Posts
The True North Community Church in Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., could hold only about 200 of its 650 members. "Unless God drops a couple million dollars on us," Pastor Bert Crabbe said, "we're going to have to rent somewhere else." Soon thereafter, a church member gave Crabbe a winning $3 million lottery ticket, which he had bought shortly before, but had not yet cashed in. "When someone gives away $3 million," said the pastor, "that's a miracle." (source: The Week, Sept. 12, 2008)
Is it right to gamble? To play the lottery? Well, it's not very smart. It's basically throwing away your money; and some say lotteries discourage a good work ethic. Some see it as a form of entertainment. After all, people pay money to go to concerts or ball games or car races or the fair. But the lottery usually baits lower income people who see some hope for 'a way out' in that lucky ticket or those lucky numbers.
I won't say if I've ever played the lottery or not. And I'm not going to pass judgment on people who buy lottery tickets. I'm certainly not going to say they're going to hell. But I heard one minister say that if a church member buys a lottery ticket and it is the winning number and they don't offer their winnings (or a big part of it) to the church for the Lord's work—well, they probably will go to hell.
I can't say whether that minister is right or not, but I wouldn't take a chance if I were you.
