- Jul 9, 2008
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Quote:
It is strange that you mentioned a hidden Financial agenda, I live in a portion of the country that is commonly refered to as the bible belt. There are as many churches here as there are blades of grass, and it is very evident that $$$$$ is the driving force not to spread the word of God. It is almost an exclusively a Baptist community. The message you get when you leave church is go out there and earn for me (the Pastor) my 10 % or else, they Ironicly all tend to live in the biggest finest homes and all drive Cadilacs. To me the message of $$$$$ is the primary word not word of love and Salvation, it just raises my Hackle feathers a bit, I understand a church needs funds to operate that is a given, but does the pators wife have to wear diamond rings the size of the titanic, that I payed for while we scrounge to make a living.
Please!!!! I hope a Pastor can chime in and answer why this perception is. Hope everybody has a great day.
AL
Our pastor spoke about this very thing the other week. He said God doesn't need your money, he is not broke! When we tithe or give an offering we are giving to the thing that God is interested in above all else.... people!
If God was interested in furniture we would be training the best carpenters and restoring old chairs. He is interested in people, so we give to help reach and support people, because what matters most to God is what matters most to us.
Many churches try to keep new testament Christians living an old testament life.
They tell you do this for God and he will do this for you, kind of like put 5 cents in the machine and get a candy back.. As if you can somehow buy God's favour or blackmail him into doing something for you or make him love you more. He couldn't love you more, he sent his only son to die for you, there isn't any more he can love you!
The days of having to make appeasement to God, to beg for favour have gone. God no longer lives in the temple, he has made his home in the hearts of his people and made them his sons and daughters.
I really wish churches would stop preaching the give bla bla to me and God will do this for you, it is morally and scripturaly wrong.
It is such a blow to the faith of a person when they have given each week to a church, believing that God will reward their giving by giving them financial success, only to be made redundant or lose their house , get sick etc. Did they not give enough, were they not faithful enough, what did they do to displease God... All of a sudden something that was supposed to be motivated by a desire to help people and bless and support them has turned into something that separates them from the person who cares for them the most and wants to be there for them in their difficult times... their father God.
Give because you care about the things your church is supporting, give because your pastor's family need to eat and buy clothes too. Don't give so your pastor can have a caddy, God has his own transport!
And to the girl who posted, God lives inside you. When you turn up at church he comes with you, he isn't there waiting for you to arrive. When you leave he comes home with you and he has promised you he will never leave you. I really hope you can find somewhere you fit in, I will pray for a friend for you. x
eta, can you tell that I am the adult child of a dirt poor pastor. My parents are poor as church mice financially, but very rich in all the ways that count!
It is strange that you mentioned a hidden Financial agenda, I live in a portion of the country that is commonly refered to as the bible belt. There are as many churches here as there are blades of grass, and it is very evident that $$$$$ is the driving force not to spread the word of God. It is almost an exclusively a Baptist community. The message you get when you leave church is go out there and earn for me (the Pastor) my 10 % or else, they Ironicly all tend to live in the biggest finest homes and all drive Cadilacs. To me the message of $$$$$ is the primary word not word of love and Salvation, it just raises my Hackle feathers a bit, I understand a church needs funds to operate that is a given, but does the pators wife have to wear diamond rings the size of the titanic, that I payed for while we scrounge to make a living.
Please!!!! I hope a Pastor can chime in and answer why this perception is. Hope everybody has a great day.
AL
Our pastor spoke about this very thing the other week. He said God doesn't need your money, he is not broke! When we tithe or give an offering we are giving to the thing that God is interested in above all else.... people!
If God was interested in furniture we would be training the best carpenters and restoring old chairs. He is interested in people, so we give to help reach and support people, because what matters most to God is what matters most to us.
Many churches try to keep new testament Christians living an old testament life.
They tell you do this for God and he will do this for you, kind of like put 5 cents in the machine and get a candy back.. As if you can somehow buy God's favour or blackmail him into doing something for you or make him love you more. He couldn't love you more, he sent his only son to die for you, there isn't any more he can love you!
The days of having to make appeasement to God, to beg for favour have gone. God no longer lives in the temple, he has made his home in the hearts of his people and made them his sons and daughters.
I really wish churches would stop preaching the give bla bla to me and God will do this for you, it is morally and scripturaly wrong.
It is such a blow to the faith of a person when they have given each week to a church, believing that God will reward their giving by giving them financial success, only to be made redundant or lose their house , get sick etc. Did they not give enough, were they not faithful enough, what did they do to displease God... All of a sudden something that was supposed to be motivated by a desire to help people and bless and support them has turned into something that separates them from the person who cares for them the most and wants to be there for them in their difficult times... their father God.
Give because you care about the things your church is supporting, give because your pastor's family need to eat and buy clothes too. Don't give so your pastor can have a caddy, God has his own transport!
And to the girl who posted, God lives inside you. When you turn up at church he comes with you, he isn't there waiting for you to arrive. When you leave he comes home with you and he has promised you he will never leave you. I really hope you can find somewhere you fit in, I will pray for a friend for you. x
eta, can you tell that I am the adult child of a dirt poor pastor. My parents are poor as church mice financially, but very rich in all the ways that count!
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