Being a Blessing

What is the definition of the local church? This sunday morning we talked about tithing, and how it is part of God's plan to keep the local church operational. But, what is the local church and is it the same as the bride of Christ?

This morning it was said that the local church did not include any other ministries, and I tend to disagree with this. I don't feel that my church is a particularly good steward of my tithe money, and with that in mind, I have withheld my tithe and routed it elsewhere. But, I do not believe that I have been withholding my tithe from God when I have been obedient to give and act as a blessing even if it has been to/through other ministries or individuals who needed support...when did my church become the only legitimate Christian ministry worthy of my financial support? Am I wrong in this? Aren't we as Christians called to help one another, and share our possessions as if they were not our own (because they are not) and use them to further the kingdom?

I don't really like the idea of my tithe money going to buy props or decorations for the sanctuary. If I got the impression that the money was going toward a grief ministry or various missions ministries or to buy evangelistic tracts, I would not object, but wasted on seasonal decorations!!! I can't really stand for that...am I wrong for this? It seems like the church is struggling to maintain it's audience, and I don't think puttin on a fancy show is the way to do that. Let me hear your thoughts...

Bein' rough

So this weekend was pretty sweet. I went to the Holden ranch (that's my fiance's family) in the wonderful yet oh so overlooked town of Bassinger, FL. The ranch sits on the Kissimmee River near Lake Okeechobee. It's a pretty sweet setup. Jessie and I hung out with her folks and brothers for the weekend. We lit a huge bonfire of the remaining debris from the hurricanes, which was pretty sweet. We used gasoline and unlike a good friend of mine, we used a moltov cocktail to get the fire started as opposed to dropping a match in a trail of the gas, since the fumes explode and what not.

Many of you may remember my beloved Baobab trees, which have been transplanted to the back 40 acres of the ranch, where they have plenty of room to stretch their roots. They are about 4 years old and in another 996 years should be about 7 feet around...but that's not factoring in the miracle gro!

So we burned stuff, rode atvs, set up a trap to catch a hog, fished off the dock, went canoeing, roasted some mallows and made smores, slept 10 hours a night, read and just plain chilled out...overall I'd say it was a glorious weekend!!! Wish I could be out there more. Maybe one day you'll be able to join us out there.

We even went to church on Sunday, attending the First Baptist Church of Bassinger (est. 1896). There were 16 people in service, and the Holden clan represented 6 of them. I'm not sure if I'm impressed by the longevity of such churches or insulted by their unwillingess to press on in winning souls for Jesus, allowing their congregation to age and become even less effective for the sake of the Gospel. Thoughts on the subject?