What Are Your Views On Giving? What Does The Bible Say?

Major said:
The tithe was a requirement of the law in which all Israelites were to give 10% of everything they earned and grew to the Tabernacle / Temple (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 14:24; 2 Chronicles 31:5). I do understand the Old Testament tithe as a method of taxation to provide for the needs of the priests and Levites of the sacrificial system.

What I am saying is that if the Commandments given in Ex. were valid, thou shalt not kill, steal and lie, why would we throw away the commands to tithe? No we are not under Law but grace, but does that mean the commands to tithe were somehow less valid than the ones in Ex?

Isn't a command from God a command?
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We were not given that command from God, the Israelites were. There were a lot of commands to them back then but I don't think you want to resurrect them do you?

I think you should give what you feel called to give even if it is 99 percent. Some religious organizations use the 10 percent to put a guilt trip on people. I knew someone years ago that went to a church that required the members to show them bank statements to prove they were giving 10 percent.

I think God will guide you on how much to give.
 
CCW95A said:
Money = time = life spent on getting it. Money = life, no wonder people don't want to give it up. Of course, laying down one's life and praying for the lost, or witnessing to others, or just living a Godly life in front of those in darkness is giving, and not just 10% but 100%.
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Yup.
 
TezriLi said:
I'm sorry, Pancakes -- I'm not sure what you mean. ?? :)

Oh -- maybe be in that congregation in spite of this practice?
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No church in existence needs your financial and personal information.

Maybe your address and phone number and birthdate but that is about all.
 
Major said:
For the same reason that you should not let a cashier take your credit card with her to a break.

YES, un-scrupulous people do actually work at churches and they will steal your money.
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Maybe I misunderstood. They wouldn't have the money.
 
Glenn said:
Maybe I misunderstood. They wouldn't have the money.
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But they would have your credit card/debit card Glenn. It takes any person just 3 or 4 seconds to write down your number and acces code on the back and then go out and buy a new TV.

A Church secretary could do the same thing if they have your personal information which will allow them to get your money.
 
Major said:
But they would have your credit card/debit card Glenn. It takes any person just 3 or 4 seconds to write down your number and acces code on the back and then go out and buy a new TV.

A Church secretary could do the same thing if they have your personal information which will allow them to get your money.
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Ok, I guess I did misunderstand. I was just thinking the Church's financial records.
 
Glenn said:
Why not?
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Well, all of the above are good reasons, of course, but this is my reason:
  • If a religious entity does not trust me anough to handle my own finances, what are they hiding?
  • What makes them so distrusting?
  • What makes them think they are H Spirit over me to be my conscience?
  • I give according to what is needed where I see need, and they are not going to dictate my giving.
The old church I left told us not to give to others, just give to them, because they knew better than the members where the money needed to go. I DON'T THINK SO!!! I will not deal with a religious entity that tries to be a dictator, Hiel, Hitler-Church!

Okay. I got a little carried away, I guess....
 
TezriLi said:
Well, all of the above are good reasons, of course, but this is my reason:
  • If a religious entity does not trust me anough to handle my own finances, what are they hiding?
  • What makes them so distrusting?
  • What makes them think they are H Spirit over me to be my conscience?
  • I give according to what is needed where I see need, and they are not going to dictate my giving.
The old church I left told us not to give to others, just give to them, because they knew better than the members where the money needed to go. I DON'T THINK SO!!! I will not deal with a religious entity that tries to be a dictator, Hiel, Hitler-Church!

Okay. I got a little carried away, I guess....
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May I just throw this in. The church, because it is usually active in the community may know who is actually lying to you and actually does not need any financial help. Yes, there are many, many people who have learned how to manipulate the Christian church and obtain money from it when they will not go out and work. They may have been taken already and can help you from getting taken the same way.

Then they may also know of a legitimate financial need where some one is too proud to let anyone else know. IF you then give money to the church and "STIULATE" for that purpose, they must follow your directions and no one else gets what you give AND then you can deduct that from your taxes.
 
