Does anyone honest to goodness tithe?

[Judy from Boise]

Yup 10% of gross income. Not currently attending church, so it is divided up between many good organizations.

 

[hpygrll]

I was just patting myself on the back for a scholarship we're setting up for our catholic church's school -- we get to go to the graduation and see the person get it and everything -- cool! (not exactly giving just for giving's sake though - because I'll enjoy watching it!)

We try to be generous, but we by no means give 10% of our income to the church! I don't know if I'm even supposed to as a Catholic.

Could you really trust your church to use the money wisely?

I trust them - sure wish I could - but with 2 kids in daycare and a non-church going DH (although very supportive) we definitely don't give 10% - more like $5.00 a week - but I do volunteer!!!!

Jenny

 

[mickeyfan2]

If you include all of our charitable contributions then we are close and possible over.

 

[EdiePA]

well, sort of. I take 10% of my GROSS income and use that for church pledge and for Christian charities. It's something I started after my Ex left and I've been doing it ever since.

Edie

 

[kydisneyfans]

We are working our way to 10%, we've gone from the $5.00 every once in a while to about 5% of our income, and moving up after the first of the year.

 

[winkers]

Yep, 10%! I'm not concerned about how the church spends it since we don't have paid clergy and such. So I know it's not going into someones pocket or paying for their vacation.

 

[travelbug]

Yes, I've tithed for years. 10% to my church, and another 2-3% to other charities that I like to support.

 

[cybrkitn]

DH and I automatically have 10% of our income moved over to our "Church" (aka our secondary checking) account when we get paid (we set up an automatic transfer with our bank). However, we do not give a full 10% to our church alone. Ours is divided between a few ministries.

The "tithe" portion goes to our church (our DS's Sunday school offering is included in that). The rest (or the offering portion) is divided between three other ministries that God led us to partner with.

We have been very consistent with our church and two of the ministries that we have partnered with. However the third ministry is our nephew's church and for some reason, that one seems to be the hardest to keep up with.

But God has blessed us tremendously because we are following His commands (and not only in tithing). Our first family trip to Disney back in October was a very big blessing that God had given us and the blessings just keep on coming no matter the size. And we thank Him each and every time.

 

[jimmiej]

we don't give 10% either, but our church just signed up w/ "parish pays" you sign up on-line and they take it right from your checking account, then they mail you receipts for when they pass the basket you don't have to look like a fool (even though no one in Church would EVER judge you)

We use our bank's Bill Pay. I have my bank send our tithe check one day after I'm paid. I never see it. However, DW is our church financial secretary, so she tells me when ours comes in. When the offering plate comes around to me on Sunday morning, I just send it on down the line. I don't care what anyone thinks. My giving is between me & God.

 

[donaldsgal]

I also tithe 10% and it goes directly to my church. I believe 10% is the minimum God asks of us (based on Scripture), so if I give to other ministries or even special offerings within my church, it's above the 10%. Our church has business meetings every month with a VERY detailed financial report of everything we've done, from pastor's salary to putting an ad in the paper for our service meeting times to buying a new microwave for our kitchen. We vote on all purchases before they are made, so yes I trust my church completely as the leadership is full of godly, Christ-serving people.

By the way, I also found it was hard to tithe 10%, so that's why I tithe first. After I enter in my pay, the next line of my check ledger is my tithe check. I believe it honors God to give Him my firstfruits and not wait to tithe off of what I have leftover. I offer this just as a suggestion on what has worked for me, and it has become an act of joyful giving to be able to write that tithe check before I do anything else. On paper, it always looks like I won't have enough to pay my bills, but I always do. I attribute that to being faithful in tithing.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Yes, based on gross pay. Course I am a minister so people's contributions pay my electric bill. Tends to give you a different perspective on it...

I am also knee deep in the financial records on a daily basis and trust how our church runs their financial decisions.

(I also do the direct withdrawl, mostly because I make it to worship 1-2 times a month at most and miss the offering! No one else should care whether or not you pass the plate on by. We have lots of members that give a lump sum each year so they pass the plate all year long! It's all between you and God only. Easier said than done, I know!)

 

[DisnyMama]

When I was newly separated from my ex-husband, DS was 5 yrs. old. We got back into attending mass every Sunday or Saturday eve. I was raised Catholic, went to Catholic school grades 1-6 and DS was baptized Catholic. Our church didn't have a Kindergarten so I sent him to a private one with a day care due to my job since I was now a single mom. When it was time to contact the church to see about putting DS in catholic school I was told about the registration forms and the testing process. Then I was told the final cut is made by the main priest who looks also looks at how much the family contributes during the year. You see we get envelopes with our names on them that you put your donation in and bring to church. I was very put off by this and put DS in public school which went very well. He did go to CCD and made his first Communion when he was 8.

 

[TLHB70]

I also tithe 10% and it goes directly to my church. I believe 10% is the minimum God asks of us (based on Scripture), so if I give to other ministries or even special offerings within my church, it's above the 10%. Our church has business meetings every month with a VERY detailed financial report of everything we've done, from pastor's salary to putting an ad in the paper for our service meeting times to buying a new microwave for our kitchen. We vote on all purchases before they are made, so yes I trust my church completely as the leadership is full of godly, Christ-serving people.

