Can you put a price on faith? That is the question churchgoers are asking as the tradition of tithing — giving 10% of your income to the church — is increasingly challenged. Opponents of tithing say it is a misreading of the Bible, a practice created by man, not God. They say they should be free to donate whatever amount they choose, and they are arguing with pastors, writing letters and quitting congregations in protest. In response, some pastors have changed their teaching and rejected what has been a favored form of fund raising for decades.
Say it again after me, it isn’t fund raising it is stewardship. The fact that this category confusion is in the first paragraph illustrates how widespead the confusion is on this matter. Read it all.
Isn’t this another “authority of Scripture” issue? If the bible is true, and what is said about tithing is also true, then our requirment is to tithe. My belief is that the tithe is a minimum or a starting point. “Giving” or charity actually happens after the tithe is paid. When the bible is no longer the authority, and we can pick and choose what we like, then a doctrine like the tithe is one in a line which can be revised and forgotten.
In the end, this is a very direct test for the Lord to determine where our hearts are. If we are completely converted to Jesus, (including our wallets) then bringing the tithe to the church is no problem. (By the church I refer to the local congregation, not parachurch or basket of do-gooders). People who don’t tithe are also the ones who will not be there in the parish when the going gets rough. People who don’t tithe also demontrate a low commitment to the gospel.
Pastors and teachers who whine about people not giving have only their own sermons to blame. How can the people know what they haven’t been taught? And why are you pastors spending all of your time and effort on the people who refuse to give, and short changing the people who tithe?
Count me an aspiring tither, which from a position of congregational leadership is not ideal. My sense is that the best testimonials to tithing are not pulpit exhortations but testimony by ordinary people to the personal benefits of biblical giving.
From the article, it appears that it is in the megachurches where the backlash has been most extremel, so there may be other factors at work than just tithing.
1. RickW wrote: Isn’t this another “authority of Scripture†issue?
Rick, though your sentiments are most correct, I still like AB Gomez’ question: What IS the “nature of realityâ€?
What is the reality of the relationship between created Man and his creator? We seem to be entering a time when the “church” is as confused with the question as the ancient Aztecs.
We just finished a sermon series on the wise use of financial resources. The issue in our culture today is not, IMHO, tithing, but the accumulation of debt while living beyond one’s means. Saving ten percent and donating ten percent and living on the rest is not only biblical, but also smart. Now, if a congregation is only concerned about itself, spending those tithes on internal ministries and programs, oblivious to the Great Commission, than I’d probably balk too. I have a sense there’s more to the rejection of tithing than we’re hearing.
Brian
I tithe. In fact it is a requirement of life profession, but I was tithing before that. Tithing helps put things in perspective. Does God come frist or does property? Do you own property or does it own you? Don’t want to tithe to the Church, fine. Tithe to your favorite charity or cause. I guarantee you can put precious little in a 2 1/2 foot by 6 foot box.
Question: If tithing is a biblical requirement for Christians, they why was it not adopted by the Christian Church before the 7th century?
This is a very human center artilce!
I learned to tithe bouncing from parish home to parish home, thus used more national ministries to learn the discipline. I think the ‘storehouse’ approach is recommended but not commanded, so if there is mistrust of a parishes leadership to properly be stewards of your money, than the Lord has many worthy servants also dependent on the generosity of his people. Remember this is not between you and a vestry but with the Lord, so to keep the command you can give to a host of his servants. Though I think the primary giving should be to your local parish, so if you can not trust them with your giving, it is a sign you might want to pray about moving to a parish you have more confidence.
Which tithe? A trip into Deuteronomy 26 illustrates how difficult the question really is. Apparently, the third year is the year of tithing (26:12). Or, how about Deuteronomy 14:22ff, where, apparently, one is actually supposed to consume, i.e., eat or drink their tithe? And of course, clearly some of the tithe supported the tabernacle/temple apparatus, but some of it was used to care for widows, orphans, etc… So, “clearly” the OT enjoins us to tithe. This isn’t just another “authority of Scripture” issue. Is there a single NT text that commands us to tithe, and with tells us what a tithe actually is?
Having said that, we know that Christians is conservative churches give at proportionally higher levels than those in liberal churches. And, as the article shows, unless the average Episcopalian is grossing under 20K, it isn’t because we’re not teaching tithing. There is an authority issue, connected to the top-fuel drag race away from the uniqueness of Christ, our need for atonement, and from the divinely ordered pattern for sex.
