Amid debates over whether Christians should tithe to their local church, a Christian author says churches that teach tithing as a mandate is a “growing scandal.”
In his new book Should the Church Teach Tithing?, Russell Early Kelly insists that biblical tithing was never commanded as an eternal moral principle of the New Covenant to the Church. Although he supports freewill-offering, he clearly stated that a mandatory 10 percent is unscriptural. Read about it here.
I guess I should have read this book before I start my series called “THE MONEY PIT” this Sunday. 
What do you think?
The tithe was “holy unto the Lord”, in the Old Testament. When did it lose its holiness?
Withholding the tithe was “robbing God” in Malachi. When did it stop being that?
In the NT, Jesus apparently complimented the Pharisees on their tithing .. that remark was followed by a “but” and then He pointed out their hypocrisy. Would He compliment me for tithing? Would, then, He still be the supreme auhority in my life (that’s what Lord means) if I decided I simply didn’t want to do that any more?
There’s one reason to hang onto your money. Greed. If you don’t want to tithe, own it for what it is.
You should go and learn what this means”
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having been made a curse for us read Galatians the whole book!
It is finished zero balance cause Christ fulfilled all of the law & you can’t with a ten percent pay Him mandate! Stop stealing the glory due Him & the Cross!
The truth hurts but it will set you free!
Tithing is an OT principle, because the government was a theocracy. Giving money to God was not unlike paying taxes is today. In fact, we are so quick to tell people to give their ten percent, yet the OT tithe was more like 30%. Plus, every seventh year people were required to let their ground lie fallow, which we do not practice (we don’t take a year off from work every seventh year). All tolled, the OT tithe was closer to 36%, which is similar to the amount many people pay the government in income taxes today.
When the people of God needed to raise money in the OT for the work of the ministry, they took a free will offering. And they gave so much, the officials had to tell the people to stop giving. I’ve never heard a pastor tell his people to stop giving.
In the NT, it is the same way. We pay our taxes as an act of obedience to the Lord. For the church, there are specific guidelines. Give generously. Give proportionately. Give regularly. But ultimately, the NT says that each person gave what they determined in their own heart to give. That is the guideline.
I know people who give ten percent, and they are robbing God, because He is calling them to give so much more, but because they’ve been told ten percent so long, they think that’s all they have to pony up. Poor widows are living on pet food because they are giving more than they can afford.
It is my opinion that this is one of the great errors of the church. We are so afraid to let people think and make decisions for themselves, so the church suffers when people just don’t give much or at all. If we would set people free to do what they want to do, I believe the treasuries would be full and overflowing.
Great post Kevin!
Malachi 3:10: 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. (NIV)
That doesn’t sound like government to me. There were also taxes in the OT. Ask Matthew or Levi about that.
Not tithing doesn’t stop God, nor do I think it costs someone their salvation. But God said it was robbing Him and I’ll stand on that.
I won’t argue whether bringing the tithe to the storehouse was taxing or not, but asking Levi would do no good, since he was a sellout to the Roman government, which was not in power when Malachi wrote chapter three verse ten. The fact is that the church and the government were indistinguishable at that time.
What I will ask is this, do you ask people to truly bring the whole tithe into the storehouse? Because if you really want to follow OT law, you must require them to tithe three times–30%. And you must require them to stop working every seventh year (an idea I would personally endorse).
What do you do with 1 Cor 16:2? Or 2 Cor 8:3? Paul specifically said that no one was to be compelled to give, but each one should give according to how he or she had prospered. And they gave and gave and gave. If we follow the NT paradigm for giving, people will give. The OT paradigm does not work for a NT church.
i’m totally with jasonk. 100% and more. praise God and give freely for God loves a cheerful giver!
great post Kevin
Not only was the promise of “blessing”–not limited to just “financial” made, but the same Passage in Malachi says that God will “rebuke the devourer”–and that’s the promise that goes with tithing.
Here is a thought… In Gen 14, Abram gave a tenth of everything to Melchizedek. This happened before the Levitical System. Therefore, some would say that because this happened before Moses and the law that it is carried over to the New Testament. If you then study Hebrews chapter 7, you find some interesting interpretations. It is clear to me that the New Testament teaches that tithing is an issue of the heart. Ever law that Jesus speaks of (adultery, murder, etc.), He takes one step further. (Adultery – lust, Murder – anger)
I agree with Brent, that giving, or tithing, whatever you want to call it, is an issue of the heart.
