Pastor #JohnGray switched up the collection plate this past Sunday while blasting “pulpit pimps” during his sermon.
During what was said to be an emotional service, Gray told the congregation of Relentless Church in #Greenville, South Carolina, that members in need should take cash from the church’s offering baskets instead of donating, @TheGrio reports.
“For too long people have stood in a pulpit and told you to give, give, give. Very rarely have I seen churches stop and said ‘leave the baskets out, let the people get what they need.’ We’ve got too many pulpit pimps who want to get fat off people but don’t want to meet the needs of the poor people,” said Gray during his sermon, which was called “Leftovers.”
“And Jesus said that’s who you supposed to be taking care of. We got widows, we got orphans, we’ve got single moms in here. We might not be able to do everything but we can do something. I wish we could do more but it’s the best we can do right now.”
After he invited his members in need to take from the church’s offering baskets, he spoke about what he believes the church’s role should be in people’s lives.
“The role of the church, elder, is not only to receive from the people of God but to meet the needs of the people of God,” he explained. “I asked you to hold your offering until something in your spirit connected with the Word. Did you all hear me when I said that? But the role of the church is also to meet the needs of the people in the house.”
“Are there any single mothers in here?” he then asked. “You had an orange light in your gas tank when you pulled up, where are you? Come to the altar. Hurry. Single mothers. Are there any single fathers and you had less than a quarter tank of gas, where are you? Come to the altar, come to the altar.”
#Roommates, what do you think of Pastor Gray’s take on “Pulpit Pimps”? Let us know!
