Eating for Free

There are too many people in the pew who eat for free. That is, they enjoy all the services provided by a church's ministry but don’t financially support the work.  Many even feel entitled to have it this way.

Take Pace Community Church for instance.  We offer the amenities and services that one would expect from a New Testament Church; we worship in a beautiful building; parents enjoy the services provided by our age-level ministries for their children; the congregation benefits each week from the instruction of God’s Word by means of messages that are prepared after much research & study; and we are inspired by music that is well-done and glorifies God.  Then there is the pastoral covering that is provided for people in times of need (such as sickness, other crises, weddings, funerals, and counseling). Don’t forget the coffee and continental breakfast, air-conditioning, curriculum for kids, nursery equipment, office supplies, church supplies to ensure clean restrooms & facilities, and the comfortable seating. Add infitim. None of these services are free.

Then there are the people in our church family who use these facilities for baby showers, weddings, family gatherings, receptions, and parties, etc., for free, and never contribute.

Then there is the mission of the church – to preach the gospel to every creature and make disciples – which also requires funding.

The truth is it takes super-sized cash to underwrite a church and its ministry. Yet, a lot of people enjoy every bit of it for free.

In all fairness, this is to be expected from guests, visitors, unbelievers, and brand new believers. They get a pass (for a brief period of time) because they are new and we are here to serve them as they are. However, in time, and after they have committed to Christ, they are expected to grow up and practice Biblical stewardship themselves - which means practcing generosity and bringing tithes and offerings to the place where they worship. 

For a believer (who has had enough time to know better and yet continues to draw off the generosity of others and the services of the church for free), this kind of behavior is simply wrong.  It is selfish and extraordinarily bad.  It is disobedient to God.  It is willful rebellion to His clear commandments. 

And, it threatens a church's continued existance.

The Church was never intended to subsidized by a faithful few – while everyone else gets to ignore their Christian responsiblity of financial stewardship.  Rather, a church's leaders are commanded to teach, instruct, and challenge everyone to do their part.

Why I Am Believing God for a Breakthrough

1.  Found People Find People.  We will not stop doing what Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:18-20.  The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few (Matthew 9:35-38) and the people of PCC are willing to step up.

2.  Saved People Serve People.  We will not stop doing what the Bible commands in I Peter 4:10.  We understand the fact that the world is not going to be reached by a “screaming church” but rather a serving church.  We are discovering our gifts to become more like Christ and serve.

3.  Growing People Change for the Better.  We will continue to pray Psalms 139:23-24 over our lives.  We are fed up with religious attitudes that are extremely focused on the lives of others but refuse to deal with the sin in their own lives.  We will continue to beg God to make us more like His Son, to fill us with His thoughts, and to show us areas in our lives where we fall short so that we can repent and move forward.

4.  We Don’t Do the Christian Life Alone.  We will obey Hebrews 10:24-25.  We understand that we are not strong enough on our own to make it on our own; that we need God and that we need each other.  We live by the “one another” commands found in the NT – about fifty four of them.  We are committed to growing larger and smaller at the same time:  Larger in the weekend services, and smaller through life groups.

5.  We Cannot Out Give God.  That’s why we obey Malachi 3:6-12.  We refuse to be a church full of people who believe God’s Word in regard to salvation, but then refuse to believe the passages about giving, generosity, and financial blessings (Proverbs 3:9-10; II Corinthians 9:6-15).  We know that Jesus Himself said that money is the number one competitor for our heart (Matthew 6:24), and we also know that people who love money end up in a lot of trouble (I Timothy 6:6-10).  We’ve seen God bless our church and people in our church family because of their financial faithfulness… and we know the best is yet to come.

 

 

Things I Just Don't Understand

People that show up to church only a few times a year and expect the pastor to drop everything  to give them his undivided attention

People that put nothing in the offering but expect the church to always be there for them so that they can continue to consume use benefit from it for free

People who make no investment in their church yet and always except expect it to be there for them in their time of need, as if the church is magically funded by the tooth fairy

People who have not learned the concept of sacrificial servanthood as a disciple of Jesus Christ

Parents who put their teens on restriction from the church or youth group, the very thing that could help them with their behavior, not to mention their eternity

People that expect the pastor to tolerate their political views, but leave the church because of his

Care vrs. Limited Resources

From time to time we will receive requests for our church to donate to certain causes, to support other non-profit organizations and their efforts, to pay for someone’s power bill, to support a foreign missionary, to fund a new ministry, or to take up a special offering for a community drive.  The only problem with so many requests is that PCC has a limited amount of resources (both financial and manpower) to offer.  Therefore our own mission receives first priority.  In other words, we fund our own initiatives first and the ministries that we have deemed essential to our mission.

