Q2. Guilt vs. Cheerfulness

[wifee]

2a)They may compel people to give,as their ways,concerned more for need for funds to repair buildings, rather thanGod’s ways encouraging to give as a response to their love for Him.when acting out of force,we are not adhering to Spirit’s leading,&fruit therefore will be limited.

B)Greed in terms of wanting church to be/do like some other churches,keeping up with Jone’s, rather than from joyful discipleship.Sadly not all have right motives

C)pressure produces resentful,reluctant people, conforming outwardly to expectations of others, but it does not come from the heart. It usually forces people to do what they don’t want to do.True worship is an inward response & expression of love for God

.d)Being cheerful in giving, indicates person is full of the joy of the Lord,at one with God’s Spirit’s leading,they reflect more of his character&giving as their thankful generous response to blessings received,& a concern for others needs.

[royk]

Q2. (2 Corinthians 9:7) Why do you think pastors or other church leaders use guilt to try to compel people to give more? Can greed be behind their pressure? Why is pressure incompatible with worship? What does cheerfulness while giving say about the condition of a person's heart?

 

I have been fortunate to not have heard a church leader that tries to compel people to give 10%; but I heard of one who did and he almost died in a motorcycle accident !!! God gets the message across one way or another.

 

Without cheer, there is no real giving spirit in the heart and it mitigates the benefits for the giver (:>(

 

So happy to read the URL here "joyfulheart.com"  we are in the right place today!

[WinstonY]

Q2. (2 Corinthians 9:7) Why do you think pastors or other church leaders use guilt to try to compel people to give more? ?

 

Leaders use guilt hoping that the peer pressure created will increase giving.

 

Can greed be behind their pressure?

 

Well. I suppose so because an increase in 'collection'  will look good on them.

 

Why is pressure incompatible with worship?

 

God is looking for a cheerful giver, and a heart of love and caring. If we love our neighbour as we love ourselves we will respond to the offering with a loving and happy heart. We are to give according to our means.

 

What does cheerfulness while giving say about the condition of a person's heart?

 

A cheerful giver has a cheerful heart.

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give,
not reluctantly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.” (9:7)

 

                                                                                                  

[lighthouse2014]

Q2. (2 Corinthians 9:7) Why do you think pastors or other church leaders use guilt to try to compel people to give more? Can greed be behind their pressure? Why is pressure incompatible with worship? What does cheerfulness while giving say about the condition of a person’s heart?

I know some pastors use guilt to try to get people to give more, this puts great pressure on the members and forces them to give out of reluctance. This is not giving freely out of the heart and I don't think the Lord will bless the pastor for this forcible giving. The people don't really want to give more but do so out of embarrassment before others.

Greed by the pastor or church elders that pressure members to give more is an indication they are spending more money than should and possibly for their own worldly desires.

Pressure to force members to give more is what the Lord does not want. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, this is true worship, to give out of pressure or forceful condemnation is incompatible with worship.

A cheerful giver shows that one is worshiping the Lord with a clear and happy heart. This person is happy to serve the Lord in all situations. 

[Krissi]

Pastors are constantly pressured to make a budget AND to give to missionaries and other worthy causes. A church that is barely paying it's bills is considered unsuccessful, though this could be God's will -- parishioners who cannot give more should be on their knees asking for His provision.

If a church is enormously pressured to raise more cash, however, expenditures should be lowered. Many churches are in financial pinches because of building programs. Spiritual pride can be attached to a sprawling campus of new buildings. Every pastor seems to want this, at least in America. So they pressure or guilt those in the pews to pay for this visible sign of success. This is less greed than pride.

There is a place for buildings. George Mueller of Bristol built huge dorms that served thousands of orphaned children -- obviously, these kids had to be housed, clothed, educated and fed in a building. But drive by almost any church in mid-week and you'll see empty parking lots. They may have a preschool or even a school during the week, which is VERY laudable, but many church buildings lay vacant and unused until Sunday.

Is this right? I don't think so. It seems that churches with empty buildings should start Christian schools so that kids who are homeschooled can meet together for socializing, and kids who attend government schools can have the option of going to a Christian school. 

If church buildings were in constant use, if missionaries reported back with more detailed descriptions of their field of service, and if the worthy causes actually bore fruit, my hunch is the people in the pews would be far more "cheerful" about giving than they are now.