Hello World,

I never thought I would see the day that World Changers Church International Pastor, Creflo Dollar, would have a different philosophy about tithing…See, World Changers is located in College Park, and College Park is where I spent most of my childhood. I remember when World Changers was not there. In fact, I remember when the church campus was simply a shopping center on Old Nat L, College Park residents’ beloved nickname for Old National Highway, a main thoroughfare in the city. So to have seen a simple shopping center become an internationally known megachurch was something to behold, and I imagine all of us CPK or Collipark (two more nicknames) residents were stunned by the spectacle. And I imagine we were all curious about the black man who built the empire. All I knew was that I went to high school with one of Pastor Dollar’s cousins, and her last name was Dollar too. So if you’re wondering if he changed his last name to Dollar, unless his cousins changed their last name too, that’s highly unlikely. But it was kind of funny to witness a man whose last name was Dollar build a megachurch that must have cost millions of dollars.

I imagine that out of curiosity that almost every College Park resident has visited World Changers at least once. I have. Years ago, I dated a member of the church, and I attended with him at least once. And then some years after that, I attended a Yolanda Adams concert there. But back to the lone service I attended, I remember there was a heavy emphasis on tithing, and it made me uncomfortable. I cannot lie about that. At my church where my father was the senior pastor for many years, while he preached on tithing and believes in it, it is not emphasized in every service. Tithing is encouraged; however, tithing is just one of many biblical principles that were preached about over the course of time. And while I have tithed since I was a teenager due to my father’s encouragement, I never felt pressure to do so. But during that one service, I got the feeling that compulsory tithing was a core tenet of World Changers.

That being said, as I was never a member, I wasn’t familiar with his other teachings. I would imagine that members of Pastor Dollar’s church have learned many principles from him that have nothing to do with money. Despite whatever else he taught, however, it seemed that nearly every story I’ve heard about him and World Changers over the years had to do with money. The jet story comes to mind. People have speculated that he has amassed wealth due to his teaching about compulsory tithing which I cannot confirm or deny. All of this to say, I wonder after all of these years, what was the impetus for his change of heart around tithing. In his recent sermon “The Great Misunderstanding,” Pastor Dollar begins his sermon saying, “I want to start off by saying to you that I’m still growing, and that the teachings that I have shared in times past on the subject of tithing were not correct. And today I stand in humility to correct some things that I’ve taught over the years and believed for years but could not understand fully because I was not yet confronted with the gospel of grace which has made the difference. I won’t apologize because if it was not for me going down that route,  I would have never ended up where I am right now. But I will say that I have no shame at all at saying, throw away every book, every tape and every video I ever did on the subject of tithing unless it lines up with this.” Whoa, right?!!! That’s a beyond bold statement to make all of these years in…Me being who I am, I would have been like before I throw away everything, can I get a refund? Even if I only got back a fraction of what I spent, something is better than nothing has been said…LOL…But I digress…

There were many interesting points throughout the sermon that was preached in two parts on two different Sundays starting on June 26. Firstly, he establishes that his former approach to tithing was based on the Old Testament (in which tithing was mandated) and not the New Testament (in which tithing or giving was encouraged but not mandated) and that it was based on fear and guilt.

• at 15:33, Pastor Dollars references 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” He goes on to say that Malachi 3:10 caused him to feel fear and pressure regarding tithing. He recounts in the early days of his marriage, he was 26 cents short on his tithe and could not give it. Shortly afterward, a brick was thrown through his car window, and he wondered if the incident occurred because he was short on his tithe.
• at 23:54, he discusses the self-righteous Pharisee in Luke 18 who boasted about being a tither.
• at 23:09, he encourages his congregation to read 2 Corinthians 9 to learn about Paul’s approach to giving…

And there were many other interesting points that he made… If you’re interested in seeing the totality of “The Great Misunderstanding,” the videos are below…

I wonder if there was a Q&A session at any point after these sermons because I have so many questions now…Three of them are below…

1. The verses that he mentioned have been in the Bible the whole time he has been preaching, I wonder why he didn’t take them into account before now?
2. Is there any concern that the ministries of the church will not be supported in the same way if tithing is no longer compulsory?
3. Will there be some sort of refund in place? Before, when I referenced a refund, I was joking. However, even Uncle Sam gives refunds so why shouldn’t church members be given refunds when they have given based on incorrect teaching…I don’t know how that would be handled, but the idea is not incomprehensible…Even $25 a member would be a nice gesture going forward…

What say you?

Finally, I do applaud Pastor Dollar for being audacious in his admitting his mistake…

Any thoughts?

The post Pastor Creflo Dollar of World Changers Megachurch in Metro Atlanta Says He Was Not Correct About Tithing in Sermon ‘The Great Misunderstanding’ appeared first on After the Altar Call.

Hello World,

What a Christmas blessing! When I heard this story, I was intrigued… Can you imagine that a random plumber found envelopes of cash hidden in the wall of a church, much less Pastor Joel Osteen’s megachurch Lakewood Church AND the fact that authorities believe the stash was connected to $600,000 being stolen the church safe back in March 2014?, according to the New York Post !!! The plumber who is only known as Justin will receive $20,000, which I know has to be a Christmas blessing for him. But I really want to know is who stashed the cash in the wall in the first place? And is the thief connected to the church? Will there be a further investigation now? And was all of the $600,000 there or had some of it been stolen and spent? Anywho, find out how Justin the Plumber received this cash award below…This story is a perfect example of what the old Christians say…He may not come when you want him to come when you want Him to, but He is always on time…

“Plumber who found cash stashed in wall of Joel Osteen’s church getting $20,000 reward ” by David Williams

The plumber who turned in hundreds of envelopes of cash and checks he found in a wall at televangelist Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church is getting $20,000 for his good deed. The find is believed to be connected to the 2014 theft of about $600,000 from the mega-church, according to the Houston Police Department. Crime Stoppers of Houston announced Tuesday it would give $20,000 to the plumber, who has only been identified publicly by his first name, Justin. Read the rest HERE on CNN.com…

The post Justin the Plumber To Receive Cash Award for Finding Cash in Hidden in the Wall of Pastor Osteen’s Lakewood Church appeared first on After the Altar Call.

