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by Heidi_Hatch from Lake Mary Florida

Last Post 10 hours Ago


TO TITHE OR NOT TO TITHE
Aug 15, 2008 | 7:30 AM
Category: Faith
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This is a tough one.  It got me thinking.  My church asks the members not to gamble their money.  But they also suggest that you pay a tithe on all earnings.  So- lets say I won the lottery... would they want the million I had to offer?  I'd guess yes.  But I don't know.  What do you think about this local story?

    

ORANGE PARK, FL -- After Robert Powell hit the Florida Lottery jackpot last month and took home more than $6 million, he thought of his church. And he offered to drop his tithe, around $600,000, in the collection plate of First Baptist Orange Park. But the church and Pastor David Tarkington politely declined and told Powell they will not accept the lottery winnings. Many churches do not approve of the lottery and gambling but on the other hand Pastor Dr. Lorenzo Hall of the El-Beth-El Divine Holiness Church says $600,000 can do a lot of good. "I'm against the lottery, but if one of my members won the lottery, I wish and I hope he would give 10% to the church, we could do a lot of things with that money," says Hall. As a Holiness minister, Dr. Hall says he does not ask where members get the money they decide to donate. He said he would welcome Powell's donation to his inner city church anytime. "We are in the process now of building a youth center, and you would be surprised at the people that can be helped with $600,000," says Hall. Bethel Baptist Church member Lottie Walker says if she won, the first thing she would do is give lottery money to her church. "Anything extra is bonus so that would be an extra blessing of offering after that, so if I did win lotto, sweepstakes I would tithe to my church," says Walker. First Baptist Orange Park Pastor David Tarkington would not say exactly why the church refused the money, saying only he didn't want to talk about members' gifts.

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sensiblejoe read my blog
Aug 15, 2008 | 12:38 PM

Well, if a church is against gambling, and is going to remain true to its principles, it has to refuse tithes from gambling winnings. Money isn't morally netural: how it's earned or gotten plays into it. (Think of money from a hard day's work versus money from a bank robbery or drug dealing.) So congratulations to First Baptist Orange Park for sticking to its principles, but Mr. Powell's money is welcome at any number of other charities that do not have a problem with gambling. Give where your gift will be received and put to good use for others less fortunate than you.
Gorilla read my blog
Aug 15, 2008 | 2:01 PM

Investing has the same definition as gambling...
How many are in the stock market?
toddt read my blog
Aug 15, 2008 | 4:30 PM

Heidi,

My church is the same. Actually I am told that a guy won the lottery and tried to give his tithe to the church and they would not accept it.
AthenaZeusVito read my blog
Aug 16, 2008 | 11:47 AM

Perhaps the church did not want to give any 1 member of the congregation "power" over the financial decisions of the church... "Well I paid off your mortgage (or I pay your salary), so I should have more say."

By declining the tithe, the church shows that it is not a business or money-making operation. It stands by its beliefs and does what it thinks is right by God.
TAllen read my blog view my photos
Aug 18, 2008 | 12:43 PM

Why not just make an anyonomus donation instead of tithe? Never got the concept of tithing anyway...kind of like the old joke were the guy tosses money in the air and tells god...you can have what you catch.
sipedo read my blog view my photos
Aug 18, 2008 | 10:41 PM

I am opposed to the idea of "Tithing" altogether. It is NOT a New Testament principle. Not that it is a bad thing to give, but the New Testament says nothing of tithing. The New Testament goes beyond tithing. The example is given in the book of Acts. The fact of the matter is that everything that you have belongs to God, and you have been entrusted with the stewardship of that prosperity. At any given time, you could lose it all, you can gamble it away, you could die. Ten percent is a nice place to start with your giving.

As for gambling? I am not fond of gambling, in fact, I think the lottery should be eliminated altogether.

As for the church in Orange Park not accepting the money? That is just plain foolish on the churches part, unless they have so much money that they don't need it. If that is the case, they better be doing something better with the money they do have than sitting on it.

If you tithe, GREAT! Just remember, to whom much is given, MUCH is expected. It's all God's money anyway, no matter how you get it.

Point of fact, in deciding who would replace Judas as an Apostle, the cast lots, which is a form of gambling.
sipedo read my blog view my photos
Aug 18, 2008 | 10:43 PM

oops, THEY CASTED LOTS
candyaquino read my blog view my photos
Aug 23, 2008 | 12:20 AM

Well maybe if the lottery winner would just continue a generous amount each time he went to church...perhaps it would not have looked as someone else stated.....he would expect some "power"....so KUDOS TO THE PRIEST OR PASTOR........and because of the latter story about the other Pastor at the other church saying.........Oh yes, we wouldn't turn it down, it could do alot of good......IS THE REASON WHY I HESITATE TO GIVE........ANYMORE....
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Heidi_Hatch

Anchor Fox35 News in the Mornings 5-9AM. "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow." - Helen Keller

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