Tithing... the subject that makes me go 'hmm...'

[Steven]

When I think of tithes, I think of church buildings and all the politics that go with that. Jesus, in His three year ministry, did not have a building, pulpit or any of the material possessions of the Acme Church. Maybe Jesus got it wrong, and maybe He should have had a building, and passed the plate (or kfc bucket) around to further His cause. Maybe His ministry would have been more effective with these things, do you think?

- Steven

www.informationgospel.net

[dizzle]

I firmly do not believe that the "tithe" is for today.

[Epoetker]

Well, until we can radically reform society and culture to the level of first-century Jews and Romans, I think we're still gonna have to shell out the cash (as long as the church in question maintains financial transparency.) There are far too few people willing to put up wandering holy men and house churches in their structures, plus church is so far the only reliable modern-day alternative to the synagogues of yesteryear.

Work with the present culture, and prepare to dole out both money and time for Christian services whenever possible. I seem to recall Paul once writing that he, unlike most other wandering speakers of the time, employed himself in his tentmaker trade in order to pay for the food and lodging people gave him.

[dizzle]

Don't misunderstand me, I give, I just don't calculate it to a percentage of my income, nor do I "categorize" it as "tithes" to my home church or "offerings" to anything else. The rule I use is that if it don't hurt, it ain't sacrificial.

[Dr. Jack Bauer]

04-20-2003 @ 10:54 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=73499#post73499)
Steven:

Jesus, in His three year ministry, did not have a building, pulpit or any of the material possessions of the Acme Church. Maybe Jesus got it wrong, and maybe He should have had a building, and passed the plate (or kfc bucket) around to further His cause. Maybe His ministry would have been more effective with these things, do you think?

I don't endorse the view that we need to give 10% of our income to the church.

But your comments about Jesus' ministry are misleading. He did not start a brand new religion, did not need new buildings. But as the natural outgrowth of the Old Testament faith, Jesus preached in churches - synanagogues. He did not turn his back on doing so. Instead, the techers of the Law ousted Him. Granted, he taught in other places, of course.

[mickiel]

Yesterday @ 11:04 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=347719#post347719)
Theonomy:



I don't endorse the view that we need to give 10% of our income to the church.

But your comments about Jesus' ministry are misleading. He did not start a brand new religion, did not need new buildings. But as the natural outgrowth of the Old Testament faith, Jesus preached in churches - synanagogues. He did not turn his back on doing so. Instead, the techers of the Law ousted Him. Granted, he taught in other places, of course.






I agree with this view, as well as Dee Dee's post. This is exactly true. Somethimgelse many people miss in scripture, Jesus ministry was largely finanched by women, as is any ministry today still. Females have always been the monatary backround of the majority of any ministries, and yet always kept away from power in the ministry. This is espically true in christianity, Morminisn, catholicism and Methodist.

[elysian]

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever."
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NIV)

Paul does not say anything about the tithe, in fact he is saying "you get what you give." So our generosity should not be tied to legalism or a set percentage, but what the Holy Spirit puts on our hearts to give. Many Christians choose to tithe but tithing is voluntary for we who are under the New Covenant.

God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others!

[EdJones]

....but God hasn't raised the tithe in 2000 years.




(you can tell who attends church and who don't by the replies)

[EdJones]

:nc:

[Pilgrim]

Giving an offering can be a significant part of worship. It is a real opportunity to show our commitment to God and to the work of God's people.

Let's face it, you pay for what you believe. In otherwords, where your treasure is, there is your heart.

[Dr. Jack Bauer]

Today @ 10:45 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=350617#post350617)
Pilgrim:

Giving an offering can be a significant part of worship. It is a real opportunity to show our commitment to God and to the work of God's people.

Let's face it, you pay for what you believe. In otherwords, where your treasure is, there is your heart.

That's very true.

[elysian]

12-19-2003 @ 03:17 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=349007#post349007)
EdJones:

....but God hasn't raised the tithe in 2000 years.




(you can tell who attends church and who don't by the replies)

I personally believe the tithe is a good starting point for giving because the tithe was an integral part of Old Testament law. The law was written and addressed to Old Testament Jews- if we were to adhere to all of the points of OT law we as Christians would be practicing ritual circumcision and keeping the Mosaic dietary laws. (Remember the Judaizers in the book of Acts, you don't have to become a Jew to be a Christian!) But under the New Covenant of grace, we are free: free to take the Holy Spirit's leading in our giving and to give above and beyond the tithe if that is the direction in which God is leading us. Under grace we are free to go beyond the letter of the law!

Our giving is also about stewardship and living in a way that honors God, not just about writing a check for a specific amount each week. There is a sacrificial quality of giving of oneself as well- just writing a check is not enough regardless of the percentage of income. It's about giving of your time, talents, prayers and sharing ALL of God's gifts as well as our money. It's about good stewardship and using God's gifts to glorify Him as well.

There are times and points in people's lives in which giving is simply impossible- and those are the times in which the rest of us are to give in their stead, and help hold others up. So we are called as Christians to an even higher standard than the tithe: to joyfully give as we have first received.