Tithe

Where To Tithe?

Q. Do we have to tithe only to the local church and then its up to the leaders to distribute the money accordingly? A pastor said we are not to give to different places but to the local church and then its the leaders who decide where it goes as far as meeting the needs of the church? His support for this view was based on Paul did when he took the money given in Corinth to help the church in Jerusalem.

A. Paul was asking for a special offering to help the churches that were suffering. He was not asking for their tithe. And Paul was a visiting preacher, not the pastor of the local congregation. So it’s apples and oranges on two counts.

There’s no Biblical mandate for tithing exclusively to one’s own church, but members of a local congregation should ideally be supportive of their leader’s program and be happy to contribute a major portion of their tithes and offerings to it. If the Lord leads them to also give to a particular ministry, that’s between them and Him.

Tithes And Offerings

Q. Is there a difference between tithing and offerings? I am of the opinion that any giving to the Lord, either donations to the church or offerings to children’s orphanages , providing Bibles (Bible League for instance), or giving to missions that are spreading the word are the essence of tithing.

A. The word tithe specifically refers to the tenth of our increase that belongs to the Lord. Many people give all their contributions to their local church for distribution, but it’s not required that we do so. You can use tithe money in all the ways you’ve described, allocating it as you see fit. Once you’ve paid your tithe, anything you give above and beyond that is called a gift or a voluntary offering.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com