|
| Putting Our Money Where Our Faith Is |
|
| |
I have been reading many of the blogs on mychurch over the past couple months. There has been a lot of good discussion about things like gifts of the spirit, theology, politics and even gun control. It’s interesting to talk about these things but how effective are we in living out what we say we believe? Let me bring up another area of Christian life that often gets glossed over and we give very little thought to it. We may even find this discussion uncomfortable to talk about. But it needs to be examined. Before I get start, I want to share that I love to watch a show on the Speed Channel called Pinks. It’s filmed at drag strips around the United States. The shows slogan is “If you lose the race, you lose your ride”. Basically each show is about two guys that believe in the cars that they have spent much time and money building. Each one thinks he has the fastest car. They argue, negotiate and then engage in a series of races down a quarter mile stretch of asphalt. You have to appreciate that these contestants have put their money where their mouth is because the one that loses the race has to give up his car and find a way home. So then, I have to ask myself if I am as willing to put my money where my mouth is. Or should I say, put my money where my faith is. Matthew 6:21 says, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. God calls us as Christians to be stewards. A steward is a person that manages possessions belonging to another. Everything we have is the Lord’s and I believe that includes our money and our time. The question is, are we being faithful stewards in God’s Kingdom when it comes to this area of our life? Sadly, the statistics show that the church is not. Why is that? Could it be that we lack the faith to believe that God is true to His Word? Proverbs 3:9-10 says, Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. This is some serious stuff here. When we do not honor the Lord in our giving He says that we are robbing Him. Malachi 3:8-12 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit, says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty. I have been told that this is the only place in scripture where God says to, “Test Me in this”. Is it possible that God wants us to use this simple principle of tithing to prove to ourselves that He will be trustworthy in all aspects of our life? Could it be that if we fail to follow this guideline that God has given us we are missing out on blessings He has for us? Talk about losing the race and losing our ride! I believe that this concept is being lost by a vast majority of Christian’s today. I am also tempted at times not to give as God commands. He expects and deserves so much more. We need to be willing at times to give sacrificially. That means till it hurts. He wants us to spend our time doing things that will help bring the Gospel to those who are hurting and need to hear. If we all give of our money and our time as God requests we should become more effective faithful stewards for His Honor and Glory. What are your thoughts? |
|
| To add a comment to "Putting Our Money Where Our Faith Is" |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| March 03, 2007 |
 |
|
|
| Amen Mark! ~mike |
|
|
| March 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Okay, first of all, that blog wasn't about gun control. LOL!!!
Second of all, Mark Wigley, you put WAY more than your money where your faith is my friend...you pour your everything into it. I see you doing it day in and day out. Thank you for setting such a godly example.
Third of all, and most importantly, LET'S DO IT!!! LET'S HONOR GOD!!! Oh, and for those of you that are already doing it...keep on keeping on my faithful brothers and sisters.
peace, grace, love,
Mary Ann |
|
|
| March 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Mark,
Great post from you -- a person who lives it! I was fed by your post; just in time because I was hungry! It was a joy hanging with you today. Thanks brother.
Mark |
|
|
| March 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
| No doubt about it, I have said it many times...but THOU art the man!
I was actually thinking about posting something regarding money, in that I was wondering if/how those on this site give that don't have a home church? Not how much or where to directly, but do you give? Maybe someone who comes on this blog can answer this question. I really just want to know.
The tithe box is right there for us, but what about people who don't go to church? Just curious.
You Go Brother Mark! Keep Blogging, we REALLY like what you have to say!
Florida 2007 starts tomorrow after church :) Yeah! |
|
|
| March 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Thanks Y'all, you are too kind.
Sue,
You have a safe and relaxing time down there. You sure deserve it. You keep the church looking awesome! I have a magnet on my refrigerator that I brought back from my last trip to Clearwater Beach Florida. It's an alligator with the caption, "SEND US MORE TOURISTS. THE LAST ONES WERE DELICIOUS"
That is an interesting question you propose there. I would like to hear those answers too. I have a suggestion. They could listen to Pastor Mark's podcasts at www.reallifematters.com and send a weekly check payable to C3 of Columbia, MD. :)
|
|
|
| March 04, 2007 |
|
|
|
| lol, Mark...very funny! |
|
|
| March 04, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Ah, the dreaded topic--tithe! Several things pop into my head here. I'll list them randomly.
1)for someone who'd like to tithe, but just feels they can't quite afford it, set it as a goal to reach and increase your donations incrementally.
