You and your two brothers, who are farmers in an area just southwest of Jerusalem, overhear some rumblings that the latest religious craze is coming. He's supposed to be at the temple, but He may stop by a couple of people's houses as His custom. You three, who are also avid students of the Hebrew scriptures, decide you can afford to leave the farm under the care of your servants and see what this Jesus is all about. People are saying He's claiming to be the Son of God; so you gotta see for yourself. You guys arrive in town just in time. A herdsman you know from your same area has a cousin in Jerusalem where Jesus is staying; and he said Jesus is going to start teaching in a couple hours. However, before you can get your donkey ready to move out, the herdsman tells you, "you gotta buy a ticket, though."
Although some prosperity preaching has distorted this fact, the Kingdom of God is and is designed to operate in wealth....unhindered availability of all resources...all needs completely taken care of. The demonstration of this is not just seen in Jesus turning water into wine and feeding thousands of people; but it's also behind not having anything happen similar to the example in the opening paragraph....with the ultimate point being this: while being right with God costs a fortune, we don't have to pay it because Jesus did. Hence His thoughts in Matthew 10:8 when He says "freely you have received, freely give." Makes sense, except when we're talking about bringing today's hot, or semi-hot preacher or musical artist. Then it's more like "if you want to receive, promptly pay."
While I never could quite understand how selling the Gospel, which is completely adverse to the Will of God, is so prevalent today; I do get some basic principles. King David, when desperately wanting to offer to The Lord, strongly stated that he "will not sacrifice that which costs me nothing (2 Samuel 24:24)." This says to me that the expecting recipient should be more than willing to pay to hear from God. It should be noted that this isn't the churches responsibility to require that to happen; still, the person's heart should be determined to give. Also, and most basically, bills must be paid. So when Jesus flipped over the money-changers booths in the temple (Matthew 21:12), I don't believe is was for the mere fact they were selling offering materials...because there were expenses and salaries tied to that entire process. But it was because the markets were greatly increasing the cost, making it more difficult for the common man to worship. Which brings me to my questions. Why do churches sell access to the Gospel if the Gospel is artistically performed by a celebrity? I mean, if a local church is forced (or convinces themselves they're forced) to charge people to meet the expenses that a visiting artist/preacher/performer brings; could that mean that church isn't ready for that type of act? And even if they were, is demanding money to offer Salvation ethical?
The argument that people pay to see secular artists in clubs is weak, because even the house band gets paid. Most churches don't pay their choir or praise team, which is that church's house band, a dime. And frankly, what would be honorable is to pay your weekly entertainment first before paying a "headliner." Besides, the club is only there to sell all of it's services, are we saying the American church should work similar to that? I believe that if the memberships' tithes and the offerings aren't supporting that type of entertain...uh...worship opportunity, then moving on should be considered. At any rate, charging church members as well as outsiders for shows actually can promote financial mismanagement, and it definitely does not support the freedom that Christ represented.
Stop selling stuff you got for free.
Peace
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