The Bishop wrote 29 April, 2012

Bishop to confirm this. The Bishop writes 29 April 20l2 I heard that there are some mischievous members trying to make fun of giving by encouraging people to give Rm 1 offering. Canon Thiam Choy has already addressed this in the sermon and called for repentance. I want to encourage all of us to have a change of heart if you have been affected by this kind of mischievous talks. They are not godly and they go against the word of God. Tithes belong to God. That is why if a man withholds his tithes, he is robbing God because he takes what belongs to God: Mal 3:8-9 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me." But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' " In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. This will bring a curse upon us and upon our church. I travel to many churches and I see many churches that cannot grow and cannot experience spiritual revival because they rob God. I have seen families not experiencing God's blessings because they rob God. What is recorded in the word of God is fulfilled in their lives. So we must not mock God by playing around with our giving. I ask all our members not to be affected by the negative talks of people whose hearts are not committed to build up the church. I also assure you that all our funds are properly mobilized to invest, to build up the ministries of our church and to extend mission works. We invest to improve our facilities so the children, youth, senior citizen and intercessory ministries have proper places to meet. Yes, last year for our Centenary Celebration, we have spent money to change the carpet, clean up the pews, put up lights, put in a back-up generator set, make necessary repairs etc. All these are to help build up the church and to reflect the Glory of God. If the house of God is in disrepair, it does not glorify God. We must invest in what we believe in. The church has a future and a strong local church is the hope of the nation. When the church is strong and preaching the gospel, then there is hope for the world. Otherwise, people will die in sin without knowing the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ. So the resources of the church (tithes and offerings) are to be invested to do the works of the church: evangelism, teaching, training, mission, administration, worship and music, help to the poor, new church planting works etc. Using the funds of the church to build up these works are right and must be supported. When we give our tithes faithfully, the Lord will bless us and bless our church. Mal 3:10-12 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.