2) sometimes there are things we can let go of that cost us money. For example, I used to get those stupid "fake" fingernails (acrylic). They'd looked nice but ya know that cost me about $75 a month (or more!). I have stubby nails bitten down now but that extra $75 now goes to my church. I recall a sermon by Pastor Mark about all the money we spend (waste) on things that add up (like that Latte at Starbucks) etc...
3) Another sermon sticks in my memory (from Pastor Mark a couple/few years ago). God gives us ten, shiny red apples and only asks for one in return--but in the video, you said some of us only give the core (and it was a brown core). That resonated with me.
4) Lastly, some folks say...yeah, well I give to this charity...or that. Charitable giving is good--but first give to your church!
We are selfish by nature...Mark Wigley, good of you to bring it up!
|
|
|
| March 04, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Hi Mark, will you do me a big favor? I'm not real well-versed in the area of pros and cons for contemporary tithing. Can you post your New Testament scriptures for/against tithing? |
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Hi Mark,
I think you hit it right on the money, (pun intended). Rhonda and I have had a discussion or two on this very topic. We believe that, here, in America, tithing is a true test of our faith. It is the proverbial "gun to our heads" thing and to confess our faith in Christ is to have the trigger pulled. Here, we have the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech, and the freedom to have guns, (you know I had to throw that in!!). There aren't any consequences to confessing that you are a Christian. This is a capitalist country that absolutely worships and functions on it's love of money. To give money away is absolutely abhorrent to Americans. I believe that the one true test of our faith is to give the first fruits. I would like to share something with you about my experience in this area. Rhonda and I have had it a little rough financially this past year but we always gave our "first fruits" whenever we received anything. We had medical expenses for one of our children that had no medical insurance. We believed that everything would be o.k.and purchased a new vehicle because the old one gave up the ghost after 300,000 or so miles. After all of this, we hadn't really realized just how faithful God had been until we sat down and did our taxes. When the dust settled it was right there in black and white on the paper, God had covered every penny of the medical expenses and then some. I will not go into specific amounts but to give you an idea, God paid for three major surgeries, a years worth of prescriptions that cost hundreds of dollars each, and all the doctor fees. We believed that God would Hold true with his promises and He did!!!! There were times when writing that tithe check was incredibly scary, and I would think about those who had stood in the face of death and said yes, I am Christian and I believe that Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and God was there. I would think of God's challenge to us to "test Me in This" and then my fear would go away and I would finish writing the check. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that God Keeps His promises to us, but I also know that there are many times when we fail to keep our promises to him. In spite of that He still loves us and forgives us. Thank you, Mark, for all you have done for this church and for God's glory. |
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Linda, Great points. I am on lunch now at work, I will try to get back in here tonight and share some of my thought on your point #4.
Jonathan, I don't have my Bible with me right now but I know the the New Testiment speaks of God loving the cheerful giver. I am no theologan but I have heard it said that folks in Old Testament time gave over 30% in all the offerings that were taken for different things. I do not recall reading anywhere in God's Word that the Old Testament PRINCIPLE of tithing was abolished. You may have some verse that speaks to that? The New Testiment speaks a great deal about nelping others and spreading the Gospel. I am sure God wants us to do whatever it takes to fulfill the great commission. The sad reality is that in many, but not all cases, it takes money to do ministry. I will dig in the Word later Brother and see what I find in the New Testament that may answer the question you propose.
Tom, What a great testimony Bro! Thanks for sharing.
|
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| For starters, there is no statement in New Testament that ever says the Old Covenant has been removed, only the 'curse' was removed. However, if we take a close look at Jesus' teachings we will see that we are under a much greater burden now than before.
OT: If you murdered someone, you must die.
NT: If you were angry in your heart, you are guilty of murder.
OT: If you committed adultery, you must die.
NT: If you lust, you are guilty of adultery.
The pattern is very clearly that what you thought was tough in the OT has become an intrinsic demand for death in the NT.
What am I getting at here? Easy. It's found in the first Church of Jerusalem...
Acts 4:32 "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."
Tithing? We bicker about 10%, 30%?
