In 1996 I was taken on a free tour of the well-renowned Focus On The Family Administration Building in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is my impression of the tour.

As we entered the large, two-story administration building, enormous pictures of James Dobson's life and associates stood out on one wall. These were a picture study of his earlier life. We had two guides, a man and a woman, which seemed to have a forced friendliness (somehow trying extra hard to be all a Christian should be). The male guide was obviously under some sort of pressure. I noticed that everyone that worked at Focus was attired in suits and dresses, including all guides.

As we walked throughout the building, I was struck by the massive amount of large pictures on all the walls--pictures of James Dobson posing with many renowned personalities from around the country. Among these were Billy Graham, Chuck Colson, President Bush, President Reagan, Jack Hayford, and even Senator Gingrich (who, at that time, had been in the news because of ethical violations).

When we stopped at one large wall with maps, the guides told us that when Focus is on certain TV programs, or in certain countries, they remove all the Scripture verses from the message so that it can reach "a larger number of people."

We were told that Dr. Dobson doesn't take a salary, he lives off proceeds from his book sales; and that if Focus ever does publish one of his books, he donates the money he receives to Focus. (Focus refuses to give out Dobson's home address to the public, so I couldn't drive by to see what type of a residence he lives in.)

On the second floor there were two very expensive statues about 15" by 17" that we were told had been donated to their ministry. (I can't remember what the statues depicted, but they were dark in color and strange looking.) In addition, some very expensive wood was pointed out to us that they said had also been donated to their ministry.

Other walls were lined with a collective display of trophies, awards, and plaques that Focus had received for their films and other projects. The guide spent some time talking about a few of these.

The conference room (which also holds chapel services) was very large. It also had a cafeteria area on the side.

There was also one small room with many original paintings that had been donated to Focus. These looked quite expensive.

I remember only one Scripture reference to Christ--a framed verse in an artistic design on the second floor (if there were any others, I missed them). However, as we stood on the second floor (with huge ceilings and glass windows), the guide drew our attention to an extremely large and visible verse mounted in gold lettering that covered the first and second floor walls. It read: "And all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly." II Chron. 29:36 (NIV). The guide applied this verse to "what God" did in the building of Focus' facility--but nothing was said about how Focus had left out the first word of the verse, which is "Hezekiah." (The context of this chapter has to do with Hezekiah restoring temple worship.)

We weren't allowed to go into the studio where they air the broadcasts, but could only sit in the adjoining room that looks through a dark glass that dimly showed the studio. They said that if a broadcast had been in process, we wouldn't have been allowed in this room. (While we were in here, I looked at more framed pictures on the wall of Dobson with famous personalities.) The guide then went through all of James Dobson's magazines. The magazine, Focus On The Family, goes to two million subscribers. In addition, he has about eleven or twelve other magazines that are written for pastors, single mothers, etc. I forgot to count the exact number as the woman guide hurriedly flipped through all of them.

Then we looked through a large glass window that showed the vast correspondence department. (It seemed we went up a few more stairs to get to this, so this would make the administration building almost three stories high.) They told us that Dobson gets thousands of letters a day, but he can't answer them personally. (Form letters are kept on every kind of subject and are sent out to those that contact them.) Balloons could be seen hanging around certain desks and we were told that because of continually having to deal with the burdens of others, the workers have to be able to distance themselves from that sometimes and have fun with each other.

It was mentioned that James Dobson is a Nazarene and that 10% of his employees are Nazarene and have attended the Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs. (I later read that the Nazarene church was connected with the Holiness movement.)

As we were taken back downstairs we were led into a large room where all Dobson's magazines were displayed--along with more pictures of Dobson and his achievements. Adjacent to this area was a bookstore where there were many Christian products for sale--especially tapes and books of Dobson's. At this time I observed that the Focus administration building had been designed with top quality materials--perhaps some luxurious--as the floor by the bookshop appeared to be made of marble. (We were told that Focus owes nothing on the buildings and that the selling of their main building in California paid for this administration building.)

With our tour ended, our guides assured us not to go away thinking of all that Dobson had accomplished, but to think of what God had accomplished. Still, I kept seeing all those trophies, plaques and pictures with Dobson in the center of it all. James Dobson's name was mentioned by our tour guides more than the name of Christ was.

By N. H., former member of Worldwide Church of God
January 1996

NOTE: For documentation about Focus on the Family announcing alliance with the Mormon Church go to: http://www.focusonthefamilyalliance.org

Is Focus on the Family Going in an Unscriptural, Ecumenical, New Age Direction? (articles)