Do you tithe regulary at your church?

[TheGoofster]

POLL:
A couple of weeks ago we taught about what the Bible says about giving tithes and offerings. For most of our people it was the first time they heard about it. My wife and I have always tithed and given offerings, and it is amazing to see just how much the Lord blesses us because of it. There are times when it would be easy to say that we can't afford to tithe this month (or this week, depending on when you receive your pay), yet we do anyway, and every time we are amazed at how all of our needs get provided for.

How about you? Do you tithe on a regular basis to your church?

 

[laurie31]

We tithe, because we believe it is God's command, and to express our gratitude for what He has given us. But yes, you cannot outgive God. He will always bless you with more.

We teach our DDs to tithe as well. They give 10% of their allowance each week to the church.

DH and I were raised that way as well, so tithing is a way of life for us. It's not something we really think about, it's just something we do

 

[CEDmom]

We make a financial pledge to our church every year but it's no where near 10% of our income. I honestly can't imagine doing that and still being able to save for DD's college, our retirement, keep up our savings etc. The NE is very expensive to live.

In lieu of giving a very large pledge we give a moderate one and then give our time to many of the church's programs.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

We make a financial pledge to our church every year but it's no where near 10% of our income. I honestly can't imagine doing that and still being able to save for DD's college, our retirement, keep up our savings etc. The NE is very expensive to live.

In lieu of giving a very large pledge we give a moderate one and then give our time to many of the church's programs.

I have to agree with this post. We do give money, 10% no. We have really decided to give directly to the charities we feel personal about.
When my Grandparents were alive and very involved in the church with so much of their time they still gave 13% of all their money to the church. I wonder if I felt that they were more appreciated that I would now feel differently.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I do not believe that to tithe one needs to give it to a Church. It is God's gift and I used it for God's type works. The Church needs a certain amount to pay for the operation, I have not problem with paying for this stuff, but for the Church to expect or demand 10% it is not going to happen.

 

[jimmiej]

My wife & I have been Christians for 30+ years. I'm ashamed to admit we did not tithe (or even give regularly) for many years. When we moved to our current church, we determined to begin tithing. Malachi 3:10 has come true in our life! God is faithful & has blessed us more than we could have imagined.

 

[suzimar57]

we tithe as well to our church, but not the required 10% - we try to make up a bit by giving more at easter and christmas - when my son was in catholic school (K-6) we had to give a required amount weekly, or his tuition would have been increased - no choice then....

 

[Cool-Beans]

I give them a little money every week, but they do not get 9% of the household income.

And I don't believe that people who are struggling to pay the rent or keep the electricity on should be giving away money to the church.

I get ticked off when they do the homily about the poor woman who gave Jesus her last couple pennies and how we should all do that (give our money to the church) and God will provide for us.

If God will provide, let him provide for the church. Let the church be the ones who go out on a limb and give away all their money and rely on God to see them through.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I give them a little money every week, but they do not get 9% of the household income.

And I don't believe that people who are struggling to pay the rent or keep the electricity on should be giving away money to the church.

I get ticked off when they do the homily about the poor woman who gave Jesus her last couple pennies and how we should all do that (give our money to the church) and God will provide for us.

If God will provide, let him provide for the church. Let the church be the ones who go out on a limb and give away all their money and rely on God to see them through.

Just an observation but if church makes you angry perhaps you shouldn't attend church. Anger is not the point of going to any church or temple.

 

[EltonJohn]

Never have tithed in any church I have been a member of.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

The church gets 10% of our pre-tax income. That is our very first financial commitment.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I don't tithe 10%, but I do have an amount that I set aside each week. We have envelopes at our church for a regular offering, a utility offering and a general maintenance offering. Every week a check goes into the regular and I alternate weeks btw maintenance and utility.

