Tithing…Is it a command?

[Sean]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

I don't think you can actually say you pay your tithes by mowing the church yard. To tithe means to give a tenth of something. If you have spent all your money including the tenth part then the tithe is gone. I do think though if I were on hard times and and couldn't financially support my family not to mention pay tithes I personally would want to try to give in another way like you mentioned. There was a time a while back that I got in some financial hardship and my pastor knew of my hardship and gave me odd jobs around the church for payment and the church helped me get through the hard time.

I tithed before my hardship and during my hardship and the church helped me also. You can speak so negatively about tithing, but if you don't support your local church weekly, generously, and as the Lord has prospered you it is wrong. And the NT does say for us to do that.(may not say tithing but it is a similar concept).
Do you really think most pastors are after a poor family's maybe $100 a month. I sincerely believe most teach to tithe because they feel it will bless the giver and giving is at the core of our salvation. Jesus gave His life for you and I. If you feel like you attend a greedy church find another one. If giving is that big and issue with people they may need to do an inventory of their own heart. Whether or not tithing is a salvation issue or not I have never met anyone who couldn't do it. It is a simple process if you get $1 dollar give ten cents before you spend it.

If you feel like tithing isn't for today you still have to answer for all the other NT testament teaching on giving. If you are being led by the Spirit of God in everything you do I don't believe you'll have to worry about a thing. Ten percent is easy for most people who love to give no matter their financial status. Matter of fact sometimes givers have to be careful that they don't get too carried away and forget to provide for their families.

I do think it is the heart that God is looking at and not just the number 10. Problem is that people can't see the heart so a lot of times they judge by the number.

Brother, I think what you might be trying to say is give what you can.....it all depends of your circumstance. Tithing is non negotiable

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Esphes45

Now that I have caught up to what was discussed over the weekend

For the record, tithes and sacrificial giving I believe are two different things. Both were practiced in the OT.

In regards to sacrificial giving it was up to the individual how much and how often they gave "unto the Lord". If the spirit led them, they gave. I don't believe you should be pressured into paying a church light bill, a pastor's salary, a church mortgage or whatever just because you attend a church. You first duty is to your own house (I Tim. 5:8 & I Tim. 3:5).

I truly believe in giving but I believe in giving cheerfully, not of necessity. Also I believe your giving does not have to be with money. If you spend your weekend cleaning the church, cutting the glass, etc, That should be considered sacrificial giving also.

For you pro-tithes people, if a member does not have their tithes this month, can they pay it by cutting the grass or something else?

Hey, they can work off their tithe bill...like inmates in community service...Maybe some orange jump suits that say what church they are enslaved to...LOL

This borders on SLAVERY(forced labor or hell)...LOL

[Sean]

Brother, dont give these guys any more ideas...they just might take you up on them!...LOL

[good samaritan]

Originally Posted by Sean

Brother, dont give these guys any more ideas...they just might take you up on them!...LOL

Sean your funny. I have particularly enjoyed this thread. I totally agree with you non-tithers on a lot of your points. There are people who teach tithing out of greed and there are people who don't tithe out of greed. I believe it is truly a matter of the heart and I wouldn't ever want someone to feel that they had to do tithe or else. If you don't want to then don't and I don't condemn you to hell and we would welcome you to our church. I do hope you in some way support your local church, though.

I don't wish or proclaim a curse on those who don't, but I do pray the Lord bless those who do. I am against preachers getting rich, but I support the principle of honoring God with your increase (tithing a good place to start).

P.S. know were the money goes in the local church. I don't advocate dumbly following. I think accountability should go both ways not just one.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

Sean your funny. I have particularly enjoyed this thread. I totally agree with you non-tithers on a lot of your points. There are people who teach tithing out of greed and there are people who don't tithe out of greed. I believe it is truly a matter of the heart and I wouldn't ever want someone to feel that they had to do tithe or else. If you don't want to then don't and I don't condemn you to hell and we would welcome you to our church. I do hope you in some way support your local church, though.

I don't wish or proclaim a curse on those who don't, but I do pray the Lord bless those who do. I am against preachers getting rich, but I support the principle of honoring God with your increase (tithing a good place to start).

P.S. know were the money goes in the local church. I don't advocate dumbly following. I think accountability should go both ways not just one.

Amen to the above my brother... I am waiting on the Lord to show me my next move.

If I may offer a word of advice to you as a pastor. Never show favoritism in any way to the big givers of your congregation. I have seen this all of my life, even to the point of a pastor making a leader of a mens' group of a rich chain smoker.(seriously). I have seen the rich coddled and preferred in every way imaginable. The average saint sees that and it upsets them.

