Do I Have to Tithe to a Church? test

Tithing is a Christian teaching with Jewish roots that causes some angst, depending on your perspective. Although we will explore the basis for the tithe at a high level, the purpose of this article is to discuss the effect it has on us, our finances, and how to successfully implement a giving program if you desire to follow this teaching.

Biblical basis

The concept of giving offerings shows up in the Bible (Genesis 4:3-4) as early as in the first family. It is later in the book of Genesis that Abraham, the father of what would become the nation of Israel, shows the first instance of a voluntary offering to a priest figure in the form of 10% of battle spoils (Genesis 14:20). Many years later, we encounter a second recorded instance of a tithe (or at least a promise of one) by Abraham’s grandson Jacob. Jacob, who would later be called Israel, made a vow where Jacob promised to give God 10% of anything God gave him (Genesis 28:22). Due to the vow’s wording, we presume this vow was in perpetuity, meaning that Jacob would perpetually give God 10% of anything he gained.

Over four hundred years later, the Israelites leave brutal oppression in Egypt and get a code of laws to govern their new nation. In this new set of rules, the concept of a tithe is central to fund three critical aspects of the country:

• Support the Levites - A tribe tasked with maintaining all aspects of the worship system who did not get any land grants as other tribes did.
• Maintain the Temple - Upkeep of the center of Israelite worship, as well as the subset of the Levites that served as priests.
• Care for the poor - The group of people at the bottom rung of the socioeconomic ladder typically could not fend for themselves. It specifically included strangers (or foreigners), orphans, and widows.

Hundreds of years later, when Jesus walked among us, he re-emphasized that the purpose of the tithe was not just a mechanical exercise of parting with 10% of your produce. Let’s remember all of this was in the context of an agricultural society. Tithing exists in conjunction with a deep concern for justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23).

Implications today to our pockets and our hearts

After reading that summary, you may conclude that since we no longer live in an agricultural society, are not Israelites, and have a government that provides a safety net, the rules around the tithe no longer apply to us. In my opinion, you may be right - partially.

Indeed, we do not live in a theocracy where faith and government are the same. However, let us not forget that Abraham and Jacob gave a tithe under no obligation. It demonstrated an incredible level of faith and submission from both of these men to do so when nobody told them they had to. I am convinced that tithing has a profound impact on people’s hearts beyond the dollars and cents. When you set aside part of your earnings as a priority to care for your local church (representing the Levites and the Temple in our prior section), and for those in need, it helps you manage your money differently. Suddenly, thinking of others becomes a primary concern in your home life. We discuss the importance of giving in our Master Class How to Build a Christian Financial Plan. Please do not give a dollar expecting anything in exchange from God. He certainly is not an ATM and would rather not receive your money unless you are giving it joyfully (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Getting started

If you are a Christian looking to get started implementing a giving program in your household, here are three different approaches:

• Cold turkey - That’s right, this method means what it implies. Starting with your budget next month, you calculate 10% of your take-home pay (or gross pay if you are feeling courageous!) and start giving it to your local church. It is the simplest way of doing so quickly, but not everyone may be ready spiritually or financially to part ways with such a chunk of their income. On the other hand, it is easy to calculate, and you will likely come up with that number once.
• Start with your bonus - If you are privileged to have a year-end bonus, like many salaried professionals, taking 10% will be less painful because most people do not know how much their bonus will be; hence they can’t spend it in advance. You never end up missing that 10% because you were not counting on it. The only flaw with this approach is that it won’t help you much in being consistent.
• Ramp-up over some time - If you want to give your bank account some time to adjust to living on less, consider starting your tithing journey by setting aside 1%, and increase it every month by an additional 1% until you get to 10%. It will take you less than a year, and once you reach 10%, it will be much easier to sustain. This method is used in other areas of our life (like retirement contributions) and is a time-tested way to help people make consistent progress over time. We have developed an excel tool to help you calculate your monthly amounts based on this method. Click here to download it!

Don’t forget that tithing is an act of thankfulness, not compulsion. As a Christian, I do not feel obligated or forced to tithe in any way. It is a way for me to thank God for his provision, remind myself that He gave me the strength to earn a living, and teach my kids that caring for others is a priority in our family. If you are curious about what else the Bible has to say about tithing, take a look at these passages: Deuteronomy 8:10-18, Proverbs 3:9-10, and 2 Corinthians 8-9.

Leo Marte is a Christian financial advisor and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. Abundant Advisors provides financial advice for Christians with convenient virtual meetings. Let’s talk if you are ready to make the next move.