 

[clarabelle]

We give regularly -it comes out of the checking automatically it is a nice chunk- but it is not 10%. It is probably about 5%.
But we give a lot of time and (I might get flamed for this one) I sort of in my head count the huge amount of taxes we pay. In Jesus' time there was no welfare system. I certainly feel I am supporting the poor and the community.
I don't however expect to be "blessed" either way. I don't think of God as doing better for those who give and I get uncomfortable with the cable religious programs who show people that made a pledge and then something wonderful happened to them.

 

[poptoone]

We tithe 10%+ whether I think I can "afford it our not". God has blessed me with so much that if I can't give 10% back then I'm not a very good steward of that which I have been given.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I do not believe that to tithe one needs to give it to a Church. It is God's gift and I used it for God's type works. The Church needs a certain amount to pay for the operation, I have not problem with paying for this stuff, but for the Church to expect or demand 10% it is not going to happen.

The word "tithe" does not appear in the New Testament a single time. Tithing was part of the Old Law, not the New Law Christ came to set up. However, several places in the New Testament tell us we are to give to the church. For example...

2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

And not just money, but we are instructed to give of our possessions (and I believe this stands for time and effort, too)...

Acts 4:32-35
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

So, I don't think it's anybody's business how much a person gives to the church, and it is unbiblical for a church to expect or require any certain amount. It's between you and God.

 

[rt2dz]

Without reading beyond the OP, we tithe. The bible says test me on this. So, we do. And we have been blessed greatly for it. The Bible tells us that if we can put God first in our finances then he truly knows we do, in fact, put him first in our lives. It is the hardest to hand over our money, especially when we do not think we are getting anything from it.

Our church talks about it once a year, but it certainly isn't a demand. And our church is far from money hungry--visitors are asked not to give. And our pastor says if he can't feel to give a full 10% now (during our yearly tithing sermon) then not to worry about it, when you (we) feel right about it, it will happen.

To each their own. I don't think less of anyone for not tithing, it's something I wouldn't have done if DH didn't push me towards it, but I find my faith grows stronger and stronger and I believe more and more in what the Bible has to say with each passing year.

 

[mking624]

The word "tithe" does not appear in the New Testament a single time. Tithing was part of the Old Law, not the New Law Christ came to set up. However, several places in the New Testament tell us we are to give to the church. For example...

2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

And not just money, but we are instructed to give of our possessions (and I believe this stands for time and effort, too)...

Acts 4:32-35
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

So, I don't think it's anybody's business how much a person gives to the church, and it is unbiblical for a church to expect or require any certain amount. It's between you and God.

I think another very clear example was in Acts 5:1-10 with Ananias & Sapphira who sold a piece of their land and gave the apostles some of it, saying that it was the full amount, but they secretly kept part of the money for themselves. Peter told them they had lied to God and that they tested the Spirit of the Lord...and both fell and died.

Now it's not meant to be a passage to instill fear into people but really to show that giving with deception or even grudgingly truly is not giving at all. While the word "tithe" does not appear in the New Testament (being that it's a Hebrew word which translates to "a tenth", and the NT was written in Greek, not Hebrew), the NT is clear on giving. Why do churches preach on this? Because unfortunately there are too many people blowing it off and many churches struggle financially as a result (and I'm not talking about megachuches as those are in the minority...I'm talking about your every day local church). But then they expect the church to take care of the poor. Well, churches are nonprofit. They depend on tithing and donations to be able to care for others. A little hard to do that if no one is willing to help financially. I'm a member of the financial committee at my church, and believe me, every penny matters.

 

[Tinks_gang]

For DH and I, we tithe becuase it's not our money....it's the Lord's!

 

[momof2inPA]

We can't afford to give 10% of our paycheck before taxes, and our Church doesn't expect it, anyway. Sometimes, our priest says 5% would be nice.

 

[kydisneyfans]

We came from a "plant a seed and watch it grow" foundation.
We started at just $5.00 a week, then moved out of state. We now give 30 times that, but nowhere near 10%. As our income grows, our giving to the church grows proportionally.