I just want to know what is your view about this passage. I am not saying that I am more religious than anybody but as much as possible I give my tithe and offering to the church since I knew and learned about it and it since when I was in High School. If my mother give me 10 pesos, I will keep the 1 piso. I had many testimonies how giving change my life and how it works good to me. My sister, will be having an operation this week and my who is in the US earned $200 that Saturday. In tithing, he needs to give 10% of it for the church and it is $20. He was thinking to send it to me in the Philippines, additional for the allowance that he send me and for my sister as well. Yet, he chooses it to give to the church since it his tithe. After church, he went to the junkyard helping a friend looking for a part for her car. It was already late and he is still in the junkyard and everybody gone home. There was a woman who might seemingly lost and she came by to the junkyard for 3 times. First time, she came and asked help from my husband's friend. The second time she came by and it was my husband that she talk with and she left. Then, she came back again and gave $30. The woman is from the Philippines and the husband told her that the $30 will go to the Philippines. So, for us its a testimony because my husband give his $20 dollar as his tithe yet, thinking that it would be helpful for my sister's need. But he chooses to give it to church and he received $30 back. So, how about you? You had any experiences about giving or what is your view about tithing and giving. I would love to hear from you.
I honestly think that offerings and tithing are very helpful to the church and they build character in us as believers. I mean, God doesn't need our money, but the church and the missions do. So every time we give to help out the church, It will come back to us in the form of another blessing.
I believe any type of giving can come back to you, maybe not in the same monetary fashion, but in some means. Tithing is one valid way of doing this and you're relatively sure the money is going to a good cause. When I have donated to organizations that help people in great need, I think it's the same thing even though the church may not be involved. However if you are a member of a church that is helping you and others you know, I feel it does behoove you to contribute what you can.
Yes, giving for the organization or charity is same thing like giving in the church. I believed that giving is boomerang, give and it shall come back to you. In addition, I do believe in giving your tithe and offering for the church because we get feed spiritually by the Preacher's sermon. Like in the restaurant when we eat we need to pay in return. So, it is same with feeding our spiritual life and church does really help us by means of giving us food spiritually.
Well, for me, church offerings must be done voluntarily. I believe that whenever something is given without expectations great things will happen to the giver. She/he will be blessed by God. It is always better to give than to receive because by giving it means you have so much and that you are blessed that's why you are sharing... right?
You presented here something -- tithing -- which is getting less popular these days. Most Christian groups or denominations would rather choose to encourage their members to give what they are willing to give without putting up a figure -- like 10% of the income. Well, to each his own since we have the freedom of religion and association. However, we have to accept the fact that tithing is a teaching which is very much based in the Bible. It is so biblical and that it is in fact a challenge. This is one of the few tenets where God is directly challenging his followers to try tithing and see if blessings would not be raining in. If you claim to be a son/daughter of the Father, then there is no point in making your own religious system away from those which are clearly explained in the Bible. Those who think that Jesus did away with tithing should reinspect the very books where they supposedly based their faith: the Bible.
Yes, you are right. The church need it to support the mission and other church project. That's the less we can do for God except going to the church and worshiping Him.
The act of giving specially to the church is a good thing to do. It is because it could help less fortunate people such as in orphanage that the church might be sponsoring or supporting. Any amount that is wholeheartedly given will surely make a difference. And i do agree that it may not come back as monetary but also in some other form of blessings.
Yes, that's right. I really believed in the power of giving and I agreed that it may come back in another form of blessings. " Gift and it shall come back to you, Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over". Thank you for sharing.
To those who are given a lot, a lot is expected in return. I do believe that whatever we give out there, also comes back to us tenfold. I believe in giving tithing to the church or to whichever religious sector each one of us are connected to. If you haven't tried it yet, you can just make an experiment out of it. 10% of your earnings will definitely be returned to you, and more!
Thanks for the reply sis. You are right you can experiment for it and God is absolutely truthful with His promise and it is tested and proven. I want to share this another version of Malachi 3:10 which is in ESV, windows is being mentioned here and we knew that in our house there are many windows than a door. Sometimes, it made me think why God didn't use " If I will not open the Door" instead He uses windows , I realized that windows are many than door. So, it means that God's blessings will not solely come in one entrance but in many windows, many ways which mean more blessings.
There are 14 reasons why tithing has ended. That is according to Dr Russell Earl Kelly. Watch his 3 minute debate clip for the explanation on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAhPIAjMhEQ
Normally, I refrain from giving donations to the church, although my GF is quite fond of doing so. I think, if I donate money, most part will go in to building new buildings and such. So whenever I give away donations, I directly give them to orphanages and hospitals.
I have always paid my tithing not only for blessing that I will receive from paying it, but for the blessings that I already have. In my opinion, if everyone started paying tithing the economic troubles would go away.
