Nasty Boys!
Ya know, I have written some outlandish things in this blog, but the hate mail I have gotten from the Steve Jobs one has me a little freaked. I am ready to get a restraining order of protection from Pastors, man. So, since I do not have ot hide in private emails, let me go after what I received a few hate emails on. The bit about spending money on operational expenses. Guess what? I ain’t apologizing cuz I am right. It is wrong for us to squeeze every last dime out of our congregates and not hold ourselves accountable to the same legalism we dare to hold people to.
Deut 26:12-15
When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. Then say to the LORD your God: "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them. I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor have I offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God; I have done everything you commanded me. 15 Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey."
You ask me to understand the modern tradition of tithing as the income that supports the church and pays for your salary and benefits of the church workers, including pastors. But you refuse to see the much more beautiful and complex concept in ancient Israel. When you can stop looking at your own self interests long enough to see how organically this passage hits on the themes that go throughout the Bible such as justice for the poor, the disenfranchised, and the marginalized, then I will listen to you. God holds us responsible to meet the needs of the others. When the church leaders become proper stewards of the strorehouse…then…and ONLY then will we grasp the true meaning of the tithe….a beautiful and lovely expression of Love to God and to those who are without while surrounded by our abundance. This is worship, this is beauty, this is ministry….but if we do not do right by the money entrusted to us, then we are guilty of sin. So rethink your spending before you squeeze your parishoners. Are you allowing them to worship and serve others or are you secretly hording it to protect a building and your precious paycheck? Weak, man. Telling people to trust God and try the tithe when you don’t trust God to honor his storehouse and you reduce yourselves to robbing people the opportunity to worship God with their money. Enjoy the warm night in your heated home, within 15 miles of your cozy pad with the flatscreen tv is a someone homeless and a likely a single mom with no heat wondering how she is gonna pay the rent. Wanna know why she is scared and he is homeless? You got their money.
Cheers!
Our church was going month to month at one time and a board member suggested the 10% to missions idea and it really hit the mark. The budget is healthier than ever.
Comment by jean — December 4, 2008 @ 11:32 pm
Jean, please tell me more about this 10% to missions you did. And you are telling me that when the church started giving the church was blessed?
Comment by CaptainTux — December 5, 2008 @ 2:48 pm
Tux–when I had a church in NY we tithed our monthly collection amount and sent it to Jamaica for church planting–we too never got in the red. Jim
Comment by pastorjim — December 15, 2008 @ 10:14 pm
I started shema almost 3 years ago… and have yet to receive a paycheck… I basically live off the old system where the money that comes in goes to help people…and benefit by geting free rent and free food from donors and stuff– I believe in what your saying and have personally witnessed God to crazy stuff in my life.
I have seen God provide so many crazy things for me and people doing his work– My lifestyle and ability to travel and work all come from Gods providing–not a salary.
When I gave it all up and just helped others who needed it more– crazy stuff started happening….check out www.stopconsuming.org for more stuf about how we form churches today—peace bro.
ps- we should grab lunch sometime. I’m in Arlington Heights.
Comment by jimmy spencer — December 27, 2008 @ 7:32 pm
NICE font choices on the site, Jimmy. I would love to do lunch. Arlington Heights and Bolingbrook ain’t too far away.
I will send an email to you in case you do nto get back to this page.
Comment by CaptainTux — December 28, 2008 @ 3:04 pm