Isn't that what Jesus taught?
Then why the mega churches? The super rich preachers? etc
2006-09-26 08:45:06 · 25 answers · asked by WhiteHat 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The reason I say they would be poor, is because they would actually be spending their income on the needy/charities/etc
2006-09-26 08:52:34 · update #1
because where do you think your "tithing" goes? to poor people like it supposed to? who fed you that line. we all know it goes to paying for church and the priest. thats why all priests drive cars a hell of a lot nicer then mine. they dont pay taxes on that kinda incom
2006-09-26 08:48:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
If one reads the Bible, it is evident that there was no such thing as a megachurch throughout the early years. Churches met in peoples homes. Thus, I think megachurches are unbiblical. Espically when you consider that if a church gets over 100 members, you hit the "100 Man Barrier". This is the point where you are too big for anyone to know everyone else on a personal level and really need to consider splitting the church into two smaller congregations.
As for super rich preachers, I can understand that you pay a person what they are worth and considering their duties. I have been on a church finance board before I know there was no amount of money that could adequetely compensate our pastor for the utter garbage he dealt with on a regular basis. We paid him a reasonable salary considering his experience, family situation (5 kids with 3 in college), and cost of living. He certainly did not get rich being a pastor, but then again you don't go into ministry in the first place with that intention. If you do, as I think many of the TV preachers do, then you are engaging in the sin of idolatry and should be confronted about it by the ruling elders.
Should all "true" churches be extremely poor? Not necessarily. Churches have needs as well; facility costs, Sunday school curriculum, etc. My current church has, over time, used its funds to pay off the mortgage on the church building, freeing up that money for use in missions. We have also gathered up a large reserve so that once we hire a new pastor, he will have the funds to answer the call God puts on his heart (missionary support, church planting, whatever). I think it is fair to say that a church should not be opulent along the lines of the Crystal Cathedral, but the flip side is bad as well; too much stress over whether or not they can make the pastor's salary (and I've been in that position before) can distract from the mission of teaching the Word.
2006-09-26 09:08:49 · answer #2 · answered by Tim 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question.
Giving is an important thing, but what good is giving without a message? If a church is too poor to function, how can they have an effective outreach? How can they effectively preach the gospel?
Most churches (that i know of) do give a large portion of their income to those in need. My church just gave someone in need a new house! Just because you're not always hearing about how much money churches give away, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
2006-09-26 09:02:41 · answer #3 · answered by disciple 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why? Churches take in donations from their members in order to do things like, buy Christmas gifts for needy children, provide food for families in need, backpacks filled with school supplies for children who don't have, pay someone's light bill who is having financial trouble, to minister to other poeple in need, and of course, to have some pittance to offer the people who work there, like the Pastor, the secretary, the guy who sweeps the floor and cleans the bathroom. Why is that wrong or hypocritical?
The ones who sound like hypocrites are those of you who take issue with the fact that God would allow a Christian to have wealth. Is it because then you can't say that the only "blessed" people in the world are those who don't believe?
2006-09-26 08:54:39 · answer #4 · answered by Rebecca 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus never taught anything about organized religion. He did leave the Holy Spirit to guide us though. Why should churches be poor? How else can they help the poor. The Catholic Church is one of the largest charitable organizations in the world, if not the largest. They take care of thousands upon thousands of poor people thanks to the donations of their membership. Some religious take a vow of poverty but not all. The rest for the most part earn a meager living.
2006-09-26 08:51:17 · answer #5 · answered by Robert L 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You pose a challenging question.
The church did not exist when Jesus lived, but came about 50 plus days later. It means "called out" ekklesia - as out of this value system into a different view of life. Thus he did not teach the church.
Jesus taught us to put God first and not let worldly goods distract us. He commended the widow who gave her all to God and admonished all to tithe as well as work for justice etc.
Mega churches exist because that is a necessary way to reach out culture. Some pastors are richer than others, but I do not know what superrich means to you. The Bible teaches the worker is worth his wage and to give the elders/pastors who are good double.
Many churches try to tithe their income. Their task, however, is to minister to those gathered around them.
2006-09-26 08:53:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus said he came to give us life and life more abundantly. I go to what might me considered a mega church for my area. Our building is paid for and we have bought land surrounding the church recently to build other things like an assisted care facility and a home for unmarried teens that are pregnant. Our pastor and deacons knew that God wanted us to do everything debt free and that is just how we did it. Any extra we have always goes out to the community through outreaches, running busses, or the needs of others.
I personally don't see anything wrong with someone having "things" because they have been blessed by God. Our church has continued to be blessed because we reach out to our community. Our building is not fancy, but it is comfortable.
Each person will answer to God for what they did with what He gave to them. For myself I don't think I would drive extra fancy vehicles or have an extra fancy house because I really love giving to others. But, God does give us very nice things and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It is a matter of the heart.
2006-09-26 09:09:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No church should be super rich, but you need to have enough funds to actually, you know, help the poor. You can't be struggling to pay your own light bill is what I mean. I do not understand super rich churches though.
2006-09-26 08:48:52 · answer #8 · answered by T 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, Jesus did not teach this. The Bible teaches that the wicked will fund the churches because God will take away their ill-gotten wealth and give it to the churches to properly distribute. If the churches were extremely poor as you suggest, then how would they accomplish the work of God? It takes money to run a church and manage programs.
2006-09-26 08:48:33 · answer #9 · answered by Preacher 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
True, Jesus said that "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
So any non-poor church is sending it's members a one-way ticket to hell. Tsk, so sad... good thing it's all a lie anyway.
2006-09-26 08:48:24 · answer #10 · answered by Another Nickname 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Where in the scriptures (Holy Bible) does it say to have poor Churches? I can't find Thou shalt have a poor Church...
I attend a "mega" church and we have "mega" funds going out to missions, ministry and programs. As in all over the world. We give...and give...and support and support. You have to have money to do this.
You can't out give God! He has blessed my Church!
2006-09-26 08:48:55 · answer #11 · answered by Salvation is a gift, Eph 2:8-9 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