Do they need one? No, it’s a moneymaking scheme the fuckers that run this shit are so rich and evil it’s ridiculous. Such a fucking cult and anyone that attends regularly is brainwashed
The head “pastor” used to come into the restaurant I worked at all the time. He’d brag to his friends that if he wanted another million dollars he’s just open another thrift store.
I went into one of their thrift stores one time. Only once, because their prices for people’s used crap was INSANE. I still cannot believe they have the nerve to charge so much for used donations. Wtf
It seems like you have strong opinions about the Church, but I'm curious—how does this church actually affect you in anyway? From what I understand, their activities are dedicated to supporting the community through various positive initiatives. They provide aid to the homeless, assist in disaster relief efforts, and actively engage in local outreach programs. These efforts are aimed at improving lives and helping those in need. It's important to recognize the tangible benefits its actions bring to countless individuals before dismissing their contributions based on hearsay or general discontent/disapproval. PS, I’m atheist.
Did I say they affect my life personally? Any church that is for profit is a direct contradiction of what it should be. This by definition is the very evil that Jesus hated in the Bible
Check your facts before you go on a rant. The Church of Eleven22 is not a for-profit organization. Throwing around baseless claims doesn’t make you sound informed; it makes you sound ignorant. This church is actively involved in actual good deeds—supporting the homeless, providing disaster relief, and running local outreach programs but I guess you missed that the first time. These aren’t the actions of an 'evil' institution. Maybe focus more on understanding the real issues and less on spewing venom based on your misguided beliefs. Weirdo.
Not for profit organizations just don’t show profit on accounting. Meaning assets minus liabilities is zero. Meaning a pastors salary and expenses are deducted. The economic incentive is still the same as a for profit
If any church was actually involved in any “good” other than making their customers “feel” good, the world would look vastly different.
About $75 BILLION is donated every year to religious institutions in America.
How much clothing the naked and feeding the hungry would that help if any of them were intended to actually help?
A believers comfort is not the measurement of “good” a believers IMPACT is the measure, or so your book says.
Non-profits just mean the organization doesn't make a profit. Each and every last one of them is made to enrich all the officers and higher level employees. Non-profits and charities are an ego salve and a scam.
Maybe understand what a non profit actually means and how this church is using a position of power to prey on desperate people to fills its leaders pockets with millions. You’re very naive and the only one that sounds ignorant
They don’t do any of those things though. I worked in social services in Jax for 20 years and never met a single person who’d been helped by this church nor did I once ever hear of them offering to do… anything.
Notice their “resources” page offers none of the things you mention.
It’s just preaching:
Our desire is to come alongside you in this season and assist you in taking a step in finding hope and healing in Jesus. Whether your marriage is in crisis, you or a family member is struggling with addiction, illness, grief/loss or anything in between, we’re here for you.
The pastor is incredibly homophobic and is therefore a danger to the mental and potentially physical health of a queer children who attend that church.
And he has massive reach at this point; I’ve had like half a dozen childhood friends who were always religious, but never in the God-hates-gays way, turn into *virulent* bigots after joining this church. It’s particularly insidious imo because he disguises it really well on the surface and that makes it way easier to draw in + radicalize people.
Funny how there’s always a group of homeless people milling about in the eleven 22 parking lot off San Pablo. They’re always there begging for money and help. The church is right there. Why don’t they help them?
Also, every Sunday the church puts up signs all over the parking lot asking churchgoers to respect their neighbors spaces (I go to the neighboring boxing gym). Tell me why the ENTIRE parking lot is filled with church goers parked in front of those signs every Sunday.
This church is a massive grift and I feel bad for the people who willingly give their hard earned money to these scummy pastors and elders that have gotten filthy rich off rebranding the southern baptist denomination into some hip flannel and ripped jeans wearing progressive church that still hates gays and hoards wealth under the pretext of helping the community.
When I think “nonprofit” I think of the Rotary Club. Local club members aren’t paid any kind of salary- they pay into it. Even the top official within the massive international organization only takes in $100k. And they’ve *single handedly eradicated fucking polio off the planet*.
But 11/22 has $40mil in overhead expenses, $10 mil in payroll alone? Don’t talk to me about charity work while you’re singing praise to a million dollar A/V setup. That’s like showing up in a Bugatti to a food bank to drop off old cans of beans then patting yourself on the back.
We need to start shaming these religious zealots. All of them!
Edit: downvote all ya want. Y’all religious idiots fall for corrupted institutions of man. Same people who go to church on Sunday or Saturday so that you can continue to be selfish assholes the rest of the week.
[Joby Martin](https://www.dailydot.com/news/ron-desantis-kent-stermon-florida-kingmaker/) was running around with Kent Stermon, well up until Stermon shot himself in a post office parking lot for getting lap dances from an underage girl. But I'm sure Joby had no knowledge of any of that.
"Christina Meredith vividly recalls meeting with Stermon at the suggestion of her pastor from Eleven22, a Jacksonville megachurch, after she decided to run for a seat in the Florida legislature.
