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Discussion Forum : General Topics : Where to distribute tithes?

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Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re:

Quote:
Local church that is doing the work of the ministry is one of the best places to give your tithe.



Agreed. The problem is that there are multitudes of evangelical churches that are not doing the work of the ministry with regard to helping the poor. Most of the funds derived from tithing are spent on keeping up the buildings and paying salaries to church staff. Many pastors who preach on tithing do not even mention the poor in their messages on tithing. All they say is, "bring your tithe here and don't worry about how we spend it." Yet in the OT a large part of the tithes were for the poor. In the NT we see a collection was taken, but for the relief of the poor saints in Jerusalem. And nothing is said about a certain percentage being commanded to be given. The NT teaches only free will offerings. Tithing is an OT law that is not required in the NT, along with the Sabbath, the festivals, etc.

That said, I know there are a few evangelical churches that are concerned about the poor, but they are scarce compared to the majority.


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Oracio

 2011/5/5 15:04Profile
mikey2
Member



Joined: 2011/5/5
Posts: 112


 Re:

True. You cannot paint a broad brush stroke and just say "local church". Many "local churches" show by their actions that they they do not welcome Jesus Christ. They just use him for their own means thinking "gain" is godliness.

Give as the Holy Spirit leads you to give. He knows how to build His Church.

The fellowship that you are with are the people that you are going to know intimately and they will be on your "list" of priority recipients of a Christian's giving -- but the Christian is not REQUIRED to give a
certain percentage to the church -- or anywhere else. I may also add, take care of your family and your extended family. It is sad when you give to an organization out of compulsion but don't have anything left to help a widow or the poor in your family.

Stop depending on an organization to distribute your gifts.

2 Cor. 9:7 --
YOU decide how much to give, and where to give it, based on your relationship with the Holy Spirit.

I truly believe if people would trust God and preach the Word without trying to manipulate it (making up scary stories about what happens to people if they don't "tithe"), God's church will be greatly blessed and its people will give generously. That is GRACE.

 2011/5/5 15:36Profile
itg3712
Member



Joined: 2008/10/4
Posts: 67


 Re:

The verse says storehouse. If we chose not to ignore the word, storehouse, then we need to figure out what the storehouse is.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse...(Malachi 3:10)

I can testify that reckoning one's particular local church to be your particular storehouse is an incentive to pray for your particular local church. I don't endorse many everything that I see at my local church but I don't see everything. I can't judge my local church the way that Almighty God can and he inspired "the storehouse" to be included in Malachi 3:10.


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g

 2011/5/5 22:47Profile
Pandarus
Member



Joined: 2010/3/25
Posts: 53
Queensland, Australia

 Re: Where to distribute tithes?

Thankyou all for your replies thus far.

I am tired of hearing the Malachi passage being continually taken out of context and used to demand a tenth from believers for the church. I do not accept that position. I believe it is unbiblical.

I have read a very interesting piece recently by Zac Poonen. It may even have been on this site. It was about tithing.

Basically it boils down to, "The Earth is the Lords, and everything in it."

This attitude of 10% is Gods and 90% is mine to do with as I please is nonsense. It's ALL Gods. I am now starting to approach my spending by questioning my purchases each time... "Will this glorify God?" As a result, I believe I am staying faithful to the biblical New Testament teachings. I am finding I minimise my spending, loose the shackles of posessiveness and have more to give.

If we are going to demand to live under the law for the 10% tithe, then we have to accept the WHOLE law and not just pick these ones that suit us. That means we need to start the sacrificial system again, employ the food laws and on and on. I think it's obvious that is not the way.

So thanks for your comments one and all. I now have a peace within regarding my finances.


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Nick van der Net

 2011/5/5 23:42Profile
mguldner
Member



Joined: 2009/12/4
Posts: 1862
Kansas

 Re:

I believe is it wise to also define the church.

Its not a building, period. The Church is the Universal Body of Believers, IE when you give to a brother in need you are in fact giving to the church. We are the church and we need to take our focus off of the building and recognize the Body of Christ as a Spiritual Body, not a building of wood and Stone. Simple enough give abundantly as the Spirit leads you to give. Problem solved. :)


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Matthew Guldner

 2011/5/6 1:00Profile









 Re:

I second everything Mathew said.

 2011/5/6 1:02
Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re:

I came across this short article which I thought breaks it down pretty good:

"Is the Church the storehouse that we are to bring our tithes into today according to Malachi 3:10?"
by Denise Bostic
"....Those that teach that the storehouse is the local church today are lacking in knowledge of the differences between the Old and New Covenants. There is no evidence in the scriptures that the storehouse is the local church today. At the time that God spoke this through the prophet Malachi, the New Testament Church was not yet in existence, but the Temple at Jerusalem was. Under the Old
Covenant, the Temple was where Israel went to worship God and the Levitical priesthood officiated in the temple. Under the Law of Moses, each tribe was given an inheritance from God except the tribe of Levi. God made special provision for this tribe, however. Their portion and inheritance would be the tithe from their brethren. (Numbers 18:20-21, Hebrews 7:5)
The nation of Israel was commanded by God to bring the tithes to the Levitical Priesthood and because Israel was an agricultural society, their tithe was brought in the form of harvested crops and livestock. Of course there had to be storage space for all of these things, such as corn, wine, oil, wheat, fruit and livestock. (Leviticus 27:30-34, II Chronicles 31:5-6, Nehemiah 10:35-39) In scripture sometimes this storage space was called chambers or the storehouse. This was a literal room or building that stored all of the tenth or tithe of Israel for the Levites. This is how they were financially supported so that they could work in the Temple day and night. According to the New Testament though, the priesthood has
been changed because there has been a change in the law. (Hebrews 7:11-12)
The Levitical priesthood is no longer in effect because of its inability to perfect believers in Christ. There is now a new priesthood after the order of Melchisedek with all believers being kings and priests under Jesus Christ,
our High Priest. (Hebrews 7:11-28, I Peter 2:9, Revelation 5:10)
Yes, God has established a new order of priesthood in the New Covenant with Jesus as our High Priest, a Church government made up of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers and also all believers are now made priests. (Ephesians 4:11-12, I Peter 2:9) The Old Testament Temple was a physical building made of man’s hands, the New Testament Church is a house not made with
man’s hands. (II Corinthians 5:1) The Church is not a physical building, but made up of a body of believers that house the Spirit of God. Many times the tithes that are taken in by Churches today are spent on the physical buildings and the spiritual building (the people) is neglected. You may ask, “If believers do not tithe, how are we to support the local Church and the preaching of the Gospel?” The answer is, the same way the Church
has always supported God’s work-by grace giving. New Testament scriptural examples of giving are by grace only. Money and material provisions given to the Church are to be distributed amongst all of the newly formed priesthood and are usually given to churches (brethren) in need, for the work of the ministers/ministries that preach the Gospel and the poor (widows and orphans) in order to build up the Kingdom of God. (II Corinthians 8 & 9)
We are to obey the New Testament pattern of giving. In the Church today we are no longer commanded to tithe but to give by grace. (II Corinthians chapters 8 & 9) We are free to give liberally or free from condemnation if we do not have anything to give. We are to each give according to our ability.(II Corinthians 8:12-14)
We are to share in all things so that no one has too much or others do not do without. As a matter of fact, when the Church was first birthed, many gave far beyond a mere ten percent; they shared everything they had for the sake of the Church and the Gospel of Christ. I wonder when we in
the Church today will make those same kinds of sacrifices? Bottom line, tithing is an Old Covenant ordinance, not a New Testament one. You are not under law, but grace."


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Oracio

 2011/5/6 2:01Profile





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