I am beginning to believe, it is fruitless to say anything else to those people.
After trying to explain what I am saying.
Here is the latest.
Tom Hardy "Somebody needs to pay for it!" - absolutely! That should be up to the Christian body supporting the free distribution of bible training materials, not for an organization to turn around and commercialize the word of God - something God has freely given to us.
Tom
1. "Ministry" costs... absolutely and each local assembly can choose to support such endeavors.
2. Far too many pastors nowadays have the attitude that the pastoral ministry is a
vocation vs a
calling from God. A cursory reading of the NT will reveal that not one of the apostles/disciples lived exclusively off the tithes and offerings of the individual assemblies.
They all, including the Apostle Paul worked in a vocation in order to sustain himself in his calling.
3. In the NT, charity and philanthropy was to help the poor and needy temporarily. It was not something required nor demanded of the church for the purpose of 'ministry'.
4. Lastly re: "commercialize the word of God - something God has freely give to us."
Really? God revealed His will to the prophets and apostles who then recorded by inspiration all that was given to them. This was then copied by others and distributed by various means. But, the copying and distribution was not "free". Someone had to kill an animal, tan the hide and create parchment upon which someone else had the laborious task of transcribing or copying an existent copy of the text. Are there some who "commercialize" materials for the sole purpose of making money? Certainly!! But that has to do with
intent vs. covering costs and making a reasonable wage in order to live in this world. Capitalism makes altruism and philanthropy possible.
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