Tithe Stewardship & Church Tithing

Just remember that the greatest gift ever given was given freely, cheerfully, and gracefully.

Scientific research says that there’s one thing that you can do with your money that will buy you happiness, and its called giving it away. Here’s an article on msnbc, that talks about money buying happiness.

“New research reveals that when individuals dole out money for gifts for friends or charitable donations, they get a boost in happiness while those who spend on themselves get no such cheery lift.”

Instead of spending money on youself to find happiness, why not try spending it on others. We probably spend money on ourselves to attain some level of satisfaction, but that doesn’t seem to be a sure fire way to gain it. It’s amazing that we are wired this way. According to evolution it seems that charity and giving is counter-productive to the survival of the fittest, or the preservation of a species. You see my dog doesn’t know how to give. It doesn’t know love. Everything it does is selfish. Those of us who have dogs may think it loves us back by licking us and being excited when we walk in the door, but i’m sorry to disappoint you, but that’s not love. Dog’s do not fight with their conscience about their selfish attitudes.

This brings me to another point that i was thinking about while watching, “The Bee Movie” by Dreamworks. I don’t know if anybody saw this movie, but it made me think why do bees make all that honey? Do they need all that honey? I started to wonder if God just gave them that task for our enjoyment. I know it was a cartoon, but i was getting some profound thoughts about God and creation. Aren’t bees such a testimony against evolution? Everything that bees do tell you is that God made them to work so that we could be blessed off of their production. There’s no need for bees to make all that honey, but God created the bees so that we could enjoy all that honey.

I don’t think bees get enjoyment from giving away their honey, cause they seem pretty pissed off at the dudes wearing those netted outfits. But what if we worked and gave just like those bees do? Yeah, yeah, i know its a stretch analogy, but if you think about it, God made those bees for us. So what did God make us for? Didn’t he make us to serve others, just like the bees serve? Are we producing enough honey to give to others in need? We should be giving liberally and generously. We also need to fight laziness.

Does our giving taste sweet to God by giving with a Godly heart? When you put that honey in your mouth, the sweetness just makes your tastebuds tingle, and it just satisfies your cravings all around. So, does your giving satisfy God’s cravings for his children just like honey satisfies your own?

It’s obvious that God has called us to serve.

What do you think about stories of people giving money and then they magically get back exactly the same amount or exactly double the amount they gave? After listening to so many stewardship sermons, i’ve heard so many pastors give a story where they would give $210 in the offering and magically they would get a check in the mail that was almost the exact amount that they gave in the offering. These kind of stories kind of twist my bones a little. Who am i to say that God didn’t do that? What evidence is there to say that God gave them almost to the penny what they gave to him? Hey, maybe if they had a little more faith, God might have given them the exact amount down to the penny, back.

I don’t doubt that God rewards those who sacrifice for him. Maybe i get bent out of shape because i do not have a story where i gave such and such amount and God gave me back twice that amount through an anonymous gift. I guess i get annoyed at these stories because it gives me the idea that God is a slot machine.

Here’s what i mean. Do these miracle stories happen every time you give? No. For the people that do tell these magnificent stories, it only happens to them once in a blue moon. But when it does happen, they love to publicly display this miracle as though God does this all the time. Its like when someone sits down in front of a slot machine. They keep popping in quarters and pulling the lever, time after time. Hey, soon enough, after enough quarters and enough time, you’ll hit the jackpot. Don’t murder me here or get me wrong. I know God provides miraculously for his children, but do you know how many people can give a testimony about them winning the jackpot? probably the same amount of people that can show how they got the same amount of money back in return that they gave. Hmmm . . . maybe God is a slot machine?

There are many people that ask about the definition of the tithe compared other types of gifts. The tithe definition in its broadest sense means a tenth of one’s increase - Deuteronomy 14:22. That is the broadest definition of tithe that is accepted by most of the population. There are even more defined meanings of tithing out there. For instance some would say that the definition of the tithe by nature, goes to your local church, and is taken off of your gross income. This is because the tithe was delivered to the local storehouse in the Old Testament - Malachi 3:10, and in Proverbs 3:9 we are to honor the Lord with the first fruits of our increase.

Scholars and theologians constantly debate about the tithe definition. Mainly because the tithe’s function was prescribed in detail in the old testament, defined for the nation of Israel, and was not done so for the Church in the NT. There seems to be many holes and many opportunities for personal interpretation of how we should prescribe the tithe into the New Testament Church.

The definition of the tithe was very simple and plainly laid out for Israel. They were to gather their harvest and count the tithe out from what they’ve gathered. For instance, if you had 100 apples, you must count them out from one-to-ten, and the tenth one you set aside for the Lord - Leviticus 27:32. As is stated in the previous verse, it did not matter if that tenth one was bruised or under-sized, you still set it aside. Also, you set the tenth one aside, not the first one aside.

