Lavish Lifestyle Ministry Spending

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Bro-Larry

I don't think a Jag is too much car to drive, I drive a 40K pick up. If I drove a car I'd buy an S Type Jag.

AS for being a bad witness, that's in the eye of the beholder. My daddy owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the gold in the hills also.

What about Britney, fidity-cent, foo-daddy and Paris? They don't care what you think of their lifestyles.

Most church people don't even understand what God has provided for His chidren. They mostly have a poverty image. Poverty is one of the curses of the law. Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law.

Not bragging but my giving is directly proportional to my lifestyle.

Yeah? Now about that truck? Any chance it might be heading to Mineola soon? Sure would be nice to see you and your honey.
Well my car ain't anywhere near 40K but it is going to be paid off this weekend. Thank you Jesus.

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Joie

Not just the rich and famous, do you have examples for more than modest spending in the ministry?

For example, as a minister or in the ministry, is it okay to drive a Jaguar, wear overly extravagant attire, etc?

http://www.christianpost.com/article..._to_Public.htm

Joie,

With all due respect...I was in the ministry for 15 years and I think it a bit bigoted to think that others in your church should be allowed the luxury of such things but it should be denied ministry because of some irrational thought process that they should be poor and outwardly humble to be in ministry.

It brings back very bad memories of one of our board members [1980's] saying, "No minister worth his salt is worth more than $50,000.00 per year [poverty wages today]" spoke by a board member who made more than $50,000.00 as a factory worker with an 8th grade education.

Just touched on my nerve here. I think Preachers/Pastors should reflect the upper average of their congregants. If they can afford it...go for it!

Blessings, Rhoni

[Baron1710]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

Joie,

With all due respect...I was in the ministry for 15 years and I think it a bit bigoted to think that others in your church should be allowed the luxury of such things but it should be denied ministry because of some irrational thought process that they should be poor and outwardly humble to be in ministry.

It brings back very bad memories of one of our board members [1980's] saying, "No minister worth his salt is worth more than $50,000.00 per year [poverty wages today]" spoke by a board member who made more than $50,000.00 as a factory worker with an 8th grade education.

Just touched on my nerve here. I think Preachers/Pastors should reflect the upper average of their congregants. If they can afford it...go for it!

Blessings, Rhoni

Should the preacher with an 8th Grade education make more than the factory worker with an 8th grade education? Should the preacher who has sacrificed and worked hard to get an education be paid the same as the one who is content with an 8th grade education? Should a preacher who has wisely invested what has been placed in his hands be required to live as if he makes $30,000 a year?

[bkstokes]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

Joie,

With all due respect...I was in the ministry for 15 years and I think it a bit bigoted to think that others in your church should be allowed the luxury of such things but it should be denied ministry because of some irrational thought process that they should be poor and outwardly humble to be in ministry.

It brings back very bad memories of one of our board members [1980's] saying, "No minister worth his salt is worth more than $50,000.00 per year [poverty wages today]" spoke by a board member who made more than $50,000.00 as a factory worker with an 8th grade education.

Just touched on my nerve here. I think Preachers/Pastors should reflect the upper average of their congregants. If they can afford it...go for it!

Blessings, Rhoni

Rhoni

I understand exactly what you are saying. I also do not believe that one should live in a poverished way just as a qualifier of being spiritual. However, the example of John Wesley has inspired me and I pray that it would others as well. He was a man who did not give because he had to do so or to fill some type of quota. He gave because he sincerely wanted to bless others. I pray that we all become more like this. That we give in order to bless the less fortunate.

[AmazingGrace]

I am so glad we have such a wonderful pastor and I am so glad our church absolutely loves to bless him! The giving in our church is so wonderful to see... And our church will also just randomly a member will take a huge basket and place it on the edge of the platform and everyone will just fill it to overflowing with a blessing offering for our pastor. He lives a modest life and with a very large church he could indeed live so much nicer if he chose.. he doesnt and there are times I do wish he would do more for himself but he loves to see it grow...

