I remember being a part of a church where someone raised the issue of whether names should be published in the annual financial report. Why not publish the figures anonymously? The answer that some people gave was that if we did this people would give less. Are they giving to be seen to give? God's ironic words of rebuke in Amos come to mind: Bring your sacrifices every morning ... brag about your freewill offerings - boast about them ... for this is what you love to do (Amos 4:4-5). God is not honoured when we publish the names beside people's giving for fear that they would give less if we didn't.
Recently I heard of another scandalous attitude towards giving. I have heard of two churches where people have withdrawn/withdrew their offerings out of protest. It was not because there was some gross heresy in the church or because God had told them to do this, they just didn't like something. All I can say is 'shame on them!'
Don't they know that it is a privilege to give? Don't they know that having Jesus as our king means that we are accountable to him how we use our cash? I would want to say to some people: 'we don't want your offering,' 'we will not accept your giving if you think that you can withdraw when you want to protest (that's just an attempt at bribery)' and 'if you are given to be seen to give you need to realise how displeased God is with you offering.'
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I preached about this yesterday as a modern day sin of the church. I can't believe that it happens. Numbered envelopes being published I can understand, for we need to be accountable, but this practise is wrong. It creates a whole new caste system and a sense of self-justification as people can define themselves by the amount that they give and justifiy their position or role because they believe that they are benefactor of the church. All the while Jesus teaches us that our love for him and each other is defined by what we keep for ourselves.
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