I'm interested that you felt getting to church was more important than stopping and chatting. I suspect that's something we need to think hard about; there are times when our religious duty isn't to do the religious thing.

Giving money is a bad idea. There's a significant probability that money will be redirected - either to his handler or to substance abuse. By contrast taking him for a McDonalds or getting him something isn't subject to the same issues.

What is seriously unwise is making a 'money / food for putting up with religion' offer. This merely creates rice Christians, most of whom will disappear when the material benefits stop. The Salvation Army drifted into this model and it kills real evangelism.




• ( https link ) Wikipedia on Rice Christians
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