Should members give money to their church?

...and form a later post:

I am slightly confused by the words I have highlighted. They make it seem (to me) as though you consider your church as something distinct from yourself, rather than something of which you are a member. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would find it strange to use the word "they" to refer to a local church of which I am a member.

 

Amen Brother John. You could'nt have said it better. God bless you and your work.:wavey:

 

Thanks, Brother Bill.

Alms for the poor missionary, alms for the poor missionary.... :saint:

 

Sometimes I think that if church members actually did the kind of things the Body of Christ is supposed to be doing, we wouldn't need "pastors" anyway. Maybe we are just too lazy to learn and teach ourselves and visit sick folks ourselves so we think we should hire someone to do all that for us.

 

Nonsense!

Sheep without a shepherd will stray. God gave pastor's for a reason... to lead and feed the flock.

 

In our society it takes money if you want:

1. a good Sunday School program

2. to be cool in the summer

3. to be warm in the winter

4. a good Vaction Bible School

5. have a pastor

6. have associate pastors if you are large enough to require them

The list could go on and on.

And then there is the question, how much do I love my fellow church members/attendees?

How much do I care to support missions and charities?

You can add more I am sure.

 

That would be the job of a plurality of elders, or "pastors and teachers", men God lifts up to lead a local church.

 

Botton line, The pastor needs to get paid! How can a Church grow without money to back up the Church.? I belong to a small Church and I feel that whatever money that I can give, after Tithe, is to help the Church Grow!!! Give to God first, then to the Church.

 

Let me rephrase this, I meant all that we give is God's money.

 

In a Gospel resistant country, with fewer than twenty coming to church and only a handful of members, without even a deacon, how is this supposed to work? Your view of the plurality of elders is not Biblical, it is idealistic. God's plan for the church is designed to work in all ages and all cultures.

That's all I'll say about this, not meaning to hijack the thread. Hoping to make you think....

 

After tithe? Are you a farmer? or a herder?

 

Give 100% of what you purpose to give in your heart.

If you purpose in your heart to give 30 dollars a month, give 30 dollars a month... 100%.

If you purpose in your heart to give 60 dollars, give 60 dollars.

No Less than 100% of what you purpose in your heart.

 

Oh, so you are a farmer or a herdsman as well! How many cattle or sheep do you drive to the Tabernacle each year for your tithe?

 

I myself do not withhold the tithe as I am not a farmer or herdsman and therefore not required to tithe according to the Word of God.

As a matter of fact, there is no more Levitical priesthood and since it was solely the Levite's who could receive tithes, there is no more a tithe to be taken.

 

You may want to study some more too. Melchizadek was a pagan king according to historical records.

Also, Abraham tithed the spoils of war... not his own property.

Does this mean we are to go out and win a war and then give 10% of the spoils to a pagan king and the rest to an even more wicked king as Abraham did with the king of Sodom?

 

It may surprise you to know that the firstfruits were not tithes.

Nehemiah 12:44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

It is clear from Nehemiah that tithes were not firstfruits.

 

Nunatak,

Others went on and on about how they tithed. I even saw a post of yours addressing the tithe, if I am not mistaken.

But I digress.

Should we support our Pastor's?

Absolutely! The laborer is worthy of his hire.

How should we support them?

With love offerings and a regular salary, an occasional dinner, prayer; you get the picture. There are many ways one can support the pastor.

Also, missionaries are to be supported by the offerings of the saints. Paul said for each member to lay up by him in store on the first day of the week so that there be no offerings when he got there.

They were to individually set aside at home, not in a church corporate account, a certain amount on a weekly basis, and then to bring the whole to the missionary when he arrived in town.

Church support? again offerings from the saints. The offerings take care of maintenance; electric, water, sanitation, custodial services, etc.