Adrian Rogers once said, “the commitment that hasn’t reached your pocketbook hasn’t reached your heart.” He also said that since we are under grace, not under law, we are not required to give 10%, however, anyone who does not give MORE under grace than they were required to give under the law is a disgrace to grace. Leave it to Adrian to put it so eloquently.
I believe that the argument is moot. Under the law, we were required to carry that soldier’s pack one mile, not one step more. Under grace, we carry it two miles. Under law, we were required to give up our coat. Under grace, we give up our shirt as well.
Are we required to give at least 10% under grace? No. We are asked to give everything. I remember hearing Campolo speak one time. He said, “The old hymn does not say, ‘I surrender one-tenth. I surrender one-tenth. One-tenth to Jesus, I surrender, I surrender one-tenth.’” It says I surrender all. It all belongs to Him. And everything we do with our money should be done in some way to bring glory to the One who provided us with it.
I think tipping at a restaurant or at the barber shop is part of that generosity. So is giving to the United Way. It is a life-pattern of generosity that extends to every corner of God’s work in the world. The storehouse, aka the church, is a part of that. For most people, myself included, 10% would be a cop out. Not generous at all.
How about a Vow of Poverty?
(never mind Chasity or Obedience)
Some years ago I was in Capetown So. Africa for a mission trip. We were driving around and I kept seeing one kind of church that had really nice facilities wherever we went. I asked the guy who was driving how that group of churches seemed to have such nice facilities and his reply was that they all tithe. That got my interest so I asked “how does that happen?”, hoping to find out some new way to impove stewardship. His reply, “Well you tithe or they put a curse on you.” We have tried almost everything else but that.
Our pastor told a story, supposedly true, but who knows? It concerned a temp secretary who was filling in for the duration of maternity leave of the regular. The pastor wanted her to note the week’s month’s giving in the individual members’ records, for tax purposes. He told her to “post the giving” for the month.
She apparently muisunderstood, as she typed up a nice spreadsheet showing all the members and how much each had given, and posted it on the bulletin board.
The story says that giving doubled the next month.
Just a knit picky note. The OT tithe was not 30%. It would average out to 23.33% because one of the tithes mentioned was only to be collected every 3rd year.
That said, the argument which says “that is OT law and thus doesn’t apply” is not a valid approach. If that’s the case, we could say that the entire NT theology is invalidated, because it is based on Jesus’ fulfillment of the OT law. It is true that the NT does not explicitly command tithing however, careful examination of the NT leaves the reader with the understanding that the proper response to grace far exceeds the response demanded by the law.
Funny story!
But that attitude might not be acceptable in the eyes of the Lord, even if it did help the budget out. I have long had a problem with the way we record peoples’ giving for tax purposes. How much we give is between us and God, and if we are giving for the wrong motives, ie, what will the preacher think, or what will everyone else think. I have always preferred to give in secret, but that has gotten me in trouble before, because word gets out that I wasn’t giving, and people get upset.
Kevin Holmes–I don’t want you to think that I was referring to your post as a funny story. When I was writing, I was referring to Bob’s story. Hope there isn’t any confusion.
So is it your contention that if the OT required 23.33%, that we should be giving more than that? That will get you rave reviews at the next deacons meeting ;>)
It seems to me that we tend to pick out the stuff in the OT that is convenient or expedient for us to believe and practice, but reject the rest. And tithing is near the top of that list. I rarely ever hear pastors giving an inch on OT tithing, I suppose because they fear it will hurt giving.
The OT is not there for us to pattern our life and behavior after. It is there to show us how impossible it is to live under those kinds of conditions, and that Jesus, as the fulfillment of the OT, is far better than the old system. Giving is no different. In the old, you worked and slaved and gave away at least a fourth (not a tenth) of your earnings to the Lord. You HAD to give it. So people gave begrudgingly. It became a chore, and people didn’t like it.
