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Post by jasmine nsi on Jan 23, 2006 17:35:08 GMT -5
Pastors who churches are apart of an organization pay a church "report" according to its members on the roll. members on the roll are tithe payers.
When individuals fill out the church membership forms.. there is a question which states " ARE YOU A TITHE PAYER" that requires a yes or no answer.
I also believe that being put out, means something totally different. If you are not member, then you should not sing with the choir, lead the praise team, attend business meetings, as these are membership activities. It doesn't mean that you as non-member cannot enjoy listening to the choir, or the praiseteam.
I personally don't know of any events that we hold as a church, that are only for members of the church.
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Post by keita nsi on Jan 23, 2006 18:44:19 GMT -5
Being a member of a church and being a member of the body of Christ are at this time two separate things. Thank you. Being a church member doenst make you a part of the Body and neither does being a part of the body make you a church member. LOLOLOL! |
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Post by lanl ns on Jan 23, 2006 20:43:15 GMT -5
LANL... Its a difference with not having a job and not being able to tithe, compared to having a job, going to a tithe based church and you still dont tithe. Most believe that if you dont tithe and have a job, you are cursing yourself, and to sing on the choir, serve as an usher, or in some ministry department are for those who are obedient to the church standards. I understand the difference, what I don't agree with is the assumption that someone doesn't pay tithes than they can't be a member of your church. The only REAL way to determine who is able and who is not able to pay tithes would be that each member would have to provide PROOF of income before receiving the right hand of fellowship. If that is the church customs upon joining than fine, but to start the new year by saying that the Lord has given you a new revelation and that only tithe payers can be members of your church is outrageous. Should non tithers be in leadership positions my answer is No, but just to go out and create a membership roll call based upon "assumed" financial statements is wrong. There has to be a check and balance in place somewhere, as one never knows a person position, you may have offended / embarrassed someone who is unemployed and CAN'T pay their tithes. |
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Post by stillfocused on Jan 23, 2006 21:48:43 GMT -5
Nikkol wrote:
For some Baptist Pastors and congregants this is a new revelation..because in times it was not taught to pay tithes. It was taught that you pay "dues", which allowed you to have some say in what went on in "conference" which is actually monthly church meetings, and in some places that membership and your paid up allowed you to be buried in the church cemetery often times located in the back of the church.
And if your dues are not current and you're not faithful in church attendance your name is removed from the church roll as your are no longer a good standing member of the New Days of Life Missionary Baptist Church; yet, that does not happen for at least a year. I have known of people whose membership remains because a family member is taking or paying those dues of the person who doesn't attend. The names of members who have been faithful in paying their dues, those have faithful in attendance, and have recently joined are read aloud during the annual church conference.
Because your allowed to become a member at the age of 12 yrs..and that maybe younger now...you are not expected to pay dues, neither are high schoolers, or college students unless they have a job.
LANL wrote:
This has been one of the Achilles heels for many years in the Baptist Church..they know that these boys are dealing, they know that the choir director is a homosexual, and the Deacon Ohsofine's slipping and dipping with Sis Iamallthat and he's married to Sis SweetasPie. These things are overlooked..because the Dope boys are making the payments on his Caddie, Deacon Ohsofine stands in his corner when he goes to the church and asks for another increase in his already 75,000 a yr. salary, and well Sis Iamallthat can sing her hips off; so when the local churches get together for the Sunday School Union on 5th Sunday..Sis Iamallthat along with the choir director called Bro. Gorgeous turns the church out and takes 10 min to claim the congregation down all while Pastor Charley stands up in the pulpit..with a big old grin on his face. Patting himself on the back; getting his ego stroked. Don't get me wrong there are some Baptist Pastors that are concerned for souls of those that he leads; yet, just as Beulah has posted there are those in all denominations who are greedy(paraphasing) . They preach the gospel as hirelings; not, because they love what they do..and have been called to do it.
Yet, I can say this I am glad to know that the Baptist denomination is changing and embracing the truth of the word of God..because I have seen the power of God moving in a Baptist church, that I attended while living in MA.
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Post by Bee on Jan 24, 2006 6:04:03 GMT -5
Nikkol you make some valid points-why would one want to be part of a church if you dont subscribe to its standards-that is a question i pose to many believers as well however in this case notice that that was a standard that appeared suddenly -it should have said so right from the start in the constitution or bi-laws  manual. Looking at it from the big picture and going beyond what a particular 'congregation' may think though i pose a valid question: is it scriptural? The weight of all these laws and standards has choked up church entrances to the point that is now : come and join us and become like us or else you cannot stay. Do pastors have rights to pass such laws within the church? That should be a good topic for discussion. Giants in answer to your anti-tithes hijacking statement the answer is: and so what? As if the pro-tithers never hijacked any anti-tithes post yourself being chief.   |
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Post by ybrown on Jan 24, 2006 8:58:02 GMT -5
God's concern with the tithe is our motivation behind it. That goes for the giver and the receiver. Is the pastor asking/requiring tithing out of fear of not being able to meet the financial obligations of the new church? If so, that church will always have financial problems because the motives aren't pure.
