# Come to church - get $5???



## DMcFadden (Apr 14, 2011)

Today a slick 8.5 x 5.5 four color card arrived in the mail. It featured a picture of a pensive attractive woman looking out her window.

"You Don't Need to Be Afraid . . . Join us this Sunday and We'll Pay for Your Gas"

On the back it read: "Claim $5 Gas Card! Bring this postcard to Hrock by April 17 or 24 to receive free $5 gas card."

Just curious . . . which section of the WCF covers this again?

Actually, with gas in L.A. running from lows in the $4.20s to $4.75 a gallon, $5 won't get you very far.


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## Pergamum (Apr 14, 2011)

In the slums of Manilla, Korean misssionaries are claiming church plants in the dozens by giving monthly sacks of rice to poor Filipinos as a condition for church attendance. As another denomination comes in and offers more rice, the church members switch churches. I would love to be able to read the prayer letters of these Korean evangelists as they report their "success."

I abhor all bait and switch strategies of evangelism.


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## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Apr 14, 2011)

Look on the plus side. Your shears will LOVE that postcard.

Plus it kills about 10 minutes of time if you're waiting on something. Who needs a shredder when you got a pair of scissors that cost maybe $3?


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Apr 14, 2011)




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## Edward (Apr 14, 2011)

Looks like this only works economically for folks in their immediate neighborhood. Or maybe they are green and trying to encourage carpooling.


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## Miller (Apr 14, 2011)

In Garland, TX a church advertised $10 Olive Garden gift cards for church attendance.


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## Edward (Apr 14, 2011)

$5 gas cards and $10 Olive Garden? I'm holding out for the car. South Texas church sponsors massive giveaway of prizes during Easter services | abc13.com (Looks like that was last year. Wonder if they'll repeat.)


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## Curt (Apr 14, 2011)

Why is this different from feeding people _*IF*_ they attend your Gospel meeting?


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## DMcFadden (Apr 14, 2011)

If they make it a $25 Cracker Barrel card, well . . . just saying.


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## Southern Presbyterian (Apr 14, 2011)

Would this be considered reverse Simony?


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## Skyler (Apr 15, 2011)

Curt said:


> Why is this different from feeding people _*IF*_ they attend your Gospel meeting?


 
We feed people whether they attend the Gospel meeting or just show up for the food.

Granted they're liable to get some grief from friends if they just show up for the food, but still.


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## Grillsy (Apr 15, 2011)

Curt said:


> Why is this different from feeding people IF they attend your Gospel meeting?



Church meals were, and still are, a regular occurrence for many congregations. Giving out money (bribing?), in order to bring people in, really does not have a place in Church history.


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## Andres (Apr 15, 2011)

as a Christian, I am insulted they would offer people $5 to come to church, but even from a heathen prospective, a $5 gas card is also a pretty lame bribe.


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## Jack K (Apr 15, 2011)

My church gives little gifts to new visitors. But it doesn't feel wrong to me, probably because we don't advertise it. It isn't bribe-like, because it's a surprise to them. Just a welcome gift.

Does whether or not you advertise it make the difference between an act of kindness and an act of bribery? Or if not, how _do_ you tell the difference?


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## Rich Koster (Apr 15, 2011)

Maybe they should put that money toward fixing their sign. Doesn't it usually say "Sign broken, get message inside"?


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## N. Eshelman (Apr 15, 2011)

Edward said:


> Looks like this only works economically for folks in their immediate neighborhood. Or maybe they are green and trying to encourage carpooling.


 
It is for more than just people in the immediate neighborhood- I got the same ad as Dennis and we live worlds apart in SoCal terms.


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## Dwimble (Apr 15, 2011)

Curt said:


> Why is this different from feeding people IF they attend your Gospel meeting?



I've often thought something similar about some soup kitchens/missions/shelters. If the "price" of the meal (or cot) is requiring them to listen to a sermon, then you aren't really interested in feeding a hungry person, but in taking advantage of their hunger as part of some sort of sales technique to get them in the door so that you can preach to them.


