church hopping and membership

Don't quote Romans 14:4-10; it'll blow their minds or open them to the truth.


The churches I grew up in were constantly berating the congregation for not giving enough to support all of the church's "faith promise" spending that the pastor had gotten us into. The Church is often run like the democrat-led federal government. Money is spent & promised based upon good intentions & then the citizenry are condemned for not financially supporting the leadership's financial overreaches. Coercive tithing churches will never see such blessing because they are moved by a guilt-inducing man & not by the Holy Spirit. This is the very same debate that is raging between the authoritarian democrats in Washington D.C. & free men who would give more freely directly to the needs if government would quit demanding more & more for their "approved" programs. The majority of money goes toward the bureaucracy, just as in the church. I have family members who still attend such churches & one of the first thing they say about new members is that they "are good givers". Most are until they get tired of being compelled & finally resume church-hopping to find a New Covenant church.

The church I now attend only brings up giving on special occasions to meet the needs of particular families & in request to support/establish certain projects. If the money is given, the project is of God. If we don't have the funds, God did not provide & the program is ended; which RARELY happens. Personally, I give directly to missionaries, programs, families, outreaches where I see the need. Therefore, every single penny goes where it will do the most good. MANY or our people give in this manner & God has blessed our willful giving as we personally meet the needs of others.

BTW, we are a growing congregation of around 2,000 with NO debt & a substantial sum of money in our building fund. God has met our needs & provided for the next step in our growth. I know this doesn't fit the thinking of most pastors out there, but it is Biblical & it works. Pastors who beg, threaten(God won't bless if...), & guilt the congregation into giving a "tithe" are operating under the paradigm of the old law.

 

Would think the biblical examples given to us would be to become involved and active members of a single local church...