Thursday: An Honest or Faithful Tithe
Read 1 Corinthians 4:1-2. As children of God and stewards of His blessings, what kind of people are we asked to be?
So, what does it mean to be faithful with our tithe? This week we have reviewed several of the constituent elements of the tithe:
- The amount — which is a tenth, or 10 percent, of our income or increase.
- Taken to the storehouse — the place from which the gospel ministers are paid.
- Honoring God with the first part of our income.
- Used for the right purpose — the support of the ministry.
Image © The Classic Bible Art Collection – Formerly Standard Publishing at Goodsalt.com
It is our responsibility as church members to uphold the first three items; it is the responsibility of the storehouse managers to make sure that the tithe funds are used properly.
And, the tithe is not discretionary on our part. The tenth and the storehouse are both part of our responsibility. We don’t set the parameters; God does. If I don’t return a full 10 percent of my “increase,” I’m not really tithing; and if I don’t bring that 10 percent to the “storehouse,” I’m not really tithing either.
Read Matthew 25:19-21. When are we called upon to give an account of our management of God’s funds? What is said to those who have been financially faithful?
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse’ (Malachi 3:10), is God’s command. No appeal is made to gratitude or to generosity. This is a matter of simple honesty. The tithe is the Lord’s; and He bids us return to Him that which is His own.” — Ellen G. White, Education, p. 138. Managing for God is a unique privilege — and a responsibility, as well. He blesses and sustains us and asks for only a tenth, and then He uses His tithe to provide for those in the ministry, as He did for the tribe of Levi during the times of ancient Israel.
| Some argue that they don’t like how their tithe money is used and hence either don’t tithe or send their money somewhere else. Yet where did God say, “Bring the tithe to the storehouse, but only if you are sure that the storehouse is using it right”? |
(13)
There is an elephant in the room in all of this discussion about tithing: Is the church doing the right thing with the tithe it receives? Or, to put it in another way, what does the church constituency perceive of the administration's honesty in dealing with the tithe?
Irrespective of all the calls for us to be honest with God by returning a faithful tithe, if we are dissatisfied with the management of the "storehouse" we will take our tithe to other entities that we perceive are doing a good job.
Now I know the standard accountant response to this. "Your responsibility ends with the giving.", but I do not buy that one. The church does not belong to the accountants; God has included us in the management package. Part of our job as church members is to ensure that management is honest and faithful.
There is another factor as well. We are a very diverse people with a constituency spread over multiple cultures and ethnic groups. We also have a spread of attitudes from conservative to liberal. With such wide diversity, what can we do to convince the constituency that the Church is the right storehouse?
If we are honest with ourselves, we know we are not going to convince everyone, It is about 5 years since we had a series of lessons on tithing (2018), and anyone who has watched Seventh-day Adventist history between then and now is well aware that if anything, our diversity has become more polarised and our rate of tithing has decreased.
There are a couple of things that we can do collectively. Firstly we need to take an interest in the business of the church. We have church business meetings and local conference sessions where ordinary church members can attend, listen to reports, and ask the hard questions. If you feel that business is not your thing, then make sure that members you know and trust attend those meetings as your representatives. At the administration level, we need to ensure that the tithe distribution process is both transparent and understandable.
Secondly, it is possible to achieve unity of purpose even with diversity. Perhaps we can learn a lesson from football teams. The players come from different ethnic groups and socio-economic backgrounds, but on the field, they put aside those differences and get on with playing the game with purpose. If we can accept diversity we can achieve purpose. (I know that there are limits on diversity but someties they are our limits and not God's.)
As l see it, if l owe someone money, l cannot refuse to repay the debt on condition they, or in this case their manager, spend it appropriately. (I might inform them, however.) Nor would l eat a meal at a restaurant and then go and pay the pub next door.
Hi Maurice - thank you for your contributions, I look forward to them every day!! I know here in N. America, conferences and such are very segregated (racially) which often creates many issues. Without going too deep and getting too much into the weeds, ensuring that the administration of the funds is fair across the board is often not a regional thing, but more of a N. American Division/General Conference thing. It’s often hard to effect change at that level and attending meetings and such individually is not an option. The only time is at a General Conference gathering and these things usually aren’t brought up. So I agree with you, but not sure it’s that straightforward or exactly how to get it done. I don’t know the answer, but figured I’d present the topic and see if others had any thoughts. Thanks!!
The questions Maurice has raised draw our attention to the reality of some things happening in Adventism.
It seems, in my mind, to boil down to the question: Do we believe the Adventist church is the true church? Of course, if the answer is no, then we would not consider the Adventist church as God's storehouse either.
Accepting and supporting a church as the church isn't something that can be mandated, at least not in a land that supports religious freedom. It is something a person must be convinced of in their own minds.