As Kendall wrote, this is a stewardship issue, not a fund raising issue. One could write a Biblical Theology text organized around stewardship–from the garden to the New Jerusalem. Stewardship isn’t about 10 or 20% of our money, is it? Stewardship is a total response in faith, hope, and love to the Lord who created us, and who became poor for us in Christ. The talents given us aren’t just money, they encompass body, mind, and spirit.
Let me make an example from stewardship of the body. We know that good health requires at least 3 thirty minute periods of exercise a week. But does 90 minutes of exercise a week make you a healthy person? Of course not. Physical health isn’t about 90 minutes; its about 24/7. If one gets serious about stewardship of the body, caring for this amazing temple, one will take nutrition, exercise, posture, alcohol consumption, etc… seriously. And guess what…when we work with the created order, we tend to be blessed.
As I read this Journal story, I’m left with the impression that people were taught a law, and they were taught to accept it on authority. So after getting beat up and manipulated for years, lay people actually read the Bible, and discover that they have been manipulated, and they are they end up feeling less than generous.
What does a total life lived in gratitude to the God who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully redeemed us look like? Tithing is a good rule of thumb, not unlike exercising 3 days a week. If our goal as shepherds is to just get people’s money, we can keep preaching rules. If our goal is to lead them to good pasture, to places where they grow and thrive, folks need to move out of minimal requirements and get into a living, loving, grateful lifestyle that they are responsible for.
God doesn’t need our money…any more than he needs bulls or festivals (“If I were hungry, I wouldn’t tell you”, says the Lord). Cain tithed, but it wasn’t in faith. Let’s not reduce stewardship to fund raising or tithing–let’s lift it up to a higher level, faith, gratitude, cheerfulness, total transformation.
Well Br_re Rabbit, if you look at Acts it is a relaxation. Actually in the OT there two tithes with a third tithe every three years. In the OT Israel/Juda was a theocracy and this served as a form of tax. The third year tithe, if I remember correctly, was used for the poor and homeless as sort of an enforced charity.
Here is a list of Scripture if you want to look them up and do some exigesus:
i)Tithe
(1)Tithe—Lev. 27:30ff; Num. 18:21, 24, 26; Deut. 12:17; 14:22ff, 28; 26:12, 14; 2 Chr. 31:5f; Neh. 10:38; 13:12; Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:42
(2)Tithes—Num. 18:28; Deut. 12:6, 11; 2 Chr. 31:12; Neh. 10:37f; 12:44; 13:5; Amos 4:4; Mal. 3:8, 10; Luke 18:12; Heb. 7:5f, 8f
(3)Tithing—Deut. 26:12
(4)Note: There appear to be three tithes:
(a)The general tithe paid to the Levites (Num. 18:21)
(b)The tithe in Deut. 14:22-27
(c)The tithe paid to the poor every three years (Deut. 14:28-29)
Fr. Walker says some good things. I would draw your attention to Matt. 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”
Here He commends the tithing of the Pharassees, but He is saying that they need to do more in the form of justice, mercy and faithfulness. The tithe is a start not the end.
We owe all to God. For me the tithe seems a good place to start to give back.
If the practice of most were anything like tithing it would make a lot more sense to talk about a backlash.
Tithing isn’t stewardship. It’s structured extortion. There it is, plain and simple. LM
And Br. Mishael, we don’t owe all to God. When Christ told us to render to Caesar those thing s which are his, he patently recognized that in this world, t here is a division between the this-worldly aand the other one. Tje secular, civil world is man’s world; it is a thing we made for practical purposes, and Christ Himself admits it. LM
Larry, we often agree, but not on this. I owe everything to my creator including my life. If you don’t want to give then don’t. No one will make you. And Jesus was comenting on a secular tax.
As we approach Advent and Christmas the cross looms in the background. God gave us a great gift and did not spare His Son. And we quibble over a miserable 10%. As Dicken’s said, “A few pounds of your mortal money.” Yet if it is so important then by all means hang on to every scrap of it.
But like I said a pine box doesn’t hold all that much.
Tithing plus a gift is, in my opinion, the primary defense against greed, envy and fear of failure. It is a finger in the eye of our anxieties and desire to control our future. The illusion of control is a fantasy anyway, and produces all sorts of sorrows.
I realize that some are in such straights that they feel they cannot give a tithe. Sometimes that is their own fault, sometimes not. The principle of the widow’s mite is significant, though. It’s a matter of faith that God will provide.
Frankly, I’d be afraid not to tithe. That’s not saying that I’m a great guy, just that I need all the blessing I can get from God. I need His help to make up for the stupid things I do, and 10% is far less than I might waste doing anything else.
But mainly, giving to the Lord’s work is one of the chief blessings and joys in life. You don’t have to worry about it. Unlike most other pleasures in life, more is always better. Not from obligation, mind you, but as a joyful response. For that matter, all obedience to God’s laws is a matter of joyful response.
