How Much Money Should You Give to the Church?
Unsurprisingly, there are a range of opinions on how Christians should handle giving. Some think we should give as we feel led, others think it’s a strict pretax 10%, others think that 10% is just a starting point.
What do you think? How much money should you give to the Church?
I recommend giving EXTRAVAGANTLY at every opportunity. I am currently working as a college counselor with a blessed, but modest salary. I have recently given $600 to $1000 checks. What a glorious BLAST. Extravagant giving positioned me for immediate mental, emotional, and physical blessings.
tithes is a must, then after you can give as much as you can and i will borrow the word “extravagantly” to support God’s ministry as was done by the acts of the apostle’s. lest we will be no worse than Ananias and his wife
I think that 2 Corinthians 9:7 is useful to this discussion: “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (NIV) So decide what amount, according to your own life, really honors the Almighty. Then don’t worry about it beyond that.
For me, the 10% is a good rule of thumb, so I don’t stress about it. Some people split out tithes (regular 10% to local church) from offerings (additional donations to missionaries/other missions/special funds at local church). That has been a useful way for me to think about it. Also, regular and consistent giving really helps local church elders plan and budget all the necessaries.
I should also note that deciding on a weekly or monthly basis on how much you feel like giving is a recipe for disaster. There will always be SOMETHING else clamoring for your hard-earned $$$.
We give a minimum of ten percent, pre tax, to our church. We also provide funding, as appropriate to family, to select Christian workers, Ministries and the poor. We feel that God gives us 100% of what we get. We are striving to live on as little as possible and bless our community with the rest.
I have been giving 10 % after tax to my retired missionary aunt for years now. She was a missionary in Taiwan for 25 years and retired with nothing – not a house, no investments, but yet God looks after her every need and she never lacks food, shelter or clothing. Her incredible faith is such an inspiration and affirmation of God’s love that I give with gladness in my heart.
We do not give tithes as commanded in the Old Testament. We each give independently as the Lord directs, to other ministries, special works for the Lord, needy families or to even help out our own families within the assembly. This does not only mean money. It also includes giving of your talents and give of your time. This giving is to be sacrificial. I think John Macarthur said it best on the question of tithes and giving when he said:
“Two kinds of giving are taught consistently throughout Scripture: giving to the government (always compulsory), and giving to God (always voluntary).
The issue has been greatly confused, however, by some who misunderstand the nature of the Old Testament tithes. Tithes were not primarily gifts to God, but taxes for funding the national budget in Israel.
Because Israel was a theocracy, the Levitical priests acted as the civil government. So the Levite’s tithe (Leviticus 27:30-33) was a precursor to today’s income tax, as was a second annual tithe required by God to fund a national festival (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). Smaller taxes were also imposed on the people by the law (Leviticus 19:9-10; Exodus 23:10-11). So the total giving required of the Israelites was not 10 percent, but well over 20 percent. All that money was used to operate the nation.
All giving apart from that required to run the government was purely voluntary (cf. Exodus 25:2; 1 Chronicles 29:9). Each person gave whatever was in his heart to give; no percentage or amount was specified.
New Testament believers are never commanded to tithe. Matthew 22:15-22 and Romans 13:1-7 tell us about the only required giving in the church age, which is the paying of taxes to the government. Interestingly enough, we in America presently pay between 20 and 30 percent of our income to the government–a figure very similar to the requirement under the theocracy of Israel.
The guideline for our giving to God and His work is found in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
When it comes to tithing, Money is only part. My talents and time are to be tithed also. We are to give of what we have been blessed with, and a scripture that comes to mind is where you riches are there your heart will be also. When we hord our time from God we sin and hopefully can realize our error before weget to that place that we must be chastized or worse judged.
Many believers believe that tiding is a commandment of the Law and that God established as Law. But tides were given before the law. The first Able and Cain gave offering to God of what they had produce. Abraham gave tides to Melchizedek. It was established from the beginning that there is an offering that is unacceptable to God and an offering that is acceptable. Cain offering did not pleased God. I believe that the offering that Cain offered was not the problem, but what was in his heart displeased God. In giving to the work of the kingdom you should do as God has convicted you, in your heart. What is important is the motive, the willingness of our giving and that you do it trusting God and not men, looking to God and God along. Our giving should be from our love for God an the kingdom and not from selfish motivations that may displease our God.
THE IS NO A SPECIFFIC AMAUNT ONE IS COLLED TO GIVE TO GOD EXCCEPT 10 PERCENT WHICH BELONGS TO GOD ACCODING TO MALACH 3VS10 THE REST OF YOUR GIVING DEPENS WHITH WHAT YOUR HUART AND CONCENSE TELLS YOU.WHEN GIVING YOU DONT HAVE TO STRAIN YOURSELF FOR THE BIBLE SAYS GOD LOVES ACHEERFULL GIVER.
I think we start at 10% tithe and if the Lord puts on your heart to give more, then give as to what He tells you. God is always faithful to bless the CHEERFUL giver!!
i believe in giving geneously to th One who gives us more than what we desire
It depends on what the church does with the money. They should be accountable to their following on how the money is spent.
Advice please:
I want to give to the Lord, but I would really prefer giving to an organization like Gospel for Asia that is actually making a change rather than giving to my church, where I don’t think anybody has been saved in twenty years and money just goes into the building. Does God still tell me to give the church %10+, and then if I want to can also support GFA?