Giving to the Local Body

[Steadfast Fred]

Is there truly any Instruction in the Bible as to how much we should give in the offering plate? Or how often we should give?

I know many may run to 1 Corinthians 16 and say, "we should be giving weekly." But does that verse really apply to our giving to the local Church that we attend? From what I see, it was concerning an offering for a Church in another location, not the local Church at Corinth itself.

2 Corinthians 9 may be another place one turns to, yet, like the passage in the first epistle, this is also speaking of a collection for another Church in need.

Nearest I can find is the believers in Acts 4 selling land to help those in need. But that was not because of command, nor is there any indication that this was a continuing event.

Shouldn't our giving be based on when we see the need?

 

[HeirofSalvation]

Is there truly any Instruction in the Bible as to how much we should give in the offering plate? Or how often we should give?

Not in numerical terms. Our instruction is to give sacrificially, as God has prospered us, and as we each "purpose in our hearts". The Spirit will lead us, and invariably our giving should be truly sacrificial. As in......whatever amount we give, we can feel the pang of it.

I know many may run to 1 Corinthians 16 and say, "we should be giving weekly." But does that verse really apply to our giving to the local Church that we attend? From what I see, it was concerning an offering for a Church in another location, not the local Church at Corinth itself.
2 Corinthians 9 may be another place one turns to, yet, like the passage in the first epistle, this is also speaking of a collection for another Church in need.

True story. Also, each man was to "lay up BY HIMSELF in store".....meaning that each person was to have a purposed fund and set portion which he LAID ASIDE.....not gave weekly. Paul was instructing them to save a portion by themselves for a gathering when he later arrived. He was not instructing them to take it to the "church" weekly, but rather to save a portion weekly.

Nearest I can find is the believers in Acts 4 selling land to help those in need. But that was not because of command, nor is there any indication that this was a continuing event.
Shouldn't our giving be based on when we see the need?

The need is always present....we don't have to "see" a need, the "need" is to share the gospel with the lost, and that "need" is always present. In relation to charitable giving to the poor or needy, I agree. One COMPLETE failure of the modern church IMO...is that it ommits the financial responsibility it has to care for the orphans, widows etc....The church should be spending VAST sums upon caring for the needy. The rest of the money should be spent in sending Missionaries etc.... Nothing bothers me more than a church budget which has (by way of example) $4,500 going into the "General Fund" weekly, and shows that the church gave a total of $550 to mission work. about 60% (to pull a number out of thin air) should be going to missions, then about 25% of that to the needy....and then perhaps they can waste the other 15% on their salaries and their temples to themselves etc...

I think the Church's financial priorities are RADICALLY missplaced.

 

[saturneptune]

Is there truly any Instruction in the Bible as to how much we should give in the offering plate? Or how often we should give?

I know many may run to 1 Corinthians 16 and say, "we should be giving weekly." But does that verse really apply to our giving to the local Church that we attend? From what I see, it was concerning an offering for a Church in another location, not the local Church at Corinth itself.

2 Corinthians 9 may be another place one turns to, yet, like the passage in the first epistle, this is also speaking of a collection for another Church in need.

Nearest I can find is the believers in Acts 4 selling land to help those in need. But that was not because of command, nor is there any indication that this was a continuing event.

Shouldn't our giving be based on when we see the need?

Tithing is mentioned only three or four times in the New Testament. Jesus acknowledged that the Pharisees were very careful about tithing (Luke 18:12), and he said that they should not leave it undone (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42). Tithing, like other old covenant rules and rituals, was a law at the time Jesus spoke. Jesus criticized the Pharisees not for tithing, but for treating tithing as more important than mercy, love, justice and faithfulness.

The only other New Testament mention of tithing is in Hebrews. The fact that Abraham was blessed by and paid tithes to Melchizedek illustrates the superiority of Melchizedek and Jesus Christ over the Levitical priesthood (Hebrews 7:1-10). The passage then goes on to note that “when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also” (verse 12).