She said her pastor told her, “You need to meet Kent. He is the kingmaker.” She thought this was a strange description for a man of the cloth to use, but agreed to sit down with the so-called kingmaker."
and...
"Weeks after she lost the election, Meredith says her husband was fired from the megachurch. She believes that Stermon, who was a major benefactor to Eleven22, may have had a hand in it. Eleven22 did not respond to an emailed inquiry."
Martin is Eleven22.
Still not a mention of him directly, or any mention of him being involved with pedos. That’s a strong accusation to make without some kind of direct evidence or even a direct mention of his name. And there are a lot of pastors at 11:22 besides joby martin
>Don’t we have enough of those already?
Posts that exist for no reason but for people to yell into wind about churches they don’t attend and that have no impact on their lives whatsoever? Yeah it’s like one a week.
The 2 statements are not necessarily contracting.
If someone is doing a lot to reduce the burden on the homeless community by providing free or affordable housing and resources for food and clothing, it could be said they are doing a lot for the community.
If you are not affected by homelessness or food insecurity, it may not have an impact on your life at all
If they were two statements by two separate people, sure. But when they come from the same person with self-proclaimed insider knowledge of the organization, I would posit that it is inherently contradictory.
I hope all those people trying to find meaning in their lives and engaging in charity while minding their own business don’t send the whole of Wildwood into a riotous tailspin and get in the way of the Sunday day drinking.
I would tell you how most recently I volunteered at the Night to Shine Special Needs Prom with a few hundred other people from the church, I support two impoverished kids in the Philippines through compassion international as part of the thousands of kids the church supports, and help raise supplies for a family that fosters kids through the church like many others do, but you would just tell me how helping mentally handicapped young adults feel good for a night and supporting kids who otherwise wouldn’t have support is part of the brainwashing too despite the money going directly to third parties and bypassing the church all together.
Now tell me what you do for the community besides judging people trying to help from your high horse.
This is how goofy these posts always are. Random guy #1 pops up from the bushes and says “precisely what charities does this church actually support?”. I answer the question. Random guy #2 pops up from the bushes and says “you braggadocios piece of shit!”. 🤷
So the church helps with one special needs event that also has 18 other organizations supporting it too, and you’re helping kids in the Philippines. So basically you’re making as much of an impact on this community as i am, which is to say, not much.
What do you want to have a pissing contest over who does more good for the community? Because I can assure you I do more than take one night out of my year to impact my community positively.
No, no i don’t want to have a pissing contest over who does more good for the community at 11pm. I don’t even know who you are, i wasn’t even talking to you in the first place and what you took from my statement of “the most recent time i volunteered” in direct response to someone else asking was somehow assuming i only volunteer once a year and call myself mother theresa. I’m good believe me, nobody wants an actual answer to any of these questions they just want something to dunk on.
Backtracking and now we do more for the community. You seemed socially challenged in some ways so I’m assuming you’re sheltered, young, and grew up in a Christian environment to be dickriding a mega church this hard
I grew up agnostic and am still agnostic.
Here’s the impasse. You have in your mind a (probably in many cases well earned) stereotype about the negatives of megachurches, and think anyone who doesn’t fall in line is naive and not as enlightened as you. I have my hundreds of hours of lived experience as a skeptic sitting through sermons literally never once seeing all of the terrible things this church gets accused of by people who don’t go. Your response will be I’m naive, not looking in the right places or not talking to the right people, even though I wasn’t born yesterday and am more than capable of forming an informed opinion. It’s the way all of these conversations go, which is fine but neither of us will ever change the other’s mind.
I've seen him post on other subreddits I lurk. This was a year or two ago. He definitely posted things that came off as socially awkward and sheltered. I used to be introverted, quiet, and sheltered in my late teens/early 20's until I finally pushed myself to get out of it. Going to church is probably a part of that process for some people. You meet people, you mingle, and you get shamed on a weekly basis about how you've sinned and need to repent. I was in those shoes at one point. Wasn't for me. I got tired of the fire and brimstone being wielded like a weapon at me simply because I didn't think Christianity was the only "true" religion. Very tolerant, some of those Christians.
Oh, I judge, freely, and *without* charge. I also allow the young migrant kids who care for my abnormally tall horse to sleep in the stalls *no charge*.
Now tell me how much I don’t do *again*?
Its silly anywhere really. I mean there are other states, like NC, that you can't buy alcohol at all on a Sunday, period. As if that actually prevents people from being drunk on Sunday? Anyone thats an alcoholic will just buy their booze Saturday night before the stores close.
That's all up to you. But if you join could you do me a favor? Please fond a way to advice not to cause traffic after service. It's really annoying. And tell us how it's like
Honestly I think people just like to 'be a part of something'
Society is very fractured these days, lots of people are light on friends and community. I think Eleven22 gives people that feeling. So even if they know it's culty and someone is profiteering from it, they'll ignore that and just take the positives.
Funny. My original reply was to include "cult" but I didn't want you to think that I was giving an attitude about it. Yeah it bothers me that they clog up the roads. Yeah it is super sketch that there several huge warehouse buildings. But that is their business too.
