Mr. Smith,
I really don't know what to say. Just to begin, how can you take John Hagie and the things he may or may not do that you see as hypocritical, and then rubber stamp all pastors who preach tithes as the same. You say they are in it for personal gain. I can tell you that there are thousands of pastors, including my own, that preach tithes and live in megre homes, have a megre vehicle, and ask for no more. Are they charlatans? Their churches are small with no well to do people so they wouldn't make much money even if they preached 90% tithe.
Look, your obviously passionate about this, but your teaching goes all over the place, using scriptures totally out of context. Even the Paul you say never asked for tithes says in 2 Cor. 11:8 that he "robbed" other churches by receiving help from them. He also says in Philip. 4:1-19 that he was thankful that they gave him money for his ministry. He also implies in v.14 that by giving to him they were troubled. But he say it was great that they did that even though it wasn't necessarily good for them.
You teach from a twisted view that preachers are out to screw there members. I agree that some go way out of line and drive around in Merc. Benz. But how is the heat going to be payed? How is the leaky roof going to get fixed? I am HAPPY, YES, HAPPY to give 10%. I love my church and know for a fact that my pastor is of simple means. He is not out to screw any of us.
On a personal note, i can't believe you think a pastor has enough time to preach AND have a job that pays him so well that he can pay for his own home( and if the preacher would follow the Bible he wouldn't have a home, like Paul says) and the church, and have enough time to do all the other normal things that have to be done, like go to the bathroom! It would be impossible! You cannot preach that tithing isn't biblical for us in the new testament. Jesus praised people who gave all they had! Not just what they "could".
respond and maybe i can bring you to the light side. although usually people you are passionate about something never change no matter how wrong they are.
Dear Michael: It is not possible to discuss this subject when you know little about it. Teaching that "tithing" is a New Testament LAW, the breaking of which would then be SIN, the result therefore being DEATH, is a SIN. It is a SIN to teach unscriptural heresy. It matters not whether that heresy is taught to raise $1000 for food, clothing, and shelter, or to raise $10,000,0000 for mansions, jets, and all forms of worldliness. It is just as much of a sin and law-breaking to rob a bank of $1 as it is to rob a bank of $1,000,000. The AMOUNT OR USE of that acquired through a crime is not the issue. I explain thoroughly in my paper on tithing, how we are to finance the Gospel. It is all based on love and voluntary offerings. Teach love and voluntary offers, but DO NOT TEACH THAT TITHING OF MONEY IS A NEW TESTAMENT LAW, PRINCIPLE OR ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE!
God be with you,
Ray
PS You examples of Jesus, Paul, the Widow, etc., are totally unconnected to the Old Testament Law of tithing. Funny how Paul could oversee all the churches of ASIA and yet found time to go to the bathroom.
