How To Tithe?

[Tea]

We are encouraged to tithe 10% of our gross income to the church, and in most cases it’s left up to leadership where that money goes. Most pastors will often say, “God owns all that you have, so give 10% back to Him.” Well, I certainly agree that God owns all that I have, but shouldn’t it be up to the individual as to how we give it back?

It is definitely a good thing when a church donates to foreign missionaries around the world. But would it be wrong for the individual to donate 5% to the church and the other 5% directly to a missionary of his or her choosing instead of the church acting on our behalf? What about giving 4% to the church, 3% to a missionary, and 3% to a brother or sister in need?

 

[Ascetic X]

I donate to Moody Media as an endurance partner with Erwin Lutzer’s Running To Win ministry, to Chip Ingram’s Living On the Edge ministry, to whatever church I attend, and sometimes to local Christian charities. My giving does not all go to a church.

 

[Scarlett O.]

"The Lord loves a cheerful giver."

I tithe because I want to. If others don't, that's no skin off my nose. As for my church, the leadership does not decide where money is spent. We have a once-a-month business meeting where all are involved. And a once-year meeting where various groups and committees make recomendations where the money goes.

Wherever a Christian gives their offerings, to the church, to charities, to missionaries, or to homeless shelters,.....

The MAIN thing is to have a heart for God in the giving, pray over the money that God will use it, be eager and happy to do it. If given in resentment, you might as well burn it.

 

[Ben1445]

We are encouraged to tithe 10% of our gross income to the church, and in most cases it’s left up to leadership where that money goes. Most pastors will often say, “God owns all that you have, so give 10% back to Him.” Well, I certainly agree that God owns all that I have, but shouldn’t it be up to the individual as to how we give it back?

It is definitely a good thing when a church donates to foreign missionaries around the world. But would it be wrong for the individual to donate 5% to the church and the other 5% directly to a missionary of his or her choosing instead of the church acting on our behalf? What about giving 4% to the church, 3% to a missionary, and 3% to a brother or sister in need?

Galatians 6:6
Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

When you know what this means, it helps put everything in perspective.

 

[Kai]

I do not believe that New Testament Christians are bound to a legalistic system that requires a fixed percentage for our giving, as was the practice in the Old Testament. However, if one wants to go by the 10% tithe as an instruction in righteousness, I don't see a problem with that; it can be a good starting benchmark if one isn't sure how much to give.

I think that if one has decided to give back 10% of their income back to God, then there are different ways to do that. Of course, we should be supporting our local ministry and its leaders financially, but I would be somewhat suspicious about the motivations of a pastor who might say that your 10% absolutely must to be donated directly to the local church every week—no exceptions.

 

[Salty]

I agree with the K-man! I do not tithe.
Though I think 10% is a good benchmark.
For some - 10% may be way too little.

How about this.
lets say a single parent (gets no child support) depends
completely on govt assistance - say, SSDI, Food, stamps, welfare
Should that parent be giving a portion to their church - as 100% came from the govt.

 

[Kai]

How about this.
lets say a single parent (gets no child support) depends
completely on govt assistance - say, SSDI, Food, stamps, welfare
Should that parent be giving a portion to their church - as 100% came from the govt.

That's an interesting question.

You might view the tithe in the Old Testament's Levitical Priesthood system as a form of taxation for the nation of Israel. Once collected, these funds enabled the community to support struggling Israelites—essentially functioning as a social safety net. Since Scripture doesn't explicitly require impoverished Israelites to tithe from the assistance they received, I don't think one can make a case for it, nor should that be the expectation.

That said, I will add this: If someone on welfare finds themselves with extra money at month's end—funds they'd otherwise spend on luxuries rather than necessities—choosing to donate that surplus to their local church instead could be a meaningful choice.

 

[Ben1445]

I would say that honoring the Lord with the first fruits of our increase is the right approach and will never be overlooked.
Is welfare an increase of the individual’s goods? I think it reasonable to return to God what He has given to us. It is not because He needs it. WE need it. We need to remind ourselves that God has given us our increase. We honor Him by returning it to Him.

1 Corinthians 4:7
For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

James 1:17-18
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.


But how can we exemplify the first fruits of His creation if we don’t give Him the first fruits of all that we have?

I’ve never heard of anyone who decided to give a certain amount to God and then regretted it. I have heard of people who gave because they thought that they were doing to double their money. That is not giving. That is loaning and expecting usury. At the very least, we owe God usury and not the other way around.
Tithing predates the Law. It is a well recognized standard. I never saw a place where God’s people were doing right and God said, “ Well, actually I don’t want a tithe, because that is a religious construct.”
The last time I saw, the tithe is a biblical standard. Discuss it how you like. But give the Lord what is due Him with a grateful and cheerful heart. If God con give you what He did the first time, could He not do it again and again?

But maybe the real problem is that people are getting their help from the government and so they pay tithes to the government but not God. Now that would be telling.

 

[atpollard]

How about this.
lets say a single parent (gets no child support) depends
completely on govt assistance - say, SSDI, Food, stamps, welfare
Should that parent be giving a portion to their church - as 100% came from the govt.

My Mother-in-Law was something of an expert on this and offered valuable insight [she currently resides with our Lord patiently waiting for us to join her].

She would tell the story of being abandoned with 4 children and having nowhere near enough money to cover her expenses for the week (one did not have the luxury of planning by the month when one literally has outdoor plumbing in the late 20th century). People would argue with her for "wasting" $5 on tithing when you only had $50 for groceries and any expenses that came up. She would explain to them that $50 was not enough to feed and clothe 4 children, so she needed $45 and God's help a lot more than that extra $5.

She would go on to tell how God blessed her and she received raises and promotions and continued to faithfully give the 10% like she always had. However, she explains that something strange happened. It was a lot easier to give $5 of $50 (because you knew you needed God far more than $5) than it was to give $500 out of $5000. Suddenly, her tithe felt like "real money".

Isn't that the truth of it, though. When we are in NEED, our focus is on God and things are so clear and easy. When we have PLENTY ... well, that old nature never completely disappears 100% does it?

"Did God really say ...?"
Famous last words.
How did that turn out for Adam and Eve?
But, of course, things will be different for us ...