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Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson
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I don't know you well, but do you have a struggle with pride?
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The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Therefore, I will not automatically answer "no" to this question. I do not
think I have a pride problem. But I'll pray about it. Perhaps you could elaborate a bit more. Pride can take on subtle forms.
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Your potential "new" Pastor's view on tithing is still different from yours and fairly similar to your current Pastor's view. So joining this church for that reasoning is not sensible.
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He did say that he rejects the idea of using "Malachi's curse" as a motivator to get people to tithe. He related a story to me of how back in 2005 their home and possessions were completely wiped out by a hurricane. At the time, they were attending the same church I am now. They literally had the clothes on their back and nothing more. They struggled for months to get back on their feet, living with church members. It was during this trial that someone said from the pulpit, "If bad things are happening to you, it's because you aren't faithful in your tithing!!" He did not say who made that comment, but the comment did devistate he and his wife. I'd like to think that this experience does cause him to hold a differing view from that of my pastor.
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You don't really know if your current Pastor was really aiming at you, neither do you know his intents because you refuse to speak with him about a hurt that may be real or might be imaginary. Why do you refuse to become transparent with him over your hurts?
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Perhaps he was not even thinking of me at all. Either way, it was wrong for whoever he had in mind. But he did CLEARLY say that IN EVERY CASE he can tell why certain people are struggling by simply looking at their giving record. That's a big deal. It puts me in a position where I'd have to teach a new convert something different than what my pastor teaches on this matter. People are not dumb. They pick up on things and ask questions. I simply would not be able to affirm such a teaching to a convert who asked me about it.
The reason I have so far chosen not to confront him over this is I'm not certain it is worth the hastle. Even if with great respect I say, "
thou art the man", I will be finished. He may not black list me or even discuss it with anyone, but the strain will be there and I will be consigned to staring at the back of people's heads.
Last night I made an interesting observation. I used to preach regularly at my church. It has been 11 months since he has asked me to preach. Granted, I was in Mexico for two of those months, and I was only able to go to church for one service a week for 5 of those months while I was working 2 jobs. But that still leaves 4 months. And he is very outspoken about missing church for work. He says that if your job keeps you out of church, you are not working where God wants you to. So it would seem that a subtle message is being sent my way.
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Unless there are other things going that I have either simply missed or you haven't posted about, I don't see a strong reason for you to move in the direction you are moving.
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And so far, I'm not convinced yet that I should move to the other church. Ironically enough, the one who could possibly give some insight into the goings on at the other church would be my pastor himself!!
Again, thanks for your concern. I do not take your words lightly.
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