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Don't be afraid to tithe with your church you left. We tithe to a church we were members in '19.
Also highly recommend Watermark in Dallas.
Save the first 10 for Him .. where it goes is secondary
I am a financial peace university leader, and also God and Money follower (read the book amazing).
You are blessed, to be thinking about this is a "1st world christian problem" or in other words you are in an AMAZING position to have such a spiritual struggle. It means you heart and spirit are yarning to serve God beyond just worship BUT discipline too!
With that said, I moved when I was younger to Florida, I gave to my old church until I found a new established church.
Once I found a church that I found was spiritually sound, I asked how they managed the tithes. Once I saw that the church was not buying private jets, and the pastor and staff were properly taken care of I simply gave. Unfortunately in 2020 one must not be blinded by some "churches" who ask for donations and offer "prosperity gospel".
Sorry I diverted.
Look at watermark iv been there before, have many friends who go there. Or find a smaller church and give like noone else!
The objective is to give there are multiple organizations to give! Heck, I run a non-profit in central america building church's for missionarys. If you want to give you can always private message me and I can give you details (HA, not that this is a hustling chat😂)
Giving comes in many forms beyond just strictly your main church, you can give to strangers in need like the good semaritan, missionarys to a specific location (paul thanked his sponsors for paying his trips around the area), or like others who helped donate to translate the bible to scholars. Many, many ways to give to advance God's word.
Take it another way on how I view things.
I think of God like a B4 partner. When I die, He will ask me "why didn't you give" and I respond "I didn't find anywhere to give", he might respond "then how did you find a college, or a job, or that nice car? You researched and made a choice, why didn't you do the same to steward finances too?"
Be spontaneous and give!
Pray about it - the Lord will guide you!!
CBN, and samaritans purse/billy Graham’s sons organization are great also! The Lord will give you discernment!
We have been giving to a church in our neighborhood who is helping the community during COVID. They aren’t the church we normally attend but they have been vocal in the community about everything they offer and have invited the community to volunteer. We saw the good they were doing and the openness of their books and decided God’s money would be better served with them.
Aw OP- I’m in Dallas, let me know if you need church recs. I think it’s totally ok. We’re never going to get it all right. A lot of my “tithing” goes to para church ministries or other Christian organizations- have you tried doing that instead as a way of giving?
And on your original question about how much- it was so funny when I saw your post I felt compelled to reply because I have been resetting my budget for 2021 and realized I came in under the 10% I usually set aside for annual giving, partly because I got promoted this year, as budgeting to buy a house, and it can just be a lot to keep track of. I’ve been feeling convicted too, so I completely understand where you’re coming from. I’ve also felt even more convicted because even in years where I give 10% (or sometimes more), I don’t do it with intention or thought (it can be so easy to go on autopilot with automated giving and forget to pray for the people or groups I am giving to, which often times matters more) or I might give as an afterthought/more reluctantly and not out of my “first fruits” (giving immediate as an act of trust and acknowledgement all of my resources come from God in the first place, I’m just a conduit..Prov 3:9).
BUT I know ultimately it’s about our hearts, not just the action or amount itself. We could give 10% and not be doing it from the right heart posture, and I know our heart posture is what God cares about more than anything. That’s the main point of the parable about the widow’s mite (Luke 21:1-4).
So, personally I am working to do what I can to true up giving for 2020 and get myself on a better track for 2021 but more than anything, I am giving myself grace, recognizing I’m never going to get it perfect and it’s not about the action or number so much as it is about my heart.
All that said, my parents were in student ministry with an organization called Cru (same one I also ended up working for) for over 20 years. I can say as a direct beneficiary of other people’s giving for all those years and the years where I raised support myself (we are fully funded on donations), others’ giving has real impact and is such a blessing- it is amazing to be on the receiving end watching the Lord piece things together to provide. He truly does not need us to accomplish what he needs to financially, but he chooses to use us and it is a blessing to participate. End of year is a great time to give if you have money set aside- a lot of ministries and people on support have a lot of end of year needs. Maybe you didn’t give as much as you wanted in 2020, but you could consider giving what you can in these last few days of 2020 to help meet some of those needs :) I have a few friends trying to raise end of year support and would gladly give you names (as another giving option). https://www.cru.org