My daughter attends a youth group at another church because she is the only teenager in our church. Recently she brought home a flyer for a "30 hour famine." The youth group will voluntarily participate in a 30 hour fast in order to raise money for relief work in Africa. The teens are being asked to go into their community and receive pledges, similar to how a Walk-a-Thon works. I told my daughter that she can participate in the event but she cannot ask unbelievers for money. Alternatively I said she could ask families in our church if they would pledge. I am not in favor of God's people asking those in spiritual darkness for money. We have a gift to proclaim to them, the gift of eternal life!

I am interested in comments.

__________________
Bill Brown
Elder
Grace Baptist Church
Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?
Visit my BLOG Theology for the Rest of Us

Hey brother;

I have struggled with these issues a lot too. I have had several unbelievers give me money.

Here are my conclusions:


--I do not know their hearts. If they express a desire to try to have a donation to a preacher boy or a gift to a church be meritorious then, of course, I would refuse.

---Many folks in your own church that will give are headed to hell.

--Most times people give it is not trying to merit anything but it is an expression of a heart of compassion - and even unbelievers can have this.


When you move into a neighborhood, many a neighbor (at least in parts of Missouri) will still make you cookies, etc, It would be very rude to ask first if they were unbelievers.

On birthdays and Christmas unsaved family members will give you presents. Do you refuse these as well.

--Also, in practical execution, how would this be done. Knock on the door and ask someone if they believe or not. If yes, okay, then you can give. If no,, then sorry you are not qualified to give. I can so no good coming out of this.


--Also, the children of Israel took gold from the Egyptians. We can use the money a lot better than they. Many a Hebrew has profited from foreign gov'ts of heathens and even served in their courts.


---The purpose of the project seems a generic humantiarian relief mission and not evangelistic. Rank unbelievers can help the poor too. I am even glad Angelina Jolie is adopting little kids from Africa. And my unsaved neighbors can certainly do their part.

I don't think that we shoudl refuse these acts of kindness. Too, it builds a relationship and an opportunity to tell them the Gospel because their interest will be peaked at how the trip went afterwards.

__________________
Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

Maybe it falls under the Law's restraint of depravity in the unbeliever; his giving is certainly not meritorious, but it's a good thing, relatively speaking, to give to relief rather than buy another sinful (fill in the blank). It won't save him but it continues God's order in the world. Just a thought.

__________________
The man who is disposed to think of his sin as a great calamity, rather than as a heinous crime, is not likely either to reverence God or to respect His law. - John Kennedy, 1873
Meg
Blog
Member, Intown Presbyterian Church,PCA, Portland, OR

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Mmmm....I have no problem if my unsaved neighbor decides to give me cookies. I have no problem if an unsaved person decides (unsolicited) to give money to a missionary. I do have problems with Christians actively soliciting from unbelievers. That is my concern.

How does everyone feel about actively soliticing funds from unbelievers?

For that matter, I have a problem with youth groups selling stuff and working to earn money for stuff that is a ministry of the Church. I understand the idea of teaching responsibility and all that, but if it is a ministry of the church, it should be funded by the church freely and with no strings attached.

__________________
Joseph Botwinick, Band Director
Second Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Arkansas, Southern Baptist Convention
Sherwood, Arkansas
Romans 7:14-25
http://botwinick.wordpress.com/

How do you know that the church going folks are saved? We do not have access to the church rolls for the invisible church and there are unbelievers with their butts in pews twice on Sundays and Wednesday nights. If some non believer wants to contribute, let them.

__________________

Remember the example of the Isaelites before they left Egypt? I wopuld say follow them and "spoil the 'Egyptians" with a clear conscience!

__________________
Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB

Frankly, I would have a problem with the concept of receiving pledges for an act of private or publish worhsip. The whole concept of using holy things and integrating them into fund raising activities is something that I find repulsive. Of course, my grouchiness is no rule in itself, the question we need to raise is whether or not it is glorifying to God to pledge to fast for the purpose of getting paid to do it, even if we are intending to give those monies to a "good cause."

I think that fasting still can and should be occasionally utilized by believers, who in quietness and sincerity are prayerfully engaged in specific things that are particularly burdensome. Fasting during times of repentance, despair, and great need are all evidenced in the Bible.

Fasting is not a mere abstinence of food, but rather attends sincere and earnest praying for a specific need or needs. To announce a fast as a means of having people contribute funds to a specific cause seems to me fall well outside the purpose of biblical fasting.

If money needs to be raised for Africa, why couldn't the kids simply inform potential donors that they are trying to raise monies for a need in Africa rather than tying the giving to an act of private worship?

In regard to receiving contributions from pagans, I would have no difficulty in receiving contributions from individiauls outside the church for projects that are designed to fulfill our duty to love our neighbor as ourselves. I wouldn't be in favor of soliciting those outside the church for activities that are tied intrinsically to the ministry of the church.

__________________
Bob Leverton
Elder, Faith Baptist Church
Family Blog: http://levertonfamily.blogspot.com/