2 Corinthians 9:7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” NLT
I was in a church service years back. The preacher decided to raise money for the Senior Pastor's birthday. During the service, he began to coerce people into giving. He pointed at people and forced them to pledge something towards the birthday. He checked what they wrote in paper as pledges, he would return it to some of them telling them to add to it. There was a man in that gathering who gave more than everybody, he singled him out and anointed him specially. In my mind, I began to ask questions. What about other people he coerced into giving, won't he anoint them also? After coercing them to give what they did not intend giving, he should also honour their response to coercion by anointing them at least.
Another dimension of coercion is when a preacher is telling the people to go and borrow to sow seed. God doesn't request for what you don't have, it is from what you have that he would make demand from. It is totally against the scriptures to coerce people into giving something. Kingdom giving must come from a willing heart. If you want to be blessed for giving, do it willingly not out of pressure. In fact, I don't think it is scriptural to use 'thus saith the Lord' to collect money from people. Preachers should start teaching biblical giving, they would not need to coerce people or tell evangelistic lies.
The wisest thing to do is to state the need on ground, cast a vision and then tell people to sow into it willingly. People give to support a vision if only you have one. That's the kingdom pattern not coercion. If you have to be coerced to give, then you don't know God yet. It is only those that I call kingdom opportunist that respond to coercion after hearing exaggerated testimonies. Those that have realized that they are stewards of God's resources would give before a request is made. Kingdom minded people don't surrender to pressure, they give to worship and to meet needs.
Father, I receive the grace to give as a kingdom minded believer In Jesus name.
Join thousands of believers across the globe in a Christian E-book telegram group with over 4000 Christian books. Join the group by clicking the link below.