Faith Harvest Follow Up
Posted on October 13th, 2006 by Reformed Pope into the Pastor Hank, City Boobie Church, Seasonal categoryFor those of you who are unfamiliar with Faith Harvest let me explain:
Faith Harvest begins every year (at CBC anyway) in November with a month of sermons on giving. This is followed up by December in which they speak on giving. And finally reaches its peak in January which is celebrated by a month of sermons on giving. (For those of you doing the math, that's 3 solid months or 1/4 of the years sermons dedicated to giving)
This is how it works. They tell you to give them money so that God will in turn "bless" you. While they never say exactly what that "blessing" is, week after week they have someone stand up and tell a story about when they gave to Faith Harvest they received ________ (fill in the blank with one of the following: Random Check in the Mail, Inheritance, Promotion, Pay Raise, etc). This obviously implies that if you give them money (above and beyond the tithe) God will give you money back. They won't say it, but anyone willing to think logically about the situation will clearly see it's a "give to get" program.
The best is when someone gets up and tells about how they received an "Inheritance Blessing". I can't help but think, "Oh joy, praise the Lord, someone close to me just died and I got paid. Hallalujah."
Of course it's not just a one-time gift they are looking for. No. Instead they want you to write down a pledge to give, over the course of those three months. "Stretch yourself" they tell you, "God honors faith."
They even have you bring your pledge card forward (together) so they can pray over it, asking God to bless you for your gift. Never mind what the Bible says about "letting your left hand know what the right hand is doing". It works though. Look at the beautiful campus that they have (make that multiple campuses). Two Espresso makers with in 50 feet of each other, fancy lighting, and plasma screen TV's all over the lobby. I guess its just more proof that the Bible is legit:
So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
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October 13th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
And just when you thought the focus of this blog was shifting to something else…
October 13th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
Obviously RP, you didn’t watch the Bobby Fujitsu video Know Your Bible. His lesson was on that very scripture. Maybe we should take up an offering, and bring Bobby to CBC. Sounds like Faith Harvest would keep him busy for awhile.
October 14th, 2006 at 2:30 pm
It seems to me that the sermons are becoming an oddly show businessy message about prestige, success, good living and good health financed by a substantial bank balance.
Suddenly this world and worldliness are apparently good things and those who get sucked in to this teaching are told to “claim in faith” many blessings which – apparently – the Lord is eagerly waiting to pour out on them “if you will just believe.”
Sadly there are many sincere but naïve people out there. Many of these people really do get sucked-in and really do think that this stuff is biblical!
The truth is that the church leaders can only exist and only prosper not because of the Lord’s “eternal laws of finance” (as they might claim) but because of these same decent, honest but naïve and easily-influenced people; and yet the tragic irony is that a large number of these people actually have very little money and yet they are shamelessly exploited en-masse in order to give these tithingl fraudsters an easy ride in life.
In complete contrast to the heretical claims of these churches and leaders, the Holy Bible tells us that we should not (I repeat: not) give money to the wealthy – in fact, to give money to the wealthy (according to the Holy Bible which these men profess to teach) is, biblically, described as a sure way to come to financial need oneself! Wow! How different this message is!!
‘He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich – both come to poverty.’ (Proverbs 22:16)
The Bible, in fact, always encourages giving to the poor, but never encourages giving to the rich.
If you have a little extra, then give it to those who have come to genuine need! Some people claim that the Bible “promises” many things which it does not – but here is a real promise: those who are repeatedly generous to the poor will never come to want themselves.
Yes, there is a sort of ‘law of giving’ – giving really is ‘good for you’ – just as long as you are giving where there is need, not giving to the wealthy. Jesus is the Greatest Giver of all, and we too should seek to give generously and freely where we are able – but never under compulsion.
That is my opinion, if anyone cares to hear it.
October 14th, 2006 at 8:33 pm
Why do we need to leave Multi Level Marketing just to hear the same old message that wealth and money will solve every single problem in our lives?
There’s a great Amway convention I can recommend to you if thats all you want.
October 14th, 2006 at 9:32 pm
Hey, did you guys in Portland have a pre-offering declaration-chant where you had to stand up and hold your checkbook in the air and say things about bills paid off, checks in the mail, jobs and better jobs ?? (then to ‘jobs and better jobs’ we had to add ‘in the Treasure Valley’ so no one would move out of the area and take their money with them) I always thought it originated at the Boise MFI church but I bet they ripped it off (typical) from CBC of City Church (Don’t get me started on how they constantly lifted other people’s original material without giving credit). gag. We have a friend who said “THAT’s VOODOO!” after she heard the offering chant. HA!
