Send It In!
All churches require money to operate their ministries. All churches have come to realize that just depending on "give as you are able" or deciding for oneself what they can afford to give does not work well when you want to build things and put your ideas out "to all the world." Around here the radio ministers make no bones about the Christian obligation to tithe so get over it and "send it in!"Among the "send it in" ministers who take the prize for pushing members to the brink and over at times is Dave Pack, Apostle and many other glorious titled founder of the Restored Church of God. Dave coined the "send it in" concept and is well known for his insane demands for retirements, homes, estates and any spare cash you may have just sitting doing nothing in the bank. If you wish to hear him directly commanding it, find a copy of "A Clarion Call" and be inspired or enraged depending on your orientation. (Exposés of "Clarion Call" can be found here and here.)
So to the point. Some simple concepts and rules the member should adopt in their giving, NO MATTER HOW THREATENING YOUR PASTOR GETS TO SEND IT IN.
Your hard earned monies are yours
Your retirement is yours
Your home is yours
Your bank account is yours
Your belongings are yours
Your time is yours
Your mind is yours
Your family comes FIRST
Your needs come FIRST
Your children come FIRST
I realize the Bible tells you differently in places and ministers can quote "God" to you all day guilting you out of your own mind and common sense if you allow it. Please remember, even if don't understand this. Human Priests in the OT wrote the OT and every rule in the OT that the masses must obey. If you do not understand this Bible fact, do your homework. It will easy your mind that you are not really offending a Deity that also says He owns the cattle on a thousand hills , which if He really needed money, He could sell since they belong to Him.
So here are the real rules if you wish to keep your own integrity in tack along with your mind and resources.
Never give what you do not have
Never give beyond that which you are able thinking it will come back to you. It won't
Never give up your home to a church cause
Never give up your property to a church cause
Never Will your home, property and stuff to any church...EVER!
Never allow your personal finances to become the business of the Church or the leadership of that Church
Never dip into your retirement for a current Church need or want...EVER!
Never be afraid to undo what you said you'd do...no matter what you think the Ananias and Sapphira tale was all about. It is not what you think is about.
Never put yourself in a place of need by giving to someone who has everything already
Never send in diamonds, physical gold or silver to your church. It will be kept by the ministry and the rings will end up on the hands of their kid's fiancé.
Never break these rules or you will live to regret it.
Always feel free to repeal what you said you'd give under duress of sermons filled with proof-texting and too long in your seat hearing about it. You won't be struck dead.
Always check out the size, quality and location of your pastor’s home
Always demand to know the real salary the guru gives to himself or family members
Always use the phrase "I'll take that under consideration," when you are being commanded to do something by your minister.
Always defend your family and partner before you defend the Pastor or Church
Always allow for anything the Pastor says to be taken with a grain of salt. Petra, "God says," "I am..." "You aren't..." come to mind.
Always pay attention to the spinning in your head and the pain in your stomach. Your stomach is telling you the truth. Your head is lying to you.
Always be your authentic self before you allow a book, booklet, Church or its leadership to hijack your mind
Always stay on your own journey and not that of others unless you really chose wisely to do so and make them part of your journey not you giving up yours for theirs.
No God will be angry with your if you adhere to the above
Only men will be angry with you if you adhere to the above
If you allow others to do your thinking for you...
If you allow others to filter your life through their eyes
If you are motivated by fear, guilt and shame in these matters...
I will be mad at you as will most of the people you love and who love you.