1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Featured What should a pastor do with his tithe?

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by Speedpass, Dec 18, 2012.

  1. Speedpass

    Speedpass Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2002
    Messages:
    1,505
    Likes Received:
    2
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Since the church is providing his salary, would it be wise to give it back to the church, or can he give the tithe to another ministry he is enthusiastic about (like FCA, Campus Crusade, Billy Graham's association, etc).
     
  2. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 30, 2006
    Messages:
    20,914
    Likes Received:
    706
    If a pastor tithes, the idea is that it is to support the local church. His salary isn't the only expense. We tithe and it goes to the church.
     
  3. padredurand

    padredurand Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2004
    Messages:
    4,541
    Likes Received:
    102
    Faith:
    Baptist
    What she said. :thumbsup:
     
  4. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2003
    Messages:
    15,549
    Likes Received:
    15
    When the religious establishment and the civil authority were the same then the tithe was given to them. Today it is impossible to give the tithe to that storehouse.

    A good read is A Biblical and Theological Analysis of Tithing: Toward a Theology of Giving in the New Covenant Era

    can be downloaded at http://works.bepress.com/david_croteau/The same author also wrote an excellent book You Mean I Dont Have to Tithe?: A Deconstruction of Tithing and a Reconstruction of Post-Tithe Giving (McMaster Theological Studies) (2010) that is well worth reading.
     
  5. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2006
    Messages:
    52,013
    Likes Received:
    3,649
    Faith:
    Baptist
    What they both said :thumbs:
     
  6. go2church

    go2church Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2002
    Messages:
    4,304
    Likes Received:
    6
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Can't rightly expect folks to tithe and give sacrificaly if the pastor isn't willing to lead by example.
     
  7. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2006
    Messages:
    52,013
    Likes Received:
    3,649
    Faith:
    Baptist
    and on this we agree.
     
  8. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist
    This brings up an interesting quandary.
    If the pastor tells the church how much of an offering he gives - he would be accused of boasting.

    If the pastor does not tell the church how much he gives, he might be accused of not giving enough.

    Salty

    Note: Use of word offering in lieu of tithe was intentional
     
  9. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 30, 2006
    Messages:
    20,914
    Likes Received:
    706
    No one needs to know what the pastor gives.
     
  10. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist
    What about his wife?:smilewinkgrin:
     
  11. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2007
    Messages:
    5,533
    Likes Received:
    0
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Which is one reason why we decided to send our tithe elsewhere. In a tiny church in a small town, there are no secrets, especially when certain families "run" churches.

    We learned this the hard way. Yes, we believe in giving, but I doubt we will ever tithe to a church where my dh pastors as a result of some things that happened at our last church. We will send our tithe elsewhere.
     
  12. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist

    cant you just put in cash - without anyone noticing?
     
  13. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    Messages:
    4,521
    Likes Received:
    43
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Does your husband preach that the members are to tithe to the church or just to tithe anywhere they choose? I am not arguing, i am just wondering.
     
  14. go2church

    go2church Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2002
    Messages:
    4,304
    Likes Received:
    6
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I don't know about what others do, but we give just like everyone else, we don't make a big deal about it misdirecting or calling attention to our offering envelope. The folks who count and keep records know how much we give, but we don't police them to make sure they don't tell anyone.

    It is one of the costs of being a pastor at this church. We list my salary so everyone knows and there is a wide variety of offering counters and record keepers that know what we give, just part of the deal.

    I don't worry about what other folks know or don't know.
     
  15. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2006
    Messages:
    52,013
    Likes Received:
    3,649
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Something else we agree on.
     
  16. 12strings

    12strings Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2004
    Messages:
    2,743
    Likes Received:
    0

    Quandaries like this only exist if there is latent mistrust between a pastor and his people, such that each views the other as some sort of adversary that must be kept in check.

    At our church, there is a small (3-4 people) group of people that count the money each Sunday, so they see all the checks and know what people give, including the pastors (Who give to the church, which I believe they should). That small counting group gives the numbers tot he secretary to record so she can send out end-of-the-year tax reports for people to deduct. None of theses people share what individuals give. They Tell us (pastors) what the total offering was for the week, we don't know what individual members give, except on rare occasions when someone hands us a check directly. I have been working under our Senior pastor for nearly 6 years, and I myself do not know what he gives. I know he believes scripture teaches a tithe (I don't), so I could probably figure out pretty close.

    The congregation does know what each pastor's salary is, and I suspect that our senior pastor, like myself (a mere underling pastor), would be happy to show his finances & giving to any individual who was concerned about it...but we feel no need to announce our tithe at the business meeting every other month. No one's ever asked me.
     
  17. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2006
    Messages:
    52,013
    Likes Received:
    3,649
    Faith:
    Baptist
    A pastor should tithe to the church he pastors. If he cannot then he should pastor elsewhere.
     
  18. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2002
    Messages:
    10,720
    Likes Received:
    781
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I agree.

    We should give in secret, but if our gifts become known because of someone else's actions, we are not responsible for what they do. We shouldn't let ourselves be discouraged from doing the right thing just because other may not or will try to use it against us.

    We should not give to impress others, but to show our love and trust in God. I think everyone who has posted in this thread agrees with that.
     
  19. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist

    actually, he should become an Army chaplain - then he can give wherever he pleases
     
  20. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 30, 2006
    Messages:
    20,914
    Likes Received:
    706
    Hmmm - would he pay his tithe to the government??? ;)
     
Loading...