Big church halts support of ministries

One of Charlotte's best-known churches has withdrawn support for a food pantry that serves the needy because the pantry works with Roman Catholics.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

"So go consult instead. Ask the Godless atheist how to live out the bible. Learn from him, he rejects the bible, but he knows how you should treat other Christians. Have at it!"

I don't consult Atheists, but I will listen to them with an uncritical ear, so long as the spirit of their commentary is not vicious. I don't see that he rejects the bible, based on his statement that Christ was enlightened and that the bible lays out how we are to treat other people. He is actually RIGHT about that, and most people here agree. But instead of discussing what we have in common and accepting the content of what he is saying, this thread has turned into a doggypile on the "out" guy.
I am encouraged that he is interested enough to delve into scripture, and that the content of his initial interest was that of unifying all Christians under the banner of charitable work. His message better exemplifies Jesus than those who count as non-Christians and heretics those whose demonination has a different cultural character.
It's not like he is insulting Jesus. On the contrary, he respects Jesus and I respect him for having enough class to not go off on everybody here based on the way he has been treated. I think he is a Christian in his heart and we should embrace what is Christian about him, rather than trying to kick him out of the circle. Is it better that he be here and express his opinion or on an Atheist site reinforcing anti-Christian views?

It's not like he is insulting Jesus. On the contrary, he respects Jesus and I respect him for having enough class to not go off on everybody here based on the way he has been treated.

You and I have a very different view of who Jesus was. There are three possibilities only.

One, he is a liar and evil.
Or Two, he is totally insane.
Or Three, he is exactly who he says he is. The very son of God. With all the authority to speak for God and forgive our sins and reconcile us to God.

He cannot be someone to respect unless he is number three. To think otherwise is madness.

I think he is a Christian in his heart and we should embrace what is Christian about him, rather than trying to kick him out of the circle.

You are delusional about him. Ask him if he is Christian instead of making him into what you would LIKE HIM TO BE.

Is it better that he be here and express his opinion or on an Atheist site reinforcing anti-Christian views?

IT is better if he believes what he wants and doesn't try to stick his nose in where he has no credibility.

"Very good points. Having come to my atheism through Christianity, I often found that my questions back then were often (not always) answered with a rebuke rather than an answer."

From what you say here, it was for the same reason I rejected Christianity for most of my life. I think people need to take this to heart, in order to bring thinking people to Christ.

"It's not that the questions were such terrible ones, either, but merely questions about doctrine asked of the minister of my home church regarding such topics as predestination, etc. When I had such a question, instead of directing me to the answers from the New Testament, I usually got a "Why do you worry about such things," answer."

Ah! When I ask questions about the violent passages in the Old Testament, and question whether they were written because God spoke it, or because someone wanted to justify killing, they say I am a person posing as a Christian trying to cause division. I still don't have my answers, hence "followerofChrist," i.e. the NEW Testament, which I do understand and accept. I learned that if they haven't thought about and formulated an answer, that you are either an Atheist posing as a Christian, under demonic influence or (the free republic answer) a "followerofmohammed." The latter is also the answer I get to questions about whether all Muslims' life goal is to kill Christians and Jews.

"So, I set out to answer the questions for myself, through study. Over a period of years, that study led me to atheism, but left me with a deep respect for the beliefs of others, regardless of their faith."

I literally did the same thing you did with the study, and despite what my intellect told me and the questions that still remain, I did become a Christian. I can't explain this logically. Divine appointment and answer to a very, very specific prayer at a very difficult time and a whole bunch of "coincidences" took place. My faith took the hate from my heart, which was quite the miracle at the time.

It's weird that I came from Atheism to Christianity and your experience was the opposite. I too have studied many religions, and I find them fascinating. For a couple years, before I came to Christ, I immersed myself into Pagan studies and even attended a couple of their gatherings. What struck me is the differences between European Pagan faiths, and even within them. I also learned the Pagan roots of many Christian rites, rituals and holidays. One thing that irritated me, and still does, is that people of other faiths tend to make wild claims (they're SACRIFICING babies in that Pagan religion!) about other religions.

Some would say that because I am a Christian, I should not view other religions with such tolerance, but am I supposed to ignore what I learned about those faiths and join in on the bashing? I don't believe in building a church based on hatred, lies, insults and misconceptions. My faith is strong enough that I don't have to do this. I am fully confident Jesus Christ that I don't have to demonize anyone else.

"Since Christianity is the dominant religion in America, I have continued my study of it, in its many variations. It has been fascinating, and remains fascinating."

What is your opinion of the Coptics, the Gnostics, and the lost sea scrolls, in relation to the assertion that the bible has never been tampered with or edited by man? My view is that these early Christians integrated their culture into the new Christ religion, as we do here in the west with our Germanized version of Christianity. Their cultural expression of their religion differed greatly from the Gnostics, hence the Gnostic gospels were expunged from the story of Christ. In my opinion, it was just another denominational and cultural fight, in efforts to kill Paganism. Oddly enough, western Paganism is plainly evident in Christian holidays and all over the Catholic and Orthodox churches. It is my beleif that whatever is suppressed will indeed see the light of day, a concept which has manifested itself in the Da Vinci Code and in the Kabbalah, in the form of wild conspiracy theories and conjecture about what the early Christians and Jews actually believed. People with questions have not gotten the answers from Christians, which has empowered those who hate Christians. Now we have people who think Jesus and Mary Magdalene (who was never a whore, by he way) were married and had a daughter, evidenced by some weird "Priory of Scion" nonsense and Da Vinci's Last Supper! And all Christians had to do was to lighten up and answer a few questions.

Go figure.

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