Prosperity with a Purpose
Posted on October 1st, 2008 by catalyst into the Prosperity Doctrine categoryThe City Church is hosting their annual, "Give Us Money and God Will Make You Rich" Conference at the end of October.
Below is the letter Pastor Wendell Smith writes to the congregation challenging them to attend the conference. It's so great, I'm not changing a word. You can't parody, parody:
I was personally challenged recently by one of our key business men, when he said to me, "Let's not let the present economy dictate what kind of church we are, Pastor. Let's encourage our people to keep giving and sowing." It was like cold water in my face when I was dizzy and stunned! I needed that. I actually got riled up at the devil for doing what he is doing right now in American culture and around the world. Beyond other things, and his typical destructive nature, he is trying to hinder the propagation of the Gospel! I say "No"! How about you? This may be one of the most challenging financial times we have faced in a long time, and for some young people, the first financial blip on their radar screen since they were born! But this is not the end, it is just a new chapter in the testing of our faith, to see what Jehovah Jireh can do for His people even now! If we ever needed this conference, it is now. Pastors, Church leaders, Business people- be here. Make whatever changes are necessary in your schedule and on your calendar- and be here for this Conference. The Bishop who purchased the former home of the LA Lakers will be here. A Pastor who has been a financial Coach to thousands will be here for two dynamic sessions to help us get through this time. Our Marketplace Team will be here to encourage you and pray for you and your team personally. And I will be here- and I am stirred up and loaded with the Word of the Lord for the Church in the midst of a financial test. C'mon. You be here too! This will be life changing and church saving. The Gospel depends on our obedience and faith. Pastor Wendell Smith Someone's getting nervous…
A Letter from Pastor Wendell Smith
The City Church
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October 1st, 2008 at 7:55 am
This may be one of the truest statements Wendell Smith has made in a long time.
They need this conference right now.
October 1st, 2008 at 8:06 am
My favorite part is this quote:
How dare the devil require people to live within their means, and not buy homes they can’t afford. Homes, like in say in nice parts of Washington DC.
Frank and Wendell actually run their churches like a business, and now they are about to witness the drawbacks to running a business. Businesses FAIL. A lot!
October 1st, 2008 at 10:13 am
OMG! The Gospel depends on what? Our obedience? What a complete and total ^$$ this guy is. The Gospel don’t depend on nothing but Jesus, who was completely obedient and faithful to His death IN OUR PLACE. Stop manipulating people into giving you money Wendell and grow some for goodness sake.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:21 am
His punctuation and grammar are HORRID, let alone his train of thought.
October 1st, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Having just worked for a 65 million dollar business that went under. I want to say towards the end we got a lot of emails and letters that looked an awful lot like that one. And from what I read the employees of Lehman Brothers said that Dick Fold was sending out crazy emails before Lehman went under. Doesn’t look good for City Church.
October 1st, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Where did you see that? I’d love to read some of those emails.
And yeah, this letter totally sounds like a scared CEO trying to convince his employees that everything is fine.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Who’s The Bishop and why do we care that he bought the former home of the LA Lakers?
October 1st, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I didn’t know that the Lakers lived together in a home, sweet, new testament community living.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Biship Ulmer of Faithful Central. They bought the old Forum in Inglewood, CA. where the showtime Lakers of the 1980s played. I have gone to a couple of services…you talk about ridiculous. It was like I was in an American Idol concert. Cameras everywhere, lots of spiritual hype, and non-stop showmanship. Plus the preacher said nothing of value.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:17 pm
“It was like I was in an American Idol concert. Cameras everywhere, lots of spiritual hype, and non-stop showmanship. Plus the preacher said nothing of value.”
And your problem is? That is just the mark of God’s blessing Reformer.
Besides, if you don’t like it don’t read it.
sorry couldn’t help it.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Reformed Pope said:
October 1st, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Who’s The Bishop and why do we care that he bought the former home of the LA Lakers?
It’s what you call name dropping that’s all. He’s letting everyone know that is a part of his church that they are rubbing shoulders with royalty. How lucky they are to be a part of something like that. And since your so lucky keep the tithes rolling in or you will lose your social status. he he
October 1st, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Wendell has ALWAYS been about name dropping.
