The Crossroads church in Cincinnati, OH is an entrepreneurial church for entrepreneurs. They actually run a "shark Tank” type event where the church will invest in small businesses. Actually, investors invest in small businesses through the church, the article “What would Jesus Disrupt” explains. This church is hailed as the fasted growing church in America. It maybe a fast growing thing but it is not a church.
Church and money have always had a difficult relationship. Many people have told me that all a church wants is there money. That is a perception that is widespread, although not true for Bible believing churches. In the New Testament, churches collected money to help Christians under persecution in other cities. The money would be collected and taken by trusted men to buy food and clothing and shelter.
Today, churches meet in buildings. Whether renting or owning, buildings cost money. If people want to meet somewhere, they must pay for that location. Buildings need power and water and sewage, garbage collection, and insurance and all these cost money. Lastly if the church wants a full time minister, that will cost money. I know the pastors of three churches where the pastor is bi-vocational, and takes no salary from the church. I knew a pastor that worked that way for 25 years. When he left, the church was so used to not paying their pastor that they could not find anyone to come in for free. Churches support missionaries and denominational work with their money as well.
The way church money is supposed to work in the modern church is that people are supposed to figure out what they want to give, bring it and put it in the offering. If givers allow themselves to be tucked in their giving, they can receive a tax statement from the church. Giving to any 501(c).3 is tax deducible. People are supposed to trust the church leadership to use the money for the work of the Lord, and not enrich themselves or waste it. Churches need to be transparent in their money management and allow anyone in the church to look at their books.
Jubilee church in Sunnyvale, CA. wanted to build a center for the youth. They embarked on a buildings program many years ago. It cost more than $21 million. To raise the money, they sold stock in the church and bonds for the building. Therefore for years to come, money that is collected needs to service their debt. I know a pastor who said he became a pastor because he could make more money than being a lawyer, with much less schooling and no accountability. He preached a sermon once entitled, "Why I love money."
The article on Crossroads ends with the pastor saying that he NOW needs to seek God’s will because they have all this money. I heard the pastor of Jubilee say that they were gathering to seek God’s will AFTER they sold all the debt. Perhaps their seeking of God's will needed to come earlier.
Paul wrote 2 letters to a pastor. Those are First and Second Timothy. He tells Timothy haw to guard against and what to do with false teachers. He also tells his protege pastor that “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:9,10). Often misquoted and misused, this warning is given to pastors first.
Church and money have always had a difficult relationship. Many people have told me that all a church wants is there money. That is a perception that is widespread, although not true for Bible believing churches. In the New Testament, churches collected money to help Christians under persecution in other cities. The money would be collected and taken by trusted men to buy food and clothing and shelter.
Today, churches meet in buildings. Whether renting or owning, buildings cost money. If people want to meet somewhere, they must pay for that location. Buildings need power and water and sewage, garbage collection, and insurance and all these cost money. Lastly if the church wants a full time minister, that will cost money. I know the pastors of three churches where the pastor is bi-vocational, and takes no salary from the church. I knew a pastor that worked that way for 25 years. When he left, the church was so used to not paying their pastor that they could not find anyone to come in for free. Churches support missionaries and denominational work with their money as well. The way church money is supposed to work in the modern church is that people are supposed to figure out what they want to give, bring it and put it in the offering. If givers allow themselves to be tucked in their giving, they can receive a tax statement from the church. Giving to any 501(c).3 is tax deducible. People are supposed to trust the church leadership to use the money for the work of the Lord, and not enrich themselves or waste it. Churches need to be transparent in their money management and allow anyone in the church to look at their books.
Jubilee church in Sunnyvale, CA. wanted to build a center for the youth. They embarked on a buildings program many years ago. It cost more than $21 million. To raise the money, they sold stock in the church and bonds for the building. Therefore for years to come, money that is collected needs to service their debt. I know a pastor who said he became a pastor because he could make more money than being a lawyer, with much less schooling and no accountability. He preached a sermon once entitled, "Why I love money."
The article on Crossroads ends with the pastor saying that he NOW needs to seek God’s will because they have all this money. I heard the pastor of Jubilee say that they were gathering to seek God’s will AFTER they sold all the debt. Perhaps their seeking of God's will needed to come earlier.
Paul wrote 2 letters to a pastor. Those are First and Second Timothy. He tells Timothy haw to guard against and what to do with false teachers. He also tells his protege pastor that “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:9,10). Often misquoted and misused, this warning is given to pastors first.
Comments
Post a Comment