What is your reaction: poor person tithes and his pastor goes on a extravagant Hawaii vacation?

Question

Here's the situation: My brother, who is on disability and struggling to make it in this world, used to go to church. He was tithing 10%. My brother got overly mad at his Pastor, and quit going to church when the Pastor and his family went to Hawaii for two weeks.

I think my brother's point of view is that he strives to tithe, and here is Pastor, taking my poor brother's 10% of his entire measely income to go on a vacation. My brother will never get to experience Hawaii, let alone any vacation of any sort.

Is this a lame excuse for my brother to stop going to church, or does he have a point here?

I know; there's too many "he's" and "him's." I tried my best to make this clear.

Thank you to my fellow Christians.

Katie, once again, my brother is on disability. He has a severe case of spinal stenosis. The medication that he is on alone would make it impossible for him to hold any decent job at home. Forget the idea of him leaving his home to work: he is in constant pain.

I pray for him everyday.

I spoke with my s-i-l about this. She brought up an excellent point. She said, "Should I get mad at my child's teacher, who's salary is provided by tax payers, when she goes on an extravegant vacation? No! I tell her to ENJOY herself!... this is a lame excuse for your brother to stop going to church..."

Answer 1

My dear friend,

Let us not judge lest we be judged. There is also scripture that says "Don't not touch the anointed of God -
“Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.’” (Ps 105:15)

Should the Pastor be doing something with the tithing that he should not be doing, that is between God and him, and God will see to that.

As for you, you keep on being obedient for obedience is better that sacrifice.

Don't look at people, look to God. Your brother leaving the church is exactly what satan wanted he is so active in planting bad seeds.

Hope this could helped.
Take care

Answer 2

Did the church require him to tithe? The answer will determine the action he should take.
Do the elders and deacons and the pastor know of your brother's situation? If not why not? If so, why would they let him give more than he can afford? Your Pastor needs a vacation at times too - but did the cost of this vacation come from the church? If so how much? All of it? Or ten percent?
He has forgotten the fact that the Lord loves a cheerful giver - if he gave for the wrong reason (keeping the Law of tithing - let's not get into this right now) - instead of the right reason (love) then he has to look at his own spirit for the answer.
Giving means giving - if they use the money wrongly he could always go to a different church. There are other places where he could tithe to. Hope this helps - he needs to ask if he was a cheerful giver or not.

2 Corinthians 9
6But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

7Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Answer 3

I don't think your brother should stop going to church because of one man's insensitivity. And going to Hawaii when others in the parish are having to do without any respite was very insensitive. However I think he should stop going to this church and look around for some other one that has a more socially responsible pastor. But on the other hand he shouldn't begrudge the guy having a holiday. Pastors need a break away from the troubles of others so they can do their job refreshed and with out being too oppressed by those troubles. And maybe he should rethink about tithing. How about just giving what he can afford until better circumstances come his way. Giving to the Lord's work should be a joy, not a struggle.

Answer 4

Maybe he should quit going to THAT church if he believes the pastor is inappropraitely using the tithes and offerings of the parishioners, but not all pastors are like that. Surely he could find some church with a pastor that he feels comfortable with.

Now, just trying to see from the pastor's point of view (and yes, Hawaii is QUITE a vacation)--how often does the pastor go on such vacations? Could it be that he and his family saved up for a long time for this vacation, as I know some people do? For instance, my one friend and her husband have been married for 10 years, but they have never gone on a real vacation; they have been putting money back for a 2 week cruise for their 10th anniversary. So did the pastor and family do this, or are extravagant vacations a commonplace?

Answer 5

Pastors make a salary from the tithes. If the Pastors salary is allowing him to go on vacations to Hawaii then I would question it. I don't think that it is a good reason to leave the church. Your brother should be able to talk to someone in the church to see where the money is used. I don't attend a church because of false doctrines and untrustworthy Pastors.

Answer 6

Does the Pastor not have a real job? How do you know he used the Church's funds to go on vacation? What about the rest of the congregation, do they think that the Pastor misappropriated funds? I think there is more to this story.
However, if the Pastor did uses the church's funds to take a personal vacation, then your brother has every right to be furious and should seek a church with more honest people. Perhaps he should also check on the legalities of this situation.

Answer 7

A pastor is paid a set salary. Tithes do go into the general fund to pay the pastor. However, you don't know if the pastor's extended family or someone in the church paid for his vacation. The pastor could have inherited this money.

You're brother is making too many assumptions. It sounds to me that your brother may be looking for an excuse not to go to church. Perhaps, the seats are not comfortable for him to sit in.

Answer 8

I would say that if the pastor was using money given in tithing, meant to manage the church, for a personal vacation you brother is completely justified in leaving that church. I would too.

However, he is wrong to assume all churches are like this. Tithing is not just about giving money, it is about giving time as well. If the church is making it all about the money, I’d find a different church. Maybe a different denomination, one that understands the needs of its people.

Answer 9

I would be upset too, but I don't think that is a reason to stop going to church period. I doubt if your brother stops contributing10% and gives 0% that it is going to put a strain on the pastor’s vacations too. But if your brother can’t pay bills, maybe he should contribute less like 4%. Tithing can also be time and talents. Time spent doing volunteer work or fund raisers; and talent such as singing in the choir.
We have a similar pastor in my town. He is a member of 4 or 5 different country clubs, drives a Mercedes, lives in a $500,000 home, and takes his family on extravagant vacations every year. (I don’t go to that church though.)

You would think that those that "preach the word of God" would live modestly. I mean Jesus told his followers to leave everything behind and follow him and spread the word. They lived off nothing, had nothing, but put their faith and trust in God and Jesus.

I don’t think your brother should give up on going to church because of this one “rotten egg” but maybe he should find a new church home.

Answer 10

I agree that it gets down to "Was that the Pastor's own money or the fund your brother tithed to?"
If it was the fund your brother tithed to he has every right to be disgusted with that church and go elsewhere for inspiration.
But I can't act shocked.
The PTL scandal was not that long ago.
Nor was the Ted Haggert fiasco.
We live in a day and age where the oldest richest Christian church has been engaging in covering for known pedophiles in it's midst.
We live in a day and age when an Oxford professor writes a book and the Atheist population increases.
But the reason, the best reason, the only reason to keep having Faith is...
Gotta go I'll finish this later!

Answer 11

First, the pastors vacation is not directly tied to donations.
Second, why cant your brother go on vacation now that he is not tithing?

Hawaii vacations are not as expensive as they once were. about the same as florida ( in off season)

Sounds like your brother needs to reavaluate his living expenses.
I was disabled for 2 years( accident) and we went places, not florida or hawaii but we did take vacations.

tithing is not meant to detriment its donor. perhaps 10% is too much. There is a difference between suffering for the church and supporting it.

When is it Christian to judge so completely?