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It can, but not necesarily so!
Sometimes having wealth can become an obstacle that prevents us from being obedient to Christ. Someone once remarked that money can be a good servant but is a cruel master. Money can become an idol that controls us and our lives preventing us from hearing the voice of Jesus. The Apostle Paul wrote that "...people who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (I Timothy 6:7-10) History is replete with many examples of persons who have fallen into the 'money trap' and ruined their lives and the lives of those around them. Luke's gospel, chapter 18, records the incident whereby a wealthy ruler approached Jesus looking for the way to eternal life. Jesus recognized that this man was controlled by his wealth and, as a means of having him discover that fact, urged him to give away his wealth and to follow Him. Because this man had a deep affection for his wealth and was controlled by his possessions, he was unwilling to follow Jesus. Scripture records that he went away sad. Jesus then said " how hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" He did not say it was impossible; he said it was difficult. Indeed, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

On the other hand, there are many examples of wealthy persons who, instead of having their money and possessions control them, have been the masters of their wealth and have used their resources to be a blessing to many. They are willing to give their wealth away and use it for the good of others instead of hoarding it unto themselves. God frequently gives wealth to those whom He can trust to use it wisely.

So, you see, having wealth can be a blessing or a curse depending upon one's attitude toward it. Does wealth control us, or, do we, with God's help, control wealth? Is money our servant or our Master? You can only serve one Master. Jesus said: You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)

The simple answer is ‘No’ you do not have to be a member as a prerequisite for getting married in the Amherst Church. Amherst Community Church does have a policy re: weddings and pre-marital counseling which serves as a guideline for persons preparing for marriage. To receive a copy of the policy you need only to call the church office (330-833-9650) and one will be mailed for your perusal.

You may, however, want to consider a more fundamental concern: Why do you want to get married in a church setting? Some desire a wedding ceremony in a church facility because of sentimental reasons, because of the lovely setting, the ornate architecture, or because they suppose the setting validates the vows, etc. The Christian’s perspective of the Wedding is vastly different from those who are not Christian. For the Christian, the wedding ceremony represents the entrance into a sacred covenant between the marriage partners, their families, the church family, and God. The ‘sacred covenant’ perspective (‘‘until death do we part’’) runs counter to the cultural perspective of a ‘contract’ which may be broken or nullified at the whim or insistence of one or both parties. You may want to consider a church wedding if you espouse the ‘sacred covenant’ idea of marriage. If you hold to the ‘contractual’ understanding, you may want to consider the services of a Justice of the Peace or some other civil Servant authorized to solemnize marriages in the state.

The Amherst Church practices the ordinance of Believer’s Baptism. Only those individuals who have become aware of their sinful condition, have heard the good news of Jesus’ provision for sin by His death on the Cross and have put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior are permitted to enter the baptismal waters. Here, before a company of other believers, they (in a kneeling position) are immersed three times forward (In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit -Mt. 28:18-20) as a means of confessing their faith in Jesus Christ and identifying themselves with Jesus’ family--the Church.

The last day of October, or, the evening before All Saints Day (Nov. 01) is known as ‘All Hallows Eve’ from which we get our ‘Halloween’. In times past the Christian Church formally recognized this day signifying our connection (living saints) with the saints who were formerly living on earth, both groups comprising the Church of Jesus Christ (Eph.3:15). The current culture’s observance of Halloween is vastly different from its original intention by the church.

The original practice pre-dated Christ by several centuries. It was connected to the worship of a Druid deity, Samhain, Lord of the dead. Halloween is a celebration of Death; it honors the god of the dead and wicked spirits of the dead. The Druids believed that on this night souls of the dead returned to their former homes to be entertained by the living. If acceptable provisions (food, shelter, etc.) were not given, then, these evil spirits would cast spells, create havoc, and torment the living. This pagan practice was the forerunner of modern-day ‘trick-or-treat’. The donning of masks and costumes was, originally, a pagan practice to scare away the Devil and his evil spirits?

Given the association of Halloween with the practices of witchcraft and worship of another deity, the Christian should refrain from participation in any form.

That depends upon the real intent of your question. If you are asking: ‘‘What version is the most accurate translation from ancient manuscripts?’’, then, the answer becomes a bit easier. There are any number of Translations that fairly represent what is contained in the original Greek manuscripts. Personally, I prefer the New International Version and, occasionally, utilize the New Living Translation. Having said that, there are still a good number of Translations that are reliable remaining on the bookstore shelves.

If your question is seeking to know which Bible is the most easily read, then, you may want to turn to a contemporary Paraphrase such as The Message (Peterson), The Living Bible, or The CEV, Contemporary English Version. Keep in mind when choosing these, that you are selecting an editor’s understanding of what the Scripture conveys, not an actual translation from ancient manuscripts.