Why do we judge so. could it be that we are jealous of sucess. These men and women are preaching and teaching biblicial principles of finance. so what is the trouble with results and manifestation of God's Word? It is the Lord that maketh rich and adds no sorrow with it. If i had books on the New York Times best sellers list i would have a car for each day of the week. You would too. We should not judge to quickly that which we don't understand. When you don't know the seed don't judge the harvest. All of these ministries have large outreaches and large budgets. what they live on is a smal fraction of the money handled. Who needs what and why? Well look at the fruit and the results. To reach souls for Jesus it takes dollars put Christ in front of an audience. God doesn't mind wealth HE CREATED IT. Look at the Book He left us with. Wealth is from cover to cover and beyond.

All of these ministries have large outreaches and large budgets. what they live on is a smal fraction of the money handled.

Yeah right. I prefer the nuns and priests who take vows of poverty.

Who needs what and why? Well look at the fruit and the results. To reach souls for Jesus it takes dollars put Christ in front of an audience.

Jesus lead by example not by the door-charge.

God doesn't mind wealth HE CREATED IT.

Mmmm - I think you'll find it a man's invention - god created the land on which ALL walk - not just a few.

Jesus celarly tells men of faith that god will provide - as he does for the birds in the trees and the flowers in the fields. I am not saying people shouldn't make money - but eh if you really beleive greed is the religion pmark, then Chrisitianity is not really the one.
The reason rich people will rarely discover the kindom of God is because they prefer money to love.

Do your research and look at the lives these televangelists lead - they'renot too removed from those lead by "The Godfather". Funny that, isn't it?

Colinsett,
Do you know what an argument is? If so, could you try putting one.

K£vin,
While I could agree with some of your comments, some of it needs tidying up. For instance, how do these two phrases sit together? –
1) ‘I am not saying people shouldn't make money.’
2) ‘I prefer the nuns and priests who take vows of poverty.’

Did you ever take a vow of poverty?

The shame of it - I almost agree with runner.

Those who choose to give their hard earned to these shysters should be free to do so. Some advertising standards need to be applied to ensure that people know just where their donation is going but then when I get a call from a charity it's not made clear to me what proportion of my support will go to the charity (and from what I've heard I may be lied to if I ask).

Some people may not have paid enough attention to what goes on in the world to pick up on the private jet, mansion thing and think that the people they send money to are giving their all for the work. Should they be warned?

Others will see it as an investment, they give and god gives back (those who think that godliness is a means to gain - see 1 Timothy 6:5).

As I understand it the tax breaks don't apply to the givers.
Scrap the tax and rates exemptions enjoyed by the churches and let them do their thing just as other entertainment organisations do.

R0bert

Well PERICLES.. strange as it sounds I totally agree with all you said :) shock horror!

Key words "evidence". Totally agree on that too.

KEVIN... your first post was remarkable.. beautiful in fact.

The proclamation of the Gospel is indended to also supply the needs of the proclaimer (NOT THE WANTS)... but Pauls example is the best,

1 Corinthians 9 is abundantly clear.

11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?
14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.

IMPORTANT. 'their living' is based on the Lords prayer "Our daily bread" NOT not NOT a classy Mercedes, a marble topped toilet or a Lear jet.

CONCLUSION. "If 'preaching' produces 'profit'...its the wrong kind of preacher and the wrong kind of preaching"

I don't trust any church or religious organisation to do the right thing with the donated money.

Mother Theresa is a good example of how donations were squandered to benefit the Church more than the poor.
She didn't care where the donations came from; would Jesus have taken money from questionable sources like drug dealers?
She chose to not spend this money to improve conditions for the poor; she kept the money in her own bank account and later gave it to the Church.

She left her hospice in Calcutta as poor, primitive and run down as she found it.
When she got sick herself she used a modern California clinic.
Her order always refused to publish any audits.

She opened hundreds of convents all in the name of her own order.

The only 'saints' are the ordinary people in our communities, your average good neighbour, the teacher who goes out of her/his way to help your child, the person who lets you go in front of the supermarket line when you have to deal with a screaming baby and a wonkey-wheeled trolley full of groceries.
These are the people that count- not the leaders of churches who are out to take your money to spend it on luxuries.

I rather see my money go to the ATO; at least we will (generally) all benefit from it.