"The money grubbin' church..."

is apparently something I'm not a part of, yet there's that whole conspiracy that that's what churches are. I know I know, you don't believe me and how can you take my word? After all, aren't I biased? I am biased, but by facts, knowing numbers don't lie. Lemme show you:

Excerpt from church bulletin. You know, the one everyone gets when they walk into the door:

Operating Fund
...............................................Budgeted............Actual.............Over/-Under

2005 YTD Income...................$645,258...........$593,333..........-$49,025
2005 YTD Expenses...............$540,634...........$456,389..........-$84,244
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net Surplus/(Deficit)..............$101,625...........$136,844............$35,219


Annual Budgeted Expenses.........................................................$1,370,349
Monthly Offerings Needed to Meet Annual Budgeted Expenses..$114,196
Last Month's Offering...................................................................$109,649
Current Cash Balance (Cash in Bank)..........................................$ 94,921

Decon's Fund
Actual
2005 YTD Income...........................$15,530
2005 YTD Expenses.......................$27,758
-------------------------------------------------------
Net Surplus/-Deficit.......................-$12,228

Current Cash Balance (Cash in Bank)..$5,538


"Building From our Hearts" Campaign

Current Balance on Mortgage.................$502,137
Giving towards Mortgage 2005 YTD............$6,659


Parking Lot Reconstruction Pledges

Total Amount Received from pledges.........$54,950
Total Amount Pledged................................$67,055
----------------------------------------------------------------
Net Surplus/-Deficit...................................-$12,105

Where do these funds go? Food for the needy (called the Salt and Light Ministry), help for struggling single mothers, missions for a school in the Dominican Republic, and so on and so on...

And here's my favorite number:

Total amount of money the church has asked me to give: $0.00

Jesus' response (you know that guy we're always reading about in church) to money as recorded in Matthew 22:20 - and he asked them "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Ceasar's", they replied. Then he said to them "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

If that's the case, why do Christians give to a church that asks for no money?

Well, Jesus had a conversation with a rich ruler in Matthew 18:22 who had kept the commandments - When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

So who's behind the conspiracy?

Jesus again Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

It sounds to me, the servants of money have coalesced to 'demonize' the practice of giving to a church to friends, family, and of course threads on ATS. The practice of money-god servers include but are not limited to accusation, negativity and sensationalism of low frequency human error. Why then attack an entity that asks for nothing? Because we may feel guilt by going and not giving. Why do we feel guilt? Maybe we're aware of who we really serve.

Pray, train, study,
God bless.


[edit on 6-6-2005 by saint4God]

I think most churches aren't in it for the money. Most churches (probably all) will take your money if you donate it, but very few actually demand your money, and those that do I don't have respect for (like scientology). In most religions, you could go to church for your entire life without donating a cent. You might look a little stingy doing so, but they aren't going to show you the door if you haven't donated in the past month or two. Any respectable church has as its goal the betterment of its membership, and if people want to donate (or not) to a church, I say let them.

My church actually has homolies about how impornant it is to give to the church. When they have those homolies, I can enjoy an extra 20 minutes of sleep. I didn't come to church to listen about money.

I don't go to church. I still have a problem with organized religion stemming from my experience. I do however believe that if one goes to church, they should also support that church with their time and money. It's not about the money, it's about service to God.

Jesus talked about money. So why wouldn't you want to hear it in church? For me I give out of love for my savior, and what he has done for me. He asked me to set aside a portion of what I earn and give it to the church. When you get down to it, every cent I earn is Gods blessing, so I COULD give it all.

But I also serve by heling with the set up of the services, and as a voting member. time and talents (there is a pun there) is what i give