HOUSTON, TX — Glenn Rickert, 61, a retired electrician and member of Abundant Harvest Fellowship for thirty-one years, told reporters this week that he has tithed faithfully on every paycheck since 1996, a streak of giving that has coincided almost exactly with lead pastor Dwayne Kessler’s acquisition of a 42-foot catamaran named “Blessed Beyond Measure.”

Rickert, who drives a 2007 Toyota Camry with 214,000 miles and a check engine light he describes as “ambient,” said he first learned about the yacht when Kessler posted a photo of it on Instagram with the caption “When you sow in faith, God enlarges your territory — and your marina slip.”

“I’m not bitter,” Rickert said, adjusting the bungee cord holding his passenger-side mirror in place. “I give unto the Lord, not unto man. But I would be lying if I said the catamaran didn’t raise a few questions.”

“He preached a whole sermon about how God wants us to have nice things. Then he drove home in a Mercedes to a house with a guest house. My guest house is the garage.”

Kessler, 57, who did not respond to interview requests, addressed the matter briefly during last Sunday’s sermon, telling the congregation that “the Lord blesses those who steward well” and that the yacht is “a ministry tool for high-capacity leader retreats.” Church records show the vessel has been used twice, both times for Kessler’s birthday.

Rickert’s wife, Pam, 59, said she continues to tithe “because Scripture is clear,” but has begun earmarking an additional five percent to a local food bank “where the money touches ground.”

At press time, Kessler had announced a new sermon series titled “Overflow: Unlocking God’s Financial Blessings” and was accepting love offerings at the door.