Tithe Stewardship & Church Tithing

Remember that old song that used to be sung, “Give me that old time religion”? I’m kind of curious as to why that person wrote that song. Did that person like old way of things or was ministry much simpler than it had been before. There’s one thing for certain is that its much more complicated now.

I keep myself involved in forums, blogs, groups and debates about the tithing subject. So I come across many questions about tithing here and there. I came across this challenge. Someone asked me to support my reasons for freewill, spirit-led giving. They said that much of the support that they’ve heard came from verses that talked about giving offerings to foreign lands for missions, and that this had nothing to do with support for local ministry. They believed tithing should be in place to support the local ministry. They disagreed with my stance that spirit-led giving to lead the way for church support not tithing.

I’ve been realizing more and more that i have to use the old testament in order to proclaim what is right for the new testament. I have much to learn, but i’m starting to wonder if you can’t support a new testament thought without old testament proof, then you ought to question your thoughts. For instance if i can’t prove from the OT that the tithe is not relevant to the church then i ought to reconsider my thoughts.

There are three areas in the old testament that i use to support freewill, spirit-led offerings for the new testament. One of them digs into the conditional tithing covenant of Jacob, the other deals with the freewill gifts given on the OT day of Pentecost. Finally the one i am going to get into below is the passage in Exodus 35:20-35. I used this passage below to answer how freewill, spirit-led offerings can support local ministry. The passage below is about 15 verses, but you only need to read a couple to see what i’m referrring to:

Exodus 35:20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD. Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them. Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the LORD, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.

Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them master craftsmen and designers.

To me, this is a beautiful picture of how God intends his Church to function. Israel was not commanded to tithe until they settled in the promised land, so this passage is prior to the tithe requirement. How many times is willing in there? How many times is freewill mentioned? How many times does it mention that God has filled his people with gifts and skills and abilities? This passage proves that God is capable of equipping his people to finance and support the local ministry of God without incorporating the structure of the law to do it. We act as if the church’s hands will be tied behind our back if we don’t require tithing. Can it get any more plain than this? Can we stop whining about how people need to tithe, when actually we just have people that are not willing to listen to the Spirit of God.

I don’t know about you, but I want this old time religion. The question is are you and i willing? So what about you? Do you think this passage portrays a good example for us to follow today?

Many people misunderstand my anti-tithe position many times. I would like to clarify my position a little more. I believe sacrificial, spirit-led giving is still commanded to continue to support God’s work. After all, the Spirit is the one that ordains each ministry, so why can’t others listen to the Spirit’s calling to support those ministries? For those that beckon to the Spirit’s call to serve in ministry, there are the same amount that beckon to the Spirit’s call to give financially to that ministry. I don’t know the exact amount that the Spirit of God tells each person to give, but don’t be quick to criticize the unknown. This is why it is called walking by faith when you are controlled by the Spirit.

There is no difference between the Spirit calling pastor Bob into the unknown to start a church, and then calling us into the same unknown to support it. The spiritual calling of pastor Bob is no more of a vague command then the spiritual calling is for us to give.As each day goes along, the Spirit is constantly revealing our next steps. Each step of faith we take, the Spirit begins to illuminate the next one. If we decide to go off path, well, that is our decision. That’s why It is called freewill giving. Whether you obey the Old Testament law of tithing or you obey in the giving commands of the Spirit, we each have a freewill to obey or disobey. Pastor Bob cannot neglect his ministry without disobeying the Spirit, just as much as i can’t neglect my financial support without disobeying the Spirit. I do not like to use the term “freewill giving” to describe how i give, because whether or not you believe in the tithing mandate, you have a freewill to obey or disobey. As our pastors are called by the Spirit to lead the ministry in each direction, we are also called in the same way to financially support it.

Spirit-led giving provides an invaluable system for checks and balances. Have you ever heard the phrase, “if God ordains it, He’ll sustain it”? What it means is If the Spirit of God provides the gifts to ordain a ministry then doesn’t He have the capability to provide the gifts to sustain it? Let’s think back to the nation of Israel, and how their system of checks and balances worked. The Mosaic law guided the Levites and priests during the operation of religious faculties, so in turn God also included within the law a means to support the ministry. The Levites operated under the law, and the people gave a tenth under the law. Both Israel and the Levites were under the restrictions of the same guide.

What we’ve done today is guide our Church by the Spirit but support it by the law. We now have created 2 guides that contradict one another. The Spirit of God no longer has the sole authority to confirm Godly ministry through financial support. Why should the law have the right to come in and demand that others give to a ministry that the law never ordained? If a pastor knew that financial support came from the Spirit of God instead of a required law, he would think twice before initiating a building project. What is the incentive for a pastor to seek the counsel of the Spirit if the finances are dependant on the tithing law? All he has to do is make sure the numbers work out in the accounting books.

God’s system of checks and balances is still the same today. Of course the Church is no longer led by the Mosaic law, instead the Church is guided by the Spirit with our serving and in turn we are guided by the Spirit with our giving. For we walk by faith and not by sight.

Deception: The New Testament always requires more than the Old Testament, so we should at least give 10%.
Reason why:God never required less from Israel than He requires from us.

Deception: How can we support the Church without tithing?
Reason why:The Church’s pocket books afraid of freewill. They love the security blanket that a minimum requirement in giving does for their bank accounts. The Church says it wants to be led by the Spirit, but the Church doesn’t trust God enough to be sustained by the Spirit.

Deception: Careful application of God’s word will always be subject to the criticism of legalism
Reason why:Sounds like a Pharisaical excuse after Jesus rebuked them. This is extremely assumptive that they have the right application of God’s word. Havn’t you heard that careful application of God’s word will always be subject to the criticism of conformism.