I remember the last time our church gave the additional basket offering for him... we had a family in our church who used to be missionaries to India... and now are our Indian pastors.. the wifes mother had just passed and they spent much money returning home to be there for the funeral. Pastor said this is so unexpected let us please return this to the S..... family... so we did and then the giving got doubled. We actually carried the offering into the evening service and filled the basket twice.. it was wonderful to see and wonderful to see a loving giving church and one that wants their pastors to flourish and have the best God wants for them!

[Joie]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

Joie,

With all due respect...I was in the ministry for 15 years and I think it a bit bigoted to think that others in your church should be allowed the luxury of such things but it should be denied ministry because of some irrational thought process that they should be poor and outwardly humble to be in ministry.

It brings back very bad memories of one of our board members [1980's] saying, "No minister worth his salt is worth more than $50,000.00 per year [poverty wages today]" spoke by a board member who made more than $50,000.00 as a factory worker with an 8th grade education.

Just touched on my nerve here. I think Preachers/Pastors should reflect the upper average of their congregants. If they can afford it...go for it! Blessings, Rhoni

_____:____________________________________________ ________________

Rhoni
..... I don't want to keep any preachers poor.... I want my preacher to be blessed and his needs met with more than enough! I was addressing extreme ministry situations.....

When lavish lifestyles are not even enough... when a single engine airplane is not enough.. gotta have a twin engine.... when a $200 frock is not good enough..gotta have a $400.....when a 3500 sq foot house is not enough... gotta have a 6500 sq foot house..Now some of those mega ministries might need an even bigger house to house their ego!


There are ministries taking all the tithes with the church's needs not being met ... multiple special offerings must be taken to pay the church bills plus the people in the congregation are
struggling to make ends meet. Isn't there something out of balance if the preacher is living a lavish lifestyle satisfying his wants instead of needs. . Now this is not necessarily a mega church.

Respectfully with love, Joie

[Bro-Larry]

Joie, Are you saying that the ministry's lifestyle should be somewhat in balance with the people in the pew?

I know of several ministers who are extremely weathy in their own right, because of good asset management, but they keep it disceet. I see nothing wrong with that.

[stmatthew]

I think as long as a man lives within his means, whether preacher or not, he is ok. If I open a open a business, and make several million a year (let it be so Lord, let it be so ) would I be looked down upon for having nice expensive things?? Why do we look at the ministry any different? A preacher that has given his life to a church should be able to partake of the fruits of his continuous labor. Now while the bible does call us to moderation, what do we judge that by? To many in 3rd world countries, most of us are considered rich to the extreme. To some in this country, if we eat out once a week we are splurging. So to me, it comes down to letting the Holy Ghost keep each of us in line with what is moderate, and what is not.

[James Griffin]

Good point Matt.

In your scenario it was a pastor being good asset manager and money being made on the side. Anyone who has issue with that is a ….. well a person incapable of having a rationale conversation.

I VERY rarely go on a tirade. Even rarer it is in public.

The plethora of anti-tithing, anti-giving posts and articles published lately on the internet and elsewhere is nothing short of sickening. Even more putrid is the portrayal of all pastors as money grubbing Simonites.

The median average attendance in churches today is still in the seventies. And the overwhelming majority of “laity” don’t tithe, even in churches which preach it. Which means the majority of pastors are putting money INTO their churches.

Sick of money for miracles preachers? Who isn’t? I have published articles labeling them parasites feeding off the body of Christ.

However just because there are a few prostitutes masquerading as men of God gives no right to lump all pastors with them. Guess what; read your NT, it was happening while the Apostles were still alive.

If you have a problem with the financial lifestyle your pastor lives, thank God you live in America and just go to church somewhere else.

The vast majority of pastors I know are not in it for the money and would be financially better off if they left the ministry.

[Rico]

Wow! Brother G is about to preach up in here!