by Mark Gambill
As a man and his family drove home after church one Sunday, he was complaining about everything. He said, “The music was too loud. The sermon was too long. The building was hot. The people were unfriendly.” He went on and on.
Finally, his observant son replied, “Dad, you’ve got to admit it wasn’t a bad show for a dollar.”
Giving to the church. Some people think that’s all the church talks about. When I was growing up, it seemed like every third or fourth sermon was about giving. Personally, I think Christ’s Church does a good job of not talking all the time about donating to the church. Yes, we have an offering time each week, and it serves as a reminder that the church can only do what it does through the generosity of its members.
It is noteworthy that over half of Jesus’ teachings are remarks about our relationship to our possessions. If our Lord thinks it was important enough to devote that much time to the subject, it would behoove us to pay attention. This past Sunday our lead pastor, Brad Wilson, focused his message on what it means to be ALL IN with our generosity. In case you missed it, you can check out that message here.
Two Percent or Ten Percent?
Jesus’ ministry emphasized generosity as fundamental to the Christian life, especially to those in need. Giving should be a consistent part of a believer’s life. But what is the reality? According to the Philanthropy Roundtable, the average American household donates just 2-3% of its gross income to charitable causes.
The concept of tithing, giving 10% of one’s income or produce, is rooted in the Old Testament and is found in several Scriptures, notably in Leviticus and Deuteronomy (see Leviticus 27:30-33; Deuteronomy 14:22, 23 for example). Malachi 3:10 is a verse that is often cited in support of tithing: “‘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 there will not be room enough to store it’” (NIV).
But what is the “storehouse”? In Malachi’s time, the storehouse was located in the local temple. In modern times, it’s the local church.
When deciding what and how to give, we need to look at tithes, offerings, and gifts. Tithes are given to support the Lord’s work. Offerings are voluntary amounts, given beyond the tithe, often as an expression of gratitude or in response to specific needs. Gifts refer to charitable donations made outside the traditional “storehouse” (the church) for benevolent or compassionate purposes.
Your Money Matters, But Your Attitude Matters Even More
There are four core principles of giving from a biblical perspective that should determine our attitude about generosity:
- Giving needs to be a priority
I know what you’re thinking, I don’t have the kind of money left over after I pay my bills, contribute to my 401k, etc. to tithe, much less give gifts or offerings. That’s where the principle of “firstfruits” comes in. The concept of firstfruits is emphasized in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, where God gave a commandment to offer the first portion of the harvest to him (see Exodus 23:19). This act was a way of acknowledging God’s provision and blessing over the land.
Financial planners espouse the principle of “paying yourself first,” making your future financial security a priority. Save 10% of your income, and fund your 401k out of your paycheck by automatic withdrawal. But Christians need to adopt the policy of “Paying God First.”
God makes a promise in Malachi 3:10. In fact, he asks us to test him in the promise. But, as with almost every promise of God or miracle that Jesus performed, some kind of action is required first by the recipient to claim the promise, in this case, by giving the firstfruits of our income.
- Giving is to be proportionate
Some well-meaning Christians say that while the concept of tithing is mandated in the Old Testament, the New Testament does not explicitly command Christians to tithe. Although tithing is mentioned in a few instances, it is not presented as a binding practice for believers under the New Covenant. Instead, the New Testament talks about generosity that demonstrates our faith and love for God.
In Luke 12:48, Jesus states emphatically, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected” (CSB). I don’t think we want to say to God, “You have so richly blessed me, here’s 2% of what you’ve blessed me with.”
In 2 Corinthians 8:12, the apostle Paul teaches the importance of having a heart that is ready and willing to give. He writes, “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have” (NIV). God does not want believers to give out of a sense of grudging obligation but proportionately, willingly, and cheerfully.
We should give in proportion to how good God has been to us. Those who have been given more should give more, and those who have been given less should give what they can.
- Giving is to be sacrificial
Giving should involve a degree of sacrifice, stretching us beyond our comfort zone. This demonstrates our trust in God and our love for him and others. I like what King David did in 2 Samuel. David had sinned greatly against the Lord, and the word of the Lord came to Gad the Seer to tell David to build an altar on a threshing floor to stop the plague that was killing the people of Israel. David went to Araunah, the owner of the threshing floor, and told him he wanted to do this and Araunah tried to give David the property and animals to sacrifice. David told Araunah, “I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my burnt offerings that cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24, NIV), and David paid him for the land and animals. See also Mark 12:41-44 concerning the widow who gave everything she had.
- Giving is to be cheerful
Our giving should be done with a willing heart and a positive attitude, not out of obligation or guilt. Paul instructs the church, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6, 7, ESV).
I love what our pastor said last Sunday, “Does God love a coerced giver? Does God love a bullied giver? Does God love an ungrateful giver? What’s the Bible say? God loves a cheerful giver! . . . God says, ‘If you give to me, give because you love me.’ When we love God, that opens up the generosity in our lives.”
Our generosity advances God’s mission, opens doors, meets needs, and leads our One Mores into the kingdom. You may not be able to go directly from zero or 2% to tithing, to being ALL IN with your giving, but with proper planning, prioritization and budgeting, you can accept God’s challenge to “Test him in this,” to bring a tithe into the storehouse and reap his blessing.
You may think that your contribution to God’s work will not be a game changer in the greater scheme of things, but don’t be mistaken—little is much in the hands of the Almighty God. If you really want to be a Difference Maker, make part of that effort working to bring your tithe into the storehouse. Imagine the impact your ALL IN giving can have on Christ’s kingdom.
With over 35 years of business experience, Mark Gambill runs the East Region Real Estate Division for Albertsons; has three post-graduate degrees; has taught for over 30 years at various universities; and has been a member of Christ’s Church for over 25 years. He and his wife Karen have two sons, John and Matt, and three dogs, Winnie, Lia, and Tater.