Jesus comes along and says, “give whatever your heart tells you to give.” Give according to the level that you have been blessed. Give regularly. Give in proportion to that which you take in. Don’t even count what you give, just give it. And it will be given back to you. Over and over and over. You won’t even be able to count all the blessings that will come back your way. How can you give ten percent of what you can’t even count? Zaccheus gave 50% of his future earnings. And to make restitution for what he had taken illegally, he gave 400%. Now that’s a tithe! But he gave according to the level he had been blessed.
When I was just starting to work, I asked my mom how I should tithe. Off of the gross, or the net? She said, “I give off the gross, that way I don’t have to tithe off of my tax refund. Its all mine.” Wrong attitude! Its not hers, it is the Lords. When we bind ourselves up by legalism, it robs us of the joy of giving freely. Preach that! People will be frightened at first, but when they learn the joy of NT giving, things will start to happen.
I don’t tithe to my church I tithe to the Lord and my church collects it. I don’t tithe because my pastor teaches tithing, I tithe because he teaches the Bible, and I read it and am convinced I am to do it. Boy and I glad money is not a stronghold for me. Giving God the first fruits—that is freedom!!!
I think you should give as God commands, period. Whether it is to the church, to missions, to any place He directs. It is His money, not yours. Many rest on the fact they give a literal 10% and then blow all the rest of the money on whatever they want. That’s how I used to live. I never asked God how much or to what. I just gave my tithe to the church and blew the rest. That is not walking by faith. That is legalism at its worst. And, I don’t believe that a church is the only place people should be giving, unless God has told them specifically that is the only place for them to give. Walk by faith and be a cheerful giver for whatever you have is a gift from God to be used for His purposes, not to be used to be comfortable or to keep up with the Joneses.
Kevin,
I’ve been gone and am just now catching up on my reading of my favorite blogs. I’m reading your albeit, a bit late.
I personally opt on the side of tithing being a part of the covenant God had with Israel. In the New Covenant “as a man purposes in his heart” and “as God has prospered him” is more the standard, recognizing ALL is His and we’re ready to give whatever He leads to be given.
I have settled the issue of selfishness in my own heart, and it is a big issue too often, by recogizing that Grace always exceeds the Law, so, I use the 10% I use to give as a legal thing, as the floor, but not the ceiling of my giving. So, that 10% begins my giving, but isn’t the extent of it at all.
John Blanchard, a dear friend in England taught me that years ago. He said, “The tithe is a good place to begin your giving, but a poor place to end it.” I like that. Grace.
Paul B.
Paul,
Beautifully put.
Paul,
The idea of a tithe being a beginning point and not a “check box” to confirm ones piety is exactly what I was getting at. The reality is that we don’t own anything. We are simply stewards of God’s assets. Therefore, I don’t see it as giving God a tithe, but rather as an act of worship and reverence.
Jason,
I understood where the “funny story” ref was referring. I assure you, no offense was taken.
My contention is that no Christian can find a viable defense in the NT to establish an specific percentage as the “universal right answer.” That said, I don’t believe that any Christian can find a viable NT defense to give less than a tithe on a regular basis or to never give more than a tithe.
I admit that I wrestle with the 23.3% issue. But, first of all, the 2nd annual tithe and the tithe that is collected every 3rd yr seem not to be a true tithe of TOTAL increase. It is also arguable that they do no apply to the NT church because they were to be consumed within the temple/tabernacle as a fellowship meal. The fellowship meal was a part of the sacrificial system which Jesus fulfilled. There is no debate that under grace, Jesus is a better.
This is one of those issues that each will have to settle in his/her own conscience as God leads. I just hope it doesn’t become another “line in the sand issue” to determine who is really baptist.
Grace to you all brothers.
To all,
Thanks for helping me write my message series for the next 5 weeks!
Seriously,
I’m speaking about the widow’s offering Sunday. Good stuff.
The church should absolutely teach tithing – and it should start by flushing out its hypocrisy by pledging 10% to missions. No use asking the parts to tithe if the whole isn’t going to tithe.
But Chris, is tithing ever even alluded to for the church?
Some people will argue that it’s not even alluded to for the NT Christian.
Our current churches have a lot of things 1st-century churches don’t.
Buildings
vehicles
investments (?)
