I don't know why there is such a wide spread pattern of "far-sighted" outreach. I was just thinking today at church, as the lead pastor was calling people to give a "radical minimum 10%" to the church, and talking about all these expenses and what not. 3/4 million dollars a year to operate a church? 5000 a month to rent a worship center? Elaborate brochures and welcome packages, and expensive looking everything...
I don't give to churches or organizations. Too much money is wasted. I give to those who ask because THEY need it. Why let the money flow throw 10 other hands until only 15 cents of your dollar is actually helping someone who needs it? Why pay accountants and book keepers to track all this money when it could be used so much more effectively by going directly from the giver to the needy?
I also dispute the "10%" concept on a Biblical basis... I'll have to find the scriptural basis for my beliefs here soon, but I have quite a different view on tithe than the average pastor would like.
The church is the people! Not the building and fancy presentation, thereof! I think churches in third-world countries are MORE successful than in the US. If ONE of those desperate chinese house churches got ahold of 25% of a single small US churches "operating cost", I'll bet that chinese church could do so many wonderful things with it.
I don't like where big US churches are going these days...
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