THE HARD QUESTIONS!
ANSWERED
COMMENTS - QUESTIONS - TESTIMONIES
OBJECTIVES
To provide Biblical insights and principles
that may assist us in our delivery of
stewardship education, and respond to
real questions raised by church members.
To increase our learning capacity in the
area of financial stewardship and
education.
QUESTION ONE
Does it matter which conference I send
my tithe to - as long as I am returning the
Lord’s tithe?
•
Background: An expatriate sending his tithe back home and giving only
offerings locally.
QUESTION TWO
Can online giving reduce the
worshipfulness of tithing? Can it cause
members to return tithe on credit? What
other challenges can online giving present
to tithing?
•
Members incorrectly thought that online giving was going straight to the
GC and had concerns about correctness.
QUESTION THREE
Should I give my tithe to supporting
ministries, or return it to the local church?
•
Based on what I thought (the GC President) said, I heard: that tithes should
be given to the local church & not to supporting ministries..." I was an active
church member for years & due to several things that occurred I slipped
away from attending or keeping the Sabbath. Approximately a year & half
ago I came across 3ABN & the local (Oregon) Better Life Broadcasting
Network. I felt compelled to send my tithes & offerings to BLBN, Light
Bearers Ministry, AWR & Maranatha. I am not attending any church at this
time but am keeping the Sabbath at home.
QUESTION FOUR
Is the giving or a returning of a second
tithe mandated by the church or scripture?
•
There are church members around the world who consider the giving of a
second tithe biblical, and would therefore see this practice as a sign of
spiritual maturity.
QUESTION FIVE
Are fundraising activities
disallowed/discouraged by the church, or
unbiblical?
•
Does resorting to fundraising not show that our understanding of systematic
benevolence is falling short?
QUESTION SIX
Is it church practice for the local
congregation to loan money to church
members?
•
A sister’s father who was not a believer committed suicide. He had a big loan
from a financial company. she and her mother were not able to settle it,
therefore, she borrowed money from the local church and payed by installment
without interest.
•
There are two deacons who wanted to start a business but they did not have
enough money. As they didn't want to pay any interest they borrowed money
from the local church. They payed by installment to the church without interest.
QUESTION SEVEN
Why is there very little mention of tithe
and tithing in the New Testament?
Hebrews 7:1-10; Luke 18:12; Matthew
22:23, Luke 11:42; 1Corinthians 9:13.
QUESTION EIGHT
Is tithe used exclusively to pay ministers,
or are there other uses for tithe?
•
Unmotivated question from a church member.
QUESTION NINE
Shouldn’t the church clerk or the pastor’s
secretary be paid from tithe?
•
There is a strong push by some big congregations in some Western
countries to pay certain people working and providing support services at
the local congregation with tithe funds.
QUESTION TEN
How should I calculate tithe on the sale of
a property?
•
I BOUGHT A HOUSE ABOUT 8 YEARS AGO FOR $120,000 (MORTGAGED).
LAST MONTH I SOLD THE HOUSE FOR $140,000. THE BALANCE OF THE
MORTGAGE WAS $103,000, SO I RECEIVED $33,000. SHOULD I TITHE
BASED ON THE DIFFERENCE OF $20,000 OR BASED ON THE $33,O0O THAT
I RECEIVED? OR, SHOULD I TAKE IN CONSIDERATION THAT I PAYED THE
AMOUNT OF AROUND $750.OO MONTHLY FOR THE MORTGAGE
(PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST) FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS WHICH IS ABOUT
$72,000?
QUESTION ELEVEN
Do we pay tithe on gross or net earnings?
Do we deduct rent/mortgage, health
insurance and groceries before tithing?
QUESTION TWELVE
How does the tax deduction for tithe affect
my tithing?