We only hurt ourselves when we try to figure out the minimum requirements for obedience.
Malachi 3:8-9
8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
2 Corinthians 9:5-7
6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
“Say it again after me, it isn’t fund raising it is stewardship. The fact that this category confusion is in the first paragraph illustrates how widespead the confusion is on this matter.” says Kendall.
It is a great disservice to people not to teach them about Tithing. Biblical monetary principles, if ignored from Christian teaching is neglect by clergy. When I meet someone and they tell me about their money problems, the first question I ask is, “Do you tithe?” So often I have seen it happen. Once a person starts to Tithe, God’s blessings start flowing into their lives in a whole new way. The bondage of money is broken. It doesn’t mean they get rich, but the blessing of God overcomes the financial strains. Not to teach that to people and to regulary discuss it, harms (by inaction) people in a parish.
Offering a tithe of what I have (which actually all belongs to the Lord anyway) is an honor, not a duty. It keeps my perspective clear about what I have and whose I am. This also works into a faith issue – do I trust God enough to give him the first portion before I know if I can pay all of my bills or not? My faith says that if I am faithful, God will be faithful to me.
I think the Michael/Morse arguement exists because, though we rcognise that things spiritual belong to God and His glory, we fail to remember that all things temporal also belong to God and for His glory. The tithe is just a symbol of that. Just because we tithe does not mean that we can use the remainder of our resources irregardless of God’s will. Thus, the “render unto Ceasar” separates the obedience and responsibilities to temporal and eternal and the tithe unites all under God as I believe that Br. Michael states.
“Thy Kingdom come” in my heart, life, and all that is within my responsibilities.
1. That’s stinking heresy.
2. I tithe (though not all of it goes to my local church), but if a church engaged in some of the tactics mentioned in the article, that would set off alarm bells with me, more on control freak leadership than on the specific issue of tithing. Control freaks are a plague on many churches.
I just don’t see the Scriptural evidence, especially in the New Testament, for making the 10% tithe a dogmatic requirement. It can certainly be viewed as a good guideline or place to start, but nothing more.
My family has struggled the past year or so to do this because of changes in our family and job situation. We even moved back to our hometown where I had a job opportunity and stepped back in house to shave about 25% off our mortgage payment each month, found numerous other ways to save or do without various things, but still struggled to keep doing it after several months. We’d get to the end of the month after watching every penny and end up having to put things on plastic or use some of our meager savings.
We want to get back to tithing but are working to give 5% for now and hope to get that higher after my review in the Spring. Ultimately, we want to give far more than 10% but given the lack of biblical support, I’m done beating myself up over this and feeling guilty.
When the government has taken over much of the social support that used to be handled by the religious community (care of orphans, poor, etc) then a proportion of the taxes we pay is actually going to support that and a percentage of those taxes could properly be calculated as part of the tithe. I consider every charitable donation as a part of the tithe, and do not give that much to the church, especially since I have grave doubts about how the money is used by the church.
Actually, I feel the tithe is a floor (the minimum) not a ceiling. It is all God’s, we get to keep 90% of it, but should be returning more of that when we can.
I also see tithing as a spiritual discipline, not a “requirement.” Yes, I tithe (and give more when I can), and I cannot say it has ever financially “hurt” my family, although it does force us to be more prudent in our budgeting and spending and we don’t have some of the other luxuries that some other families have (which I actually also think is good). I honestly believe the Lord has given us much more back in our lives, both spiritually and materially, than the mere 10 percent we give Him.
I personally don’t believe the tithe need go entirely to your local church, although right now mine is because they need the money, are good stewards and support a lot of ministries.
But we direct most of our extra giving (in addition to the tithe) into other ministries, for us now primarily the Salvation Army. We do this partly because we refuse to support United Way; they put a lot of pressure in the workplace to give to that organization, with the unstated threat that you will suffer in your career if you don’t give, but there’s not much they can say when you say you give your money to Salvation Army instead, because they know it’s a good organization and it actually has a much better track record than United Way. Frankly, United Way, at least in our area, is a scam. High administrative costs, funding done on the basis of political correctness, not need, and I know from serving on board of certain charities that it can take up to a year for your directed giving through United Way to get to your designated charities–United Way keeps the interest “float,” and that never hits the books.
Ann, I went through those arguments and concluded that I had to give off the gross (pre-tax) income. Anthing other than that was rationaliztion. I pretty much agree with Jim, even as to his analysis of the United Way.
