reasons NOT to give to a Church

[Zebulon]

There are also reasons NOT to give to a Church.

1. Don't give when the motivation is "time is short" so you may as well help the church

2. Don't give to a church where you are told once you give it, it is God's to decide what to with it. In this case, just throw your money up in the air and what does not come down, is God's, the rest is yours.

3. Don't give to a church where only ONE Pastor, Minister or Apostle gets to account for it all. That is a formula for foolishness and your hard earned money being spent on anything from horses for the kids, to gold and toys for the pastor.

4. Don't give to a church where after you give, it is NONE of your business.

Of course there are many fine ministers out there who would not behave this way. But those are not the ones that are going to leave you and your family crying behind closed doors. If you give to a minister or organization that displays no sense of accountability for what they are actually doing with your hard earned money...

Never give what you have not got. One more time. Never give what you have not got.

Dennis Diehl



Stay Home From Church...Save 10%

[jenna]

While I agree that you should not give to a church where you don't know where your money goes, I think that your last statement was way off-base. "Don't go to church. Save 10%"? You seem like you are condemning all churches when you say this. This seems like a big case of prejudice and bias. God actually REQUIRES that at least 10% of your earnings be given back to Him, with a cheerful attitude. And I think you may have posted this in the wrong section, since this is the "humor and jokes" part, and I don't see anything funny about this.

[JCSx2]

I agree with Jenna on the last statement. That could have been omitted from the message.

[madscientist]

I agree that we should not give money to churches where the money can be used badly. But how we can know for sure whether it's being used badly or not?
As for the 10% - yes, save 10% if u give this much. Nowadays i dont think people really give away that much; it is rather question of a few dollars, francs, pounds, euro, or whatever you use. Or just question a few cents per week. Did you also mean charity and all that? Still doesnt account for 10% i think. So the statement "save 10%" would rather be like "save a few cents per day".

[JesusSmiles]

I think the way to deal with the whole thing is to be a good steward and PRAY before you even leave your house. I never go to a meeting or a church service without having my check made out ahead of time. I don't give out of emotion...therefore I'm not aggravated or remorseful later.

Once I HAVE prayed and know this is the amount God wants me to give, then I don't care what the person or ministry does with it after I've given it. That is between them and God. My only responsibility in all of this is to do what God told ME to do.

[madscientist]

Yeah i think it is a good stance to take JesusSmiles
But if you don't give out of emotion - what do you give out of? Love? Duty? Knowledge that God wants us to do it?
And yes i agree we should not care too much how the money is used; however, we must be ensured it is used in a good way. Whether to help the poor, or build new church or educate missionaries - that's ok. But once it is abused or goes into someone's own interest then that's not good.

[andyredeemed]

Jesussmiles has the right attitude, IMHO. I have chosen (of my own free will, being in my right mind, and not influenced by any kind of brainwashing) to live in a christian community where ALL my income is given to the church, I don't actually own anything, and all those who contribute are able to draw from a common purse. You have to choose to trust those who have access to the bank account, and sometimes (though not often, in my experience), they will mess it up. But God never made any promises about what He would do with the things we give to Him. The promise is that He would bless us by the things He gives in response to our giving. Oh, and Jesus never said anything about giving 10% of your income, He said give it all. Paul said to give as much as your conscience led you, and in Acts 2 and 4, the pattern for normal church activity was that of common purse community and common ownership of goods.
I'm not saying that is not the only way to live as a Christian, and I wouldn't say that those who choose to live that way are in any way more commited to Jesus or his Church, but I think people don't hear about it enough to consider it as anything but a freakish example of spiritual lunacy. I would like to see more people explore intentional community, like the Jesus People in Chicago.

[obsolete]

Oh, and Jesus never said anything about giving 10% of your income, He said give it all. Paul said to give as much as your conscience led you,

Do you remember what Jesus said about the old lady who gave very little, yet because she gave with her heart she had given more than the hypocrites?
I don't think a person should feel compeled to give 10% of there income, but what they feel led to give as long it is from the heart. That is what really matters. Don't let the right hand know what the left hand is doing.
I'm also reminded of one of the letters to the churches in Revelation 3.

17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.