If, however, we believe the Adventist church, feeble and defective as it may be, does have the true Biblical message and gospel that needs to go to all the world, and realize it's the only church that preaches the last message of the three angels, we do all we can to support this.
What would happen if the majority of members should decide to no longer give their tithes to the Adventist Storehouse, and just support a ministry here or there? Basically the worldwide structure would cease its work, while we'd have a few TV ministries that would get rich. Would that alarm us, or would we simply shrug it off?
There's the other side as well -- those who say the whole tithing system is an Old Testament mandate, and is nowhere mentioned in the New Testament. They tell us God has freed us to give whatever we like to help whatever gospel workers or projects we like. They don't denounce giving, just the system of systematic giving. But is that correct?
Yet the blessings of systematic giving are great, both for the church and for the giver.
Again, it really comes down to the question as to whether we really believe the Adventist Church has the end-time message to give to the whole world, to every nation, kindred and people.
How do we see the reports of our church having entered into just about every country on earth? Even if there are human problems, (which there are) yet if we believe this is the church with the end-time message, it seems we would be happy to give our tithe and mission offerings, etc. to the storehouse to use to further this work, and earnestly pray God will use it to finish the work.
One other point here -- we need to continue to share the mission reports every Sabbath, and let the people see what is being done all over the world.
.
Remarkable point Ulrike. As faithful stewards/givers we are accountable to God. The receivers who are stewards themselves, are accountable to God too,
Excellent thoughts, Ulrike Unruh; thanks.
The widow gave all of her money (2 mites) when she was worshipping in a corrupt Jewish religion (Mark 12:41-44). She was counted more worthy by Jesus than those who brought in their large sums. One mite, according to some Bible scholars, is worth 1/5 cent. When we give to God in His church, it's not about those who are receiving it, but those who are giving it. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).
Amen Rebecca! Good point to ponder
Bring all the tithe in to my storehouse so there will be food in my storehouse.
How is the conference the storehouse?
The entire church organization is God's storehouse.
Why is all the tithe sent to the conference?
There should be a portion left at the local church to take care of the church and its members.
Why has the system been set up to say offerings take care of the local church?
Is that the instruction from God?
Are you aware of your local conference policy on tithe distribution? How much does it cost to employ your minister? I’m not talking just about their wages, as typically the overhead of employing a person is typically 50% more than their salary. I mention this because often we have not really understood the amounts of money involved. And consider this; I am aware of churches who have a full time minister but who do not have the tithe base in that particular church to pay that minister. Where does their salary come from?
What happens if that policy is flipped. Under a minister’s leadership a church grows and the “tithe” grows 50% more than the minister’s salary. However, when the conference offers the minister to move to a different church and the minister leaves. As a result the church suffers and the tithe base drops at that particular church. The Church is blessed/cursed by its leadership at all levels. The responsibility rest upon whom to make up the resulting drop in tithe base/ resulting replacement ministers salary?
Check my response further down this thread.
Your response further down is how I was initially taught however, such is not the case at the present. I’m in the USA and the tithe works much like the the lesson teaches. The Levites were supported by the tithe of the people and in turn supported the Priests and High Priest by returning their tithe. This appears to be the arrangement that I am living under. If the local people have little to give they get a part time Pastor, the same if a Levitical Priest had only a small receipt he had little to offer the Priest as the tenth made its way up. Instead the tithe doesn’t go to the top first and rain down equally to the churches, the minister’s pay is proportionally equal to the little received on the local level. You have stated like I have been taught, that the disproportion that the local minister should receive because of small receipts is made up by the collective receipts of all the people. Not so in this part of Gods vineyard.
I am sorry to hear that. The issue is a complex one, and I am well aware that all is not equal in the watering of the vineyard. The other big issue is managing personnel. How many ministers want to pastor a small church in a remote part of the country where there are few members?
Regarding this discussion on “where” the storehouse is and the questions of storehouse management…Paul in his admonitions to the church in Rome (Rom 14) tells us that each of us must be convinced in our own minds of our beliefs and subsequent actions. And he reminds us that because of our “diversity”, we may not all arrive at the same conclusions. Might some of these conclusions include supporting ministries that are non-denominational as well as denominational that one believes is presenting the gospel?
Is sending one's tithe to a different church than one is a member of, to a smaller church that is struggling with their finances, in order to help bolster their position, is that to be frowned upon? Does that go against the Bibilical principles studied? It's still God's storehouse, just a different "room". Any comments?
I think that in Australia the conferences do that for you. That is one of the benefits of a conference system over a congregational system. I know of churches who have a minister on a perceived need basis rather than their ability to financially support a minister. That support comes from larger churches.