– Advertisement –

Pastor Has Gun Pointed at His Head During Sermon to Illustrate that Not Tithing is “Robbing God”

by | Jan 26, 2023 | Cult, News, Religion, The Church, Video | 0 comments

✪ Read this article ad-free and leave comments here on Substack

Pastor K. Francis Smith, the lead pastor of Excel Church Worldwide, is making headlines for a crazy sermon illustration he put on a while back where he was making the point often made by prosperity gospel charlatans that not tithing ten percent of your income is like “robbing God.”

This teaching stems from a misrepresentation of Malachi 3 where God warns the Israelites that they will not be blessed if they don’t bring their tithes and offerings, and that they will be cursed with a devouring pestilence, mildew, and blight on their crops, fields and vineyards.

Yet, this warning in Malachi 3 specifically applies to the Israelites living under a theocratic system, where God was considered the ruler of the nation and the temple and its priests were the means by which the people worshiped and made offerings to God.

This illustration that Smith and his co-horts put on while preaching is absolutely mind-numbingly crazy and absurd, and is meant to evoke some kind of fear in his congregation for not giving him more money. In this illustration, he has two men come on stage to simulate a robbery, pointing a gun to his head, and attempting to connect this illustration to his point about “robbing God.”

Join Us and Get These Perks:

✅ No Ads in Articles
✅ Access to Comments and Discussions
✅ Community Chats
✅ Full Article and Podcast Archive
✅ The Joy of Supporting Our Work 😉



It is hard to fathom the logic behind such an illustration, which seems to be intended to evoke fear in the congregation, implying that not giving money to the church would result in divine retribution. The absurdity of this kind of illustration, which misrepresents scriptural teachings and manipulates congregants’ fear and guilt to extract more money, is beyond belief. It calls into question the intent of such teachings and the true nature of the prosperity gospel.

Whenever you do not tithe, it’s like you are robbing your father. Can you imagine yourself robbing your father? You rob God who gave you life. Who provided for you. Gave you opportunities. And you tie his hand so that he can’t do anything that he desires to do for you. “Son, I had a plan for your life. Son. I’ve provided for you. I had a plan. Why would you rob me?

Of all the people (you) could have robbed, why would you rob your father?” And you tie the very hands of God and now God’s hands are tied. You got what you think you wanted, but what good is it without your father? What good is it without the one who designed you and created you. When you put back into God’s hand (what) was God’s, then you untie the hands of God.

Three Ways to Support DISNTR


The Dissenter is primarily supported by its readers. The best way to support us is to subscribe to our members-only Substack site where you will receive all of our content ad-free, plus you will get member-only exclusive content.

Support us with a monthly donation on Patreon

Support us with membership to our ad-free Substack

Make one-time or monthly donation on Donorbox


👕 Or make a purchase from our online store. 👕
Make a Dogecoin Donation

- Advertisement -

Latest

The Teen Who Waited Too Long to Murder Her Child is Sentenced

The Teen Who Waited Too Long to Murder Her Child is Sentenced

In a Nebraska courtroom, justice was finally dispensed—but not in the way most would assume. Chloe Coplen-Anderson, now 18, was sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison after being convicted of slitting her newborn son’s throat shortly after giving birth in her bedroom....

Anti-Trinitarian Heretic, TD Jakes is Stepping Down

Anti-Trinitarian Heretic, TD Jakes is Stepping Down

At long last, the velvet-tongued emperor of Christian celebrity culture, Bishop T.D. Jakes, has announced his exit from the pulpit of The Potter’s House—the crumbling empire he built atop the rotting carcass of the Word of Faith movement and anti-Trinitarian heresy....

- Advertisement -

Subscribe

Store

Follow Us

- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

You Might Also Like…

The Teen Who Waited Too Long to Murder Her Child is Sentenced

The Teen Who Waited Too Long to Murder Her Child is Sentenced

In a Nebraska courtroom, justice was finally dispensed—but not in the way most would assume. Chloe Coplen-Anderson, now 18, was sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison after being convicted of slitting her newborn son’s throat shortly after giving birth in her bedroom....

Anti-Trinitarian Heretic, TD Jakes is Stepping Down

Anti-Trinitarian Heretic, TD Jakes is Stepping Down

At long last, the velvet-tongued emperor of Christian celebrity culture, Bishop T.D. Jakes, has announced his exit from the pulpit of The Potter’s House—the crumbling empire he built atop the rotting carcass of the Word of Faith movement and anti-Trinitarian heresy....

False Teacher of the Day #62: Levi Lusko

False Teacher of the Day #62: Levi Lusko

Levi Lusko has built a reputation as the quintessential hip, modern megachurch pastor—tattoos, trendy sneakers, polished storytelling, and a high-production platform that attracts the crowds and flatters the culture. But beneath the fashionable exterior and charming...

False Teacher of the Day #61: Craig Groeschel

False Teacher of the Day #61: Craig Groeschel

He walks onto the stage with a flawless smile and a perfectly-timed pause. The lights dim, the audience leans in, and for thirty minutes, the man speaks with the cadence of a TED Talker and the certainty of a Silicon Valley mogul pitching salvation like a subscription...

- Advertisement -

 

Want to go ad-free with exclusive content? Subscribe today.
Already a subscriber? Click Here

Three Ways to Support DISNTR



The Dissenter is primarily supported by its readers. The best way to support us is to subscribe to our members-only Substack site where you will receive all of our content ad-free, plus you will get member-only exclusive content.

 

Support us with a monthly donation on Patreon

Support us with membership to our ad-free Substack

Make one-time or monthly donation on Donorbox


👕 Or make a purchase from our online store. 👕