ANSWERS: 46
  • =/ I dunno. My church doesn't have a required fee. But I think they would understand if you couldn't pay all of it.
  • A required donation is a bit of an oxymoron. My God doesn't have a cover charge. You don't HAVE to give anything you simply can't afford to give.
  • No. it's a donation. Which means it's voluntary. I would leave the Church. Giving should be done out of your heart, not forced.
  • you need to find another church
  • To "donate" means to VOLUNTARILY give money. If a donation is "required," then it is NOT a "donation." It then becomes an "admission charge," or something similar.
  • Properly speaking, it is a voluntary contract, verbal or written, by which the donor expressly agrees to give, without consideration, something to the donee, and the latter in an equally express manner accepts the gift. so you can give only what you can..
  • I would try.If I'm filthy rich MEANING I CAN DO WHATEVER I WISH WITH MY MONEY SO IF I DON'T LIKE TO GIVE DON'T NEED TO FEEL GUILTY- . As for what the church do with the money -THEY WILL ANS TO GOD DIRECTLY= ITS their own problem. If I wish to sit in comfort and delux atmosphere it cost more than a simple hut with a roof and benches, ficillities are not free of charge- everyone got to pay water and light bills, admistrative staff, etc - nothing is for free.. it's reality and a practical world. So large churches usually have large bills too. I always ask God to give me more so that I can give back- nice GENEROUS AND LOVING game don't DR for my Generousity... ;) (in any case you can't afford -2 options ask for financial asistance or leave and find some other religion that you can afford.)
  • Who can possibly speak for all churches? In the Catholic Church, no one is ever turned away because they are poor. With love in Christ.
  • What Church ever has a set dollar amount? Even more importantly, which Church would turn someone away if they didn't have the means to pay? Some Churches continue the practice of tithing, which is 10% of a person's income. Most let parishioners donate what they desire. Sometimes a congregation may ask its members to help out for a particular activity (bring a dish for the potluck dinner or give money to help with The Giving Tree), but that should have an "as you are able" clause.
  • I've never heard of a church doing that. I wouldn't do it even if I had the money, then I would find another church.
  • You don't have to donate any of it to those greedy bastards.
  • You do not have to donate any money to any organization if you do not want. Jesus was never interested in money and so why should the church be? The church is a collection of people and so does not need anything but means to live on. The problem is some have become property tycoons and wealth freaks and so demand great sums of money!
  • The church needs to be more interested in teaching the word than the issue of money, if a church is asking for a set amount then you really need to reconsider attending a different church. Most churches I have attended has a free will offering and that is if you can then give if not that is still ok, it says in the bible that a person should give something to their place of worship and that means only if you have a handful of change because if you give it from your heart then that is all that matters. A $75 required donation from a church , I am sitting here shaking my head because that is just so ridiculous !!!! This is why so many people are so confused and will not attend church,, because the churches are NOT concerned about the people like they should be I hope you find a good church as we have that gives back to the people like our church does
  • no, the church shouldn't require it... if there is something and you can't afford it often there will be assistance or a scholarship program
  • I believe it is up to each individual as what they can afford and what they have resolved in their heart, not what a church or preacher has resolved for them. 2Cor 9:6,7 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Cor9:6-7;&version=9;49;47;16;77;
  • It is disgusting of a "Christian" religion to teach that their people are to pay to hear the free information of God and of his Christ. If a person WANTS to donate to it, good for them. As for tithes, such as the one tenth spoken of in the bible, that was a requirement not for Christians, but for Israelites, the same as it was for offering up sacrifices. If one wants to teach that tithing is a "Christian" thing, then so are all those other laws in Leviticus, Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These were the laws that were done away with.
  • If a church requires a donation....its no longer a church!
  • A church shouldn't dictate what you tithe. Your tithings are supposed to be based on a Biblical principal that has no actual monatary value attached to it. God requires your First fruits. You are supposed to take the first of whatever you gain and offer it to God in any way and for any purpose of your choosing. A good guideline is 10% of your check. But you give what you can... and screw anyone who tells you different. That is not fair! and probably not a good church!
  • No church should require donations. If you are in this situation you should find a different church. Something is not right with the people running that place obviously.
  • The "requirement" is theirs, not yours. In other words, perhaps their ability to buy a new organ (or whatever) DEPENDS on each family contributing $75, but you are not and can not be required to pay something you cannot afford. It only means they will probably have to wait a little longer to buy it. And if they are in more desperate straits, perhaps they'll even have to dissolve the church, but that still does not REQUIRE you to do anything.
  • A church sould not set an amount of donation one is to give...it should be strictly volunteer as to any amount. I attended a church at one time where they did not pass the plate at all. They had a small box with a slot on top on each side of the door as you exited. We were free to put any amount we desired in the boxes. Guests would ask when the offering would be taken. They were told they did not need to give as guests but were told if they wished the boxes besides the door is where gifts and offerings were given. The pastor of the church said offerings were always better than any time he had the plates passed. Donations were between the person and God.
  • "Requires a donation"? What does this mean?
  • What a load of rot! How dare the church ask you for money. Find another church or, better still, a new religion. Good luck to you. :)
  • no group should require anything.....God requires only willingness and charity of our heart....SAlvation is FREE...but it does REQUIRE a CERTAIN HEART CONDITION....God does not require us to take from our family and earthly responsibilities......these suppressing laws were for "civilizing" a hard headed, stiffnecked people...IF GOD had not been strict and demanded.....they would not have lasted as long as they did....they were as we all are, selfish, greedy , and self centered.... u need to donate where it is needed ....i'd give $75 to a man that has lost his job, etc. before i would donate to fattening of a "denomination" ..that was never the purpose of our ALMS and never will be....it is to help the widowed, fatherless, unfortuantes, and the TEACHER to SPREAD THE WORD, support him meekly, so he can do God's work...and many of these men have another job besides , as Paul did..but doing God's work does require alot......:)
  • This sounds more like a membership fee - in which case it is not a church and should not be enjoying the benefits of one, such as tax-free status. Plus this misses the point of giving - it should be an "offering" that represents in a tangible way the offering of oneself to God. That might sound corny to some folks, but that is biblical and that is how the church should be operating. If not - get out of there fast because they are not interested in your spiritual welfare.