The list goes on. The church has more to ‘tithe’ of now than the average 1st-century believer did. God’s Glory isn’t expressed by savings accounts or buildings funds.
Seriously, though, is there any more powerful pro-tithing statement than to lead by example? I think it’s pretty legalistic to fall back on ‘the church isn’t commanded to tithe’. If the parts are to tithe, the whole should, too.
Chris,
In a previous church I served, a deacon had a similar perspective; that the church should tithe. The obvious question for Southern Baptist then is to whom or where does the church pay tithes. The local church is autonomous. There is no higher organization or structure to which to tithe. Is the church that sets aside 10% of its budget to directly fund mission/evangelism work any less spiritual than the one which sends 10% to someone else to take part of and then send the rest to do mission work? Is the church that sends 10% to the CP or some mission organization to send some one else but fails to make any personal effort in missions and evangelism (the “I can’t go but I can send” mentality) to be commended?
I believe we as SBC churches should support the cooperative program. But, you can’t defend the CP with biblical tithing principles expanded to apply to the local church.
Kevin Holmes is right, IMO.
It seems to me that this falls under the category not of titheing, but of sharing to meet one anothers’ needs. Churches absolutely have more to give, as Chris stated so well. So we have more to share. It isn’t a tithe, but it is responsibility to make sure that churches and individuals in need are taken care of by their brothers and sisters.
I was always taught that the Lord blessed tithing, and my personal experience attests to that as fact. However the pocketbook nerve is the most sensitive in the body, not to speak of the Body of Christ. In other words, how much is selfishness part of the problem?
A new study, “The State of Church Giving through 2004,” by Empty Tomb, a Christian research and service organization reports that giving by a group of 40 Christian denominations, representing 40 million church members, dropped 1.16 percent in the portion of inflation-adjusted income donated.
The churches studied only spend an average of 2 cents of each dollar on international missions, so it doesn’t seem those interested in supporting mission work are getting much bang for their tithe buck if they are tithing. So maybe subconsiously, parishoners aren’t all that excited about supporting “improvements” in their local church while letting the rest of the world go to hell?
I am so glad to find this blog. Here’s my problem – need some wisdom. My husband and I are in church leadership (elder/worship leader) and at the last Board meeting, one of the pastors presented every board member with a letter stating their giving thus far this year and his estimate on said members’ salary. There was a note asking whether or not this was accurate and if not, why not. I personally find this alarming. It was stated that all board members were expected to tithe from the gross, and anything less was disobedient and God would not favour us with His blessing! I am aghast, and feel quite violated. . . Can we really play this hard and fast about tithing?
Help!
Carrie,
If I were you, I would find a church that follows the tenets of the New Testament, where it teaches that each person gave what they determined in their own heart to give. Nowhere in the Bible does it teach that it is okay to use strong arm tactics to force people to tithe. If you started giving more, do they really think God will bless it? After all, the Bible says that our gifts are not to be given under compulsion, or begrudgingly. This pastor is in clear violation of the Word of God, and he or she should be reprimanded.
Carrie,
Thanks for stopping by. I agree with Jason. Strong-armed tactics are sure not from God. What you make and give is between you and God.
I believe that we are under grace and no longer under law. The Lord knows your heart and if you give 1 to 100 percent of your earnings he will know what you felt when you gave it. It says in the Bible that (Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites for tithing and not loving) that if you follow any parts of the old law, you must follow the whole law. This means you can not teach your congregation to pay 10% without teaching them to pay the 23.3%. You can not teach your congregation to pay 10% without teaching them to slaughter their animals and burn them at the altar.
Jesus Christ’s crucification is the ultimate offering and the fulfillment of the entire law. If having faith in God is all that is required to receive Him and his gifts, how can I be “cursed” for not giving a required amount? It does not make sense and sadly, i think many of us know this, but are afraid of what may happen if we were to examine this issue closer. Tradition without wisdom is dangerous!!
