Did anyone catch that Larry King special a few weeks back? Several televangelists were being investigated by the government for tax issues. One preacher spent thousands of dollars in donations to buy a gold and marble toilet! That site is the reason why I never tithe. I'd rather donate my hard-earned money to those who actually need it.
"He who is kind to the needy lends to the Lord..." Proverbs 19:17
Did anyone catch that Larry King special a few weeks back? Several televangelists were being investigated by the government for tax issues. One preacher spent thousands of dollars in donations to buy a gold and marble toilet! That site is the reason why I never tithe. I'd rather donate my hard-earned money to those who actually need it.
"He who is kind to the needy lends to the Lord..." Proverbs 19:17
Purge_WTF,
That's great that you generously donate to the needy! About the tithe, if one believes in tithing, traditionally is given to the local church where one is a member. Any donations to other ministries, charities and individuals is extra, above and beyond the tithe. And one is supposed to be a member of the local church which one attends. The church is supposed to be very transparent with their management of their finances, as has been my experience with every Christian church I have been a part of. They provide monthly financial reports and before any big, out of budget spending, they consult with all the members, and the members have to agree. There is nothing secretive about the finances. Any church member can ask any questions and request any information at any time.
The pastors of the churches that I have been a part of have all been very humble, not owners of fancy homes, nor of fancy cars, nor of fancy suits or jewelry.
If a Christian cannot trust his/her local church with his/her tithe, then that Christian should find a different church.
Ministry Watch exists to assist those of us who would like to contribute to legitimate ministries that possess the infrastructure to help the needy at a greater scale and to help those who need the most help around the country and around the world, such as International Aid, Inc., Medical Teams International, Children's Hunger Fund, etc., and to help protect us from getting ripped off by those who abuse sincere, generous Christians to accumulate wealth for themselves.