Blast From My Past, part 2: Seed Faith

Got a booklet (not sure what one calls something bound that's larger than a brochure, but neither substantial nor significant enough to call a book) last week from Saint Matthews Churches. The booklet had a Tulsa address; I spent most of August of one year to December two years later in that city at a large university on South Lewis Avenue.

The booklet's artwork was pretty atrocious; Izzy was sure that the JW's had discovered seed faith. Turns out, it may be even more odd. From the best I could gather, they wanted me to request a coupon book that I would keep with my other critical bills (utility, etc.) to remind me to send a prayer request (naturally accompanied by a "seed" planted into their ministry) each month. I'll skip the details of what all is involved in Seed Faith theology--Saint Matthews Churches explains it here.

St. Matthews Churches (StMCs) appear to be some sort of loose configuration of charismatic, protestant but interested in and incorporating older liturgies, sorta Assemblies blended with Lutheran, church. They send out items like "prayer rugs" (newsprint with a pic of Jesus on an oriental rug that is to be returned with a seed faith offering.)

God Hears and Answers Prayer! Inspiration through Saint Matthews Churches Prayer Rug. The Savior said, "Ask and it shall be given you" (Matthew 7: 7) and again, "Ask and ye shall receive" (John 16:24). So a large portion of prayer is asking and an answer to prayer is receiving. The Saint Matthews Churches prayer rugs provide motivation in asking. In answer to prayer, including those done with prayer rugs, God miraculously intervenes in human affairs and changes things, people, weather, outward circumstances, health, even to the working of miracles.

Where are StMCs? Hard to say which leads one to be pretty sure it's a scam. They use a Tulsa address for their solicitations; I could not find info on a physical address for them, despite lots of pix on their website of liturgies. Their website goes into great detail on their accounting procedures for seed faith offerings and tells me that:

There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be a Saint Matthews Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (This doesn't bode well since the Emergency Prayer phone number is in the 918 area code...)

Further:

Saint Matthews Churches has had churches in various cities throughout the years. We now have two churches and have no present plans to add more churches.

Alrighty then. So, how would my prayer request get prayed over (the prayer request that I've sent in with my seed faith offering or after sleeping over my prayer rug)?

St Matthews Churches members mail their letters and seed faith donations to a post office in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The United States Post Office delivers the Saint Matthews Churches mail and seed faith donations to the secular firm that opens it and removes donations. Seed faith donations are deposited into Saint Matthews Churches bank account from which Saint Matthews Churches writes checks from seed faith donations to pay church bills. Then, and only then [emphasis mine], every letter is sent to Saint Matthews Churches where they are read and prayer requests are prayed over five times each day.

So, only after they've checked my envelope of coupon for $$ do they forward my request? Why is it important that "secular" folks open my mail--are they immune to temptations to theft?

Looks like StMCs have at least one building in Houston, though no physical address. They are also very aware of the many, many websites criticizing their fundraising practices and teaching. Apparently,

...the published sermons and sacred literature sent free of charge by Saint Matthews Churches crosses the paths of atheists; communists; drug dealers; criminals; the lunatic fringes of society; those who hate the United States, God and Christianity and those who hate us because we are gospel missionaries. They accuse all churches which mail sermons of mail scams and mail fraud. (found here.)

Why blog on this? Years ago I left the university on South Lewis Avenue not in small part because of what I realized was untruth, and maybe fraud/deception/heresy, in what I heard in classes and Chapel (sample here.) God was presented as a cosmic Santa who was obligated to answer my prayers if I SAID the right words (not had the right disposition of heart, or if what I wanted was in line with His purposes.) I was also being taught to see God's favor only in terms of prosperity--receiving back from God in giant multiples of what I invested. I realized that I no longer believed that God taught us to "Expect a Miracle."

StMCs booklet reminded me of that time. It also reminded me of how grateful I am that God allowed me to recognize His sovereignty, His justice, His abundant love for me that doesn't rely on bribes or demands or even on magic formulas for prayer.

Do I still pray? Absolutely. Do I still believe God can intervene in events and lives? Very much so. Are we praying for little Eliza's seizures to end? Yessirree, Bob, and you are welcome to do so, also. The Holy Spirit knows the details, as does Our Lady, for whose intercession we also ask.