As Reformed asked. WHO IS THE BISHOP… blatently shows the ignorance of name dropping.. It is only in your tight sphere of life that the names have any meaning…. To the rest of us it looks pretty stupid.
To quote Forrest Gump.. “Stupid is as stupid does.”
October 1st, 2008 at 7:13 pm
What the hell is the “Marketplace Team”? $20 says they use words like “leverage” and “synergy” to describe the gospel.
October 1st, 2008 at 9:28 pm
The City Church has a ministry group called “Marketplace Ministry”, basically involving all business people, large and small. They have core group (I guess the team) of people who makes millions in their business, and contributing to TCC in a big way. Several years ago, it was their goal to give a million dollors in one offering, and several people have accomplished it! They usually speak during the PWP conferences giving their testimonies…
October 1st, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Lehman Brothers’ Richard Fuld
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:35 am
Well that explains it. If Wendell is relying on million dollar tithe’s to support his ministry, I suspect he’s beginning to see a drastic reduction in giving.
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:37 am
Um again…I went once, hated it and never went back. I think I followed my own message.
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:10 am
Let me add a fact without commentary: the Rev. Ulmer is a supporter of the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States.
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?zip=90005&last=Ulmer&first=Kenneth
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:45 am
Who the hell cares?
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:09 am
Uh, I care. That’s at least one more vote for the Messiah.
GOBAMA
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Ha, ha…good one. But he lives in California, so his vote doesn’t really matter. Obama had CA wrapped up back in 2000.
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:48 pm
It’s called Obamastan now.
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:08 pm
And yet all three California Republicans still find it necessary to campaign for McCain. I see his signs everywhere.
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:36 am
Yeah I’ve seen them around too…and I do respect them for trying. Not always easy to be against the flow in this state, espeically So Cal.
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:34 am
referring to obama as messiah is rather sacrilegious i think. Jesus Christ is the ONLY Messiah.
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:37 pm
This is really sad. Talk about bashing. Aren’t we supposed to love one another? These are the kind of comments that keep people from getting saved. Our churches and all christians (whether we believe the same as they do or not) should be binding together to touch the world for christ not tearing each other apart. I truly think this whole blog is sad. I think Frank Damazio has shown many people to the lord and isn’t that what it is all about?
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:26 pm
No. Getting people to say the sinners prayer and getting people to go to church is what Frank has done…
To quote the good book: They went out from us but they were not of us…
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
DraDra said: I think Frank Damazio has shown many people to the lord and isn’t that what it is all about?
He has shown many people here something besides the Lord.That is what this blog is all about. That is what is sad.
DraDra said: Our churches and all christians (whether we believe the same as they do or not) should be binding together to touch the world for christ not tearing each other apart.
People were torn apart going to Frank Damazio’s church that is why they are here. Most are trying to get healed up from all of the bashing they received attending his or another MFI church.
If Frank Damazio is who you say he is this blog would not exist. He would be seeking out those who he has wounded or has unresolved issues with and be binding himself to them in love until things were right between them. That is what being bound together is. That is what loving one other is.
October 4th, 2008 at 6:56 am
Don’t give Frank ALL the credit… Many of us were wounded and rejected long before yankie frankie rose to the helm.
October 4th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Loyalty vs. Truth said: Most are trying to get healed up from all of the bashing they received attending his or another MFI church.
Yeah, I know. That is why I put the above in there.
There are two kinds of people that come out of these places. The ones like us that were wounded and rejected and the ones like Frank that rose to the top on their inflated ego balloons filled with air from the ones they sucked the life out of.
October 4th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Well I personally believe we only get hurt because we look at man instead of God. The proof is that this blog even exsists. It seems quite a few of you spend alot of time on this blog. Truth be told the most talked about subject in the bible is money, so are you going to bash it to? I don’t live near CBC so I don’t attend but I do know human nature pretty well and I would hazard to guess a good portion of you are just mad because you don’t want to tithe. Tithing is a form of worship, and although I don’t appreciate speaking of it all the time, it is very important to make sure that people know that your life will be blessed (maybe not monetarily) by giving God the first fruits of your income. I know I can’t change your anger about how you think you have been treated but I ask that you all would pray and ask the Lord to show you your motivation for your anger. Remember the bible says if you can’t forgive, He can’t forgive you. What a scary thought
October 4th, 2008 at 11:23 am
dradra says..