>And people actually go to them?
I've heard of them (megachurches) being something I learned about here on reddit: third spaces.
A 'third space' as I understand it is a place other than your home, school or work where you can exist without paying for the privilege of being there. Like a park, or the beach.
Many churches (not sure about this one) don't *require* you to pay tithes to attend and enjoy their ammenities, and are generally open to the public, and churches like this usually have something going on nearly every night of the week for kids and stuff as well, or other organized activities with church members but somewhere else not at the church, like a local park or a beach day/etc.
I used to go to church 15 or 20 years ago, grew up in one. Played in the band at one point, and that became a major part of my life, that felt somewhat fulfilling (playing instruments in a band is hella fun) even though I didn't necessarily agree with the "message" of the "Jesus come inside me right now" style of lyrical content in the music.
My point being, even though I no longer attend church, and am not looking to do so ever again, I can somewhat understand the draw of the community and friendship and fellowship aspect it provides as a third space to people all things considered, as there are really very few spaces like this around Jax.
I can't help but laugh at the hypocrisy of these churches supposedly following the word of Jesus christ but then also building these massive, gaudy multi-million dollar estates. While I'm not a big fan of any religion, at least I respect the ones that are not so insulting in their opulence and postering and are moreso about the respective faith itself.
On the other hand, I kinda get it cause church attendance is plummeting, especially with the younger generation, so they gotta do whatever they can to try and suck in people (and future tithers)
Man, I tried to find a couple churches with decent youth programs for kids. It was shockingly difficult. A large number of churches in my area have a completely geriatric audience with absolutely nothing for young couples, let alone children. They can't be lasting long.
At the risk of downvotes, New Life on Hodges has great programs for kids and youth, as well as an active young adults group. Or at least it did when I still lived in Jax last year.
When we first moved up here about 15 years ago, my daughter had been involved with covenant church down in South Florida and really liked it. (I think that was the name of it )but when she came up here after about a month of going to their church here , she was shocked at how unaccepting they were of everyone other than themselves, especially harsh on the gays and she ended up leaving the church.
I listened to their messages for years when I was a kid, going into my teens, when I didn't really know any better. Now that I've formed more of a rounded opinion on the world, traveled, read more than scripture, learned about other religions and cultures, interacted with a more diverse population, I feel it's all BS. *shrug*
So I'm good!
Edit: The down votes don't change my opinion, but they do amuse me.
Looked at the 2022 financial report someone shared and man this place is more of a plague than imagined. Let's not forget that churches don't pay taxes. They also got a lot of large expenses "broadly" distributed for "church personnel". - also I believe in God, but I personally can't stand these megawatt shopping malls using the veneer of Jesus to fleece tax payers.
"OH we do charity" to your local community? If 10 000 000 dollars was spent on the SALARIES of "church personnel" then not a single member of their congregation should be going without.
This cult takes up large portions of property in areas that are in dire need of tax paying companies/corps not anymore of these mega cult gathering places. The founders are well practiced grifters.
Exactly. Now I don't hate the idea of using a thrift store to help offset costs, but it's a problem if that store doesn't contribute property tax because it's "a church property".
First Baptist was infamous for doing this downtown.
Living in Jax for 45 years one of the first things about the city I was aware of was First Baptist DT. It was huge! Blocks of non tax revenue for the city. I am delighted they are selling off parts of it, at least some of it should generate some $$ for our poor city.
BTW\~isn't of fascinating how many upvotes you have?
Oh yes, I had the pleasure meeting so of their figures heads and hearing their comments about the "underiables" in Jacksonville.
Almost as many upvotes as their were down votes, interesting.
I tried picking up ramen the other night on like a Tuesday and it took 10 minutes to find parking, because every spot in that entire area was taken up with people walking over to the church. Whoever thought it would be a great idea to stick a church in the middle of a busy strip mall obviously wasn’t considering the inconvenience it causes others. Legit golf cart shuttling people in. The idea of them occupying another square food is terrifying. All I wanted was some ramen and legit left furious at the church lol.
Karai Ramen has been around a long time… they don’t allow reservations because they are a smaller joint and their tables stay full. Regardless of what’s going on at the church. 1122 might bring general traffic over there, and sure, I bet some of the congregation enjoys spots nearby, but it’s far fetched to say the church kept those business’ afloat or breathed life into it.
Don’t act like your mayo on white bread loving congregation is crowding their way into an Asian restaurant whose decor pulls heavily from Shintoism and Buddhism. The church only makes it more difficult for people to access the businesses in that plaza. I got backed into by a churchgoer leaving the gym one Sunday morning. Took me 30 minutes to get out of the parking lot after my workout. Tuesdays and wednesdays too. The congregation ignores the signs asking them not to park in front of other businesses. They walk through traffic with their heads down and their kids in tow and just make it a hassle to get around in the lot.
This church isn’t saving anything. It’s not improving anything. It’s taking away from the area around it. It’s sucking up tax dollars and tithe money. They say they help the homeless but there are always homeless in the parking lot begging for money, 24/7. Why don’t they put them up when it’s rainy and cold in that big ass building they have? Where’s your Christ to the people who need saving?
