Church Rejects Donation from Lottery Winner

After Robert Powell hit the Florida Lottery jackpot last month and took home more than $6 million, he thought of his church.

And he offered to drop his tithe, around $600,000, in the collection plate of First Baptist Orange Park.

But the church and Pastor David Tarkington politely declined and told Powell they will not accept the lottery winnings.

Many churches do not approve of the lottery and gambling but on the other hand Pastor Dr. Lorenzo Hall of the El-Beth-El Divine Holiness Church says $600,000 can do a lot of good.

"I'm against the lottery, but if one of my members won the lottery, I wish and I hope he would give 10% to the church, we could do a lot of things with that money," says Hall.

As a Holiness minister, Dr. Hall says he does not ask where members get the money they decide to donate.

He said he would welcome Powell's donation to his inner city church anytime.

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hmm sent him to http://thatotherangelministries.org/ ASAP

It just seems kinda silly, if you ask me...

Tom

He should have just made the donation anonymously, without telling anyone who it was from or how the money was earned.

For example: slip it into the offering bag/basket in a plain envelope.

Aldona

I respect David Tarkington for living by his principles.


oG

Or better yet, give it to someone else for services rendered, then they turn it in!!

Laundered! After all, do we know where our money comes from? Enquiring minds want to know!!

Sure...but 1] it does'nt allow one man to recieve his portion of God's blessing.
2] it shortchanges God's blessing to the church
3] it interupts the giver's blessing

I guess that's what living by principle means....interupting God's blessings...

He probably needs the tax write-off.

No doubt. I do too although I am not sure I would do the same. God has used "tainted" money before. I would probably accept the money and send him a return receipt with a letter explaining the sinfulness of gambling but how God can even turn our weaknesses into something useful.

So the person is going to read your letter about him sinning, according to you, and then he sees the receipt for the money and thinks......hypocrisy, possibly, maybe????

You either take the money or don't and keep the mouth quiet if you do!

Be consistent!!!

No inconsistency at all. The Israelites accepted money and military protection from Cyrus when they returned to Jerusalem. Does that mean they condoned what Cyrus and his military was doing? Of course not! However they accepted the blessing the Lord had given in spite of its source.