Zone1 Dallas-area megachurch faces backlash for opulent Christmas show

[Crepitus]

Prestonwood Baptist Church's lavish holiday display first went viral and drew widespread criticism last year.​

TikToker lawsonmaee posted footage from Prestonwood Baptist Church's "The Gift of Christmas" show six days ago. The clip shows drummers with full-body LED outfits soaring through the air, attached to cables moving up and down suspension tracks attached to the church ceiling. Dozens of dancers dressed in bright red outfits perform a tightly choreographed routine while dozens more musicians and singers blast music from a stage adorned with neon lights and puffing smoke machines. "When you're new to Texas and didn't realize just how hard Texas megachurches go at Christmastime," the caption reads.

So far, all good. It's their money. They can spend it on whatever silliness they choose, right?

but

Prestonwood Baptist defended its over-the-top holiday tradition: “The Gift of Christmas is a ticketed Christian production, not a church service,

Now it's a money making business.

Is it still tax exempt?

 

[pknopp]

Depending on how the money gets used, being a ticketed program is better than it being a church service.

People don't actually think when they start on a church and being tax exempt. What are you going to tax? The money they take in? Cool with me as long as that is the same for all entities that take in money. Museums, all non profits and businesses.

We could really address the debt then.

We tax profits. In a church or other non profit there is no profits. Some is used to pay people and that is then taxed (unlike what some seem to think (or because they don't think)).

There is no way I would ever attend this church but what is the argument for taxes? We start taxing receipts? Maybe we start taxing the receipts of the Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus (I use that as it's not far and I'm familiar with it).

Then of course we tax the political parties.

 

[Polishprince]

What's wrong with churches having money raising events? It takes a lot of moolah to keep the institution running.

I've seen and been to church festivals, bingos, vegas nights and other ministries that help keep important things like the school open.

 

[1srelluc]

Well you are talking a state where they will spend tens of millions on a HS football stadium.