Most churches have less than 5% of their budget to help the poor. yet the bible states that as a main mission

Answer 1

At the risk of appearing to defend churches (I don’t approve of their tactics either), but your interpretation of the Bible seems to be a bit askew. It is my impression when I read it that helping the poor is way down on its list of priorities. The main object of the Bible (and probably other Scriptures as well) is to show mankind the way to Salvation from death and to show him the Truth as to why he is here in the first place. The biggest shame of the churches is that they do not do this either.

Answer 2

Answer from a Pastoral Perspective:

Interesting responses. Marry or become a preacher/pastor and you will see just how difficult it is to run a church. A church is a business and it's also a place where people come for spiritual healing and guidance.

You have no idea how many people approach the church on a monthly basis requesting assistance for rent, food, and utilities or bus fare back to their home town. Each case is handled individually. When I lived in Texas, the church at which I belonged was a one of about 10 churches of different faiths that had come together and setup a fund for these kinds of requests. When a church was approached, the person was sent to a contact person for this group.

When I became a Pastor, although we were just starting out, I would get phone calls from people wanting bus tickets home, money for rent, food, and clothes. Unfortunately, I had to tell them that our congregatsion didn't have the funds to assist them. On the flip side, I had a list of organizations handy and would direct the requestor to those organizations and call the person at the organization to let them know I was sending someone by.

Church is a business -- it, just like it's members, have to pay rent, utilities, phone bill, purchase church vestments (and these can be expensive unless you have a seamtress in the church); pews, bibles, hymnbooks, Sunday bulletins, collection plates, communion sets and accessories -- all these things have to be purchased. Yes, most churches that are just starting do so with bare bones equipment. When I started the church in Dallas, we started in the living room of one of my members and we were there for about 6 months before finding a permanent location. Then we started paying rent. I wasn't getting a salary. I worked 40 to 60 hours a week -- and still do.

There are many Pastors that still work within their careers plus attend to the church because the church as not yet reached the point to pay the Pastor. Yes, they may give the Pastor a little sumpin, sumpin, however, it's not a wage that would take care of their family.

Bottom line is, if you find a church that is carrying out the lessons of Jesus -- the positive lessons -- not a sermon about what you did on Friday and Saturday night, but a sermon that tells you about the Love of Jesus and what great things Jesus want and desires for you to have in your life -- then by all means do what you can --tithe what you can and tithe is not only money --it's your talents and your time. If you are an IT person by profession and your church is located in an area where people don't have computers in their home and people want to learn -- speak to the Pastor and the board about creating a computer lab. Get the equipment donated to the church (federal government turn over desktop computers every day). What does it take, a simple letter on church letterhead along with a copy of the churches 501(c)3. How do I know? Been there done that?

Well, that's just a small example of church work and the business of it. Oh, all Pastors don't sign checks for the church, some of them don't even have their names on the list at the bank. Often times financial matters are handled by the church board with discussion with the Pastor. Attend congregation meeting a time or two -- you'll find out how decisions are made. If you don't like the decisions, run for a board position.

Answer 3

What about the churches that give back 75% after taxes, church maintenance & upkeep, electricity, water and heat? If they only budget 5% how do they pay for the food, shelter & clothing for the poor in their neighborhoods? How do they come up with the money to help a mother escape from an abusive husband? How do they augment a family's income until the father gets another job after being laid off from work? How do they help a pregnant teen after she's put out of her home etc.? I've seen the heads of some of these churches worry and try to stretch their money just like the rest of us do. Where did you get this ridiculous figure? You're right about some churches but not most of them...... 5% sounds like what Bush and his government give to the poor after we pay our taxes.

Answer 4

Actually, the work of assisting orphans, widows, and other needy ones is assigned to all godly individuals, and not specifically to the congregation. The congregation is organized for a different purpose: to preach the Good News about Jesus Christ.

Sadly, even so-called "Christians" have learned so little in their churches that they often do not realize that the choice to go door-to-door is not made by Jehovah's Witnesses, but by the head of the Christian congregation, Christ Jesus.

The Scriptures indicate that Jesus personally instructed his disciples to go door-to-door. Although they are a relatively small religion, Jehovah's Witnesses clearly embody the most prominent global fulfillment of that Christian assignment. Frankly, you can call yourself a Christian all day long, but if you disregard the door-to-door preaching work, who are you really disregarding?

(Luke 10:1-17) After these things the Lord designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos in advance of him into every city and place to which he himself was going to come. 2 Then he began to say to them: “The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. 3 Go forth. Look! I am sending you forth as lambs in among wolves. ...16 “He that listens to you listens to me too. And he that disregards you disregards me too. Moreover, he that disregards me disregards also him that sent me forth.”

