Deuteronomy 26:1, … “when you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you (when you have become successful in your business, when you get that job, contract you desired, and when you have received those things you have been praying about)…

You are expected, you are required to give some offerings from your income after all your fasting, breakthrough prayers, etc, have been answered by God. You have been able to achieve all those things you were praying about, now you are expected to give some of the first produce from each crop you harvest (a part of your income) and bring to a designated place of worship (your church)- the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored.

See more >>http://citofgod..com.ng/2016/09/about-offering.html

How exactly does the Lord use this offering? How does he choose those to collect it on his behalf, and when he's gathered it all what does he use it to do in heaven?

AnonyNymous:
How exactly does the Lord use this offering? How does he choose those to collect it on his behalf, and when he's gathered it all what does he use it to do in heaven?

WITH DUE RESPECT, WHEN GOD BLESSED YOU, DID HE CAME BACK TO ASK YOU WHAT YOU DID WITH THE MONEY? NO. LEAVE GOD ALONE TO JUDGE HOW THE MONEY IS BEING USED. IT IS NOT MY BUSINESS IF THE PASTOR SPENT IT ON WOMEN OR BUYING ROLLS ROYCE, MINE IS TO GIVE. IF THE PASTOR DECIDED TO USE IT ANYHOW THEN HE HAS GOD TO CONTEND WITH AND DEFINITELY NOT ME. A TYPICAL EXAMPLE IN THE BIBLE IS ELI AND HIS CHILDREN.

THE INSTRUCTION FOR THE GIVER (GOD) IS FOR U TO GIVE YOUR OFFERING, HE DID NOT ASK OR INSTRUCT YOU TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS USED FOR.

First off, stop typing in all caps, its distracting and annoying, it gives the semblance of you screaming at me, and its against Nairaland rules.

kolaish:
WITH DUE RESPECT, WHEN GOD BLESSED YOU, DID HE CAME BACK TO ASK YOU WHAT YOU DID WITH THE MONEY?

He didnt 'bless' me

NO. LEAVE GOD ALONE TO JUDGE HOW THE MONEY IS BEING USED.

And what makes you so convinced that the person who came to collect money from you was sent from god? Any Tom, Dick, or Harry can claim to be from god and continue scamming you.

IT IS NOT MY BUSINESS IF THE PASTOR SPENT IT ON WOMEN OR BUYING ROLLS ROYCE, MINE IS TO GIVE. IF THE PASTOR DECIDED TO USE IT ANYHOW THEN HE HAS GOD TO CONTEND WITH AND DEFINITELY NOT ME. A TYPICAL EXAMPLE IN THE BIBLE IS ELI AND HIS CHILDREN.

THE INSTRUCTION FOR THE GIVER (GOD) IS FOR U TO GIVE YOUR OFFERING, HE DID NOT ASK OR INSTRUCT YOU TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS USED FOR.

When you give a homeless person money you have to be sure that they spend it on something to take care of themselves instead of buying drugs and alcohol or rather not give at all. That is why I prefer to buy food and give to homeless people I see instead of giving money. Its only fair to be sure the money you're giving out is going towards a good cause. Like I said, anyone can come and scam you of your money. 'God', if he exists, does not use money. The same context that applied to the paying of tithes then does not apply to modern times.

Their is nothing to argue about here. Its called offering. If you like don't pay your offering nobody will ask you why you have not paid your offering.

Its for those whom God have blessed and they want to show appreciation.

You can pay offering may be you noticed something that needs doing in the church, you can donate offering for this purpose.

At times you could just feel like offering something to the church no matter how little, the church is not compelled to force people or collect offering from them . Its a matter of will. Thank you

AnonyNymous:
First off, stop typing in all caps, its distracting and annoying, it gives the semblance of you screaming at me, and its against Nairaland rules.

He didnt 'bless' me

And what makes you so convinced that the person who came to collect money from you was sent from god? Any Tom, Dick, or Harry can claim to be from god and continue scamming you.

When you give a homeless person money you have to be sure that they spend it on something to take care of themselves instead of buying drugs and alcohol or rather not give at all. That is why I prefer to buy food and give to homeless people I see instead of giving money. Its only fair to be sure the money you're giving out is going towards a good cause. Like I said, anyone can come and scam you of your money. 'God', if he exists, does not use money. The same context that applied to the paying of tithes then does not apply to modern times.

