High Rollers and Ministry Needs  

A recent article lead with a statement that Las Vegas's days are numbered in being the capital of excess.  The focus of the story had to do with a new casino that is opening in Macao, that is three (3) times larger than the largest casino in Las Vegas.  As wealth continues to permeate the world's developing countries, this will only be the start of the "can you top this" mentality that we all have seen in ourselves and others when it comes to wanting to be Numero Uno in everything we do.

I couldn't help but sense the contrast in these two pictures of competing casinos and then hear from many of my friends who are involved in churches and ministries who are confronted with budget shortfalls and financial needs.  One friend shared that funds are running out to help people in Lebanon who have lost homes and family members this past year from the fighting there.  Many churches find that their members are stretched to the limits financially and their budgets are way behind where they would normally be at this time of year.  Food banks and medical services and free clinics are struggling to make ends meet and many para church ministries have cut back on staff and outreach because of budget constraints.

When I hear stories from friends and acquaintences about how they have set aside money to take at least one and often two or three trips to "Vegas" and how they love to just relax and play the tables, it reminds me of how priorities have really gotten out of wack.  There are plenty of celebrity gamblers out there who admit that gambling is their thing and also admit to having lost more than a million dollars in one sitting at the tables.  Is this a victimless crime or sin to consider the cost of all the games of chance, including government sponsored lotteries in light of how this affects our priorities?  It reminds us that we fund what what we want to fund and we sacrifice to fund what is important in our eyes.

If everyone wins, how do you suppose they could afford to build a casino that has more floor space than four (4) Empire State Buildings?  How about three (3) indoor canals with shops on either side selling high end merchandise?  If we are salt and light in the world as Christians, what will that mean when your community, city, or state will eventually try to solve it's economic problem by bringing in "gaming" to re-generate the area?  Perhaps asking every church member to compare how much they gamble on God's work which is a sure thing compared to how much they risk at the gaming tables could balance some budgets. 

Sent September 24 , 2007

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