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Pastor Creates And Sells "ATMs For Jesus"
Posted by Pile
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 Pastor Marty Baker preaches that the Bible is the eternal and inviolate word of God. On other church matters, he's willing to change with the times, including setting up his own for-profit venture making religious ATM machines and selling them to his own, and other churches. Now giving money to "God" is even easier than ever!
"It's truly like an ATM for Jesus," Baker said.
Amen. |
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It is a bid for relevance in a nation charmed by pop culture and consumerism, and it is not an uncommon one. But Baker has waded further into the 21st century than most fishers of American souls, as evidenced one Wednesday night when churchgoer Josh Marshall stepped up to a curious machine in the church lobby.
It was one of Stevens Creek's three "Giving Kiosks": a sleek black pedestal topped with a computer screen, numeric keypad and magnetic-strip reader. Prompted by the on-screen instructions, Marshall performed a ritual more common in quickie marts than a house of God: He pulled out a bank card, swiped it and punched in some numbers.
The machine spat out a receipt. Marshall's $400 donation was routed to church coffers before he had found his seat for evening worship.
"I paid for gas today with a card, and got lunch with one," said Marshall, 30. "This is really no different."
Baker came up with the kiosk idea a couple of years ago. He had just kicked off a $3-million building drive, but noticed that few people seemed to keep cash in their wallet anymore for the collection bag.
So he began studying the electronic payment business. He designed his machine with the help of a computer programmer who attends Stevens Creek, and found ATM companies willing to assemble it for him. In early 2005, he introduced the first machine at his church.
Since then, kiosk giving has gradually gained acceptance among his upper-middle-class flock. The three kiosks are expected to take in between $200,000 and $240,000 this year — about 15% of the church's total donations. |
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Messenger
Posted by Malcolm on 2006-10-01 18:36:04 | | How long before Hackers start going to church? |
time to cleanse the temple...
Posted by former Creeker on 2006-10-02 08:13:36 | | The problem here is that MARTY BAKER gets 30 cents or so placed in HIS pocket every time a member of HIS congregation swipes their debit card. Unless there is full disclosure to the members of his church that a portion of their tithe does indeed go directly into HIS wallet, then this reeks of impropriety. Does Marty's church even approve of his for-profit company operating in their church? It doesn't matter if it's just a small fraction of the donation, the issue is that any portion of an individuals contribution to God's Kingdom ends up in the bank account of the man who shepherds this flock and is tasked with teaching and instructing them in the rightness and joyfulness that is found in tithing and the blessings that can be found in obeying God. When a quarter and a nickle get handed to Marty for each swipe, the message is diminished. PTL Club, anyone? |
ATM's in the temple
Posted by ueberbill on 2006-10-02 13:16:01 | | Feels like Jesus would start firebombing churches containing these things. He wasn't a big fan of the money changers in the temple, if I recall correctly. |
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