People who entrust their lives to Jesus Christ do not worry about whether tithing is commanded in the New Testament. People who are being transformed by Christ to be more like Christ are generous. They want to give as much as possible to support the gospel and to support the poor. Christians should give generously — but giving is a result of their relationship with God, not a way to earn it. We are given grace through faith, not through tithing.

I know that as of late there have been many threads about the relevence of the OT. I believe law and grace work in perfect harmony according to God's plan. As I said above, I do not look for an excuse to give less. If one wants to seperate the OT and NT from the 10% requirement, then a transformed life in Jesus Christ is more than 10%. Those looking for exact numbers to get across some kind of line are missing the whole point of giving and being a Christian.

God gave us everything we have in this world. He owns it all, so a small return in a cheerful manner is a priviledge, not a buden, nor is it anyone else's business.

In my own giving, we give weekly. My wife works, I work, and get retirement, so one of the checks in some manner goes to the church weekly. Some at church give monthly. That does not really matter. Now, what I do sometimes, and the ministry is within our local church, is that I give an additional amount to those who run the Wedenesday night youth minisitry for kids from broken homes. The time at our church is all some get of a normal life in a week's time. I hand the money directly to the director of that program.

Usually all the giving goes to the local church. I have given at times to Billy Graham, and D James Kennedy, sometimes the Paralyzed Vets.

 

[HankD]

We are not under the law but led of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.​

Whatever we do it should be of faith.​

Romans 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.​

It should also be motivated by the love of God:​

1 Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.​

The NT directive:​

2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.​

Give what you can without worrying about it, as you mature in the faith so will your giving.

There is no "tithe" directive in the NT but that doesn't mean you can't or should not tithe or give less or more.

The incentive should be your faith, love and God's reward:

2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.​

HankD

 

[Thomas Helwys]

Tithing is mentioned only three or four times in the New Testament. Jesus acknowledged that the Pharisees were very careful about tithing (Luke 18:12), and he said that they should not leave it undone (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42). Tithing, like other old covenant rules and rituals, was a law at the time Jesus spoke. Jesus criticized the Pharisees not for tithing, but for treating tithing as more important than mercy, love, justice and faithfulness.

The only other New Testament mention of tithing is in Hebrews. The fact that Abraham was blessed by and paid tithes to Melchizedek illustrates the superiority of Melchizedek and Jesus Christ over the Levitical priesthood (Hebrews 7:1-10). The passage then goes on to note that “when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also” (verse 12).

People who entrust their lives to Jesus Christ do not worry about whether tithing is commanded in the New Testament. People who are being transformed by Christ to be more like Christ are generous. They want to give as much as possible to support the gospel and to support the poor. Christians should give generously — but giving is a result of their relationship with God, not a way to earn it. We are given grace through faith, not through tithing.

I know that as of late there have been many threads about the relevence of the OT. I believe law and grace work in perfect harmony according to God's plan. As I said above, I do not look for an excuse to give less. If one wants to seperate the OT and NT from the 10% requirement, then a transformed life in Jesus Christ is more than 10%. Those looking for exact numbers to get across some kind of line are missing the whole point of giving and being a Christian.

God gave us everything we have in this world. He owns it all, so a small return in a cheerful manner is a priviledge, not a buden, nor is it anyone else's business.

In my own giving, we give weekly. My wife works, I work, and get retirement, so one of the checks in some manner goes to the church weekly. Some at church give monthly. That does not really matter. Now, what I do sometimes, and the ministry is within our local church, is that I give an additional amount to those who run the Wedenesday night youth minisitry for kids from broken homes. The time at our church is all some get of a normal life in a week's time. I hand the money directly to the director of that program.

Usually all the giving goes to the local church. I have given at times to Billy Graham, and D James Kennedy, sometimes the Paralyzed Vets.

This is excellent!

 

[Steadfast Fred]

My OP was not about tithing, it was about giving.

Tithing of money is a doctrine introduced to the religious system by the Catholic Church centuries after the apostles died.

 

[canadyjd]

.....Shouldn't our giving be based on when we see the need?

Do you not "see the need" to give on a regular basis?

 

[Steadfast Fred]

Not when the Church has thousands upon thousands sitting in its bank account.

 

[canadyjd]

Not when the Church has thousands upon thousands sitting in its bank account.

