Comments on: Next Post http://writeaboutnowjt.wordpress.com/2006/08/10/365/ Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:21:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Kelly http://writeaboutnowjt.wordpress.com/2006/08/10/365/#comment-138 Wed, 30 Aug 2006 19:22:00 +0000 http://writeaboutnow.christianstandard.com/2006/08/10/365/#comment-138 I think however the method, it’s all about the attitude of it. We implemented the box idea in our previous congregation after seeing it done at my friend’s church in Michigan. They (and we) called them “joy boxes.” When the pastor announced the offering time from the stage and said, “joy boxes” everyone cheered. He would then explain that it is our duty to give cheerfully. The method was more conducive to the way our worship area was set up rather than passing plates. But it was still considered a part of the service rather than anything apologetically hidden away.

]]> By: Jen http://writeaboutnowjt.wordpress.com/2006/08/10/365/#comment-136 Sat, 12 Aug 2006 19:38:00 +0000 http://writeaboutnow.christianstandard.com/2006/08/10/365/#comment-136 A friend emailed me this comment because he couldn’t figure out how to leave it through Blogger–I appreciate his perspective and thought you might want to read it, too:

Jen,

It’s not the whole idea of having boxes in the back vs. passing the plate that gets me really worked up but here’s where I have the beef. Many of those same churches that are choosing to leave non-descript boxes in the back (while still giving some kind of lip service from the front) have the tendency to almost be apologizing for taking an offering of any kind.

For example, my own home church bugs me terribly when one of the pastors will say from the front without fail, “Ushers, please come forward and this is the time to collect the offering. If you are a guest here today please don’t feel pressure, this is a time where those of us who call ______ (my church) home take care of some family business.” Well, that leaves me more flat every time I hear that.

We will stand and rant and rave about some kind of youth activity (how the kids need more funding to go to Nicaragua) or turn away kids in the Sunday school without a certain kid to adult ratio while the community around the church is going to hell, but excuse me, I hope we don’t pressure anybody who may feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit. What is that about?

Why apologize or even act apologetic? When you have that attitude or begin to seem to down play the role of the offering within the corporate worship experience, it feels to me that it cheapens the whole gig. I mean God owns it all, right? If it is about ownership anyway, why would you not want to be teaching your guests, visitors, or regular attendees that?

However, if you didn’t believe in something yourself or weren’t already sold-out I could see how you would want to down play that part. But how much more exciting for guests rather than be encouraged not to give but rather be boldly shown and told how much more ministry could be accomplished by our collective participation.

It is about what is currently going un-done that could be getting done if we all responded to the Holy Spirit as He calls us.

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