Can Folks Afford to Join Your Church?

[Wade]

When we were attending a Nationwide church the deacon mentioned about not liking our SUV. I said it was free and we had no money for anything else. He said that it would be fine if we were to become members as long as the next vehicle after would be different. It was the oldest and highest mileage vehicle in the church parking lot as far as I knew. He seemed reasonable about it.

Did he not like it because it was a SUV or for another reason?

2014 Part 2 049.JPG (488.25 KiB) Viewed 753 times

Maybe I didn't clean the snow off so it was too white?



On a serious note: The deacon never really said a specific reason. It is a 2000 Ford Excursion with a 7.3L Diesel that is dark green.
I wasted much of my life on vehicles and now I could really care less of what I have as long as it runs. We haven't spent much on vehicles the past few years as I have been buying just $1000 vehicles for some time and it has been a blessing.

[Josh]

In the average Mennonite church where I live having a big diesel Excursion is, unfortunately, a common way to express pride. These vehicles often have a suspension with a lift on it, emissions and power train altered to get extra performance and maybe roll a bit of coal, and look a lot less "dorky" to be seen driving around in than a minivan.

I am aware of all kinds of benefits of Diesel engines, the Ford super duty platform, etc. I'm just trying to be realistic that the motivation to drive these things is often similar to the motivation to drive a fancy looking and fast sports car, and I can understand a church that wants to encourage its membership not to all go and acquire the biggest, baddest SUVs and pickups possible.

[Haystack]

In the average Mennonite church where I live having a big diesel Excursion is, unfortunately, a common way to express pride. These vehicles often have a suspension with a lift on it, emissions and power train altered to get extra performance and maybe roll a bit of coal, and look a lot less "dorky" to be seen driving around in than a minivan.

I am aware of all kinds of benefits of Diesel engines, the Ford super duty platform, etc. I'm just trying to be realistic that the motivation to drive these things is often similar to the motivation to drive a fancy looking and fast sports car, and I can understand a church that wants to encourage its membership not to all go and acquire the biggest, baddest SUVs and pickups possible.

For me the only reason I would get a diesel is for the increase mpg and extended motor life (they run forever), or if I towed a big heavy trailer. The 80s VW diesel rabbits are appealing to me as they get about 50 mpg and you can find them for cheap usually. Only downside is they're very small, but would be good for someone who's single I suppose.

[Josh]

Whilst I like diesels too, they are a bit of a mark of pride amongst us Mennonites. It's a challenge not to be prideful when you have a culture of being thrifty and trying to do things in an excellent way.

[Wade]

In the average Mennonite church where I live having a big diesel Excursion is, unfortunately, a common way to express pride. These vehicles often have a suspension with a lift on it, emissions and power train altered to get extra performance and maybe roll a bit of coal, and look a lot less "dorky" to be seen driving around in than a minivan.

I am aware of all kinds of benefits of Diesel engines, the Ford super duty platform, etc. I'm just trying to be realistic that the motivation to drive these things is often similar to the motivation to drive a fancy looking and fast sports car, and I can understand a church that wants to encourage its membership not to all go and acquire the biggest, baddest SUVs and pickups possible.

Josh, I do agree. But like most things there is a flip side too.
This vehicle was giving to us and was very useful for moving cross country. I struggled for over a year not liking this vehicle at all and feeling embarassed to even be seen with it. My wife really thought it would be disrespectful to her father if I sold it and when we were living off of about $40/week it would have actually been hard and not affordable to even advertise and with buying another vehicle, paying taxes, etc., to get anything else.
It was hard on my pride having this vehicle as I didn't think it was Christian like to have it. (For a while we only could afford to drive it about 2-3 times a month.). So walking through the snow in NS at -30 Celsius a couple kilometers to work has a way of making one view pride differently.

It can be very prideful to drive an excursion and also very prideful to think I was too Christian to drive one.

I am grateful we had anything and do have anything. If people want to give a Christian things, I think it can be a great way of allocating our other resources to further His kingdom.

