[Lanny60]

It has been very interesting to read through all of your thoughts and perceptions on tithing.

We tithed for 30 years because we were told it was Biblical. When we finally had the thought to study it out ourselves, we saw that it is not what we were taught it was and we stopped tithing. We continue to give offerings because God lays those on our hearts and the Bible makes it clear that it is good to do.

I've heard many people say that the ones who do not tithe are the ones who are tight with their money. My observation has differed. What we have seen is the people who tithe are striving to make ends meet, being faithful to God, are often living check to check, never really able to get ahead.

The interesting and troubling thing is that those who are on the other side of the coin, those recieving the tithing and offerings are often showing evidence of excessive resources. This is not always true, but it is true from where we come from.

Something else that has come to concern me is that pastors often quip little phrases like, "You can't out give God" and "Do you want net blessings or gross blessings?" amoung many others. There is rarely Scripture given and when it is, it is out of the Old Testament or from the New where it refers to the past, under the law.

Have any of you ever read Scripture where the Apostles exhorted the people to pay tithes? I've not seen it.

Another part of the tithe that is misrepresented is that we tithe on our income. In the OT when tithings was done, it was done on the increase. There is a difference.

Just my thoughts. Don't bash me too hard. I'm new here and I might be scared off. lol!!