+1 Matthew 19:24
+1 Matthew 19:24
Oh, this is getting good. I can't wait for the next installment, especially if it references an AMEX card.
JB,
Good question. However, I don't think that God "wants" everyone to be rich. Then again, if one does the right things with their wealth, I doubt that He has a problem with them gaining wealth. After all, if the amount of money everyone possessed was a determining factor for entrance to Heaven, I doubt that many in the United States would make it. I don't remember the number exactly, but I once heard that if one's family was earning as low as $30,000 to $40,000 a year, they were among the top 1% (or so) of wage earners in the world.
As for choosing a "church" to attend and support, check out each one and find out how they are using the funds that are received in the offerings each week. The ones you have described sound to me like mega-churches, and if they aren't using their funds for the right reasons, they are duping their "attendees." Fancy phrases to try to get people to "offer" more certainly seems like a marketing scheme to increase the wealth of that church.
Personally, I prefer "churches" where the buildings aren't expensive, ornate structures. I avoid those places because I feel they are wanting folks to attend their "fancy" place and thus gain more in the way of offerings. Instead, I seek out those that truly use their funds to support a modest building and staff and do more for ministries that truly help people, both spiritually and with physical benefits such as food pantries and clothing for the needy.
God doesn't need our money. However, He does like to see a church that seeks to help people, and if they (both church and church members) are using their funds properly, He will further bless those churches and people. Did He not bless Abraham and others in the Old Testament with large herds and families? Those families were a part of His plan of eventually bringing a Savior to the Earth. Would He not do the same for present day people and families where were trying to further expand His Kingdom?
I agree. What is the definition of rich? To a minimum wage person, rich is somebody in the 50K range or better.
Rich can be a quality of life without a ton of money. If a person is secure in his surrounding's no matter how much money, they are truly rich.
Shoot, we can be rich simply by having good health. In that case, I am extremely rich.
Off-topic question: I "quoted" you earlier and now every time I want to quote someone, the first quote I did keeps showing up. I just had to edit it out of this comment because it was irrelevant. So, why is that happening?
I happen to know a couple of these mega church guys personally, and I am utterly unimpressed. I thought I knew some egomaniacal, self-absorbed, narcissistic trial lawyers, but my legal buddies are the equivalent of a campfire compared to the Sun. Really, I have never seen a more disgusting display of entitled arrogance than some of these dudes I have met.
Shining examples for Jesus to be sure.
Shining examples for Jesus to be sure.
I am a non practicing (ex) Catholic, Agnostic, do my own thing guy, so I am not affected by this, but I see it first hand because it is all around me. I see those humungous mega churchs and see all of that money and it just reminds me of snake oil salesmen and ponzi schemes. My brothers wife was a nanny for Billy Joe Daugherty and his family on a mission trip overseas, her wealthy family are huge contributers to Victorys church and school. My wifes brother and his kids attend another mega church in Tulsa and both of his kids went to their private school, one was a valedictorian and got a full ride to college- Im pretty sure her brother paid alot for those kids to go to that school in the first place, so he likely paid for her college anyways. My wifes company bought the Oral Roberts family compound of several large mega homes inter connected as a rental investment and even before they spent money to restore the properties they were still very opulent, its amazing what these big time preachers build for themselves to live in on someone elses moneys.
On the other hand, my wifes church experience is the total opposite. She attends a small Methodist church in a small town outside Tulsa. Small congregation but very social, mostly lower middle to a few upper middle class as well as quite a few retired and elderly people. The wife is a corporate officer in her career so naturally she is on the churches steering and finance committees as well as teaches Sunday school, etc. They constantly struggle to make their finances, it is for sure no big money mega church reaping large profits for a self appointed czar or ruler. It is a nice little church with many social activities that our family has enjoyed over the years.
She is there Monday for a womans group meeting and dinner; Wednesday night service and then dinner; Thursday night once a month finance meeting then they go out to dinner; almost every Saturday or so doing some kind of social stuff, and then after regular Sunday service she is either there all day or back and forth during the day and evening with her activities as well as helping with the teens and their Sunday evening social activities. She is a corporate professional who makes a large salary with a large year end performance bonus, great benefits, fat 401k, etc, the usual after 30 years on the same job climbing the ladder in the same company with big responsibilities as a company officer. I do our taxes so while I know she gives her regular money on Sundays she doesnt technically tithe from her regular salary like I believe some serious church people do or whatever youre supposed to according to the bible or like my stepfather who is Baptisit probably does (no idea what my retired banker mother gives to the Catholic church-the original mega church- but Im sure it has been significant over the years). What she does do is gift the church a fairly large certain percentage of her usually large year end performance bonus before taxes to make up for not titheing enough of her regular salary to the church at their Christmas service. Its the one financial instrument in our combined finances that I do not have anything to do with, it already is taxed at her office and is all cash in her hand- she gives to the church and then spends most of the rest on Christmas and her kids. I do not complain about it, never have, actually we dont talk about it at all. I realize that my wife and kids are in a community of friends and the activities they enjoy and friendships are worth what it is she spends and there would be no church if they did not raise money for the upkeep of the buildings, utilities, food, charity, etc.
On the other hand, my wifes church experience is the total opposite. She attends a small Methodist church in a small town outside Tulsa. Small congregation but very social, mostly lower middle to a few upper middle class as well as quite a few retired and elderly people. The wife is a corporate officer in her career so naturally she is on the churches steering and finance committees as well as teaches Sunday school, etc. They constantly struggle to make their finances, it is for sure no big money mega church reaping large profits for a self appointed czar or ruler. It is a nice little church with many social activities that our family has enjoyed over the years.
She is there Monday for a womans group meeting and dinner; Wednesday night service and then dinner; Thursday night once a month finance meeting then they go out to dinner; almost every Saturday or so doing some kind of social stuff, and then after regular Sunday service she is either there all day or back and forth during the day and evening with her activities as well as helping with the teens and their Sunday evening social activities. She is a corporate professional who makes a large salary with a large year end performance bonus, great benefits, fat 401k, etc, the usual after 30 years on the same job climbing the ladder in the same company with big responsibilities as a company officer. I do our taxes so while I know she gives her regular money on Sundays she doesnt technically tithe from her regular salary like I believe some serious church people do or whatever youre supposed to according to the bible or like my stepfather who is Baptisit probably does (no idea what my retired banker mother gives to the Catholic church-the original mega church- but Im sure it has been significant over the years). What she does do is gift the church a fairly large certain percentage of her usually large year end performance bonus before taxes to make up for not titheing enough of her regular salary to the church at their Christmas service. Its the one financial instrument in our combined finances that I do not have anything to do with, it already is taxed at her office and is all cash in her hand- she gives to the church and then spends most of the rest on Christmas and her kids. I do not complain about it, never have, actually we dont talk about it at all. I realize that my wife and kids are in a community of friends and the activities they enjoy and friendships are worth what it is she spends and there would be no church if they did not raise money for the upkeep of the buildings, utilities, food, charity, etc.
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Exactly! If we want to give to a church or charity, research the data and see where they spend your money. If it doesn't go mostly to where that say the money is for-I cease giving because I am responsible where I put my bucks, it is my responsibility to see that it is spent wisely and not to send some crackpot to Hawaii to "visit missions" When I give my hard earned money to the church, I want it to go where it does the most good, turning peoples lives around and putting them on the straight path.
I have never heard anything bad regarding Billy Joe Daughtery. I think after he died, some things got lax, or seemed to, given the way that rape case was reported in the news. However, everyone I know, who actually knew Billy Joe, says he was a committed, caring man.
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