That is such an off the wall statement. I have no problem attending a church to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and NOT tithing.
What is maddening is hearing money, money, money, over and over again. Or self-adulation of the senior pastor or others on staff who have exaulted themselves. Or of the clicks among the haves or those thinking they are the haves. Or spiritual abuse by leadership. and on and on……..
October 4th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
It’s cool, DraDra, it sounds like ignorance is truly bliss in your case. I just happen to know too damn much to ever be happy in a church that preaches a false gospel.
October 4th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Well I have to say this will be my last post, (I know that won’t sadden many) but during my prayer and devotional time today I asked the Lord to reveal to me some truth in what was bothering me so much about this blog, because frankly I don’t know Frank Damazio personally (although I have personally spoken with him) and I don’t have much of an oppinion about him. I have never appreciated prosperity preachers but also have not heard him speak that way. Basicallly, I heard the Lord tell me that He has told me to “keep my eyes on Him” and I can’t do that by FOCUSING on someone else. I do thank you for this blog now, as I have learned a very fruitful lesson, “do not be pulled into any convesation that does not glorify God because it will take your eyes off God and give the Glory to whatever else you are focusing on (in this case Frank Damazio, CBC, MFI). Good or bad its glory to Frank Damazio. You are just confirming any self-exaultation he may be perpetrating. Thank you again for this very EYE opening experince Psalms 121:1-2 (P.S. I will be pray for the situation @ cbc. I do know a lot of saved people go to that church and I will pray God speak to the leadership to make right any wrongs in their own hearts)
October 4th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
P.S.S. I never said that I was or would be happy in a church that preaches false gospel. I never said anyone should go to a church that preaches false gospel. I really don’t know what your point is. I never told anyone they should be attending CBC. When I did lived in the area I didn’t, but I know many who do and I am quite sure they are saved. That is my only point.
October 4th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Living life said “That is such an off the wall statement. I have no problem attending a church to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and NOT tithing.”
Great, legalism or not you are sucking resources from your church. Even if you give back in other ways you are not apart of the solution to support your church so they can do what they need to do to get more people saved.
I do not tithe out of legalism, I do not tithe because I will be blessed financially blessed by God if I do. I tithe because I love the people in my church, I really love the vision they have for orphans and the work they are doing.
I am not defending MFI’s tithing doctrine do not draw me there. I have issue with your statement that its just ok to go to a church and be a draw on resources when you are not a baby in your salvation.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
former NBCC just said we need to PAY to go to church. Schpit.. why not just charge a club membership fee and skip the tithe
October 5th, 2008 at 7:23 am
That’s a total contradiction. If you tithe, you’re doing it out if legalism.
Give to your church if you want to support it, whether that be 10% or 20%.
But a mandatory 10% giving is legalistic.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:55 am
I love the way “Christians” use God to do their insulting for them and they always try to hide it under a scripture or word from God…but in the end its the same old condesending BS.
What God was really telling you DraDra, was to not respond at all…I believe its called “turning the other cheek”, but that’s cool…you had to get your one last slam in there.
Also, You “heard the Lord tell [you] that he has told [you]….” How many times does it take?
I wanted to address your previous comment, but now that you are pretending to “quit the blog” I may be to late:
I would hazard to guess that you don’t understand because you don’t ever STUDY your bible…and instead think that you can trust your greedy pastors to tell you the truth? Oh…how do I know your pastors are greedy??? Your comment:
Pastors love to use this manipulating line…but what they fail to tell you is that the majority of those scriptures that talk about money are WARNINGS AGAINST THE DANGER OF IT. You would know that if you would study the B.I.B.L.E. on your own.
Rembemer…GOD HAS TOLD ME THAT HE HAS TOLD YOU (and told you) NOT TO RESPOND.
I win.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:42 am
What I always wanted to know was who appoints these people as “Bishops?” Is it a matter of age, money, spiritual anointing? I seriously doubt that there are non-arbitrary criteria for such an appointment.
