Confused @ church
- Thread starter Cindy12
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Easter and Christmas morning services, my church goes to a local park for their very first service. That's outside of a building. Does having service in a park take away from having it in the building? Does it make it any less different? If yes, then maybe churches should just stick with having things inside for now on. If no, then maybe it really is the people that make the church, rather than what place they go to?
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Should I feel guilty that I only carry a few dollars at all times? By doing so, should I feel guilty at throwing in 10 dollars, and then making a 400 dollar student loan payment , considering the fact I also make minimum wage? If a family should feel guilty going out to eat after, and spending more on a meal than what they tithed, then shouldn't I feel the same about my student loan payment?
By the way, doesn't that take away the meaning of giving? Doing it solely based on getting something in return? Isn't that the same as giving someone a gift simply because then she/he feels obligated to give you one in return? If you were to do something for your husband, is it because you did it out of joy and love? Or because you expect him to do something even bigger for you in return? Also, giving money to a ministry is still considered giving.
H
Folks want to hold onto money bc they love it and cloak it with many excuses.. God supplies and if you love Him, you don't hang on to it and say it's bc of this this and this...
We aren't to judge others and it's exactly what's done when we hold money back and say they don't deserve or need it..
God gave you that, can He not get you more? Or are you limited?
If so, perhaps it is bc your ways.. We all receive as we sow.. If it's little, what do you get? Little..
We aren't to judge others and it's exactly what's done when we hold money back and say they don't deserve or need it..
God gave you that, can He not get you more? Or are you limited?
If so, perhaps it is bc your ways.. We all receive as we sow.. If it's little, what do you get? Little..
No it's not wrong to feel blah about it. Not at all. It only means it is not well with your soul. Something is wrong with that preaching.
I had a similar experience. Well, not me, personally. My dad. We were new Christians. We came to church as a family. My parents were going through tough times and had marriage counselling (which was our main reason for attending church for the first time). While my parents were at such an emotional state, our old pastor tried to manipulate them into giving away our family house, to donate it to the church... They were making preparations for the name transfer when pastor didn't want it transferred to the church, but to his name, cause he said it was 'easier' to manage that way. Ugh. That's when we woke up.
I had a similar experience. Well, not me, personally. My dad. We were new Christians. We came to church as a family. My parents were going through tough times and had marriage counselling (which was our main reason for attending church for the first time). While my parents were at such an emotional state, our old pastor tried to manipulate them into giving away our family house, to donate it to the church... They were making preparations for the name transfer when pastor didn't want it transferred to the church, but to his name, cause he said it was 'easier' to manage that way. Ugh. That's when we woke up.
Do not give if you are giving out of obligation or with resentment. God loves a cheerful giver and God looks upon the heart. Don't make excuses either you give or you don't give but follow the dictates of your heart. Always remember that you are not giving to man but to God when you give. If men fail to use good stewardship of the money God will judge them accordingly.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
For the cause of Christ
Roger
No. I'm simply stating your stance in a different situation. How is a student loan payment different from a rent/mortgage payment? You told me I'm idolizing education by making a student loan payment. How is a person not idolizing a living arrangement by payment rent or a mortgage? The shoe fits on both sides here.
H
Given your attitude towards giving, you give what you feel is enough. Yet will not think twice about paying for school..
If God led you to that school, cool. But you still standing to be wrong with holding money back bc how you feel about "church" ..
It's your lack not mine. I simply answered a public question. All are free to disagree bc most will anyway. I'm not accountable for choices of others.
If God led you to that school, cool. But you still standing to be wrong with holding money back bc how you feel about "church" ..
It's your lack not mine. I simply answered a public question. All are free to disagree bc most will anyway. I'm not accountable for choices of others.
This instance of giving to the "visiting pastor" was on top of our regular weekly collection of tithe. I have always cheerfully given to my church for the purpose of tithing and for special functions, collections, etc. that we have, but it's hard to feel comfortable giving to a man who comes from some other place we know nothing about who is basically saying we all NEED to give to him money (over and over and over again) and make everyone feel horrible who will not. If you tithe with your church (we do), and you give separately to go on missions yourself with the church, donate, serve, etc .... I feel its enough. But this man made everyone feel that we should be donating $3000 more to his cause for him to teach people to be pastors in India. We are on a very budgeted income right now - but we tithe first. And we don't go out to eat after church. We come home and fix sandwiches every Sunday. As a matter of fact, we don't go out to eat at all. This particular service our own pastor gave us the announcements before the visiting pastor spoke. Our pastor asked us all to take an angel (or two) from the angel tree for our prison ministry program (we buy gifts for children who's parents are in prison) - and we always take 3 names of children and buy Christmas for them - he asked us to donate coats, hats and scarves for those without, and to sign up for other events we have planned. We do all that and more, but this guy coming in just irritated me with the drilling of giving him money. On the other end of the spectrum, our pastor was behind him 100%. He encouraged us to give to him as well.