Ernest Lee has known a bunch of preachers who believe businesses should give churches and padres a discount off the normal price. “Its for the Lord,” the beggar pleads with the merchant. “Our church is poor and can’t afford to pay the full price,” the mooch cries. Such action reveals an ignorance of both the attributes of God and the principle of economics. Ernest Lee will attempt to educate you on both.
First, God is not poor. Psalm 50 says the world is His and all that is in it is His. It says He owns the cattle on a 1,000 hills. That’s a bunch of beef! Haggai 2 says all the silver and gold are His. Everything in the world is His! He don’t need money. When believers/churches/pastors plead poverty before the world, they expose their lack of faith in God’s ability to provide for His people.
Second, Christ became poor so we can be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich (spiritually).” Christ willingly became poor, even though He was rich so believers could become rich. This verse emphasizes Jesus, being God incarnate, was originally rich but chose to become poor for humanity’s sake, highlighting God’s inherent wealth. Some false teachers claim God wants all His people to be wealthy. All they have to do to achieve that prosperity it is to buy a book, send a seed offering, or sell their firstborn and give the money to some TV preacher. God gives us riches, but not always money and material wealth. It’s spiritual wealth/riches!
Third, there is no such thing as free. In any economic system, someone is always paying the bill. So when Pastor Beggarly talks a businessman into giving him a discount, that has to be made up in price increases for the other customers. Businesses can’t absorb price increases- they must pass them on to survive. Ultimately every tax the government imposes, every discount given, is passed onto the consumer. Otherwise businesses can’t survive. Businesses can be charitable, but they can’t be a charity.
So if your church- or you- can’t afford to pay full retail, then perhaps it ain’t God’s will for you to have it.
Ernest Lee Contendin 