Big church halts support of ministries

Charlotte Observer ^ | 4/24/05 | Ken Garfield

[NotchJohnson]

Cites concerns about Roman Catholics, other faiths

KEN GARFIELD Staff Writer

One of Charlotte's best-known churches has withdrawn support for a food pantry that serves the needy because the pantry works with Roman Catholics.

Central Church of God explained its decision in a letter March 1 from minister of evangelism Shannon Burton to Loaves & Fishes in Charlotte: "As a Christian church, we feel it is our responsibility to follow closely the (principles) and commands of Scripture. To do this best, we feel we should abstain from any ministry that partners with or promotes Catholicism, or for that matter, any other denomination promoting a works-based salvation."

Loaves & Fishes isn't the only ministry with which the Sardis Road mega-church has cut ties, and Catholics have not been the only reason they've given.

The Rev. Tony Marciano, executive director of Charlotte Rescue Mission, said Burton told him the church could no longer support the agency after it allowed three Muslim students from UNC Charlotte to help serve a meal at the uptown ministry in November. Founded in 1938 by eight businessmen, including Charlotte-born evangelist Billy Graham's father, Charlotte Rescue Mission offers Christ-centered residential care for people fighting drugs and alcohol.

Doug Hartjes, director of development for Crisis Assistance Ministry in Charlotte, said Central Church of God told them it will not provide financial support this year. Crisis Assistance provides emergency financial aid and other help to people. Hartjes said 200 congregations representing Christian, Jewish and other faiths donate money and volunteer time, as do people with no religious affiliation.

The church also ended funding for Love Inc., which provides services for the poor, elderly and disabled in Mecklenburg County.

The decision by Central Church of God isn't likely to cripple the ministries. Loaves & Fishes executive director Beverly Howard said the church has donated a total of $36,000 the past 11 years, plus volunteers and food. Marciano said the church gave Charlotte Rescue Mission $5,500 in 2004 -- a small part of the mission's annual budget of $3 million. Hartjes declined comment, citing the policy of honoring the privacy of donors.

But whatever its practical impact, the Central Church decision is likely to provoke debate over ecumenical cooperation, or the lack of it, in a city that prides itself on its many vibrant congregations -- and the notion that they generally get along.

Anna Burton, a spokesperson for Central Church of God and the minister's wife, said church leaders decline comment, letting the letter speak for itself. She said there was no animosity toward any of the organizations.

Howard said Loaves & Fishes receives support from 100 to 150 congregations each year, and that Central Church of God is the only one to pull out over the food pantry's partnership with other congregations. Jewish and Muslim congregations help, as do 10 to 15 Catholic parishes to which Central objected.

"It absolutely did shock us," Howard said. "We had no idea Central Church felt that way about ecumenical ministry."

Howard said Loaves & Fishes last year gave away a week's worth of food to 70,000 recipients. She said that's a mission all people should embrace.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte released a statement to the Observer Friday, saying, "This apparent attempt to divide the faith community is most unfortunate."

The statement sought to explain the Catholic position on what it means to be saved:

"As Catholics we firmly believe that Salvation for the world came through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through his Passion, Jesus Christ has already completed the work of salvation. Jesus calls us to love one another and that love must demonstrate itself in good works. Engaging in good works is putting your faith into action. We earnestly hope that we can sit down with fellow Christians at the Central Church of God and clarify our mutual understanding of God's word as put forth in the Scriptures."

The Rev. Conrad Hoover of St. Ann Catholic Church in Charlotte stressed that you are not saved solely by good works.

"Catholics believe it is indeed by faith in Jesus Christ," Hoover said. "We really are biblically grounded."

With some 6,000 members -- and often more than that packing Sunday morning services -- Central Church of God on Sardis Road is known for its huge crowds and electrifying sermons by the Rev. Loran Livingston. Crowds are so big at one of the nation's largest Church of God congregations that buses drive people to worship from the parking lot at Providence Day School and Charlotte Country Day.

In the letter to Loaves & Fishes, obtained by the Observer, Central's Burton tried to end on a positive note:

"I hope and pray you receive this as intended -- in love," Burton wrote. "Thank you in advance for your understanding in this matter, and if you should have any questions, feel free to give me a call."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reach Ken Garfield at (704) 358-5094.

[MineralMan]

"You can skip mine if you like. I do not care what you think about these matters. "

Well, it appears to me that you care a great deal about what I think. You've taking it upon yourself to insult me, call me names, and suggest that I leave the thread. Why? Because I had the temerity to suggest that this church that pulled its contributions to Loaves and Fishes made a dumb move.

So, apparently, you are very interested in what I'm saying. I have quoted from the New Testament. I'm very familiar with that collection of writings. Rather than explain why my quotations did not have relevance, you dealt more insults. So, apparently, you feel it to be more important to insult me because I am a non-believer who can quote scripture to make my point.

I do not judge churches based on whether they are atheistic. I judge them based on their own scriptures. In this case, I believe that this particular church erred in their reasons for withdrawing their support for Loaves and Fishes.

Apparently the pastor of that church agrees with me, because he overrode the bad decision of his underling. You can see that in the follow-up story. So, perhaps what I say may have relevance, even if not to you.

