I REFER to the report, "Seven major religious groups with annual incomes of over $10 million each and who heads them" (Sept 11). I am awestruck at the payscale of local church pastors. Many are paid more than chief executive officers (CEOs) of business entities. These churches are now like mega corporations. The question, however, is whether church pastors can justifiably draw huge salaries from the tithes and offerings which are meant for God's work. As a former City Harvest Church and Faith Community Baptist Church goer, I have given my fair share of offerings, hoping to see that 90 per cent of the money could be spent doing God's work. Little did I realise that much of it has been used to fuel the lavish lifestyles of the church founders.

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All Singaporean are mandatory to pay tax...hmmm, I don't seem to recollect at any point when our ministers or MPs are required to reveal their assets and sources of incomes?!

By the way, the Scripture you quoted is from the book of Malachi not Micah.

Anyway, please find a church where the pastor does not make it mandatory for you to pay your tithes to the church. Because it is not mandatory. You don't have to, you got to. It is a special privilege for the faithfuls giving unto their God whom they love and serve. If you are not one, don't tithe or offer. There are a lot of other PUBLIC charity funds around that you can 'donate' to...where you can demand their books to be opened for your scrutiny. Of course, it is again not mandatory ... for you to donate to that is.

First of all tithe in Hebrew means a tenth.
There are more than 50 verse in the amplified bible mentioning a tenth.
It doesn't matter how much the pastor is paid. Don't let that tripped you. You can always pray to God about your unhappiness.
From your post perhaps you may want to reread your bible cover to cover.

For the love of money is the root of all evils.
This applies to all men, churchmen included.

Christ set no such example. He was the opposite in fact. So churchmen and believers who accept or support such practices are following the ways of men, not God's. And we know all men are fallen beings.

Like the priest of old in the Bible, they draw food and money from the offerings given by God's people for sustenance and not more.
The present day mega church leader's pay is way off target. Do they need so much money ? The answer is obviously NO, they are enriching themselves at the expense of the church. Anyway, whatever they do, they will answer to the Almighty in the end.
My church pastors do not draw a salary, they had earn enough during their younger days to support themselves in doing God's work. This is what we call living by faith and through love offerings from church members when the need arises which is not very often, they lead by example a frugal life. They don't need million dollar salaries. The best part of it is they even return to God 10% or more of what they recieved from their love offerings.
To me, that's the mark of a Godly man living by faith through Jesus Christ.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

I was quite surprised to read that the New Creation Church intends to spend 500 million on new buildings. With that sort of money, they may indeed succeed in making a new creation.

This discussion about money and religion is a tricky and sensitive issue, some raise this to justify them self for not donating. Some raise because they sense the abuse of funds used by the organization.

The question i wonder is...
If you should give 10% of your pay, does that then justify that you have done your part for the month for god? you do not need to do anything else, you are free, dont need to visit the church?

seems alot of my friends have this mentality, How are your views?

My personal opinion, religion is about worship of god, how do we worship? my remembering god, doing what god commanded of us.

What does god command us? Help others, help someone in need, help someone who is troubled, guide people to the right path, follow the footsteps/teaching of jesus a.s. and in that process who has the wealth, can then donate to the poor, donate to the religion organisation so they can continue running. but donation is just a part of it a function, it does not replace your effort in your service to god.

If it does then those who are rich would be of higher status in god's eye as compared to the poor who is not able to donate? is this how the world has changed? such that money buys rewards from god?

Does god need money? the very thing that god created?

something for all of us to reflect...
peace be to all.

The pastor did a good job of conning the "believers"' money. He deserves to get what he planned and succeeded in achieving. Just like a thief who managed to break into the vault of the Casino in LV, he/she risks big time so that hisher future is secured. Nobody should fault them, as LV casinos are highly wired, and they still got the money. Singaporeans are so intelligent, and yet they fall for the trap, seems like the pastors did a great job.

All organizations are the same. When they get too rich and too big, the person-in-charge tends to abuse what the organiztion has. Even religious buildings try to out do each other. This building spent 300mil, the next building will come up to 500mil. 1day we might even see a 1billion religious building.

#9

You're right actually. The temptation may be too great.

I've come to realise the wisdom of God when He initially refused to let the ancient israelites have an earthly King like the nations around them. I used to wonder about the wisdom of this but now I do. All earthly political systems are flawed from the word go because the people that run them are flawed.

Churches perhaps should have the wisdom to do better.