Friday, March 30, 2007

Church Buys Pastor a Mansion

Another frightening nugget from The Week,
A Michigan megachurch has bought its pastor a $3.65 million mansion, which as a church-owned property will be exempt from tax. Elders of the Detroit World Outreach Church admit that the purchase will cost Redford township some $40,000 in taxes annually, but say that Pastor Ben Gilbert deserves the 11,000-square-foot home and 12 acres of property as much as any rock star or athlete. "When our value system elevates a man who can put a ball in a hole and not a man who does God's work, something is wrong," said elder Marvin Wilder.

I think something is wrong when a pastor's church buys him a 3.65 million dollar home.

What do you think?

6 comments:

Victor Estrada said...

Are you offering?

Kim Tostada said...

that's pretty crazy that they offered that.. even crazier that he accepted. I would have a hard time taking that guy seriously. It just doesn't send a good message..even if he is legit.

Anonymous said...

Hey don't knock pastors who live in mansions. Cory and I have been inhabiting the "Mobile Mansion" for almost 4 years now. I only wish that the church could have helped us out. Its a good thing we are independently wealthy. :). - Melbro

Victor Estrada said...

independently wealthy because you didn't have to pay rent for 2 years. How are your lungs anyway?

Anonymous said...

Well... we were just about to buy you one of those, but since you're so against it, maybe we'll just buy two for us =)

Chris and Rachel said...

I struggle with this issue. I live in South Africa where poverty is overwhelming and to walk through a church parking lot full of Mercedes and BMW's makes me ask the question, are we missing the point?