Giving money to church

It's not quite at the hassling stage yet, but certainly at the stage where I feel I've joined a member's club and I've come to the end of the free trial and now it's time to pay up.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The question is, who has your heart?

Hello everybody,

My first post on here, which I'd like to use to reach out to the wider Christian community for genuine advice.

I'd like to begin by setting a foundation.
My own beliefs (yours may differ) with regards to giving money to church is that if a large enough group of people come together on a regular basis such that rental or upkeep of a separate property is justified, then it is those people that should pay for it.

Therefore I don't have a problem in principle with giving to church, although everybody's financial situation is different: students, the affluent, the less well off, businesses at startup stage where cash is even more crucial, and do on.

I also believe that your relationship with God is personal, and that attendance at a church isn't even necessary to have a relationship with God.

So that sets the scene for my belief and my pragmatic approach.

The reason I'm posting this is because I am a member of a pentacostal Church in Newcastle (UK) and I feel that I am, essentially, being peer pressured to give financially to church.

It's not quite at the hassling stage yet, but certainly at the stage where I feel I've joined a member's club and I've come to the end of the free trial and now it's time to pay up.

There is in my view nothing wrong with 'passing the plate' or having the occasional reminder that the church is funded by donations, but there are talks on stage every other week, as well as various forms of giving:
The usual tithes, followed by a miracle offering which is basically an additional large collection once per year, then you've got prayer offerings which are collected for visiting speakers.

I feel that there is too much of a focus on money.

I run my own small business, which is in the startup stage.

The church also runs something called 'Kingdom Builders' which is an 'opportunity' for people who the church feels can afford to give more to go along and do just that, while being made to feel that they're a member of a special club.

Since starting my business I have been invited to Kingdom Builders, and I've also had people who are considered senior figures in the church talk to me about my own giving.
"I think you could be more generous with your money" and "so, when are YOU going to make a commitment to God and start tithing" has been said to me.

What do we think?

Thank you in advance for your advice.

Most blessings.

Hello everybody,

My first post on here, which I'd like to use to reach out to the wider Christian community for genuine advice.

I'd like to begin by setting a foundation.
My own beliefs (yours may differ) with regards to giving money to church is that if a large enough group of people come together on a regular basis such that rental or upkeep of a separate property is justified, then it is those people that should pay for it.

Therefore I don't have a problem in principle with giving to church, although everybody's financial situation is different: students, the affluent, the less well off, businesses at startup stage where cash is even more crucial, and do on.

I also believe that your relationship with God is personal, and that attendance at a church isn't even necessary to have a relationship with God.

So that sets the scene for my belief and my pragmatic approach.

The reason I'm posting this is because I am a member of a pentacostal Church in Newcastle (UK) and I feel that I am, essentially, being peer pressured to give financially to church.

It's not quite at the hassling stage yet, but certainly at the stage where I feel I've joined a member's club and I've come to the end of the free trial and now it's time to pay up.

There is in my view nothing wrong with 'passing the plate' or having the occasional reminder that the church is funded by donations, but there are talks on stage every other week, as well as various forms of giving:
The usual tithes, followed by a miracle offering which is basically an additional large collection once per year, then you've got prayer offerings which are collected for visiting speakers.

I feel that there is too much of a focus on money.

I run my own small business, which is in the startup stage.

The church also runs something called 'Kingdom Builders' which is an 'opportunity' for people who the church feels can afford to give more to go along and do just that, while being made to feel that they're a member of a special club.

Since starting my business I have been invited to Kingdom Builders, and I've also had people who are considered senior figures in the church talk to me about my own giving.
"I think you could be more generous with your money" and "so, when are YOU going to make a commitment to God and start tithing" has been said to me.

What do we think?

Thank you in advance for your advice.

Most blessings.

I also agree with you that churches can ask too much from their members, too, my friend. I am not pro or anti-tithing, as I am not settled on it, but I know God loves a cheerful, not coerced, giver.

