Give and You Shall Receive. Guaranteed!
ByI was doing some research for a new series I am working on when I ran across this post at Church Marketing Sucks about LifeChurch.tv offering a money back guarantee on tithing. The three month challenge is “that if you tithe for three months and God doesn’t hold true to His promises of blessings, we will refund 100% of your tithe. No questions asked.”
I like that Life Church has been an innovative pioneer in more ways than one. I think that Craig Groeschel is an absolute awesome communicator and filled with a contagious passion. But I am not sure that this new idea will be one that can benefit or hurt churches in general.
Here are some questions for thought.
- What is the purpose of giving? Is it a heartfelt act of worship to God in response to His glory and grace – or is it about us giving so that we will be blessed in return?
- Can a challenge like this communicate in any way that God is about being bought off or that if we just give, we shall receive? After all Sammy Hagar wrote a song about “Buying Your Way into Heaven”.
- How do you quantify or qualify the “blessings”? Will it be abundant wealth, a cure from cancer, a new job, a hot wife or husband? People define blessings in different ways.
- What if God doesn’t come through? What I am NOT saying is that God doesn’t fulfill His promises because He does! But again, could a person take this challenge expecting one thing but getting another – and then think God didn’t deliver on His promise?
- Will people (church or non-churched) see this as a cheap marketing gimmick or something meaningful in establishing that God is who He says He is?
I understand the point that Life Church is trying to make and I commend them for trying to get people to act in faith and give to God. We should be challenged and stretched. We should give to God our first fruits. However, there is also the concern that people will continue to “buy” the prosperity gospel; that the unchurched will see this as another tactic for getting their money; or this is viewed as a shameless marketing tactic to get more attention.
Give and you shall receive right? What do you think?
James – Thank you for the thoughts in this area. When I was in college, I was attending a church that offered a similar “money back guarantee.” I agree that this is not a helpful way to approach giving and tithing. We are called to respond to God in our freely given gifts, but I believe doing so with an expectation of return is not true to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Andrew