When I first saw this on Twitter earlier, my only response, as I retweeted it with comment was, good grief. Think about it, this pastor wants people to donate their $1,200 stimulus checks to donate it to evangelists, North American evangelists who haven’t had an offering in a month; missionaries, who haven’t had an offering in a month; music ministers, who haven’t had an offering in a month. I’m trying to remember, how many people have lost their jobs in the last month due to the government guidelines to avoid contact, basically to stay home as much as possible? Oh, yeah – 20 million.

We’ve probably all seen video recently of lines of cars, in different cities around the country, lining up to receive a box of food to feed their families from local food banks. Thousands. Literally, thousands of cars in various locations. This pastor wants those same people, I guess, to donate money they need for their families, to evangelists, etc., because none of these have been able to make any money themselves in a month. I’m sure some people will be dumb enough to do just that, and will regret it the next week, when they’re laid off of their job and need money for food for their own family.

There’s nothing wrong with charity, and those of us that are able to donate should. I would recommend your local food bank. Want to help a lot of people with a small donation? That’s the best place you can put your $10 or whatever you  are able to afford. I’m sorry that evangelists are having a hard time, just as I am for everyone during this time. I won’t, however, be giving money to support evangelists or missionaries, or music ministers. Maybe I should donate money to musicians, locally, that can’t work because the clubs and venues where they normally perform are closed.

This is a terrible optic for this pastor, as well as Christians in general. I think most people, no matter their belief system would look at this and think, really? Millions of people not just in the US but around the world are suffering, not only from a virus, but a lack of employment and this pastors great idea is to having those same people become more desperate, over a short period of time.

Although we’ve been told that alcohol will only make us more susceptible to the virus. I think I need a drink.