Why is it that some of my church people complain about my 90 minute sermons? They're getting $$$ worth?
538104
Try using visual aids.  A burning bush might get their attention!
623898
Isn't that what happens in the churches where the preachers get paid?\n\nloj
118093
no..ive asked my preacher about this cause ive been through the same thing and they just want your money and its wrong of them to use jesus ...theres plentey of people who will pray for free..they are evil people who do that..don't trust anyone who asks for money..i'll pray for  you and im sure many others will
327321
It sounds like your guest speaker was expressing his own opinion; or maybe he was referring to the growth of the pornography industry over the past couple of decades. It's a multi-billion-dollar-per-year industry and that means A LOT of people are buying the stuff. And it stands to reason that if a lot of people are buying it, then at least some of them must be churchgoers.  But think about it: These simple facts, recited in a sermon, might get your senior pastor into a lot of trouble with his congregation; could even cost him his job.  \n\nNow are you really surprised that he's never mentioned it?
20475
They really are getting rich, you have to give them credit for that.  \n\nSome scams are successful, and no one can really do anything about one that calls themselves a church.
389089
I agree. i think that they are mad at us christians b/c we preach to them, they get mad at me for saying this sometimes: I know that you can go to heaven if you get saved and the way that you get saved is if you believe that Jesus died on the cross from your sins, rose on the third day, and then you have to confess to God in prayer that you are a sinner and that you believe He died on the cross for your sins and ask for His forgiveness on your sins and it is THAT simple, salvation is a free gift, we can't earn it. I am a baptist who believes (let me rephrase that, I KNOW) that this stuff I said is true. My name is Matthew James Needham and don't be shy to contact me on this. my email address is im_proud2b_a_christian@yahoo.c...
399036
Yes, that rev 6 1 gives the rest of us a bad n ame, doesn't he?\n\nI don't know why some ministers are so hateful and mean. Look at me.I'm kind-hearted,slow to offend, and full of Christian charity.\n\nThese nutcase revs get my dander up.\n\nWell, I guess I'm the second person to agree.I agree with Mickey that personal pastor right here sounds narrow-minded and ridiculous in his answer, snippity as well.\nPersonal Pastor is full of mean spirited pompousity.
198920
my parents are BOTH ministers, and they made about 25-45 depending on the church really. And they worked second jobs. They're response to this was "we didn't care how much we got paid, our utilities were paid by the church and the house, we would have worked for free, because all we wanted was to touch those people sitting in the pews listening to us. That's all that really matters."
532120
Josh, I can understand your reaction and plea. It's sort of like having a bunch of mosquitos buggin' you and you can't get away from them, and you don't have any "RAID". Religious arguments are useless. Many Christians are trying to do God's work for him, rather than just focusing on their own walk with God, and letting God do his own work. They get pushy in their zeal to get everybody "saved". Some of them mean well, but some are really not mentally or spiritually well, and they'll give RELIGIOUS answers to everthing, including NON RELIGIOUS questions. I know that you can delete your own answer to a question, but sometimes I think it would be a good idea if people asking a question could delete answers that offended them. That way the pushy ones (and other people who give offensive answers)would get their answers deleted quite often, and they would soon learn that what they were doing wasn't appreciated and wasn't doing any good. And it would filter the answers for other readers who want to read relevant answers and cast a vote etc. You might want to suggest that to Yahoo. By the way, I am a Christian too.
767117
I agree with you! If the questions are listed correctly under religion & spirituality, then they have no room to complain. What else do they expect to find here?? If someone posts outside of the correct topic area then it is considered abuse, and it should be reported, just as we would report someone for posting advertising of immoral subjects somewhere. I just believe that some folks have never taken a stand spiritually and are not knowlegable about it and it scares them. So the recourse they use is, "Don't shove it down my throat".  Also as far as the other person that said you weren't being christianly by your post is wrong, being upset is not a sin.........Jesus overthrew the tables of the money changers in the synagoge...done properly it is okay.
506173
You don't have to pay them squat. Ministers get "love gifts" for ministering (caring for) their parishoners. If you aren't thrilled with your spiritual leader, find someone else. You never have to pay to speak with God; he's a gift freely given to all. See John 3:16.
913659
I think its sad how quickly people think they are being persecuted just by hearing preaching. To claim you are being persecuted by someone saying you need to be saved really is an insult to the people in history who have endured true persecution - who have been physically tortured, their possessions and houses confiscated, their family imprisoned, mocked publicly and even murdered. The fact that some religious people may deliver sermons on the streets and publish books and whatever else is not a sign of persecution, it is a sign that we have gotten away from oppression and have opened the door to the free-exercise of religion and, consequently, the freedom of conscience. The cost of that freedom is that you have to endure seeing and hearing people who want to propagate their faith, but you do not have to fund their ministry, attend their assemblies, read their books, or pray to their deity. If I see a person of a different religion praying in a public park, I don't cry out that I'm being persecuted, I smile, glad in the fact that they are worshiping their God while I am not being forced to.  I think its great to see public displays of one's religion.
446944
I think it is horrible that people of any faith would post such nasty comments. I am a believer in God, but do not call myself a Christian. I have had bad experiences with them like yours. These people are not being very good Christians as they are going against a lot of what the bible teaches, ie tolerance and not judging others. You should ignore these people and keep asking questions. It is how we learn and understand.
400011
As a Pastor I have experienced the same thing and even thought that perhaps God was just cleaning house for some new arrivals. In all honesty after I got my pride and bull headiness out of the way I realized that I had made mistakes in the way I treated people. I was to busy judging them instead of sharing God's Word with them and letting the Holy Spirit do HIS JOB. I naturally don't know if this is the problem at your church or not, however I would suggest some deep soul searching and prayer to find out what GOD wants for your church.  May God Bless.
46595
I would make an arguement that the problem is not the salary of the pastor, rather it is the lack of tithing by the congregation.  I read recently that the average protestant Christian gives about 3 percent of his or her income.  Imagine what most churches could do with budgets that are 3.3 times what they have now.\n\nPastors have to pay their bills, and many have wives and children.  Most who enter the ministry don't do it to get rich, there are better ways to do that.  When I finish my Masters of Divnity degree, I will make about half as much as someone with an MBA.  But that's not why I am doing it.  I am doing it because  God called me into the ministry.\n\nAlso, most Pastors work much more often than on Sunday.  They are expected to be on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  They visit members in the hospitals and nursing homes.  They comfort those who expeirence loss and rejoice with a family at the birth of a child.  The pastor often also has to act as kind of the CEO of the church and attend numerous meeings outside of normal working hours.\n\nIf the church isn't paying him, how do you propose he make a living?
882981
YES, I DO. I THINK THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO BE IN THE SPOT LIGHT.SO SHINE  AS A LIGHT OF GOD.\nEVERY PASTOR HAS TO ACCOUNT TO GOD FOR THE FLOCK GOD HAS PLACED THEM OVER.\nI THINK MINISTERS ON T.V. BEG TO MUCH FOR MONEY.\n-------GODS NOT BROKE.--------\nI THINK THEY ARE TO FLASHY.\nTO MUCH MONEY SPENT ON "THINGS"\nI FIND IT HARD TO LISTEN TO A MAN / WOMAN THAT I CAN'T SEE THE FACE FOR THE JEWELS.\nSPEND THAT MONEY ON HUNGRY CHILDREN.
1167614
Nobody likes them TV Christians. \nAs long as he's not begging for money he has to give a good sermon to keep the suckers sending cash.\nIt's ok to listen but don't send money to support him.