It is always alright for me to give something to the church since I also wanna help in some way that I can. I believe that every organization cannot survive without money so it's pretty understandable for religions to accept donations. I know it could contribute for the betterment of the brotherhood.
I don't necessarily look at tithing and church offerings as an all together Biblical concept as much as I look at it as a way to fund the church and the ministers of that church. I am an ordained minister and have worked independently in the community as well as within a church diocese of sorts. Both ways the funds of the church, upkeep, programs, and my income while actively ministering to the church community became dependent on the tithes and offerings given each week. I think to many people become tied up in the "building funds" and the "mansions to God" that some churches have become and forget that smaller churches depend on that offering to keep ministering in the way they church family needs.
I agree with your post, Estefani. Everything that is on this earth and in the heavens above already belongs to God. Our money does Him no good. He merely thinks and it is so. However, we do need to do what we can to help others. The church offers an organized way to do this. First, to keep a church operating we need to give to the church. After all, churches don't manufacture products to keep themselves afloat. Secondly, the church has connections to organizations or groups that need financial aid, so it is to our benefit to give through them rather than traveling around the world to reach the needy. I do believe that what's in our hearts determines how much our money will bless others--and in turn bless us. Giving tithe isn't an insurance policy. Yes, God promises to bless us. But it doesn't mean it will always be financial. So if we give our 10% and then sit back waiting for buckets of money to flow back in return we might be sorely disappointed.
I think the idea of tithes and offerings are greatly misunderstood, largely because churches don't really give a full picture of the concept. I don't believe that Christians are commanded to give a tenth of what they have to a church. I think the Christian concept of giving to the church is based on whatever your heart compels you to give. That could mean 10%, or it could mean more or less. The tithe was commanded for the Hebrews, not Christians. If you read Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers, you can see that Hebrews had a lot of things they were supposed to give to their Temple. Remember, the Temple was run by the Levites (the priests). Levites were given those offerings as a source of income (Numbers 18), as they couldn't own land or leave an inheritance as the rest of the tribes could. The Hebrew Temple was part of their government; it was a theocracy. You can think of the tithe as something of an income tax. Actually, with all the giving they were required to give, it equals more than a tenth (for instance, landowners had to leave a portion of their grain in the fields so that poor people could gather it and eat). They were also given very specific instructions about how they were to give. It was not simply handing in a tenth of their money. They were supposed to have a portion of grain, animals and things like that for the Temple. In my opinion, to say that we're supposed to give a tenth because the Old Testament says so is inconsistent because there are many Laws in the Old Testament that we are no longer under as Christians. The Temple is not the same as the church. Priests have no been replaced by pastors. Most people giving a tenth are not having their money changed into grain and celebrating the festivals the Old Testament commands. In fact, there's no Temple anymore! It doesn't make sense to just pick apart of the Law, change other parts of it, just to teach people to tithe. If we're going to tithe, we have to also keep all of the Old Testament Laws. We should be killing lambs and calves as a sacrifice for our sins, if we're still tied to the Old Testament. Christians believe that we are no longer under the Law because of the death of Christ. Those things commanded were just a shadow or representation of the things we can see in full. The tithe was only an example of what was to come, just like the Passover was an example of Christ's death. Christians are taught to give and support their churches, but they are not told to give specific amounts. Do you see examples of the New Testament churches being told to tithe? Here's what you see when it comes to giving: "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). 41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12) 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. (Hebrews 13:16) 1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. (2 Cor. 8) What you see in the New Testament are not examples of commandments to give ten percent. The idea is to give from your heart and be generous. Again, that may mean ten percent, but it could mean more. It's not supposed to be under compulsion. It's supposed to be because you feel love for God and the church. There's not set amount to give. The idea isn't to give with the intention of getting more money back. It's to show love and care for one another. I think a lot of churches get rich from teaching people to tithe, and many people give because they want financial rewards from God. Nothing is wrong with giving regularly, but make sure it's not compelled by greed. God promised to take care of our needs. He never promised us all financial wealth. Most of the churches in the New Testament were full of poor people, but they gave, shared and were charitable regardless.
Are new buildings wrong? I don't really understand what you're saying here. A church has many bills and expenses, and probably a lot of outreach programs that help people. For instance, the pastor probably earns an income for himself and his family due to the church's giving. The lights, air, seating, possibly rent and other expenses are paid from church members giving. Food, charity programs, toys for the nursery, paper for programs, and help for members who are having financial difficulties all come from donations.
Hmm... I was saying that 100% of my donations should go towards buying food and such things for poor children and families, not 5-6%. Not happens here in Russia, but I have read about some pastors in nations like Nigeria, who are having net assets well over $250 million, when most of their congregation struggles to make $1 per day.
