Would Your Church Accept $600,000 From a Lottery Winner?
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, August 18, 2008
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- (70) comments so far
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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. Pastor David Tarkington would not say exactly why the church refused the money, saying only he 'didn't want to talk about members' gifts'.
So... here's the question of the day... if someone in YOUR church won the lottery and wanted to tithe the money. Would you accept or deny the money. If you accept the money, why? And if you would deny the money, do you also check to see where your other tithes and offerings are coming from... you know... just to be safe? Please take a moment to leave your comment...
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Adam on Wed, August 27, 2008
kevind - you had me completely with you right up until the end “ (((provided a gambler can actually enter the pearly gates))) “… provided he can actually enter??? What’s up with that? I know that you’re probably saying it just in gest but some might not think so.
Jesus died for ALL sins, not just ones that don’t refer to gambling.
All of this being said, I still would have accepted it…and for others who may take offense to what I say, I’m not meaning to offend and I’m not meaning to judge a certain pastor…I’m speaking on what “I” would have done.
Gary Sweeten on Wed, August 27, 2008
Over the last several years our church received millions of dollars from people who left us their stocks and bonds as well as real estate. I am sorry to hear that they may all be in hell because of their gambling. Do you think we ought to return their tithes and offerings and sell the buildings they bought and close the missionary hospitals they built? I am in deep remorse for taking gambling money.
kevind on Wed, August 27, 2008
adam…
in the first part i was actually being totally serious… what i said at the end was, however, my attempt at humor… (that’s why i put the little smiley face http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif in there…
anyway… thanks for bringing it up… i truly would not want to mislead anyone…
Adam on Wed, August 27, 2008
kevind- I know, that’s why I said I was with you on that part. I know that I probably have a completely different view theologically on gambling than most but I don’t have a problem if your money is disbursed in THIS order:
1. Tithe
2. There’s food on your table and clothes on your children’s back.
3. Your bills are paid.
4. You have a savings account.
5. You have a little left over to do with what you want (including taking a gamble).
That’s just my feelings on it.
Peter Hamm on Wed, August 27, 2008
Gary, you nailed it!
kevind on Wed, August 27, 2008
adam…
i don’t exactly disagree with you on any of that, although it does raise some questions for knit-pickers (which i can be on occasion)…
questions relating to:
1. tithing (a nice can of worms that need not be opened here and now)
2. whether or not one is supposed to take care of himself before he repays those to whom he is indebted
3. re: savings - how much is enough?… how much does one need to have in savings before feeling ok about moving on to “doing and buying things they want”… and also - can one have too much in savings??
in fairness, i suppose most of these points i raise have no definitive biblical answers and are what might be called “disputable matters”, therefore rendering them matters of conscience for the individual…
another interesting thing to consider - for those who said they would not accept the money form this donor - is whether or not they would accept money from someone who earns their money from investing in the stock market, or from investing in business ventures… after all - aren’t those things really a form of gambling??
Adam on Wed, August 27, 2008
kevind- I agree concerning business ventures and stock markets…it is amazing though isn’t it how some people’s perceptions for the “same” thing can be different all because of what you call “it”. Feel free to email me if you want to discuss the topic further.
Dave Kinney on Fri, August 29, 2008
Sighs of exasperation! We are straining at gnats and swallowing camels!
The principle behind Deut 23:18 certainly does apply. The reference was the Lord’s admonition against receiving offerings from unrepentent sinners. He does not desire anyone’s offering for the sake of offering (please read Isaiah 1), He desires the heart that is broken, and repentant. (As far as the context is concerned, Deut 23 is a continued exposition and application of the Decalogue to the culture and life of Israel (and the church). Read it carefully and you will see expressions of Law AND Grace.)
God doesn’t hate prostitiutes, (please read John 8:1-12) He hates their sin. There is no place in God’s kingdom for the excused repetitive practice of sin!
If the church is going to teach and preach that gambling is wrong, or immoral or destructive, then the church should not compromise her integrity by receiving the money, (tithes) from unrepentant gamblers. If the church is going to do that, then we need to apologize to every minister who has fallen because of compromises in personal sin…didn’t they continue to give to the church? Wasn’t their ministry effort still faithful as far as the public pulpit was concerned?
Hmmm? Wonder why the church lambasted one former U.S. president who insisted his private life had nothing to do with his public life, while we ourselves are very selective and forgiving when it comes to “appropriate” sins?
I am very surprised to see such blindness in what is considered to be a theologically conservative branch of the church. Does no one see what has already happened? We are already serving the cause of the Anti-Christ. Our right hand is already marked. We exuse it away with our reasoning. Our foreheads are already marked. You might say, “OH! No! Never!” But I must ask you to read Rev. 13 once more and tell me where it says anything about the receiving of that mark is optional? We are in the “great falling away (2 Thess. 2:3). We are very much like the Israel that Isaiah and Jeremiah ministered too.
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The lottery is nothing more then a tax on the poor. (anyone see Lexus and Porsche owners in line to by a lottery ticket?). That is because wealthy people got wealthy because they are smart enough not to throw their money away on a 250,000,000:1 shot at a prize.Actually, the lottery is a tax on the stupid and those who can’t do math. If you take the average amount that a “player” spend per month and put it into a retirement account starting at age 30 you will hit a $million EVERY TIME. Not 1 in 250,000,000 but EVERY TIME…for more in
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