Church Hits the Jackpot

It’s probably a dream scenario for most churches in this economy.  A sudden, unexpected gift of $70,000 just shows up in the collection plate.

The 25 member Covenant Life Worship Center in Haslett, Michigan, is in just this position.  But they’re stuck in an interesting predicament.  The money comes in the form of a winning lottery ticket.  The church has decided to keep the cash (which will be the full amount since they’re tax exempt) and use it for missions as well as supplying the community food pantry.

I know there are plenty of churches that would not take the money since it comes from gambling.  But I tend to side with this church.  Here’s why.  The biggest issue for me is the heart of the person who dropped the ticket into the collection plate.  While the woman is staying anonymous to the public, she’s not a secret to church leadership.  According to CBS affiliate WLNS, before giving the ticket, the woman met with Covenant Life’s pastor.

There are two points of interest for me from the WLNS report that gives some insight to the situation.

1) She wanted to help provide for a church whose people helped her in a rough time.

I was in a car accident about a little over four years ago and started going to this little church that I go to, and if it wasn't for the people there, they've been so loving and real and kind and I really believe had I not been going there, I would not be here today.

2) The woman occasionally played the lottery.  She doesn’t appear to be an addicted gambler.

I think the church’s biggest obligation in this situation is the addiction aspect of gambling.  First, it’s important to talk with the woman who won the lottery about the dangers of engaging in addictive behaviors.  Plus it would probably be good to have a similar conversation with the congregation as a whole.  In an ideal world, I think it would be good for the church to use some of the money to start a gambling addiction recovery program.

What do you think? Is it okay for a church to accept money from gambling?  Does it matter if the giver is an occasional gambler or one who plays the lotto every week?

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Comments (20)

I believe that it is up to the sheapard of that particular flock to best handle this issue, afterall he or she would have the best insight on whether or not the person donting had an addiction. God in His Sovereign will, chose to deliver the winnings to this person. he could have just as easily not done so. In the Bible, there are numerous accounts of how God used people and events to be a blessing to others. This is no different
I think that inventing noble ways to use the proceeds from Gambling is one of the behaviors that fuels the gambling epidemic in the first place.

It doesn't matter what her motives where in playing... It is still other people's money that wound up in her pocket. Adrian Rogers makes a good case for gambling being stealing. You want something that is not yours, and you don't want to give anything in exchange.. You are willing to risk something to get it. We adopt the heart of a thief, and we make it okay by playing with other like-hearted folks. The fact that there is mutual consent doesn't make it any more right than the dueling culture of the revolutionary war days.

At the heart, I think this is the dilemma for the church. It is other people's money, taken in exchange for nothing but false hope in a false gospel.
I wonder, had she redeemed the ticket and dropped the proceeds directly into the offering plate, would there still be a question? (Yes, the taxes would have come out first, but that's another issue altogether.)

I have yet to have seen any Scriptural support for the idea that gambling is always wrong. It's unwise and is generally poor stewardship, but in this case it sounds like good stewardship. Why not accept it?

Even for those who see gambling as a sin, to be consistent, they'd have to deny the church any money made from dishonest business practices or any money that wasn't used to support a needy family member first or even any money not given cheerfully. How would they ever do that?
Do you ask the same question if the business who sold the ticket wants to make a contribution to your church? What about the grocer who sells alchohol and tobacco? What better use is there for money than giving to help a local church spread the gospel in the community. God uses sinners every day to work His plan, so I doubt that He will frown on a church accepting this gift.
I don't think you can have it both ways. The church needs to either proceed in faith (w/o doubt) that it is morally okay to accept a lotto ticket, or they need to take a firm stand against it. Using part of the gambling winnings to set up a gambling recovery program is too wishy-washy.

I do not agree with Adrian Rogers that gambling is stealing. I've only been to a casino once. I got to play games, hang out with family & friends, and got bunch of soda -- for 2 hours -- all for a net loss of $8. I didn't 'win big' - which would have been nice - but I had a fun night. Tell me where Biblically did I go wrong? It was pretty GOOD stewardship to have a fun night for $8, right? Even if it cost me $50, that would be my choice to spend entertainment money. I would never *expect* to win big, but taking $100K from a casino is NOT stealing in my book.

Here's what I'd love to see happen. The church should first come to a firm conclusion that the woman is NOT a gambling addict. If so, the first amount of $$ should go toward HER recovery. If not, then the church should openly speak out against anything that is addictive. However, the congregation should have the freedom to use their discretionary funds however they choose. To me, someone spending $1K a year on gambling (w/o addiction) is no better/worse than someone spending $1K on movie tickets. If the woman was gambling her bill money, than she would have kept the $$, so obviously she wasn't counting on or expecting to win. To me this shows the heart of someone who is showing God-sized changes in her life, and her pocketbook is backing it up. The church should willing receive that and applaud her generosity.

Gambling out of addiction is serious -- Gambling for fun is not.

[By the way, I believe other forms of gambling include bungy jumping, white water rafting, and being a Cubs fan.]
I thought I’d share some of the quick responses from Facebook (www.facebook.com/thinkchristia... where we simply posed the question, “Should they keep it?”

Ruth says: “Yes they should they didn’t buy it .It was in a collection plate for the church it’s a gift I say use it for the lords use amen.”

David says: “I agree they should keep and spend it doing the LORD`s will. That person that dropped it in the collection bask was done so by the direction from GOD. That person did so as a way to obey the will of GOD. That person will be blesst well beyond their expectations.

Jacquie says: “No they should cash it in and use the money for the donation it was intended!”

Poonam says: “Yes and use it to help the poor and needy.”
To me, this is a non-issue. Gambling may be stupid, even addictive, but the Bible does not condemn gambling, betting, or the lottery. In fact, the Bible has many references to lotteries. Casting lots is used in Leviticus to choose between the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat. Joshua cast lots to determine the allotment of land to the various tribes. Nehemiah cast lots to determine who would live inside the walls of Jerusalem. The apostles cast lots to determine the replacement for Judas. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast in the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

This prohibition against gambling is another example of adding man-made religious laws to God’s word to demonstrate our outward righteousness and goes in the same bag with the sin of drinking wine, and the sin of dancing.

However, if gambling becomes an addiction the Bible has a lot to say about addictions. Paul says "Everything is permissible for me—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything”. And of course the Bible is clear about good stewardship and the love of money, although I understand compulsive gambling is less about the love of money and more about the adrenaline rush.
I believe as long as the person does not fore go any life necessary expenses and only occassionally play the lottery then its OK. Many people can become lost in gambling and for get about reality - remember gambling is a form of entertaimment and is not to be considered as a source of income generation. The church should use the money and since it was given as a gift then it's all right. But the church should have lessons or counseling services for those who may be addicted (over excess is dangerous and should be taught) - God Bless
I think the bottom line is not what we think but Jesus what would he do , do you think he would have took it or not .I guess we all go by what seems right in our own eyes but do we bother to search Gods word or just go by our feelings. I cant help but think of the scripture that there seems a way that seems right unto man but is the death there of.Im not condeming her but should we not search Gods heart on what he thinks and not what we think.I also go by my own feelings and what feel good or seems to be right. but it is dangerous thing to do, 'that;s is why we need to look to him for answers




might seem right in our own eyes. N

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