Pastor Mac Hammond’s congregation at Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park reacted strongly Sunday to his appearance in the wake of a watchdog’s group complaint to the Internal Revenue Service that he violated federal tax law…. Worshipers gave him a prolonged, cheer-laced standing ovation….”Y’all better sit down; I’ll get too choked up to minister,” drawled Hammond, 63, pastor of the nondenominational megachurch, which has almost 10,000 members. He called questions about his financial dealings “a misunderstanding” of his prosperity-gospel ministry, which holds that following God’s word leads to spiritual and economic bounty.
Part of me wants just to say “ah, the Hell with it”, and begin channelling my inner Gordon Gecko:
“GREED IS GOOD”….
No reasonable person expects a Christian minister to be walking around in sackcloth and ashes. There’s certainly nothing wrong with compensating a minister fairly based on his or her value to the community. However, there’s absolutely no reason that a person who has decided to devote his or her life to preaching the word of God and serving their fellow man should have a private jet, 2 homes in Florida, and be driving around in either a Lexus, a Porsche, or one of two motorcycles.
Granted, not being a Christian limits my understanding of the Gospel and of “prosperity theology”. Even so, my memories of my years of Sunday School lessons don’t involve teachings on how to enrich oneself. The bottom line: a collection plate should not be employed as a means of funding a minister’s lavish tastes and outlandish lifestyle.
In a sermon peppered with “hallelujahs” from Hammond and “amens” from the congregation, Hammond said some of the accusations in the IRS complaint and news story “are inaccurate … and many paint a picture of the ministry that is grossly inappropriate.”
However, he was not specific about inaccuracies except to say that he has two houses in Florida, not two condos. He said he has no control over the board that sets his compensation and that his pay is scrutinized by attorneys.
So that makes his outsized salary acceptable? And to say that he has no control over the board is a crock. No, he may not have a vote, but Hammond is a very persuasive and charismatic leader. His influence may not be direct, but it no doubt is substantial. Of course, any reasonable person with any ambition lives by the credo “more is better”, but a minister is supposed to be above greed and avarice. Christianity is not merely a means to justify and legitimize lining one’s own pocket. If Hammond’s church takes in $34 million in it’s collection plate every year, wouldn’t it stand to reason that the bulk of the money should go to maintaining church programs, it’s physical plant, and then be used to lift up those in the community in need of a leg up?
He said he buys expensive clothes because “if I look decent, I preach better, so I’m really doing it for you, amen.”
Amen. Jeebus, what a f——-g hypocrite….
Hammond said the media and many Christians don’t understand the prosperity gospel. “God says if you base your life on his covenant, these blessings are gonna overtake you; you can’t do anything about it, friend. [What was once] flocks and herds is in today’s parlance stocks and bonds.
“It takes wealth, folks, to establish God’s covenant on this Earth. You and I will never get so spiritual that we don’t need money to get more influential in the world we’re in.”
OK, but if the purpose of wealth is to establish God’s covenant on Earth, then why is Hammond living such an outlandish lifestyle? If Hammond’s church took in $34 million, then why was only $3 million spent on charitable causes and evangelism? Is it just me, or are the priorities of Hammond and his church horribly misguided? If this is an example of “prosperity theology”, then this hollow doctrine is little more than greed with a halo.
What would Jesus do? Well, I think he’d start by driving a Lexus.