So I am just going to to appoint myself as a bishop… Bishop C.T.P. Congratulations to myself!
To celebrate I will be hosting a completely imaginary prosperity conference, and you are all invited to join me talk about absolutely nothing but BS… oh bring cash for lots of offerings! Make checks payable to Bishop C.T.P. Ministries
October 5th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I have asked the same question myself C.T.P. Is a Bishop the same as a Pastor? Or Reverend?? Or Preacher? Or Father? How about Minister?
My nineteen year old niece got ordained over the internet. I’ll have to call her to see how I should be addressing her. Maybe I’ve been making a fool out of myself all this time thinking she was a Pastor when all along she was a Bishop!
I would love to contribute to your new ministry but as you can see I have people of the cloth right in my own family. I think her brother got ordained over the internet too. OMG we’ve got the makings for a church right in our own family! How could I have been so blind! I’m going to work tomorrow and giving my two weeks notice.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Where’s your faith L vs. T? You need to give out of your lack! The more you give the greater the harvest!
(:
October 6th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Catalyst:
You must be legalistic to do anything right? So everyone who has had their child Circumcised is being legalistic? Everyone who doesn’t murder people is just being legalistic?
Catalyst: You have really failed to find the “heart” in the law. We follow the commandments because at the heart of them is to love God and Love people. I tithe because I love my church and what they are doing. Its not a “law” I must follow or all hell will break loose on me. Christ took the curse from all sins and all the law. I do not live under any curses. Tithing will not remove any curse only Christ can do that.
But Christ did not remove the blessings that come with following these things either.
That being said if I miss a tithe for a paycheck because I just can not get it done .. I do not go back and make sure every dollar is accounted for that is legalistic. I do take it to the cross and work on making sure my next payday is covered. Because our church is really doing things I support. They are really making a difference with the foster care system in my state. The pastors are not living on a 6 figure income and then doing “ministry” with the rest of it. They are modest and needed in full time ministry for the church.
If I expect our church to have full time employees and do full time ministry I need to do my part to pay for it. That is the heart of the tithe. They need to live and provide for themselves as the Levi was set apart.
There is a balance and I really see here that some of you do not have that balance.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Cause you’re out there talking to all the un-saved people about what Christians say about each other, right?
Comon dude, your Christian guilt language won’t work here. We are people that have already been down that road, Pastor Frank himself tried to use some of that religious speak on me 12 years ago. It worked then, but it has no effect now. Most of us have our own personal relationship with Jesus, not with a pastor, so we don’t care about calling them out for their false preaching. Remember Nathan called out and rebuked King David (2 Samuel 12:1-13), only David responded with a broken and contrite heart?
October 6th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Ha, ha…obviously this dude has never read the blog before!
Again, enough with the guilt speech, it don’t work here. BTW, I find your post very hypocritical. By calling us out, for calling others out, aren’t you just as bad as those you condemn? There are many people on here who have forgiven Frank or Wendell for the way they were treated by them. But that doesn’t mean those people should be silent. It’s good to continue to expose their falsity, so other people don’t go down the same road of stupidity that we did.
Remember one thing…CHRIST DIED FOR ALL. His grace is sufficient for anyone who wants it. Not by works of forgiveness!
October 6th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Reformed Pope said “Remember Nathan called out and rebuked King David (2 Samuel 12:1-13), only David responded with a broken and contrite heart? ”
Also Paul called out Peter (Who was head of the church) for not eating with the gentiles in public. Gal. 2:11-14
At City church and other places I have heard “its not the congregations place to rebuke the pastor” (paraphrase). This is false doctrine, we are all held to accountability to each other.
October 7th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
To quote one of my favorite movies: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
“Tithe” is a word to describe a portion of the Mosaic Law that required a “tax” for the benefit of the Levites and Priests who had no other income.
You keep saying “tithe” but you freely admit we are no longer under the Law. So what you are really doing is giving freely on a regular basis to a local church. We here at the blog endorse your actions whole-heartedly. In fact, it’s common practice for churches to ask their members for regular donations because, as you said, it costs money to have “church” as we know it. There’s nothing wrong with that.
