globally caused me to revisit my beliefs on tithing. I had a friend about wm20 odd years ago who handled security for a huge congregation… the had a brinks truck visit twice on sundays.. over 4 million in tithe n offering.
    The gospel message, its tenets, is lost on such institutions.
    Church is big business… tax-free, and ran like a cartel. Squeezing 10% from everyone. It began to look like a protection racket when I allowed my mind to be objective.
    This is a sad piece to read. It breaks my heart that there are ministers who live opulent lives while many in the pews can’t even put food on their table every day.
    Are they truly disciples of Jesus?
    Thank you for sharing this, Edward.

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    1. Nigel, thank you for your comment. I changed how I tithe a couple of years ago, now it goes directly to help the needy in my community. What made me change was a service in which the pastor, in the same announcement, asked for a benevolent offering for a family in the church going through a financial crisis, and then told the congregation the church was short about $5K for a $20K parking lot renovation. I thought, Are you kidding me? What about giving the money to the family and continuing to park on the dirt? It’s insane, and I really don’t trust pastors and church committees with funds anymore.

      If you read the New Testament and compare it to how the church operates today, you’ll quickly realize there’s a huge disconnect.

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  13. I didn’t know anything about this. The article by E.M. Bounds is soul stirring and convicting. This seems like a voice of wisdom:

    I would suggest that this church re-examine Jesus’ teachings, sell everything, give that $1 billion to the needy, and follow Him. That should settle the case.

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    1. Thank you very much. I just think that a congregation of 90,000 people probably has many members in financial need. One billion dollars is enough to provide for them and others in the Houston area. Fighting over money and property makes no sense within the church. There should be no hoarding of wealth, most of it should go toward helping people, just as Jesus intended.

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    1. Thank you very much, Neal. I always say that the church has a lot of internal cleaning to do before going out into the world to address other people’s “sins” and get involved in politics.

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  15. A thought-provoking article, Edward.

    It’s truly something to reflect and pray on. The church has indeed forgotten its first love, and this is a timely reminder to return to true devotion. Things wouldn’t escalate as they have if more believers were genuinely seeking God’s heart.

    Let’s also show grace to church leaders facing financial and spiritual challenges. Owning property isn’t wrong if there’s transparency and the resources serve the congregation—through schools, missions, or libraries.

    That said, some, like Diotrephes, may simply be divisive and rebellious.

    May God’s mercy prevail over the Houston church and others in similar trials.

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    1. Absolutely, Hannah. You made a lot of great points in your comment. We Christians need to reflect and pray to return to our first love and really dig into Jesus’ teachings. Many of these conflicts are avoidable if the congregation, including its leaders, is saturated in the Word and approaches church life with humility.

      I’ve sat in so many meetings where the discussions centered around budgets, a new parking lot, or a loan to expand or upgrade the building, instead of focusing on how we can better meet our congregation’s needs (helping the poor among us, discipleship, preaching, etc.). I’m a strong believer that mission starts within your church, and that should be the focus. There are so many unmet needs within the local body.

      I agree with you about owning buildings. There’s definitely nothing wrong with it, but like you said, there needs to be transparency. If there are needs within the congregation, I believe the church has an obligation to step in and help satisfy the need. Accumulation of wealth too often serves only the leaders (salaries, transportation, and so on) while the people continue to tithe and give offerings even as they struggle and suffer. There’s got to be a limit.

      Sorry for the long response, but your great comment really made me think. Thank you so much for reading and adding to the discussion. 🙏🏼

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      1. I honestly learn a lot from these conversations, so I don’t mind long replies.

        Sadly, financial pressures can be quite overwhelming for many leaders, and most aren’t taught how to navigate them. This is, therefore, one of the most important discussions we can have in our circles.

