Bingo for Bibles: Northside Evangelist seeks comback with bingo fundraisers and PayPal donations
“It’s ironic that the ministry would be asking for funds, because for 21 years, the association ran one of the most successful charitable gaming operations in the Tri-State, making nearly $4 million from weekly bingo games in Kentucky and Ohio.”
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And we wonder why some want to take tax exempt status away from religious institutions!
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
The link with the label GlennCoeMinistires directs incorrectly (at the time I viewed it)
Should be: http://glenncoleministries.com/news.htm
We are currently several months behind with the mortgage on our property, our electric bill is behind in payments and our phone has been disconnected at the church.We are asking that you pray about helping us retire the debt of our church…no gift is too small. Whatever you can do will be greatly appreciated and we believe God will bless you for your generosity.
http://glenncoleministries.com/products.htm
In November, 1991 we begin conducting Bingo which we used the proceeds to supplement the finances of the church. Due to the success of Bingo we were able to expand our feeding program for the needy where we would provide Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for approximately 400 families plus we gave food to families who requested help throughout the year as well as a clothing program for those in need. Each year for several years we would have a “Kids Fest” where we supplied numerous children with “Back to School” supplies…paper, pens, pencils, notebooks, backpacks, etc. For the “Kids Fest” we would have a picnic with hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks and invite kids from the Greater Cincinnati area. We would have from 500 to 600 kids at this picnicDue to competition from casinos, internet cafes and other Bingos, making Bingo profitable became a real struggle. After loosing money for about 3 months we decided to suspend Bingo operations at the end of June, 2013.
All kinds of things here, but the thing that strikes me is that he has no statement of faith—but he does declare his wife to be a pastor. Of what doctrine, we are really left to guess. So I think that problem #1 is that he’s putting the cart of ministry before the horse of theology.
And then, yes, you’ve got the issue of using gambling—a huge destructive force in poor communities—to fund “ministry” to the poor, but really all that did—less than $200k/year on average—was apparently to avert the pastor’s eyes from the need to make disciples who might tithe. Followed that up by putting together a church that really qualifies as more of a banquet hall with a chapel attached—and then wondered why the 30 congregants who came to the chapel each week (see the pictures) weren’t able to support that facility.
Hate to say this, but I’m thinking that this place would be a really nice banquet center in the near future, if they can modify it for a good commercial kitchen.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
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