Proverbs 3:9-10, “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
by David J. Stewart
January 2008
| Updated July 2014
I have a philosophy that I live by and that is to never let an offering
plate pass in front of me without putting something in it. We ought to get
into the habit of giving. Many times I've been the only one who tithed at
Wednesday Night Bible Study, and that bothers me, because it shows that
most people aren't in the habit of giving. That's ok though, if I'm the
only one who tithes, then so be it, but I will give each time I have the
opportunity. Perhaps you cannot give much, that's ok, give what you can.
Even if you can only give a couple dollars, you should always put
something into every offering plate that passes in front of you, to stay
in the habit of giving and tithing.
And remember, when we give to God, we are simply letting go of what is
already His. Everything that we own belongs to God. The Lord has given to
us all that we have. I am a firm believer in tithing above 10%, but not to
a deadbeat church that has no ministries and never goes soul-winning. I'll
get to that more in a bit.
Most Christians Ought to Give More Than 10% to God
No! I've stuck my neck out before, and I'll do it again. Tithing is a hotter issue than anything else, because people love money so much. I am 100% against the notion that everybody is supposed to give God 10% of their money. I don't care if the truth harelips every dog in the county, so be it! Money is the central issue and a sore nerve to many ministers, but it ought not be that way. There are several things to consider in this matter of tithing. Please hear me out before judging me.
The tithe is God's money. Just as the Levi priests (Eli's sons) abused their provisions in the Old Testament, so do most pastors today rob God. Far more pastors rob God than church members sitting in the pews. I'm sick and tired of preachers adding to the Bible things that aren't in there. There is absolutely nothing commanding New Testament saints to give God a 10% tithe plus tithes and offerings, or else God will curse that person with financial ruin and their kids will get sick and die. These are the type of these that I've heard taught from America's pulpits, to pressure people to give until it hurts.
If a handful of Fundamentalists don't start standing behind the cause that's right, there won't be a cause in a few more years. Pastor Curtis Hutson (1934-1995) says . . .
“Preachers can't do it all. If you don't put everything you've got behind the cause that's right, brother, there won't be a right cause in a few more years. Fundamental, Bible-believing, preachers need encouragement. They're having financial difficulties all over the country. Everywhere I go they say, 'How's your offerings? I can't pat my bills.' Why? Because they're the fastest growing churches and have the biggest debts.' —Dr. Curtis Hutson, from the awesome sermon titled: “IS THE COMING OF THE LORD NEAR?”
I don't find anything in the Bible that commands
a believer to give God a 10% tithe. We are commanded to be rich toward
God, to honor God with our substance, with the firstfruits (i.e., the
best, and not leftovers). We are commanded to give to the poor (Proverb
28:27). We are commanded to support
God's Man, who is worthy of financial support because he LABORS (1st
Timothy 5:17-18). I find many areas where the Bible does tell us to
give, but I do not find anything about supporting money-hungry
televangelists or ministers who have the wrong priorities. Many
ministers use people to build their ministries, while hypocritically
claiming to use their ministry to build people.
Some Families Cannot Tithe 10% and Shouldn't
Let's face it, ministers have an unfair advantage over people, called the pulpit. When a pastor needs money, he browbeats and pressures his people for more, more, more. When a layman doesn't have enough money to pay his bills, he has to cut corners or work a second job. A godly pastor will cut the budget, or get a secular job if need be, but you don't bilk people to pay for projects that really don't need to be done. I'm tired of seeing people being abused by selfish pastors who live in their own little world, ignoring the fact that our economy is going to hell in a hand-basket, and making their congregation feel guilty for not hawking their wedding rings, giving up their child's college funds, et cetera. A genuine man of God won't have to pressure people to give sacrificially, because they'll be doing it on their own. Thus, pastors ought not focus on money; but rather, on soul-winning and trust God to provide through prayer.
I'm against the teaching that believers are supposed to blindly put 10% of their income in an offering plate, while those receiving pastors take vacations to the Holy land and live very comfortably at a higher standard of living than the average church member. Pastors ought to live modestly, showing others that they're not in the ministry to make a buck. God deliver us from red-carpet, golf-club, richy-rich, spoiled preachers. I'm not jealous, God knows my heart; but rather, I am a caring believer who sees what's going on. I've been around churches my whole life and I see many of the ways by which preachers manipulate people. God give us more preachers like Billy Sunday and Jack Hyles! God give us more preachers like John the Baptist! God give us more preachers like Dwight L. Moody and Harry A. Ironside!
There is no set amount to give God. Each person must decide what is reasonable as the Holy Spirit leads. The Bible does not tell us to blindly support a 501c3 State-licensed organization; but rather, to be rich toward God. That means giving to the poor. That means giving to soulwinning ministries. That means giving to a church that is a Biblical New Testament Church, not to some social club or false religion. That might mean buying Bibles to give to others. It means honoring God with our time, money and life. We should always be looking for ways to give. What open doors are God leading you to go through for Him?
The bottom line is that you can tell when a pastor is genuinely passionate about reaching others for Christ, or if he is just caught up in the satanic health, wealth and prosperity racket. That's why I love giving to Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches that have bus ministries, because the bus ministry is a liability that no greedy pastor would ever run.
