TORRANCE, Calif. -- The three churches expecting to receive a percentage of the Christmas Day $314.9 million Powerball winnings are speaking out about what they'll do with the money.

Pastor Gerald S. Abreu of Abundant Life Church of God in Torrance, Calif., said he never taught lotto winner Andrew "Jack" Whittaker Jr. not to gamble. Abreu was Whittaker's former pastor and friend in West Virginia.

"If God wants to take the devil's money and give it to us, that's fine," Abreu said.

Whittaker chose a lump-sum payment of about $170 million and said he would first give 10 percent of his winnings -- $17 million -- to three churches as a tithe. In addition to Abreu's church, Whittaker is giving money to Bishop Cecil Welch, pastor of the Church of God in Hinton, Va., where Whittaker grew up, and C.T. Matthews, now senior pastor at the Tabernacle of Praise Church of God in Hurricane, W.Va.

"I don't know really what Jack is going to do with the money," Abreu told his congregation during a Dec. 29 sermon. "But with all due respect, it's amazing to me that Jack giving $17 million is such big news when Jesus gave everything and there is no news."

Welch said his church would like to build a new gymnasium and kitchen along with a Christian day care center and a place for young people to come after school.

"The whole parish was excited," Welch told The Times. "But I didn't mention it in my sermon. Yes, it dominated everyone's thinking, but you've got to have the word of God in your sermon. I spoke about the power of God, how he works in your life, how he works to convert people and to help us solve problems."

Matthews said any money the church might receive from Whittaker's winnings would be used to pay for several projects, including a youth worship center and Christian school.

Abreu said he still isn't sure how the church would use the donation.

"I'm in shock, not literal shock, but it has been unsettling," he said.