However, if you insist on calling it a “tithe” you are either misusing the word, or you advocate that there is an obligation upon every Believer to give 10% to their local church/pastor in accordance with the Mosaic Law.
And I think it’s fair to say we are not playing semantic games here, because many advocates of the tithe also preach the Mosaic blessings & cursings associated with the tithe. They wrongly put people under the weight of the very thing that Christ has set them free from.
I understand your argument that doing good can bring God’s blessing. But that can be applied to anything, regardless of the label you put on it. But the only thing that God requires of us is belief in Jesus Christ. The rest is part of the journey. So let’s not confuse doing good with the promotion of legalism by using terms that no longer apply. It helps no one.
October 7th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
“Tithe” is a word to describe a portion of the Mosaic Law that required a “tax” for the benefit of the Levites and Priests who had no other income.
You are wrong. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek so that was quite some time before the Mosaic law. The term doesn’t only apply to Mosaic law it was before and after.
Let me expand: The Mosaic law says “Thou shall not Murder”. But actually this convent for this “law” goes back to Noah in Gen 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. ”
Sure its in the Mosaic law but this law pre-dates the Mosaic Law. That being said, Is it now OK, to Murder? Has the law been fulfilled and so now we can go and murder our brothers and sisters?
You fail to find the love in the law.
Belteshazzar said:
“However, if you insist on calling it a “tithe” you are either misusing the word, or you advocate that there is an obligation upon every Believer to give 10% to their local church/pastor in accordance with the Mosaic Law.”
No I am not misusing the word. The word means 10% not 1% not 20% or what I have heard at City Church tithing 80% and living on 20%. You can not “Tithe” 80% because tithe means 10.
Because I believe it is right to support your church with 10% of my income I am legalistic???? That is BS! 1st I have already established that its not Mosaic Law but predated the Mosaic law as did a law about murdering people.
But what about the New Testament … some might say all that is Old Testament (All though only the Mosaic Law was fulfilled and all the other convenants in the Old Covenant {Testament} are still working covenants and not “fulfilled” like Noah’s and it has not been closed God still will not flood the world and if Man murders he shall be killed) But what Does the NT say?
1 Corinthians 9 Re-Read this chapter. I am not going to cut and paste it but here is the nutshell “14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. ”
Although Paul did not use this right. Never the less he gives the principle that those who feed us spiritually should be fed physically. (Paul made tents for money)
All that said is it legalistic to tithe? Depends. You can be legalistic about the sabbath. Like the Sabbath some churches DEMAND you go to church every Sabbath (however they define it). If you do not go to church you are living in SIN. Or church can be a place of love and friendship. That if you miss church on a Sunday because you are camping or had to work the night before till morning, nobody will worry about you. Nobody will think your not loving God enough.
It is like this with the Tithe. Yes its good to go to church and be apart of a community. It is good to do these things on the Sabbath (however you define it). It is not a sin to miss it but you might want to get back to it the next week. Legalism is in your heart.
I do tithe and I am not legalistic. There is balance. I do not value my relationship with God on my tithe. My church doesn’t value my relationship with the church on my tithe.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
former NBCC Member said: I do tithe and I am not legalistic. There is balance. I do not value my relationship with God on my tithe. My church doesn’t value my relationship with the church on my tithe.
So what would you do if your church did value your relationship with the church on your tithe?
October 8th, 2008 at 4:51 am
Many Biblical scholars do not agree with this opinion. Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek was a one-time gift of the spoils of war, and not of Abraham’s income. He never tithed at any other time. Additionally, he kept none of the spoils of war - he gave away 100%. As the patriarch of his family and people under his rule Abraham acted as the priest before God on the behalf of those he supported. He would have had to tithe to himself. Melchizedek was also most likely a pagan king, something which advocates of the tithe love to ignore. Read more here: http://www.tithing-russkelly.com/id12.html
You can’t compare tithing to murder. One is a sin, and the other is a proscribed mandate for managing “public” funds. Romans 3 points out that the purpose of the Law isn’t to make us righteous or “blessed” but to point out sin. Sin already existed, but we didn’t know it until we were given the Law. Not tithing is not a sin if you are never commanded to tithe. If we are not under the mandate of tithing to Levitical priests, then not tithing is not a sin. You can’t make a case for avoiding sin when there is no sin to be avoided. Doing good deeds brings its own rewards, but not doing good deeds doesn’t necessarily imply you are sinning - you could be doing nothing. Giving to your church is a good deed, nothing more.