Hello World,

There are a myriad of words to describe T.D. Jakes: Pastor. Global leader. Best-selling author. Filmmaker. Real estate industrialist. Conference producer. The senior pastor of The Potter’s House in Dallas, Jakes blazed the trail in bringing a message of hope to millions around the world through any mode of communication, never being limited to just the pulpit. He has counseled several U.S. presidents and been the guest of numerous leaders around the world. Jakes will be honored for his 45 years of ministry at a special worship service on Sunday, Sept. 26, at The Potter’s House beginning at 9 a.m. CT, set to feature special guests and tributes.

Jakes began his ministry in West Virginia at the age of 19. Now 64 years old, Jakes has reached the masses through his various ministries and enterprises. Since starting The Potter’s House in Dallas in 1996 with 50 families, more than 30,000 members now attend the megachurch’s multiple campuses, with millions more attending online around the world. The Potter’s House mission is carried out through global humanitarian outreach, inspirational conference series, media and entertainment venues, and thought leadership forums.

Key international events created by Jakes include:

Woman, Thou Art Loosed!
What began as a Sunday school curriculum turned into a cornerstone of Jakes‘ ministry. Now a conference, a book, a play and a movie, Woman, Thou Art Loosed! reaches into the souls of women and catapults them into the confidence to live as God intended. The first Woman, Thou Art Loosed! conference was held in Atlanta in 2004, hosting approximately 45,000 women. The conference continues to attract thousands from around the world.

International Leadership Summit
Jakes‘ leadership in the religious arena has led him to host an annual leadership conference for people of faith. Drawing in more than 10,000 leaders globally, the International Leadership Summit has featured industry leaders like Tyler Perry and Denzel Washington to teach others how to succeed in their areas of work.

ManPower
This conference for men began in 1993 to help men of all races and backgrounds address specific needs, hurts and struggles from a biblical perspective. The conference grew from 2,500 to 20,000 attendees.

MegaFest
Combining Jakes‘ conferences and the International Faith & Film festival into one, MegaFest is considered one of the largest faith-based international conferences in America. In 2015, more than 91,000 people attended to hear from a wide array of international speakers. In 2008, the global gathering was held in Johannesburg and contributed more than 60 million South African rand to the local economy.

Tapping into the digital world to further Jakes‘ message, the Bishop‘s Village offers on-demand subscribers unique, behind-the-scenes insights into the workings of the T.D. Jakes “machine.” Viewers are treated to videos and other online content, including (but not limited to) worldwide speaking engagements, conferences, business seminars, meeting preparations and sermon notes that are not available on any other Jakes platform.

Other Key Milestones

• 1993: launched a weekly TV broadcast on Trinity Broadcasting Network
• 1994: began weekly TV broadcasts on Black Entertainment Network
• 2000: named one of the Top 10 Religion Leaders by PBS’ Religion and Ethics Newsweekly
• 2001: named America’s Best Preacher by Time magazine and CNN
• 2009: delivered the morning service for President Obama’s inauguration
• 2016: debuted the “T.D. Jakes” talk show
• 2021: premiered “Kingdom Culture with T.D. Jakes” (a weekly sermon and conversational series) on REVOLT, the leading Black-owned-and-operated multimedia platform servicing content 24/7 across digital, linear and live media channels

Books, Film, Comedy and Music
Jakes is a New York Times bestselling author and has published more than 40 books. His 2014 book Instinct is one of his most successful, spending 16 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. His latest book, Don’t Drop the Mic, which gives insights into communicating well, was on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon and Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists.

An accomplished film producer, Jakes‘ movies have grossed over $500 million and catapulted the faith-based film industry. His films include: A Dog’s Way Home (for Sony Pictures) starring Edward James Olmos and Ashley Judd; Miracles from Heaven, the follow up to Heaven is for Real; the made-for-TV-film Faith Under Fire (for Lifetime); On the Seventh Day; Winnie Mandela; Black Nativity; Jumping the Broom; and Sparkle. Jakes‘ film projects continue to redefine and reimagine the ever-evolving “faith-based” genre. Stories about real people and experiences often are oversimplified with a traditional faith-based lens. Jakes‘ ability to translate stories about real people with real experiences into sales, streams and support is unprecedented.

Jakes‘ “A Time to Laugh” is a touring comedy show and concert featuring some of the hottest up-and-coming artists and comedians.

Dexterity Sounds is responsible for some of the most innovative expressions in Gospel Music today. Receiving numerous industry accolades, including Grammys for “The Storm is Over” and “A Wing and a Prayer.” Dexterity may be best known for the fan-favorite album Sacred Love Songs II, which featured music inspired by the film Jumping the Broom. The label is also known for its award-winning worship experience DVDs and the all-female contemporary gospel group, Grace.

The Potter’s House charter is to extend a “hand of help to the needy, a heart of compassion to the hurting, and a message of empowerment to the disenfranchised.” Jakes has led and lived this mission each day in his ministry.

Any thoughts?

The post Bishop T.D. Jakes Honored for 45 Years in Ministry TODAY! appeared first on After the Altar Call.