Related Posts
Conversation Starter
Does anyone ever check this bowl?
Who has the Descovy business?
Have you heard the term, “White Fragility”? In short, White Fragility is discomfort and defensiveness on the part of a white person when confronted by information about racial inequality and injustice. Take this quiz and post your score ... if you dare... https://www.beacon.org/assets/clientpages/whitefragilityquiz.aspx
Additional Posts in Christian consultants
Rising Star
Rising Star
Anyone going to church every week in NYC?
Any Consultants in Chicago, looking to connect?
Rising Star
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Helping the needy also counts as tithe. Not just donating to the church.
It depends on what you mean by “donate.”
Many Christians (myself included) would say that it’s important to tithe, which means give 10% of your gross income to whatever church you attend. An offering would be in addition to that and would be based on how much disposable income you have left, how you feel led to give to a certain cause, etc.
The case could be made that from a Christian perspective, a tithe isn’t a “donation” (regardless of what the IRS calls it), because it’s us simply returning to God the portion that He instructs us to throughout scripture.
Our family spreads our tithes out between ministries we are a part of and feel the Lord called us to give to. It is a joyful giver that the Lord cares and wants so give as generously as you feel lead to give. There is no certain amount. If 1% is all you feel lead to give as long as you are joyful in doing so I believe the Lord is pleased. If you want to increase your giving find causes that are doing Godly works and support them. It doesn't have to necessarily be a church.
The word “tithe” means “tenth.”
The principal that spans both Old and New Testament is that God’s followers return 10% of their income to Him. Offerings were meant for other purposes, like commemorating victories in battle or other blessings.
Even when Jesus corrected the Pharisees in Matthew 23, He didn’t criticize them for honoring the tithe (tenth). He chastised them for being overly legalistic by measuring out 10% of every leaf of every little herb plant, etc., while at the same time overlooking the obvious needs around them. His point was, “still do the right thing and honor the Godly principal, but don’t get so caught up in the legalism that it becomes a substitute for doing justice and loving God and others.” This is one of many examples where he communicated Grace, but still used the opportunities to reinforce the underlying principle. I liken it to His encounter with the adulterous woman who was to be stoned. He didn’t judge her, but He also told her to stop sinning. Just because He didn’t condemn her for not doing the right thing, didn’t mean He was OK with her continuing to fall short of obedience to the principle.
Modern Christians seem to think that since we’re no longer “bound by the law“ that there are certain principles that we can just choose to ignore - particularly when it comes to our money. We see money as ours, and we choose how much we we “give away“ to some greater good. In my opinion, we should see it all as His, and respect the fact that He only expects us to give 10% back as an expression of our gratefulness and obedience.
Of course, you’re welcome to live by your own interpretation, but I think definitions and our choice of words is important. The word tithe specifically means “tenth.” Anything else is and should be called something else.