Would you feel obligated to give offering under these circumstances?

justme6272

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Unless you are contemplating significant gifts, it's likely that whatever you give will not be enough to even cover the expenses of the Bible Study ministry you are personally benefiting from.
There are no variable costs to the class. We meet in one room that's heated and cooled anyway whether anyone is there or not. The coffee etc. is paid for by contributors and I go buy it at the store and show up early to make it.
 
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justme6272

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If you feel like giving, but don’t want to give money as it might be used for something against your views you could see if they have certain funds that are ringfenced and align with you, and donate specifically to them. Or donate ‘things’ that are needed, like tea and coffee sundries or books that are used or something.
I wouldn't bother designating such a small amount of offering. Besides, it's just a shell game anyway. If you help them reach their budget faster by donating even a large sum to a particular ministry, it just means they reach their goals in that area faster, and can stop funneling general budget money to that area. So money that comes in after yours goes someplace else anyway, so the things I disagree with still get funded. I can only see the advantage to designation offering if it's going to buy a new piano, or some such item that won't get purchased from the general budget and the church will do without it unless someone donates specifically for that item.
 
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Hazelelponi

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He's leaving it up to me. Thanks for the input.

am I to understand that the "liberal morals" of the membership is the only thing making you feel like you don't want to give offering in this church?

Why do Christians attend church?

What do we get from/out of it?

What do you want to get from/out of it?

(Everyone must answer these questions to know what Church might be right for them)

Now:

Why do you attend THAT church instead of one down the road?

What do you get from/out of it?

What do you want to get from/out of it?
 
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ColoRaydo

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As someone else said, if you use it, pay for it.

Even if the church is not teaching a message with which you agree, you are still using their facilities.

Of course another danger, outside the scope of this question, is people only feeling the need to give if they agree with the sermon of the week.
 
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A_Thinker

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There are no variable costs to the class. We meet in one room that's heated and cooled anyway whether anyone is there or not. The coffee etc. is paid for by contributors and I go buy it at the store and show up early to make it.

So ... you're meeting in a room that is heated/cooled ... to support such activities as the Bible Study ? In other words, if funds weren't spent to heat/cool the room, the Bible Study wouldn't be comfortable there ?

Are you opposed to helping fund the Bible Study ?

If not, a couple dollars here or there is not going to make that much of a difference to the overall program.
 
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miamited

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To get out of the house, and most of the people are nice except for one person. It's not a long drive for me, so it's fairly convenient. And there's a chance I might learn something when a teacher prepares a lesson with something in it that I wouldn't have come across otherwise.

Hi juistme,

Well, if you're fine with going then that's ok. Are they actually asking for a real offering at these bible studies or just a dollar or two for costs? It it's just a dollar or two, I'd drink the coffee and eat the cookies and donuts and enjoy the fellowship time. There are a lot of bible studies that I've sat in where I feel like a bunch of it is old hat, esp. as I grow in my knowledge of the Lord.

I attended one last night that is covering Genesis. Most of it I knew and already agreed with, but there were a couple of points made that piqued my curiosity. One such point was the claim that God didn't create us because He 'needed' us. While I agree that God doesn't need us to continue his existence or that if He hadn't created us He'd still be bawling like a baby because He didn't create us. However, I fully understand that God is love and for love to be fully realized there has to be someone to love. God's love is as huge as everything else about God and so, yes, He does have the angelic beings and He does have the trinity, but He seems to have obviously also wanted more recipients of His love, otherwise we just wouldn't exist. You and I wouldn't be sitting on the earth right now discussing things.

So, when I'm asked, "Did God need to create us?", I do feel that there was some form of need, albeit, not some life or death need. It is a need of God's to share His love and glory.

God bless,
IN Christ, ted
 
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StillGods

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There are no variable costs to the class. We meet in one room that's heated and cooled anyway whether anyone is there or not. The coffee etc. is paid for by contributors and I go buy it at the store and show up early to make it.

sounds like you're already giving to the class by doing those things, imho you dont need to give any extra than you already are.
 
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Sketcher

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To get out of the house, and most of the people are nice except for one person. It's not a long drive for me, so it's fairly convenient. And there's a chance I might learn something when a teacher prepares a lesson with something in it that I wouldn't have come across otherwise.
OK.

Would you be asking this question if it were meeting at someone's house instead? If not, why would this be a question for you with a change in location to the church building?
 
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salt-n-light

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Let's say that you attend a mid-week Bible study each week at a church whose majority of members have liberal morals and beliefs that are off the chart, and for this reason, it's the LAST church in town you'd ever want to join. Would you feel a sense of obligation to donate a limited amount of offering money, if for no other reason than to help pay for your share of utilities and maintenance (i.e. janitorial, A/C in summer, heat in winter) that your physical body occupies and benefits from when you show up? (i.e. a few square feet of air and one or two toilet flushings each week). I pay for the coffee, cream, sugar, cups, filters, stirrers, etc. whether or not others donate to cover it, and I show up early to fix it, so I am contributing something in that regard.

The part of me that says 'no,' says no because they are going to add that money to the general budget to pay for all kinds of other stuff I don't support and I have no desire to further such causes. The part of me that says 'yes,' thinks that as long as I attend the weekly 90 minute class for whatever reason, (i.e. coffee and socialize with friendly people, and maybe learn something that's not controversial), I should give that minimal amount for maintenance and utilities, just based on principal. In other words, if I'm not willing to give something, I should stop going there at all(?)
What would you do?

P.S. - I'm not really interested in opinions of church staff, who are biased. Everyone else, feel free to chime in and I will use the input of others in making my decision. Thanks.