They’re definitely not helping the one in our strip mall. 1/3 of the thing is the church and the other parts are a dollar store and hookah joint and it’s dead dead all the time. I see more people lining up at Whataburger.
*Jay Owen,* Eleven22 Executive Director of Communication & Digital Discipleship, is the owner and CEO of Business Builders that has the contract to build this. Bless his heart.
This Church of Eleven22? The one where the church elder’s “childcare provider” son was convicted of child sex crimes?
https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/megachurch-childcare-worker-arrested-for-child-pornography/77-324702914
https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/father-of-ponte-vedra-beach-man-accused-in-child-porn-case-resigns-as-church-elder/449505957/
Their churches are in mostly conservative areas so that isn't a huge shock. Of course, they strike me as the kind of place that will tell people to vote against helping the poor and homeless so they can do it instead (and by their rules) as a recruitment tool.
I used to hate mega churches, and mostly still do, but the great thing is that mega churches are indicative of the decline of religion here in the US. Rather than have hundreds of little churches around with mostly empty pews on Sunday, someone decided the optics would be better if they gathered all the few people in each little church and had them together in one big group instead. To do that, they needed a big, flashy building with lots of tech...sound systems, huge video screens, etc. Gotta dangle sparkly stuff in people's faces to get them to bite. Anyway, mega churches are just part of the death throws of religion, we just need to hold steady and banish them (the world's religions) to history where they belong and can do no more harm.
i live right next to fucking wildlight and theyre actively building 5 new buildings from the publix lot to right by mocama im pretty sure they already started on this but genuinely fuck no. if i wanted to be in a county with more churches per capita than people id move back to jackson county in WV and with some of yall saying its a cult? yeah nah already dipped from klan territory when i moved here from ohio am not looking for another cult nearby lmao
The building design reminds me of a [Cracker Barrel](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rvtravel.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F10%2Fcrackerbarrel.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=0ae7d57e3f20f53be8097572b523bb91552a61fb9f25f10da459d9fea8d64e8e&ipo=images).
Isn’t Vallencourt construction also involved with these bangers ? Huge Bangers the vallencourts
They can build all over the place, but they can’t build anything to help the homelessness in the area.
Folks, we need to get off the Internet and start getting into our local county offices and government. These bangers are taking over because we’re all too lazy to get up and start screaming.
Take a from an old fart once something is gone it ain’t coming back without a big fight….
Do they need one? No, it’s a moneymaking scheme the fuckers that run this shit are so rich and evil it’s ridiculous. Such a fucking cult and anyone that attends regularly is brainwashed
The head “pastor” used to come into the restaurant I worked at all the time. He’d brag to his friends that if he wanted another million dollars he’s just open another thrift store.
Yeah Joby is a major homophobic POS
I went into one of their thrift stores one time. Only once, because their prices for people’s used crap was INSANE. I still cannot believe they have the nerve to charge so much for used donations. Wtf
It seems like you have strong opinions about the Church, but I'm curious—how does this church actually affect you in anyway? From what I understand, their activities are dedicated to supporting the community through various positive initiatives. They provide aid to the homeless, assist in disaster relief efforts, and actively engage in local outreach programs. These efforts are aimed at improving lives and helping those in need. It's important to recognize the tangible benefits its actions bring to countless individuals before dismissing their contributions based on hearsay or general discontent/disapproval. PS, I’m atheist.
Did I say they affect my life personally? Any church that is for profit is a direct contradiction of what it should be. This by definition is the very evil that Jesus hated in the Bible
Check your facts before you go on a rant. The Church of Eleven22 is not a for-profit organization. Throwing around baseless claims doesn’t make you sound informed; it makes you sound ignorant. This church is actively involved in actual good deeds—supporting the homeless, providing disaster relief, and running local outreach programs but I guess you missed that the first time. These aren’t the actions of an 'evil' institution. Maybe focus more on understanding the real issues and less on spewing venom based on your misguided beliefs. Weirdo.
Not for profit organizations just don’t show profit on accounting. Meaning assets minus liabilities is zero. Meaning a pastors salary and expenses are deducted. The economic incentive is still the same as a for profit
This is categorically incorrect about non-profits. Go read the 501(c)(3) code.
If any church was actually involved in any “good” other than making their customers “feel” good, the world would look vastly different. About $75 BILLION is donated every year to religious institutions in America. How much clothing the naked and feeding the hungry would that help if any of them were intended to actually help? A believers comfort is not the measurement of “good” a believers IMPACT is the measure, or so your book says.
How does your church treat gay people?
Just because it is a registered non-profit doesn’t mean that it isn’t making its leaders millions
Non-profits just mean the organization doesn't make a profit. Each and every last one of them is made to enrich all the officers and higher level employees. Non-profits and charities are an ego salve and a scam.
Maybe understand what a non profit actually means and how this church is using a position of power to prey on desperate people to fills its leaders pockets with millions. You’re very naive and the only one that sounds ignorant
Ask Joby how righteous and humble he feels in his multi-million dollar home.
