Showing posts with label disappointed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disappointed. Show all posts

Monday, October 16, 2017

Why Tithing is Important

I know, I'm a pastor's kid. Of course, I'd be all about tithing. Not really true, actually. Here is my standpoint: My dad is a church planter. He started our church around six years ago starting from my family. Our church is small, but we were able to stay active for almost 5-6 years. And now we've hit financial troubles.

Why? Where does the money come from? Mostly tithes, and it seems people have started to give less and less while others have stopped completely. Why? Why are we more willing to tip or waiters/waitresses than a tithe to a man who works 6 days a week to bring you a gospel message on the 7th? Also, most church planters/pastors work two jobs. The pastor also tithes to the church, by the way.

By the way, I'm not saying don't tip your waitress/waiter. Please tip them, they are doing you a service.

We are having church on a month by month basis. If we have enough money to continue, we keep going. But since that announcement some members have stopped tithing altogether. As a pastor's kid, this feels like a slap in the face. It is exactly like saying, "Well, this is going to fail anyway, might as well give up." 

Listen. No. You don't get to do that. Don't punish other people because of your pessimism. There are good reasons not to tithe, but if you've been tithing all along and you stop right after the announcement...it just feels like you don't really care.

As a single adult working a minimum wage job...I make $200 every two weeks. I tithe more than 10%. Really. Last time I gave $50 and then I gave $100 because I had enough in my savings. I am at college to learn a trade that will help my church. If the church is no longer there, it will feel like a waste of money to me. I want that church to keep going and if it means sacrificing I will do it.

I don't understand why other's don't have the same mentality. "We are doing such good for the community."  Then tithe so we can keep up the good work. So we can keep giving Thanksgiving meals to people who need it, Christmas presents to those who need it, general meals to those in need. We can't do any of that without tithes and donations.

Some church's bad day of tithes means $100. Ours can mean loose change in the bottom of the offering plate. (Before I found a job I would look for at least $2 worth of change in my purse just so that way I was giving something)

Please, please tithe to your church. The only reason you have one is because of tithes. 

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Facebook can be toxic

Sometimes Facebook can be toxic. What am I talking about? People's opinions run wild and people stop caring about other's opinions, beliefs, feelings, or convictions. Facebook can cause church members to go at each other's throats online but act as if nothing happened in person. The internet can cause you to be someone online who you are not in real life. 

One thing I have noticed recently is how conservatives are calling liberals evil. Or how they are arguing with other conservative friends and making thinly veiled insults. This is unacceptable. There is no enemy and we should stop seeing each other as such. 

On my facebook feed (I'm unsure about y'all's) I noticed that there has been a huge gun debate going on. I am not happy about this and I'll explain why in a minute. I have also noticed debates such as immigration, why Trump is a jerk, why Trump is not a jerk, why Hillary deserved the presidency, why she didn't, why the FLOTUS is inconsiderate...

When did we suddenly get so involved in politics? Most of the people on my facebook were never involved until Trump became president. It's like they have a new found freedom to be unkind just because they have a president that speaks what they are thinking. Let me say, if he is saying what you are thinking then maybe some of you need to repent. 

Now we will get to the gun debate. I am disappointed with all of you. Right wing, left wing, the entire bird. You don't even wait until the bodies are cold before you start arguing about gun rights. You don't even give families time to grieve, you start while the emotions are running hot. A lot of you didn't even wait until the day was done. I am disappointed and grieved. What does it say about you that you can't wait? What a selfish generation I live in. 

But, you know. I'm just a pastor's kid, what do I know.