Judge a man by his walk with God and not by his earthly successes....in my opinion, this is a great sin of ministry and a stumblingblock to saints that are Godly and poor.

[good samaritan]

Originally Posted by Sean

Amen to the above my brother... I am waiting on the Lord to show me my next move.

If I may offer a word of advice to you as a pastor. Never show favoritism in any way to the big givers of your congregation. I have seen this all of my life, even to the point of a pastor making a leader of a mens' group of a rich chain smoker.(seriously). I have seen the rich coddled and preferred in every way imaginable. The average saint sees that and it upsets them.

Judge a man by his walk with God and not by his earthly successes....in my opinion, this is a great sin of ministry and a stumblingblock to saints that are Godly and poor.

I appreciate the words of wisdom. I have pastored for about 14mo. so I still have a lot of learning to do. Since I have been there we have lost some of the bigger tithers in the church, but we have grown in attendance though.
We really have been having revival with people being filled with the Holy Ghost and being baptized.

We have more mouths with less food so to speak. I am not stressing though I know God will provide. I am bi-vocational and I don't have a problem with it even if I had to do all my life. Although it would sometimes be less conflicting of my schedule to be full time. I don't want to make people feel they must give or else, but I don't want to be so lax that people fail to get the importance of their giving. I think that a big key in life is having balance. We must have balance in everything we do.

Family, work, play, giving, etc. we must have balance. A lot of times there are suffering families and prospering pastors and I don't think that is balance. In the book of Acts they sold what they had and had things common. The church took care of one another's needs as well as supported the ministry while they were doing the work of God. I think that most pastors out there are trying to be right in their teaching on giving, but it is the few bad apples that spoil the whole bunch. And yes you are right many times people let others financial status affect their judgement and don't judge righteously. I hope the Lord will help keep me from such.

[Aquila]

Why can't tithers trust the Spirit of God to lead with regards to finances?

[Rudy]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Why can't tithers trust the Spirit of God to lead with regards to finances?

Probably never taught to.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

I appreciate the words of wisdom. I have pastored for about 14mo. so I still have a lot of learning to do. Since I have been there we have lost some of the bigger tithers in the church, but we have grown in attendance though.
We really have been having revival with people being filled with the Holy Ghost and being baptized.

We have more mouths with less food so to speak. I am not stressing though I know God will provide. I am bi-vocational and I don't have a problem with it even if I had to do all my life. Although it would sometimes be less conflicting of my schedule to be full time. I don't want to make people feel they must give or else, but I don't want to be so lax that people fail to get the importance of their giving. I think that a big key in life is having balance. We must have balance in everything we do.

Family, work, play, giving, etc. we must have balance. A lot of times there are suffering families and prospering pastors and I don't think that is balance. In the book of Acts they sold what they had and had things common. The church took care of one another's needs as well as supported the ministry while they were doing the work of God. I think that most pastors out there are trying to be right in their teaching on giving, but it is the few bad apples that spoil the whole bunch. And yes you are right many times people let others financial status affect their judgement and don't judge righteously. I hope the Lord will help keep me from such.

Brother, the answer to the financial question is simply this...MORE SOULS.

I asked a pastor if he thought the Lord would rather have 100 folks saved, that gave 5%, or 50 folks saved that gave 10%. Guess what he told me?


Right, he chose the 50 folks.

The Lord WILL bless you FREELY and take care of you if you open the door to all souls with no strings attatched. You will baptize weekly and be amazed at the revival that the Lord will send you. Just remember though...no strings attatched...ever.

The Lord will speak to the saints without your prodding. Just let them know the needs and your plans for the community. If your "ARK" is built on truth, it will never sink, no matter how many souls are aboard.....

[Rudy]

Originally Posted by Sean

Brother, the answer to the financial question is simply this...MORE SOULS.

I asked a pastor if he thought the Lord would rather have 100 folks saved, that gave 5%, or 50 folks saved that gave 10%. Guess what he told me?


Right, he chose the 50 folks.

The Lord WILL bless you FREELY and take care of you if you open the door to all souls with no strings attatched. You will baptize weekly and be amazed at the revival that the Lord will send you. Just remember though...no strings attatched...ever.

The Lord will speak to the saints without your prodding. Just let them know the needs and your plans for the community. If your "ARK" is built on truth, it will never sink, no matter how many souls are aboard.....

Good post. Have a giving barrel somewhere is all that is needed.