I am done with tithing.
I'm done with giving "offerings" that don't really offer anything.
I'm finally over pinching pennies and counting every gift to nonprofits, missionaries, and church work, mentally patting myself on the back with each dollar spent, thinking I'm representing God's best idea for generosity.
I'm done with being done once I get to 10%, based on some cryptic story in the Old Testament about a guy named Melchizedek or some "pay God and he'll pay you back" promise.
I'm done with dropping my couple bucks in the plate and walking away from a need with a clean conscience.
I'm done with giving that doesn't involve compassion. I'm done with throwing money at problems when I have the opportunity to throw myself into the thick of someone's life.
I'm done with offering just money when I can offer myself.
I'm done with tithing...
I'm not done with generosity.
Friday, October 10, 2008
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15 comments:
This is fast becoming one of my favorite places to visit every morning.
"I'm done with offering just money when I can offer myself."
This line pretty much sums it up. Money is not me. I have purposfully lived my life so that I am not defined by the amount of money I make or what I buy with that money. Why would I allow it to define my generosity or my ministry?
You people are awesome.
You are right. Christian service is not abouit money first.
I am curious to hear what you might think about my web site opposing tithing.
NT giving is freewill, sacrificial, generous, joyful, not by commandment or percentage and motivated by love for God and lost souls.
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
www.tithing-russkelly.com
thank you. as a youth pastor i live in a weekly struggle. i am living between giving myself, my resources to anyone who is in need and dropping a check in the plate during the "offeretory" just so i can be a model...
Man, how many people read this blog? Thanks, all. And you're welcome.
haha. apparently more than you had suspected, eh, Jeff?
Good post, Jeff.
BTW, any of y'all read THE TREASURE PRINCIPLE by Randy Alcorn? Totally turns the whole "prosperity doctrine" on it's head. It's a short read but really excellent. Larry Bergeron, with A Child's Hope, sent it to me and I read it in no time.
It was a good go-along with Frances Chan's CRAZY LOVE and Tom Davis' FIELDS OF THE FATHERLESS.
Love this!
Can't help thinking with the way money is "evaporating" from the markets, how far it would have gone in feeding and clothing and housing those on the margins. Would have made a tangible difference that didn't change with the markets. Rust and moths just keep destroying...
Also can't help thinking that once you invest yourself into other people's lives... your finances must surely follow. It's easy to hold back from strangers, but so hard to hold back from those we know and love.
So very true, Erin. When we KNOW those in need, it's not that it's no longer as hard to give stuff away, it's that we can't wait to give!
If one isn't happy to give then one shouldn't give.
The thing being . . . why aren't we happy to give?
what do you guys think of the new design?
it makes me feel better about the design i just picked on here for my new personal blogspot account. (and i like it too)
Like it!
So interesting to read this in light of a blogger whom I followed for a long time (a wonderful person) whose church pastor has just discovered the the source to the world's current financial problems and that is, in part, that everyone should tithe. If people don't want to hear it they've been told they can take the next few weeks off church. (Since becoming Catholic find I am done with that sort of thing because going isn't about the preacher or the anything else, it's about Jesus so even if I was told if I don't like the teaching I can take the next while off because hey, I'm not coming for the teaching - but that's a side bar).
So it goes, if only everyone tithed there would be enough money to fix, well, everything. I don't mean to make a caricature of this good man's intention to help the world and there's certainly two more of three points wrapped around this one point. Even so I have to admit that I didn't find it so revolutionary or even correct. It seems if you call something a conspiracy these days it's hip. Honestly, I'm kinda close to saying I'm done with conspiracies.
anne jackson just wrote about her experience with churches tracking tithing and abusing it: http://www.flowerdust.net/2008/10/14/tracking-tithing/
Good day!
It is very informative and has a very good quality in it.
I like it...
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