“The only institution in this world that goes from house-to-house begging a bunch of poverty-stricken people that are going to be liabilities instead of assets to come is the New Testament Church. ... The Church wants outcasts. Jesus wants outcasts!” —Dr. Jack Hyles, from the sermon: “Where Did David Get His Mighty Men?”
There are many ways to be rich toward God. Luke 12:20-21, "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Most people are thieves, who have not honored God with their time and money. So don't let it be said that Brother Stewart doesn't believe in tithing... yes I do! What I am against is unethical ministers that squeeze every last penny out of their congregation, taking advantage of those who do give, and then spoil themselves with ritzy living. A pastor should be next to broke from giving away everything that he owns to help others.
I can't stand those pastors that dress for success, and have that little
napkin folded with four triangles in their suit pocket, and go golfing
with all the rich men in the church, and are arrogant men with huge
egos. Bless God, give me a bug-eating, camel-skin wearing, renegade
preacher like John the Baptist who doesn't care what people think about
his social skills nor financial status. That's why John the Baptist
preached THE TRUTH, uncompromisingly and without apology! So many
pastors have SOLD THEIR SOULS for money! God pity the pastor who writes
a series of books about money. God pity the pastor who betrays the Word
of God, denying its inspiration, to be accepted by other apostates! God
deliver us from richy-rich pastors who have betrayed their calling to
preach THE TRUTH!
Don't Give to Fat Cat Charities
Some church members ought to give much more than 10%, because God has blessed them with wealth. If you have more money than you need, then you are blessed and ought to give accordingly to the work of God. The needs are always great. What makes me sick is that so many Christians give billions of dollars to shady big charities like Red Cross who pay over $600,000 a year to their top officials. Please don't give God's money that He has entrusted to you to FAT CAT CHARITIES. Instead, missionaries struggle on foreign fields, risking their lives in Africa and other dangerous places. I recommend that you support missionaries through your local church. I'm Baptist and always recommend Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches, but there are other good churches as well, some Methodist. Albeit, I triple-dog dare you to find a Methodist church with a bus ministry!
Many pastors are selfish, brow-beating their congregations for more and more money without stopping to consider that America is in an economic depression. Financial trends forecaster, Gerald Celente, predicts massive street riots, increased crime and public panic by the year 2012 in the U.S. The handwriting is on the wall. The Federal Reserve Banksters have bilked, lied and cheated the American people into ruin! Christians who love the Lord care, and thus cry aloud against this woeful evil and others. Few people care nowadays because few people are genuine Christians who love God.
If you can afford video games, movies, MP3 players and all the like, then you are a thief not to give to God. Just like other sins, it is wicked not to be rich toward God. That is the Biblical command, i.e., to be rich toward God. No one gives as little to God's work as rich people. The richest people in the world are the most ungodly and foolish, poorer than the poorest without God. I'd rather have Jesus than all the money in the world.
With the U.S. dollar's value depreciated by 37%
since the year 2000, and millions of
Americans losing their homes, and 40,000,000 Americans receiving food stamps
as of 2009, and all of our
manufacturing jobs going overseas... it is unethical and unfair for any pastor to
hound his people for money, money, money! The average pastor couldn't care
less about the faltering economy, but the reality of the matter is that
most people are hurting financially. Unlike a minister, a layman cannot
pressure anybody to increase his income. So many pastors abuse this
privilege. This is what I'm against.
Pastors Ought to Be Careful About Over Spending
Thank God for growing churches. It's the fastest growing churches that have the most debts, naturally. However, pastors need to be careful about putting their congregation into debt. I think churches should try diligently to stay out of debt. It seems to be the American way to go into massive debt, but that is not God's way. It is wrong to make a working man with a family feel like he's robbing God, when he can't even keep up with his own bills due to inflation, rising insurance premiums, corrupt government, the rigged cost of gas, Communist deindustrialization in our nation sending all our jobs to foreign soil, et cetera. The Bible says that a man is supposed to care for his own loved ones first, or else he is worse than a Christ-rejecting infidel (1st Timothy 5:8).
If you can't tithe 10%, you are not doing anything wrong if you don't have the money. The notion that you should tithe rather than buy your child a McDonald's happy meal is sinful. I'll bet your pastor takes his children to McDonald's, and the steak house too! If you can only give $5, then that is acceptable to God. You can give of your time instead to mow the church lawn, clean the restrooms, or paint some things, help out, et cetera. Remember, everything that you do for the Church you are really do for Jesus Christ.
Honestly, many churches incur much needless debts because of an over ambitious pastor that doesn't respect his people. I knew a pastor who continually hounded his people for money, in an economically depressed area of the city. The pastor wanted to build too soon. I think that is wrong. Many churches have a wrong mindset, spending money on fireworks shows and things that are unnecessary. In view of the economic decline of America, Christian leaders need to back off from hounding their congregation.
In fact, I think most pastors should work a
part-time secular job to support himself and his family, instead of
mooching off a group of people. The only one's pushing a 10% tithe are
ministers who don't want to punch a clock for a living. I'm not against a
full-time pastor if the church can afford it, not at all; but I am against
any Christian leader abusing the congregation by continually berating
them, making them feel guilty, and milking them for every penny he can
get. The United States is in an economic depression that can't be ignored.
