Featured When to Tithe?

Is your pastor paid? There are many ways one could handle that? I have been self employed for many years and have numerous tools and expenses for my business. Many times I have been paid for work and then written a check to the church for the same amount. Tha way their is income and charitable giving records. Everything is above board and has a paper trail.

If you donate something that have paper work associated with it. If you do not charge for your labor then then you cannot receive a tax deduction for labor. There is a mileage amount you can deduct if you drove a vehicle. If you are an unpaid pastor and use your vehicle in ministry then you can take a mileage amount as a volunteer from your taxes. The mileage must be documented. The cost per mile is less than if it were for business purposes.

 

Fixed.

:smilewinkgrin:

 

Scripture does not demand that we give 10% of our income to a local church (religious organization). Believers are to give freely of our increase to ministerial activities with which we are personally familiar. We give directly to missionaries & ministries which we personally know & know will use the finances wisely. Of course, most are affiliated with our church. When we have been between churches, all of the money is sent to missionaries with which we are personal friends.

No where in Scripture are we commanded to give our money to pay for buildings, utilities, & multiple salaries for positions that should be filled by layman volunteers. The local church has become more of a business & political party than a group of believers who meet to encourage, edify, & instruct one another in the Word.

 

Watch and see what typically happens as a church get more money but does not increase in attendance. My wife and I were married in a church of 1200 and the great majority of ministry was done by volunteers. The 4 pastors led and trained each of those volunteers in their respective ministries. That church gave 50% to missions.

 

I wish there was a church like that in my area. That sounds more Biblical than all of the "ministers" being hired professionals who are trained apart from the local church.

 

when most of the earlier people died and other left the church began to fall on some tougher times and got caught up in the church growth baloney for awhile. That same church that was 1200 declined to 300. People were afraid it would die. One of the elders asked me to come in and talk with them. I did and as I listened I realized that they were operating with about six different philosophies and were unable to move with anything. Once they got a new pastor they became more focused on what they should be doing. They are over 1200 now and doing very well. The elders are now listening to the pastor better and doing ministry again. For awhile it was a big mess and now the church is doing very well.

 

As someone who wrote a 140k-word book on the topic of tithing, I have to concur with others here that there is absolutely no tithing requirement whatsoever for the New Covenant and the Christian church. There is only the principle of cheerful giving to target and meet needs.

To answer the first bolded question, "yes and no."
"No" in that there is nothing wrong with using your money in such a way that you believe is best for funding the ministry.
"Yes" in that the question conflicts with the Scripture's teaching on what a tithe actually was. There is no "tithe money" that is supposed to go to any "church." If you want to know the who, what, when, where, how, and why of tithes in the Bible, look at the actual passages in the Law and their context (Leviticus 27; Numbers 18; Deuteronomy 12,14,26).

If you are looking for a Scriptural answer that works with the assumption that Christians have an obligation to give a so-called "tithe" of their monetary income to a local church, it cannot be done in Scripture.

 

think that the Lord looks at the heart in the giving!

IF one is 'fully persuaded" still underprinciple of the Tithe, should do that in right attitude untothe lord!

IF one holds now under 'free grace giving' do that with right attitude!

Either way, do as one is fully persuaded to do, coninced bythe scriptures, and do it heartily/cheerfully unto the Lord!

Trouble is when we insist ALL be either on a thithe or free will offering!

let EACH one dio as he is fully persuaded to do in regards to this!

 

There was both tithing and freewill giving in the OT. Tithing was much different than what is often taught today as the standard.

 

Agreed, but the principle listed above still applies!

 

If we choose to apply tithing as it was done in the OT then we must give two tithes each year and in addition one every three years 23.33%. The tithe is the addition of both what is given to the government and your church. Many years my taxes to the government alone add up to more than an OT tithe. So what should I do about my church? Tithe or give? If I follow the OT and tithe my church would get zero.

 

Just curious why many believe the tithe to be money when it never was money in the Bible?

AresMan, I plan to purchase your book in the near future. I read the first chapter on Amazon and it is well laid out with solid references.

Thanx for sharing!

 

What is the fruit of your labor and what is the first fruits of your labor? The unit of exchange and the unit of taxes in America is money.

 

What is the fruit of your labor and what is the first fruits of your labor? The unit of exchange and the unit of taxes in America is money.

However in some farming communities some of the farmers give the pastor meat, etc.

 

God's tithe was never money, even though money was used. It could be sold for money, but had to be bought back with that money before being consumed.

The fruit of my labour has no relevance to God's tithe since people who had other occupations than farmers and herders were not required to tithe from their work.

 

Never.

We are not Isralites.

We are Christians. Free will giving.

 

So what was the widows mite if it was not money. The fruit of your labor is money is it not?

 

Well stated!

 

The widows mite was money. Now, please show me where Scripture calls the widows mite a tithe?