My grandfather said it to me once, and the longer I live, the better I think that advice is. Because a church that spends its money providing recreational facilities for its parishoners (And, no I'm not talking about about a ping pong table in the Youth Lounge) is a church that isn't spending its money on helping the poor, or other purposes central to Christ's teachings.
Agree or disagree?
2007-10-30 07:05:46 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Most churches I have seen have a nice fellowship hall for meetings and dinners. So that argument strikes me as a rationalization.
2007-10-30 07:12:10 · update #1
A clarification: Churches that DO NOT have a school attached to them.
2007-10-30 07:15:16 · update #2
i thought the church was trying to take your money for a good cause? to help the poor.
2007-10-30 07:08:44 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Although I can see the logic, I disagree. We don't have a gym, but would love to have one in order to reach out to people through different means. We have a basketball ministry where our youth get together and bring friends every Monday night for a good game of b-ball and discussion of the Lord. Most of the teens and young men that attend come only for the game, but many have left with a relationship with Jesus. Because our b-ball court is outdoors, we can only do this if the weather is good, but in a gym we could do it year round. We could also do many other ministries and outreaches if we had a gym. Should there be a disaster we could provide shelter for a large number of people, we could serve meals to the homeless or the poor, we could do so many things to help others in a variety of ways. The money we give to the church is to be used to further God's purpose, in whatever form that may take.
2007-10-30 07:12:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree, to a point. If the church IS helping the poor, why not a few activities to help draw more people? I belong to a Catholic Church, and we have all kinds of events for the good of the parish. We are fortunate to have a school with a cafeteria and a gym/auditorium. If a church only provided religious services, it probably wouldn't be long before there are no attendees.
2007-10-30 07:14:10 · answer #3 · answered by computer doctor 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Heh, Funny. But my church's gymnasium is where we hold the Thanksgiving dinner for the hoimeless in the community. It is where we assemble humanitarian aid school packages and sanitary kits that we send to children in third world countries. It is where we tie quilts for families in need and make toys for children in hospitals. We need to use the space as big as a gymnasium because so many show up to participate.
Sure we play basketball too. But I am sure that You don't spend 24/7 doing service for your fellow man. One of our other beleifs is that our bodies are gifts from God, and we must take care of them by keeping them healthy and fit.
I guess I am not sure if I would attend a church that DIDN'T have a Gymnasium.
2007-10-30 07:19:58 · answer #4 · answered by alwaysa(ducky)bridesmaid 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I attended a catholic school that was attached to out church via a walk way from the rectory (priests house) and yes we had a gym in the school building. We used it for gym class during the week and on weekends it was used for various fund raising endeavors.
My husband who was methodist attended a church which had a gym in it. They used it for various fund raising endeavors.
I see no harm in it...perhaps the parish was trying to encourage healthfulness among its parishners. Each church has its own reasons for doing things and as long as it harms none, who are we to question.
I think providing recreational things for its fellowers is a wonderful thing, it encourages fellowship and friendship something we need very much in this world today.
In my coven we have meet for crafting nights(were we work on various crafts like crocheting, quilting or beadwork together), we have girls night out (we go to Books A Million, get coffee and look at books) we have movie night, and we get together to walk. It is a time for fellowship and friendship. It brings us together not only in our worship of the Goddess, but as sisters, but as friends as well.
Blessings,
Aviana
2007-10-30 07:20:26 · answer #5 · answered by aviana_snowwolfe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Disagree
2007-10-30 07:11:39 · answer #6 · answered by just a man 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Disagree. Our church has a gym, which is primarily used for fellowship functions (dinners and such) for those who attend and guests, as well as Christian basketball league. And we put a HUGE focus on helping the poor/missions/etc.
I agree that if they are spending their money on a gym INSTEAD of doing good, then yes, you shouldn't attend....but just because they have it in addition to other things doesn't mark them as "bad" automatically.
2007-10-30 07:10:18 · answer #7 · answered by lady_phoenix39 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
properly the message sent by using maximum persons could be something like: "those psychos are actually not representative of our ideals. actually you're able to understand that those persons are merely idiots, because of the fact the action they are helping is counterproductive to their own objective. all of us understand that the killing of Dr. Tiller won't placed an end to abortions, regardless of if it does make professional-lifers look unfavourable and harm our tries to describe our standpoint."
2016-11-09 20:46:19 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very good advice. Unless the gym IS the outreach (inner city kids and the like).
2007-10-30 07:15:06 · answer #9 · answered by great_wiccan_god 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well it depends, Are they using it for the children in the community, so they will have some place to go after school?
2007-10-30 07:09:39 · answer #10 · answered by pepsiolic 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