Thug Tactics & Giving

[Guest]

First things first:

This happened to friends of mine recently. It is reality, it is not theory. It was unpleasant for them, and for many at their former church, since they have left because of it. I do not want this to turn into a debate on tithing in the NT Church as there are already enough threads on that already.

Now:

This couple is married with no children as yet, had been members of the same church for years and tithed because they felt led to and wanted to support the church's missions and other programs. Then came a change in church leadership, followed by the members as a whole were told they were not giving enough because there were shortfalls in church finances, and at first subtle, then more blatant thug tactics were used to pressure them into to giving more. Soon there were several sermon series on giving, tithing, and all the rest. Then they started getting calls from the elders that stopped just shy of demanding more money. Other tactics including peer pressure were used also. They got to the point where they were not sure what to do about it all because there was clearly something wrong with the whole situation.

They eventually figured it out, but what would you do in this situation?

[Guest ninhao]

I would speak to the Elders and Pastor.

[chloe_fantastic]

I certainly would pray about any action I would take first.

If I knew I was giving when and how the Lord directed me, I wouldn't cave under the pressure to do so.

That would leave me with three options: (1) Leave the church. (2) Suffer through the strong-arming. (3) Rebuke the leadership.

Like I said, I would have to do a lot of praying and just do what I think God would have me, when He'd have me do it. It would probably end up being a combination of two or all three, eventually.

[Willa]

My first reply didn't post.

We have experienced this. Begging really quenched the Spirit. I waited till God again moved me to give to this mission.

It is not right to beg or pressure people to give. It is depending on people to meet their needs instead of upon God.

Sometimes when leadership does this their hearts are not right on the subject. They will rarely admit this, though. But if they give recognition to people who tithe, give to missions, or give special gifts to leadership, they are in error. They may be robbing people of their reward in heaven. Matt. 6:1-4.

[Fez]

This sounds so familiar. Me and the wife attended a church service recently in another town while we were away from home. It is a church a family member attends.

 

I was very, very uncomfortable because the whole service was about giving, not a problem one might think, but this was about giving to the church. It was not a pleasant experience and the "sermon' was almost a begging session, It turns out that the church is not tithing enough to support the pastor and he might have to look for work.

 

I say a Spirit led church will stand on it's own, through times of plenty and times of need. I did not feel the Spirit in this sermon and was praying against what I felt in this sermon. It was over the top.

[MorningGlory]

I absolutely can't stand any attempt to 'strong-arm' people for money.....or anything else.  I would simply leave this church and take as many with me as I could persuade. 

[MorningGlory]

This sounds so familiar. Me and the wife attended a church service recently in another town while we were away from home. It is a church a family member attends.

 

I was very, very uncomfortable because the whole service was about giving, not a problem one might think, but this was about giving to the church. It was not a pleasant experience and the "sermon' was almost a begging session, It turns out that the church is not tithing enough to support the pastor and he might have to look for work.

 

I say a Spirit led church will stand on it's own, through times of plenty and times of need. I did not feel the Spirit in this sermon and was praying against what I felt in this sermon. It was over the top.

 

Your post puts me in mind of televangelists, fez.  So many of them talk about planting a seed or giving to obtain blessings to the exclusion of everything else.  I don't ever give them a dime and I don't watch them either.  Giving money to some guy on t.v. is not associated with the church or with God.

[Tazcontrol]

I have known a few church's to do this. It is very uncomfortable. I understand that you are supposed to give 10% but forcing people into giving more isn't right. They try to make you feel guilty if you don't. A church by me had a priest exonerated for doing something similar to this. Some church's struggle more then others and I understand that. But I know some church's that sit on way more money then they let you think. My ex husband dislikes going to church because the first church we went to together all the did was demand money. A church isn't supposed to make people feel like that.

[Fez]

When a church is led by the Spirit, and is bible based, involved in it's congregation and surrounding community, people just want to give because they see the good in it. I have heard one preach on tithing in my church in probably 10 years, and that was more of a dissection of scripture than a request.

 

We believe that two thing are nice to bring to church on a Sunday, yourself and your bible (always a good place to have your bible, in church.....)

 

Tithes just seem to follow out of a spirit of wanting to give, and then once a year the church books are opened for all to see, with a full presentation of finances from what refreshments cost, to outreach, how much came in, went out, and what we have. Any questions or suggestions are listened to and discussed by the entire congregation and everyone leaves knowing to the last cent where the money is.

[Guest Butero]

First things first:

This happened to friends of mine recently. It is reality, it is not theory. It was unpleasant for them, and for many at their former church, since they have left because of it. I do not want this to turn into a debate on tithing in the NT Church as there are already enough threads on that already.

Now:

This couple is married with no children as yet, had been members of the same church for years and tithed because they felt led to and wanted to support the church's missions and other programs. Then came a change in church leadership, followed by the members as a whole were told they were not giving enough because there were shortfalls in church finances, and at first subtle, then more blatant thug tactics were used to pressure them into to giving more. Soon there were several sermon series on giving, tithing, and all the rest. Then they started getting calls from the elders that stopped just shy of demanding more money. Other tactics including peer pressure were used also. They got to the point where they were not sure what to do about it all because there was clearly something wrong with the whole situation.

They eventually figured it out, but what would you do in this situation?

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I would leave that church.