Go to church, win a house

[ybrown]

LA MARQUE, Texas (AP) — In a game show style giveaway, a church plans to award a $120,000 three-bedroom house to one of its worshippers on New Year's Eve.

Since 2003, Abundant Life Christian Center has given away a car, a motorcycle and furniture, but this year the lure is a house.

"It encourages people to come to the service, and it helps keep people off the street with all that revelry going on," Pastor Walter Hallam said.

At Saturday's service, 20 names will be selected at random and placed with 100 others chosen from services throughout the year. Twelve finalists — symbolizing the 12 apostles — will be selected.

Each will receive a key, which they'll try in a door on stage. The person whose key unlocks the door wins the home. Music, indoor fireworks and balloon drops will also be part of the festivities.

Once people attend the New Year's Eve service, the hope is they'll keep coming once they realize "church is perhaps not as bad as they remember when they were young," said Justin West, the church's director of operations.

A parishioner built the house and charged the church $53,000 for materials. It should be completed next month; the winner will be responsible for closing costs and property taxes.

[lanl ns]

That is a lot of "fanfare" just to get people to attend church services:

I can't say right or wrong, but I wonder what will happen to people when you don't have all the hype and one really need to get to Jesus?

I know when you are down and really need the Lord, you don't care if it is music, a choir, organ, saxophone, lights, camera or action; you got to get what you got to get.

I guess that's why in the Bible it speaks of the Father "seeketh for the TRUE worshipers"; there are worshipers and then there are True Worshippers........................

[jasmine nsi]

churches shouldn't have to resort to game tactics to "get members"

If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me"..people flock to churches where the spirit of God resides, or they flock to whatever pleases their itching ears.

[stillfocused1]

The house wasn't given away to get "members"; yet, it was the answer to a fleece that Pastor Hallum had put before God; and this something that he recommends that you do. He had been asked to the Lord to do tv ministry; which something he had done before and knew what it required to run a television ministry. Well, God him the answer through all the publicity he got; without broadcasting this event..the information was on the churches website. He received calls from all the popular televisions stations and the doors opened.
This man speaks the word of God; bringing forth only the truth of the Word that allows the hearers to trulyhear what the spirit of the Lord is saying. A man who hears the voice of God and is obedient to what the Lord tells him to say. Just recently he was a speaker at the church attend and believe me when I say it was like time had stood still..because 1hr had passed and it didn't even feel like it.