My pastor is a wonderful man, one of God's elect. I am grateful that he has been blessed with riches. It doesn't bother me at all to contribute and know that some of my dollars are paying for his fancy cars, big house, etc. Why does it bother other people? What's wrong with God blessing the righteous with riches?
2007-06-12 08:49:23 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
my grandmother was attending a church for years and they got a new pastor. Well, the money that was being put in the offering plate was going towards his overall wealth. Buying his wife a new fancy car with the money that was being given to help the church IS wrong, I don't care if you disagree or not. And when a group of people approached him about the matter, they were kicked out of the congregation. If you don't see anything wrong with that...oh my.
2007-06-12 08:53:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 10⤊ 1⤋
Because, according to the New Testament, a Christian's riches are to be in Heaven. A person who has much on Earth, will have little in Heaven.
You must be part of one of those "Name it and Claim It," or Word of Faith movements. Do you not think there is something wrong with pimping God to give you stuff because you believe in Jesus?
Only God knows if the riches your pastor holds are a blessing from God. And only God knows if your pastor is righteous. If you THINK your pastor deserves these things, then give them to him, but don't put God's name on the gift tag.
Bottom line - lots of people who don't believe in God are rich, too - so faith and wealth are not tied together in any way.
2007-06-12 08:56:50 · answer #2 · answered by yarn whore 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends to me on the size of your church. If it's a fairly large church with a substantial offering, It shouldn't matter if the pastors salary is good. I think it's good to bless our pastors financially. I think it's really sad when churches expect their pastors to be destitute in the name of some kind of holy poverty. Being poor for the sake of being poor doesn't make you any more holy. It's the emphasis on wealth or how much striving you do for wealth as opposed to your striving to please God. Some people have pride of Goodness, Some of holy poverty. Also I wonder how many of these people who are worried so much that their pastors might have a little something have taken a vow of poverty themselves ? The world would love to see God's people destitute. God takes joy in blessing His people throughout the Bible. If all Christians took the attitude that giving to the poor was the ONLY use for our wealth, then gave everything to the poor then we would be in poverty ourselves. I'm by nomeans saying that we shouldn't give to the poor. Have you ever heard of Larry Burkett? He teaches Christians how to gain wealth and how to be good stewards of it. All done through Biblical principles. People have taken a few scriptures, twisted them up and created a new religion of poverty. It is all very out of balance to me.As for the person who says God doesn't bless people with wealth, he's greatly mistaken and a Bible reading would clear it up right Quick. All you have to do is take a look at king Solomon. This sounds like a bunch of jealous sour grapes to me. Don't be consumed with money or put it too high of a priority, but if God blesses you financially, recognise where it came from, thank Him , share, and enjoy God's blessings. Read Ecclesiastes. My pastor works at Walmart because his church pay is so poor. I think it's shameful and I wish we could afford to bless him with riches. You keep blessing your pastor!!!
Deuteronomy 18:4 The first fruits of your grain and your new wine and your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep,you shall give him.5 For the Lord Your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of The Lord, him and his sons forever. God bless!!!
2007-06-12 09:12:25 · answer #3 · answered by BERT 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because a truly Godly man would not be concerned with things of the earth...because his treasure would be in heaven...
A truly Godly man, would give what he has to others to help them...
I do not believe it is a sin for an individual to have wealth...but, I believe it is a sin for a church to have wealth...the money that a church spends is the tithes and offerings that have been donated to God...for his work...not to build buildings to the sky etc...
Basically, if jesus were here, would he drive a Mercedes? Shouldn't a pastor of all people strive to be Christ-like? Wouldn't jesus drive the most economical car he could find, preach from a donated building...and then donate all of the extra money to those who were in need...thereby showing Christ's love and reaching more people.
How many people do you think your rich pastor will reach?
How many homeless, poor people, will really listen to a message from God, from a man who has great wealth and lives in a mansion?
The churches role as well as that of the pastor is to reach lost souls for Jesus...how can he best accomplish that...by driving a Mercedes?
I think his desire for wealth, shows that his heart is not in the right place, and he should not be guiding a church...but, a corporation...
2007-06-12 08:57:11 · answer #4 · answered by G.C. 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because you cannot serve two Gods, and nothing corrupts more than power and money.
When people give money to the Church, it is supposed to go to the Glory of God and do his work. The Mercedes in front of the Million dollar house is not doing God's work.
There is nothing wrong with making money, but getting rich off of people that are less fortunate and still giving to God, I do have a problem with.
Peace and God Bless.
2007-06-12 08:56:37 · answer #5 · answered by C 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wasn't there something about not serving two gods; i.e., God and Mammon?
It depends entirely on how the guy got rich. If he had inherited wealth, and because he could afford to, he went to the seminary and became a minister, and his family generously supported him, and made sure he did not want for creature comforts, I got no quarrel with him. But "God blessing the righteous with riches" out of all proportion to the people who donate those riches, when they figure the money is going to the missions or to the soup kitchens, or even to buy Bibles for hotel rooms, that's something else again. If he stands up and says "I'm going to spend this money on myself and my family," they are merely fools. But if he stands there and tells them he's going to spend it to do good works, and then does not, he's a fraud and a criminal.
2007-06-12 08:56:41 · answer #6 · answered by auntb93 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Its not necessarily bad to have money, but I think it is the perspective for many christians that wealth can bring about greed or too much earthly attachment to material things when a christians focus should be on immaterial spiritual goods. "Store up your goods in heaven, not on earth." God doesn't necessarily "bless" anyone with riches, "God causes it to rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Having material goods has nothing to do with being a good christian, but can cause some people to be too materialistic.
2007-06-12 08:59:49 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because the bible speaks directly against Christians gaining and retaining wealth.
"It is easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."
2007-06-12 08:55:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
It called stealing when people take things that aren't his.
You are saying that you don't mind paying for fancy cars when it could be feeding a child in your town that doesn't get enough food?
"It doesn't bother me at all to contribute and know that some of my dollars are paying for his fancy cars, big house, etc"
You don't see the wrong in this sentence??? It's ok to have money, but it's not ok to love money or steal!!
2007-06-12 08:54:45 · answer #9 · answered by Mrs. Bear 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I consider you. i imagine is very unusual that they declare to be preaching the gospel of Christ and yet they are living the very opposite of his ideas. Jesus stated that it replaced into extra ordinary for camel to in superb condition by ability of the interest of a needle than a wealthy guy transferring into Heaven. i'm no longer declaring wealthy human beings do not get into heaven, yet enable's admit it, it extra durable for them to placed their delight aside even as they are living the reliable existence and admit that they are no extra positive than the homeless guy in streets. It takes a particular factor of humility to settle for Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I also locate it kinda egocentric of those prosperity preachers to settle for presents of those who're suffering finacially. Whould you want to help out your congregation? Hasn't the Apostle Paul that stated that a bishop (pastor) shouldn't love filthy lucre (riches)? it really is basically my theory on the remember.
2016-11-23 14:47:25 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