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Enjoying God Blog

Are Christians Obligated to give 10% of their Income to the Church?

February 24, 2020 by Sam Storms 3 Comments

There are few questions that plague Christians more persistently than the issue of whether we are morally and biblically obligated to give 10% of our income to the local church. If not 10%, then how much should we give, and how might we know? Are Christians in the age of the New Covenant required to abide by laws given under the Old Covenant?

Other related issues, especially for pastors, include a proper salary for ministers of the gospel, whether or not it is ok to ask the church board for a raise, and what standard of living is it proper for a pastor to embrace. Everyone also seems concerned to know how much they should give to the local church as over against how much they might give to missionaries and para-church ministries. Should all members of a local church be told what their pastors are paid?

These are a few of the questions that I seek to answer on the most recent Crossway podcast. I was interviewed for about 40 minutes by Matt Tully of Crossway. The link to the program is found below. I think you will enjoy it.

https://www.crossway.org/articles/podcast-are-christians-obligated-to-give-10-sam-storms/

3 Comments

D. E. Smith Mar 2, 2020 @ 4:42 pm

Tithing was under the law and followed a three-year cycle. We are not under the law and neither is tithing taught as the law teaches. Therefore, the ignorance of the masses is being exploited. I am a student of eschatology and discovered you on Youtube. Much of my views coincide with your views. My topic: Another Look At The End Times: http://desmiththekey.com/author/smithdarryle/

Harv Mar 2, 2020 @ 2:42 pm

Well stated. I remember attending one new members teaching where the elder encouraged us to tithe. Afterward I asked him should we give ten percent of our gross income or our take home. His response was "which would you like God to bless?"
I also heard a pastor whom I suspect was paid a very large salary say that no one in the church, other than those who set the salary, should know how much the pastor is paid because some will always think it too much and others think it too little. I thought that statement a little self serving.
Finally, I remember one church taught we are to give tithes, gifts and offerings. They said the tithe was ten percent, gifts should be 5% and offerings 2%. Thus everyone should actually be giving 17%!

Mike Feb 27, 2020 @ 10:52 pm

Man! this was helpful. As one that spent some years in a health,wealth,prosperity church environment where the tithe was taught in such a burdensome,unbiclical way. Even after all these years of being out of that type of teaching ,I still have old thoughts that come up about the tithe and robbing God, so this interview helped me to tie up some loose ends in my thinking about the tithe, which may really help me to become a more cheerful giver. Blessings in Him.

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