Should churches.......

[nessalynn77]

At any rate, 10 points to strat for the word "tantamount".  That's definitely a word I don't run into very often.  Love that.  

I'm gonna use it three times before the day is out, just for practice... lol.

[Arkhams Finest]

+1

Ah, so you don't fight anymore huh?  You just show up to the fights and sit in the front row?

 

[nessalynn77]

Ah, so you don't fight anymore huh?  You just show up to the fights and sit in the front row?

 

One mod has to stay neutral at all times.  I'm off the clock...

[LaylaMonroe]

I suppose, in the very broad definition of gambling everything would find a place.

Well, my example was definitely a very broad use of the term.  But the stock market isn't that much of a stretch. I googled the word. The first definition I saw says: Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value  (referred to as "the stakes") on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods.

In my opinion (and I think it's actually a fact), any type of investing is gambling.  But again, I'm not saying that's bad, wrong, or a sin.

So yeah, I guess walking out of the house isn't necessarily gambling, but you get my point. 

[chevonee]

Ah, so you don't fight anymore huh?  You just show up to the fights and sit in the front row?

 

[T-Block]

BAM! End thread.

 

Not on LGM, lol.

[sjonathan02]

Ah, so you don't fight anymore huh?  You just show up to the fights and sit in the front row?

 

One mod has to stay neutral at all times.  I'm off the clock...

 

[THE WOLFMAN]

going eeny-meeny-miny-mo when picking a stock is gambling.


looking at company's product, the prospectus and other pertinent information which can provide insight to the success of a stock, is investing.

there is no difference with that and your buddy telling you he has an invention and you invest in it with the anticipation of a return.


A church going this route is dicey. Suffice it to say that this is something that "1st Greater Storefront Baptist" should not do.

But what of a ministry that IS TEACHING, EMPOWERING AND LIVING THE WORD, that covers expenses, allocates monies to outreach, and other things, and says, "ok, we're doing well, being stewards of what we have, and we have surplus. Lets take a portion and invest for a given long term purpose."

The only problem I see that is "LOOKS" funny, and may make people pause and go, 'eh?', in which case sound leadership should say, "ya kno, this may not look right to the people, and ultimately it is them we serve."



on a tangent, would this mean the dividends would not be taxable?(giving ammo to the watchdog groups)

[betnich]

Very true  - the more complicated the financial transaction, the "funnier" it looks.

Thus charity/providing for the poor would be simpler than say, building a sanctuary, which in turn would be simpler than buying an apartment or block of buildings or a school or hospital. And more complications arise when anything bought or sold is used for profit rather than ministry. And the more possibility for corruption....

[nessalynn77]

going eeny-meeny-miny-mo when picking a stock is gambling.


looking at company's product, the prospectus and other pertinent information which can provide insight to the success of a stock, is investing.

there is no difference with that and your buddy telling you he has an invention and you invest in it with the anticipation of a return.


A church going this route is dicey. Suffice it to say that this is something that "1st Greater Storefront Baptist" should not do.

But what of a ministry that IS TEACHING, EMPOWERING AND LIVING THE WORD, that covers expenses, allocates monies to outreach, and other things, and says, "ok, we're doing well, being stewards of what we have, and we have surplus. Lets take a portion and invest for a given long term purpose."

The only problem I see that is "LOOKS" funny, and may make people pause and go, 'eh?', in which case sound leadership should say, "ya kno, this may not look right to the people, and ultimately it is them we serve."



on a tangent, would this mean the dividends would not be taxable?(giving ammo to the watchdog groups)

That makes sense.

[lordluvr]

on a tangent, would this mean the dividends would not be taxable?(giving ammo to the watchdog groups)

The dividends would be taxable.

[phbrown]

What is the difference between a savings account with $250k in it and a conservative investment portfolio with $250k in it?

[funkStrat_97]

What is the difference between a savings account with $250k in it and a conservative investment portfolio with $250k in it?

Generally speaking, the investment portfolio would give you a greater return on your money than the savings account would.  OTOH, saving accounts are usually more liqid than a portfolio.  The savings account would be more stable and have virtually "0" risk to it, but it would take a longer time for your money to grow.

[malthumb]

But let's we be real (unless this is just a Reno thing), tithes fluctuate so much it can't possibly be a dependable income with which to forecast your ministry endeavors for any extended period.  You may be within your means now, and 6 months later with the same expenses you're suddenly not any more.

This is SOOOO not a Reno thing.  I wouldn't be surprised if half the churches with less than 100 members have cash-flow issues.

[T-Block]

The savings account would be more stable and have virtually "0" risk to it,

That's the part I like.

[phbrown]

Generally speaking, the investment portfolio would give you a greater return on your money than the savings account would.  OTOH, saving accounts are usually more liqid than a portfolio.  The savings account would be more stable and have virtually "0" risk to it, but it would take a longer time for your money to grow.

So just so I understand correctly,

We, the people here, have no problem with the church earning a return on their investment.

Meaning it is okay that the church makes money from a savings account because the savings account is much more stable and has a very low risk to it

But some of us here do not like stock markets and what not because It has more risk than a savings account?





In other words this thread is not that the church is making money off of the tithes it is because members are afraid of losing the money from the tithes.

[chevonee]

I'm trying to learn more about investing and personally I feel that if we as individuals would adopt the parable of the talents then we could afford to help the church out more....does that make sense or is that just me? Anywho, if someone here can point me to the best place to read about investing in stocks, I'd sho preciate it.  Googling is of the debil 

So just so I understand correctly,

We, the people here, have no problem with the church earning a return on their investment.

Meaning it is okay that the church makes money from a savings account because the savings account is much more stable and has a very low risk to it

But some of us here do not like stock markets and what not because It has more risk than a savings account?





In other words this thread is not that the church is making money off of the tithes it is because members are afraid of losing the money from the tithes.

Hmmmmmm sho ya right. I guess 

[nessalynn77]

So just so I understand correctly,

We, the people here, have no problem with the church earning a return on their investment.

Meaning it is okay that the church makes money from a savings account because the savings account is much more stable and has a very low risk to it

But some of us here do not like stock markets and what not because It has more risk than a savings account?





In other words this thread is not that the church is making money off of the tithes it is because members are afraid of losing the money from the tithes.

That's it right there.  That's the heart of the issue. 

[chevonee]

Another problem I'm having is understanding how so many church people are getting scammed into worthless transactions. Take this story for instance about what they called the "Miracle Car" scam. A guy goes to church and tells the members that his father has died and left him something like $400,000,000 and that one his dads last wishes was to sell his cars to Christians for $1,000. And I'm not taking about dune buggies, I'm talking about some very expensive cars that he barely drove. Anywho the members jumped into his trap head first. Some of em purchased 1 car while others purchased over 100 cars. What makes it so embarrassing is the fact that those people took his word for it without even seeing if the cars really existed. By the time the whole scam was over he had sold fake cars to hundreds of people if not more. How in the world could church folks invest their money into something like this? 

[T-Block]

How in the world could church folks invest their money into something like this? 

Greed knows no denomination.