So, who in Atlanta is going broke giving money to Creflo $$$ (Marietta: foreclosed, rent to own)

[MikeandIke27]

Originally Posted by Spade

Every mega church is attacked with the same rhetoric. My Mom attends a big church in Central Texas and the same rumors we heard about that church is the same rumors people are saying about this one.

You have to give them your W-2. Turned out to be false.
The church is a cult. Turned out to be false.
You have to pay the church's bills. Turned out to be false.
You help pay to get the Bishop a fancy car. Turned out to be false.

You don't think that maybe, just maybe, that he used the money from people buying his vidoetapes, cassette tapes, cds, conventions; etc?

No they don't. There only able to see what's going on from the outside.. Then they make there pathetic judgements towards a preAcher. Without knowIng what the real facts are... I know plenty of preachers who have other buisnesses outside the church... When these people on this forum that talk against these preachers get profiled everyday they will have a different outlook on things..

[Ilovetheinternet]

Originally Posted by envied110

This is an old discussion; however, my comment is still relevant-as is the problem that this thread addresses. People: DO NOT GIVE A DIME TO ANY 'CHURCH' OR MAN/WOMAN OF GOD WHO DOES NOT HAVE A REAL OUTREACH PROGRAM. Most of these mega churches have IN-REACH programs only (you drop it in/they take it). A few years back, I came to Atlanta and, after having been giving to Creflos ministry for years at that point, I decided to turn to them when my wallet was stolen, leaving me with no resources, no family and no friends...no other options. They turned me away.

I still remember the woman's words at the church's outreach office...'We don't do that.' I went to them asking for food to eat and any assistance that they could offer. 'we don't do that.' Funny thing is...JESUS WOULD.

I can relate. I went through a hardship living there also. I had no one to turn to, so I asked WORLD CHANGERS for help. I not only had gotten the same response, but she was mean and nasty as well.


Isn't it not in the bible to help the poor? You have all of these homeless families in the wonderful city of Atlanta that are homeless and are LIVING ON THE STREETS. What have you or his church done to feed, clothe and HOUSE your cities poor? Yet you take their money? I think you have things twisted with the REAL FACTS!

Here's a scripture for those who portray such IGNORANCE;

Mathew 41-46
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Enough said, I will not argue with you so please don't try.
Peace!!!!!

[DC's Finest]

We have a few Mega Churches in PG County. In the late 90's, one church required all of their members to take out a $5,000 building fund loan. The loans were approved (without a credit check) by the pastor's brother who owned a mortgage company and the money was sent directly to the church's account. Some of the members in the church could not afford any type of loans. If they woould have run a credit check, they would have discovered this. No one in the congregation saw a dime of the money but they had to start making payments right away. There was a big article in the Washington Post about that I'm trying to track down.

Point is - I don't want to come across as someone who thinks all Mega Churches are scams. But I hate it when people defend the money aspect of these churches. Yes, the church should be financially healthy but what is the pastor's role? Is he here to bring spirituality and facilitate fellowship or is he a CEO concerned with the bottom line. I hear it time and time again, the more money you put it, the better your blessings will be. What's that about?

[MikeandIke27]

DCs finest I agree but half of these people know nothing about the church.. There just passing judgement, based on what they see from the outside.. It's really not fair to him.. But I'm pretty sure all pastors who have these Mega churches go thru this on a daily and are probably use to it..

[Missingatlanta]

I used to attend a mega church and my main problem with the church was that they really didn't seem to be giving back to the community as far giving to charity. They threw a big fundraiser gala to raise money for the building fund and that just rubbed me the wrong way. Now I prefer to give my money directly to a charity instead.

[mrdkb]

I went to a church that WANTED to be a mega church and I began to question some of their ways. For example, the Pastor had over $100K in cars, family vacations, etc... The church needed $300K for a new building. Not sure why there was $100K in cars and family on the church payroll. Needless to say I no longer wrote any checks. That said, I was still friends with people who went to the church and in fact gave them money (no tax benefit money) when they were in need (due to job lost, etc..)