Deception: We are under grace so we should be more than willing to give at least 10%
Reason why: We are under grace so that we don’t have to be under the law.

Deception: Jesus came to fulfill the law not to destroy it
Reason why: Who gets to pick and choose which laws are fulfilled and which ones are destroyed?

Here is a 3 part series on tithing that was posted on YouTube of a series by the radio show “Let’s Talk About Jesus”. Wayne Monbleau is host and he shares a good message about tithing. The radio show’s website is. http://www.letstalkaboutjesus.com/. I tried searching for a direct link to his radio broadcast from his website, but i can only find these three youtube audio sound bytes. All three videos total time is about 24 minutes.

Part 1

Part2

Part 3

I like to promote others who have a unique, public voice about the false teaching of tithing, so if anyone is aware of others who do teach against tithing (besides authors-they are easy to find), please feel free to promote them in the comments box. Also it might give me a heads up to write a post about their ministry.

Here is a list of all the bible verses from the Old and New Testament that are about tithing.

• Genesis 14:20 – Melchizedek comes out to meet Abraham, as Abraham gives him a tithe of the spoils of his victory.
• Genesis 28:20-22 – After the vision of God’s renewed covenant, Jacob initiates a covenant with God vowing to give him a tithe of what he receives from the promised land.
• Leviticus 27:30-32 – The specifications of the tithe is introduced into the law of Moses.
• Numbers 18:21 – The tithe is dedicated the Levites for the work in the tabernacle.
• Deuteronomy 12:5-11 – God gives instructions for what to do with the tithe once Israel crosses the Jordan.
• Deuteronomy 14:22-29 – God gives instructions on how to disperse and exchange the tithe.
• Deuteronomy 26:12-15 – God gives instructions on how Israel should sanctify the tithe before they can ask for a blessing.
• 2 Chronicles 31:5-12 – The children of Israel do what’s right under the reign of Hezekiah, and bring the tithes to the designated places.
• Nehemiah 10:37-38 – Israel obeys God and brings the tithes to the storehouse.
• Nehemiah 12:44 – Officers were appointed to watch over the tithes in the storehouse.
• Nehemiah 13:5-12 – Nehemiah cleanses the storehouse and kicks Tobiah out of the room that was designated to store the tithe. He then restores order.
• Amos 4:4 – God commands Israel to bring back the tithe and reiterates the curse that is upon them if they don’t.
• Malachi 3:8-10 – God reprimands Israel for not delivering the tithe, and reiterates the blessings and curse that would be in result of whatever decision they chose.
• Matthew 23:23 – Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for not obeying the weightier matters of the law along with tithing.
• Luke 11:42 – A parallel passage of Matthew 23:23 as Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for not obeying the weightier matters of the law along with tithing.
• Luke 18:12 – A Pharisee brags about his obedience to the law and tithing.
• Hebrews 7:5-9 – Abraham’s tithe is used to illustrate a change concerning the priesthood.

I just went through and wrote on a bunch of other blogs, so i figured i’d write a blog on some of the good tidbits that i had come up with when i wrote comments.

-there’s something that just bugs me from aiming for 10%. I mean really? it’s like this. God wants me to be totally surrendered to him like a complete sacrifice. What if i said, Well, i’ll give you 10% of me God. I understand what you are trying to say, and i know you agree that ultimately it’s 100% that belongs to God. But what i wanna know is why 10%? Is it 10% because that’s what Abraham and Israel did? Or is it 10% because that’s what the Holy Spirit is asking us to give?

-If God gave us his Spirit and its gifts to run the church, feed the church, teach the church, grow the church, then Spirit-led giving is good enough to support the church.

-Why should the spirit led church be supported by anything other than Spirit led giving? isn’t that why God gave us the spiritual gifts for? or was it just pseudo power that just gave us more boldness but actually did nothing for us?

I just watched this video sermon on tithing from Life Church. It was titled “Tithing the Tithe”. One of the statements that the preacher made on the video was, “Why do so many people give and not see results, not see return, not see the covenant promises of God? It’s either the wrong motive or the wrong method. It’s not because the word of God is not true.”

If you are the one tithing, and not seeing the blessings, how many times have you heard a pastor say that you do not have the blessings because your heart must not be right? it’s so frustrating to hear that, as someone who is trying as best as he can to give with a good heart. I know. I’ve been there. What if i told you that you are not receiving a blessing from giving, because you are under the curse? Let me read this verse for you in Galatians 3:

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

Tithing is part of the Old law, right? So, if you are trying to obey tithing, by giving 10% of your increase, then i would suggest that you either obey the whole law, or do not follow the law of tithing. Woah, before i go any further, i did not say “do not give sacrificially”. I said, do not follow the law of tithing.

Obeying the law of tithing puts a curse on your life. Could that be the reason why you are not receiving the blessing? I’m not into the whole prosperity gospel thing at all, but i do believe God does bless his people for obedience. Some of that blessing can external in financial rewards, and some of that blessing can be internal peace and satisfaction. I like to say that people reap what they sow. If you reap generosity you’ll sow generosity. It doesn’t always mean that if you reap $100 bucks, you’ll sow $200.

It’s up to you to decide in your heart the truth about tithing. God did not intend for his church to be under the giving requirements of the law. He gave us his Spirit to tutor us and help us down the road of sacrificial giving. Don’t be fooled by those that say “tithing is under the grace age so now we should give it by grace instead of the compulsion of the law”. Run far away as you can from that line of thinking. As you can see, the early church is still not the only ones that have struggled with mingling the old law with the new. We are still trying to do it today and they are putting others and themselves under the curse.

An ironic list of how these cults, denominations, and religions compare to one another.