Covetousness may be rightly called 'the mother of all sins.'Īlbert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, has written eloquently on the evils of gambling: It seems some of God's people have failed to realize gambling is a form of covetousness – a violation of the Tenth Commandment of God. The fact that churches even consider accepting gifts from lottery winnings demonstrates how the church today has weakened its opposition to gambling.
Lorenzo Hall of the El-Beth-El Divine Holiness Church, was quick to say he would welcome Powell's gift to his inner city church. But Pastor David Tarkington of the First Baptist Church, Orange Park, politely declined and told Powell the church wouldn't accept the lottery winnings. Only a month ago, however, Robert Powell hit the Florida Lottery jackpot of more than $6 million and then dropped a tithe of around $600,000 into his church's offering. A state lottery official said the independent congregation of 650 members would now receive $100,000 annually through 2028. Creech, Christian Post Columnist Thursday, September 11, 2008Īccording to The Associated Press, Pastor Bernard Crabbe of the True North Community Church in Port Jefferson, New York, announced recently that an anonymous parishioner had donated a winning lottery ticket worth $3 million to the church.
