Hiding Who Benefits from the Public? -- ZEKE'S (now Bluestem) in Ames

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[FeministRebel]

So... I want to say about 10 years ago or so, The Rock in Ames, Iowa, put the pressure on college students to invest their hard earned college money BIG TIME into developing this 'venue' where they could rent out space for those holding concerts, or various activities in town... as a way to generate major endless income for their student group.

The thing is, NOWHERE on their website does it say that this is what it's for. They avoid any reference at all to The Rock, Stonebrook, GCx, religious affiliation at all. If you go to their Facebook page, however, you will see one of their 'likes' is their parent church -- Stonebrook Community... https://www.facebook.com/zekesames?fref=ts

And of course, the classical name change -- they are now 'Bluestem' or something --  which I heard through the grapevine, but haven't even yet seen reflected on their site. http://zekesames.com/

Talk about a sneaky way to earn people's dollars who may not want to have anything to do with them...

[Linda]

Were these donations made to the church? I mean to say, is this a "for profit" venue funded by tax deductible donations?

[Huldah]

From the "About" page on their website:

Zeke’s is an all-volunteer organization...

1 Timothy 5:18 says, "The laborer is worthy of his hire." That was what we were always hearing back at the Columbus church. I wonder who all these volunteers are?

The site also says you get a discount from Zeke's if you hire the coffee shop next door to cater your event. I wonder what the connection is there. Why is Zeke's effectively subsidizing a for-profit business when they won't even pay their own workers?

Update - Also found this:

Zeke's is a non-profit, live music, performing and fine arts, and community center in Ames, Iowa... Created and run by an all-volunteer team from private donations, Zeke's exists to enhance the Ames community by advancing the arts and providing all-ages entertainment worth showing up for.

[FeministRebel]

The reason I know this is from The Rock is because when I belonged, they were still praying over and exploring different venue alternatives that they could use to outreach to college kids, and gain huge numbers of students. One of the potential choices was Ames Varsity Theater, but that never panned out as the owner never wanted to sell to us (outright refused, for whatever his reasons.)

By the time I left in 2003, they were in the process of getting students to commit huge sums of money to buy the place (Zeke's), and fix it up -- students using their student loan money and grant money for this stuff -- and it was one of the complaints people had against them. The place, Zeke's -- was actually named after the first born of one of the college student's most popular, cliquish leaders. It was his nickname. Of course, they don't make this somehow, patently declared in places... that the money from Zeke's goes in to funnel and support The Rock.

[DevastatedTC]

Wasn't the price tag for Zeke's ridiculously high? I remember a girl from Ames who started coming to our church saying that it was in the millions. Of course, the church I left spent millions on a campground and now I hear they are doing the same for basketball courts. Think about this for a moment...Christians who come to churches looking to be fed by the word of God so that they can navigate through life have millions and millions of dollars put upon their shoulders for what? Concert venues, campgrounds and basketball courts!

Of course, that's my view and my "spin" I suppose. The other side would probably spin it as, "if they hear enough music that gets them moving, they will come," or "the gospel is going out when we minister to their kids through basketball and preach to them at halftime" or...well I don't know how you spin a multimillion dollar camp thing. Point is, millions and millions of dollars. Anyone ever see where the money goes?