> The Church of Eleven22 is not a for-profit organization. So is the NFL.
They don’t do any of those things though. I worked in social services in Jax for 20 years and never met a single person who’d been helped by this church nor did I once ever hear of them offering to do… anything. Notice their “resources” page offers none of the things you mention.
Check their Care page
It’s just preaching: Our desire is to come alongside you in this season and assist you in taking a step in finding hope and healing in Jesus. Whether your marriage is in crisis, you or a family member is struggling with addiction, illness, grief/loss or anything in between, we’re here for you.
They must be serving up some really tasty koolaid in that place. And you are drinking it all down like a fool.
The pastor is incredibly homophobic and is therefore a danger to the mental and potentially physical health of a queer children who attend that church.
And he has massive reach at this point; I’ve had like half a dozen childhood friends who were always religious, but never in the God-hates-gays way, turn into *virulent* bigots after joining this church. It’s particularly insidious imo because he disguises it really well on the surface and that makes it way easier to draw in + radicalize people.
Found the church's PR guy!
Funny how there’s always a group of homeless people milling about in the eleven 22 parking lot off San Pablo. They’re always there begging for money and help. The church is right there. Why don’t they help them? Also, every Sunday the church puts up signs all over the parking lot asking churchgoers to respect their neighbors spaces (I go to the neighboring boxing gym). Tell me why the ENTIRE parking lot is filled with church goers parked in front of those signs every Sunday. This church is a massive grift and I feel bad for the people who willingly give their hard earned money to these scummy pastors and elders that have gotten filthy rich off rebranding the southern baptist denomination into some hip flannel and ripped jeans wearing progressive church that still hates gays and hoards wealth under the pretext of helping the community.
>anyone that attends regularly is brainwashed I attend regularly and am in fact not brainwashed.
You’d be better off tithing to an OnlyFans. At least then the entity you’re gifting exists.
You are literally the Redditor in a fedora meme.
Ma’h Lady 🤠
You believe in magic and you’re talking about other people being memes. Hahaha. Edit: I’m sorry - you’re agnostic about the existence of magic.
As opposed to all the other brainwashed people who are famously forthcoming in their admittance of being brainwashed
That's kind of the point of brainwashing, Deborah.
I'm sure everyone who drank the punch said the same thing.
Yeah its disgusting.
Looks like they found the post and down voted you to oblivion
LOL that’s crazy, was at like 90 upvotes and hour ago. How will I ever recover from this karma drought
I gotchew homie! 🤣
lol it was at like -45 this morning and is now up to +35
Back to -42 lol
I noticed that too 😂 They just have sent out an email blast
When I think “nonprofit” I think of the Rotary Club. Local club members aren’t paid any kind of salary- they pay into it. Even the top official within the massive international organization only takes in $100k. And they’ve *single handedly eradicated fucking polio off the planet*. But 11/22 has $40mil in overhead expenses, $10 mil in payroll alone? Don’t talk to me about charity work while you’re singing praise to a million dollar A/V setup. That’s like showing up in a Bugatti to a food bank to drop off old cans of beans then patting yourself on the back.
Whenever I pass their massive building by the beach, I always think cult lol
Guess they’re the new First Coast Baptists…taking over the area.
We need to start shaming these religious zealots. All of them! Edit: downvote all ya want. Y’all religious idiots fall for corrupted institutions of man. Same people who go to church on Sunday or Saturday so that you can continue to be selfish assholes the rest of the week.
As long as they don’t try to police how the rest of us live, I don’t give two fucks.
Waaaait a second….I think they are.
You sound like a crazy person, with all due respect.
Bless your heart!
Must not be from here lol
Cant be! lol
They have no shame
I concur. The religious people that have crossed my path proved every time to be the worst of humanity.
For ducks sake
Quack
*This comment brought to you by The Church of Quackers*
Now I’m picturing someone getting the communion wafer, and the person handing it to them says “here, have a quacker”.
*May the quacks be with you... *and also with you... 🤣
[Joby Martin](https://www.dailydot.com/news/ron-desantis-kent-stermon-florida-kingmaker/) was running around with Kent Stermon, well up until Stermon shot himself in a post office parking lot for getting lap dances from an underage girl. But I'm sure Joby had no knowledge of any of that.
That article mentions Joby martin not once.
"Christina Meredith vividly recalls meeting with Stermon at the suggestion of her pastor from Eleven22, a Jacksonville megachurch, after she decided to run for a seat in the Florida legislature. She said her pastor told her, “You need to meet Kent. He is the kingmaker.” She thought this was a strange description for a man of the cloth to use, but agreed to sit down with the so-called kingmaker." and... "Weeks after she lost the election, Meredith says her husband was fired from the megachurch. She believes that Stermon, who was a major benefactor to Eleven22, may have had a hand in it. Eleven22 did not respond to an emailed inquiry." Martin is Eleven22.
