BAH HUMBUG!!! SBC President Tells Pastors: Your Disobedient Members Have Until 12/31 to Pay the Tithe - No Grace Period!!

Yesterday on Ronnie Floyd's blog, he announced to all Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Pastors that they must hound their non-tithing members weekly, to let them know Ronnie has set a deadline of December 31, 2014, for them to come into obedience and tithe on their 2014 income.

The IRS's deadline to collect what you owe them for the prior year is April 15. At least they give you 3 1/2 months to account for your 2014 income and then pay your final tax amount. Not so with the SBC. Ronnie Floyd says to the people who owe his SBC churches money: you have until December 31st to pay up. No grace period, your 2014 10% tithe is due at 11:59 pm December 31st, or you will be disobeying Jesus.

I love the graphic that is at the top of Floyd's post yesterday, shown at right. Shows the date of "31" circled - that is the DEADLINE you recalcitrants! And then the man agonizingly praying (knowing he MUST find the $5000 he owes his church or be cursed), then the hand dropping the cold hard cash in the offering plate. What a Christmas message! You have until the 31st to pay up!

Let's examine what Ronnie is telling SBC Pastors to do in his blog post, and what he is telling SBC Pastors to tell their congregations to do. He is the elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, so he is the big cheese, and we need to carefully look at what his message is:

1. Church members should not give to any other charitable organizations in December, UNTIL they get caught up with their required 10% tithe for all of their 2014 income.

Here is Ronnie's message:

"In the month of December, we are in the final month of giving for the year. Every non-profit ministry in the country will make appeals to the members of your church to support their ministry financially. While these may be good and some are worthy of consideration, the church should receive the #1 priority in the lives of our people." Ronnie Floyd

It's so simple, isn't it? This Christmas season, your priority should be to stuff the coffers of your church with cash, not helping the poor, or caring for an elderly parent, or even being generous to missions to Lottie Moon. When you walk out of the store, think of Ronnie's words before you drop your change in the red buckets. Sorry David Platt, but the IMB should get no funding until these church members square with the church and fork over 10% of their gross income. Church members need to make "the church" the #1 priority in their lives. After all, "The Church is the Reason for the Season". Wonderful.

2. SBC Pastors have an obligation to hound their people this Christmas season that they need to come into line with God's requirement by paying their full 10% on ALL 2014 income by December 31st. 

I wish I were making this up. Ronnie Floyd, SBC President, tells his pastors the following:

"The key question we [pastors] need to ask [church members] repeatedly: As you review and understand clearly ALL of your sources of income in 2014, have you honored God by giving at least the first one-tenth to your local church? If you have not, then insure you do so before December 31 so that you can know you have walked in complete obedience to God in 2014 in relationship to biblical stewardship." Ronnie Floyd

Notice, this is the message pastors need to tell their church members "repeatedly" during the Christmas season: fork it over. During this season, go back NOW, and look at "ALL" your 2014 income and make sure you haven't forgotten to tithe on any of it!

Ronnie goes further, by actually giving the SBC pastors an action plan on what they should do!

Here is Ronnie's action plan:

• Send all members a letter this Christmas season to fork over the tithe. Says Pope Ronnie:

"Write each member a letter and extend the challenge to answer this key question: As you review and understand clearly ALL of your sources of income in 2014, have you honored God by giving at least the first one-tenth to your local church?" Ronnie Floyd

• Hound your members weekly, every time you collect an offering, but do at least thank them for what they've given so far. Dont' want to beat them up TOO bad: 

"Weekly, as you extend the offering, ask them to answer the key question above. Again, thank them for what they have given already." Ronnie Floyd

• He tells them to be generous to missions - but of course, the first 10% goes to the church, not to any other organizations, including the IMB. 

This shows you where Ronnie's heart is this Christmas. Your obedience ultimately in 2014 was not how well you did your job, or served and sacrificed for your spouse and family, or if you were generous to people in your life that needed your help. Your obedience in 2014 is going to be determined - in Ronnie Floyd's warped world - by whether you forked over 10% of "ALL" your 2014 income to your local church. In Ronnie Floyd's mind, if you don't tithe, you probably aren't a Christian, and you most certainly are going to be cursed in 2015. See previous Watchdog posts hyperlinked below, documenting Ronnie's views on the tithe.

Pastors, you elected Ronnie Floyd, but you know he is full of hot air on this. Disregard what he is saying. Just be joyful and each week just simply THANK your church members over and over and over for their generosity in 2014. People do give according to their consciences, and there is absolutely nothing you can say that will change what they give. Your giving will probably decrease if you pull this stunt in your church at Christmas time. Your members are mostly hard working people who sacrifice so much for their families and even if they give a small percentage, it is a sacrifice to them. Be thankful you have members. Don't beat them like Ronnie suggests. 

Remember, pastors, Ronnie Floyd looks to none other than Robert Morris when he gets his theology on giving and tithing. Review this previous Watchdog post that contain videos of how far off the chain Ronnie is when it comes to stewardship and tithing. He abused his church by using Robert Morris' "tithe or be cursed" nonsense. He even told church members they are probably not saved if they don't tithe. Don't believe me he said it? Go here and read it and WATCH it. 

Pastors, if you do decide to follow Ronnie's edict, I would offer one of my own suggestions, and it is a musical suggestion. Nothing gets the message of Christmas through to the people in the pews like song. So I offer up a new hymn to to place in your Christmas hymn rotation this month. It is called "First Tithe", sung to the same tune as "First Noel":

"First Tithe" - by the FBC Jax Watchdog

The whole tithe the angel did say

Was for all the poor members in pews as they lay:

In pews where they tightly clutch their gold

On a snowy winter's night that was so cold.

Tithe-Tithe, Tithe-Tithe, and be overjoyed

Says from on high, Ronnie Floyd.

They looked up and saw a Man

In the pulpit telling of his plan 

You all must pay what you owe,

Drop your full 10% as it passes your row.

Tithe-Tithe, Tithe-Tithe, and be not reticent

Says our beloved Mr. President.

And by the light of that same star

Three "Men of God" came from seminary far;

To seek for the tithe was their intent,

And to follow the money wherever it went.

Tithe-Tithe, Tithe-Tithe, be not greedy,

Says the seminarian, Mr. Ronnie.

The tithers every-one, rushed up with glee,

Fell reverently at the front upon their knee,

They came not with spices like cinammon, 

But brought tens, twenties, even a Benjamin.

Tithe-Tithe, Tithe-Tithe, to the SBC.

We're so glad we elected, Ronnie.

Then let us all with one accord

Sing praises to Pope Ronnie Floyd,

That hath made coffers full, as he had sought,

And with his beatings the pastor has bought.

Tithe-Tithe, Tithe-Tithe, and be overjoyed

Says from on high, Ronnie Floyd.