As LCG co-workers and members struggle to survive financially, LCG does not even consider telling them to stop tithing for a while.
We have much more to do, and your support is vital to preaching the Gospel. With high inflation and the threat of a recession, our mail and online income has dropped significantly. Many of our members and co-workers are struggling to survive financially. Be sure to claim God’s promise, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Brethren and co-workers, if you are able to give more than usual at this time, it would be much appreciated and give a great boost to the Work. May God bless you all as you seek His Kingdom first in your life!
In Christian love,
Richard F. Ames
22 comments:
Funny how when the church needs money it asks you for it. When you need money, the Church tells you to pray about it and trust God.
Like LaNisa Frederick said, it just seems like prosperity gospel light. What is really sick is more or less money does not effect response to their dead message they still call "The Work." So what a steep decline in income really means is their financially privileged lifestyles are in jeopardy. So hey, we know inflation is hitting you pissants hard but don't you dare let US feel the financial squeeze. You know what, I wish everyone in the churches of god, right now, would seriously put Malachi 3:8-10 to the test. God, you say we rob you. The ministry says we rob you by not paying them. I paid tithes faithfully like an idiot for over two decades and did not get a blessing running over beyond what could be contained. I then stopped tithing and guess what...no curses. Instead, my life could finally be described as blessed! So try it! Stop tithing and see if god pours out cursings or see if you are blessed by taking fiscal responsibility back for you and your own family. The churches of god use Malachi 3 (COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTEXT!!!) as a scare tactic to keep you locked in as a tithing slave. Take courage. Take the challenge. See what happens. You will be glad you did.
‘our mail and online income has dropped significantly’……is telling.
Jesus said He would draw all men to Himself.
Yet the opposite is occurring within the Armstrong movement. Growth is absent.
Income is down and the ‘brethren’ are voting with their feet and leaving.
And yet they cling to the folly of discredited doctrine like BI etc. And the gospel is strangely neglected, the very message that Jesus sent His disciples out to proclaim. The message that threw the early church, the body of Jesus Christ.
Armstrongism has nothing to offer and hence will continue to decline and disappear into irrelevancy, except for ‘the few’.
Ames should be talking about the very positive lessons that HQ is learning from austerity, and sharing their techniques in dealing with less money. He should be encouraging the brethren by assuring them that the ministers are praying diligently for them, asking God to prosper them and to pour out the blessings of heaven upon them. Instead, he comes off as the Egyptian overlords, commanding the Israelites to supply their own hay and make their own bricks.
Funny how they'll blame the economy and high prices and a recession for why they're hurting for money but when the lay-members are in need it's because you're not being blessed by God because of some hidden sin. And why is it just a few months ago around the holydays they'll proudly proclaim how the work is being blessed but now a few months later we are at begging level proportions ?? What gives LCG...are the chickens coming home to roost? Have your deceptive ways started catching up to ya??
The churches of God are dying. Part of the reason is the continued reliance on TV. "That's what HWA did; we'll do it, too." Except things have changed dramatically in the media market since then. It is no longer one man speaking to millions, it is millions speaking to millions. LCG is wasting their money on TV. UCG wasted $1 million on a TV studio. Pack and Flurry continue to spend money on TV with no results. COGWA spends no TV money but gets no growth anyway. They're all going away. So where is God working now? Could it be in the Hebrew Roots groups? Most have similar doctrines like Sabbath, feasts, observing the laws of God, clean/unclean meats, belief in Jesus Christ as Savior, etc. But none of them have a TV show, or a TV studio, or anything of the sort. Yet they are growing by leaps and bounds. The internet has allowed the Biblical truths to be spread without any of the old methods. The COGs are being left in the dust; obsolete, growing old, and ready to fade away.
Yes, 8:39, they lack the intelligence to develop a cohesive, consistent message, so they preach using circumstantially-based mixed messages and then hard sell it all with a dash of authoritarianism. That encapsulates the precise nature of their deceptive ways. And we all at one time allowed them to get away with it, as do all the current members. A pity, that.
A better translation of Heb 7:12: For the priesthood being transferred, there is made of necessity also a REMOVAL of the law (the tithing law - verse 5).
Mentally ill fool.
I guess what Richard Ames is telling us is; I ain't going to be out making tents during the day - do you know what overtime is? I guess if Richard was on the street corner and could sing a pretty song, I would consider "giving a little extra".
Has any of the COGs ever announced something like a 10% reduction in salary for the ministry during hard times? I am aware of none EVER happening.
Seems like God is pulling back His blessings back. Sure, point the finger at the people. Has anyone there at HQ cut back to live within their means? If God wants to "boost" His work, don't you think He is bigger than any recession, and the income would be there! I recall HWA saying when your ways please God, He is faithful in His blessings. Is God pleased with LCG? When will LCG HQ look inwardly and start to examine themselves? If any from LCG HQ read this, check out Matthew 23:26-28 as this describes you!
Most of the major splinters only have a few thousand members, yet they typically have HQ buildings and a board of directors. The more they splinter, the higher the proportion of tithe money goes to administration.