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, I'm not really questioning giving to churches. That's a whole different debate, and my pragmatic opinion is summarised in my original post.

I'm questioning being chased for money, plus I guess implicitly also if people would feel the same as I do knowing where the money is going?

I think every local church needs to be open with their finances and where the money is going. Does your church have business meetings my friend? If so, attend one and see how open they are. Every church I have been a member of has open business meetings.

Hello everybody,

My first post on here, which I'd like to use to reach out to the wider Christian community for genuine advice.

I'd like to begin by setting a foundation.
My own beliefs (yours may differ) with regards to giving money to church is that if a large enough group of people come together on a regular basis such that rental or upkeep of a separate property is justified, then it is those people that should pay for it.

Therefore I don't have a problem in principle with giving to church, although everybody's financial situation is different: students, the affluent, the less well off, businesses at startup stage where cash is even more crucial, and do on.

I also believe that your relationship with God is personal, and that attendance at a church isn't even necessary to have a relationship with God.

So that sets the scene for my belief and my pragmatic approach.

The reason I'm posting this is because I am a member of a pentacostal Church in Newcastle (UK) and I feel that I am, essentially, being peer pressured to give financially to church.

It's not quite at the hassling stage yet, but certainly at the stage where I feel I've joined a member's club and I've come to the end of the free trial and now it's time to pay up.

There is in my view nothing wrong with 'passing the plate' or having the occasional reminder that the church is funded by donations, but there are talks on stage every other week, as well as various forms of giving:
The usual tithes, followed by a miracle offering which is basically an additional large collection once per year, then you've got prayer offerings which are collected for visiting speakers.

I feel that there is too much of a focus on money.

I run my own small business, which is in the startup stage.

The church also runs something called 'Kingdom Builders' which is an 'opportunity' for people who the church feels can afford to give more to go along and do just that, while being made to feel that they're a member of a special club.

Since starting my business I have been invited to Kingdom Builders, and I've also had people who are considered senior figures in the church talk to me about my own giving.
"I think you could be more generous with your money" and "so, when are YOU going to make a commitment to God and start tithing" has been said to me.

What do we think?

Thank you in advance for your advice.

Most blessings.

They have quarterly director's meetings, but no annual general meeting.

No financial report is published.
They do say that we have an open book policy, but does anybody actually ever look at it?

In reality nobody has any idea how much is being raised or spent, or on what.

So I don't feel any ownership (if you will) in the church or any form of shared responsibility.

It feels like a business that purports to be an open club.

As I said, I don't want this to sound negative, but I'm just reaching out in faith and asking for advice.

It's possible I'm just be tight, to be blunt.
Having said that, I've got my wits about me and when my spidey senses are tingling there is usually a very good reason.

It would seem to me that being in a Pentecostal church you should be afraid not to give. You know that you'll lose your salvation unless you give. Some churches use fear to keep their members in line. But seeing as it is a works-based gospel that they preach you could give everything you ever earn and you'll still be eighteen inches from being saved.

They have quarterly director's meetings, but no annual general meeting.

No financial report is published.
They do say that we have an open book policy, but does anybody actually ever look at it?

In reality nobody has any idea how much is being raised or spent, or on what.

So I don't feel any ownership (if you will) in the church or any form of shared responsibility.

It feels like a business that purports to be an open club.

As I said, I don't want this to sound negative, but I'm just reaching out in faith and asking for advice.

It's possible I'm just be tight, to be blunt.
Having said that, I've got my wits about me and when my spidey senses are tingling there is usually a very good reason.

It would seem to me that being in a Pentecostal church you should be afraid not to give. You know that you'll lose your salvation unless you give. Some churches use fear to keep their members in line. But seeing as it is a works-based gospel that they preach you could give everything you ever earn and you'll still be eighteen inches from being saved.

You have to get with God as to what his expectations of you is, however the tithe is an idea that predates the law. Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek, so it's a good fundamental place to attain to.

It is absolutely NOT TRUE that you'll lose your salvation if you don't give to the church..