Don't give your money to the church
I want to hear a pastor preach this sermon someday.
It's a pity when an important word becomes so loaded down with conflicting feelings, connotations and other baggage that it doesn't mean anything anymore. Tithing is one such word.
A pastor talking about tithing stirs up feelings. Guilt for some, at ongoing failure to live up to this high standard. Pride, for tithers who hold themselves up (publicly or in their own hearts) as more faithful followers. Anger and disgust for others, who feel that the pastor should not be harping on such things. Often the pastor often doesn't help her own cause when this sermon becomes one of her most legalistic of the year.
Tithing is a spiritual matter. That is the message that gets lost in all the baggage, even for a well meaning pastor who tries to separate the legalistic from the spiritual. It is an outward sign of faith that God can take care of you on 90%. Lean on him a little bit through giving money, and if he is faithful, perhaps you will lean a little more in other, scarier, matters.
Tithing is a relationship matter. It's not about the church budget deficit, or the new building we want, or our new outreach program or even the new church plant. How much one gives should not be dependent on how much the congregation needs to meet their obligations. That is important to the church, but not to the individual believer trying to cultivate her relationship with Christ. God has called his people to give 10%, not because he needs it, but because it is in our best interests to do so. It is a faith action to give your money away. By practicing faithfulness, one becomes more faithful. One becomes more invested (literally) in the work of God around us.
(As an aside, isn't it interesting that giving is one and only area where we can quantitatively evaluate if we are being faithful? (Boy, that sounds judgmental). Wondering if you faith is growing? Perhaps you can know, if you are increasing your giving.)
Preaching about tithing is a conflict of interest. Here is why the pulpit call for tithing feels so uncomfortable. The pastor is asking for more money for his own organization. Isn't there a cynical piece of your soul that says "all that stuff about building your relationship with God is just whitewash for wanting a bigger budget"?
The punch line comes tomorrow.
It's a pity when an important word becomes so loaded down with conflicting feelings, connotations and other baggage that it doesn't mean anything anymore. Tithing is one such word.
A pastor talking about tithing stirs up feelings. Guilt for some, at ongoing failure to live up to this high standard. Pride, for tithers who hold themselves up (publicly or in their own hearts) as more faithful followers. Anger and disgust for others, who feel that the pastor should not be harping on such things. Often the pastor often doesn't help her own cause when this sermon becomes one of her most legalistic of the year.
Tithing is a spiritual matter. That is the message that gets lost in all the baggage, even for a well meaning pastor who tries to separate the legalistic from the spiritual. It is an outward sign of faith that God can take care of you on 90%. Lean on him a little bit through giving money, and if he is faithful, perhaps you will lean a little more in other, scarier, matters.
Tithing is a relationship matter. It's not about the church budget deficit, or the new building we want, or our new outreach program or even the new church plant. How much one gives should not be dependent on how much the congregation needs to meet their obligations. That is important to the church, but not to the individual believer trying to cultivate her relationship with Christ. God has called his people to give 10%, not because he needs it, but because it is in our best interests to do so. It is a faith action to give your money away. By practicing faithfulness, one becomes more faithful. One becomes more invested (literally) in the work of God around us.
(As an aside, isn't it interesting that giving is one and only area where we can quantitatively evaluate if we are being faithful? (Boy, that sounds judgmental). Wondering if you faith is growing? Perhaps you can know, if you are increasing your giving.)
Preaching about tithing is a conflict of interest. Here is why the pulpit call for tithing feels so uncomfortable. The pastor is asking for more money for his own organization. Isn't there a cynical piece of your soul that says "all that stuff about building your relationship with God is just whitewash for wanting a bigger budget"?
The punch line comes tomorrow.
posted by Daniel Q Davis @ 11:52 AM
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