Are you as dismayed as I am regarding the number of people who tithe (give 10% of their income)? I read recently the results of a survey by The Barna Group regarding our giving practices. They truly sadden and concern me. They sadden me for the sake of the church. They concern me for the sake of individuals. I am concerned for those who consistently live in bondage to spending patterns that demonstrate a lack of fiscal discipline and trust in God. It seems to me that we do have a competing god (Matthew 6:24). I wonder what would happen if individuals and couples would enter into more biblically consistent financial management principles. So here are some of the basics from The Barna Group (2007 giving):About 5% of adults tithe
Among the most generous Barna states that:
o 24% of evangelicals tithe
o 12% of conservatives
o 12% of those who have prayed, read the Bible and attended a church service in the last week
o 11% of Charismatics or Pentecostals
o 10% Registered Republicans
Among the least generous (less than 1% of the people in each of these groups tithed)
o Atheists and Agnostics (duh – my personal comment – not Barna’s)
o Singles adults who have never married
o Liberals
o And downscale adults
Barna also says that 9% of all those who claim to be Born Again Christians gave at least 10% of their income and Protestants were 4 times more likely to tithe as Catholics (8% versus 2%, respectively).
So here is my issue. I don’t understand why this is so. Why are Christians so stingy? Why are we not more generous? It seems to me that people who are recipients of God’s grace and forgiveness would be incredibly generous givers. Being a generous giver is a basic biblical principle. The Bible throughout the Old Testament teaches a basic foundation of giving of 10% and then much more giving added to that “first step.” My assumption is that those who are no longer bound by the law would want to respond with greater generosity than what was required (I guess I am wrong). Many authors and communicators of good financial practices (Dave Ramsey, Crown Ministries, and others) teach the basic foundational principle of giving 10 % of your income. It makes good fiscal sense to be a giver.
So I wonder why it is that most who claim to be Christians do not tithe their income to the local church or to anywhere for that matter. I wonder how many of us would find our financial situations greatly improved if we were trusting of God with our finances. I remember hearing Pastor Bill Hybels one time state that he found it amazing that people say they are trusting God for their eternity but that they were unwilling to trust God with their finances. There is a wonderful passage in Malachi 3:8-11. This is the only place in the Bible where God invites his people to test him. It is to test him regarding his part in pouring out blessings on those who are tithers. I know that this does not necessarily mean money, but I wonder how many of us would have improved financial management if we were faithful in our giving. I am inviting comments and discussion about this topic – I will respond as well.
Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul
Posts
Tithing was not introduced into the US until the 1870s and is a late addition to Protestant theology except for state churchches.
ReplyDeleteTithing was never given to the Church or Gentile believers in God's Word. The NT teaches that giving is sacrificial, generous, joyful, premeditated and out of love for God and man.
There is no such thing as a set percentage for Christians. Many should be giving more than 10% but others are giving sacrificially when they give less.Think out of the box.
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
Author of Should the Church Teach Tithing? www.tithing-russkelly.com
Russell -- first, thank you for commenting. I certainly agree that the New Testament teaches percentage giving. Although I see the practice of tithing implied as a common practice in the day (Matthew 23:23). However, I am a bit surprised that you think giving less than (10%) would be "out of the box" thinking. To me out of the box thinking would be certainly "more than" giving -- trusting God beyond what seems rational and realistic. Either way, it seems clear to me that the average follower of Christ today, gives way less than what they could realistically classify as generous or a giving that demonstrates a trust in God for their life (this probably includes me too).
ReplyDeletePFK
My personal experience with tithing has been one that has changed over the years as my relationship with Christ has changed. Nobody ever told me to tithe specifically, it was just something that Emily and I started doing a short-time after we got married, but has become more generous as our relationship with the Lord has deepened.
ReplyDeleteI never tithed in college because I didn’t think I had the money and because it was something that was NEVER talked about to me. After we got married, we never tithed until we became part of a “home” church. Not because we didn’t want to tithe, but because of a variety of factors . . . didn’t think we had the money, our faith wasn’t very deep, didn’t feel connected to a specific church, etc.
Over the years our commitment and view of giving money to God’s kingdom has changed in many ways. I couldn’t agree more with your blog Pastor Paul. Emily and I use the 10% as a guide, but we have grown into the understanding that 100% of the money is God’s. 100% of our lives is to be used for God, now of course we spend much of that % on ourselves (my selfish nature), but God wants all of it. Just as God wants all of our money. The problem is that we need some of it to live on . . . obvious things. The rest of it . . . after we have our needs met, should be used for how God may lead us.
Well if we are following the Lord and His plan for our lives and are living with a kingdom focus, then whatever percent is leftover, should go to the Lord in some way or another. Again, we use the 10% as a guideline, but like both Paul and Russ said, some can give more . . .maybe 15% soon or for some even 50% or 80%.
I think of the widow in Luke 21:1-4; As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
The key there is that she gave out of her poverty ALL she had to live on. To me, that is, if not 100%, pretty close to it.
. . . and Russ, for every 1 Christian that gives less than 10% SACRIFICALLY, I’ll give you 99 that don’t. The stats in Paul’s blog do not lie. I’ve been there. In college, we had more money and gave less (thinking we were on a tight budget). Now after post-grad school and over $20,000 of school debt, we have less money, 1 income, and give way more.
