I'm not sure what it is about the month of October, but this is the month that so many pastors "break bad" - they may be wonderful preachers preaching helpful sermons and preaching from the bible honestly and truthfully all year. Like the transformation of "Breaking Bad's" Walter White from mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher into the infamous "Heisenberg", in October some pastors will turn: they now will tell you grand stories about Malachi 3, about your obligation to "tithe", even scare you and your loved ones to get you to give more money than you can afford to your church.
All from a man who is supposed to help you and give you solid spiritual advice - and should know better - and perhaps DOES know better, but still does it. These pastors may be truthful all year - but come October they feel the need to lie to their congregations about their duty to fork over 10% of one's income - the first 10% - to the church. They won't tell you that the OT tithe was 23 1/3%. They will tell you Jesus endorsed the tithe. They will even tell you that Hebrews says Jesus personally receives your tithe. Usually they will roll out Malachi Chapter 3, and somehow connect an Old Testament practice for the nation of Israel to modern day financial support of 501(c)3 religious organizations.
October 2010 was when I first noticed this October phenomenon - that was the month when some of the absolutely most ridiculous teachings about giving 10% to the church were rolled out:
- America is going to be judged by God for all the lousy non-tithing Americans.
- People who don't tithe are "wasting their time" coming to church.
- God will "poof", blow your money away in the wind if you don't tithe, e.g. "God collects on what he is owed". Like a loan shark.
And this October is no different.
I've got more clips this month from Robert Morris, Craig Groeshell, and Steve Gaines yet to come. And we are only half way through October.
So peeps, if your pastor tries to lay a guilt trip on you this month - if he tries to make you feel less of a Christian for not being "faithful" enough to tithe - if he tries to scare you into thinking you're at financial risk from God and the "devourer" for your poor giving: just remember, he doesn't quite know what he is doing. He might actually think he is trying to help you. Or he might know what he is saying is not true but trying to raise revenue for his church and he knows that teaching tithing "works".
Either way, just smile, nod, and ignore his teaching on Malachi 3. Pray for him. Don't engage him in a conversation about it. And for heaven's sake don't send an anonymous email.
And continue to practice New Testament giving: cheerfully, as YOU have decided in your heart what to give. And always put your family and children FIRST in your finances, not the church.
And wait for November.
4 comments:
Good advice, Dog. I am going to follow your advice.
keep barking and dont stop
I would go a step further. I would tell you that you are being extorted by these lying tithe preachers. They are using their office of a pastor, and they are abusing their spiritual authority to extort money from you. Here is the definition of extortion:
the crime of obtaining money or some other thing of value by the abuse of one's office or authority.
The bible tells you to have NO FELLOWSHIP with an extortioner. Period! Leave this church. Quickly!
The bible says that you are to leave them.
1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
If the bible tells you not to eat with an extortioner, then certainly you should not let him teach your family. Leave these satanic men and their false doctrines. They are NOT men of God. Just look at what the scripture says about extortioners:
1 Corinthians 6:10
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
This is absolutely CORRECT! RUN for you life! You are to have absolutely no contact with these manipulating extortionists. It is amazing how many Christians can not rightly divide the Word if God.
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