To my friends and acquaintances in the blogosphere..
As the Economic Stimulus Checks are arriving, I just thought you might want to think about what to do with yours. Might I suggest that you think about sending all or part of it to ME. Ponder that and if you feel called to do that, shoot me an e-mail.
Thank you.
Oh, yeah, this post was written in response to a letter we received in the mail today from a very large church, with a very large new building, with a very large mortgage, with highly paid pastors who had the audacity to suggest that the Lord might be wanting me to send all or part of this unexpected provision to THEM.
By the way, this isn't "extra" money, this is a REBATE on taxes I already sent the government. They are giving me some of my money back. I probably will just deposit it in time to write them a big fat check for the June estimates.
END OF RANT.
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4 comments:
Indeed. I think I may attend the church you are referring to [although I would tend not to consider the new building all that 'large'].. but yeah. I cringed a bit at the service this weekend where they mentioned that.. unless many churches are using this ploy, of course!
Nate, nice to hear from you!
The letter did not come from the church that you attend. It came from a large church in Eden Prairie that I think you would probably define as large also! I won't mention the name because I don't want to pick on them since they don't seem to be alone in asking for the rebates.
I think you are correct. Many churches must be using this ploy! Maybe there is some "church fundraising" web site they subscribe to that offers helpful hints like this.
Ah, indeed! It would not surprise me at all of there was some site giving them all tips. ;)
It would be one thing if they said "Look, we realize you're getting an extra tax refund, and if you can afford it, we could really use an extra donation." But presenting it as "This is how God is going to pay for this!" makes me cringe.
As always, love the blog!
It would be one thing if they said "Look, we realize you're getting an extra tax refund, and if you can afford it, we could really use an extra donation." But presenting it as "This is how God is going to pay for this!" makes me cringe.
Exactly!
Maybe the problem is that it implies that Lord is telling you to do it.
If you add the words, "I believe the Lord is telling you to," and follow it with something that
benefits the person,it makes it seem more spiritual, whatever the phrase that follows.
Some potential bad phrases that could follow "I believe the Lord might be telling you to..."
...send my organization money.
...marry me.
...clean my house.
...clean my horse barn (I knew a pastor who quit his church when the senior pastor had the youth group "serve" in this manner!)
I'm rambling now, but totally agree with your comment.
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