Church Hiring Family Members

Many of you must have read about the bankruptcy of mega Church Crystal Cathedral in Southern California. The iconic church has been sold to the Catholic Church recently. Some said the failure of this church was the changing demographics of Southern California and some are saying something else.

Amidst the bankruptcy status there are on going differences between Robert H. Schuller’s family and the management board. The latest was that Senior Schuller and his wife are suing the board for intellectual rights over the materials produced by Schuller used by the Church. Meanwhile, Robert Schuller’s daughter Sheila Schuller Coleman the former Senior Pastor of Crystal Cathedral left to operate her own church.

Many of Robert H. Schuller’s children were involved in the Church full time. In fact, Robert Schuller’s eldest son Robert A.Schuller was the former Senior Pastor and he left due to difference in ministry directions. Recently Robert A.Schuller commented that it was siblings rivalry that caused the downfall of Crystal Cathedral.

You can see the troubles that the Schullers are going through not to mention the congregation. The question is whether family members should be hired in churches? One thing for sure is that people from outside the church can easily accused the family of nepotism. After all the church is run by the family, it is obvious the management will favors the family members. Many businesses in the corporate world avoid hiring family members. Why not church? Perhaps to avoid complications hiring of family members to run Church should be kept to a minimum.