Americans spend money casually that could mean the difference between life and death in other circumstances. So it's no surprise that other Christians will pursue requests aggressively. It is not even clear in the Bible that the money is not theirs! Jesus and the Disciples ate from the cornfields of others when they were hungry and David ate from the special temple bread in the Old Testament on a similar occasion.

One response is to set a limit on the amount of giving that you plan to do. After that, tell people that you will have to speak to your church at home or that you will have to speak with the missionary. Avoid saying ``no". Don't draw back after such an encounter, but continue to give signals that you appreciate their friendship.

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Community United Methodist Church
81-10 35th Avenue
Jackson Heights, New York City 11372
www.jacksonhghtsumchurch.org
 718.446.0690

Copyright 2000
Last update 9/14/2000