There were other rules under the tithe definition. First, the tithe generally went to the Levites, and in turn the levites gave a tenth of their tenth to the priestly line for the work of the temple. Next, there were generally three different “types” of the tithe. first, was the poor tithe - Deuteronomy 26:12. Second, was the feast tithe - Deuteronomy 14:22-23. Third, was the Levitical tithe - Numbers 18:24. Practically, the tithe included the poor and the Levites all the time, but those are generally how the tithe is categorized. The feast tithe was the most unique and was consumed by the whole nation of Israel as a feast celebration.

Most people argue that the total amount of tithes given by Israel equaled over 23%. I don’t follow that logic, just for the simple fact that when the bible says 10% of all your increase, generally it means just 10%. Maybe that’s too simple minded? I don’t know? Also genealogy and numbering records have shown that a 10% gift from the whole nation of Israel was plenty enough to take care of the small tribe of Levi.

Now that we got an abridged version of the tithe definition for Israel, what about the definition for the Church? Truthfully, you are asking the wrong person. I feel the definition of the tithe for the church is far more complicated than the IRS tax code. Like i said above, the definition of tithing for the New Testament Church has many holes and opportunities for personal interpretation. I’m of the persuasion that it doesn’t belong in the Spirit-led Church. I know. . . I know what you’re saying, how can the Church operate without the tithe? Well, first of all, the Church is not the nation of Israel so it has no need to operate under Israel’s strict code of laws. The Church operates under the capacity of the Holy Spirit in tune with the principles of God’s word. Yes, God’s word said don’t eat unclean meat, circumcise your sons, tithe of your increase . . . and so forth, but i said the Holy Spirit is in tune with the PRINCIPLES of God’s word.

Ha, Ha, what is the definition of a principle you ask? Well, let’s make that for another post. I know this was a quick synopsis of the definition of tithing, but without writing a few chapters and without a few hours, this seems the best i could do. If anyone has any thoughts or ideas that i missed that describes the tithe definition, we need to hear them. Please share them below.

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.

I read an article by Monday Morning Insight titled, “Church Tithes Continue to Decrease”. The evidence of this statement is based on the research done in the publication, “The State of Church Giving through 2004″, by Empty Tomb inc.

I know what you’re thinking. Probably something like this, “Why are people giving less and less to the Church?” That is a valid question, and i’m sure there are many answers to that. Can we actually narrow the behavioral habits of the saints down to one cause? I doubt it. But i want to twist that question for you and prove that you’ve been brainwashed. Why did you first come to the conclusion that Congregation is giving less and less to the church? Ahh! That first thought ran through my head as well. But what if you read it this way. Your church continues to give less and less to others outside of its own walls. Hmmm, that’s an interesting way to say it. Yeah, Yeah, i know the church are the people and the people are the Church, but let’s not put the congregation on the stand today. Let’s put the organization itself on the stand.

Our churches are giving less and less to the poor, the needy, and the hungry than ever before. Let’s face it, your church organization is decreasing their tithe more and more by percentage each year. Yeah it might be up this year from the past, but let’s look at the grand scale of decline. A chart will show that your church is spending more on its own wants than it is spending on the needs of others.

I did write a comment on the comment section of the monday morning website, and i said this, “It’s no surprise that the congregation is withholding more and more for our own wants, when our pastoral leaders teach them to do the same by withholding more and more for our church wants.” Let me explain that in relative terms. A church does need programs and buildings to operate. but when we compile these expensive programs and buildings together, most of the time it turns out to be a hefty price. A majority of the church staff’s creative ideas, called “programs”, will be annointed and considered as Spirit led. But when i want to spend money on family vacations, a safe, nice secure home, a nice safe vehicle, good education for my children, all of a sudden it’s like the Spirit’s annointing on these important things are gone.

Why should the congregation give more from themselves when the church organization is keeping it for themselves. This is not what God intended for his Church.

You can read the article from Monday Morning Insight here
You can read the publication from Empty Tomb here

When the Church and its pastors can’t convince people to give, leave it up to pastor Bill. This is the new book by Bill Clinton entitled, “Giving”. It’s subtitle is, “How each of us can change the world”. You know what’s interesting is that the title of this book sounds much like a title many of the self-help mega-church pastors would come up with. Actually, i’m sorry, correction, i just caught myself. I did say “self-help” pastors. This book is about giving to OTHERS. It is not about self. So i think Bill Clinton is one notch above the selfish help pastors.

A creative illustration on video to show the effectiveness of giving. The video was a good inspiration all the way through, until the last scene quoted Malachi 3. I was overall impressed by its quality. This video is orignally posted on GodTube, which surprises me that they’ve actually allowed free access for all to see. I’m sure it took quite some time and money to compose this video.