And, as Newbe points out, it’s not a quid pro quo with God. God will do as He has promised, but not because you bribe Him with tithes. Sorensen is absolutely wrong if he is suggesting that your tithe or any gift to God obligates Him to do something for you.
I find this subject intriguing. I am not a tither. An aspiring tither is a great description. We have a few non-denom in my town of 200k that have newcomers fill out a card that calculates what they ‘owe’ based on 10%.
Here’s my experience: For a few years we gave based on my monthly income. We never really considered my bonus (I am in sales) into the “giving” amount. We also did not give anything from it. When my wife and I realized this, we decided 10% of all bonuses would go to the church on top of our normal giving. After a few checks, my wife realized we were giving from the net, not the gross. We both felt giving from the gross was the correct method. When we calculated the amount we felt we owed (several bonuses plus a new one) it was $1,016. The church had a financial need for a mission trip to Uganda. I asked our rector how much they needed. He said, “We already have some money, to fully fund this individual, we need $1016.” I had not told him how much we were writing a check for. The second inspiration was that my wife’s birthday is October 16th (yes, 10/16). God has a great sense of timing and irony! The other side of the story. Since that decision, my bonuses have grown every quarter! I attribute that success to our commitment to God to share whatever blessing comes our way. It has sure taught us a lesson about the gifts received when you give. That’s an important part of tihting and stewardship in my book.
I used to believe and practice tithing until I learned the greater principles of “stewardship.” All we have (time, treasure, and talent) belongs to God; not simply 10% of our income which should supposedly go to the local church. Ten percent is WAY TOO MUCH for the poor, and WAY TOO LITTLE for the rich. In the OT, the poor actually RECEIVED a portion of the tithe and never paid it. The poor, instead, gave freewill offerings, ONLY. There is a HUGE difference in the mentality between stewarship and tithing. “Tithing” is totally legalisitic, and stewardship is all encompassing. If people demand to teach and believe tithing, they should be consistent and teach sabbath keeping (the OT way) and circumcision… things most Christians agree we are not bound to under the NT. Why be like the Galatians and put ourselves under unnecesarry ritualistic rules again?
Sigh, Bernie, the OT is a Christian book. Jesus even commended the tithe. See my post at 10. And finally the poor can also tithe out of what they have. Does the Widow’s mite not ring a bell. Titheing can be made to be legalistic but you can do that with “stewardship” too. For example, “If I give more time and talent to the Church or to a charity of to my family can I lower my financial contribution to the Church.” On that basis you could argue that the clergy should not make any financial contribution to their church.
Just because we are not under parts of the OT law does not mean that we are released from all the law nor does it mean that the other parts of the law don’t have something to say to us. Not all of the law applies to everyone today nor did it do so back then. Are you a Levite for example? Yet it’s all God’s word and speaks to God’s holyness and how God’s people are to be holy to Him.
The question is how do we respond to God. You don’t get extra brownie points by tithing. You don’t lose your salvation by not tithing. If you want to give God nothing then do it. If money is so important to you then keep it. If you want to argue with God on judgment day over the tithe then feel free to do so.
The fact remains that there is scriptural support for the tithe as a standard of giving back to God. It is a base. And for me it serves the vital purpose of reminding me that everything I have comes from God and that I need to seperate myself from the love of posessions. Time and talent goes on top of this. Tithing for me is the first part of stewardship.
And finally this does not mean that you should pay to huxters who use the tithe as a means to browbeat people to paying them large quanties of money. Jim Baker comes to mind. You can find others. Run away from anyone who implies that salvation is for sale or that if you do this then God will do that. The tithe is always a response to what God has already done for us. We are already a saved people. So how then do we respond?
If liberal Episcopal theology were consistant, this is how they should respond to tithing:
1. Understanding of Scripture evolves as we learn and know more.
2. In the old days, people could only get help through their temple/church. Tbe Pharoah’s idea of welfare was the upkeep you get from being a slave.
3. Society has evolved, we now have taxes that pay for welfare programs, United Way and workplace fundraising, and tax deductions for charitable giving.
4. Accordingly, we are doing a new thing by recognizing that if you give 10% to welfare programs, charitable giving, and the church, you are tithing sufficiently in biblical terms.
Of course, that is not what they do in the real world. While this is a parody, I’m not trying to be sarcastic. I think it is reasonable to insist that church leaders, down to the recter level, be reasonably consistant about their theology.
sfaficiionado- you’re pretty close to the mark.
I teach that stewardship is the opportunity to examine your own patterns of needs, wants and blessings. I don’t divorce personal stewardship to the deliberate sharing required by the tithe. If people give their time, skills and resources we are being better stewards. Captain Jack rightly notes that stewardship is a tax on envy.
