How Do you Feel About Churches Doing FundRaisers??

hi fasttalker...interesting question. i believe in tithes and offerings. and their are always those in the church who aren't giving as they should. i see nothing wrong with fund raising. now raffling has the stigma of gambling. if you look at it as a donation that's fine. and raffling is like a contest. and i can't see anyone getting addicted to raffles. so it's a cloudy area there because of the stigma for some people. that's why churches have to be so careful to present an above reproach image. there are some churches that see nothing wrong with raffles. but that alone doesn't make it right. because not all churches are doing right by the Bible and it's teachings.(not referring to churches that hold raffles) so each church needs to make their own decision. and there are still those that don't want to raffle because they don't want to give those who tend to gamble the impression that the church supports gambling. is that clear as mud?

My church for one was totally against fundraisers. My pastor felt that it was the responsibiity of the congregation to support the church entirely, through offerings and tithes. He was against raffles, selling dinners, cake sales etc. He did not want any money changing hands in the church. We had a $500,000.00 renovation on the church maybe three years ago. Our membership is now dropping, for whatever reasons. Our church used to be packed every Sunday, now we have just enough people to barely fill the center pews. My Pastor is now trying to find ways to raise money to pay for the church mortgage. No we are having fundraising to get another funds and have had raffles sales, selling cookie and pizza dough etc. We are now in the process of having a concert. I believe in fundraisers, but not after the fact, like in my church's situation. I believe had we always done fundraisers we would not be in the financial strain that we are in. I also believe in tithes and offerings, but if the church has big ideas and the congregation is small or is decreasing the money has to come from somewhere.

Well personally, I see nothing wrong at all with Churches wanting to do fundraisers. There are many times for things our Church does Fundraisers and if it helps with outings and other things that the Tithes and offerings are not used for, then by all means I say do it. Our church has been known to hold fundraisers to help support Sunday school outreach, for the Youth to go the Youth Convention, camp, etc., for the Ladies to be able to go to Ladies Retreat, etc. We have done Silent Auctions, Dinners, Bake Sales, etc. There are so many ways a Church can raise extra money for things, and if you have people willing to take the time to want to do so, then go for it. I think in a lot of ways it draws the church closer together in knowing it can help in so many other ways as well.

I'm not a huge supporter of churches but I must point out that people now don't support the churches like they used to. In the Medieval times the church was everything. And up until maybe the 1900's they were the center of life. The people used to give their lively hoods for the church and more was given to the church because it was held so high. Everything and anything was done for the church. Today is so much different. We hold the churches high but we don't give as much as they did then. They now have to fight for their own and that's all they do. They fight to keep the churchs up and alive. So I feel that fundraisers are the only thing that's really keeping them alive. Donations show a feeling of faith. They have faith in their church and are willing to help keep that faith alive. And raffles show that people are willing to put effort in the church. So personally I think the churches doing fund raising are in their rights. The do what the feel they need to survive.