I do not post on Free Republic to please anyone in particular. I'm not deterred from posting by rudeness, nor am I swayed by vehemence. I post as I see fit, and will continue to do so.

I call nobody names. I do not tell people to leave threads. I leave such to others.

Be well.

[MineralMan]

It was, and many miss the point of the story. The Samaritan was not a Jew. Indeed, Samaritans were badly treated by many Jews in that time. Yet...while other Jews passed by the man who had stumbled...it was a Samaritan, an outsider, who stopped to help.

I've seen a lot of people who don't understand the reason for Jesus to tell that parable. Once you know the truth, however, it becomes clear. The Samaritan, an unbeliever, was the one who helped the man, while some of his own passed him by.

A guy just doesn't know who's going to render aid, I guess.

[followerofchrist]

"Mormons are nice people as far as I know. Lot's of people in cults are."

That's a really horrible thing to say.

Please define "cult."

Is it a small religion?

One whose teachings deviate from yours?

Is it a new religion?

One which is foreign?

Christianity was once called a cult.

[frgoff]

A Muslim came to our church one evening to speak about his religion. The first thing he mentioned is that there is only one version of the Koran unlike the Bible. Yes, they have people that don't interpret the Koran correctly but Christians fight over who is right and going to heaven. It's no wonder they view us as infidels.

There are many sects of Muslims as well. They tend to kill each other in nations where governments are sympathetic. There's only one version of the Koran, because any one who would suggest an alternate version, or one that might be more correct (see Rushdie's Satanic Verses) gets himself summarily killed.

[Old Mountain man]

A cult is whatever his preacher says it is.

[Protagoras]

You are incorrect. I don't care what you think on this subject. I have only exposed your insults and arrogance. It is only right that it should be done. Your opinion on believers is irrelevant.

[Iscool]

"Given that the Roman Catholic Church is, by far, the largest denomination of Christianity and one of the oldest," . . The oldest, St. Peter was the first Pope. If it wasn't for Catholics, Baptists or even Lutherans would have nothing to read.

That's nonsense...Church history does exhist outside of the Catholic Church...And a great deal of it...Manuscripts for the King James Bible (the Bible of the Reformation) came out of Antioch, Syria, where people were first called Christians...The history of your bible as well as most other bibles goes back and thru Alexendria, Egypt...

Your group during the dark ages murdered my goup's men, women, children and un-born babies because we wouldn't bow down to your pope...

Please don't connect my Christianity with yours...They have very little in common...

[followerofchrist]

"From your tagline, I take it that you are a supporter of the Confederacy. Is that right?"

Yep. He's funneling weapons to them and serving as a spy.
I know this for a fact!

A direct ancestor of mine, and by all accounts a kind, charitable man, died in the battle of Shiloh, leaving his son orphaned. The kindly, non-racist, tolerant union men killed the infant's mom. Sorry but I cannot bring myself to spit on their graves and call them evil people because they fought for the freedom of their state.

[frgoff]

The Samaritan was not a Jew.

The Samaritans were Jews, but their blood and beleifs had mingled with the surrounding pagans, and so they were despised by the "true" Jews.

[Protagoras]

That's a really horrible thing to say.

No it isn't. It isn't even insulting.

Please define "cult."

Keep reading, I posted the dictionary definition eariler. Meanwhile, The Mormon guy says you aren't a Christian.

To: Protagoras Yes, I pray often for all you protestants and catholics. I pray that someday you can come to Christ. 100 posted on 04/25/2005 11:50:44 AM CDT by Old Mountain man (Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice!) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

[followerofchrist]

"cult

1 : formal religious veneration : WORSHIP
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator health cults
5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion."

By this definition, everything is a cult except for an individual who believes in nothing and admires no one.

[Stone Mountain]

They weren't insults , they were observations. But take 'em any way you want.You have something specific you want to tell me?

I was pointing out that complaining about being insulted (merely by way of people who disagree with you but don't call you names) while throwing out the insults as you have been might strike some as hypocritical.

And insults and observations are not mutually exclusive. If you are seriously claiming that a statement like, "You don't seem to be bright enough to understand how moronic your comments are on this subject." isn't an insult, that seems amazingly disingenuous to me.

[Old Mountain man]

I'll take definition 1 and 2.

[jer33 3]

And that, I believe, is the message in the passage from James that I quoted. It is not that works will get you into heaven, according to Christianity, but that works are evidence of your faith.
Keep going with this thought. What is it that gets you into heaven?

[Stone Mountain]

It would imply that you have been repudiated on other threads and brought your long simmering agenda here.

LOL!

[JWinNC]

Actually there are many different sects AND many different versions of the Koran. They just don't want you to know that.

[DameAutour]

good post

[Old Mountain man]

The Mormon guy (me, I guess) will always pray that others receive the fullness of the Gospel. Perhaps if the rest of you folks will read the Bible and pray about it you will get your own revelation.

That's the promise in James.

That is not Joseph Smith's promise. It is in the Bible.

[frgoff]

The different versions of the Koran is news to me. References? I'm interested in that sort of stuff.

Thanks.

[jjmcgo]

As an American Catholic, I think and believe this Protestant church has every right to direct its charitable funds and efforts in a manner it sees fit. It is also correct for it to ensure that its religious message to the recipients of that charity is not watered down by ecumenism, a fancy word meaning all religions are equal.