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Discussion Forum : General Topics : Does your church tithe?

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iansmith
Member



Joined: 2006/3/22
Posts: 963
Wheaton, IL

 Re:

I think many people do not have a full sense of what a church is and what it does. To many a church is a place to go on Sunday to hear a sermon, when they consider the costs they only account for the salaries of the pastors and the cost of the building.

The church is much more than that, or should be. The church is the people, the needs of the people, if someone is jobless in your congregation does the church step in to help, or does your church rely on certain generous members. Is your church involved in other Christian ministries like food banks, homeless shelters, tract distrobution, discipling, supporting missionaries here and abroad? Those are all roles of the church.

The church in Antioch was not told to TITHE, but they did support Paul's missions financially at times. The churches in Asia were not told to TITHE but Paul did go and accept a love offering for the church in Jerusalem on their behalf.

The churches also took care of the poor who couldn't take care of themselves, they appointed Stephen and Philip and others to work with Widows and the fringe of their flock. Their work of feeding widows also required funding and sacrifice on behalf of the congregation.

In the New Testament we see two models of giving. Jesus had a money bag where he and his disciples kept a communal fund for ministering to the poor. Donations that came into Jesus' ministry went into that money bag (which Judas helped himself to liberally). Despite Judas' abuse this was a specific model for the way that a church is run, money is collected and used for the needs.

Jesus was also given a donkey to ride into Jerusalem, an upper room celebrate the Passover, and a tomb by single contributers. There is a place for direct one-on-one administration of funds to needs in the bible, so if someone in your congregation has an extra un-used car and there is someone else with a need this could be an example to follow.

The church in the New Testament doesn't TITHE, but they are much more liberal with their money, sharing it together as Jesus did with the money bag, but also in single contributions.

We also have the model of Barnabus who sold his property for the sake of the church, and then became a missionary with Paul, discipling Paul, Mark, Luke and others along the way.


_________________
Ian Smith

 2007/3/26 11:15Profile
cougarcr
Member



Joined: 2007/3/26
Posts: 1
Moultrie GA

 Re:

You make many good points my friend. and yes you are right on all counts. You even are suporting how I feel. You see I grew up in a Church where the Pastor only preached 1 sermon a year on tithing. For those who became Christians that year and to reinforce it in the members minds.
His secret was very simple he had Prayer warriors
praying for the needs of the church. He never had
a month long series of sermons on tithing your money. Oh and he would complete the sermon. How you ask? He wouldn't just talk about tithing your
money he would also talk about tithing your time talents and abilities. That Church never had any
real rebuilding done to it mecause people would donate time and paint that classroom or hal wall
when it needed it. we had electritions and plumbers who went to church there. All the church had to pay for was parts to fix it.
We need to get back to preaching and teaching
TOTAL tithing not just your money and be there
on Sundays and Wednesdays. Do you see?
Thank you for your time reading this and I look forard to some replies. God Bless
Pastor Cougarcr


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Rev Charles "Chuck" Rice

 2007/3/26 12:53Profile
iansmith
Member



Joined: 2006/3/22
Posts: 963
Wheaton, IL

 Re:

Our church meets in a community center where we rent a room for our office. With as many members as we have we could easily afford a church building -but we spend much of the money given for the sake of the ministries.

One of the Pastoral team's wife has a tumor, and has been unable to work for many years... he was working full time and doing ministry and the church decided that he should leave his lay job and spend his time in the Word and with his family... so we support his family as part of the church's regular needs.

No church is perfect, I'd love to see my church be more involved in ministering to the needs of the poor. Individual members are involved but I'd definitely like to see a more active role on behalf of the church -but i'm not in leadership so i should just pray for now.


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Ian Smith

 2007/3/26 13:05Profile
rookie
Member



Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4821
Savannah TN

 Re:

Thankyou for your testimonies...

I have been involved with two churches that taught tithing. But in my limited experience, I have seen that the church did not give in like manner. I was thinking about the testimony of K.P. Yohannan and how he was amazed by the amount of money that the American church spends on itself. He talked about attending a Christmas pagent and all the resources that were spent to entertain the church body.

I would appreciate to hear about those churches who give more than what was required by the law.

In Christ
Jeff


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Jeff Marshalek

 2007/3/27 1:07Profile





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