There was a question: Is it Biblical for a church to give a tithe of its income to an association or churches or convention?
I answered:
Two levels kasi ang tanong. First, the principle—tithing. Biblical ba ‘to? OF COURSE!!
Second, the application of the principle—can a body, such as a church, give a tithe to a bigger body to which it belongs? Why not? I don’t see anything that would tell the church not to do that. In addition, the church, by this act of giving, is forced to look outside of itself. To be other-centered, kumbaga. Di na siya parochial. I would like to hear more kung ano ang context ng tanong. Besides, kasama rin sa giving ang purpose nito.
Natz
To: Nathan Montenegro
Subject: Re: Tithing
This is the context. The church is in red. The church is giving 10% to the association + convention. Solution: Stop giving the 10% and use it for its own. (Sounds more unbiblical to me.)
Thanks kuya Natz.
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 08:50:57 +0800, Natz
It seems to me that the issue goes back to the condition of “kulang na nga pera ko, magta-tithe pa ako.” This church does not have a unique problem. Lahat ng naghihirap, individual or family or church or institution, face the same inadequacy of resources. So, where does that leave us? Hindi na tayo magta-tithe kasi kulang bigay ni Lord?
“Hey Lord, you’re not doing a good job of providing for me, so I’ll take care of my needs first. Okay?”
Pwede ba yun sabihin? Baka tamaan ka ng kidlat.
Maraming factor bakit in-the-red ang isang church—legitimate or otherwise. However, the issue for the church to decide is, as part of the body of Christ, can it, as a body, decide to come to the Lord empty? In the OT, the poor were given an option of giving a dove for an offering. That’s why after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary offered in the Temple the poor man’s offering for the Cleansing ceremony. Poor sila, di ba? But they could not come empty-handed. Pero, in view of what they receive—the Son of God—ano ba naman yung dove? Their hearts were overflowing with gratitude.
If this church begrudges God his tithe, mas mabuti ciguro they should reexamine their attitude on giving. Incidental lang kung saan pupunta ang tithe nila—association or convention. What they cannot not do is give the Lord’s tithe. It’s not their money, isn’t it? Gratitude finds ways and means. Ingratitude finds excuses.
4 comments:
I agree with you, Pastor Natz. At first, I also wondered why our local church still give to the association and to the convention despite our self-inadequacy to provide for our church's needs from the tithes we received from our members. However, I do understand the basic concept of tithing. And when I understood it's for our tithes, I never again asked why. Would you believe that in return the Lord never fails to send our church blessings from the outside??! Yes, blessings from these bodies we are giving tithes to and even other groups that we never even thought exists and could reach us! Tithing never decreases one's provisions for in the very first place it belongs to no one but to God. It, in an amazing way, even multiplies the capability of a body to send out God's blessings in a wonderful cycle without being depleted, but rather even grows bigger and wider. Why? Maybe because Christians understood the concept of tithing from God's Word? Perhaps. One thing sure is, only God knows how our simple tithes earned interests along the way before it returned to us in multifold. He is a wealthy God afterall and He is the real source of everything.
Hi. I am a pastor as well and I am preparing for a series about stewardship and part of the topics includes tithing, in which a growing number of present-day Christians are disagreeing about because (1.) Tithing was under the old covenant, and (2.) Tithing was not directly commanded in the New Testament.
I have visited quite a number of websites (mostly based in the US) that rebutted about tithing as "fleecing the flock". Many of these sites have given much study of the same Scriptures that supports tithing and use the same Scripture as well.
I was reflecting a while ago and I realized that possibly the capacity of man to be greedy and discontented confuses them about tithing. I came to say that the problem lies not in the issue whether tithing was practiced in the early church or not, but rather it is because of man's love of money. Just plain ingratitude to the One who blesses.
Come to think of it, tithing is a test of faith. If there were churches who EXTORT by demanding tithes, obviously the error lies in the churches' method and teaching, not on tithing itself.
Another thing: it is a fact that there is no verse that says about the disciples giving tithes. But to prove something just because it was not mentioned is not a very strong argument.
Just thinking out loud...
Hi. I am a pastor as well and I am preparing for a series about stewardship and part of the topics includes tithing, in which a growing number of present-day Christians are disagreeing about because (1.) Tithing was under the old covenant, and (2.) Tithing was not directly commanded in the New Testament.
I have visited quite a number of websites (mostly based in the US) that rebutted about tithing as "fleecing the flock". Many of these sites have given much study of the same Scriptures that supports tithing and use the same Scripture as well.
I was reflecting a while ago and I realized that possibly the capacity of man to be greedy and discontented confuses them about tithing. I came to say that the problem lies not in the issue whether tithing was practiced in the early church or not, but rather it is because of man's love of money. Just plain ingratitude to the One who blesses.
Come to think of it, tithing is a test of faith. If there were churches who EXTORT by demanding tithes, obviously the error lies in the churches' method and teaching, not on tithing itself.
Another thing: it is a fact that there is no verse that says about the disciples giving tithes. But to prove something just because it was not mentioned is not a very strong argument.
Just thinking out loud...
I Am a Friend of God:
I congratulate you for wrestling with this idea of stewardship and tithing. Sa akin, no child of God should ever consider that he or she owns anything except what God has provided. Maski nga ang ability niya na huminga pati ang hangin na hinihinga niya ay bigay ni Lord, di ba? God owns everything. So, we are not owners but stewards.
As to tithing, that was a direct command of God to his people. What was the purpose? He doesn't need it personally. He owns everything, remember? Meron siyang dakilang purpose para i-command sa mga tao niya na huwag gamitin ang lahat ng kanilang biyaya sa kanilang sarili lamang. Tithing was a teaching tool. Tithing communicates trust, dependence on God, gratitude, patience, faithfulness, integrity to promises made, and other good things. Not tithing was a sin because it communicates a lot of negative things about the relationship of the non-giver to the Giver of life. So, na-abrogate ba ang purpose na ito sa NT? Don't think so. God gave His only Son. Ikaw na believer, you would refuse 10% of what belongs to God anyway? Hindi ba nakakatawa yan?
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