        While I understand why many feel disgruntled when churches seem to prioritize projects over the needs of their members, it’s important to reflect on something you said above:

        “I’ve sat in so many meetings where the discussions centered around budgets, a new parking lot, or a loan to expand or upgrade the building, instead of focusing on how we can better meet our congregation’s needs (helping the poor among us, discipleship, preaching, etc.). I’m a strong believer that mission starts within your church, and that should be the focus. There are so many unmet needs within the local body.“

        Indeed, there are many unmet needs within the body of Christ. But could it be that helping the needy is your calling?

        Everyone comes to church with certain expectations, yet every church also has a God-ordained vision. The gospel is costly—whether we’re talking about salaries, missions, infrastructure, ministry tools, or helping those in need. All these facets, whether structural or personal, must be acknowledged.

        While God calls some, like Nehemiah and Solomon, to restore infrastructure and build worthy temples, He also calls others to serve the poor. And collectively, we share the responsibility of tithing and giving freewill offerings to support the work of ministry.

        Still, while physical needs are valid, how do we ensure the Church stays on mission? The primary mission is to preach Christ.

        Jesus rebuked the crowds in John 6:26 for following Him merely for bread—and many turned away afterward (John 6:66). As difficult as it is to hear, Jesus didn’t come only to meet physical needs. He came to reconcile us to God, to save us from sin, and to give us eternal life (John 3:16).

        So whether we are helping the poor or building church facilities, if we do not receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, our good works alone will not save us. Many souls are perishing—not because of poverty—but because they do not believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

        This is a great place to ask for love, patience, and God’s wisdom…

        My goodness, I’ll stop so we don’t both write a book in the comment section 😂.

        But don’t stop doing good things for God’s kingdom, Edward. God sees your big heart for the poor. Again, thank you for this brilliant article.

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        1. I love this, Hannah. I really enjoy discussions like the one we’re having. I agree with you 100%. The church needs to preach Jesus every day, year after year. The local congregation desperately needs that.

          I was attending a church in New York that was debt-free. After paying salaries for their small staff, covering bills, and setting aside a modest emergency fund, the remaining funds went to missions, first to care for families in the congregation, then to help the local community, and finally to support needs beyond that. It was amazing.

          Funny enough, the pastor told me they were following the Dave Ramsey plan, you might be familiar with it. I told him I was following the same plan, and we both laughed about that.

          The congregation was fully committed to the gospel, and we received some powerful preaching on Sundays. I was only there for three years because I was in the Army, but I witnessed the power of community and transparency in that church. I’ve attended many churches over the years, but so far, that’s the only one I’ve seen operating debt-free and modestly.

          It was great chatting with you, and God bless you, my friend.

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          1. Oh my goodness, that’s a great example of leadership. Could it be that this is an opportunity to introduce financial literacy in church boards? I truly see things from your perspective, and I’m grateful for your wisdom. It’s been great chatting with you—God bless you too!

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  16. Very powerful and profound post, Edward. When the power and the money become more important than the religious teaching and devotion, Spirit is lost. It’s no longer about the Sacred, but more about business and ego. You addressed it perfectly here. I deeply resonated with the words of E.M. Bounds. More than 100 years ago, his heart and mind were very clear and attuned to the essence of religion and prayer. Strangely, it’s muddier today than ever. Thank you for bringing a little light to this. I truly, deeply enjoyed reading your post. Sending you blessings and light, my friend; have a peaceful day 🙏✨

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    1. Thank you, Susana. I love what you said: “It’s no longer about the Sacred, but more about business and ego.” It’s so true, and we witness that every day. Blessings to you, my friend. It’s always a pleasure to read your comments. 🙏🏼

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    1. Absolutely! The Bible is pretty clear about these cases, so that tells me the pastors and members of that church need discipleship and rigorous biblical education. Thank you for reading and commenting.

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  18. To be a homeless woman of any degree of remaining visual viability is to be literally screamed at by multiple church women possessing not one smidgen of Christian compassion, concerned entirely territorially ~ their social position and their man, in that order ~ both of which they’re convinced you’re out to steal.

