Do I have the right to be upset over this? I am pretty pissed!!

This past week my church held there annual vacation Bible school. There goal is to go out to poor and unsaved community and offer a free camp for kids. Everyone and anyone can attend but there main focus is the unsaved...Anyways, the previous week the church asked for money donations to by toys to use as prizes for memorizing bible verses.My husband and I Cheerfully agreed because the church was giving these toys to the poor...Kids could win a bible,movie passes etc and the person to memorize the most verses was to get a motorized scooter...Here is was my problem...They kids had to memorize verses however the children who were members from the church has a unfair advantage over the "unsaved" kids..They were already members of the Bible quiz team etc...Well lo and behold, the only people to win the prizes were our pastors 3 children. They memorized the most verses...I was very pissed because these kids who have more toys then Toys R Us won the prizes and the poor and needy won nothing...I only gave the money so the poor kids could have it...Do I have a right to be pissed?? I was under the idea that the Poor kids would get to use my money..Not the pastors kids.

I like your ability to see through it all! Kudos! Ideally, the pastor's children should have donated the gift certificates to the needy children, after having won them. Is there any any that a small group of church members could politely and tactfully confront the pastor about this? Without passing judgment could a small congregation suggestion that in the future only needy children be allowed to partake in events held for the needy?

Good luck!

The pastor's kids should have been disqualified from entering for the same reasons that employees of a store are prohibited from entering a store-sponsored contest. The pastor used bad sense in allowing his kids to participate. Tell him the next time something like this comes up, where donations for poor and needy kids are solicited by him, that you will not participate because you do not consider his kids to be poor and needy. If everyone in the congregation told him this the greedy blockhead might get the message.

I would be horribly angry too. What does that say to the unsaved, and poor children? I would seriously lose faith in a pastor, or church, that allowed that to happen. The pastor's kids, and those like them, shouldn't even have been in the running for the prices if they were in fact for the unsaved and impoverished children. I would start looking for another church, if I were you.

You do have a right to be upset. It is unfair. Most of the time, in real contests, people who are associated with the contest itself and their families are disqualified from participating. The church should make clear rules about who is allowed to participate and who is not. If several people are upset, perhaps you could all discuss your feelings with the pastors.

Remember Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker?
They thought as the Lord's disciples they had a right to the riches they collected in His name.

Your church lost perspective on to whom they were to minister toward, most unfortunate. You can one of two things. 1.) Get more involved with the church , so they don't lose perspective in another event that is planned. OR 2.) Leave that church and join more apparrently dedicated church community.

Good fortunate and blessings be with you. You'll need it with either decision you make.

I probably would be 'hot under the collar' about this also.
The pastor should disqualify his kids and all kids that are members of the church. The church kids should have help the other kids memorize verses.
It's always best to get a clear understanding of what's to happen in a situation to avoid these feelings.

Anytime there is a contest like this, the rules should be layed out so that there is no misunderstandings later. Most department stores or businesses, or talk radio shows state as a rule, employees and family members excluded from engaging in the contest. Next times make the rules clear.

None of this sounds very Christian to me. Why focus on the toys! How many children found Christ? I don't feel you should have to bribe children into learning verses. Next year take the money and take all the children to Chuckie Cheese or movie, etc. Reward the entire group for all the hard work.

It is unfortante that most Pastors are POOR themselves since they don't really get a salary like you or I that really work for a living.I can understand that oyu would be upset by this,but,keep in mind they maybe Rich-IN Spirit,but yet they are POOR in the flesh. God Bless

I would be mad to and everyone would have known it. The pastors kids should not have been able to be in the whole contest. Of course their going to win they read that **** everyday. I wouldn't help out the church anymore. It didn't benefit who it was suppose to in the first place.

Sounds like a church I wouldn't belong to....

'unsaved' children? What kind of bigoted, segregated kind of balderdash is that....and the pastor's children should have been exempt from the contest...unfair advantage.......wow.....all in the name of religion.......

Sounds fishy to me, I'd be pissed too. Make it clear to the church that you - and, I suspect, many others - find it odd that the prizes went to the preacher's kids....and that you will no longer contribute to contests that are so blatantly fixed.

I would be pissed too. Next year when they come around asking for money, instead of giving it to the church, find a local women's shelter or something like that and donate your money there. That way those that need will get.

Yes this is what you call hypocrisy and politics! Not fair! I would right them a letter expressing your opinion and go to another church! Regardless how they justify it, it is not the Christian way!

If your pastor had half a brain, then he wouldn't have allowed the church going children to enter the competition!

It sends out the wrong message if his kids are always better than others, and not something your God would approve of im sure!

I would feel the same way. I wouldnt even of put members in the same category. the sad thing is the other kids probably feel seperated from your church.

This sounds very fishy to me and i would be upset also.

The pastors kids shouldn't have been included since they probably would know all the answers off by heart.

Hell Yea! I would be pissed about that too. How misleading! I would definitely call him out on that. Completely inappropriate! I think I'm getting more worked up about it then you were!

You should be upset, but now you know this issue should be addressed before the next event so that it won't happen again.

Ya that is really messed up, I would say something hun. If other families feel the same way, I would get together and comfort those who need to be comfronted. Good Luck

i would go talk to the pastor and explain the problem. he would most likely understand or i would hope he would.

call him out and bust his chops,,, gotta love those two faced self serving religious dudes

Yeah - that is a bit shady to me....

Sounds like you need to change churches...

get a divorce

I used to be one of those poor kids. I'm glad you are taking up for them.

I agree that was VERY wrong of the pastor. I would bring it to his attention!

yep! i wud be pissed too!

maybe, but it seems to me that Jesus didn't get paid, so why should your pastor with all the toys be paid so much???

That sounds pretty crazy to me. I think you have every right to be mad. If my church had asked me to give money under the pretense that it was going to help poor people but in reality it wasn't really used that way I would be talking to my pastor about it ASAP. I would let him know how cheated I felt and how I didn't think it was right to say 'this is what the money is for' but in turn it really went somewhere else. It's not right.

You do have every right to be upset, but you also have an obligation as a Christian to go to your pastor and discuss this with him. Share your feelings openly just as you have with us. Explain that you expected the funds to be used for Christian outreach and that while his children did an admirable job of learning their scriptures, they were at an unfair advantage. I would hope the pastor would see your point. Pastors are human beings too and make mistakes. Sometimes they need us to give them a nudge now and then. Even if he doesn't see things your way, you will have aired your feelings in the proper manner and will have the satisfaction of knowing you did the right thing and didn't just complain behind your pastor's back and not try to rectify the circumstances.

Yes! I would be ticked too! And the pastor should have had a talk with his kids ahead of time and let them know they are not eligible to win and explain why. How is that showing God's love to these kids?

I think you may need to turn in an anonymous note to the church or the church board.

And maybe when they ask for donations next year, you could pass or ask if the check should be made out directly to the pastor's kids?