This post is by Jim:

I believe that it is important to have a complete understanding of what
the Gospel is, what makes up the Gospel and what becomes of the Gospel
if the essential elements are taken away from it. Consider a sporting
event with the banner John 3:16. Obviously it is from the bible but
does it represent the complete Gospel? Consider these quotes from
famous TV Word of Faith preachers.

"When Jesus cried "It is finished!" He was not speaking of the plan of
redemption. There were still three days and nights to go through before
He went to the throne. He was referring to the Abrahamic Covenant.
Jesus' death on the cross was only the beginning of the complete work of
redemption" (Kenneth Copeland, "Jesus - Our Lord of Glory", ( Believer's
Voice of Victory, April, 1982, p. 3).

"spiritual death means something more than separation from God.
Spiritual death also means having Satan's nature... Jesus tasted
death--spiritual death--for every man." K. Hagin, The Name of Jesus,
1981) p.31.

Do we find these quote disturbing? If so what does it do to the Gospel?

In short I think it is vital to understand the components of the
biblical Gospel and what it does and doesn't contain. It may be simple
to some but nonetheless profoundly important

My church handed out free copies of the book, The Blessed Life by Robert Morris as we were leaving one Sunday a few months ago. In this book, a view is presented that the tithe should be an active part of every Christian’s walk with God. He cites many examples where he himself (Robert Morris) has tested God in this (citing Malachi 3:10) and God has proven faithful. He also gives examples of other cases where people trusted God with what seemed like unreasonably generous giving and were blessed by God for doing so.

A friend of mine gave me a copy of chapter 24 of a book Decision Making and the Will of God that pretty much says that the tithe is obsolete and that it went to supporting a temple system that is no longer in place today. Since the mosaic law is no longer binding for Christians, the tithe is not binding either, and that Christians should give whatever they can “cheerfully” give (per 2 Cor 9:7). God will lay a certain dollar amount on your heart and you should give that cheerfully would be the summary of this chapter.

So what are most Christians doing today? Neither one evidently. I’m reading Passing the Plate by Christian Smith and Michael Emerson. Per this report, 22% of American Christians give absolutely nothing to any charity. 71% of the remaining 78% Christians give less than 2% of their take home income to charity (this includes money given to church). That leaves a pretty thin 7% of Christians to support ministry. The reasons given by Christians surveyed varied greatly but most of it boils down to being financially strapped. We “can’t afford to give” because we owe payments for the 2nd car, bought season tickets to football teams, overspent on family vacations and bought way too big a house. So we can’t give anything but we can pray for those poor people – right? God will take care of them, He knows their situation – right? When Jesus told us to feed the poor, he meant for us to pay taxes to government so they can do it – right? Yes, Yes, I’m sure it’s the people who didn’t pay enough taxes to the government that he’s talking about in Matt 25:31-46 that didn’t clothe or feed the poor…