God wants 100%! |
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Like I said in paragraph three. "Everything we have is the Lord’s and I believe that includes our money and our time". |
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| What are the practical things that those of us who don't have a church home can do to give 100% |
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Zach & Jessica
I have been between churches twice in my life. In both cases it was a temporary situation. I hope that will be the case with you. If you are like me, I need the fellowship that comes with being in community with other belivers. Hanging out with us here on mychurch will provide a degree of fellowship but being in a church is much better. To answer your question I suggest that you stay in God's Word and seek His leading in where He would have you give. Just the fact that you would ask the question you did tells me that you take this matter of stewardship seriously. If you are not plugged into a church because you just moved, God may have you to continue to support your previous church for a while till you find a new church home. He may lay the work of a missionary or ministry on your heart till you are back in a church. There may be a family that God would have you bless who are in need. For example there are thousands of families in the Gulf Coast still out of their home who need all the help they can get. Next month about 20 of us from our church are going down to Mississippi to lend a hand with recovery work. Groups like the one we are working with need all the funds they can get to help rebuild homes.
I didn't create this blog because I think we need to become all leegalistic about our giving. God doesn't need our money. He wants our hearts. When our hearts are right we will start caring about the things God cares about. We will involve ourselves in things that build His Kingdom. I think that is where the rubber meets the road conserning all this. May God bless you as you seek His will.
|
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Hi Zach, one of the ways Vicki and I have chosen is to make a covenant with the Lord that any income receive over a certain amount will go directly into the Kingdom. All of it, not just tithe. We know we only require up to a certain amount to live nicely, and everything over that amount is what we choose to believe was given to us specifically for Kingdom use.
Another way is to pray often. Very often. If you are not intercessors, then you can train yourselves to become effective prayer people by simple practice and time with God. There are also many resources for learning how to pray more specifically according to your focus of prayer, but Dutch Sheets offers a great book called Intercessory Prayer. Scheduled fasts work very well with intercessory prayer.
Be alert. There are many opportunities in a day that you may have to step up and change a person's perspective. For example, Vicki and I were at a restaurant recently after seeing a newly released film. I struck up a conversation with a pair of women who held the door open for me (I'm in a wheelchair). In the discussion I mentioned how a man approached me in the theatre after the movie and open a conversation. I said, "People have a fear of approaching handicapped people in public for conversation, so it was a nice surprise for someone to approach me with a normal discussion." This is only one small thing, but it works to help bring about social justice and equity, with or without Scripture.
Find a church home. Your pastor would be better skilled and informed in ways you can work to provide for those in your local community. |
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| thanks for the reply |
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| I apologize if that comment came across as gruff, I was in a hurry and wanted to get it typed in before I had to work.
I work at home and was expecting the phone to ring so I was typing as fast as I could. |
|
|
| March 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Eariler today Linda brought up an interesting point. "Some folks say...yeah, well I give to this charity...or that". This brings up the question, should Christians support charities that provide humanatarian causes? Once again we need to seek God's leading but I have an opinion.Should Christians Financially Support Humanitarian Groups?
We all face it just about on a daily basis, everyone from the local volunteer fire hall to groups feeding hungry children in Africa ask us to donate to their cause. Some of us give because we have a big heart. After all doesn’t God expect us to give to the poor? Others of us give because we hate to say no or we will feel guilty if we don’t. How should a Christian deal with this inner struggle they feel every time someone asks us to help a cause that they feel very strong about?
Since everything we have is the Lord’s that includes our money. Before we give God’s money to any cause we need to be convinced in our hearts and minds that God would be pleased with our choice. Do you know for sure the funds you are giving are truly going to the need you are told that it will? What do you know about that group and the integrity of its leadership? What percentage of your gift will reach the intended need? I have heard that some “charitable” groups spend 98% of what they take in on fund raising. We may know that an organization feeds the hungry but is that group ready to feed a hungry soul? That’s what Jesus always did when he gave help to hurting people.
Don’t get me wrong. I am sure that there are many good charitable organizations out there that do good and meaningful things for people. I am not sure it is my place to support them.
Here’s my opinion. I realize that my opinion and a buck fifty might get you a cup of coffee at Mickey-Ds. Hear me out and share your thoughts. The statistics say that less than 20% of people who attend church tithe. Which means that they give a tenth of their income to the church offering. The flip side to that is 80% don’t. What about the millions that don’t even go to church at all? You know they aren’t tithing. So since I am in that 20% that does. (I say this humbly because I believe that a tithe is the minimum that God expects from us.) I feel that the millions or billions of folks out there that don’t tithe can support the many humanitarian groups who are all clamoring for our attention. This is why I refuse to feel guilty when I don’t give to every cause that knocks on my door or should I say my wallet. I kindly say, “Sorry, I have decided to give all my donations through my church.” This way I know where it’s going.
