Economic Heresy

Last Sunday, like most Sundays, like most African American Christians, I attended the 11:00 a.m. service at a local Black Church. Before the preaching started, the Tithes and Offering were collected using the same scriptures that are used in all Black Churches, Malachi 3:10; “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” All good Preachers know this is a good verse to quote to make the congregation pay their tithes and offerings. This verse comes with a promise that if you give, the Lord will bless you in return, much more than you gave in the first place. Because of this verse, Black Christians give a lot of money to their Churches. The Christians have done their part and we know God will do his part, but what about the Black Churches; will they do what God has commanded of them?

The verse, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house” means so that God’s People who cannot take care of themselves will be provided for through the tithes and offerings. At this point, no more scriptures about giving are quoted, and the Church becomes very pragmatic and the spirit giving leaves the Church. Now that the Tithes are in the storehouses, it becomes the personal property of the Black Church Hierarchy, meaning the Church Leadership, Pastor, Deacon Board and Trustees will decide how the resources are to be used. There is still nothing wrong with this process so far, everything is going along according to the Holy Scriptures and God’s intended will.

Now, if you agree that God wants meat in his storehouse to provide for his servants, attendees, widows, orphans, strangers, old people and people who cannot take care of themselves, the Black Church MUST use the tithes and offerings for the general well being of all God’s people. This means investing wisely to insure maximum benefits for the people who have given the tithes and offerings in the first place. Instead, our Black Churches put this money into Financial Institutions that will not lend our money back to us to improve our living conditions. The Black Church put our resources into Banks that will not lend the Church’s money back to the Church. The Black Church refuses to join with other Christians Churches so that there in more meat in the Master’s House. Doesn’t it make sense to put all the tithes and offerings into a Christians Bank or start a Credit Union controlled by Christians to the benefit of God’s People? Jesus said it very clearly, those who are against us are for us, there is no middle ground, either the Black Church’s economic policies hurt our communities or help the community. Nothing of importance happens in the African American Community until the Black Church move. Until the Black Church begins to quote this scripture, “If you love me, feed my sheep”, the meat in the storehouse means nothing, because God’s people remain physically hungry.