[gerrynyc]

Originally Posted by MikeandIke27

First off why your trying to be slick out the mouth.. I don't go to creflo dollars church... Nor am I draining my savings account. I give my 10 percent and move along.. I just see it from a different view than u do..

Do you baby!

[mrdkb]

The church I went to was small (500 max), but the desire was to be large. And I think the main problem with the Mega Churches is that they set the bar for the small to medium size churches - and the black church community in generally. The small to medium size church Pastor will say and mimic what is said at the large churches: "MONEY COMETH"; Jesus was rich because folks were gambling over his robe( DO ANY OF THE GOSPEL'S SAY JESUS WAS RICH? NO. SAYING JESUS WAS RICH IS ONE MAN'S INTERPRETATION. PERHAPS HE WAS. THE GOSPEL'S STILL DON'T SAY IT) I have, in fact witnessed several of these small and medium size churches (mainly black, sadly enough) get themseleves into financial binds trying to be big. And what's sad is many of the Pastors are very uneducated about financial matters - or eveb Biblical matters. They take on titles such as Bishop and Apostle (having 30 members); then they need a Mercedes (most likey used at this level), long suits, etc... It's truly sad. And I have yet to hear any of these Bishops or big time, medium time, and small time Pastors teach on Neihmiah (regarding Usury, the mortgage crisis, and what God what might think of what's going on today) There is so much dsyfunction in the black community. It's actually scary.

[ATLHRLGUY]

As it has already been said on here before most of these celebrity pastors don't take a salary from the church since they have other streams of income from book deals, movies, speaking appearances etc. So really they're not "taking" from the church, my issue is that I see very little of them giving back to the church. There defense is, "well I don't take a salary", that's fine, this is a capitalistic society and by no means should there be a cap on how much a preacher or anyone else makes, but if their way of giving back is saying I don't take a dime of the church's money then that doesn't sit well with me. Point being everyone has a job making money outside of the church, yet they themselves are always asked to put more of their personal in the church while the pastor in my opinion (as the leader of the church) could put more of his/her personal money back into the church and community for that matter that made them so rich and famous, instead of driving around in bentleys etc. The love of money above all else is the root of all evil but money itself does not equal bad/evil. I know I've been long-winded but the point is as a pastor, you're looked upon differently than a rich banker, rapper, etc. you supposedly have a higher calling, thus you're held to a higher standard, and instead of spending 200K on a car, maybe show a little restraint and I don't know opt for a 100K and put that extra 100K back into the church that made you.

[Saintmarks]

Of course there are charlatans in ministry that will fleece a flock, always have been, always will be. Just because they are out there does not negate the many, many solid men and women in ministry that have sacrificed much and give out of the overflow of their hearts to their people and to their community.

Just because a church has become "mega" doesn't mean it is out to fleece its flock. Some have grown that large because they are doing such a good work, that many people are drawn there. If you are doing the Lord's work in an honest, biblical way, the crowds will come. Jesus had mega church size crowds as well, remember the feeding of the 5,000? If you are preaching God's word with life, people will come.

Also lost in this conversation is the biblical injunction that if you give of your resources, whether it is your time, your talent or your finances, you will be blessed in return. It is the principal of the seed, you plant, you water, you nurture and you will harvest a crop.

Some here act like it is wrong for a pastor to teach his congregation on giving. He is wrong if he DOESN'T teach biblcial truth on personal finances and giving. Many people are messed up, in debt, their personal finances are a wreck. While I don't believe that you automatically will get a Bentley and a multi million dollar house if you start giving and tithing to your local church, your personal finances will start coming right if you do, it is a biblical promise.

I remember hearing the story of Mr. J. C. Penney, the founder of the department store chain. He was a committed Christian, always tithed. As the Lord blessed his business and his personal fortune, he continued to give more away, to the point where he was giving away 90% and living off 10% and he continued to grow richer and richer. The moral of the story: You can't out give God. A good lesson for all.