If you are a Christian I would hope you fellowship on a regular basis in a church you love and trust. If you aren’t you need to ask God to lead you to such a place. Being connected to that church will allow you to hear about needs just as worthy as the ones the humanitarian groups are promoting. Maybe even more. The difference is that before you hear about these needs they should have filtered through a leadership team you know and trust, men and woman who have a heart for God and people. In my mind this provides extra level of protection believing that in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
The bottom line is that we all need to stay open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in what and whom we give. I prefer to give to organizations that not only help fill an empty stomach but also are also ready to help fill an empty life with God’s power and love.
|
|
|
| March 07, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Most of my tithe goes to World Relief - they work through local churches all over the world! The rest goes to various other Christian charities: Compassion International, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Emergent Village.
I can see a place for giving part of the tithe to organizations that do God's work but aren't specifically Christian (environmental causes are the first that come to mind,) but it just doesn't feel quite right to me. When I give to the SPCA or American Cancer Society or World Wildlife Fund or whatever, that's above and beyond my tithe. Same goes for political causes.
I feel like the primary purpose of the tithe is to care for the poor and/or those who can't take care of themselves. Most of the money we donate to our local churches doesn't do this directly. If I was really involved in a church, I would give them a nice slice of my tithe, but I still feel like the bulk will always go to World Relief or something similar. |
|
|
| March 07, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Also . . . I tried to blog on this a while ago, but I'm not sure my message was quite clear. . . I think it's important that we honor God with the other 90% of our money too. If there are ways we can avoid trashing our environment, or supporting injustice, or (fill in whatever you think God is passionate about,) with our spending habits then I think we should make that effort. |
|
|
| March 07, 2007 |
|
|
|
| What is the purpose of tithing? What does God say about how tithe money is to be used? I have limited understanding of the purpose of tithing, but it seems there is a vast difference between the purpose of tithes and social equity. My understanding was that the tithe redeems the other 90%. Anyone have any clear OT AND NT scripture for this? |
|
|
| March 07, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Tory, these are excellent charities you've suggested. I’ve given to many of them myself.
In 2005, our small church, adopted over 40 children from Compassion International. Many, who adopted a child, were already sponsoring one or more children. They adopted more so each of their own children would have an adopted brother or sister to pray for and write to. (I think you and Nick may have adopted a child then too.)
However, I believe tithing is supporting the local church. The church in turn supports many ministries (external and internal)...and equips the saints. The other giving (my understanding) is above and beyond the tithe.
Stay faithful sister…come visit us at Perspectives (we’re meeting on Monday nights at Grace Community Church in Fulton…off 216).
In Christ,
Mary Ann
P.S. I took a hiatus from church myself…moved to Northern Virginia for 4 years…visited C3 on and off until I moved back again in 2003.
|
|
|
| March 07, 2007 |
|
|
|
| I was pleased and surprised to find this on the website of Crown Financial ministries:
Tithing and today’s church
Ideally, the church should serve as the storehouse in God’s economy today. Then people’s tithes would simply be given to the church. When we obey Him and pay our tithes to the church, God holds the leaders of the church responsible for the distribution of the tithes (see Nehemiah 12:44-45, 13:5, 13). In today’s American society the Levites and priests (Numbers 18:24-26; 28-29) are equivalent to pastors and other church staff, evangelists, and missionaries. The feeding of Hebrew widows and orphans (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) would be equivalent to widows and orphans being served in a local church. The Gentile poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) would be equivalent to the unsaved people in the community where the church is located. However, in truth, the vast majority of local churches do not minister fully in all the areas of ministry that exemplified the Old Testament storehouse.
...
The church of today is the whole brotherhood of believers, not just the individual church on the street corner. When God speaks of His church, it is again the corporate body of Christ. When a believer gives to the church, it is to every part of the body, not just the denominational portions or a physical facility. Therefore, to the extent that a church would lack in a specific area of ministry, a portion of the tithe could be given to an individual, a parachurch organization, or a missionary organization if they are “filling the gap.” In essence, the ministries that serve in God’s name, whether the local church or outside of the local church, who are fulfilling the standards set forth in God’s Word and whose motives are compatible with those standards, should be recipients of a believer’s giving.
Reference:
http://www1.crown.org/library/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=572 |
|
|
| March 07, 2007 |
|
|
|
| I think Tim McQuitty is now certified to teach the Crown course. I hope he will offer it soon.
