Tithing and other questions

Honeybunz SG

Originally posted by surfbabe:
Is this [b]compulsory for all churches in Singapore?
Cell group - is this only practised in Singapore?
I'm still uncomfortable with the tongue-ing and praise+worship songs in pentacostal churches like CHC. Am I weird?[/b]

No lah. Not all churches lah.

Dunno abt other churches, but Catholic Church dun.

They just pass around the bags during Mass and it's up to the parishioners whether to put in money or not. Sometimes I choose not to put in if I see that the parish is full of rich ppl (eg. Holy Family Church where Minister George Yeo and many rich Eurasians & Peranakan attend. Also OLPS in Siglap which is surrounded by nothing but landed properties where most of the parishioners stay.) These rich ppl often give big donation one. Sometimes during Mass, I can see some aunties dropping $50 notes into the bag. So in this case, I dun give. Keep my money for ppl who need more.

The poorer churches like Queen of Peace and St Stephen, I will sure give one.
Collection for the St Vincent de Paul for the Poor Society, I will also give one, regardless of where I attend Mass.

Those that force ppl to donate, better stay away. If they force further, go ahead and ask them why they need so much money. If they give crap answers like "Oh, being a newly established church, we need to build a new church building" Then tell them to use the existing church buildings even if they may be of other denominations. Tell them money is not to be wasted like that. Need so many buildings for what?

I dun like to sound so harsh or sarcastic. But I am surrounded by ppl who got brainwashed into contributing dunno 10 or 20 percent of their salary every month. And because all these are young ppl who just came out of school, they have very low pay. Hence, after that donation, they are left with just enough for their daily expenses. When their parents need money, they explain that they have no money for the parents cuz part of it goes to the church.

When I was a teenager, I was very involved in the Presbyterian Church (which I still very much love). I seldom donated anything to them cuz I was just a student (no money one!) and they never forced me also. But my family would haunt me to get out of that they didn't mind if I didn't go back to the Catholic. Every month my mom would update me on some sad stories of her friend or our relatives about their children refusing to give parents money after converting.

Eventually she got convinced that the Presbyterians are not as bad as she thought. The pastor even lent me money to pay for my poly school fee and refused to let me pay him back (very nice hor ? Smile ) So I very paiseh, instead of paying him back, I use that money and donate to the church.

Icemoon SG

Killer boss wasn't very well off when younger?

bluewinged SG

tithing for me is a way to acknowledge that all i have belongs to God. and i am just a steward of everything i have.it is mentioned in the bible that we shld put aside 1/10 of our first fruit and give it unto God.it is thru faithful tithing that shows u are a good steward of God and that He can trust u to handle other big things?

shade343 SG

yes you are correct. Not all churches encourage or force people to tithe. What those churches do is that, they put a wooden box with some envelopes at an inconspicuous corner of the church. Anybody who wishes to donate or tithe do so at their own discretion. The church pastors neither encourage nor force the people to tithe.

As for speaking in tounges....Im not sure about it. My friend from CHC is able to do it...but Im sure that every church might have a different view on the subject of speaking in tounges.

shade343 SG

It is mentioned that tithing was a tradition practiced in the past. However, it is not a must. But you can still do so if you wish to.

Icemoon SG

Is tithing mentioned in the NT?

Icemoon SG

I think bluewinged can do it. Cool

shade343 SG

I dunno...but when was the NT written?

Icemoon SG

Some years after Jesus' ascension and the end of the 1st century.

Ito_^ SG

1. no. but those who does, says u'll be cursed if u dun. or at least u wun be as blessed as those who do.
2. praise + worship songs are popular in the western parts of the world. ever heard of televangelists? like the moron who said venezuelan preseident shld be murdered. well, its juz songs.

shade343 SG

so NT is still quite old...

shade343 SG

Laughing

Icemoon SG

depends on your definiton of old. There is a gap of a few hundred years between last OT book and the NT.

bluewinged SG

praying in tongues is a gift to show that u are baptised in the Holy Spirit.everyone can do it as long as u relli wan to n relli take a step of faith ask of the Holy Spirit. i heard from my catholic fren that some ppl in his church can also pray in tongues. so its not only restricted to charismatic churches..

ben1xy SG

erm from the catholic view from 65AD - 90AD

first was either Mark or Matthew... i forgot all of a sudden.. that was between 65-75 AD. Luke i think 75-85AD ah ..... and john was the last 1 ... 90 AD. this is just based on memory though ... might be a bit wrong ... but i am quite sure its between 65-90AD

shade343 SG

When you pray in tounges, do you go into a trance?

bluewinged SG

its more of like u dunno wad u're talking but u're speaking in a new language.sort of a trance u could say.

surfbabe SG

Originally posted by M©+square:
Praying/speaking in tongues, unknown language - Yes most pentecostal practice it. Those which strongly believe in 'tongues' as a doctrine in Christian living are Charismatics.

Can someone please explain what's pentacostal and charismatic?

Singing and Praise and Worship Songs - Not all churches practice the same expression of hymns and verbal worship onto God.
No, it does not restricted/limited to only pentacostal churches.

I discovered that some churches sing old traditional hymns (e.g. Wesley Methodist Church) unlike CHC which sings rather modern pop-like praise and worship songs. Personally I feel holier when singing the traditional hymns than the praise and worship songs, which make me feel like I'm attending a concert rather than a church service. Guess that's why I don't really feel holy at CHC unlike at Wesley Methodist Church. But the sermons at CHC are more lively and interesting.

About tithing - i suggest that you read up more on Charity, offering, tithing? If church made it compulsory, and believers follow without the condition of the heart to give onto God. They are missing the whole point of pleasing God and Christian walk completely. And unfortunately, it becomes a ritual and religion. But for the sake of answering your question. Yes, some sick churches do ask for commitment of 1/10 of payroll from believer.

I've always thought that tithing meant making an offering in the bag that is passed around during church service. But compulsory tithing is now auto-deducted from bank account through GIRO. And the churches which make tithing of 1/10 the salary, are usually the rich ones.

Those churches which have Cell Group/care group/fellowship are considered cell church. It depends on the function of the church.

Are you saying that not all churches are cell churches?

I presume you're a christian? Not all churches practise Cell Group foundation. Every House are specially created by God.

Yes, I'm a newly converted Christian with lots of questions. Still unfamiliar and in some cases, uncomfortable with the practise of being a Christian.

Regarding those Christian who went to CG and not church regularly, you may wish to ask yourself, what is Church to you?

What I meant is, I have friends who go to church regularly but do not attend CG. To me, church service is definitely more important than CG but I have been told that it's important to develop fellowship with fellow Christians.

[/b]

surfbabe SG

its more of like u dunno wad u're talking but u're speaking in a new language.sort of a trance u could say.

Yeah, that's why I freaked out on my first visit to CHC. It gave me goose pimples...felt like I was in a cult.

bluewinged SG

cell group is more like a time for u to fellowship. look at it this way, in church when the sermon is being prepared, the pastor have to keep in mind that he is abt to bring for the word of God to 5-yr christians 10-yr christian 2-month christian. therefore, usually the message is rather general. but in a cell group, your leader can address the msg to the cell group’s needs. the idea of cell groups originated from korea from the biggest church in Asia, it has 1M members in total. the church size is so big that each member can only go for service 3 times per month. therefore cell groups were being set up. perhaps another reason for cell groups is that, wad if, one day the govt bans christianity and decide to close down all churches? where do all the christians go? thats why we have cell groups at home cuz at home we are free to do wad we wan isnt it.?

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