The Tithing Principle
Five Reasons You Should be Tithing to Your Local Church
If you have had much exposure to Church culture you have probably heard a pastor give a negative sermon about tithing. By negative I mean the pastor stands up there and talk about all the reasons you’ve got to give to God. “You’ve got to start tithing if you want God to bless you.” “You’ve got to start tithing or our church won’t make our monthly budget.” We pastors can come up with a lot of reasons people have got to give.
If you haven’t heard that approach, you’ve probably heard pastors talk about giving to get. “If you start tithing, you’ll get that new house you’ve been praying for.” “If you start tithing, God will be required to bless you with material wealth.”
I’m not interested in telling you why you’ve got to give. Nor am I interested in telling you to give to get. I am, however, interested in talking about how we get to give to God through tithing to the local church.
The word “tithe” literally means “tenth.” So anytime the discussion is about tithing, it’s a discussion about giving 10% of your income back to God. We believe in and teach “storehouse tithing” out of Malachi 3:10, which means that your tithe goes to the local church. The Old Testament storehouse was a place on the temple grounds that held grain (the primary resource and functional currency of the day) to take care of those in full-time ministry and to do ministry in the community (care for widows, orphans, etc.). It is our conviction, and the conviction of much of the historical teaching in the Church that the local church is analogous to the Old Testament storehouse.
The local church is God’s plan to share his message of salvation to the world so it makes sense to practice tithing to the local church. Even if you disagree, that doesn’t change the benefits or the reasons we get to give to God.
Five Reasons to Begin Tithing
1. Through tithing I get to worship God.
When you invest in the work of the kingdom of God it isn’t a financial transaction, it is an act of worship. The word “worship” is derived from a word meaning “to attribute worth.” Worship, then, is the act of proclaiming something to be worthy.
We can proclaim worth through the way we use our time, talents, and money. Tithing is proclaiming through very tangible action that God is worthy of your financial investment. A refusal to practice tithing declares that the things our tithe money is spent on are more worthy than God. There are, of course, many worthy investments of our time, talent and money, like family, education, recreation, etc., but we cannot through our action declare those things are more worthy than God or we have slipped into idolatry.
Tithing, whether you give online, or put a check in the offering plate is an act of worship.
2. Through tithing I get to display my trust in God’s provision.
The word “tithe” means “tenth.” 10% is a lot to give! It is easy to get into a position where we just don’t believe we can afford to start tithing. However, the tithing principle says that the tithe should come from the first fruits. In more modern terms, giving our tithe should be the first thing we do with our paycheck.
Proverbs 3:9-10, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine”
If you are doing your budget and you get to the bottom and don’t have enough money to practice tithing, your budget is upside-down. Display your trust in God and his provision in your life by giving your tithe first and then watch God take care of you with the other 90%. Tithing is a way of saying, “God, I trust you to care of me.”
3. Through tithing I get to activate my gratitude.
When you practice tithing regularly, you recognize that God is source of all that you have which give you an opportunity to thank him. Tithing activates your gratitude in a way that can’t happen if you aren’t giving. If stuff just keeps coming to you and you aren’t thankful, you start to feel entitled. However, if stuff comes to me and I allow it to move through me by tithing (and other practices of generosity), I am grateful for what I have and recognize everything I have is from God.
4. Through tithing I get to train myself in obedience to God.
Investing in the kingdom of God is one of the foundations stones of Christian growth and maturity. It’s one of the first things that you have an opportunity to walk in obedience to. At first it might be hard, but when you walk in obedience to God through tithing, you are going to find there is some more stuff He wants to do in your life that will require obedience. By tithing, you are building a habit of obedience.
5. Through tithing I get to participate in God’s work in the world.
When you give, you are a part of what God is doing in your church, in your city, and in the world. Tithing resources the activity of God through his people. By tithing to your local church you are participating in the activity of God which increases your sense of ownership. If you are having trouble feeling like you belong to your church, I would ask if you are tithing to your church. If not, it might be time to start. It will help you feel more connected because you will be participating in what God is doing through tithing!
I would love for you to consider these five reasons to begin tithing to your local church.
Click on the resources below for more information about tithing from one of the great churches in Fort Collins, Emmaus Road.
Listen to The Tithing Principle sermon
Download sermon discussion guide
Tithing Prayer: Lord, you have commanded us to honor you in all things, including our financial lives. Help us to trust in your provision and walk in obedience to you by giving our full tithe. We joyfully give you full reign over our financial lives.May you be greatly honored as we give to you what is already yours. (Emmaus Road Church 2015)