The Truth Shall Make You Free or Broke

as with anything people have got to find a balance. no one, even religious leaders, should take finances to an extreme for their own benefit. i believe if religious leaders wanted to create wealth, they should be doing their own enterprise on the side and not relying on any money from the church, except for basic needs.

i go to a catholic church and most of the basic needs for our priest are met by way of a parishoner donating a car, or people making dinners for the priest, or having the tithe offering go towards everyday items, like building repairs, heating, water bill, etc.

if pastors want to live the glamorous life, then please create your wealth through another means.

Dr. Grover, where you been. First I would like to say that preachers like nice things too. Why should they deprive themselves of these worldly items. We can't expect them to live the life, of Mother Thersa, can we. :)

MJ, I feel the same way. I might take it a little farther, I might go to another church again. Some of these preachers give the whole clergy a bad name. These pimps, keep pimping to no ends.

Dr. Glover, thats so true, instead of building these mega churches, they should be building the next generation, by providing tution relief for its members. I mean, thats a "no-brainer" right?

Excellent post, Doc! I thought for a moment there you were witness to a double homicide and went into a witness protection program. Jokes aside, I'm about to get flamed for this.

You make excellent arguments, but this paragraph speaks volumes: "If Black folks don’t know what their book says and are too arrogant to admit that they don’t know (or stubborn try to find out)…they will fall for anything. Some fast talking hustler with a robe and flashy rings tells you that God said do it and you do it. They scare you into thinking that you are against God if you question their spending habits or lack of compassion. If you mention that the law no longer applies and that you shouldn’t be paying a tithe…you are politely shown the door…and condemned to HELL."

If you take that a step further and encourage people to not be afraid to "think outside the book" they may just find there's no need to fear the end of that paragraph. I grew up in a "don't question God" enviroment and was taught to believe everything I was told -- until I got to the age of reason and looked beyond the surface. Yet, most Blacks can't admit that they may not know something. Watch, even in response to this, they'll defend w/all their might instead of giving one ounce of creedance to the point(s) I'm trying to make.

I used to help pastors market their businesses, ehhhrrr, churches and have spent countless hours beind private offices and over lunches and am convinced that part of the reason these pastors can spend w/out fear is that many of them are Agnostic just like I am. They don't believe that Jebus is coming back any more than I do. It's a lucrativ career move for many of them.

Some live such secret lives that they marry just to cover their flaming homos*xuality and threaten their wives to leave! I know for a fact. True story and then I'm out: I used to publish a religious magazine (go figure, but the markt was wide open) and therefore thought to be a man of God. A Bishop's former member came to my offce and began opening up about him finding out his pastor was gay. He was literally in TEARS! And to verify his claim, I knew several people who knew his wife, and they all would concur. But SHE CAN't LEAVE! If this guy believed what he preached, he'd be too scared of God's wrath to hide behind the pulpit and live the lies he does. ( BTW: He's one of these mega-church pastors who drives fancy cars and dresses in custom suits every single day, too.)

And that's not an isolated situation, either. I know more private stories than any of you would cae to know.

Hello friend:

Keep doing the good work. The word of God is free, but it does take labor to produce a medium to hear it. Abuse occurs almost in everything. If you truly get the truth, you will know that God want you to share no more than you are able. That money the minister gets is suppose to be used to further the kingdom needs, and that includes people in need. God said he would give you power to get wealth, and I believe it. I am right now struggling to get these message out to the people, so that put me in a different sort position. Satan do not care about you having money if you are ignorant. It is the knowledge of God that he wants to keep you away from, because this is eternal. With that knowledge, comes everything.

This knowledge is found at my website:http://www.ministerbullard.org

I recently produced new videos and established a bible study section. You cannot visit this website and not be changed. The Spirit of God is there.

When you arrive, May He guide you through this information.

Larry L. Bullard, Sr.
Minister

Min. Larry,

First let me commend you for having the guts to post your reply.

But my brother, my dear humble servant of God…Jesus once told a rich man to give away all that he had in order to enter the Kingdom. In the view of the man you are trying to immolate/ preach about/ follow/ serve…a man cannot serve two masters: God and money.

But here we are a few thousand years later and people are using the name of Jesus/God to make money from selling the word of God. I don’t want to question the depth of your faith…but if you truly believe that God can do all things…why do we refuse to believe that God will take care of YOU if you take care of his people? Faith says trust in God in all matter: not just non-financial matters.
I use to participate in nation theological debates. And like Craig, I became so disheartened by the numbers of pastors, ministers, reverends, and priest s who simple do not believe the message they “Sell” to the people.

The bible speaks of the faith of the mustard seed…but our religious leadership today is faithless.

If you really believe, trust that God will provide for you and give away his message…FOR FREE!. “If you truly get the truth, you will know that God want you to share no more than you are able.” Therefore not one penny of Caesar’s money should be needed. GOD HAS THE POWER TO TAKE CARE OR YOUR NEEDS…Right?

The eye of the needle parable from Jesus is a bitter pill for most men/ women of the cloth to swallow. Maybe it’s not God that tells men to get money in the name of God…maybe it’s some other force.

If preaching didn’t pay, how many folks would still do it?

Would colleges offer degrees in it?