I am the author of the article. Please read my 10 page 18 pont essay and you wil find that all of your objections ahve been covere4d there. The “It is holy to the Lord” argument fails becasue allmost everything else in Leviticus called “holy’”: and “most holy” has been rejected by the church. If you look at Malchi 1:13, you wil discover that the priests haad the tithe and were robbing God –that is the context of 1:6; 2:1 adn 3:1-3. Jesus’ remarks in Matt 23:23 is a discussion of “matters of the Law” and must be understood in its context of verses 2 and 3. If you do not agree that tithes were taxes, then you should read 1 Chronicles, chapters 23-27 which describe the duties of the Levites; they received the whole tithe and were servants and politicians –not priests. Genesis 14:20 fails becaue 14:21 gives the 90% to the KIng of Sodom in accorddance to pagan Arab custom. That must be considered.
Teach grace giving and Holy Spirit blessed giving principles. None of teh OT tithing principles from Numbers 18 are obeyed today (luckily).
I’ve been reading your blog and searching for answers. My husband is a Sunday School teacher in our large Southern Baptist Church. We have a large class of about 50 adults. In Sept. 2005, the associate pastor met with my husband to question him about our tithing. We were only paying monthly since my husband is paid monthly. We were forced into bankruptcy because the sell of my business went bad, so we started paying sporadically. We did miss paying our tithe for 2 months and then would double our tithe the next month and so on. We’ve borrowed from family just to make it. My husband explained this, but the pastor said that if we miss another month, he would be asked to resign as teacher because he signed a covenant agreement to pay his tithes. We didn’t pay tithes in December. He wants to meet with my husband again. This is so devistating, I can’t even explain. Our hearts are so heavy because our class is so close we are like family. We almost feel like we need to borrow the money to pay them off so that the families in our class aren’t hurt by this. My husband has decided to confess in front of the class on Sunday and step down as teacher. I’m not trying to make excuses at all, but we give in so many other ways because we want to. My husband directs big dramas for our church and coaches our church’s kids basketball. We are always there giving our time. We are so hurt, feel condemned, and don’t know what to do. Do we stay at the church? We don’t want our kids to be hurt by this too? We want what God wants.
While I agree that what you give is between you and God, I can testify from personal experience on the blessing of being a faithful tither. I can also testify from personal experience what it has meant to me when I was NOT a faithful tither.
I’ve lived under the “curse” before–the one that Malachi spoke of for those who would rob God (his words, not mine), and I’ve lived under the “blessing” of being a faithful tither. God promised to “rebuke the devourer” when we tithe faithfully, and I’ve seen it happen in my own life.
I choose to tithe.
I have to admit that the concept of tithing (even though I was raised in a tithing home) somehow didn’t ring “true” to me. The near-constant barrage by nearly all church groups about tithes is something that I have always felt drove away more of the lost from the possibility of establishing a personal relationship with Christ than nearly any other teaching. I strayed from God for many years, then I happend upon Mr. Kelly’s book on the Internet. I downloaded the PDF copy and started to read it.
Now I’m a word-by-word, beginning to end sort of reader, and I FIRMLY believe in establishing the full context for all scriptural references (I usually at least try to read the entire chapter when scripture is used as proof of ANY concept). Also, I believe it is just as important to identify “to whom” a particular scripture is directed as it is to identify the proper meaning and context. So it took me a while to finish Mr. Kelly’s book, since I examined each of his scriptural references thoroughly.
I have to say that this book not only proved to me that while giving liberally to God’s work is most definitely a Biblical principal that is still in force, and that tithing is not scriptural under the New Covenant, this book also brought me back into a closer relationship with my Lord…and for that I thank you Mr. Kelly….God bless you for you work.
Of all the comments I’ve read, I would like to challenge each of you to simply read the book…then come back and defend tithing as being a New Covenant mandate. I’m not saying that giving will not be rewarded (or is rewarding in and of itself), or even that one will not be blessed if one gives 10 percent (or for that matter…4 percent, 8 percent, 20 percent, or more), but I believe that we are blessed (or chastised….I don’t buy into the “curse” argument) by our willing heart…not by our compliance to a tithing mandate.
If you do nothing else with the book, at least read chapters 26 though 28 concerning the benefits of what has replaced tithing in the New Covenant.
