After Robert Powell hit the Florida Lottery jackpot last month and took home more than $6 million, he thought of his church. And he offered to drop his tithe, around $600,000, in the collection plate of First Baptist Orange Park.
But the church and Pastor David Tarkington politely declined and told Powell they will not accept the lottery winnings
Click here for the report.
I am curious as to what the results of a poll asking if an Apostolic church should do the same would be.
I had the same thought when I first saw the story. We may do that…
My comment is this…the man’s heart was in the right place; who are we as any denomination–to reject what an individual want/desires to give to GOD. Some people/Saints/Believers forget the individual is not paying his/her tithes to you/or the physical building known as “Church”…They (he/she) are paying their tithes to GOD The Utmost SUPREME Creator of EVERYTHING. Pray over it. Lift the funds up before GOD (just like you do with ALL Offerings and Tithes) and ask HIM to sanctify it for the continual up building of HIS Kingdom. We as humans judge the outward appearance but GOD tries the motives and reigns of the heart.
Seems First Baptist Church of Orange Park won’t take tainted money but it will take tainted pastors. Early December 2008 their Youth Pastor, Ryan Rouse, was arrested for shoplifting at Walmart. To compound the situation he didn’t tell his wife or the head pastor of the arrest. The church found out when a church member saw the public announcement in the paper and informed the pastor. The personnel committee decided to let him continue to lead the youth with some additional supervision.