If one is tithing because its a commandment, its not a tithe.
If a leader is telling people to bring offerings that are not from the heart then he is not teaching the bible.
My wife and I briefly attended a mega-church in San Antonio. Not a Sunday went by without the congregation being hectored for more money, more so than any other church I’ve ever set foot in. The pastor was living pretty large too. In my view they crossed the line between asking for sacrifices for the glory of Gad, and squandering widows’ mites for the glory of Man.
I went to a church that started in an old bowling alley that we converted. Within 10 years it was a mega church.
It went from a wonderful bunch to a nest of vipers that ran credit reports on members. I got a letter with a copy of my TRW enclosed from them admonishing me for more “love” donations for the new building.
Never set foot in there again. I still get fund raiser letters a couple of times a year and I’ve moved several times and to another state. Not a dime will ever be sent.
I have no desire to attend anywhere anymore.
The tithe is not required of a Christian. It applied only to the Jews of the time to support the temple. Paul does say to support the Church though.
“Guilt” is NOT a verb.
My pastor (Catholic) encourages the congregation to tithe our expendable income, if feasible given your individual situation.
Big building projects are an extension of the ego of the pastor or church leadership in many cases. The biggest building is assumed to be the most prominent, regardless of how well the needs of congregants are met or the value of the church to the community (through charity or outreach).
I’ve seen churches focus on building while abandoning relief childcare for special needs children, less free childcare for women on job interviews and cutting back mission trips.
This is why we attend a church where we not only teach Dave Ramsey’s FPU course, but they have a “get out of debt” goal to pay off the church’s mortgage before building up a maintenance sinking fund.
The church I go to does not pass a collection plate and there are boxes in the back where you can quietly give your offering. It is also not talked about either in the service.
And they are doing very well !
But you won't hear that from pastors.
It is EXPECTED that you give 10% of your income...
No 10%...no temple recommend...
No temple recommend, no callings in the church...
No temple recommend, no getting to watch your daughter (or son) get married in the Mormon temple...
No temple recommend, no "family is forever" (together as a family) for you in the Mormon highest kingdom of heaven (the celestial kingdom)...only temple Mormons in good standing with the church get that...
No temple recommend, no godhood for you...no own-planet for you...no reception-of-worship-as-a-'god' for you...no prayers sent to you...no ability to have eternal sex with your wife or wives to create spirit children for that planet...
You can see that the Muslims can't even compete with the Mormon version of "paradise"...Muslims only offer 72 virgins...
Mormons offer...
...multiple wives (these days, you just have to marry them sequentially vs. overlap)
...+ your own family,
...+ your own planet,
...+ your own very godhood!
(Plus, Mormons say non-Mormons & non-temple Mormons are the ONLY ones who get to live with Heavenly Father in Heaven...everybody else is shut out)
Talking about "legalizing" & "guilting" people into 10%!!!
When a church takes the congregations joy out of giving, its loses more than just the finances. It eliminates one form of praise and worship, the act of giving is important to a lot of people, just as singing praises and hearing a sermon. Sadly, the church has done nothing to culture an atmosphere that encourages allowing the congregation to enjoy all forms of worship; Singing, hearing sermons, benevolence in one form or another and the pure joy that comes from giving. M2C.
the tithe was mandated in the days when the “church” supported the poor, widows, and orphans. Since the government has taken that duty over, with a passion, I consider a large portion of my state and federal tax burden as a good portion of my tithe. I am still supporting the poor, but through a different venue. I support my local parish and diocese, buy not with 10%...God can figure it out.
For the most part it’s a motivational speaking business now.
My wife was told by the pastor of a parish we once belonged to that in order to be a “Member In Good Standing” of the parish, it was not even necessary to attend Mass - it was necessary only to stop by the parish office weekly to drop-off the weekly offering.
As it has come to pass, that particular priest was subsequently excommunicated.
If you live by the law you will be “guilted” by the law... Is the tithe one of the original ten commandments? When was the tithe instituted? When has the church ever been under the burden of upholding laws anyway... it seems to me the church has long lilted toward traditions of men.
Beware false prophets.
God did not send out beggars.
If the word of God is TAUGHT, with an understanding of the root meaning of His words (Aramaic, Greek, Hebrew), people will support the church teaching it.
I seem to notice this too at my church. Aside from the collection plate and the over-seas mission appeals there seems to be an almost never-ending ‘’Bishops Appeal’’, “School Fund Appeal’’ and an almost constant ‘’Give, give, give, Christ compels you for the sake of the needy...’’. Never once in so many years have I ever heard a sermon decrying homosexuality, priest sexual abuse issues, illegal immigration or abortion, never once.
As Bono said, “My God doesn’t need cash, Mister.”
Always an interesting discussion when it comes to church finances and tithing.
Article doesn’t say (I might nave missed it), but I guess Methodist. First United Church of the Holy Denomination.