Jon and I have been having a challenge lately. We were going to a baptist church in Linden, Texas but decided we needed a change so we started going to a Lutheran church in Atlanta, Texas instead. It is a small church with a very small congregation of mostly older people. The pastor was retired and decided he would help out a couple small churches who couldn't support a pastor so he came out of retirement and preaches at this church and another in Texarkana, Arkansas. We have always been members of a church but haven't really participated much, maybe because we have moved around so much and have had a hard time getting connected. Now don't get me wrong we love the Lord but not today's modern church so much. I recently read a blog entitled "Meet those who Love Jesus but not the church"
https://www.barna.com/research/meet-love-jesus-not-church/#.WOXUP4tY1sM.
The blog is in regard to a survey that was made questioning people about their spiritual life and if they go to church or not. I was surprised to find that I am not the only one who feels like the church isn't relevant to them. I was surprised to read that I am not the only one who loves God but have found that they have lost faith in the church.
Are today's modern churches failing because they put too much emphasis on the building and staff and not enough on the people? Jon and I have always thought tithing was very important and we do give to the church we are attending. We also give to other Christian organizations that we know are making a difference but we are battling with ourselves over the idea that the tithe we give to our local church isn't making a difference, that it is being used to keep up a building, and pay for staff. If you google this topic you will get as many post for supporting pastors and churches
http://christianmediamagazine.com/5-things-bible-says-paying-pastors-church-leaders/
as you get against
http://www.truthguard.com/Articles/has-god-really-commanded-that-pastors-be-paid-a66.html.
How do we know if it is biblical for a pastor and a building to be supported by a congregation when there are so many different opinions on the subject? Are we wrong to feel the way we feel? Are we wrong to want to know that the tithe we give is being used to help bring people to God and not to pay for building? Now I don't expect to get the answers we need from writing this blog but I wanted to start a conversation on the subject. I want to hear from others who feel the way I do and from others who think it is the responsibility of the congregation to support a pastor and church.