  • FYI - More information: I am making my confirmation through the Catholic Church... it was not mentioned until last week - two weeks before the Confirmation ceremony - that we had to pay a $75. Supposibly $35 is for our bible and homework binder (WTF) and 10 is the fee for the bishop having to come out to lead the ceremony. The rest of the money is a 'donation' to the church. I really can't afford that extra 35 dollars to donate to the church. There are almost 70 people in my class! Thats a lot of money!
  • If it was me, I'd be bookin' out of there, never to return. That's one sigh of a cult. :-)
  • This is exactly why my best friend left the Roman Catholic Church. She's been a Catholic all of her life and I even went to mass with her when we were kids. But she finally saw the writing on the wall. It hurt, but she's wiser for leaving. All those law suites have to be paid by someone. Since the economy is so bad and people are paring down their spending and giving, so they what?, tell young people they require a 'donation'. They think young people won't question the 'required donation'? I've always said that Christ would never recognize his church today. He'd probably be throwing out the money changers from there too. I'd be turning tail on those folks and finding me a new place of worship. They frankly, don't deserve devoted and faithful members. But that's only my opinion.
  • There is no Biblical support for requiring a donation. Try a different church.
  • That is the Church rule not Gods. Its good to give He says and we give out of our heart. Because if your just giving because you have to that is not out of the heart. God looks at the matters of our heart. We give because we want to. The woman in the bible gave a widow's mite. Like a penny, that is all she had and the Lord blest her for she gave all she had out of a heart of giving. The dollar amount is not important . Its the matter of the heart that God looks at.
  • It is immoral for a church to have a cover charge and a two drink minimum isn't cool either.
  • donation by definition is voluntary
  • Required donation? Do you get drinks for that or just the priveledge to hear the word of god? And they wonder why churches are failing...lol :)
  • If a church 'requires' a donation, you're in the wrong church. Seriously. The Catholic church is not hurting for money. But I've heard of people in Catholic churches who were giving money every week and yet getting pulled aside and told they were not giving enough. Amounts given should be solely on the conscience of the giver. Asking for reimbursement for materials is one thing. Anything beyond that smells like greed to me. But I'll admit that I'm biased, and do see the Catholic church as a very greedy institution that has more money than it knows what to do with. Just look at the Vatican, or any local cathedral which is most likely full of statues and other riches. And if you want to buy a "prayer candle" to put in front of some statue, well, that'll be $10.
  • How can you give it if you can't?
  • Most churches are always in need of donations for the pastor's benefit to live large. Take it from the Widow's Offering in Luke 21:1-4. She only gave 2 mites and she proportionally put more than the rich.
  • Tithes were given to levites and priests, but there are none of these in the New Testament, as Christ is the ultimate priest who goes behind the veil of heaven for us to make restitution once and for all. Hebrews 10:19-20 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, Hebrews 11- 12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by Hebrew 10:21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 1 cor 5:7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Hebrews 10:10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time So what we are actually dealing with now is fellowship with one another and making disciples of all nations, in fact more than that.. 1 Peter 2 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. So as a brotherhood the first Christians sold their possessions to make sure no brother was in need, and theses things were not of the flesh desires but out of basic necessity and spiritual love for one another, to care for the orphan and the widow, and they met in each other's homes. Even Paul worked in order to not be accused of wrong motive. There was no ultimate authority in the brotherhood they all had the same right to speak. My concern today is the Church is less about the body of believers and God, and more about being a business, because if you are not being changed then you are not understanding what the gospel is, what Christ did, the mystery hidden from the beginning of the world, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Giving helps you not put money before God for you cannot serve two masters, but God also knows your needs, our spiritual sacrifices are giving our life and service to God. Therefore, if a church demands a fee, then I suggest you leave.
  • Donate as much or as little as you want. That's why it's a donation.
  • This doesn't make sense! If you can't do a pushup do you do it anyway?
  • You are not under obligation to give any other contribution of a specified amount or at a particular time. Paul wrote to the Christian congregation in Corinth: Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion.
  • if I belong to a church, they'll take what I can afford to give them and like it. or I'm out.
  • The group of people that I grew up with they don't have a set fee they don't pass around a contribution plate they have a box in the back of their building and you put what you can put inside of that box now I understand let's say a church is sending children to summer camp and it cost $75 for the registration fee. But you can only contribute 20 well put the $20 In The box I'm sure nobody's going to run up to you and say hey you didn't put enough money in the box take your $20 back
  • Personally, I've never attended any church that REQUIRED a particular donation amount.
  • Requires a donation of $75 for what for the two-week day camp for your children to attend a conference with lunch and dinner? If it's something like this then it's pretty much clear that in order to go that you have to pay the $75. But if there is no good or service involved and the recommended donation that the church is asking for is $75 I'll give what I choose to give. If there's no good or service involved that I have to contribute $75 in order to get you take what I give you or you don't get anything
  • I will answer this question again in regards to a phony church pastor that I've heard stories from. He was forcing his congregation to give $100.00 each, and he was enraged because not everyone could give that amount of money. What you can do is give what you can or don't give at all.
  • If you don't, will they kick you out or not let you attend services?

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