By the way, I also found it was hard to tithe 10%, so that's why I tithe first. After I enter in my pay, the next line of my check ledger is my tithe check. I believe it honors God to give Him my firstfruits and not wait to tithe off of what I have leftover. I offer this just as a suggestion on what has worked for me, and it has become an act of joyful giving to be able to write that tithe check before I do anything else. On paper, it always looks like I won't have enough to pay my bills, but I always do. I attribute that to being faithful in tithing.

I feel the same way as the above post by donaldsgal.

Yes, we do give 10% as tithe and some over that as offering to various missions, charities, etc. God has been faithful to us too. I have heard the saying and found it to be true in our lives....."You can't outgive God."

 

[auntpolly]

Well I really have to admire those of you who do it.

I really think that if I add up all our donations to all of our charities, it would be 10% -- do you think that counts though? Is it really 10% into your church's collection plate that makes it a tithe? And is that what the Bible meant?

 

[Scutapipig]

My personal opinion is that when push comes to shove and we're standing before the Lord, He's not going to criticize you if you gave 8% one year and 12% another year.

I think the whole purpose in the scripture is to give back to the Lord what He has provided to you. It's not necessarily about the amount of money, it's about the WILLINGNESS to acknowledge what He provides. The widow who gave her last few coins showed a WILLINGNESS to tithe. I think its all about the attitude in which you give...the desire to place the Lord above all things, including your own personal comforts at times, knowing that in the end, you will be blessed far greater than when you first started. It's faith in knowing you will be taken care of, and it's unconditional surrender to the Lord knowing He will provide your every need.

(Does that make sense for early in the morning while trying to get the kids off to school?)

 

[auntpolly]

(Does that make sense for early in the morning while trying to get the kids off to school?)

Yes thanks!

As I get older and we've got more it makes me think of what Jesus said about how hard it would be for a rich man to get into heaven, because as you get more, sometimes you do get more "protective" (shall we say ) of our money. (And we all want a fiscally conservative president!!! )

 

[mickeyfan2]

Well I really have to admire those of you who do it.

I really think that if I add up all our donations to all of our charities, it would be 10% -- do you think that counts though? Is it really 10% into your church's collection plate that makes it a tithe? And is that what the Bible meant?

I feel it does count and our Priest said it does too. The Bible does not say give to your church but give to God. When you are helping the least of your brothers you are doing unto God too.

 

[cybrkitn]

My personal opinion is that when push comes to shove and we're standing before the Lord, He's not going to criticize you if you gave 8% one year and 12% another year.

I think the whole purpose in the scripture is to give back to the Lord what He has provided to you. It's not necessarily about the amount of money, it's about the WILLINGNESS to acknowledge what He provides. The widow who gave her last few coins showed a WILLINGNESS to tithe. I think its all about the attitude in which you give...the desire to place the Lord above all things, including your own personal comforts at times, knowing that in the end, you will be blessed far greater than when you first started. It's faith in knowing you will be taken care of, and it's unconditional surrender to the Lord knowing He will provide your every need.

(Does that make sense for early in the morning while trying to get the kids off to school?)

As long as we are right with God and doing His will. Able gave God his first fruits where Cain did not and look what happened to Cain. When we give the Lord our first fruits and doing the will of God, then we are blessed.

And believe me I have been struggling with the control issue. At first DH wanted to tithe but I said we couldn't afford it at the time. God worked on me and then I began to see and understand why we were to tithe. We started out with a small amount each week to our church, then gradually increased it to where we are now. We are also partnered with three other ministries.

But there is one key that I'm still struggling with, and that is Faith. I still feel the need to be in control of the finances. It's very hard to relinquish that control and give it over to God. My mind is still thinking in "man's" way rather than God's way. At church this past Sunday the Gospel reading was in Matthew and titled "Do Not Worry". I know that message was made for DH and I. God was telling us not to worry about the bills being late and not having enough money to pay them right now. He will provide all we need as long as we focus in on Him and not the things going on in this world. But we know that by the end of 2007, by the Glory of God, we will be debt free and we stand on that! By man it is impossible; but with God, all is possible.

 

[Golf4food]

The following "sermon" is from a Biblical perspective only (which should cover all Jews - tithing began with Abram back in Genesis! - and Bible-believing Christian denominations including Catholicism, etc). If you do not share the same faith, then do not jump up and yell at me - just take this as an opportunity to learn about something different from you. If you do share the Christian faith, then do not get upset with me because nothing I am about to say is based on anything other than scripture, so if you have a problem with it then you have a problem with God, not with me. Don't shoot the messenger, as the saying goes... (I can come across sounding a bit harsh at times, I know, but that is not my intent here. I'm merely laying it out on the line in very plain black & white. )

As commanded by God, we tithe 10% of our gross pay every paycheck (Btw, "Tithe" means 10%, it isn't just a word). Beyond that, we contribute a small amount extra to our church building fund to help pay for the new building we recently constructed. Why? Because God said to and because He is faithful in proving - when we tithe, God will provide all of our needs - not all of our wants, but everything we truly need.