I started with due regards, remember. I am not in nairaland to make any body sad and i do not expect any other person to do likewise, we are just expressing opinion. i can easily read any post better when it is on CAP, so one person's food may be another persons ..... if you look at the post very well and with a clean mind, you will see that i also used myself as not having any business with what a pastor uses the money for.

If at all you have problem with pastor doing the work of God, please say it openly. I want you to know that many pastors are into pastoring in full capacity and do not do any other work. how do you expect them to eat and feed their family? God said it in the Bible that a certain percentage be given to them (priest) from offerings and sacrifices offered unto HIM (God), Then why do we human being have problem with that?

kolaish:
I started with due regards, remember. I am not in nairaland to make any body sad and i do not expect any other person to do likewise, we are just expressing opinion. i can easily read any post better when it is on CAP, so one person's food may be another persons ..... if you look at the post very well and with a clean mind, you will see that i also used myself as not having any business with what a pastor uses the money for.

If at all you have problem with pastor doing the work of God, please say it openly. I want you to know that many pastors are into pastoring in full capacity and do not do any other work. how do you expect them to eat and feed their family? God said it in the Bible that a certain percentage be given to them (priest) from offerings and sacrifices offered unto HIM (God), Then why do we human being have problem with that?

If you are asking if I have a problem with the messages the pastor preaches, then most times, my answer would be yes. I do not even believe in the Christian god. But that's not what I'm here to talk about, and I'm trying to look at this issue from a neutral point of view.
You just actually buttressed my point. You provided a reason - some pastors are full time pastors, supposedly doing the work of your god, so I understand that they have to be paid, to take care of living and family expenses. No problem there. That sounds completely OK. As you have just provided an explanation for one of the channels the money goes into, is it not reasonable to ask for any other place the money is going to? If your pastor is using the offering to do illicit business, are you not accomplices? If they are using the money to establish affordable education, shouldn't the members know so they can volunteer their efforts? Insteadyour pastors waste your hard eared salaries on Gucci bags and you say 'leave them alone' when that money can go into something more productive in society.

AnonyNymous:

If you are asking if I have a problem with the messages the pastor preaches, then most times, my answer would be yes. I do not even believe in the Christian god. But that's not what I'm here to talk about, and I'm trying to look at this issue from a neutral point of view.
You just actually buttressed my point. You provided a reason - some pastors are full time pastors, supposedly doing the work of your god, so I understand that they have to be paid, to take care of living and family expenses. No problem there. That sounds completely OK. As you have just provided an explanation for one of the channels the money goes into, is it not reasonable to ask for any other place the money is going to? If your pastor is using the offering to do illicit business, are you not accomplices? If they are using the money to establish affordable education, shouldn't the members know so they can volunteer their efforts? Insteadyour pastors waste your hard eared salaries on Gucci bags and you say 'leave them alone' when that money can go into something more productive in society.

My dear brother, vengeance belongs to God. we are talking of the God that created the universe. who am I to questions how an offering is used for? The punishment that God metted out to Eli and his sons in the bible is greater than any punishment a human being can comprehend; they all died mysteriously and their generation was never made to enjoy a priestly role again. i always feel happy whenever i give to the house of God, because I have been blessed by God abundantly. I dont need to start mentioning what I have, it will be like self esteem. Then, why should I witheld the money meant for the pastor and development of the church?

That doesnt mean that I do not give to charity, beggars and those in need.

kolaish:
My dear brother, vengeance belongs to God. we are talking of the God that created the universe. who am I to questions how an offering is used for? The punishment that God metted out to Eli and his sons in the bible is greater than any punishment a human being can comprehend; they all died mysteriously and their generation was never made to enjoy a priestly role again. i always feel happy whenever i give to the house of God, because I have been blessed by God abundantly. I dont need to start mentioning what I have, it will be like self esteem. Then, why should I witheld the money meant for the pastor and development of the church?

That doesnt mean that I do not give to charity, beggars and those in need.

So, what parameters do you use to know if they are sent from your god?

AnonyNymous:

So, what parameters do you use to know if they are sent from your god?

