Church's money giveaway: Alsip pastor's cash prizes fill pews

That is prety bad. Using a game of chance to attract people to your church is about as low as it gets. If they as a local church truly want to help members who have lost jobs, and they can afford to spend $1000 per week, why not just choose a different needy family to help each week. This is nothing but a marketing gimmick.

He could save lots of money by just putting up a sign that says "Free Beer" and could get just as many to attend. Nothing like a kegger on the church lawn after worship. They are about on the same level, which is akin to things like the thread on clown communion.

 

It's rather unorthodox, and I don't like the idea of it being in a church, but hey, Jesus used food to interact with sinners, so whatever floats the guy's boat. I don't think I'd be comfortable at such a church, though.

 

?? Okay now you're just being infantile.

 

I think we have a rule against crossposting. You should probably discuss that in the thread you're referring to.

 

I expect that criticism of this marketing gimmick will be met with the answer, "well, it's working."

I just hope the pastor remembers that what he uses to get 'em there will have to continue to keep 'em there. We'll see what happens when the church decides to discontinue the promotion.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head. There's a difference between getting people into church and keeping them there. Getting them in is all well and good, but what is being done to keep them there? We can only speculate. As long as his gimmick is being limited to getting people in, and isn't being used to keep them in, then, hey, whatever floats his boat. Again, not the knds of church setting I'd be interesting in, personally.

 

This is where I am differing with some other posters. The method to get them there is outrageous. People attracted to church with a worldly vice has nothing to do with the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. To condone this method to attract then shift gears and figure out a "holy" method to keep them there to me compounds the deception.

 

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;


Who cares about doctrine?! Show me the money!

 

Who needs this?





When you have this.

 

This is not new stuff, you know. I remember 40 years ago, a lot of bus ministries filled their buses with kids by putting dollar bills under some seats. That, and other goodie giveaways. In one case I read about, there was competition among the bus workers to see who could get the most kids to "pray the prayer."

 

Makes me wonder what drew the large number in the first place. Did I read right that the congregation grew from 1600 to 2500?

 

Crowd = Mega-Church ?