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## Jeffriesw (Apr 15, 2011)

I have got to talk to my elders about this, I could use some gas money 



J/K

Seriously, Did our Lord ever pay someone $5.00 bucks to listen to him preach? Most of the time when I read through the gospels, it seems like what He said offended them left and right and they ran off


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## Reformed Thomist (Apr 22, 2011)

This is thoroughly disgusting. Five bucks to attend a church service? You'd think they could at least dole out a tenner for a man's time.


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## Berean (Apr 22, 2011)

Apparently this type of thing is spreading. Here are two examples from the Minneapolis area that I ran across in the morning headlines.



> *Church lures worshippers with TVs, Nintendo* -- ELK RIVER, Minn. -- The Crossing Church in Elk River has many seats to fill Easter weekend and they have a very unique way of doing it. They are bribing people with 3D televisions and Nintendo 3DS portable video game consoles.
> 
> "I have no problem bribing people with cr** in order to meet Christ," Pastor Eric Dykstra said.
> 
> ...





> *Uptown Church Giving Away $3,500 to Pay Someone’s Bills*
> 
> Updated: Friday, 22 Apr 2011, 9:13 AM CDT
> Published : Friday, 22 Apr 2011, 9:13 AM CDT
> ...


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## MMasztal (Apr 22, 2011)

$5.00!!!! That’s chump change! We have a local church which doesn’t piddle around with such a pittance of money. They actually have a lottery drawing every Sunday following the service which has a typical weekly prize of $200-$300!!!


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## Edward (Apr 22, 2011)

$500 cash, TVs and DS. Lotteries. Now we're getting serious. No wonder they can't fill the pews on Easter. I'm probably going to end up on a folding chair in the back this Sunday.


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## Notthemama1984 (Apr 22, 2011)

DMcFadden said:


> with gas in L.A. running from lows in the $4.20s to $4.75 a gallon





Makes me appreciate my 3.65 a bit more.

---------- Post added at 01:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:37 PM ----------

On a slightly different note.....

Last year Rick Warren rented a baseball stadium and had the Jonas Brothers give a concert for Easter Sunday. Has anyone heard what he is doing this year?


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## Rich Koster (Apr 22, 2011)

Chaplainintraining said:


> DMcFadden said:
> 
> 
> > with gas in L.A. running from lows in the $4.20s to $4.75 a gallon
> ...


 
Hopefully repenting.


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## Andres (Apr 22, 2011)

Rich Koster said:


> Chaplainintraining said:
> 
> 
> > DMcFadden said:
> ...


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## Scottish Lass (Apr 22, 2011)

nleshelman said:


> It is for more than just people in the immediate neighborhood- I got the same ad as Dennis and we live worlds apart in SoCal terms.




I think he meant because if five dollars equals a gallon of gas, and most cars get @30 mpg, then one would need to live within a fifteen mile radius for it to "work".


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## MMasztal (Apr 22, 2011)

News flash!!! From my FaceBook friend, Pam (member at my church)

"I sadly just saw an ad for a church trying to get people to come to Easter services by holding a drawing for an Ipad and a $1000 shopping spree...”

about an hour ago · Like ·


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## Notthemama1984 (Apr 22, 2011)

That is terrible.


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## Edward (Apr 22, 2011)

Scottish Lass said:


> I think he meant because if five dollars equals a gallon of gas, and most cars get @30 mpg, then one would need to live within a fifteen mile radius for it to "work".



Yes. Thanks.


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## Grillsy (Apr 23, 2011)

MMasztal said:


> "I sadly just saw an ad for a church trying to get people to come to Easter services by holding a drawing for an Ipad and a $1000 shopping spree...”



The Campbellite Church down the street from me has given away several Ipads and a big screen TV. Attendance is up but giving is down. Imagine that.


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