To Charge or not to Charge...that is the question!

I've been thinking about a subject that is probably somewhat controversial, but most people are not really talking about it. The subject I propose to discuss in this blog post is this; should churches and Christian organizations charge for events such as conferences, Ladies' Retreats, Vacation Bible Schools, youth camps, etc.? The next question would be; what does the Bible say about it? How does the Bible teach us to fund God's work?
In Matthew 14:14-21 we read

¹⁴And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. ¹⁵When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”

¹⁶But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

¹⁸He said, “Bring them here to Me.” ¹⁹Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. ²⁰So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. ²¹Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

What was Jesus' solution to the problem of food? Did He ask them to pay money to be fed? Did He ask them to pay money for hearing Him preach and for healing them? The answers to all of these questions is a clear "no." An interesting note in this passage is that when the disciples suggested that the people go into a neighboring village and buy food, Jesus, instead, instructed them to feed the people! Surely, Jesus was hoping against hope that the disciples would have faith in Him! After all, He was God! He must've been thinking, "C'mon, guys! Can't you see that I'm God! I can supply any need!"

How many times do we begin a new ministry, only to expect people to pay to partake of the gospel! How can we do this? The gospel was given to us freely. Can't we trust God to supply the funds for ministry? Of course, that is assuming that He is behind the ministry in the first place. I believe that God will supply the need for any ministry if it is His will for that ministry to exist. If the funds are not available after praying and trusting the Lord to provide, we need to ask ourselves if that particular ministry is His will.

But, back to our passage in Matthew. The disciples had a desire to do something good. They saw that the hour was late, and the people were certainly tired and hungry. Why not dismiss them and have them go and buy some refreshment. Sounds reasonable, right? William Burkitt addressed this quite well. "The motion which the disciples make on behalf of the multitude, Send them away that they may buy victuals. Here was a strong charity, but a weak faith. A strong charity in that they desire the people's relief: but a weak faith, in that they suppose that they could not be otherwise relieved, but by sending them away to buy victuals; forgetting that Christ, who had healed the multitude miraculously, could as easily feed them miraculously, if he pleased: all things being equally easy to omnipotency."

The disciples would've missed this wonderful opportunity for a miracle except that the Lord stepped in and saved the day! How many times have we been of such little faith that we didn't trust God to provide in a wonderful and miraculous way? We just assume that this is a day of small things and so, in order to fund God's work, we must rely on admission charges, courting secular corporations, bake sales and garage sales. This is a sad commentary on our faith! We serve the Creator of the universe, people! He can provide any need we have!

Malachi 3:10-12 "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house..." If we would give as God has asked us to, there will be plenty to fund His work!

I Timothy 6:17-10 "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. ¹⁸Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, ¹⁹storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." We should trust in the living God to supply all funds to cause His work to go forward. We should be willing to share as we are able so those who cannot give or share will still be able to participate in various events and endeavors.

(to be continued)

AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL

I am so grateful to be an American! I am sorry that our nation has been slipping down on a path away from God, but I don't believe we should despair! God is still running this world, and He will decide what ultimately happens. I have been reading a book, The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds on Prayer, and came across this in my reading; "The possibilities and necessity of prayer, its power and results are manifested in arresting and changing the purposes of God and in relieving the stroke of his power..."
Some examples from the Word of God about how prayer "changed" God's purposes would include Jonah who cast himself into the sea and God prepared the great fish to swallow him up. "Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly...and the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land." When Jonah called upon the Lord in his time of disobedience, God heard his prayer and delivered him from the fish.
Even, wicked King Pharaoh believed in God! He implored Moses four times to call upon God and ask for God's mercy when the plagues were happening to the Egyptians. Each time Moses would pray to God and the answer would come and the plague was lifted.
Or, how about good King Hezekiah who was told that his time was fast over on this earth and he prayed to God and was given fifteen years more!
When you stop and think about this, do any possibilities come to your mind about what God might want to do in America? Is it possible that He might yet want to "Revive us again, that we may rejoice?" Yes, we have certainly turned away from Him as a nation, but yet, is He willing that we should perish? Is He waiting for one of His own to "stand in the gap" and plead with Him for mercy and revival as Moses did for the children of Israel?
I believe that one of the reasons why we have not been judged more harshly in America is because of the Christians who are still seeking after God and crying over the sins of this nation. While wicked men see the Christians as the problem, they are actually, most likely, the reason America is still the land that it is! Without the Christians, it is possible God would give us even more over to judgment.
With that thought in mind, do you think it is possible that God is going over the earth, searching for someone to rise up and be that individual who will first of all, fast and pray for revival, and then to speak with boldness of the truth of God?

