The Church of Hophni and Phinehas

Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.

The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.” So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt. - 1 Samuel 2:12-17, New Living Translation

What has happened to the worship aspect of the offering in the House of God?

What is this thing that has become the norm?

Scripture tells us plainly how to bring our offering.

Paul tells us to give cheerfully and not grudgingly and not out of necessity. (2 Cor. 9:6-8)

Jesus even tells us that when we do good deeds, we should do so in secret. (Matt. 6:1-4)

So what is this auction style, public display style of giving that has entered God’s house?

God says, “I see and I am not pleased.”

For those unaware of this event it occurs like this. A minister will finish ministering and lift an offering; it could be the second offering of the service.

The minister will ask for a specific seed offering and ask those who will stand with him in giving this amount to either stand or lineup in the aisles. I have seen ministers give prophetic word to people as they come and bring this seed which really sends up red flags and gives the appearance that one is somehow paying for a prophetic word which is no different from paying the psychic to tell one’s future. We are commanded to abstain from the very appearance of evil! (I Thess. 5:19-22)

I have seen people bring their offering to the minister; they look at the amount, cross it out, and write a different offering amount on their envelope and the giver was told to bring that amount next time.

Then there is the guilt offering; completely different from the one in the book of Leviticus. This offering has everything to do with making you feel guilty because you are not in the $200 seed offering line. I was at an event and I had x amount of dollars to give. Way below the asking price of the traveling minister but I truly wanted to give and it was all I had. The minister went on to say that the price of wearing a clergy collar in his church was $100 in any offering he was lifting. Never mind if this was the first, second, or third service in a conference or revival. If he called for a $100 seed offering, those ministers were expected be in line; check in hand. He went on to say that he wanted everybody to give no less than $20 in that offering. The whole while he was talking, Holy Spirit and I were having a tug a war with the check I had written. He said, “Put it [the check] back in your purse.” Again, I was so blessed and wanted to give and went for my puny check and Holy Spirit very adamantly said, “Leave it in your purse!” So I didn’t give in that offering. I wanted too, but sensed Holy Spirit was truly offended.

It never ceases to amaze me how we can have such an awesome move of God and then immediately experience Ichabod – the glory departed – when it is time for offering. Why? Because the Church of Hophni and Phinehas is open and ready for business.

These sons of Eli made the Lord’s offering detestable. They demanded how they wanted the offering and in some instances took the offering by force and the bible says these two men caused the people to sin.

I fear the people of God have become immune to this behavior and that it is not an offering unless you have been coerced into giving which again goes against scripture. This behavior has taught believers not to even seek God beforehand on what to give in these special services. The demands will be made upon you when you get there. The flip side is that if these demands are not placed the offerings suffer; the people usually do not give. Why? Because the people of God have not been taught how to truly give, how to seek God and hear Him about giving and receive the benefits of giving as the word of God has commanded. We have a habit in our house of discussing the offering before we even leave for a service and we allow Holy Spirit to direct us. As ministers we have to teach people how to give, how to seek Holy Spirit for direction in their giving.

If a ministry is hosting a conference or revival, be honest with the people and make them aware of the costs of hosting the event. Tell them their financial support will ensure the event’s success and don’t tie their giving into their breakthrough, next level or deliverance. It is deceitful to do so. If the funds are not there, maybe the event has to be scaled down or that local Body of Believers seeks God for the miraculous.

Holy Spirit is demanding change because judgment is sure to fall.

It is time to bring the worship aspect back to our giving. It’s time to restore a holy reverence to this part of our worship experience.

It is time for ministers to truly teach the people of God what it means to give.

It is time to close down the Church of Hophni and Phinehas once and for all.

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