Obama is paving the way for the Antichrist

[SoonerP226]

If the body of Christ is one, then all of us Christians should be concerned. Maybe we aren't. Maybe we are just broken branches from a rotten tree.

I don't know how other churches handle things, but in Baptist churches, the budgets and major projects (like construction) are voted on by the congregation. If they, the people who know the details and are ponying up the money, aren't concerned about it, why should a bunch of people on the Internet with no first-hand knowledge of the situation be concerned about it? Unlike taxes, nobody is holding a gun to these people's heads and forcing them to write checks; if they don't like the way it's being spent, they can speak up and convince their brethren to stop it, or they can move to another church.

 

[ronny]

I'm just re-using your brush here ronny. Sometimes when you throw a stone you get it back.

HMM! Didn't realize I painted anything and really don't recall throwing any stones.

Look, I know you weren't trying to be nasty when you said "I bet they spend about the same percentage of their revenue on charitable activities as smaller church-corps. Which is to say, not a lot." But, you placed a lot of dedicated Christians and their churches in a bad light without anything to back it up. In fact, if you'll look at your survey, you'll see that the really large churches spend much less on "programs" than all the other churches. The reason appears to be that they have to spend so much more on hard goods (buildings, etc.) that they don't have anything left to do their service to the community. That's truly unfortunate, since service to the community is extremely helpful in doing their primary job of getting the message out.

Anyway, I'm not here to start a battle, just want people to think.

 

[Super Dave]

Because there is nothing Christ-like about building monuments to your own ego in Christ's name, with donations from many struggling and elderly people.

I know we are in Oklahoma, but for God's sake (and our own) tell me you can still detect a modern day snake oil salesman.

Agreed!!!

 

[ronny]

Go to www.firstdallas.org and click on New Campus.

 

[ronny]

This'll rattle your brain. The current largest megachurch in the world is South Korea’s Yoido Full Gospel Church, with more than 830,000 members.

 

[LightningCrash]

HMM! Didn't realize I painted anything and really don't recall throwing any stones.

Look, I know you weren't trying to be nasty when you said "I bet they spend about the same percentage of their revenue on charitable activities as smaller church-corps. Which is to say, not a lot." But, you placed a lot of dedicated Christians and their churches in a bad light without anything to back it up. In fact, if you'll look at your survey, you'll see that the really large churches spend much less on "programs" than all the other churches. The reason appears to be that they have to spend so much more on hard goods (buildings, etc.) that they don't have anything left to do their service to the community. That's truly unfortunate, since service to the community is extremely helpful in doing their primary job of getting the message out.

Anyway, I'm not here to start a battle, just want people to think.

Obviously given the survey the smaller churches do spend a little more. That being said I really don't think it's a mis-characterization to claim that somewhere less than 1% and somewhere between 1% and 1.99% are about the same percentage of revenue. It's still not much.

Is it casting stones to lead out with "I'm gonna guess you don't have a clue"

 

[yukonjack]

I don't know how other churches handle things, but in Baptist churches, the budgets and major projects (like construction) are voted on by the congregation. If they, the people who know the details and are ponying up the money, aren't concerned about it, why should a bunch of people on the Internet with no first-hand knowledge of the situation be concerned about it? Unlike taxes, nobody is holding a gun to these people's heads and forcing them to write checks; if they don't like the way it's being spent, they can speak up and convince their brethren to stop it, or they can move to another church.

Brainwashed. Like Jim Jones. Drink the KoolAid my brothers and sisters, now's the time. I can speak up and voice my opinion about anything I so desire. As Chrisitians we all have a responsibility to help the lost sheep. There are lost sheep in Dallas.

Luke 15-3, 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

 

[OkieMoe]

Robert Jeffress is nut job of the first order. He just directed his church in spending $130,000,0000 on the remodel of their downtown campus. That's a lot of money that could have been spent on feeding the hungry, clothing the poor and housing the orphans. He's just another Joel Osteen wannabe. What church needs a hydraulic platform ?

My thoughts exactly. And why should we care what a TAX FREE organization does with it's money?


Because if I'm donating money to a church. It had better be used for upkeep....payroll.... Activities. Then to help those in need.

 

[ronny]

Obviously given the survey the smaller churches do spend a little more. That being said I really don't think it's a mis-characterization to claim that somewhere less than 1% and somewhere between 1% and 1.99% are about the same percentage of revenue. It's still not much.

Is it casting stones to lead out with "I'm gonna guess you don't have a clue"

If you felt that was casting stones, then I certainly apologize. But, being an OSA member and oftimes poster, I'd think you'd consider that more like casting sand grains. Anyway, I just meant that you were stating something that was a far stretch.

I guess I'm not knowing where you get your figures. The chart seems to show that the big boys spend about 4% on programs while the medium size churches spend 20%. I know our church spends more than that.

 

[SoonerP226]

I can speak up and voice my opinion about anything I so desire.

What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

As Chrisitians we all have a responsibility to help the lost sheep. There are lost sheep in Dallas.

While you're quoting scriptures, you might take a look at Matthew 7:1-3.