Major said:
May I just throw this in. The church, because it is usually active in the community may know who is actually lying to you and actually does not need any financial help. Yes, there are many, many people who have learned how to manipulate the Christian church and obtain money from it when they will not go out and work. They may have been taken already and can help you from getting taken the same way.

Then they may also know of a legitimate financial need where some one is too proud to let anyone else know. IF you then give money to the church and "STIULATE" for that purpose, they must follow your directions and no one else gets what you give AND then you can deduct that from your taxes.
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Absolutely. I work for a church, and this has been part of my job until very recently. It was a very heavy burden for me to carry, so my boss had compassion upon me and we now have someone else doing the accounting, for which I am very grateful. He is So Good to me, even though I don't attend.
 
Major said:
May I just throw this in. The church, because it is usually active in the community may know who is actually lying to you and actually does not need any financial help. Yes, there are many, many people who have learned how to manipulate the Christian church and obtain money from it when they will not go out and work. They may have been taken already and can help you from getting taken the same way.

Then they may also know of a legitimate financial need where some one is too proud to let anyone else know. IF you then give money to the church and "STIULATE" for that purpose, they must follow your directions and no one else gets what you give AND then you can deduct that from your taxes.
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I should add these suggestions, in case anyone is frustrated with the problems you brought up and have not come up with a solution.

For the neighborhood people:
  • For the church's food bank, I made index cards which have a place for their name, address, and phone, then they must sign for up to three times of receiving food. Upon their fourth request, the pastor will make an appointment to help by talking to them about possible solutions for their continued needs.
  • For anything more than the food bank, we refer them to a neighborhood clearinghouse, Love, INC., which keeps great records. The church I work for supports them, and sometimes, they call us to ask us to give gift cards to people, for food and/or gas, above and beyond our usual support.
However, when it comes to the church people, we usually just give, because we know them much better.
 
By the way, in my capacity as the pastor's assistant, and because of church policy re the use of church funds, I used to take money out of my own wallet to put people up in motels. I don't do that anymore. Reality set in.

A cheap night in a motel here is around $89 for one person. For $89, I decided, I can
  • Fill 1.8 tanks of gas
  • Buy @ 18 packages of kosher hot dogs with buns and some condiments
  • Buy fresh vegies for salads to feed @ 30 persons
  • Fill 10 plastic bags with edible, healthy food
$89 times 30 nights = $2,670. Compare that to your monthly mortgage or rent. I can no longer excuse setting up a single person in a motel. I have been threatened -- my life has been threatened -- for not paying for this.
 
TezriLi said:
By the way, in my capacity as the pastor's assistant, and because of church policy re the use of church funds, I used to take money out of my own wallet to put people up in motels. I don't do that anymore. Reality set in.

A cheap night in a motel here is around $89 for one person. For $89, I decided, I can
  • Fill 1.8 tanks of gas
  • Buy @ 18 packages of kosher hot dogs with buns and some condiments
  • Buy fresh vegies for salads to feed @ 30 persons
  • Fill 10 plastic bags with edible, healthy food
$89 times 30 nights = $2,670. Compare that to your monthly mortgage or rent. I can no longer excuse setting up a single person in a motel. I have been threatened -- my life has been threatened -- for not paying for this.
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May I say to you in all love, YOU do not need to be in charge of your churches benevolent functions! That my dear needs to be a "committee" function where several members of the church investigate the need and make the decision instead of just you.

My church a long time ago takes up a benevolent offering once a month. That income is the only way we can help church members in need. Our church also has a food pantry to help anyone but actual financial help had to limited to actual church members, not someone who looked your address up in the phone book and came just to get money.
 
Glenn said:
I know we are go give our tithes, give to the poor, the widows and orphans, and to give freely, but what exactly does the scripture say?
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It gets complicated. I see 3 types of givers:

1. Those who tithe boastfully, with a mostly sour heart and a desire to test God with the tithe.
2. Those who do not tithe but give as they can afford. Sometimes 20% but most times 3%.
3. Those that grasp that 10% is a fair % ordained by God and costs are real. They give regularly with a good heart and do not test God, nor are boastful and understand that God owns all we have anyway. Many times we need to give more.

Matt 6:3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
 
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