Alan....I really think it is to sensationalize these blogs. The more sensationalistic the question, the more posts. Have you noticed that? Ask a genuine Bible Study question and you will get far less answers than if you ask about a cult or marital infidelity. |
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---Susie on 12/11/07 |
I think 15% to the denominational headquarters is quite reasonable when you consider that the CofE required up to 80% of the income of some of their parishes. |
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---Joe on 12/9/07 |
Susie ... Do you think that is carelesssness, or are they trying to polarise the responses of the bloggers? |
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---alan_of_UK on 12/7/07 |
Alan..Thanks for reminding me. I've got in the habit of almost ignoring the blog titles as it is getting to be that many of them are misleading. |
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---Susie on 12/6/07 |
Susie and RitaH ... go, lightly on those who misread the question. They were misled by the Heading given to it by the Mods. |
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---alan_of_UK on 12/5/07 |
Rita...You are so right. Some people must have misread this question. It isn't about the church wanting 15% tithes from their members. It's about the church sending 15% of their tithes to the headquarters. The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) is an organization which is financially accountable to their members. As with most denominations, they are closely watched by the IRS. |
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---Susie on 12/5/07 |
Some of you do not seem to understand the difference between 'a tithe' and 'a percentage of "the" tithe'. The tithe goes from members to their individual church. A percentage of that tithe is then required for the running of the church headquarters. Most churches do this, there is nothing unusual about it at all. Rebecca, you sound like a pessimist. Do you feel that everyone is up to no good? |
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---RitaH on 12/5/07 |
"But I guarantee that they cannot tell you where every single penny goes to"
Rebecca ... I'm pleased to say ypur are wrong.
50% of our church offerings goes to "Headquarters" and most is used to pay pastors in poor districts which otherwise could not afford to have a pastor.
And account for both local church and headquarters are totally transparent. |
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---alan_of_UK on 12/5/07 |
The 'headquarters' of any establishment cannot operate without funds. This is no different with churches. All the churches that I know of operate a system similar the that posted by the questioner - with the exception of independent churches of course. Denominations usually require churches to send them an amount based on membership. Because I attend a church which shares a pastor with other churches each church is sending a different amount because each church has different sized congregations. |
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---RitaH on 12/5/07 |
This money helps fund 'headquarters', the pastor's salary and the upkeep of the church. This system means that when repairs are needed the individual congregation do not have the find the money. It is paid for out of what has been paid into the 'headquarters'. The balance of tithes and offerings is used to send to missionaries, Christian charities and pays the smaller bills and incidentals that arise. |
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---RitaH on 12/5/07 |
Are there any other denominations that require 15%. It would seem to mean 10% is biblical. I know the Church of God has paid a $400,000.00 bonus to Jentzen Franklin to come back to the denomination and pastor a church of theirs in CA. |
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---Concerned on 12/4/07 |
I 'm not sure why,but if their not using it for the lords work they will pay for it on judgement day when they face the lord and he reminds them of their deeds and tells them depart from me ye workers of iniquity I never knew you.The bible tells us to give 10% of our wages.any other amount given to the lords work is up to us,no one should tell us what percent we should give other than the lord. |
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---judy on 12/4/07 |
Kai ... I think you have read the totally misleading title to this question ... which impleis a 25% tithe, which the questioner does not mention.
In my church, we send about one-thinrd of our income to "headquarters". It is used there to pay centrl expenses, but also the salaries of pastors in poor churhes which cannot afford to pay them. |
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---alan_of_UK on 12/4/07 |
Rebecca "But I guarantee that they cannot tell you where every single penny goes to"
Actually, you are wong there. My church and "headquarters" have absolutely open accounts. |
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---a on 12/4/07 |
There are numerous Church of God denominations. They all have corporate headquarters that must be maintained. A faithful giver who is giving out of love and not obligations won't care where the money goes. They are giving to God. |
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---Susie on 12/4/07 |
I do not know. Be careful. If people would quit feeding these false preachers and teachers and prophets. they would go out of business. |
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---catherine on 12/4/07 |
Their greedy. Why else? Really though if you would go to the headquarters and asked them, they would give you some excuses as to why they need it. But I guarantee that they cannot tell you where every single penny goes to. And if they can't tell you that, something is wrong with the people in charge of the money. |
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---Rebecca_D on 12/4/07 |
I would think that they have some bills that need to be taken care of. My opinion is that large organizations are very wasteful and the majority of their funds are involved with self maintenance. If you want to know what they are doing with it maybe someone from that organization can tell you more. |
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---john on 12/4/07 |
Concerned, if you really want to know (and not just stir up controvery), why don't you call up the local Church of God or its regional headquarters, and ask them yourself, instead of people who probably have no more idea than you?
And just WHY are YOU concerned? |
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---Jack on 12/4/07 |
You might ask this question of headquarters if you have the nerve! Otherwise, please consider expenses, Visa cards to eat and travel on, and of course you got the salaries of those at headquarters. How nosy of you to ask this question. |
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---Mina on 12/4/07 |
nothing but a scam designed to make the lazy pastors rich. |
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---kai on 12/4/07 |
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