Some opinions wanted

[marthaolivia]

I have walked out of church before and did not regret it. The reason was that I just did not care for the visiting preacher. I left as soon as I saw him and before the service started.
There is a time and place for everything. Raising money at Sunday morning serivces is inconsiderate, especially of visitors.

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by tv1a

Rhoni,
First of all, please don't think I want to tear you apart. But a couple of things jump out at me.

1. Is the raffle what you have a problem with?

2. Do you know how the pastor's trip was financed? Could it have been a gift? Was it paid for by someone else for that particular purpose?

I really can't form an opinion based on your info...
Sorry. I have strong opinions on both sides of the issue.

The raffle was my problem, but the gift was a gift from the church and the yard work was also a gift from the church. My problem with it is that they were begging money from the church and all the visitors for raffle for the ministries of the church while the minister of the church was in the Caribbean. To me something is wrong with that picture.

One offerring is enough.
Two offerrings is tolerable.
Three offerrings is stupidity,
and 4 offerrrings is intolerable.

Blessings, Rhoni

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by marthaolivia

I have walked out of church before and did not regret it. The reason was that I just did not care for the visiting preacher. I left as soon as I saw him and before the service started.
There is a time and place for everything. Raising money at Sunday morning serivces is inconsiderate, especially of visitors.

Absolutely! They came to see relatives children performing in a Christmas program and were milked for money the whole time. It would have been more appropriate and the will of God to preach the meaning of the birth of Christ and what it meant to the believer.

Blessings, Rhoni

[Terry G.]

Sorry. That hurts! Keep your spirit sweet and dont dwell on it. Take my advice.

[HeavenlyOne]

Makes me nervous to see a thread where Rhoni is asking for opinions......

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

Thank you. I should have walked out of a church once before and regretted it for months afterward...I decided not to make that mistake again.

Thank you for being honest.

Blessings, Rhoni

Honestly, we have only walked out of a church once in my/our lives. That was just a few years ago when the new pastor started teaching his infamous bilge on marital relations. We left during song service and never went back (the class we taught before the main church service).

[Neck]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

Today, I attended an Apostolic church that was not the one I belong to, but was visiting with a friend. It is the first time I ever got up and walked out of an assemby.

The children's Christmas program was precious but then they took tithes and offerrings, then had a 20 minute speaker on missions and took up a missionary offerring, and last but not least - they got up and began to collect money for a raffle - raffling off a "WE" whatever that is to make money to fund the church ministries all the while saying the Pastor and his wife were on a cruise in the Carribean and if you wanted to donate to have their yard landscaped please submit money to the church secretary.

Maybe it was just me but I felt like throwing up. I looked at my friend, they looked and me, and we both got up and walked out.

Am I being a flake or when did it become appropraite to have a raffle when visitors were captive at a Christmas program for children?

I was sickened, saddened, and repulsed.

Just being honest here.
Rhoni

I would have walked out.....

[Neck]

I walked out of my former home church that I attended for 25 plus years.

I could tell the pastor did not study and appeared to not care about his topic...

So I showed the same respect got up and walked out....

If someone expects folks to rush the alter when they have prayed, fasted and are annointed.

Then they should be prepared for folks to get up and walk out when it becomes a collection or Mickey mouse show....

[TRFrance]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

The raffle was my problem, but the gift was a gift from the church and the yard work was also a gift from the church. My problem with it is that they were begging money from the church and all the visitors for raffle for the ministries of the church while the minister of the church was in the Caribbean. To me something is wrong with that picture.

One offerring is enough.
Two offerrings is tolerable.
Three offerrings is stupidity,
and 4 offerrrings is intolerable.

Blessings, Rhoni

Would it make a difference if he was in Hawaii, or Florida? Why does it matter where he goes on vacation? I'm not getting what the issue is there.

Or is it a problem because the church paid for the pastor's vacation to the Caribbean? I don't see that as being a problem. Pastoring is as 24-7 job, so if the church wants to bless the Pastor and his wife for their contribution of time and labor to the church, I don't see what the issue is.

Besides, we dont know when was the last time he even took a vacation. Some pastors go looong periods of time without taking some time off, or getting away on vacation, so if the church wants to send them on a trip, I dont think thats's necessarily a big deal. We dont know the whole story on this, so I dont think we should allow ourselves to jump to improper conclusions.

[Neck]

Originally Posted by TRFrance

Would it make a difference if he was in Hawaii, or Florida? Why does it matter where he goes on vacation? I'm not getting what the issue is there.

Or is it a problem because the church paid for the pastor's vacation to the Caribbean? I don't see that as being a problem. Pastoring is as 24-7 job, so if the church wants to bless the Pastor and his wife for their contribution of time and labor to the church, I don't see what the issue is.

Besides, we dont know when was the last time he even took a vacation. Some pastors go looong periods of time without taking some time off, or getting away on vacation, so if the church wants to send them on a trip, I dont think thats's necessarily a big deal. We dont know the whole story on this, so I dont think we should allow ourselves to jump to improper conclusions.

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The problem being take up one offering and trust the saints to appropriate the funds accordingly.

Many churches have gone to this multiple offering basket passing.

Because many churches do not have Sunday evening service to pass the basket the second time on Sunday.

Take up one offeing that is all we ask....

When is the last time someone in your church who was a saint was handed a trip for 2 to Alaska?

Last time I checked it was the saints in the church funding the operation...

I understand some smaller churches have the pastors investing in the operations...

But when the church grows there could be some appreciation.....

I see some lay folks in the church getting just as dirty as the pastor.