I just finished reading my Bible, drinking my coffee, and eating my strawberry Pop Tart. I was in a good place. Now I'm fired up. My (former) Pastor really needs to read this. He is all about the bottom line. He goes up on the pulpit with his tithe envelope sticking out of the breast pocket of his sportscoat, and right after one of the ushers prays for the offering, he makes sure everyone sees him put his envelope in the collection plate. I was having financial difficulties, mostly due to my own doing, and I was not going to be able to make my mortgage payment. I asked my pastor if there was any chance of a loan, not a gift, a loan. His reply was, "sorry, we don't do that." A member of the church handed me an envelope that night and said he was in construction too, so he knew that work is cyclical and sometimes we need a little help. This was right after he had major back surgery and could barely walk. I would like to send this article to my pastor, but he blocked me from his email and his phone after I sent him your article about whether or not my pastor knows his bible. What a shepherd. I don't remember reading in the Bible when Jesus said, "Sorry, I don't do that." I don't ever remember reading in the words in red when Jesus said "Keep that person away from me because he doesn't agree with me."
I heard about the "baby formula social experiment" when I was listening to KFLR one morning. One pastor, only one pastor, asked the young woman what she needed and asked her how he could help. God, please bless him. And the rest of you sorry pastors, well, I'm really trying to control my tongue since the Holy Spirit lives inside me. Let's suffice to say, I hope you need help someday and help IS given to you. For it is written in Proverbs 25:21-22, "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee." Not to say that all pastors are the enemy, but if you are not a follower of Jesus, you are an enemy of Jesus, and Jesus would never deny someone food. It is also written (and this is a good one for pastors because it has one of their favorite words, profit, James 2:15-16, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" See Sergio, I told you, you got me fired up this morning.
I've refused to even pursue tax-exempt status exactly for the reasons you mention. I believe many of our financial problems in the church would disappear if we gave up our corporate legal shenanigans. I have always been a simple tax-paying sole proprietor, by choice. I pay tithe on the gross income. The Lord promises to take care of us. Jesus even had a fish sent to Peter to pay the tax. Taking care of us means the taxes are covered also. Ask the Lord to be able to see these things clearly.
I just finished reading my Bible, drinking my coffee, and eating my strawberry Pop Tart. I was in a good place. Now I'm fired up. My (former) Pastor really needs to read this. He is all about the bottom line. He goes up on the pulpit with his tithe envelope sticking out of the breast pocket of his sportscoat, and right after one of the ushers prays for the offering, he makes sure everyone sees him put his envelope in the collection plate. I was having financial difficulties, mostly due to my own doing, and I was not going to be able to make my mortgage payment. I asked my pastor if there was any chance of a loan, not a gift, a loan. His reply was, "sorry, we don't do that." A member of the church handed me an envelope that night and said he was in construction too, so he knew that work is cyclical and sometimes we need a little help. This was right after he had major back surgery and could barely walk. I would like to send this article to my pastor, but he blocked me from his email and his phone after I sent him your article about whether or not my pastor knows his bible. What a shepherd. I don't remember reading in the Bible when Jesus said, "Sorry, I don't do that." I don't ever remember reading in the words in red when Jesus said "Keep that person away from me because he doesn't agree with me."
All to common brother, check out the baby formula social experiment that has recently taken over social media. Truth is churning quickly.
I heard about the "baby formula social experiment" when I was listening to KFLR one morning. One pastor, only one pastor, asked the young woman what she needed and asked her how he could help. God, please bless him. And the rest of you sorry pastors, well, I'm really trying to control my tongue since the Holy Spirit lives inside me. Let's suffice to say, I hope you need help someday and help IS given to you. For it is written in Proverbs 25:21-22, "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee." Not to say that all pastors are the enemy, but if you are not a follower of Jesus, you are an enemy of Jesus, and Jesus would never deny someone food. It is also written (and this is a good one for pastors because it has one of their favorite words, profit, James 2:15-16, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" See Sergio, I told you, you got me fired up this morning.
I've refused to even pursue tax-exempt status exactly for the reasons you mention. I believe many of our financial problems in the church would disappear if we gave up our corporate legal shenanigans. I have always been a simple tax-paying sole proprietor, by choice. I pay tithe on the gross income. The Lord promises to take care of us. Jesus even had a fish sent to Peter to pay the tax. Taking care of us means the taxes are covered also. Ask the Lord to be able to see these things clearly.