is your church more preoccupied with financial survival than the Good News?
By jinglebee
@jinglebee (61)
United States
October 24, 2008 10:16pm CST
it is a simple question that needs a line or two of response. my family used to go church regularly and one time my 9 year old daughter couldn't help but ask, "Why are we hearing more reminders about our donations than about how we can become a better person?" That's when my husband and i realized that now is not the best time to expose our daughter to church activities because they're mostly fund raising, budget meetings etc. like religion is about money. I understand there are bills to be paid and people are also tight with everything including donations. I just think that this is not what i want my daughter to learn about faith and salvation. So we stopped bringing her to church for a while now until things get better.
Do you have similar concerns?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
25 Oct 08
Oh if I should answer I don't answer with a line or two so forgive me if I violate your instruction.
Regarding your problem with your church, I hope you will not mind if I give you some advice even if you weren't asking. But why not find another church that concentrates on sharing the gospel instead of money matters. I think this is better than depriving your child and yourselves of the opportunity to worship God and hear His word every Sunday. God wants us to worship Him and if there are Churches like yours which are money centered, I believe we have the right to find a better Church.
My Church is not a big Church but I'm proud of it because it is Bible believing and the main concern is to win souls for Christ and not to make money. I hope you can find the same kind of Church. God bless!
@jinglebee (61)
• United States
25 Oct 08
the big communities now are now plagued with with the same problems: how to meet the practical needs to run the church like, the electric bills to keep airconditioning and heating expenses so church goers are comfortable when they worship, rerouting the parking system to make it safer for kids and drivers after service, things like that that are necessary but not very affordable nowadays when families top priority is to bring food on the table than donate for these projects. we did attend services at other communities but it's quite widespread now, donations, donations, donations... we're not getting enough donations.
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
25 Oct 08
The very reason why God will stop blessing a Church is when it stops preaching the Gospel and get sidetracked with other issues such as money! God has wonderful ways of blessing a Church for as long as it keeps on focusing on winning souls for the Lord. I am a Christian and I know my duty as a Christian is to give my Tithes and offerings. My Pastor does not need to shout this at the pulpit in order to push me to do this! I readily do this because I know God's command and promise in Malachi 3;8-10: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." And I have proven that the more I give to my church the more I get blessed. I cannot outgive God. But one thing is sure...God loveth a cheerful giver so I give my tithes and offerings cheerfully and so God blesses me!
Pastors who are so worried about finances lack faith and therefore his members were not fed with the word of God as needed and their spirituality suffer so they stop growing. The result...they never give as they should give!
@jinglebee (61)
• United States
25 Oct 08
salonga, you are one fanatic believer. you remind me of El Shaddai, a religious movement in my country. they believe that raising their wallets and purses up to Jesus and open them wide enough to receive more financial blessings as they were instructed to do after they have given 10% of their paychecks to the organizers will ensure them financial stability and abundance. of course it doenst happen that way! you said the more you give the more blessings you receive. that sounds like a good investment. so why not give all your money?
1 person likes this
@psspurgeon1 (1109)
• United States
25 Oct 08
We went to a church for years and we absolutely loved the way the sermons were delivered. They were lavish with updating and gearing towards the children and spreading the word. Unfortunately they felt that the best way to do this was by spending lots of money. I think the last time we were there they said they had financed around one or two million dollars and they preached on faithful tithing and giving extra for their good missions of updating things every single week. It was in every brochure, every sermon and they had monthly updates of monetary needs from the treasurer. It got to the point where we felt we could not have a close relationship with God because we weren't spending enough. That is when we decided to go elsewhere. We chose a church that is very modest in their spending and consentrates on the word of God. It is where our daughter goes to school so it is a perk. I do not think that that should be the focus of churches. If they can't afford to pay for their upgrades up front then they don't need them so bad. Especially over a million dollars. He had only been there for like, 2 years and that was all his debt...
@torchablazed (3218)
• Philippines
25 Oct 08
It is so disappointing to note where churches are led this far, the essence of true Biblical standards sadly and frankly has been comprised to some extent. I have almost similar dilemma with this a few years back when I used to get regular in a certain church, but then I noticed that there are people who like to choose 'rich' folks rather than ordinary people like me in church, I started to leave out from there and look for another one. A harsh reality, signs of the last days eh?
@jinglebee (61)
• United States
25 Oct 08
you're right, i can relate to that. sometimes going to church does more harm to us than good. i feel that way most of the time. there is more recognition for those who donate big money or fund big projects than those of us who give our best though not good enough for their standards. that sucks because i dont really go there to feel inadequate and be discriminated against and i end up coming home with that lousy self image.
