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Forgive my ignorance but I cannot help but be a bit puzzled. In the current economic climate with so many people loosing their jobs/pensions and overall economic security how are many of these churches able to sustain themselves? Especially the megachurches?
I grew up in a very small church so my understanding of how large churches (500+) operate is very limited. My small church that my family used to belong to depended very much on membership tithes.
This cannot be the case with many of the contemporary non-denominational churches I see today. Lighting and sound stages, marketing and advertising, children services and extensive social programs/conferences...where is the funding coming from? What is it that I am not seeing?
I was told by a pastor one Sunday that about 30% of the congregation give regular tithes. Is that enough to support a 1,000+ member church with all the amenities and activities? Something is not adding up?
Is it private donors donating large sums of money? Is it business contracts? Who/what is it that has such "political" sway in the strategic decision making of the church? There are some churches that I visit that seems to be operating under the same type of "framework"...all the way down to the bible study lessons taught in Sunday school.
70 years ago no two churches were exactly alike. Who/what is funding the churches and why do so many seem to be operating under a strategic invisible framework?
Government handouts, most churches are given land and building contracts for free or next to nothing, as stating a non-profit they can write off pretty much everything while still raking in cash, they might be selling things, expensive schooling, etc,..
Government handouts, most churches are given land and building contracts for free or next to nothing, as stating a non-profit they can write off pretty much everything while still raking in cash, they might be selling things, expensive schooling, etc,..
Hmm, okay then perhaps I am asking the wrong question I don't know. Why are some churches so terribly strategic then? They want certain types of people in certain programs. They want you volunteer here but not there. They want you in this Sunday school class but not another. Why does it matter? What is the end all goal? You feel like a rag doll being thrown around because they want to pull you in one area but limit your exposure in another? WHY?
Since they are not making a profit, what is it that they are trying to do? Thats why I figured that it had to be strategic...I mean there must be a reason.
Forgive my ignorance but I cannot help but be a bit puzzled. In the current economic climate with so many people loosing their jobs/pensions and overall economic security how are many of these churches able to sustain themselves? Especially the megachurches?
I grew up in a very small church so my understanding of how large churches (500+) operate is very limited. My small church that my family used to belong to depended very much on membership tithes.
This cannot be the case with many of the contemporary non-denominational churches I see today. Lighting and sound stages, marketing and advertising, children services and extensive social programs/conferences...where is the funding coming from? What is it that I am not seeing?
I was told by a pastor one Sunday that about 30% of the congregation give regular tithes. Is that enough to support a 1,000+ member church with all the amenities and activities? Something is not adding up?
Is it private donors donating large sums of money? Is it business contracts? Who/what is it that has such "political" sway in the strategic decision making of the church? There are some churches that I visit that seems to be operating under the same type of "framework"...all the way down to the bible study lessons taught in Sunday school.
70 years ago no two churches were exactly alike. Who/what is funding the churches and why do so many seem to be operating under a strategic invisible framework?
Why does the OP make the assumption they are operating under "strategic invisible framework"? Just because you are not familiar with the goings on it is strategic and invisible?
Government handouts, most churches are given land and building contracts for free or next to nothing, as stating a non-profit they can write off pretty much everything while still raking in cash, they might be selling things, expensive schooling, etc,..
You equate not charging as much tax to a "handout"? It beneficial to an area when a church is built. It's simply good business to give churches an incentive to build.
To answer the question--yes...most churches are supported by a minority of the congregation that tithes. That's why it's not uncommon to see mega-churches spring up in affluent parts of town. They count on people--not the government to pay their bills.
The question of why are there so many alike? I think it points to churches like Willow Creek in Chicago. Or Saddleback Church in California -- with Rick Warren. They are 2 examples of large churches that have figured out how to draw people in with slick marketing and entertainment-driven services. As a result, you see a lot of churches emulating them.
Why does the OP make the assumption they are operating under "strategic invisible framework"? Just because you are not familiar with the goings on it is strategic and invisible?
Well when an action requires a specific result it is often strategic. When a person is not being made aware why a certain action or group of actions are taking place towards them it become invisible and strategic.
For instance a pastor once told me that many churches love the poor. Well I can understanding want to help the poor but he didn't mean that. He meant many churches love to have a membership base of mostly poor/low to middle class...why? Considering that many poor people cannot afford to tithe...there is something that the poor offers you that surpasses their ability to help finance the church...thats a very strategic decision. What is there motivation exactly?
Many Churches for the most part went from being a gathering place of worship for the surrounding community, to being run like businesses. I stay slear of these types of churches.
For instance a pastor once told me that many churches love the poor. Well I can understanding want to help the poor but he didn't mean that. He meant many churches love to have a membership base of mostly poor/low to middle class...why? Considering that many poor people cannot afford to tithe...there is something that the poor offers you that surpasses their ability to help finance the church...thats a very strategic decision. What is there motivation exactly?
Did he tell you that? Or is that your analysis? If he did tell you that, may I ask you specifically what denomination he was? Or what type of church it is? There are a lot of different types of "non denominational" churches. Can you elaborate on what some their teachings were?
I have yet to see a church that does not promote their belief system as being the only ticket into heaven. Mormons, Catholics, Pentecostals, and so on...Their way or the Highway.
I have yet to see a church that does not promote their belief system as being the only ticket into heaven. Mormons, Catholics, Pentecostals, and so on...Their way or the Highway.
You haven't looked too far. There are churches who don't believe that their version is the only valid one.
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