[gcdonner]

In the average Mennonite church where I live having a big diesel Excursion is, unfortunately, a common way to express pride. These vehicles often have a suspension with a lift on it, emissions and power train altered to get extra performance and maybe roll a bit of coal, and look a lot less "dorky" to be seen driving around in than a minivan.

I am aware of all kinds of benefits of Diesel engines, the Ford super duty platform, etc. I'm just trying to be realistic that the motivation to drive these things is often similar to the motivation to drive a fancy looking and fast sports car, and I can understand a church that wants to encourage its membership not to all go and acquire the biggest, baddest SUVs and pickups possible.

Josh, I do agree. But like most things there is a flip side too.
This vehicle was giving to us and was very useful for moving cross country. I struggled for over a year not liking this vehicle at all and feeling embarassed to even be seen with it. My wife really thought it would be disrespectful to her father if I sold it and when we were living off of about $40/week it would have actually been hard and not affordable to even advertise and with buying another vehicle, paying taxes, etc., to get anything else.
It was hard on my pride having this vehicle as I didn't think it was Christian like to have it. (For a while we only could afford to drive it about 2-3 times a month.). So walking through the snow in NS at -30 Celsius a couple kilometers to work has a way of making one view pride differently.

It can be very prideful to drive an excursion and also very prideful to think I was too Christian to drive one.

I am grateful we had anything and do have anything. If people want to give a Christian things, I think it can be a great way of allocating our other resources to further His kingdom.

I think this idea of pride as expressed by some Mennonites is really not so much in taking pride in the vehicle you have but being proud of your supposed humility by driving something "plain". Automobiles are a tool, just like clothes. I have met a lot of Anabaptist folks who are very proud of their heritage and their "sacrifice" to remain plain. If these are genuinely issues of pride, then they should all go back to horse and buggy, but then I have known some very, very proud Wenger Mennonites with very fancy buggies and horses. When we focus on these outward things and insist that others are not as humble as we are because they don't practice the same way, aren't we missing the whole point?
How fancy is YOUR house? Can being neat and clean a matter of pride?
Many Mennonites are proud that they are fantastic cooks or immaculate house keepers. Where does the competition end?
Is being successful in business a matter of pride?
We are so proud, let me count the ways... Cars end up at the bottom of the barrel.

[Judas Maccabeus]

In the average Mennonite church where I live having a big diesel Excursion is, unfortunately, a common way to express pride. These vehicles often have a suspension with a lift on it, emissions and power train altered to get extra performance and maybe roll a bit of coal, and look a lot less "dorky" to be seen driving around in than a minivan.

I am aware of all kinds of benefits of Diesel engines, the Ford super duty platform, etc. I'm just trying to be realistic that the motivation to drive these things is often similar to the motivation to drive a fancy looking and fast sports car, and I can understand a church that wants to encourage its membership not to all go and acquire the biggest, baddest SUVs and pickups possible.

Josh, I do agree. But like most things there is a flip side too.
This vehicle was giving to us and was very useful for moving cross country. I struggled for over a year not liking this vehicle at all and feeling embarassed to even be seen with it. My wife really thought it would be disrespectful to her father if I sold it and when we were living off of about $40/week it would have actually been hard and not affordable to even advertise and with buying another vehicle, paying taxes, etc., to get anything else.
It was hard on my pride having this vehicle as I didn't think it was Christian like to have it. (For a while we only could afford to drive it about 2-3 times a month.). So walking through the snow in NS at -30 Celsius a couple kilometers to work has a way of making one view pride differently.

It can be very prideful to drive an excursion and also very prideful to think I was too Christian to drive one.

I am grateful we had anything and do have anything. If people want to give a Christian things, I think it can be a great way of allocating our other resources to further His kingdom.

Looks like you got a great deal on this. In the parts I come from, everyone LOVES a great deal.

It would not raise any eyebrows in my circles.

J.M.