Would marketing companies support churches for free...out of faith?

Would the message be purer?

You tell me...

Craig,

I'm still here...you know I couldn't stay under wraps and away from my people too long:-)

Yeah Irma I'm back.

And yes I too have bills to pay...not rent however...I charge folks rents and pay mortgages. Last week I was off playing/ cruising:)

You this is funny to me, only because I've been there. I grew up in church where I was VERY active, my family was active. Oh boy this is hilarious. When parents marriage was in trouble, where was the church? Yeah they broke up alright. When I needed help with college tuition, where was the church? Yeah, I left school alright. When I was about to get evicted, where was the church? Yeah I got evicted alright. See how funny this is too me. Where was the church. The church people made fun of me for attending because they thought it was a cult. The church where my family was baptized in. The church where I directed the youth choir and wrote on the youth newpaper. The church where my mother was head of the women's ministry. The church where my father lead many prayer sessions, and handled communion. Where the hell was the church. Oh, but guess what. The minister and his wife were always going on vacation to an exotic destination. They even bought the nicest of cars. Here's my favorite part, the pastor's son got into some legal trouble at his government job and was forced to leave, you know what they did? They through a benefit a dinner for him. Yeah they raised money for him and told the congregation it was a retirement benefit. I knew the truth though. Lol. Jesus and the disciples didn't have a building, they met anywhere and preached everywhere. A church is not a building, its a group of people that make up a church. Jesus and disciples helped and saved lives even when they didn't have much to give. Yeah, its a business now. Needless to say, I left that congregation. I now attend a study group with others who left that congregation after they shut me out. Oh I didn't even mention that the pastor's wife accused me of something I wasn't doing and based that as her reason for not helping me. She went by some he said she said. Regardless, tithes are supposed to be used to help the people in the church and the community. Isn't that what the bible says?

CL,

Tithes were part of the old law that many/most (all Christians should) believe that Jesus gave his life to save folks from. THEREFORE LIKE THE OTHER STUFF UNDER THE LAW...THE TITHE IS NO MORE!!!!

But you will never hear that on Sunday! Either a person is saved from the law or they aren't? If they are saved...why are folks still paying tithes?

There are so many excellent comments. The church today, it not what God had instructed us to do with his word. Alot of the offerings and tithes are filling the pocket lining of the people who are leading the church, the same leaders that states we are not of this world, and speak about wordly things but at the same time, they are keeping up with the world. The church has lost its' focus. There are more emphasis on Mega Churches (offering pots) than preaching the true Word of God (not every church). This is the reason why people do not get healed, recieve the Word when you witness to them nor miracles are no longer performed. The church is like when Moses was building the great city for Pharaoh and Pharaoh's son was upset because Moses spilled the wheat from the bins they were kept in.......Moses defense was how do you expect these people to work when they have no strength to work. How do you expect to have a congregation when the strength of the congregation is sick and in the hospital, homeless, hungry, full of despair and going through whatever trial there could be and the leaders are 20 room manison and people within their own congregation are homeless.
Don't get me wrong, I do attend church however I can only comment on what I have seen and not all churches are perfect. I will be the first to admit, that the judgment of God will start in the house of the Lord.
Oh Zion whats the matter now.

I gather you all have seen the MSNBC documentary about the only Black bishop who cound rival Jakes ias a Bishop,lost his cathedrail and fame and forturne becasue he began to preach that the Africans before being put into slavery had souls and would be able to go to heaven.The evangelical heads(Oral Roberts) said if he did not take this all back and go to Bishop rehab. he would loose every thing.He did!!!!!

He did not take back that Africans before put being put into slavery to suffer to be able to go to heaven were in heaven right now...Now you noticed who it was that fired this Bishop who until this was the same level as Jakes? WAKE UP...

Those of the Evangelical faith who prayed that it rained on the convention it seem will get their prayers answered...ha, ha ,ha... I love it when a plan comes together.

I look forward to all of the Hillary supporters voting for a 'female' that is against every thing that Hillary has always been against all of her political career. It is much better to take comfort in going against this than going against their life long fight to keep racism and prejudices (against Obama) alive and well in America.

Yes, I am loving each and every moment of this reality. or TRUTH????(smile)

That's right Dr. Glover and where have you been? I guess we just over look you have to pay rent and buy gas like we do(smile). Missed ya...

Che, Christian or Buddhist, or Jew is a religious label...please never forget that you are dealing with 'individuals' who like you are/should put your needs, what makes you happy and content first. I am content with thinking this way therefore I never am able to find fault with anyone who puts themselves first. After all, it is my believe that survival is an instinct, and automatic/natural response used by every one of us.

Or, for ever cause that one makes there is an effect on that person and their environment. Every thing balances it self out. My grandmother use to say that "God may not come when we call him but he is always on time".

It is ironic that the governor-VP Republican first female choice is the answer/represent the Right's family values...her experience is in being a mother and it was just reported on FNC that her 17 year old ,going to get married, daughter is 5 month's with child.

I repeat, does anyone ever think about the 'children' when they throw their hats into the political arena to be covered from the negative,scandal side of media reportings???Some of these people should at least be charged with child endangerment if nothing else!!!!!!!!!

This has got to stop, yesterday...