Shouldn't church leaders have a reasonable expectation of the amount of regular funds coming into the church in order to prepare budgets for various programs or ministries.

How can they plan their budgets if the fellowship only gives when the bank account is empty?

And if you don't believe your church "needs" your money, why not develop your own ministry as you see the need. Look around you. I'm certain you could discover, develop and fund a ministry that will help people in need.

 

[Steadfast Fred]

If the Church that has offerings of anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 per month has tens of thousands of dollars sitting in a bank account, which obviously is growing each month, something is wrong. I do not believe in financing a Church or ministry whose bank account is ever increasing.

I do agree that there are always needs and if we have the ability to meet those needs without taking from our own household needs we should meet them.

 

[canadyjd]

If the Church that has offerings of anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 per month has tens of thousands of dollars sitting in a bank account, which obviously is growing each month, something is wrong.

Really? What is wrong? Why not volunteer to work in the church (if you aren't already) and think of ways to use that money to advance the cause of Christ in the world.

I do not believe in financing a Church or ministry whose bank account is ever increasing.

I tend to believe most people would view an ever increasing bank account as a good opportunity to develop ministries in their church, not to cut off funding.

I do agree that there are always needs and if we have the ability to meet those needs without taking from our own household needs we should meet them.

I understand many households have tight budgets. I encourage people (who ask me) to give on a regular basis, even if it's a small amount.

I am reminded of a story I heard (can't remember where and don't know if it's true) of a woman who lost her husband and was left nearly destitute with two children. Around Thanksgiving, her Pastor announced to the church they would be taking an offering at Christmas to give to a needy family.

The woman, seeing an opportunity to teach her children about giving even when you are in need, began looking for ways to make money. The kids did odd jobs, raking leaves and picking up bottles to sell. The woman baked cakes and did knitting work for extra money. On the appointed day, the woman and her children gave $92.50 to the special offering plate that was passed around.

After taking up the offering, to her surprise, the Pastor called the woman and her children to the front of the church and informed her that she was to be given the funds from the special offering as a gift from the church to express their love and support for her and her children.

The Pastor announced that the church had generously donated $97.50 to their cause.

 

[Salty]

The Pastor announced that the church had generously donated $97.50 to their cause.

epilogue - the children told mom- if we gave more, we would have gotten more!

 

[canadyjd]

epilogue - the children told mom- if we gave more, we would have gotten more!

:applause::laugh:

It must have been a Pentecostal church.

 

[Steadfast Fred]

Either it was a dishonest and selfish congregation, or it was a dishonest and greedy pastor. Only five dollars above what the woman put in the plate? Highly doubtful.

More than likely, the church kept a goodly amount of that offering even though it was supposed to go to the woman.

 

[canadyjd]

Either it was a dishonest and selfish congregation, or it was a dishonest and greedy pastor. Only five dollars above what the woman put in the plate? Highly doubtful.

More than likely, the hunch kept a goodly amount of that offering even though it was supposed to go to the woman.

Perhaps the point of the story is that some Christians miss a lot of opportunities to support ministries that are right in front of them.

 

[Steadfast Fred]

Perhaps it was that because the congregation was not aware who gave what amount, so the pastor dipped his hand into the till.

 

[canadyjd]

Perhaps it was that because the congregation was not aware who gave what amount, so the pastor dipped his hand into the till.

Why do you assume the Pastor is stealing from the congregation?

 

[Steadfast Fred]

Just hard to believe that an entire congregation, minus one, would only give five dollars for a family in need. So the story is either fake, or the pastor is crafty.

 

[canadyjd]

Just hard to believe that an entire congregation, minus one, would only give five dollars for a family in need. So the story is either fake, or the pastor is crafty.

The story is a story...., real or not, that is attempting to teach life lessons to Christians.

The OP is about giving to the church, which you apparently have serious misgivings about. I was only trying to encourage you to give in some way to support the cause of Christ in the world. If you don't want to give to your church, then develop your own ministry.

God Bless and good luck

 

[Steadfast Fred]

That lesson being, One should be aware that not all preachers are honest.