traveller Posted February 16, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 827 Topics Per Day: 0.10 Content Count: 12,101 Content Per Day: 1.50 Reputation: 249 Days Won: 3 Joined: 04/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted February 16, 2010 I guess the point I was trying to make which has gotten lost in all of this is that I don't see anything wrong with a church having a bake sale or rummage sale or car wash on the church premises on any given Saturday to raise money for church-related projects, or mission trips or stuff of similar ilk. It is not merchandising or profiteering to do such things. I don't have a problem with that either. But that's not the same as selling immediately after/during a worship service to the gain of the man speaking. There are better times and places for the selling of wares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I guess the point I was trying to make which has gotten lost in all of this is that I don't see anything wrong with a church having a bake sale or rummage sale or car wash on the church premises on any given Saturday to raise money for church-related projects, or mission trips or stuff of similar ilk. It is not merchandising or profiteering to do such things. I don't have a problem with that either. But that's not the same as selling immediately after/during a worship service to the gain of the man speaking. There are better times and places for the selling of wares. I agree with you there. Most of the time, speakers at my church simply tell us to go to their website to buy their products. I have yet to see a table set up with books and DVDs and stuff. That would be out of place and somewhat tacky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Elly Posted February 16, 2010 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 415 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 15 Days Won: 2 Joined: 07/31/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/02/1945 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Publishing houses and TV stations don't work for free. People have to take financial care of their families - even the non-Christian people working for those publishing houses and TV stations. But I would draw the line at "miracle healing handkerchiefs!" I dunno, you gotta have something to blow your nose on..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botz Posted February 16, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 76 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,492 Content Per Day: 0.61 Reputation: 191 Days Won: 18 Joined: 03/29/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted February 16, 2010 I guess the point I was trying to make which has gotten lost in all of this is that I don't see anything wrong with a church having a bake sale or rummage sale or car wash on the church premises on any given Saturday to raise money for church-related projects, or mission trips or stuff of similar ilk. It is not merchandising or profiteering to do such things. I don't have a problem with that either. But that's not the same as selling immediately after/during a worship service to the gain of the man speaking. There are better times and places for the selling of wares. I agree with you there. Most of the time, speakers at my church simply tell us to go to their website to buy their products. I have yet to see a table set up with books and DVDs and stuff. That would be out of place and somewhat tacky. I don't really see that. Many ministries travel all over the world and often visit a church group for one time only, and preach on the Sunday...they are invited by the home ministry who believe that they have a message that will be beneficial to their group of Believers, and are welcomed and encouraged to set up a table to sell things pertaining to their ministry and their vision. If you are not blessed by their message, you will probably not share their vision, and you won't purchase anything from the table,,,but for those that do it is a further opportunity to bless those that have come, and to share in what they do. What is so sacrosanct about a worship service that you can't continue to participate afterwards in a ministry whose soul aim is to bless, encourage, help, direct, nurture all of those concerned or connected with it? I have often seen people giving directly through an offering to the visiting ministry...to his gain....but if you believe the merchandise that is being sold afterwards is solely for his benefit, then you will not be swelling his coffers...or if you think Sunday is too holy to trade, you will not be involved....or if you somehow think a church building must not accommodate this type of sale, you will walk by untainted. Personally I think the whole idea against what many honest ministries try to do with a serving heart, smacks of legalism and levels unnecessary condemnation towards those that are involved either in promoting or supporting the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I guess it is different in England. Our church bookstore does not do business on Sunday. Sometimes, the church will purchase, in advance, the products a speaker would ordinarily sell at a book table and make those products available during the week. OUr church bookstore gets a lot of traffic from people who are not members so it gives the speaker even more exposure than he/she would have gotten if they had set up a table in the foyer. In addition to the church purchasing their products, we also take up a love offering, so it is a win/win situation for everyone. The only time that a product table is set up is if the products are being offered free of charge, such informative literature and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlindSeeker Posted February 16, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 69 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,090 Content Per Day: 0.53 Reputation: 431 Days Won: 5 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted February 16, 2010 Well, I have of late been visiting a major Baptist church that is in another city. Recently they host a revival call Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizzdy Posted February 16, 2010 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 173 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 3,911 Content Per Day: 0.66 Reputation: 212 Days Won: 10 Joined: 03/21/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted February 16, 2010 I sat and wondered whatever happened to speaking by the Spirit? Simply the word of God to pierce between the joint and the morrow and exposing to the hearer their heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Everyone is different and is in a different place in their walk. Certain ministries speak to us and other ministries don't speak to us. God has a place in the body for everyone and different ministries meet different needs. A ministry that I draw from may not minister to you at all, and that's fine. This revival ministry may be used by God to meet needs the lives others. Since you don't have those needs, you would not get anything from them. I would not worry about the GINY rings or stuff like that. It is kind of silly, but no ministry is perfect and not everyone is called to be like Paul. We should not expect everyone else to fit in the mold of what we subjectively define as acceptable ministry patterns and practices. That is is between them and the Lord. Obviously, we should challenge genuine false teachings and all, but we need to allow a significant degree of latitude for others as they follow what the Lord may be leading them to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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