quote:

DENVER — James Dobson, the voice of conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, will no longer host its flagship radio broadcast and is cutting formal ties with the organization that he founded more than 30 years ago, the evangelical group said Friday.

Dobson, 73, and the board of directors both agreed about the moves, which will go into effect at the end of February, ministry officials said. The decision to part ways was amicable and long anticipated, said Gary Schneeberger, spokesman for the Colorado Springs-based group.

Dobson has distanced himself in recent years from the organization he founded in 1977 and built into an influential force — both as a political powerhouse and provider of conservative family and moral advice. Dobson resigned as Focus on the Family president in 2003 and as chairman of the board in February.

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ORIGINAL: ManimalX

As someone who listens to FotF daily and follows Jim's updates, this is no surprise at all. He is moving on, and feels he has given of his life what the Lord has required for this ministry. It was never his, he just got the opportunity to be a part of it.

God bless Jim Dobson, a humble, gentle, God-fearing man whom I am blessed to have listened to for decades.

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ORIGINAL: tacitus

He's doing this in the hopes of avoiding the problems other ministries like Coral Ridge Ministries encountered when D James Kennedy died leaving no heir apparent. I'm no fan of Dobson's but I do applaud his decision not to turn the Focus on the Family organization into his own personal or family fiefdom as so many other televangelists and ministry leaders do. Too often these organizations more resemble personality cults than anything else.

It remains to be see if FoF can survive without Dobson at the helm -- some people will no doubt stop listening and contributing once he's left -- that's probably unavoidable.

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ORIGINAL: henny
I could see why he might want to resign from the board or quit the radio show (he is past the age of retirement), but cutting ties with the organization completely seems strange.

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ORIGINAL: rcjames
I don't think it strange, the new leadership needs to be the leadership, and not have him second guessing what they do, nor have employess come to him with questions about the present leadership.

When a long time Pastor retires, it is best for him not to attend the Church that he Pastored for the same reasons.

Thanks
RC

quote:

ORIGINAL: tacitus

He's doing this in the hopes of avoiding the problems other ministries like Coral Ridge Ministries encountered when D James Kennedy died leaving no heir apparent. I'm no fan of Dobson's but I do applaud his decision not to turn the Focus on the Family organization into his own personal or family fiefdom as so many other televangelists and ministry leaders do. Too often these organizations more resemble personality cults than anything else.

It remains to be see if FoF can survive without Dobson at the helm -- some people will no doubt stop listening and contributing once he's left -- that's probably unavoidable.

quote:

ORIGINAL: henny

UPDATE

As I said before, I could see retiring, but Dobson's cutting ties completely with FOTF seemed strange to me. Even if he did want to step aside for new leadership, there would have been no reason to completely remove himself from the organization like he did.

So I wasn't too surprised when I read this:

http://www.gazette.com/articles/dobson-91549-new-plans.html

Apparently he's now starting a rival non-profit organization and radio show which will compete with Focus on the Family (he says it's not meant to compete, but I don't see how it could not).

He's even calling it "James Dobson on the Family" (so similarly named that it seems almost deliberate).

People are speculating that he does in fact want to pass on his ministry to his son, and thus he left because he could not do that at FOTF (which is just sheer speculation, I guess).

At any rate, I don't see how this bodes well for Focus on the Family's future. Sure there may be room for more than one Dobson founded nonprofit, but I don't see how losing their most bankable celebrity personality to a rival organization with a similar name and nearly identical purpose could be good for them.