Sarah used the term "love offering"

[WonderingInWA]

There's a new post up, trying to fill spots for their upcoming trip.

 

At the end she says: " If you feel prompted of the Lord to coordinate something, please contact us so that we can schedule it. We do not charge but rather go on a love offering basis."

 

A love offering basis. Hmmmm. I'm thinking of all sorts of things that might be considered "love offering". Like "hey, can we take John off your hands for the evening?".

 

LOLOLOL.

[ThisOlGirl]

So what would happen if a church requested the Maxwell Experience for free? Would they go because it's the Godly thing to do, or would a scheduling conflict suddenly arise?

[WonderingInWA]

I bet Stevie has some paperwork for the hosts that give "suggestions" for how best to host their conference. Obviously there are facilities requirements, but I'll bet there is also a list of (what would they call them?) ways to help them put the show on that are less facilities-related and more hospitality-related. There's a reason they almost always get a meal from the hosts and help getting all their crap back out to the bus.

ETA: Oh, well, and DUH -- I just realized they must call all that shit "love offering". The meals, the help loading the bus, the sweet fellowship (which includes letting them do laundry at somebody's house), etc.

[PurpleSheepleEater]

A love offering is a special offering they take at every service that is suppose to be above and beyond any regular tithe (10%) that attenders give to their local church. All the money collected goes to the visiting speakers. Usually visiting speakers are also given a schedule of families who will provide meals for them and of course the pastors usually take them out to dinner. If they don't have their own shelter, like a traveling camper, then usually the church is expected to provide them with a place to stay, either church members who volunteer up a guest room or a hotel. The really snazzy churches have "prophets chambers" which is basically a small apartment within the church where traveling preachers stay for free.

[WonderingInWA]

A love offering is a special offering they take at every service that is suppose to be above and beyond any regular tithe (10%) that attenders give to their local church. All the money collected goes to the visiting speakers. Usually visiting speakers are also given a schedule of families who will provide meals for them and of course the pastors usually take them out to dinner. If they don't have their own shelter, like a traveling camper, then usually the church is expected to provide them with a place to stay, either church members who volunteer up a guest room or a hotel. The really snazzy churches have "prophets chambers" which is basically a small apartment within the church where traveling preachers stay for free.

Tells you what I know! I did like my idea of offering to take John off their hands for a night, though, but then that's my idea of a love offering.

[socalrules]

I wonder if the "love offering" reference and new quickbooks course are because the Maxwell gravy train is slowing down. Everyone who needs a chore pack, or whatever it is called, probably already has one. I cannot imagine that their books sell that well or that their internet "classes" are actually popular. Plus, they seem to be trying to fill a lot of days on their road trip. I wonder how much money they have left after buying gas for Uriah and the eleventy Costco runs they make each trip. I know they live cheaply but it still costs a lot to sustain so many people and more than one household.

[PurpleSheepleEater]

Tells you what I know! I did like my idea of offering to take John off their hands for a night, though, but then that's my idea of a love offering.

LOL! Happy to help explain the weird world of fundie terminology.

[WonderingInWA]

I wonder if the "love offering" reference and new quickbooks course are because the Maxwell gravy train is slowing down. Everyone who needs a chore pack, or whatever it is called, probably already has one. I cannot imagine that their books sell that well or that their internet "classes" are actually popular. Plus, they seem to be trying to fill a lot of days on their road trip. I wonder how much money they have left after buying gas for Uriah and the eleventy Costco runs they make each trip. I know they live cheaply but it still costs a lot to sustain so many people and more than one household.

She's never really mentioned money when talking about conferences -- at least not on the blog. I think there is a Q&A somewhere on their website that mentions that they come run a conference for free, but I've never seen them call it out that they rather expect some love money. I think they probably are seeing their cash flow dwindling.

[Miggy]

A love offering basis. Hmmmm. I'm thinking of all sorts of things that might be considered "love offering". Like "hey, can we take John off your hands for the evening?".

LOLOLOL.

You can take John for the evening. I'll take Joseph. During the day they can educate us on how to be better Christians and overnight I will educate Joseph on many, many things ...

[YPestis]

So I'm confused...does that mean that the Maxwells will only hold their conferences if there is enough "love offerings"? I thought they did for free and they cover the cost when they sell their merchandise and eat up the remaining cost as advertisements for their business (which it is). If they expect people to host them and pay for meals, that seems a ripoff. Their "conferences" are essentially ads for their books anyway, people shouldn't have to pay for the traveling salesmen's expenses.

[Lillybee]

I think that the Maxwells have a lot of nerve asking for love offerings. Isn't the point of their conferences is to sell their over priced books, etc,? I think that they are taking advantage of their conference attendees who probably are poor enough to not support all their blessings with all the things that children really need.

[OkToBeTakei]

A love offering is a special offering they take at every service that is suppose to be above and beyond any regular tithe (10%) that attenders give to their local church. All the money collected goes to the visiting speakers. Usually visiting speakers are also given a schedule of families who will provide meals for them and of course the pastors usually take them out to dinner. If they don't have their own shelter, like a traveling camper, then usually the church is expected to provide them with a place to stay, either church members who volunteer up a guest room or a hotel. The really snazzy churches have "prophets chambers" which is basically a small apartment within the church where traveling preachers stay for free.

One word. Feeloading.

[Mela99]

I think that the Maxwells have a lot of nerve asking for love offerings. Isn't the point of their conferences is to sell their over priced books, etc,? I think that they are taking advantage of their conference attendees who probably are poor enough to not support all their blessings with all the things that children really need.