Richard Ames has never worked a day in the past 50 plus years. I was a freshman when he graduated in 1964. He married Katherine Meredith and became one of the good ole boys. What does he know about sacrifice. Nothing! They keep talking about some great work. Who would want to sit for two or more hours listening to same worn out sermons. I can get more on the internet in two hours than I ever got from any COG. Herbert scared me 50 years ago with the coming revival of the Holy Roman Empire. But years and years of his failed warnings made me realize he didn’t have anything more than a hodgepodge of taking doctrines from various other religions and Bible authors. He concocted a religion that ensured a lifestyle of a king. Nothing has changed. If you are a LCOG member and your happy perpetuating the same message then that is your choice. In the gun lap, surely in the next ten years, can’t be more than 3 or 4 ore years, the end is near, the beast is alive and ready to unite Germany, will you be ready to flee when the word is given, etc, etc,etc
Jim-AZ
Well, Tonto, my guess is that if they ever decided to lead by example like that, they'd go for the 10% on paper, and then compensate for the loss by claiming more on their expense accounts. Sales professionals, and others who drive a lot are never hurt by rising gas prices. They get a bump in their car allowances to compensate for increased fuel costs.
Wrong, 11:05, with your false translation of Heb 7:12.
Abraham tithing to Melchisedec (the higher order) is not the same as Israel tithing to Levi (the lower order). The less (the Levitical ministry) is not better than the best (the Melchizedekian ministry) which is currently in charge of receiving tithes, as per v11. That other priest referred to in v11 which would arise after the Levitical is CHRIST who receives them through the church.
So the proper translation should be, "for the priesthood being transferred (metatithemi, place-changed), there has become (ginomai) of necessity (anagke) a transferal of the law (to the authority of the Melchizedekian/NC priesthood)." It is referring to the change in tithe-receiving responsibility, not to the elimination of the tithing law. There is a reason why Christ is called High Priest and of the order of Melchizedek in Heb 7 with the right to receive tithes and offerings, because He is the One who created it all in the beginning, all things created by Him and for Him. (Col 1:16)
So with your translation, you want to remove ALL the law, you say? See how far that gets you in your own neighbourhood in time. Which way do you want it? Remove all the law or just tithing. If you break one you break them all (Ja 2:10). You've got to know what law you're talking about because Christ upheld the law in MT 5:17-19. And Paul later said in Rom 3:31 that "we stand up (histemi) the law."
Anonymous said...
Most of the major splinters only have a few thousand members, yet they typically have HQ buildings and a board of directors. The more they splinter, the higher the proportion of tithe money goes to administration.
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BINGO , It's math, and this is one of the major issues with splinterdome. I couldn't have said it any better. It's systematic.
Just as those of Yahshua's time, the religious leaders of the day, care only for their own selves. They steal what is not theirs and pretend to obey.
Heb 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Heb 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Tithing is mentioned with the other aspects of the OT.
Deu 12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
Since tithing is included with the other aspects of the OT, then it too is disannulled, just as the burnt offerings, sacrifices, and heave offerings. As far as Mal is concerned, if you read the entire book, you will notice that Yahshua's words are directed to the priesthood of that time and NOT the people.
Wrong, again, 3:40.
The cancelling of the commandment that "preceded" or "came before" is referring to the OT commandment to pay the tithe to the Levite priests. It's not a declaration that the tithing commandment is obsolete for NT Christians today.
If tithes and offerings are annulled under the NC as you say, how does Christ then support His ministry over 2000 years?
And why does Paul say that those who preach the gospel should live off the gospel? (1 Cor 9:9)
You ought to read all of 1 Cor 9 because Paul is politely saying that you're obligated to give to him (carnal things, v11) because he is sowing the Word of life in you (spiritual things, v11).
Doubling down! A better translation of Heb 7:12: For the priesthood being transferred (Greek-metatithemenes), there is made of necessity also a removal (Greek-metathesis) of the law. To emphasize the meaning of metathesis, see Heb 12:27: And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing (metathesis) of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Tithing is, can be, a form of worship. Abraham, and Jacob apparently, tithed to Melchizedek who later is believed to become Jesus Christ. Melchizedek was like the son of God, v3, without ancestry, who later became the Son when Jesus was born of Mary, and then had an ancestry, v6 – Mat 1. Tithing laws were added during Moses to support the Levitical Priesthood (LP) and Levites but later removed of necessity because the LP was no more.
Laws to be taught and observed are written as several scriptures maintain. Where is the written tithing law(s) before Moses? Can’t find. Abraham and Jacob tithed voluntarily as a form of worship.
If there was any place where Paul could have written the words tithes/tithing, it would be in 1Cor 9. But he didn’t. Offerings, donations supported the churches.
Even if tithing were still a “must”, where in the world to tithe to? To the ones asking for money within the same announcement about brethren struggling to survive financially but asking of them to go extra, not in prayers nor in volunteering their time or service for help, but in the way of MONEY? I think prayers for them are more valuable at this point than money.
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