selling dvds, cds, books, etc.... I know we need to give to poor churches so they can keep the lights on...etc...I heard 1 preacher had a toilet that was over a 100,000 dollars. now that is wrong. If I want to give I'll give. But I hate it when it seems like they are forceful. When the preacher makes a good point then here comes the baskets... I remember when Jesus came into temple and they had made it a market place and He was upset.. I just wonder if they are going overboard with this money thing?
2007-12-02 09:53:24 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
your right.
they should NOT ask for donations.
only tithes.
and those tithes are supposed to go the benefit of the church,or to a charity,NOT to buy a toilet.
thats money flushed down the toilet
2007-12-02 09:59:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Jesus was upset because the money changers only had imperfect - sick and diseased sacrificial animals for the people to offer to God.. at an exorbitant price.
.
people that can give a generous portion into the spreading of the gospel do not have a problem with the love of money.
.
the toilet must be for the general public to use when visiting the place of ministry... how else would the person who reported it have known that it was there?
and since it is for public use.. then all those who frequently attend probably specifically gave in order to make it available.
.
2007-12-02 18:01:27 · answer #2 · answered by opalist 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think alot of preachers are feeling frustrated. Did you know that only something like 20% of church members actually tithe 10% like God asks us to? That's just members not counting visitors. I was floored when I heard that. Those big church buildings that house us are quite expensive to keep up. I heard that it cost several hundred dollars in utilities just to pay the light bill that would cover a sunday service.
I know the frustration you feel but you also have to look at it from both sides. Most of the preachers who write books donate much of the money to missionaries. I think if your preacher is living in a ginormous house I'd be concerned.
2007-12-02 18:01:01 · answer #3 · answered by Nashgirl4 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are correct when you say "the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. Money in and of itself is not evil.
Preachers on TV ask for money because that is their business. They sell "God in a box" to those people who want just that. "God in a box" is like a vacuum cleaner or the "new and improved" dish soap. It's good for the "moral cleansing" that people want at the moment and like all "products" you'll need more as time goes on. So when you buy "God in a box" you'll get what you pay for.
They are salesmen, pure and simple, none of them are pastors or ministers, they have no flock to lead or shepherd. They are exactly what they say they are, mouthpieces, salesmen. They are rewarded with their comission. If they bring in millions to their business, they get a comission.
The problem is , no business let's the salesman be president and CEO, he will always take his cut first.
Are they Christian? Maybe.
I know a real estate agent who is very Christian. Loves his church, tithes, takes care of his family, forgives and seeks forgiveness. He is a really nice person and struggles with his faith like the rest of us. He sells a lot of houses, yet he is a pretty humble guy. The kind of person everyone likes to know.
I know a priest , always has time for parishoners, visits the sick, the imprisoned, takes care of widows and orphans. Settles petty disputes amongst parishoners. Holds mass daily, always puts people on the prayer list. He asks for money every week, he teaches the word every day. His church is small, a mission really, 50 active families. The church struggles to replace a broken hotwater heater, repave the parking lot. Not big stuff but not always in the budget and it gets done, at just the right time. His wife is the Choir director and wants new robes, the bookkeeper for the church says no , cant' afford it. I'll bet God comes up with a truly christian way for it to get done. Using the people of the parish, new acquaintances of the priest, somehow someway it'll get done.
2007-12-02 18:20:35 · answer #4 · answered by jntlmnjm 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It cost a lot of money to preach on TV and preach the gospel to millions of people all at once. If you have not noticed Christian TV does not have commercial advertising or at least most of it does not.
Like anything else, some are on TV preaching for the money, but most are not. Most are very strong men of God who are exceptional preachers and who God has blessed with a great voice to preach wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
Remember one thing, that when you are in the will of God, God is going to bless you. You can have people throwing money at you because you are annointed to be wealthy. Most of these TV preachers are great givers and they give to the widows, the orphans, the fatherless and the strangers.
Peter said, "money he had none, but what he had he would give to the crippled man and he healed him.
If God healed you in a Christian service and the preacher was known to be a healing minister of God how much is your life worth? Say you were dying with lung cancer and the doctor gave you 6 months and the annointing of the preacher brought God's healing to you, how much is your life worth?
Most people would give greatly to this preacher so he could continually preach on TV and throughout the world. What if that 100,000 dollar toilet was given to that preacher by a walking dead person that God healed?
You haven't seen anything yet. The wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just. God said this.
2007-12-02 18:15:10 · answer #5 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Woe to those televangelests! Paul said in one of his letters that basically, "If someone is preaching the word of God and the preacher is Evil, yet still preaching Gods word...oh well. The people are hearing the message and coming to Jesus, now the preacher him/her self is in for a judgement all on their own"
These people are going overboard...with the fancy things to make the Churches look beautiful and their homes look elegant instead of spending that money to spread the word of God further in this world.
It's horrible that these greedy snakes are taking the last pennies of the elderly and that people who don't buy into them and see their greed judge Christianity on their actions instead of Christs' actions.
It's my understanding that the important part is to give to God. If the person collecting for God uses your money for sin, your still in the good, but the collector has God to answer to.
2007-12-02 18:02:53 · answer #6 · answered by HC Johnson 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The ones you are speaking of are usually faled "faith preachers," but manifest a great lack in the area of finances.
This is because God will reward us "according to his own labour" in faith (1Cor. 3:8), and real ministering is work, and sacrifice, and requires being a good steward, not but these men seem to specialize in preaching a gospel of extravagance, fostering a "bless me club" Christianity, that of"supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself" (1Tim. 6:5).
Add to that all the singers and some preachers who insure income by profiting by ministering, rather than by faith serving God without charge or mass marketing, and make everyone a lawbreaker for freely sharing what they say God has given them
2007-12-02 20:42:22 · answer #7 · answered by www.peacebyjesus 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are always going to be frauds. Rest assured God will judge them and sentence them for their deceit and lies no matter whether they call themselves Christian or not.
As a responsible person I believe you should find those ministries that are real and support them. The best way to spot them is to check and see if they are forever making Christ the very center of all their ministry and seeking to draw people to see their need of Him. If Christ isn't the center of their ministry I wouldn't give them a penny.
God has given Christians this promise: "His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God." Between true Christians there is also this witness of the Spirit that is clear and unmistakeable and a barometer for knowing who to support in ministry.
Those who have given their entire lives to preach and teach the gospel to deliver others from sin and teach them to love and obey God deserve all the support we can give them.
2007-12-02 18:06:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good point. Better to give to Third World missions and Third world poor.
Some suggests:
http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/charity.html
2007-12-02 18:15:13 · answer #9 · answered by Steve Amato 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes... yes they are. Tithing is one thing... but when your preacher drives a brand new lotus elise, you can't help but feel like maybe your money's not going to God.
2007-12-02 17:59:48 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