I'm not familiar with the vast majority of local churches. I am familiar with C3 and know that we do support pastors and other church staff, evangelists, missionaries and missionary organizations, widows and families in need, our local community, communities abroad and communities nationally.
I thank God for this...because I know that it is through Him that this is all possible and we give Him all the glory.
God bless you Tory,
Mary Ann |
|
|
| March 07, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Does anyone have NT teaching on tithing? |
|
|
| March 07, 2007 |
|
|
|
| All right Jonathan Thomas, I'll bite. Check out www.generousgiving.org. Here is a preview:
Does the tithe apply to us today, or was it just for Old Testament Israel?
The tithe does apply, but not in the way we might think. Some Christians see the tithe as having nothing to do with us because it is an Old Testament institution. Other Christians insist that we are bound to the tithe as God’s standard for giving. There is an element of truth in both views, but neither of them really gets the biblical point. The overarching standard of giving in the Old Testament is the tithe. In the New Testament, however, the tithe is never commanded and rarely even mentioned. Instead, John the Baptist raises the standard of giving to 50 percent (Luke 3:11), and Jesus exhorts us to give 100 percent (Luke 21:1-4). So the scarce mention of the tithe in the New Testament is evidence not that God expects less of us today but that far more is possible. The tithe is still a helpful divine guideline insofar as it reminds us to give our firstfruits (i.e., the first and best of our income) to the Lord, who owns all our money anyway. But by New Testament standards, the tithe is only the beginning. Because the fulfillment of all God’s promises has come in Jesus, far more is possible. Does the tithe apply to us today? Yes, as the starting point of more generous Christian giving.
|
|
|
| March 07, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Jonathan, I do have one verse that comes to mind. Please check out the different versions of the Bible on this, as I am on vacation and don't have my full computer with my Bible software to verify these things. I just have the NKJV that I use for personal devotionals and I don't think it is the most precise translation of these verses. Here is goes....
Matt 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law; justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
I think another versions says "these things you should do." (If my horrific memory serves me correctly :) I will have to check the Greek when I get home.
Anyway, I believe that these verses point out that tithing is the right thing to do, but they overlooked so much more. Jesus never said, "stop tithing and start doing..this, this, and this." He told them to continue to tithe (as they ought to) and don't leave the other things undone.
Please forgive any errors in this comment, as I don't have my usual resources handy.
Be Blessed Brother! |
|
|
| March 08, 2007 |
|
|
|
In Romans, Paul makes a big deal about certain things preceding the giving of the Law. His point is that since these things came before the Law they are for all time. So check out Genesis 14:
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem [d] brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be [f] God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Now look at Hebrews 7:
1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." 3Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.
4Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, their brothers—even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. 6This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. 8In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.
My point is that by the same interpretive principles Paul uses in Romans to explain Abraham's righteousness apart from the Law, we'd also have to concede that the tithe is a principle apart from the Law.
The explanation appears to be that for whatever reason this is how God has chosen to fund His work and support His workers. (I'm assuming that y'all won't accuse me of having a conflict of interest here. ;-] )
And for those who don't think their local church is worth supporting, well, I heard a crusty old preacher put it this way once: "Be sure to call Oral Roberts or Rex Humbard (or the Red Cross or your other favorite charity) next time you're in the Emergency Room at 2am and would like someone to come pray with you. Or to conduct your wedding or funeral. Or..." (I warned you he was crusty!) |
|
|
| March 08, 2007 |
|
|
|
| www.generousgiving.org will sum things up for you and includes the versus Sue and Pastor Dan have provided. Check it out Jonathan Thomas :-). |
|
|
| March 08, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Hi Mary Ann, you can call me Jonathan if you like, hahaha. In my heart, I knew tithing was an eternal Truth, but I was wanting NT scripture for use when discussing it with others.
All 3 of you have been very helpful indeed, thank you. |
|
|
| March 10, 2007 |
|
|
|
Jonathon, I appreciated your comments on March 5th. I believe you have more than a "limited understanding" on the subject of tithing. I am with you, 100% of what we have is God's and it is up to us to deside what we will live on and what we will give back to Him. In Romans 12:1-2 we are "urged to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Then the chapter goes on to say that giving is a spiritual gift. So I suppose that in our Christian walk we need to continualy renew our minds in prayer and in God's Word so we will know what is His pleasing and perfect will is for our life. When we do this it will damaticly change our prospetive on many things including our giving. |
|
|
Follow this blog