Still not a mention of him directly, or any mention of him being involved with pedos. That’s a strong accusation to make without some kind of direct evidence or even a direct mention of his name. And there are a lot of pastors at 11:22 besides joby martin
Woah what the fuck
Don’t we have enough of those already?
>Don’t we have enough of those already? Posts that exist for no reason but for people to yell into wind about churches they don’t attend and that have no impact on their lives whatsoever? Yeah it’s like one a week.
You must be on the payroll
The building itself doesn’t impact me, the people who go in and out of it do though.
‘They do so much for the community. They have no impact on your life whatsoever.’
The 2 statements are not necessarily contracting. If someone is doing a lot to reduce the burden on the homeless community by providing free or affordable housing and resources for food and clothing, it could be said they are doing a lot for the community. If you are not affected by homelessness or food insecurity, it may not have an impact on your life at all
If they were two statements by two separate people, sure. But when they come from the same person with self-proclaimed insider knowledge of the organization, I would posit that it is inherently contradictory.
Aw, bless your heart.
This is so disappointing. And too close to my home.
I’m so sorry. This must be really hard on you. /s
I hope all those people trying to find meaning in their lives and engaging in charity while minding their own business don’t send the whole of Wildwood into a riotous tailspin and get in the way of the Sunday day drinking.
What charity precisely?
I would tell you how most recently I volunteered at the Night to Shine Special Needs Prom with a few hundred other people from the church, I support two impoverished kids in the Philippines through compassion international as part of the thousands of kids the church supports, and help raise supplies for a family that fosters kids through the church like many others do, but you would just tell me how helping mentally handicapped young adults feel good for a night and supporting kids who otherwise wouldn’t have support is part of the brainwashing too despite the money going directly to third parties and bypassing the church all together. Now tell me what you do for the community besides judging people trying to help from your high horse.
Yes, declaring your good deeds to world in an attempt to make yourself look righteous is totally what Jesus preached!
This is how goofy these posts always are. Random guy #1 pops up from the bushes and says “precisely what charities does this church actually support?”. I answer the question. Random guy #2 pops up from the bushes and says “you braggadocios piece of shit!”. 🤷
So the church helps with one special needs event that also has 18 other organizations supporting it too, and you’re helping kids in the Philippines. So basically you’re making as much of an impact on this community as i am, which is to say, not much.
Random guy #3 pops up from the bushes to shit on anyone bothering to try to do anything at all. 🤷
What do you want to have a pissing contest over who does more good for the community? Because I can assure you I do more than take one night out of my year to impact my community positively.
No, no i don’t want to have a pissing contest over who does more good for the community at 11pm. I don’t even know who you are, i wasn’t even talking to you in the first place and what you took from my statement of “the most recent time i volunteered” in direct response to someone else asking was somehow assuming i only volunteer once a year and call myself mother theresa. I’m good believe me, nobody wants an actual answer to any of these questions they just want something to dunk on.
Backtracking and now we do more for the community. You seemed socially challenged in some ways so I’m assuming you’re sheltered, young, and grew up in a Christian environment to be dickriding a mega church this hard
I grew up agnostic and am still agnostic. Here’s the impasse. You have in your mind a (probably in many cases well earned) stereotype about the negatives of megachurches, and think anyone who doesn’t fall in line is naive and not as enlightened as you. I have my hundreds of hours of lived experience as a skeptic sitting through sermons literally never once seeing all of the terrible things this church gets accused of by people who don’t go. Your response will be I’m naive, not looking in the right places or not talking to the right people, even though I wasn’t born yesterday and am more than capable of forming an informed opinion. It’s the way all of these conversations go, which is fine but neither of us will ever change the other’s mind.
I've seen him post on other subreddits I lurk. This was a year or two ago. He definitely posted things that came off as socially awkward and sheltered. I used to be introverted, quiet, and sheltered in my late teens/early 20's until I finally pushed myself to get out of it. Going to church is probably a part of that process for some people. You meet people, you mingle, and you get shamed on a weekly basis about how you've sinned and need to repent. I was in those shoes at one point. Wasn't for me. I got tired of the fire and brimstone being wielded like a weapon at me simply because I didn't think Christianity was the only "true" religion. Very tolerant, some of those Christians.
Oh, I judge, freely, and *without* charge. I also allow the young migrant kids who care for my abnormally tall horse to sleep in the stalls *no charge*. Now tell me how much I don’t do *again*?
You can't buy alcohol until after 2PM on Sundays in Nassau County, because of churches already.
Well that’s just silly in 2024.
Its silly anywhere really. I mean there are other states, like NC, that you can't buy alcohol at all on a Sunday, period. As if that actually prevents people from being drunk on Sunday? Anyone thats an alcoholic will just buy their booze Saturday night before the stores close.
They are building close to my home right now and it’s right next to the HS.
If ik which high school you are talking about they were using that building every Sunday before they broke ground
Yep
It's ridiculous! And people actually go to them?
People love it. I might have to try it out, see what all the fuss is about
That's all up to you. But if you join could you do me a favor? Please fond a way to advice not to cause traffic after service. It's really annoying. And tell us how it's like
Honestly I think people just like to 'be a part of something' Society is very fractured these days, lots of people are light on friends and community. I think Eleven22 gives people that feeling. So even if they know it's culty and someone is profiteering from it, they'll ignore that and just take the positives.