Psht, when did Jesus say we should do things out of the goodness of our hearts?

Oh. Often?

Repeatedly?

Loudly?

[kpmom]

I think that the Maxwells have a lot of nerve asking for love offerings. Isn't the point of their conferences is to sell their over priced books, etc,? I think that they are taking advantage of their conference attendees who probably are poor enough to not support all their blessings with all the things that children really need.

No, no, no. This is not a sales pitch, it's a ministry doncha know? They are helping people with their sessions and their books. They just happen to make a good enough living off of it to support 14 people and three (four if you count Joseph's) households.

[Peas n carrots]

Xgay Greg & Defr do the same thing, only the Maxwell's pitch comes Gay-free.

[Curious]

When I see "love offering" I think of Kate Gosselin and all that under the table money that likely was never reported to the IRS.

[MamaJunebug]

So I'm confused...does that mean that the Maxwells will only hold their conferences if there is enough "love offerings"? I thought they did for free and they cover the cost when they sell their merchandise and eat up the remaining cost as advertisements for their business (which it is). If they expect people to host them and pay for meals, that seems a ripoff. Their "conferences" are essentially ads for their books anyway, people shouldn't have to pay for the traveling salesmen's expenses.

In theory, a traveling rep's expenses are figured in to the cost of the goods/services being sold, along with other overhead costs. As an engineer, Stevehovah knows the simple maths backwards and forwards and has figured in a good profit margin .... until now.

That Poor Sarah is now schnorring for love offerings indeed tells me the cash flow is wanting. Couple that with the Chris/NRAnna family photo on the QuickBooks ad and it's pretty obvious.

Unless, of course, NRAnna is the female who will relay female students' questions to Chris and relay his answers back, lest he be tempted by the sight of an IM from a lady whose avatar shows better blonde hair than NRAnna's. :naughty:

So maybe the family photo with the ad is only partly to play the guilt card ("sign up for QuickBooks or Chris's family skips a meal!") but also to assure folks that Chris will not communicate directly with any females.

(Do the Maxwells acknowledge the existence of teh gheyz? Because I can see a guy thinking Chris is pretty hot, what with the slim build and strong chin and all.

[Tesseract]

When I see "love offering" I think of Kate Gosselin and all that under the table money that likely was never reported to the IRS.

You and me both!

[Sweetpea1]

How about a love offering of some Pepsi for Terri?

[YPestis]

I have noticed Sarah has been pimping the family more for their trips these last few years. I wonder how long Steve thinks he can keep this up? They are essentially offering people the "privilege" of listening to the family sell their wares. At some point, churches must realize that the Maxwell conferences are not trying to "teach" or offer up discussions of homeschooling, but are just sales pitches, and anti-church to boot. I can just imagine the Maxwells slowly developing this reputation of being snakes oil salesmen who use the very organization (the church) that they pillage in their books.

[Marian the Librarian]

Their desperation, it shows.

[Black Aliss]

I have noticed Sarah has been pimping the family more for their trips these last few years. I wonder how long Steve thinks he can keep this up? They are essentially offering people the "privilege" of listening to the family sell their wares. At some point, churches must realize that the Maxwell conferences are not trying to "teach" or offer up discussions of homeschooling, but are just sales pitches, and anti-church to boot. I can just imagine the Maxwells slowly developing this reputation of being snakes oil salesmen who use the very organization (the church) that they pillage in their books.

The Maxwells may be anti-church but the churches are definitely not anti-money (happy to rent space to anyone who agrees to whatever rules they may have laid out for rentals), which cancels out the anti-church/anti-youth group/anti-fellowship lessons from Steve.

[nokidsmom]

I have noticed Sarah has been pimping the family more for their trips these last few years. I wonder how long Steve thinks he can keep this up? They are essentially offering people the "privilege" of listening to the family sell their wares. At some point, churches must realize that the Maxwell conferences are not trying to "teach" or offer up discussions of homeschooling, but are just sales pitches, and anti-church to boot. I can just imagine the Maxwells slowly developing this reputation of being snakes oil salesmen who use the very organization (the church) that they pillage in their books.

I wonder what feedback the sponsoring churches get from conference participants afterwards, especially participants who are congregation members who can give feedback to other members and church leaders as opposed to non members who show up one time to the conference and never seen again. Plus it might be a bit disconcerting for these churches to host them and then find as the conference progresses how "anti church" they are and how much they are hawking their wares. Wonder if any of them feel a bit duped afterward?

[Sweetpea1]

I wonder what feedback the sponsoring churches get from conference participants afterwards, especially participants who are congregation members who can give feedback to other members and church leaders as opposed to non members who show up one time to the conference and never seen again. Plus it might be a bit disconcerting for these churches to host them and then find as the conference progresses how "anti church" they are and how much they are hawking their wares. Wonder if any of them feel a bit duped afterward?

I would love to be a fly on that wall.

[ThatSnark]

I have been wondering the same thing. If I were someone selling a cutting-edge exercise routine, let's say, that preached that going to a gym/having a membership was a total waste of time, then it would probably be a BAD IDEA to say my lines and hawk my wares inside a gym. Sure, that's where the hardcore fitness crowd hangs out, but wouldn't the manager owners be pretty upset with me? (fyi-- I have nothing against gyms; it's an example I came up with)

So how can a minister allow the Maxwells to come into their places of worship and work, and then preach to the faithful that what they are doing is wrong? Churches rely on parishioners for support, so why on earth would they invite a group whose message denounces what they are doing as an organization? Do they just not look into the Maxwell message before they open the doors? I do not get it.