Tithing Question

Good question. This has many sides to it. Some say that New Testament tithing is un-scriptural and some hold to it.

Either way, you seem to hold to tithing, and my opinion would be, as long as you are a member of the church you left, then your tithes should remain there. I would find A good church to jion as soon as possible. Then you can start tithing to your new church.

 

Other options, possibly:

1. Donate to the Salvation Army this time of year. They do an incredible work in taking care of people and sharing the Gospel with them.

2. Put the money you would want to donate into a savings account until the Lord has put something on your heart where you are supposed to use it.

He knows. He has something in mind! It may be He wants it at your old church still. Ask Him.

 

PRAY about it first; i give cause i want to + i believe the bible teaches it. sometimes things happen, but God knows my heart in these matters.

 

[ December 11, 2002, 10:23 AM: Message edited by: Jessie ]

 

Jesus makes a point about Christians who do not help the sick, shelter the homeless etc. On the basis of this I would encourage people to give to compassion, which does these things in the third world. As you do this for the least of these, you do it unto me.

10% Tithing is a Jewish tradition not required for Gentiles. However the example given to the church in Acts 4:32-37 suggests that all in the church that are in need are to be cared for. So offerings should be made to bona fide christian organisations that will use it for Gods purposes.

 

Speaking as a Pastor I say tithe to the church you are attending at the moment, I would also caution you against joining another church quickly unless of course you really feel led to do so. After a hurtful experience you need to be sure of the next move, visit several churches and give to support them as you Worship with them.
Murph

 

I too have had a problem with a church I attended for years. My children grew up in that church. We are visiting another church now, and we tithe at the church we are visiting and other places such as childrens homes and women shelters. Finding people on the street that need it. Whatever you do give; give in the name of Jesus.

I also wanted to say have you concidered writing the church you are a member of, and asking them to drop your membership? Or are you just trying to find a church you can just transfer your membership to?

Sherrie

 

We also went through this. Since I was excom-
municated from the church, my husband was not,
and I was the "keeper of the bag," I wanted to be
as fair as possible to both him and my new place
of worship. I literally sat down and divided our
tithe by how many times he attended and I
attended. The money was divided accordingly.

When he was church hunting, we gave to the
place we visited, unless we found the place to
be utterly unacceptable.

Since then, things have settled down: he has
left that church nad settled in another. now, I
simply divide the tithes in half.

 

Im wondering what were the problems with the church and did you ask the Lord to "scan" you heart over it? It scares me to think that one could lose their earthly home. Thats your home!!!!!!!!!! Don't let the Devil WIN!!!!!!!!!!
To answer the question, I think you should tithe to the church you are attending.
DD

 

What should we do with our tithes until we actually join another Church.

There is a multitude of christian organizations that may benefit from your tithe. World Vision, Habitat for Humanity, or a local food bank, homeless or abuse shelter.

 

[ December 11, 2002, 10:24 AM: Message edited by: Jessie ]

 

JN1633 - Here are the two things I did in your situation.

#1 Put my tithes aside when I first started visiting - the Lord knew my heart and I feel I was just as blessed as if I was placing it in a plate for the time being.

#2 Later found a church we liked but were not going to join right away until we were sure. In the meantime, I tithed here because it was where we were being fed.

We wound up joining this church and shortly thereafter, I gave the total amount I had set aside at first. Worked for me and I felt like my tithes were best used in this manner.

A friend - Jim

 

Most of my tithe money goes to my poor friends who are struggling finacially. My church has quite a bit on money anyway.

 

Forgive me Pete but yours is a very unbiblical stance. Malachi tells us to bring all the tithe into the storehouse and I feel the new testament directs us to be under the authority of a local church. If your church has too much money it is possibly because they have not sought to help those in need. Maybe not but there must be something wrong to lead you to believe that you can better direct the portion of God's money that you have than the church leadership can. I suggest you attempt to steer your church in the proper path of stewardship or seek another church.

Murph

 

Hi, Pastor Murphy has had some great points about steering one's church in the right direction as to giving.

But, I must share a story about tithing in our lives. We were attending a church for a year or so and my husband did not want to join nor tithe there. I felt very guilty and would keep asking him if we could give. We were sending our tithe to another church at the time. Every time I asked him he said, "No."

Anyway, after a year in the church we all found out that the treasurer had been dipping into the tithes and offerings and it was estimated that he had stolen over $40,000 in the course of two years. My husband had "a feeling" that something was wrong even though he never told me any of this, he just told me to not write any checks or give any money there.

HCL

 

Just a interesting point. I keep the Sabbath on Saturday and resutingly am told by others that Saturday keepers are doing so because of Law. People keep Sunday because they feel they are not under Law any more. Yet when the modern churches need money they trot out the book of Malachi and demand a monetary law based gift.

The "storehouse" in Malachi is referenced to 1Chron 26:20 which is a part of the temple which we all know was utterly destroyed. I dont see scripturally how this Jewish storehouse can in any way relate to a christian ecclesia.

 

Ben W, it doesn't.

 

Henceforth quoting Malachi in regard to giving to the church is not right.