Can’t go by feelings. Gotta go by what you know and what God say about it. And biblically, God always praises those that give. God is pleased and encourages us to give even to our enemies. There’s plenty of cases where people acted in faith and God shown favor.

So it’s not a matter of if it falls in line in what you’re suppose to do as a Christian as it is more of why is there a struggle to do what would please God?

Will you giving be against God?
Will you not giving please God?
Would it be a wise decision to give to this church? Are they furthering the kingdom? Do you have proof that they are not? Have you addressed it?

If what you’re saying is just based on how you feel, and not what on what you know, then be wise about it, examine the situation, and not just assume for the sake of saving a few bucks or superstition. If you don’t want to give, let it be on you that you don’t want to give, if you don’t want to attend, then let it be on you not to attend,but if you do want to give and you do want to be in the church,give with faith and cheerfully.

If you giving cheerfully means your service and time to help further the church so be it. But if you’re purposefully withholding continuously, then address that.
 
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NothingIsImpossible

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At my church you can actually designate where your money goes. We usually put a note that says "Church expenses". And at the end of the year we always get a letter showing every time we gave money and what it went towards. Sometimes we may put "Towards the new driveway project" or "Towards gifts for childrens party".

If I knew hands down my church lets say spent money on helping people get abortions, I would not give any money. I'd just find another church. If it was the only church near me I'd just find a church online and watch their online services an give them money instead.
 
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DreamerOfTheHeart

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Let's say that you attend a mid-week Bible study each week at a church whose majority of members have liberal morals and beliefs that are off the chart, and for this reason, it's the LAST church in town you'd ever want to join. Would you feel a sense of obligation to donate a limited amount of offering money, if for no other reason than to help pay for your share of utilities and maintenance (i.e. janitorial, A/C in summer, heat in winter) that your physical body occupies and benefits from when you show up? (i.e. a few square feet of air and one or two toilet flushings each week). I pay for the coffee, cream, sugar, cups, filters, stirrers, etc. whether or not others donate to cover it, and I show up early to fix it, so I am contributing something in that regard.

The part of me that says 'no,' says no because they are going to add that money to the general budget to pay for all kinds of other stuff I don't support and I have no desire to further such causes. The part of me that says 'yes,' thinks that as long as I attend the weekly 90 minute class for whatever reason, (i.e. coffee and socialize with friendly people, and maybe learn something that's not controversial), I should give that minimal amount for maintenance and utilities, just based on principal. In other words, if I'm not willing to give something, I should stop going there at all(?)
What would you do?

P.S. - I'm not really interested in opinions of church staff, who are biased. Everyone else, feel free to chime in and I will use the input of others in making my decision. Thanks.

If you want to test if it is a genuine, good church or not, do this: don't tithe. See how you feel. Do you feel really guilty about not giving money? Why, if it is a bad church?

Maybe it is, maybe it is not. I am not saying that test is absolutely conclusive. But, it might tell you something about them, and your own self.

It sounds like you see your own understanding of morality as superior to theirs.

So, why are you going there, what could they provide you, that you do not already know?
 
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justme6272

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It sounds like you see your own understanding of morality as superior to theirs.

So, why are you going there, what could they provide you, that you do not already know?
I know it as fact to be superior based on scripture.

Right now they're studying the sermons of a former pastor having to do with the Lord's prayer from way back in the 70s long before the church went off the liberal deep end, complete with handouts of every word of those sermons.

I'm sorry but I can't continue to answer these types of questions in this thread. I've already answered similar questions from others and can't do it over and over. If people can't follow the thread and read it before asking me stuff that's already been asked and answered multiple times, like 'why do you even go there?' I can't cope with that. My nerves can't take it.
 
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DreamerOfTheHeart

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I know it as fact to be superior based on scripture.

Right now they're studying the sermons of a former pastor having to do with the Lord's prayer from way back in the 70s long before the church went off the liberal deep end, complete with handouts of every word of those sermons.

I'm sorry but I can't continue to answer these types of questions in this thread. I've already answered similar questions from others and can't do it over and over. If people can't follow the thread and read it before asking me stuff that's already been asked and answered multiple times, like 'why do you even go there?' I can't cope with that. My nerves can't take it.

No idea how liberal has to do w handouts from the 70s. I mean, I could read the whole thread, but there are way more pressing problems.

You seem to be enslaved and want to be enslaved, from my perspective. I do not understand why you would think you are in some kind of catch-22.

You seem to have zeal, but not enough information.

I got my faith outside of a church, went to churches that were of a variety, none were very good. I was able to specifically delineate the problems.

Specifics matter.

I left, didn't look back, moved on. Wasn't good enough.

I did not think I needed to go to a church to be saved, or continue my way. God is everywhere. Fellowship is too.

Cut the strings.

Plenty of homeless, if you feel you need to tithe.

'You don't need a teacher, the Spirit will lead you into all things.'

Giving out handouts from the 70s certainly is not "liberal" to me.

They need someone to tell them things.

Liberal, as in freedom, is going where the Spirit brings you. Out in the wilderness, maybe? Or into the city.

Sounds like you are chained to modern ideas.
 
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justme6272

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Giving out handouts from the 70s certainly is not "liberal" to me.
I've stated that the class is different than the church overall. You'd know this except you refuse to follow the thread and/or remember what you read. You've demonstrated this repeatedly. Please don't reply in my thread further. You're words are rather pie-in-the-sky and non-sensical, scattered about in left field somewhere and you're not helping. I hope you get the help that you need.
 
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SkyWriting

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No, I wouldn't attend a church that is as diametrically opposed to my morals and beliefs, as is portrayed in the OP.
Becasue of the "L" word?
The OP gives no details on the writers moral and belief complaints.
 
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