I have not read Mr. Kelly’s book. Although I plan to do so soon. I came about this issue of “Is tithing for Today” by meeting another Christian. We were talking and sharing insights about the Bible when he mentioned to me that
tithes were done away with for today. He stated that it was done to the
Levite priest, and we don’t have Levite priest today to tithe to. Also that when
Jesus was speaking about tithing to the Pharisees, about tithing was what they should do. They were still under the law. The new testament didn’t really begin until after Jesus died.
He made other points also that I had no answer for. So as I often do when presented with a question that I do not have an immediate answer for, I said that I would study it and have an answer for him tomorrow.
Well I have been a Christian for 29 years. I’ve been tithing that long because
every church I have ever attended said your supposed to do it. And in all that
time I never questioned it and I never studied it.
Well, that night, for the first time, I sought out God’s word to determine if what the brother had said was true, and if God demands that I tithe. I looked at this from every angle I could find, for a little more than 4 hours straight.
The next day I saw my friend and told him he was right. I am completely convinced that God does not require me to tithe. Nor am I under some ominous curse if I do not. The law affects those who place themselves under it. Jesus already became a curse for me, there is no curse left over to oppress me.
I quit tithing. I now give as the Spirit of God leads me. I feel like a terrible weight has been lifted. Nor have I experienced any curse as stated in Malachi.
On the contrary, God has bountifully blessed my finances.
I used to get my paycheck, then figure 10% , and then figure what I could squeeze out above that to give, and then try to figure out how to pay my bills with the rest. Scared every moment that I would be cursed with a curse or be guilty of stealing from God if I didn’t do it. That’s what the church taught.
But now I don’t have to evaluate all my income from whatever sources. I just
listen to the Spirit within me. And I give what I hear and purpose in my heart.
It is a freedom and joy in giving that I have never known before. I am only
very annoyed that I didn’t bother to study this sooner. I took it for granted
all these years. Oh well, now I know the truth and I am set free.
I will not put myself back under the law. Nor will I let anyone try to guilt me into doing something that I now clearly see is not a mandate of the New Testament.
Giving from my heart is joy unspeakable. I encourage anyone to try it.
Hear yee this!
Simply read the Word of God, that you may not be swayed
by the deceptive and maniplitive traditions of men.
NOWHERE in the BIBLE does God command New Testament
believers to tithe.
This practice is enforced by the those who desire to “ROB YOU”!
Wake up…you are curse only if you believe the lies of these Greedy
TV Evangelist, Pastor and so on… who claim to come in the name of Jesus.
They have you in bondage because you desire to be. You think you’ll win favor with the Lord as a result of your tithing…when in fact the blood of Jesus has set you free from the hands of those who desires to exploit you
for every nickel. Again, read study your bible that the Lord may reveal to you the truth. This is a faith walk. It is your faith in God that please Him.
Not your tithe!
I read that book. it’s very long and extensive. i would recommend it to anyone. it exposes lots of faults in the wrong doctrine of tithing.
Malachai 3:8 states that we are robbing God if we do not tithe. Read the verse here:
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mal/3/8#8
For those that believe you are blessed for tithing and cursed for not please read this post on my blog:
http://biblicalmotherhood.blogspot.com/2008/01/tithing-and-financial-problems-part-2.html
I assure you we were not looking to selfishly spend and get out of tithing. We would have tithed all the way to bankruptcy. We earnestly sought the Lord and He showed us the truth!
For those of you who keep quoting Malachi 3:10 totally out of context (and thereby putting yourself and others back under the Law, rather than walking in Grace) and for those of you who believe tithing is mandatory in the Church today, you REALLY do need to read “Should the Church Teach Tithing?” by Russell Kelly, Ph. D. For a free download, go here and click the link on the right side of the page:
http://www.freegoodnews.com/2006/04/church_financia.html
Once you’ve read this book, which compares Scripture with Scripture (God as not left us ignorant of His Word if we are willing to learn) then I believe you will no longer be able to claim Malachi 3:10…unless you are afraid of the Truth!
On Malachi 3:10 I stand for this.What is this guy doing is deceiving a lot of people to listen and buy his book to make him rich and put in his pocket.
Beck,
Malachi 3:10 addressed the priests who were stealing from the church’s storehouse….not New Covenant Christians. “This guy” is not deceiving, but makes his case based upon scripture, without simply proof-texting his way through his premise.
And the book is free.