October 17th, 2006 at 11:06 am
Do you all go to CBC? If you do, that’s really sad; that you attend every sunday and then arrogantly spew your adolescent “opinions” about the very church you go to. It appears to me that you are defaming God’s Bride, the church. And I will warn you that, that is a slippery slope you have stepped on. But, then again, maybe you all have revelation that the aformentioned pastoral staff has.
October 17th, 2006 at 11:24 am
Simon:
Do you read this blog? If you do, that’s really sad; that you read the blog every day, and then arrogantly spew your adolescent “opinion” about the very blog you read. It appears to me that you are defaming God’s chosen, Catalyst, RP and Samaritan. And I will warn you that, that is a slippery slope you have stepped on. But then again, maybe you have a revelation that the aforementioned blogger staff has.
October 17th, 2006 at 11:39 am
The church is not the bride. Sorry dude - that’s a false teaching you’ve swallowed like bread.
Revelation 21:2-10 clearly states that the Bride is the “New Jerusalem”. In Revelation 22:16-17, the Church and the Bride are spoken of separately.
The church institution you refer to as the ‘bride’, is called a prostitute in Revelation 18.
October 17th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Simon, read the blog. Most of us WENT to CBC or another MFI church or some other legalistic church system. We ARE the church, the Body of Christ, all of us who are believers, who have put our trust in Christ. At any rate, we know of which we speak, so feel free to respectfully or constructively disagree, or don’t bother blogging here.
October 17th, 2006 at 12:58 pm
Simon,
Stop being a City Church follower. Sure, you’re moving up the leadership ladder. You get a weekly meeting with Judah and Co., but its just not going to take you anywhere. Especially when they find out you are spending “company” time on this blog.
Shame on you.
October 17th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Well, for the record, I just happened on to this blog today and did find it amusing. No shame here either from any of you (RP). I liked how stupid reader just re-wrote my comment and inserted his chosen gods (RP, catalyst, et al). For the record, it is my understanding that in Ephesians 5, when Paul is talking about Marriage, he says Jesus Christ gives himself for her. Metaphorically, speaking he is calling Jesus the bridegroom and the church the bride. Also, in the gospels Jesus calls himself the bridegroom again and refers to himself coming back for his bride. No harm, no foul. Just a caution to be careful what you write about “the Lord’s anointed” as you all have heard teaching on no doubt. Not that this comment will make a difference. But beware of drift. Heb. 2:1
October 17th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
Oh good Simon, you didn’t run away.
As I see it, the problem with the Church = Bride teaching is quite similar to the problem with “Spiritual Covering”; both leave human pastors in a place of extreme power and authority. At what point are we allowed to say “Um, pastor…what you are doing is wrong”?
And for the record, we have this blog because we love the church. We just can’t stand to see people pervert God’s house.
October 17th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
Uh, Simoron, Ephesians 5 doesn’t say the “church = bride” - it says the church is his body …
As for the whole ‘touch not mine anointed’ thing - uh - we are all aointed by virtue of Christ in us (1 Cor. 3:16). Maybe the leaders ought to take note that it’s Jesus in them tha’r saints that they been fleecing and abusing and slandering …
Gonna be some minds thoroughly blown on judgement day …
Matthew 25:31-46 - I can see it now - Jesus says to Frank: “that was me you was fleecing in my brothers” as Frank quietly soils himself …
October 18th, 2006 at 11:36 am
Simon,
There are some of us that don’t even live in Portland. Anyhoos, if you read anything else on the blog you’d notice that those who do live in Portland obviously no longer go to CBC.
Since you are so quick on the draw, hurling warnings based on your opinion, and calling our opinions ‘adolescent’, here’s one right back at ya, backed up by scripture no less: James 1:19 “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak”.
October 18th, 2006 at 11:44 am
I forgot to qualify that you don’t have to shut up, just be so kind to do a little thinking before you fire the judgmental big guns.
October 18th, 2006 at 12:02 pm
Ephesians 4:29-32 GNB
(29) Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you.
(30) And do not make God’s Holy Spirit sad; for the Spirit is God’s mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free.
(31) Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort.
(32) Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ.
(Grinning, ducking and running now …
)
October 24th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
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