Kansas: Jerry Johnston is accused of short-changing his staff while rewarding his family

By Diane Silver

I have been informed by private email that the Rev. Jerry Johnston's First Family Church of Overland Park has a problem parting with money to help staff teach children's classes.

While the church boasts of a $17 million budget and provides lavish lifestyles for Rev. Jerry and his family, he is alleged to be holding tight to funds for supplies for AWANA, a Christian children's program taught at FFC, and Vacation Bible School. I have been told that the people who teach those classes pay for supplies out of their own pockets. I have also been informed that the church won't pay for childcare during weekday Bible studies.

I haven't been able to check these reports out. If you know anything about this or -- as important -- if you have information that this is incorrect, please let me know. I'll correct this post immediately if it's wrong.

If this is true, then well, it's sad.

By the way, that $17 million budget for the 4,200-member FFC compares oddly with the $12 million budget at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood. That church has nearly 12,000 members.