Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

being spoken. T HE O NE -D OLLAR -O FFERING C HECK

A noted woman Bible teacher was ministering in a large midwestern city known for its strong charismatic churches. The crowds were large, yet the offerings were very small. She related to me that after counting the offerings each night, she noticed numerous checks made out for one dollar. After several services, she asked the pastor why so many were giving a check for one dollar. Was there an economic crisis in the area? Were many people out of work? To her surprise the pastor responded by saying, “Most of the people giving a dollar are people who have moved here from other states. You see, they were watching television ministers preach on money and prosperity, telling them if they wanted financial blessings, they must plant large seeds to their ministries. Many of them gave most of what they had and, sadly, never saw a breakthrough. They finally decided to move to this city, hoping that by being near the man of God , they would receive a financial miracle. Eventually, they left those churches and have been attending here.” Once again it goes back to the motive. Since the promises were not working, the people moved, hoping to force the favor of God upon their actions. They did not move because they were led by the Holy Spirit. They did not pack up and head west because the church was going