Moses gave us tithing as part of the law in the OT. The Apostle Paul told us
we were to die to the flesh (and thus the law) and to instead live by the
spirit. In this way, the OT rules and regulations no longer apply to Christians
today. Those who want to live by the law are called “foolish Galatians” by the
Apostle Paul. Following are quotes from Moses establishing the Law, and the
Apostle Paul who illustrates freedom from the law. The problem with many
Christians is they don’t know what it means to live by the spirit, so they
revert to the law, as foolish Galatians.
#27 Actually, TEC has an official policy on tithing. According to them, you fulfill your duty by giving .007 of your income to the United Nations Millenium Development Goals. I understand this is now the Church’s first priority, as the final completion and fulfillment of the Gospel.
Actually, you fulfill your tithe more properly by writing nasty letters to the government complaining why it isn’t giving .007 of all its money (the taxpayers’ money) to the United Nations Millenium Development Goals. Then you have fulfilled your spiritual obligations.
29, well Bernie that’s as good a way as any to dispose of Scripture you don’t like. I just point out that the OT was the Bible that Jesus used, but if you think it wasted words that’s fine. NT is a slimer read after all. Oh, and the Gnostics didn’t like it eather.
The principal reason for tithing is — if people do it — we can stop talking about money.
If you want to practice the rites of the OT, and be justified by the OT sacrificial system, then you are not a Christian.
Jesus told us how to manage money in “The Parable of the Talents” (Matt. 25:14-30). “Christian Tithing” is not a Biblical teaching. It is an invention of certain preachers (certainly not all or not most) who want to get maximum funding for their churches. I’ve had three different textbooks/authors for Systematic Theology, and none of them have even mentioned “Christian Tithing.” For more info, get the free book download here:
http://prayershack.freeservers.com/download_russkellybook.html
33, Ah, Bernie we lock horns as I thought we would. You clearly throw the OT into the dust bin. I happen to think that it speaks to us today because it is God’s word. Jesus even said it was. If you disagree, that’s fine.
I do agree that salvation is through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and not though tithing or the law (feel better?) But you are distorting scripture. You are picking out one part of Paul and using it to discredit another part of scripture.
As an Anglican I look to Article
XX. Of the Authority of the Church.
The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in Controversies of Faith: and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God’s Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and a keeper of Holy Writ, yet, as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation.
You are expounding one part of Scripture to eliminate another.
Paul is talking about salvation. You don’t need the law to be saved. We are talking about sanctification. If you don’t think you need the word of God as revealed in the OT then fine. I have nothing further to say to you.
Br. Michael,
According to this Anglican expert, Anglican’s generally are expected to give 5%:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Anglicans-943/Tithing.htm
Excerpt:
“Many biblically-minded ministers would now preach tithing, but the general “expected” level of giving is five per cent of disposable income (i.e. after tax and housing costs).”
Just asking… I see an online Anglican catechism here:
http://anglicansonline.org/basics/catechism.html
There is no mention of tithing that I can see. Can you give an online reference to Anglican Cathecism teaching on tithing? If not, I would suggest that you are “going beyond what is written.” I’m not an Anglican, but I’m wondering if you are right in supposing that the Anglican church demands 10% from its members. I doubt it… officially. The reason why I doubt it is because I’m certain there is no Biblical warrant for “Christian Tithing” and I’m sure the hierarchy of your church would know that as well. If I’m wrong, please show me the online official reference to tithing for the Anglican church. I’m open to learn.
I pray that we can all come to one mind, to the understanding that the Priesthood of Men has decieved the body of Christ for generations, hawking the word of God (MKJV 2 Cor 2:18 For we are not as the many, hawking the Word of God… We should not stop our questioning at tithing. Paul says he rather die than accept money for Preaching.
http://thebigpictureministry.htohananet.com/blog/_archives/2007/9/22/3246910.html
There is also the forgotten believer gathering Command
http://thebigpictureministry.htohananet.com/blog/_archives/2007/11/23/3372355.html
I wish I had found this article sooner. Some of you make generalizations that the fault must be in the “mega-churches”. I attend one of the churches mentioned in the article and we are no where near a mega church, in fact the church is in a town of 700. The gentleman mentioned in the article came into our church knowing tithing was what we taught and tried to change the teaching of our church. Why? He has done that in several other churches too. It is for exactly what I see in the pages of this blog—the division of the church. Satan wins any time he can divide the church–on any topic. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we may not agree on the words we say, but we must understand that it is the heart for Christ that is important here. This Wall Street Journal writer becomes as tool for evil if she can can cause such anger and division within the body of Christ!!