    Even their average charity worker is there either to exercise satisfying authority over cringing young volunteers or to accentuate as much as possible the differences between you and themselves, with a panic intensity which gives away their unsureness that it exists at all. Which it doesn’t.

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    1. All valid points, Ana. I can’t refute any of them because that’s true in the majority of cases, which is sad, and it reminds me of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Thank you, my friend.

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  19. Amen Edward! I’m searching my Bible, but I can’t seem to find where it says strip the congregation of voting rights and greedily hold onto the tithes until it reaches more than a billion dollar? Good grief. And what about “For God so loved the World that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”? Has that just become a con to get people in the door? Ugh. Sad state of affairs!!! Good for you for standing up for what’s right.

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    1. Thank you, Brian. I can’t find it in my Bible either, I guess they’re using a different version. It’s definitely sad, and it shows how distant today’s church is from the one found in the New Testament. They (and many others) are so far from Jesus’ teachings that it’s going to take a miracle for them to find the right path.

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    1. That’s a great title, and I’m sure the message was powerful.

      It’s heartbreaking. The church is always asking for benevolent offerings at least once a month to help the members. I’m sure this church does the same, which is crazy. Instead, they should sell some assets or use funds from their bank accounts to meet the needs of their congregation.

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        1. Wow, that again is a sad commentary on the current condition of the church. There are many verses in the Bible that describe how the members of the early church sold their possessions and provided for each other’s needs. If the church isn’t taking care of the needs of its own community, then why do we even have a church? Thank you, Liz, for sharing your experiences and adding to the discussion.

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      1. Edward! I just couldn’t agree more. One time I was talking to a woman near a grocery store who happened to not have a home. Like myself, this woman was a Christian, so I asked if she had ever attended the mega church next to the supermarket and she said she had tried.. but they looked down on her ( and didn’t help) Later around Thanksgiving this same woman saw us and wanted to give us all the change she had been given that morning so that Stephanie and I “ would have a good thanksgiving” . Years later I felt led to post a review of the church on Yelp asking what would have happened if, instead of demanding money from the poor, they gave the poor money…

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        1. The Church absolutely has a problem. The church in the New Testament was one where Christians helped each other and met each other’s needs, that’s pretty clear when you read the NT. How today’s church calls itself Christian is beyond me. The local church should be a powerful family, making sure their congregations are well taken care of and are receiving proper discipleship.

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          2. I hope it’s ok to check in here on this.. but as I read this post , my heart gently presses again with the need to ask you if you think you might be able to review my poetry collection, Kadupul Flower. I know you’re busy so if you’re thinking no.. that’s Ok:) But if yes.. would it be alright for Stephanie to connect with you via email? Although it launches in October… posts like this one, make me want it sent to you if you’re interested lol.

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    1. It’s insane, Terry. The IRS should definitely review tax exemptions, but I know it’s not going to happen because the church has too much power over politicians. In the meantime, church members could stop all of this immediately by seriously assessing where the money is going, after all, they’re the ones giving money to the church.

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    2. Thank you for deciding to pursue this topic, Edward. I was especially taken with the eloquent plea from well over 100 years ago now, lamenting precisely the same thing that happens all too often now as well. Very sadly, people fall for these mega preachers for the same reason they fall for corrupt politicians or any other kind of corrupt leader; they want to believe it’s true. The saying “There’s a sucker born every minute” is a fact of life, and there are always plenty of people looking to take advantage of that reality. It’s particularly disturbing when the sanctity of religion is used as bait.

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      1. You’re very welcome, Jane. I think I’m learning from the Stoics to pursue moral courage, standing up for truth.

        I thought the same thing when I read it this morning and how incredibly accurate in the context of 2025 it was. You’re absolutely right about the comparison between mega preachers and politicians, and how people continue to follow them without challenging their narratives or self-interest. There are a lot of people in Houston who could benefit from $1 billion.

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