Church Gives Away $1000 Every Week to People Sitting in Lucky Seats
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, November 04, 2009
- Viewed 419
- (9) comments so far
A Chicago area church is doing something unique. Rev. Dan Willis pulls a number from a bag and a lucky worshipper wins up to $500.
Here's part of a Chicago Tribune article describing what's happening at Lighthouse Church:
At Lighthouse Church of All Nations in Alsip, the congregation can get more than just prayer at the Sunday worship services.
If a lucky -- or "blessed and highly favored" -- churchgoer is in the right seat, they can also receive a cash prize.
At each of the three Sunday services, the Rev. Dan Willis pulls a number of one seat from a bag and the worshiper in that seat wins a cash prize. Two of the churchgoers win $250 and the third gets $500. The church gives away $1,000 each Sunday, Willis said.
The cash prize is part of Willis' recent focus on helping his congregation pay bills and begin a debt-free life, he said.
"We've had soooo many of our people displaced from jobs, facing foreclosure," he said. "When people's faith was high, their debt was down. When their faith was down, their debt was high. I realized the two are connected."
Willis concedes the cash prize is a gimmick to fill the pews. But he's unapologetic about the plan, because it's working. On a typical Sunday, his church draws about 1,600 people to its three Sunday services. But since the money giveaway started, about five weeks ago, the congregation has grown to about 2,500 each week, he said. The money for the giveaway comes from the church offering. Lighthouse is a non-denominational church.
"If I can get someone in here and teach them and give them money, that's what I'm going to do," he said.
OK... this is pretty unconventional. Good idea or terrible one? What do YOU think?
Todd
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