This post was originally written about an incident in 2010 that is now unverifiable. It is now updated and reflects a very similar incident in 2016. Here is a bit of the story below from ChristianPost.
A local North Carolina pastor is allegedly suing controversial Powerball lottery winner, 27-year-old mother of four Marie Holmes, for $10 million for reneging on a verbal promise to give him $1.5 million of her winnings.
According to Eurweb, local Pastor Kevin Matthews whose church affiliation is still unclear, told the publication that he is experiencing emotional and mental distress after Holmes changed her mind about gifting him $1.5 million to help him build a retreat center.
“Because of the emotional distress and mental stress they put me through, I had to start taking more medicine for anxiety and depression due to this situation,” Matthews allegedly told the publication.
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/188-million-powerball-winner-marie-holmes-allegedly-being-sued-local-pastor-10-million-157716/
Are you serious???? I wish this man was biblically educated enough to understand that his 10% contribution was a FREEWILL OFFERING: NOT a true biblical tithe.
I would imagine that the pastor would have no serious grounds for his charge. How can the parishioner be sued for not making a donation to a church institution? That makes no sense. He has a right to choose to NOT give anything. I think the pastor is driven by greed.
“driven by greed.” Really? Ya think? ;-0
Pastor is very wrong to make people tithe. There is no biblical ground for tithing except cheerful giving in the New Testament. Once pastor takes you to the court, pastor will lose.
So, pastor has no right to take your money. It is between you and the Lord God Almighty. Use it for the Lord. Smile!
By the way, you can transfer to bible believing church with God’s guidance.
God is looking for your time and give as you are able to give, and can give God your best in time. We are a real Church that doesn’t want money but your soul.
Pastor IKEEM ABDUL
1 Corinthians 6New King James Version (NKJV)
Do Not Sue the Brethren
6 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbeliever.
Romans 10:4 Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for everyone who believes. (This means the tithe law to because born again Christians are led by God’s internal Holy Spirit not the outward external letter of the 613 Old Covenant laws.
Think Christians think! If you were under the Old Covenant law folks could be stoned to death for not resting from all activity every Friday night to Saturday not which was and still is the Orthodox Jewish Sabbath and every 8 day old male would also have to be circumcised but no Christians Pastors preach doing that.
Sorry I was typing too fast, wish there was an edit button. Romans 10:4 Christ is the END of the law for righteousness for everyone who believes! Christians now New Testament Christians are supposed to be Spirit led not led by the external law which were 613 Old Covenant laws, listed in Leviticus and not many Christians even know or keep them all.
1 Corinthians 6 says Christian should not sue Christian in secular court or before a secular judge. That would leave Matthews off the hook. He’s 180 degrees out from both Christian and pastor. Every one of us will have more than enough to discuss when one day we hear God say, “We need to talk,” but he’ll have something extra on Matthews’ agenda that I sure hope isn’t on mine.
Marie Holmes donated $700,000 to this pastor’s church, but the pastor is claiming she promised more money. So he turns around and sues her for $10 million. I cannot find out whether his suit was thrown out or if he won it. I pray to God he lost that suit and it was thrown out of court.