There is a good story in the Washington Post about a new trend where churches teach their congregation how to get out of debt. The article, of course, includes, the obligatory "prosperity gospel" reference:

"Alan Wolfe, director of the Center for Religion at Boston College, said the problem for some church members is that "Christianity has always had a complicated relationship with money." 

On the one hand, Wolfe said, believers are told that the love of money is the root of all evil. Then there are those who preach a prosperity gospel, which promotes that God wants believers to have an abundant life with extraordinary financial blessings."

The article also includes this little tidbit:  

"What we are trying to get over to people is that we have to teach about stewardship the same way we teach about forgiveness," said the Rev. Kerry A. Hill, president of the Collective Banking Group, a consortium of pastors in Prince George's and the District who help area churches finance projects. "A lot of pastors agree that we have talked about tithing, and we need to talk about the other 90 percent."

My advice if you're really in financial trouble: Stop tithing.  And if you don't feel comfortable not tithing. Then stop going to church. You can't afford it. 

Permalink | Add a comment? |