Maybe the New Testament doesn’t teach about tithing because what else needs to be said? God has said it once, give 10%, give with a generous heart, give for kingdom reasons, not for self-gain or approval, and give because that is why we are blessed in the first place. What else needs to be said?
Does anybody else have any thoughts? I could go on, but would like to hear input. Am I off base?
Paul, I’ll take the Tithing Test. Help me facilitate it?
Quinn asked me "offline" if I was serious about the tithe test. Yes! We will help you set up a tithe test (for people who attend HOPE Church) whereby you can tithe for 3 months and we will hold your funds loosely. By loosely I mean that we won’t spend it until after the test period. If at any time during the 3 month period you don’t believe that God is holding down his part of his promises just ask and we will return your money. We do this so that people can try out giving 10% of their income.
ReplyDeleteWe can even help you learn some basic budgeting principles and guidelines so that you can learn (if you are willing) to live within your means. Several have benefited greatly from these classes. Blessings!
Pastor Paul
There is a lot of info that is given in the blog that is good. I think of you look back at the early church you need to look at Acts 4:32 – 5:11, to realize the early church gave as people had need. Some gave all and all resources were pooled and the sick and needy were taken care of by the church. This got to be a huge issue for the apostles. It forced them to created another team to just look after the peoples needs later in Acts.
ReplyDelete1. There are a couple of things I found of interest in reading this. People sold possessions and presented them to the feet of the apostles to be distributed as needed. They did not come with notes in the memo stating where it should go or how the money was to be used. They gave with no strings attached.
2. People still owned property as some decided to sell and give as it was needed. In the case of Ananias and Sapphira it appeared the giving was done in public not in private that we hold today. In facts appears that Ananias and Sapphira’s sin was not that they held back money it was that they pretended to give it all. In Acts 5:4 Peter tells Ananias that the money was Ananias’ to begin with and was his to do with as he pleased.
3. It was the early church that took care of the needy and those that could not work. In the 30’s at the height of the depression when everyone was suffering FDR and Congress changed that for America with the NEW DEAL. This program took over much of the responsibility for the needy and put it on the backs of the Government. Thus much of the money that once went to the church now goes to the Government.
4. Finally, is it biblical to Tithe. I’m not going to get into that, but here is what I do know. There is still need in our area. People need Christ as their savior and we need to reach out to them, Even with all of our Government programs there is still great need for people who are not helped or who slip through the cracks or are over looked. There is a need to give to the Church. Give with a joyful heart out of gratitude and love for God. Don’t give out of anger or from being pushed. Allow the Church council to use the money as it is needed to advance the kingdom. Don’t just give money but give your time. For some that is a far greater gift.
As for how make directions on how money is spent, we are a congregational church, so become members, serve on council, come to congregational meetings, talk to those on the council, read the council minutes posted on the bulletin board, make your voice heard.
Just my long two cents.
Mark Haaland
Barndweller -- care for another cup of coffee? Two cents worth? At least 4 cents.
ReplyDelete"Care for a another cup of coffee?"
ReplyDeleteI would much rather have a good cup of home roasted coffee with my friend at my house.
Mark
After Aaron and I got married we started tithing...I was estatic! It meant I was actually getting paid, unlike the last year...
ReplyDeleteWe still debate over percentages...yes, we give at least 10% - but does it all need to be to our home church? Or is it "okay" if some of that percentage goes to other ministries like Campus Crusade/ InterVarsity or other missionaries?
We still debate.:)
Lyz
So how would others of you anwer Lys's question about where to send your tithes and offerings?
ReplyDeletePFK
Malachi 3:9 says to bring your whole tithe in to the store house. For us we consider Hope (our church) to be our store house. We have tried (not always succeeded) to give to Hope first. Our offerings are often split then with para-church organizations.
ReplyDeleteI think you have to determine where your storehouse is. Where are you getting fed. That should be your primary giving.
Thats my thoughts
Mark
This is something that never crossed my mind when we first started giving. But as I continue to allow the Holy Spirit to lead me, I'm beginning to think that not only am I not being sacrificial by not trusting God, but that I should "Just Do It". We are not there yet, but we're getting closer. I really don't have a clear understanding, other than just trust God and listen to what He wants each of us to do. That is what we are trying right now.
ReplyDeletePaul
ReplyDeleteI wrote my PHD thesis on tithing and am fully aware of the arguments you propose.
The NT does not teach tithing in any way, shape or form. Although money was common in Genesis and essential for worship, tithes were always only food from farmers and herdsmen inside Israel. I can produce 16 texts which verify this and there are none which oppose it.
The OT percentage was only for farmers and herdsmen. Craftsmen such as carpenters, fishermen and tentmakers did not tithe and neither did the poor. Second Corinthians 8:12-14 describes the "equality" principle where many give more than 10% and others give less while both are obeying God. I do not want to make anybody feel cursed or inadequate because of an inability to give 10%. That is sin.
Do you see the context of Matthew 23:23 as a discussion of "matters of the law" before Calvary? This text does not qualify as a post-Calvary instruction to the Church. In fact, Jesus could not have instructed his Gentiles disciples to tithe.
I do not dispute with you that the average Christian gives too little when he/she could give more than 10%. I do disagree that even using the word "tithe" is wrong, unbiblical for the church and out of context. We have an obligation as pastors to define our words according to the biblical definition. Schools like Dallas, Moody, Wheaton, Talbot and Masters flourish without teaching tithing. Unless repeated to the church in terms of grace and faith, tithing has zero glory per 2 Cor 3:10.
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD