A church from near my hometown of Silverhill, Alabama did something interesting in their church service the other day, as reported by Fox 10 News.
Trey Taylor is in charge of creative worship at Bay Community Church in Malbis. This past Sunday he and other church leaders came up with a really creative idea. "We gave away $50,000," he said. The church handed each member in the 2,000 member congregation money. But the gesture came with a stipulation. "The instructions were simple, you can't give it back to the church and you can't spend it on you and your family," said Taylor. Some members got $20, others got as much as $100. "Every person that was here got an envelope." Taylor says when some members saw the white envelopes come around, they thought the pastor was going to ask for tithes and offerings, but boy were they wrong. "The reason behind it was simple. We wanted our people to turn around and bless somebody," Taylor said. Taylor says this might sound a little crazy. But he tells us the government has an Economic Stimulus Package, well this is the church's version of a Faith Stimulus Package. "An act of faith...absolutely, 100-percent." The church's leadership admit tithing is down amongst churches. But the pastoral team says now is the best time to help others.
Wow, that's different, huh?
Edit: Just FYI, I know the church mentioned in the article preaches a Word of Faith doctrine. I'm not saying that I agree with that doctrine. It's just nice to see church leadership encouraging their congregation to be generous and not worrying about enriching themselves. That's something we see too little of in churches in America, I think.
6 comments:
So Joe, I understand that you are a supporter of torture, murder, and infanticide. That is the drivel you have posted on my site and upon several sites around the net. Tell me, Joe, just who is it that your god wants to kill, maim and torture? Little children? Non-whites? Non-phelpsians?
Why not receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and turn from your Cheneyism? There is a better and more fulfilling life without the perversion and hate you are embracing now. Give God a try. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. Not only peace in the world, but peace within your own soul, Joe. Give Jesus a chance. He's the only way (John 14:6).
Mike
Proverbs 26:4
joe
Can you imagine what a difference that has the potential to make? Incredible!
Anon
Sharing that money with the congragation so they can bless people would make a HUGE difference I agree.
Joe,
My sister's church went a step further withthe reverse tithe gimmick. The church set up a blog and encouraged the members to tell their blessing story. She sent out a blanket email tellng her entire address book about what their chhurch had done and the blog and the website link to it. The reverse tithe was a a generous gesture, I have no problem with that but, the blogging made me more than a bit curious, it instantly bothered me down deep. I read over 33 individual blog entrees, all of them used the word "I" so many times it became monotonous. The blog was a bragging exercise inthat each person told in detail who, how and why they decided to bless someone and then went on to tell that they told the person they were blessing why they were blessing them. Many were blessing strangers. I was very surprised that a huge well established church would foster this. So I asked the following simple question: How does the public announcing of good deeds on a blog line up with Scripture?" and then I quoted Matthew 6:1-4. In my carelessness I accidently hit reply all and sent my question to everyone she had sent the email out to. I was immendiatley sent harsh recrimnations and accusations of judgement filled with sarcasm aong with many scripture verses. After I gathered myself, I read each scripture that was sent to me, not one of them spoke to my question. They were about the doing of good deeds. I ask you now, do you know of any scripture that lines up with telling others the good deed you just did? My poor brother, caught in the middle, after a week of his wife yipping at him I am sure, sent me a text telling that Matthew 5:13-16 answered my question. Again, it does not , if anythign it supports my contention of doing good deeds so that others may see them not hear about them from you. Big difference. Why does this church defend so vehemently this blog?
Thanks
Robyn
Robyn,
I agree that for someone to publically announce how they helped someone is a wee bit like sounding a trumpet before youself whilst doing a good dead.
Thanks for your comment and visit.
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