We did not have to squint or wear spectacles to sight this top-of-the-front-page headline on Christmas-past (four days ago!) â??Tithing in Reverseâ? (Chicago Tribune). If something in the world is going the wrong way, putting or viewing it in reverse can be a good option. This story was an instance. It told the story of a place called LaSalle Street Church, a non-denominational congregation in Chicago, and its pastor, the Rev. Laura Truax.
â??Tithing in reverse?â? Tithing, for the old-time scripture writers, means bringing a portion of oneâ??s income to the Lordâ??s house for the Lordâ??s purposes. â??In reverseâ? would mean taking money from the Lordâ??s house out intoâ?¦? As Chicago Tribune writer Manya Brachear Pashman tells it, four of Chicagoâ??s Protestant congregations recently shared a $1.6 million windfall. That, by itself, is a story â??in reverse.â? How often do churches get windfalls?
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