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I think what is upsetting most on this forum about my posts is that I am talking about the local, mainstream church. I am not talking about the televangelists at all. And I am certainly not singling out mega-churches. It may be time to change up the way we have been playing "church" for the...

You can't prevent murder and hatred. You can prevent people from throwing their hard-earned money away on Sunday-only country clubs for wealthy people.

It depends on what you mean by "salary." If you mean having the pastor make double what the average person in the congregation makes, then no. If on top of his monthly salary he gets to live in a nice house and not have to pay rent or mortgage payments, then no. If on top of his monthly salary...

How about just selling the building and you won't have to worry about it anymore. Meet in homes as the early church did. It would definitely be a lot safer. -- Sell the church building and give the money to the poor --Stop telling people they are "stealing from God" if they don't tithe...

Yes, and it would be nice if we would help those in our congregation first, instead of traipsing off on expensive journies to far-away continents.

You would be surprised at how many are. Even if the building is paid for, the utilities and maintenance have to be kept up.

No, but I haven't asked other people to pay for those things, either. I haven't put the little wealth I have on the backs of poor working people. I haven't asked other people to pay my mortgage or send my kids to private school. I would never ask those things of my fellow believers, and neither...

There is when a massive mortgage is tied to it and the middle class is footing the bill.

No.

I don't think that is the case at all. Most people are respectful. Look at all the fall festivals taking place during Halloween. Beyond that, churches could open their doors for job fairs, family game night or community meetings and gatherings.

Not trying to take your reply out of context, but that is a very important statement. I go back to the point I made earlier about how non-believers are living in sin anyway. Their marriages are a sham because they did not commit it to God's sovereignty while taking their vows. This is no reason...

Being legally married through the state and saying your vows before God are two entirely different things. I highly doubt a piece of paper with a state seal on it is going to change this couple spiritually. By telling them they can no longer have sex until they get that piece of paper will...

Nothing! Great point. However, I hope you would not advise the woman, in this case, to leave the man and thereby break up the family. This, in my opinion, would cause more damage than what they already have done by not getting married.

For this reason, I believe the couple should stay together. It is my opinion that non-Christian couples who marry aren't truly married anyway. They haven't made their vows under the authority of the Creator God. As Christ-followers we should not be advocating further family dysfunction by...

Now that is Christian love. I think that would be a great thing for churches to bring the potluck fellowships back.

It wasn't my intention to vilify Franklin Graham, or his father, for that matter. I don't think his accumulation of wealth was necessarily devious in any way. I just think there comes a point where a pastor has to call a halt to his ministry becoming a capitalist empire.

I think you are falling into a trap of semantics here. I am not sure I want to be lured into it with you.

Teach me how to do that. That is great. Keep up the good work for the Lord. We need more like you!

This is also very encouraging. I am assuming you are from NZ? Your church sounds wonderful; the kind of church I can only dream of here in the states. Blessings to you.

That's amazing! I am so glad to hear that you are doing that. It sounds like a real, authentic fellowship to me. Let us know how it goes so I can learn from that.