UNITED WE STAND!

Saturday, September 05, I attended a bit of "United We Stand" in Kansas City, MO. There were many people there! Probably a few thousand. There were many like minded people who are also worried about the state of our country. There was even a 16 year old girl who sang beautifully, "God Bless the USA." She, too, is concerned, even at her age, about the direction our country is heading if present leaders have their way. I am grateful to see that many other people are true patriots and desire to see our nation remain free. God help America!

Vacation to Pennsylvania

Hi! I just came home from a trip to Pennsylvania to visit my cousin Darrin and his wife Jan, and their daughter Kerri. We had such a nice time. I laughed so much as Darrin is so crazy, and I got lots of sleep. On Saturday, we went to Hershey, PA to visit the Hershey visitor's center. While there, we had the best milkshakes! Wow! Mine was Chocolate/Peanut Butter!!! It doesn't get any better than that. I'm grateful for a safe trip and a restful time.

Standing up for Freedom!

Yesterday, I and some of my family "stood for freedom" in Overland Park, KS at the Tea Party. We protested with about 350 others outside of our democratic congressman's office. I am hoping we can send him home, and out to pasture next year! We don't want Obamacare! We want freedom to choose our own doctors and not have a death panel telling my grandma it's time to die! That is UnAmerican and just down right "not nice!"

My Three Piano Students

Here are my three little piano students! Kristel, John David and Alexis. This picture was taken at our family reunion on July 11, 2009. They are three of my little cousins, and all played piano solos for the family. Each of them received an award for their outstanding work! I am proud of their progress, and hope they will continue pursuing the piano as they grow up.

Operation Rescue

I was very privileged to visit the headquarters of Operation Rescue on Saturday, August 1, 2009 in Wichita, KS. If you are not aware of this organization, please check out their very excellent website at www.operationrescue.org. My parents and I were given a tour by a volunteer, Tara, and her husband was also in the building. Operation Rescue is located in a former abortion clinic in a not so nice area of town. As you can see from the photos, they left the original sign from the abortion clinic, and placed the word "closed" over top of it. They bought this roach infested building three years ago, when the abortion facility was forced to shut down. What an opportunity! It was filthy, dirty and horrible inside. Such a parallel to the evil that was present when 50,000 babies were murdered! Since OR claimed it, they have literally transformed it into a beautiful, clean, peaceful place. What a change comes from being inhabited by evil, to being filled with the presence of God. Notice the memorial wall remembering each of these precious lives lost. Lives lost, who will never get to grow up and pursue all of life's dreams. Never being able to go to college, get married, have children, perhaps discover the cure to cancer...
OR works to educate and end abortion through peaceful means. They were close to having George Tiller removed as an abortionist, when he was gunned down. One of their next projects is to try to prevent LeRoy Carhart from Nebraska from taking Tiller's place as a major late term abortionist.
I was able to get a copy of Troy Newman's book, Their Blood Cries Out. Excellent so far. Troy is the head of OR, and I would highly recommend this book. It shows clearly from the Bible why abortion must be ended.
Please also see the picture of former abortionist, George Tiller's now empty abortion clinic! (bottom) Praise the Lord, babies are no longer dying in this building. The sign has been removed, but this is the place where thousands of babies died. May our hearts be changed and may we fight for the end of this genocide.

From Psalm 139...(my paraphrase) You made me, and all my intricate parts while I was in my mother's womb...You knew me even when I was in a secret place...Your thoughts to me are precious, I cannot count them...Your works are marvelous! I praise You, Jesus, for You made me amazingly!