|
|
Tithing Issue Frees PAOC
Member
I have been a member of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada for eleven
years, from year 1989 to 2000, after having been invited by a neighbour
who had told me about supernatural things happening in his church. In
the beginning, I thought I had found the perfect church. Everyone was so
nice to me, and the promise of being healed by Jesus from my emotional
problems (I was having panic attacks and anxiety disorders) was like a
dream coming true. I was also told that my finances would improve a lot
if I would simply give ten per cent of every penny I would get. For the
first two or three years, I believed everything they were teaching about
the scriptures, God and the person of Jesus. But then, I began to have
very serious financial problems, even though I was giving my tithe
religiously, Sunday after Sunday. (In fact at that time I was giving up
to five thousand dollars every year in tithe only plus the offerings).
So, I began to give only what I could afford to give, because I could
hardly pay my power bills. I went through very difficult times, both
emotionally and financially, asking God why He didn’t provide the money
I needed so desperately. One Sunday morning, after the service, I was
asked at the pastor’s office. (He had already told the whole
congregation, that he was not interested to know who was giving and who
was not). He spoke to me about the fact that I was not giving my full
tithe. I told him that I was not able to tithe my ten per cent anymore,
because of my financial situation, but he kept saying that my tithe was
God’s property and that I had to keep giving a full ten per cent. If
not, he said, you may lose your salvation, because keeping your tithe
means you don’t trust God anymore.
But even there, I could not decide myself to give my full ten per cent
on all my income. I was feeling very guilty about this, and Pentecostal
preachers never miss a chance to remind you that if you are a real
believer, you will give at least your ten per cent, otherwise, you are
on a dangerous slope that may take you to hell. I didn’t know my
scripture enough at that time. I didn’t know that God was not asking
believers in Christ to tithe anymore.
Many years passed, and I kept giving what I could give, but was
overwhelmed by guilt and the fear that God would reject me, because I
was not tithing a full tithe. Finally, in 1995, guilt and fear helping,
I began to feel very depressed, and I went to see my family doctor. He
said I was heading for a depression, and was referred to a psychiatrist.
I was prescribed some medication (Paxil in this case), and after a few
weeks I was feeling a lot better. I told my pastor about that and he
almost got mad at me, saying that I had no faith and that God could heal
me through the laying of hands. But I had tried it all, and it never
worked, because, I know it now, God does not heal people by the laying
of hands of appointed men, as He used to do at the apostolic time.
But something happened that surprised me, about two weeks later. That
same faith filled pastor had to see a psychiatrist, for nervous
problems. He could not sleep anymore and was also heading for a nervous
breakdown. Curious, isn’t it? Finally, that pastor left for another
church and was replaced by another one, who had, of course, the same
teachings.
Not too long after, I was ordained deacon. I was already involved along
with my wife (since the beginning) in everything that was going on in
that church. I was a full time musician, as keyboardist, and two of my
oldest sons were also involved with me in the music ministry. I and I
my wife would also teach at the Sunday school.
In 1999, after a Sunday morning service, the pastor called me and
another deacon to his office. That Sunday morning, he had been preaching
on tithing, and had been using the scriptures used in Malachi to help us
understand God’s will about money and the church. Once again, we were
remembered that a man of God gives a full tithe, not what is left in his
pockets. Anyway, after a long talk we decided to tithe for good and
see the Hand of God do miracles for us. But after only a few weeks, I
was back in financial troubles, and the other deacon was told by the
pastor, that because he was not paying his tithes, he was no more
accepted as a deacon. It is at that time that I decided to really check
the scriptures by myself to see what is written about tithing. Something
inside was telling me that all those men of God were not teaching all
the truth. After searching in my bible for many weeks, even months, with
the help of many studies I found on the web about tithing for
Christians, I finally found the truth on that matter and other subject
like the speaking in tongues, prophecy by the so-called prophets of God,
physical healing by the laying of hands, anointed singing and playing,
and all those bizarre manifestations from the “Toronto Blessing”, who
were supposed to be the work of the Holy Spirit, like jumping as frogs,
laughing to the point of almost fainting, shaking, crying, having
visions, heat waves, and many other things that I now know, is not from
God.
In August 2000, I went to see the pastor with a study I had found on the
web that was called ”No more tithing”. It was very well done, and I
showed it to my pastor and asked him to find the errors in that study,
and to underline them with a coloured pen. Then, I said, when this will
be done, just call me and we will meet on that study. And I left. He
never called. So I went to see him at his office, and asked him to show
me the errors that he had found in that study. He said “none”. So, I
said” Then, you won’t teach tithing anymore in this church. He said;
Yes, I will keep teaching it even if it is not written in the
scriptures. I really got mad at him, and almost hit that man at that
time, realizing that I had been deceived for so long, and feeling all
the guilt and sorrow I had been going through after all those years in
the midst of that Pentecostal church. That same week, I was, along with
a few others, leaving that assembly for good. I still remember that
feeling of freedom that filled me, when I went to that church to take my
musical instruments, and my personal things back home.
But, I have been going through a lot of struggles afterward, asking
myself if I had done the right choice. Those who had been my friends
for years were now my enemies. I was still entangled in the Pentecostal
teachings. It took a while, to get rid of all those lies. But knowing
the Word of God, has set me free from the P.A.O.C. After three years out
of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, I think that I have well
recovered from their brainwashing. I don’t want to get involved in any
other religious organization, because I think I have suffered enough
because of spiritual teaching. Now, I rely on God and God alone, for my
eternal salvation. No more religion, never!
To anyone of you who has just left a Pentecostal or charismatic church,
and suffers, I hope you will find peace. Jesus said: You shall know the
truth and the truth shall set you free”.
Donald Godin
Village des Poirier
New-Brunswick, Canada
Copyright (c) 2001-2005.
Association of Former Pentecostals. All Rights Reserved. No material
published within this domain may be reproduced without the expressed
permission of Association of Former Pentecostals, or the copyright
owner(s).
DISCLAIMER: Though this website may speak of spiritual abuse within
religious systems, we do not make the claim that any faith system,
organized or otherwise, or any individual religious congregation is a
"cult," or "cult-like." Association of Former Pentecostals and the Board
of Directors are not responsible for the content of "off-site" links, or
the individual postings on our forums.
|