While a few people in their territories may choose to disregard the preaching work, Jehovah's Witnesses could never disregard Jesus and the Almighty in that manner, as Luke 1:16 teaches. Instead, the evidence is clear that Jehovah's Witnesses are performing Christ's work and thus they are, in fact, the only true Christians today.

As true Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses work to please God and Christ rather than man or selves. It does not even matter if anyone listens to their message, since the bible foretold that many (such as the questioner) would not "put up with the healthful teaching". The Witnesses continue to preach because they value the bible's direction even more highly than a silly window slogan!

(Acts 5:42) Every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.

(Acts 20:20) I did not hold back ...from teaching you publicly and from house to house

(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching ...and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org

Answer 5

Most churches also have less than 20% of the members tithing. Do you tithe? If more people gave what they are supposed to to the church, then the church would have more to give where they are supposed. Besides, the church isn't really the building but the people that make up the collective body of Christ. Do you give to the poor?

Answer 6

While I agree with the basic gist of this, I would like to clear up at least one misconception being expressed here:

Most pastors are NOT rich in the least... and you should not compare them to the few pastors who happen to have big television ministries and live luxurious lives.

Their salary is usually less than what they would make in a non-ministry job, and they get the basic add-ons (retirement fund, a housing allowawnce).

You simply don't go into the ministry to get rich. It's a lot of schooling and seminary for not *nearly* the payoff of a secular job (especially one in the technology sector).

Worse, your salary is based entirely on the *contributions* of other people. If people leave the church, the church budget is impacted. If people don't like what you're preaching, your salary could drop, your church could fold, you could be left jobless. So it usually also takes more integrity to be a "normal pastor" -- you constantly are aware of how much you depend upon the kindness of other people, since they pay your salary directly.

As far as spending money to help the poor, I would also not bust on all churches who spend money on facilities. The people answering this question right now in this forum could be helping the poor by donating money they normally spend on cable TV, movies, entertainment, eating out, nice kitchen remodeling, expensive houses, fast cars, and the like -- that stuff is even MORE superfluous than a facility, which at least is created with the potential to be used to benefit the community (if the church is on track and focused on God).

While churches can contribute in general to the poor, it's all using money given by individual parishioners... and that's where I think the bulk of the giving needs to come from. We individual people (not the organization) all have the responsibility on a personal level to care for the less fortunate, and we will *all* answer for our lack of compassion or focusing more on ourselves than others.

Now, to get back to where I am in agreement: I think churches can often-times fool themselves by imagining how they will build these beautiful buildings for God and for His purposes... but in the end they lose sight of the fact that God operates on an individual level and doesn't need a large building for a ministry to develop. Ministries to people in need should exist before the building is even conceived; the building should just be an additional tool in the church's current ministry.

The stuff where churches seem "full of themselves" and building beautiful monuments far beyond what seems modest, for their own use, does leave a bad taste in our mouths.

I'm still sort of wondering how we all feel about the beautiful cathedrals, works of amazing art in their architecture, built centuries ago. Obviously they weren't necessary. The money could have been spend elsewhere. The craftsmen seem to have created the buildings as part of their worship to God. Again, what money should have been used for these magnificent structures that inspire many of us, and what money should have been spent directly on the poor?

I think that's the question each one of us needs to be asking ourselves, in regards to how much of our "personal budgets" go to help those in need rather than spent on ourselves.

Answer 7

Christians are called to help the poor, and most Christians personally support various charities of their own choosing.

Church supported charities are typically those that the entire congregation agrees on.

This is usually an added "bonus" aspect of charitable giving, as churches are not required to give to charities, only we individuals are.

Answer 8

Boy are you in for it now. poor thing.

The Christian churches governing bodies are only interested in getting richer. That is why, in this modern age, you are supposed to tithe 10% of your INCOME, instead of 10% of your annual PROFIT.

And the sheep in the congregations follow happily along, never asking "Where does the money go, pastor?" Can you show me the account ledgers, pastor?"

Organized crime, that's all it is. Except that it is sanctioned by the government.

Answer 9

Where was that Jesus' main mission?
And also, where do you people get "most", when you refer to anything? This kind of unsubstantiated claim has no authority.
The most important assignment given by Christ? Mt.28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU."
As regards Christians giving to the poor? they are under no obligation to help the poor outside of other Christians.
Mt.25:’ 40 And in reply the king will say to them, ‘Truly I say to YOU, To the extent that YOU did it to one of the least of these my brothers, YOU did it to me.’
Mt. 12:48 As an answer he said to the one telling him: “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And extending his hand toward his disciples, he said: “Look! My mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

Answer 10

do you know how much money the church collects in one service? over 1 000 dollars (that's in a church with 200 people)
also money isn't everything. the church does volunteer work and make suppers for the poor. they do much more, like hold fundraisers that go to the poor.