No. As our guest, you won’t be asked for money, put on the spot, or made to feel awkward when the collection comes around. There’s one contribution during our Sunday worship, and it’s for the members of the congregation, not for visitors. You can let the tray pass right by you, and no one here will think a thing of it.
We understand the worry behind this question. A lot of people have visited churches where the push to give felt heavy, or where a guest got singled out. So here’s exactly what happens at Decker Prairie, and what doesn’t.
What the Collection Actually Is
Once each Sunday, we gather a collection from the members. It isn’t a fundraiser or a plate working the room. We simply follow examples like what Paul gave the church in Corinth: “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper” (). We also see followers of Jesus in Acts 2-5 giving to help other needy saints.
These examples involve members of the church participating in group efforts to help other saints or the spread of the gospel. It was never aimed at visitors, and we don’t aim it at you either.
Why Visitors Aren’t Expected to Give
Giving, the way the New Testament describes it, is something a person settles privately and does willingly, never under pressure: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (). Money pried out of a guest who’s been put on the spot is the very opposite of what that verse describes.
You’re our guest. We’re glad you came to worship and to take an honest look at what the Bible says. Asking you to fund our congregation on your way in would work against the whole reason we hope you’ll come.
What You’ll Actually See When the Tray Passes
At some point in the service, trays are passed quietly down each row. Members place their contribution in as it moves along. When it reaches you, you simply hand it to the next person. That’s the whole of it. If you want to know what a first visit looks like start to finish, we walk through the whole morning there.
No one is watching to see what you do. There are no pledge cards, no envelopes with your name on them, no one walking the aisles, and no announcement calling you out. If you never reach for your wallet, none of us will notice or mind.
No Dues, No Pledges, No Fees
There’s also no membership fee, no annual pledge, and no bill that follows you home after a visit. Our contribution funds the work the New Testament gives the church to do: building up our own members (), spreading the gospel (), and caring for Christians in need (). That’s what the money is for, and our members support it freely. It isn’t a subscription anyone signs you up for.
We’ll be straight about the limits of our voice: churches of Christ are independent, with no headquarters directing them, so each congregation handles its own affairs and we can really only speak for Decker Prairie. What we’ve described is generally how churches like ours do things, but the promise we can make for sure is that this is how it works here.
Keep Studying
If a fear of being pressured has kept you from visiting a church, we hope this settles it. Come, sit, worship, and watch. You’re free to give nothing and just as welcome, because we’d rather you leave having heard something true than having left something in a tray. Take your time, ask us anything, and see for yourself.
Come As Our Guest
You were made for a life of real purpose, and at the Decker Prairie church of Christ we’d love to help you find it, not ask anything of you. Come as our guest to a church family that’s simply glad you walked in.
Plan your visit, and you’ll be right at home.
Want to know what the Bible says about being saved? Start here.
When we meet:
- Sunday: Worship 10:00 am · Bible Class 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: Bible Class 7:30 pm