And that is where so many people run into problems. I see many of you saying "I wish we could tithe, but we can't afford it..." That's not true. You likely can't afford it only because you are being a poor steward of the money God has given you. There are extreme circumstances, of course, and God would never punish us in those extreme circumstances as long as our hearts are still in the right place, but most people could easily tithe if they wanted to. DW just recently graduated from college and currently still only has a part-time job, and my job pays less than most starting school teachers make in the U.S. these days, even though it is a good job. And yet somehow we are still able to tithe and live comfortably in a modest appartment with modest cars, etc. So many people I see comlaining about money are the same ones who live in large houses in expensive neighborhoods, who drive multiple cars that have payments in the $500-$1000 per month range, who eat out at nice restaurants regularly if not most nights, who spend a lot of money on entertainment and home electronics, etc. The fact that they "can't afford to tithe" has nothing at all to do with how much money they make and everything to do with the fact that their own selfish desires for "stuff" and hedonistic pleasure outweigh their willingness to give anything back to God. "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." So most people are so greedy and selfish that they aren't even willing to give back such a small part of what God allows them to have, they get more and more wrapped up in living beyond their means, and in general nothing good ever comes out of it. I can say this because it is only reasonable to assume that if you "can't afford to tithe" that you likewise can't afford to donate to charities or help those in need. So what good is your wealth doing anyone beside yourself? Is that not the definition of selfishness?

The only way anyone will ever "afford" to tithe is to make it a priority. You can afford to pay for your house and your car and your electric bill. Why? You make them priorities. It is the same with tithing. I know automatically that our tithe is X amount of dollars each paycheck, and that amount is accounted for immediately. You cannot be a faithful tither by spending all of your money on other things and hoping you have enough left over in the end. Let's face it - we all would just spend the entire amount and have nothing left! No, you take it out up front and adjust your living accordingly. Maybe you eat at home more often, go to movies less often, trade in your BMW for a Toyota, stop lusting after that 3,000 sq. ft mansion in the ritzy neighborhood when you know full well that you don't truly need to live in that location in order to survive or be happy. We don't drive fancy cars or live in a fancy new house or a nice neighborhoo, we don't have cable or a big screen HDTV, but we are happy and don't NEED those things to stay happy. It is amazing how little you miss that 10% when you know where it is going automatically and up front and completely ignore it as part of your income.

Someone earlier said that to tithe would cost them around $600 a month and they can't afford it. Let's use that example. (Sorry if it sounds like I am picking on a specific person - I'm not... it's just an example for illustration purposes.) If $600 = 10% of someones gross pay, then they are making around $72,000 a year. Cry me a river! That would triple our current annual income! If we can afford to tithe on 1/3 of a $72,000 salary, then honestly there is likely no excuse for a $72,000/yr salary person to not be able to afford it. The only excuse is that people spend all of their money on other things that mean more to them, and if they then claim to be devoted to God they are lying because their actions very much outweigh their words and their words are empty and meaningless. If you are truly devoted to God then your life and your actions will show it, and that includes making decisions about your priorities such as tithing. We must first abandon our love of money and come to see it for what it truly is - a tool for commerce, not the be all and end all of our existence. A good financial planner will tell you that if you are going to save for retirement then you must save up front before you pay your bills or else you will spend everything and have nothing left to save. It is the same with tithing. If you are going to store up treasures on Earth, at least store up treasures in Heaven where moth and rust will not destroy!

I also beleive that tithing goes beyond simple money. If God has given us a special talent we should likewise give back in portion from that talent. My DW and I both play instruments so we play in our church orchestra. My MIL is the pianist. My family sing in the choir. Some people teach sunday school classes or lead prayer groups. If you have a talent that can be used by God in the church, then offer it up the same way you would money as a tithe.

If any of the above offends a fellow Christian because you think it is stepping on your toes and makes you feel bad, then tough - sometimes we are supposed to have our toes stepped upon and to feel bad in order to bring to light to our hearts those areas where our lives are falling short of the full purpose of the glory of God that He has prescribed for us to reach. If anything I have written is false, prove it with scripture, don't just attack because you don't "like" it. Not liking something does not change its veracity. I don't like having to drive the speed limit, but that doesn't change the law so I do it anyway. We can dislike many truths, but they will still be truths.

It is written in Malachi 3:10, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." To God, "blessing" does not necessarily equal more money, though many of us would like to think so! Blessings come in many forms. So don't tithe because you think God will make you rich (or richer) because that would be false and would stem from greed, not from a love for God and a desire to do His will and follow His commandments. Tithe out of joy for giving something back as an offering in recognition of all of God's blessings!

 

[goofygirl]

I also beleive that tithing goes beyond simple money. If God has given us a special talent we should likewise give back in portion from that talent.

True. My church not only asks for monetary pledges on the pledge cards, but asks you to pledge X amount of hours of your talent. A talent can be anything from fixing things around the church, to baking goods to sell, to making crafts, to printing flyers, etc.