This past weekend I attended a meeting where I met one of the nicest young men I have met in a long time. Maurice and I come from different generations and different cultures. Yet, it didn’t take us long to discover we had a common point of interest. We both love Jesus.
As Maurice and I talked, somehow the conversation turned to churches and the benevolent ministries they perform. He told me a story about one such benevolent request in his church and how his pastor handled it. He said, “There was a young lady in the church who had fallen on hard times. She sent a note to the pastor telling him about her hard times and requesting four hundred dollars from the church. The pastor took the note and read it to the deacons and then asked them what they thought. Seeing as the young lady had been a member of the church all her life, the deacons told the pastor they thought the church should give her the four hundred dollars. The pastor then said, ‘No. Let’s give her six hundred instead. However, I am going to instruct the treasurer to give her the check first and let her be blessed by that and then, after she has received her blessing, to give her a copy of her financial giving statement.’ As instructed, the treasurer handed her the check. When she saw the amount she began to weep for joy and gush about how thankful she was, how much she loved her church, and how good her church had been to her. Then, as instructed, the treasurer handed her a copy of her financial giving report. As she looked at it her countenance fell and she said, ‘I need to do better.’ Then, in hushed tones she mumbled, ‘My church has been better to me than I have been to my church.’” And the sad truth is that her statement could be repeated thousands of times over right here in Troup County, Georgia! “My church has been better to me than I have been to my church.”
There is a term used in divorce situations when a father refuses to pay child support. That term is: Deadbeat Dads. It signifies that the father, who willingly chose to enter into a partnership with the mother of his child, isn’t willing to step up and meet his obligations regarding the results of that partnership. In other words, his wife and child are better to him than he is to them.
I am afraid we are perpetuating this culture in our churches. We allow or validate the actions of deadbeat Christians and Church Members who continually take more than they receive. Now, I know that from time to time, all of us, me included, take more from our church than we give. This is not what I’m talking about. What I’m talking about is when it becomes our standard practice! We come to the church and enjoy its comforts. We like the beautiful building, the heat in the winter, the air conditioning in the summer, and the padded pews. But we don’t give financially. Let’s be clear. Under the permissive will of God, churches exist because of two things: 1. Somebody prayed. 2. Somebody paid!
I’m afraid we have allowed this mentality to go far beyond the church. It has permeated every fiber of our society. We want government benefits – without paying our fair share for them. We want a healthy family – without paying the price. We want good jobs – without paying the price of educating ourselves and or training ourselves. We want to start at the top of the ladder – without paying our dues at the bottom of the ladder. And on, and on, and on I could go.
As I close this column, I do so by stating that I’m afraid we have allowed this secular entitlement mindset to permeate the church. We think we should receive without giving. And the truth of the matter is that if nobody gives, then nobody receives.
I wonder what would happen if every church posted in their bulletins a list of Deadbeat Christians and church members who attend church to receive – but never give.
She said, “My church has been better to me than I have been to my church.”
Brother Aaron
To schedule Brother Aaron to preach a Sunday service at your church, a revival meeting, or a special event, you may contact him at: 1-800-511-9536, 706-302.9162, or e-mail: freshfire@mindspring.com