I think you are missing the point. You have every right to give whatever you want to your church and I encourage that. I never said that was legalistic. What am I saying is that teaching people to give 10% of their income out of obligation and slapping the word “tithe” on it IS DEFINITELY BEING LEGALISTIC. See the difference? You can call your gift whatever you want as long as you don’t associate it with a mandated tax as described by Mosaic Law.
1 Cor. 9 is an argument in defense of Paul’s ministry. There were no records up to this point of any paid clergy within the Church, and Paul is actually making a case for NOT getting paid even though he might seem to have a right to it. Even if you use this passage as justification for paid clergy, there is no connection here to the word “tithe” or any indication as to how or when or how much people should pay them. How can you then say this is justification for the tithe? http://www.tithing-russkelly.com/id13.html
Good for you. I think you have a good perspective on giving. Now stop using the word “tithe” and we’ll see eye to eye completely.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Loyalty vs. Truth said:
“So what would you do if your church did value your relationship with the church on your tithe? ”
Leave!
Belteshazzar said:
“You can’t compare tithing to murder. One is a sin, and the other is a proscribed mandate for managing “public” funds.”
Fair enough, The better analogy was the legalism of the Sabbath.
“What am I saying is that teaching people to give 10% of their income out of obligation and slapping the word “tithe” on it IS DEFINITELY BEING LEGALISTIC.”
I disgree, teaching that to give 10% for the welfare of the church is not being legalistic. If you teach it as mandatory or that it comes with curses to not do this is being Legalistic. We teach a lot of things in church that are good things to do. James says taking care of the Widows and Orphans are good things to do many churches do this out of obligation its not a commandment and not legalism.
“Good for you. I think you have a good perspective on giving. Now stop using the word “tithe” and we’ll see eye to eye completely. ”
No I will not stop calling it tithe. It is important albeit not a sin nor does it come with a consequence. There are blessings that come with tithing and Christ did not come to remove the blessings he came to remove the curses. It is an obligation to support your local church although your relationship with your church should not be based on your tithe.
Balance is the key. I have not always had this balance I have gone from both legalism to no tithe. I have come through reading and praying that this doctrine, of non legalistic tithe is the balance.
Hey, I might be wrong … so might you. But I think its important to know where we get our perspectives. If you went to CBC or TCC you might have been really hurt or beat down because of bad doctrine .. Take that to the cross and try to perfect your doctrines with out the sour taste from your past.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Well, forgive me for defining words again, but if you are obligated to do something, it means it isn’t optional. Either you are telling people they are free not to tithe, or you are telling people they must tithe. There is a difference between a)asking people to give regularly because bills must be paid and b) requiring people to give regularly because you, the pastor, or the Bible said so. You can’t have it both ways. There’s no “balance” in defining tithing. Either you are free or you aren’t.
Again, I want to say that I don’t have a problem with people setting aside part of their income to give regularly. As long as they do it freely and without obligation. “God loves a cheerful giver.”
We’re not ever going to agree that it’s OK to use the word “tithe” interchangeably with “giving freely”. While you might understand the distinction, there are plenty of confused and deceived Christians out there who don’t. So rather than have a word become a stumbling block to others, isn’t it better just to remove the word from our vocabulary? Why use a word that has no modern context except as a reference to an Old Testament practice that no longer applies to New Testament Christians? At best, you’re just creating another church-word to define a lifestyle of giving regularly. At worst, you are inadvertently promoting a defunct doctrine that is doing considerable harm to the Church.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:20 am
At best, you’re just creating another church-word to define a lifestyle of giving regularly. At worst, you are inadvertently promoting a defunct doctrine that is doing considerable harm to the Church.
Fair enough. I will continue to use the word. I am sensitive to the defunct doctrine though example #1 = Mormons on the tithe.