By their fruit, we shall know them. My pastor is never into worldly things. In fact, he is a blessing to the members of the church and the christian community as a whole. i want you to know that not all pastors are dubious, not even 40% of them. we are in a world where people now results to using the church as a source of livelihood due to the state of the economy or unemployment and the church is badly hit. The bible predicted this, so we should not be suprised or leave the church because of that. The devil is seriously using so many of his agents to cause disharmony in the christian world through all this fake pastors.

I have attended many churches in the past and i speak out whenever i see anything going wrong in the church, afterall, the church is my fathers (heavenly father) house. it does not even belong to the pastor, any pastor that touches/treats offering like his personal property is not a true pastor. Rather, he should be concerned about the growth of the church and welfare (physical/spiritual) of its members, in line with God's word.

kolaish:
By their fruit, we shall know them. My pastor is never into worldly things. In fact, he is a blessing to the members of the church and the christian community as a whole. i want you to know that not all pastors are dubious, not even 40% of them. we are in a world where people now results to using the church as a source of livelihood due to the state of the economy or unemployment and the church is badly hit. The bible predicted this, so we should not be suprised or leave the church because of that. The devil is seriously using so many of his agents to cause disharmony in the christian world through all this fake pastors.

I have attended many churches in the past and i speak out whenever i see anything going wrong in the church, afterall, the church is my fathers (heavenly father) house. it does not even belong to the pastor, any pastor that touches/treats offering like his personal property is not a true pastor. Rather, he should be concerned about the growth of the church and welfare (physical/spiritual) of its members, in line with God's word.

You can say all this about your pastor but you don't everything about him. However, you said you 'speak out' when you see something wrong, and previously you just said to leave all vengeance for god. Contradiction much? Or did I miss something?
My problem is with Christians who say pastors are untouchable even when they are obviously feeding on their gullibility, and doing nothing about it.

AnonyNymous:

You can say all this about your pastor but you don't everything about him. However, you said you 'speak out' when you see something wrong, and previously you just said to leave all vengeance for god. Contradiction much? Or did I miss something?
My problem is with Christians who say pastors are untouchable even when they are obviously feeding on their gullibility, and doing nothing about it.

Oga, it is a free world. God is not begging anybody to worship him or give offering by force. Everyone is at liberty to worship or not worship. I am a christian and I have chosen to be a christian for eternity. I am very very proud of that. What I have gained from being a christian can never be compared to what I will give to christianity or God. In fact, the blessing I have received from God is still too far from what I have given.

Please if you do not want to be a christian, nobody is forcing anybody. But dont constitute yourself to be an anti christ. it will not do u any good. Please, this is just my opinion. i do not mean to offend you and if i offend you please forgive me.

The Christian's righteousness is immoral to me and the way they pressurized giving is a fraud.

Giving don't necessarily have to be a commandment but rather a natural phenomena and instruction.

Everything you have was actually given to you and everything you will ever have will likewise be given to you.

It doesn't matter if it is acquired through a legal tender or free of charge.
What matter most is that it actually given to you.

Offering has to be abolished cuz the basis for doing it is just too ridiculous. How will I be tricked to give to God because of his abundant blessings in my life when am actually the one struggling and responsible for the success that I have.

I can dash your God money but cannot offer it to him/it.

The reason to give offering still remain questionable.

AnonyNymous:

You can say all this about your pastor but you don't everything about him. However, you said you 'speak out' when you see something wrong, and previously you just said to leave all vengeance for god. Contradiction much? Or did I miss something?
My problem is with Christians who say pastors are untouchable even when they are obviously feeding on their gullibility, and doing nothing about it.

Another point to note is that so many critics dont talk about the good news coming out of the church but concentrates mainly on the bad news. There are so many churches meeting their members need both physically and spiritually. Last christmas, we gave out money and other valuables to widows. conducted free seminar for the unemployed, of which some were given money to start up. I remember that two of our church members were employed through the recommendation of our another member. But all these will not make news, it is the negative ones.

My pastor was a doctor before he was called to serve. He sold his personal car and other belongings to establish the church and make it stand on a solid ground for others to come and worship. Then if a member that was blessed by the prayer of the same church go out to give something to the pastor, you will term it as gullible.