A pastor who still preaches a 10% tithe, while completely ignoring the
faltering U.S. economy, is unethical and unfair to his congregation.
God Wants Us to Give Sacrificially, But Sensibly
Don't you dare give sacrificially if your pastor is living extravagantly, because then you're money is not going to help the church but your shady pastor. What I look at is not so much how the pastor lives, within reason, as I do look at what is being accomplished through the church for the Lord. How many ministries does the church have? Are souls being saved? Is the baptistry being used at all?
How is a man supposed to give money to a church when he can't even pay his own bills? The number of bankruptcies in the U.S. has skyrocketed. Christian leaders need to be realistic and not expect everyone to give 10%. A working man with a homemaking wife and children to feed cannot likely give a 10% tithe. Perhaps some can, but increasingly it is becoming difficult. So many preachers unethically make people feel guilty, accusing them of not caring about lost souls, simply because they won't give more money in the collection plate on Sunday.
Giving 10% is nothing for some wealthy people; but it is a major struggle for a lot of working families. And a lot of ministers teach that a believer is supposed to give "tithes AND offerings," requiring more than a 10% tithe. The house of Israel were required to support the priestly tribe of Levi with a 10% tithe. But we are not under this command today. We certainly are not obligated to give money to any particular ministry. I know a famous preacher, who founded a ministry that was not a church, and so he taught that it was ok for believers to give a tithe to any ministry, not just a church. Yet I know another famous pastor who plainly taught that it is a sin for believers to support any ministry other than a church with their tithe. Each man taught what was convenient for his own personal income. But what does the Bible say?
The Bible commands us to be rich toward God, to give to the poor, and to support God's man who LABOURS in Word and doctrine...
1st Timothy 5:17, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward."
Thus, I believe it is Biblical to give our
money to the man of God who is a soulwinner and is WORTHY of support. That
is the criteria... is he WORTHY is being supported with your money? Benny
Hinn is not worthy! Mike Murdoch is not worthy! Don Stewart is not worthy!
Pat Robertson is not worthy! To blindly give 10% is wrong!
Be Careful About Inconsistencies
I once visited a church years ago, listening to a guest missionary speaker harshly berate the congregation, demanding money in God's name because of all the people that are going to Hell in the Philippines. Then the pastor and 20 elite members of the congregation took a $120,000 vacation to the Holy Land 2-weeks later. Bless God, if the pastor and his wife can take an expensive vacation to Israel, then they don't need money as bad as they say they do. They want the money! You can do a lot for God with $120,000 in the Philippines. Their actions are hypocritical in view of their preaching. How bad do they need money for Philippine missions? Not bad enough to cancel their Holy Land trip. I'm not against going to Israel on vacation as a church, but then don't pressure the rest of the congregation to give until it hurts because people are going to Hell.
Why does your pastor drive a new car while you drive a peace of junk? Why does your pastor eat steak while you eat hotdogs? This is what I'm talking about. You are responsible to God for what you do with money. You are accountable to God for every penny that comes into you possession. Our text verse, Proverb 28:27, tells us to give TO THE POOR. You can't show me one Scripture in the New Testament that commands believers to support a FAT CAT preacher! God's men are to live within their means, setting an example for the people.
1st Timothy 3:3, "Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous."
1st Timothy 3:8, "Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre."
Titus 1:7, "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre."
You need to question where your money is going! What are you financially supporting? The Bible teaches that neither pastors, nor elders, nor deacons are to be greedy nor covetous! We are only to give to SOULWINNING ministries, i.e., a ministry where the gospel is preached regularly to the local community.
Please do not misunderstand my article. I am all
for tithing. I believe Christians ought to tithe. But I am against
pastors who berate their people for more and more money, but then take a
vacation to the Holy Land with 20 members of the church. I am against
ministers who condemn working men for not tithing, when working men are
on the verge of bankruptcy. What if working men could pressure pastors
for more money to pay their bills? So many pastors abuse their power of
influence.
Conclusion Of The Matter
We are to support God's man, the soulwinning preacher, the missionary, so that he can do God's work. Where did air-conditioning, new cars, plush carpeting, bigger buildings, vacations and all the fancy stuff come into the picture? I want to encourage others to give sacrificially, but not foolishly.
I just think that 90% of God's money goes for things we really don't need. America is going to Hell while preachers live high on the hog. Something is wrong. Benny Hinn alone took in over $100,000,000 last year. It's sickening. The same mentality causes people to drop their offering in a plate every week, and most are just wasting their money. I received a letter yesterday from a woman who wanted to know if it was wrong for her pastor to take up an offering for his birthday. Oh brother. I told her to find another church. The tithe is God's money. Just as the Levi priests abused their provisions in the Old Testament, so do most pastors today rob God. It is the pastors who are robbing God, not the people.
Proverb 28:27, “He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.”
DEBT LEVERAGING FOR AN ETERNAL LIFESTYLE
(using all we own to lay up treasures in Heaven)
