Church goals

You say that the pastor has a vision for a debt-free church. But is that the church's vision? Was anything done to cultivate a sense of ownership for this objective? Did the leadership discuss it and think of ways to achieve it? If it is the idea of the pastor only then of course he is paddling mighty hard to sail upstream.

 

I wouldn't expect you to understand MP. Anyway, thanks for the insult.

 

I really do believe that George Muller's autiobiography should be required reading for every seminarian.

Debt isn't a bad thing. In fact when kept in proper margins it can be a great boost for continued, vibrant ministry. That said when abused and taken out of margin it will crush a ministry's ability to grow and be sustained.

When we, I'm speaking of pastors, leverage too heavily on giving and neglect the rest of the proper teaching of Christianity we damage our people.

 

What would be even better is if they were required to live like George Mueller did for awhile and what Jesus told His disciples to do when He sent them out. I think we would see a lot more praying and a lot more giving.

I take a different position on it in that I believe there is enough money available among God's people if they are willing to give and sacrifice. I was in a church that never borrowed money and there were times when it was the talk of the town because some of the buildings took so long to build. Many in the church sacrificed their time and money to build the buildings. Many contractors participated in building and donating their time. Quite a number of families came to do what they could. I know some businessmen who sold properties they owned so they could give money.

A few years ago a pastor friend of mine told me that he suspected that had cancer but the doctors were unable to find anything wrong at the time. Awhile later they did detect cancer. That man had given his life to the church people and so many countless others in the city. Shortly before he died the people in the town (not just those from the church) built he and his wife a new brick home. They bought a nice lot and built the home with no cost to him. By the time he died his wife was set for life financially by the town's people.

I believe that God is bigger than we ever give him credit for.

 

It is impossible for anyone to live like someone else. We know that God has given each a measure of faith. Are you saying that God does not require the righteous to live by faith?

 

If you also read Muelller's biogrphy you'll know that he worked with others very closely who did not follow his views of not asking for finances. Just because a great believer like Mueller or Hudson Taylor live that way doesn't mean that others have to OR that they have any less faith.

 

Do you not read your Bible first before making comments.