Is the giver/tither giving out of debt, obligation, legalism and fear? If so, that's also not the right motivation for giving and that's why most tithers don't see the return.
If love and faith are not the motivations behind both the giving and receiving of the tithe, then neither the giver nor the receiver are going to be blessed by it. It'll profit them nothing.
It's all about purifying the motivation.
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Post by GiantsDODie ns on Jan 24, 2006 9:17:28 GMT -5
God's concern with the tithe is our motivation behind it. That goes for the giver and the receiver. Is the pastor asking/requiring tithing out of fear of not being able to meet the financial obligations of the new church? If so, that church will always have financial problems because the motives aren't pure. Is the giver/tither giving out of debt, obligation, legalism and fear? If so, that's also not the right motivation for giving and that's why most tithers don't see the return. If love and faith are not the motivations behind both the giving and receiving of the tithe, then neither the giver nor the receiver are going to be blessed by it. It'll profit them nothing. It's all about purifying the motivation. Thank you excellent post. |
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Post by stillfocused on Jan 24, 2006 20:01:24 GMT -5
Is it scriptural..No, there are things with the church bylaws not set by the Pastor; but, by the Baptist Convention that church happens to be a part. Some of these have been in exist for along as the denomination.
And they don't all operate the same way..
Please keep in mind in some churches you don't fill out a questionare..you get voted by the congregation that Sunday morning and then given the right hand of fellowship. And some churches don't give a new members class.
Yet, there is difference between active and nonactive members. My name was removed the church roll many years after I had moved away from home. And to be honest I have never heard anyone being told that because they are not all caught up on their giving that they are no longer a member and actively they are actively attending church.
LANL..I have question for you..Did you see this first hand or is it something that was told to you by someone else ?
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Post by jasmine nsi on Jan 24, 2006 20:24:40 GMT -5
voted by the congregation? lol who votes in a person that wants to join a particular fellowship? How does that work, if the people vote 5 for yes and 58 for no, is the individual not able to join?
Now (excuse my ghettoness) Dat righ der is ridiculous!
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Post by lanl ns on Jan 24, 2006 20:31:41 GMT -5
Still, I was at dinner with the Pastor of this church as he was telling us about his "new" revelation.
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Post by ATT on Jan 24, 2006 22:14:22 GMT -5
A Still, I was at dinner with the Pastor of this church as he was telling us about his "new" revelation. The Lord, may have dealt his about the tithing.... I personal wouldn't removed people from the church membership, but they will not be able to be in the choir, PW, usher or be a minister in my church.... Why should a handful of people tithes and the other come to get fat off of the word, sing in the choir, praise team, dance, do drama, usher, minister and be present at the business meeting and don't do their part. YES it is scripture..... If you don't want to tithe.... than give like those in the book of Acts.... 100% ;D ATT |
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Post by stillfocused on Jan 25, 2006 2:44:44 GMT -5
Yeah..they ask the congregation all in favor say "yay" those oppose say "nay"..and I never a heard a "nay". After giving a spill that these persons were wanted to become members of the church. Jasmine..you're not being ghetto. And that's okay..I grew up in the Baptist church..was not an offical member until I walked "aisle" when the doors of the church were opened; got baptized and started paying dues even though my family represented at least 4 generations at one time. To this day my grandmother is still a member of this church after 76 yrs. You could say I was born a "Baptist" until I became a member of another church. My Dad didn't do the Sunday morning thing..he went through the conference (monthly church meeting) and yes, it was voted on.. he was baptized 3 days later...before the Sunday morning service.
LANL..as mentioned in my previous this revelation probably is new to him..tithing is not taught in many Baptist churches, Missionary offerings, free will offerings, and paying one's dues..is what is taught. ATT...many of the things we do in our churches is not biblical and many things we do is biblical..and it doesn't many it all right..because the motive behind the giving may be impure. Yes, I know that tithing is biblical; yet, paying dues isn't. Until a people is taught what is in the Bible they don't know..because the truth has not been revealed to them. As far as removing church members if you are inactive and have not been to church in 2-3 yrs and you're attending another church..then yes, your name should come off the books.
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Post by Bee on Jan 25, 2006 5:13:27 GMT -5
Ok so ATT you are now saying that tithing is a requirement to be part of the body of Christ? Since when did tithing equal the blood of Jesus?
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Post by And Such Were Some Of You on Jan 25, 2006 7:37:51 GMT -5
Also, isn't tithing something between the individual and God and shouldn't be something that is forced?
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Post by MsKayLander on Jan 25, 2006 8:10:18 GMT -5
Also, isn't tithing something between the individual and God and shouldn't be something that is forced? thank you for writing what I was thinking.... |
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