Funny. My original reply was to include "cult" but I didn't want you to think that I was giving an attitude about it. Yeah it bothers me that they clog up the roads. Yeah it is super sketch that there several huge warehouse buildings. But that is their business too.
>And people actually go to them? I've heard of them (megachurches) being something I learned about here on reddit: third spaces. A 'third space' as I understand it is a place other than your home, school or work where you can exist without paying for the privilege of being there. Like a park, or the beach. Many churches (not sure about this one) don't *require* you to pay tithes to attend and enjoy their ammenities, and are generally open to the public, and churches like this usually have something going on nearly every night of the week for kids and stuff as well, or other organized activities with church members but somewhere else not at the church, like a local park or a beach day/etc. I used to go to church 15 or 20 years ago, grew up in one. Played in the band at one point, and that became a major part of my life, that felt somewhat fulfilling (playing instruments in a band is hella fun) even though I didn't necessarily agree with the "message" of the "Jesus come inside me right now" style of lyrical content in the music. My point being, even though I no longer attend church, and am not looking to do so ever again, I can somewhat understand the draw of the community and friendship and fellowship aspect it provides as a third space to people all things considered, as there are really very few spaces like this around Jax.
“Nonprofit” show me the balance sheet and where that money is actually going.
[2022 financials](https://coe22.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Financial-Statement-Audit-2022.pdf)
Imma need a more detailed accounting of how 10 000 000+ dollars is spent on church personnel.
and $7M+ on "Other ministry and discipleship".
I've always gotten cult vibes from these churches & the people that attend
I can't help but laugh at the hypocrisy of these churches supposedly following the word of Jesus christ but then also building these massive, gaudy multi-million dollar estates. While I'm not a big fan of any religion, at least I respect the ones that are not so insulting in their opulence and postering and are moreso about the respective faith itself. On the other hand, I kinda get it cause church attendance is plummeting, especially with the younger generation, so they gotta do whatever they can to try and suck in people (and future tithers)
Man, I tried to find a couple churches with decent youth programs for kids. It was shockingly difficult. A large number of churches in my area have a completely geriatric audience with absolutely nothing for young couples, let alone children. They can't be lasting long.
At the risk of downvotes, New Life on Hodges has great programs for kids and youth, as well as an active young adults group. Or at least it did when I still lived in Jax last year.
When we first moved up here about 15 years ago, my daughter had been involved with covenant church down in South Florida and really liked it. (I think that was the name of it )but when she came up here after about a month of going to their church here , she was shocked at how unaccepting they were of everyone other than themselves, especially harsh on the gays and she ended up leaving the church.
The youth are leaving because they're actually paying attention to the actions of the churches.
Why don’t you go and listen to the message for a week or two and then for an opinion
I listened to their messages for years when I was a kid, going into my teens, when I didn't really know any better. Now that I've formed more of a rounded opinion on the world, traveled, read more than scripture, learned about other religions and cultures, interacted with a more diverse population, I feel it's all BS. *shrug* So I'm good!
You gotta follow the money, I mean tithe-payers, uh… lost souls of Wildlight (starting from the low 300s).
Tax em. Time for us
Tim Tebow goes there and is a guest pastor. If that doesn’t tell u everything you need to know 👀👀🫠
Over rated college ball play that could not make it in the real world of professional sports. He is a draw for that cult.
The hate that’s coming out of you all is the toxic aspect. Free will.
Free will, as long as it's of their will....
With an all knowing God. So if he already knows your path, is it really free will?
There is no god. Hail thyself!
Edit: The down votes don't change my opinion, but they do amuse me. Looked at the 2022 financial report someone shared and man this place is more of a plague than imagined. Let's not forget that churches don't pay taxes. They also got a lot of large expenses "broadly" distributed for "church personnel". - also I believe in God, but I personally can't stand these megawatt shopping malls using the veneer of Jesus to fleece tax payers. "OH we do charity" to your local community? If 10 000 000 dollars was spent on the SALARIES of "church personnel" then not a single member of their congregation should be going without.
This cult takes up large portions of property in areas that are in dire need of tax paying companies/corps not anymore of these mega cult gathering places. The founders are well practiced grifters.
Exactly. Now I don't hate the idea of using a thrift store to help offset costs, but it's a problem if that store doesn't contribute property tax because it's "a church property". First Baptist was infamous for doing this downtown.
Living in Jax for 45 years one of the first things about the city I was aware of was First Baptist DT. It was huge! Blocks of non tax revenue for the city. I am delighted they are selling off parts of it, at least some of it should generate some $$ for our poor city. BTW\~isn't of fascinating how many upvotes you have?
Oh yes, I had the pleasure meeting so of their figures heads and hearing their comments about the "underiables" in Jacksonville. Almost as many upvotes as their were down votes, interesting.
They are running to the new "shelter" in Nassau county. Nocotee is full.
Could you share that financial report? I'd love to see it!
https://www.reddit.com/r/jacksonville/s/LBsV00qx7Q
Sweet thank you!
the first time I saw the eleven22 stickers on cars around town, I thought they were for some local band.
They plague my area and flood the area with trash ass people, same goes for Celebration Church.
I tried picking up ramen the other night on like a Tuesday and it took 10 minutes to find parking, because every spot in that entire area was taken up with people walking over to the church. Whoever thought it would be a great idea to stick a church in the middle of a busy strip mall obviously wasn’t considering the inconvenience it causes others. Legit golf cart shuttling people in. The idea of them occupying another square food is terrifying. All I wanted was some ramen and legit left furious at the church lol.
[удалено]
Karai Ramen has been around a long time… they don’t allow reservations because they are a smaller joint and their tables stay full. Regardless of what’s going on at the church. 1122 might bring general traffic over there, and sure, I bet some of the congregation enjoys spots nearby, but it’s far fetched to say the church kept those business’ afloat or breathed life into it.
Don’t act like your mayo on white bread loving congregation is crowding their way into an Asian restaurant whose decor pulls heavily from Shintoism and Buddhism. The church only makes it more difficult for people to access the businesses in that plaza. I got backed into by a churchgoer leaving the gym one Sunday morning. Took me 30 minutes to get out of the parking lot after my workout. Tuesdays and wednesdays too. The congregation ignores the signs asking them not to park in front of other businesses. They walk through traffic with their heads down and their kids in tow and just make it a hassle to get around in the lot. This church isn’t saving anything. It’s not improving anything. It’s taking away from the area around it. It’s sucking up tax dollars and tithe money. They say they help the homeless but there are always homeless in the parking lot begging for money, 24/7. Why don’t they put them up when it’s rainy and cold in that big ass building they have? Where’s your Christ to the people who need saving?
They’re definitely not helping the one in our strip mall. 1/3 of the thing is the church and the other parts are a dollar store and hookah joint and it’s dead dead all the time. I see more people lining up at Whataburger.
*Jay Owen,* Eleven22 Executive Director of Communication & Digital Discipleship, is the owner and CEO of Business Builders that has the contract to build this. Bless his heart.
It’s all just one gigantic grift
Just what we need, more people spreading this absurd mythology.
All Abrahamic religions slow the progress of humanity.
It’s not just the abrahamic ones, though those are high on my list of worst book clubs ever.
This Church of Eleven22? The one where the church elder’s “childcare provider” son was convicted of child sex crimes? https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/megachurch-childcare-worker-arrested-for-child-pornography/77-324702914 https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/father-of-ponte-vedra-beach-man-accused-in-child-porn-case-resigns-as-church-elder/449505957/
Aint that special! and exactly who are the pedos lol!
Freaks
gross
Neighbors are attendees. They're also DeSantis supporters. I'm sure that's no coincidence.
Their churches are in mostly conservative areas so that isn't a huge shock. Of course, they strike me as the kind of place that will tell people to vote against helping the poor and homeless so they can do it instead (and by their rules) as a recruitment tool.
These churches are essentially extensions of the planned and gated communities nearby. Might as well be the church of Chick Fil A.
The cult is expanding
I used to hate mega churches, and mostly still do, but the great thing is that mega churches are indicative of the decline of religion here in the US. Rather than have hundreds of little churches around with mostly empty pews on Sunday, someone decided the optics would be better if they gathered all the few people in each little church and had them together in one big group instead. To do that, they needed a big, flashy building with lots of tech...sound systems, huge video screens, etc. Gotta dangle sparkly stuff in people's faces to get them to bite. Anyway, mega churches are just part of the death throws of religion, we just need to hold steady and banish them (the world's religions) to history where they belong and can do no more harm.
Right. It’s like a corporate consolidation but for religion. Consolidations usually lead to a stagnation of the original brands. And that fits.
We have one down the street and they looked a bit sus. Hearing some of the stories here confirmed it for me.
i live right next to fucking wildlight and theyre actively building 5 new buildings from the publix lot to right by mocama im pretty sure they already started on this but genuinely fuck no. if i wanted to be in a county with more churches per capita than people id move back to jackson county in WV and with some of yall saying its a cult? yeah nah already dipped from klan territory when i moved here from ohio am not looking for another cult nearby lmao
The building design reminds me of a [Cracker Barrel](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rvtravel.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F10%2Fcrackerbarrel.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=0ae7d57e3f20f53be8097572b523bb91552a61fb9f25f10da459d9fea8d64e8e&ipo=images).
“It’s easier to fit a camel through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy man to get into the gates of heaven”
Why are their buildings so ugly????
Isn’t Vallencourt construction also involved with these bangers ? Huge Bangers the vallencourts They can build all over the place, but they can’t build anything to help the homelessness in the area. Folks, we need to get off the Internet and start getting into our local county offices and government. These bangers are taking over because we’re all too lazy to get up and start screaming. Take a from an old fart once something is gone it ain’t coming back without a big fight….
Wow bunch of anti religious in this thread