“You just don’t care” some might object. 

Sheesh!

It’s not that we don’t care.  It’s just that there is a limit to how many times we can say yes.  We take our financial commitments very seriously.  Your request is not greater than anyone else’s and we make no “spur of the moment” decisions, no matter how compelling they are.  Nor do we allow an emotional response to drive our funding decisions.  Every need is legitimate, but there are not enough resources for every need.

That’s why we will always ensure that PCC is able to support itself before we support another non-profit organization.  We will pay our own utility bill before we pay someone else’s.  We will not siphon money away from our essential ministries to fund another project.  And we will spend money on local missions before foreign ones. 

Last Sunday's Message....

Financial shortfalls happen in churches for a lot of reasons. Sometimes it’s because someone fell asleep at the wheel. Sometimes it’s because of a lack of generosity. Sometimes it’s because of something we had no control over. Regardless of the reason, as always, the best policy it to stand up and tell the truth – quickly and clearly, in straightforward language that everyone will understand.

I’m reminded of a church that handled a financial shortfall all wrong and ended up in a death spiral as a result. The culprit was undisciplined spending that had been covered by ever-increasing numerical growth. Suddenly, the church wasn’t able to pay its bills.

While that was embarrassing, and their actions foolhardy, the pastor and church leaders could have saved the day and rallied the troops by putting an instant stop to expenditures and stepping forward to say, “We made a mistake. We presumed upon growth that didn’t happen. We are now seriously in debt. Here’s what we are going to do to fix it.”

Instead, they hid behind doublespeak, excuses, and God-talk. The congregational letters always began with gushing reports of all the great things God was doing in their midst (though everyone could see that things were slowing down, not ramping up). They made vague references to financial shortfalls without details or a game plan. And they spiritualized everything as an attack from the enemy.

The result was no one had a clue what was going on. They just knew something was wrong. Worse, each letter seemed to leak a little bit more of the bad news, giving the impression that the church leaders didn’t know what was going on or were holding back information as long as possible.

In a crisis, people want FACTS, not FLUFF. By dancing around the issue and failing to communicate clearly, the pastor further eroded his credibility with each communication. After an initial boost in giving, most people gave less rather than more.

Last Sunday I spoke in simple terms that everyone could understand. There was no delay. 2010 ended and the very next Sunday you were quickly given the facts. No happy talk. No fluff. No hyper-spiritualizing. Just plain English that that everyone could understand and respond to.

It appears that my willingness to quickly tell the truth, and straightforwardness in laying out a plan, is having a positive effect on a lot of people in our church family. The troops are beginning to rally. The support and encouragement is incredible.

Let me encourage you to become a faithful steward over all God has given you and get actively involved in the financial health of your church.

Always remember, the way we fund all our ministries and operational expenses at PCC, (that’s ministries, staff support, mortgage, utilities, etc) is through the collection of the weekly tithes & offerings. That is our only source of funding. So if you are generous and “consistent” in your giving, then we’ll be able to perform all the ministries that all of us love so much. On the other hand, if you are "inconsistent" or not generous in your giving, then we have to curtail ministries and cut back.

None of us wants to see that happen.

Let’s stand should to shoulder and see this through.

Seed & Harvest

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NIV)

Here the apostle Paul was receiving a special offering from the Corinthian church to be given to the suffering church at Macedonia. This was not the weekly collection of tithes, it was a special offering that involved significant sacrifice.

Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, begins by stating the most basic law of giving: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (v.6). This promise is to show us the reward of giving.

All farmers understand planting and harvest, and we should learn to understand God’s law of sowing and reaping. After a harvest (in Bible times), before the farmer would use any of the grain as food for his family or livestock, he would first go through the harvest grain and pick out a percentage that exhibited the best qualities of size, weight, color, and set this aside as seed for the next season’s crop planting. This early form of genetic selection helped assure that the next generation of crops would produce higher yields and greater quality.

This is the analogy that the Bible is using in describing our financial giving – if we plant only a few seed in the ground the harvest will be lean, but if we plant an abundance of seed in the ground the harvest will be bountiful. This is the principle of the seed when it comes to our generosity to the work of God.

• Life begets life
• Planting begets a harvest
• Giving begets reward
  
  

Should the Pastor Know Who Gives?

To make a point, let’s ask that question another way. Should the doctor know the symptoms and general health of his patients? Should a lawyer know the details of the case for his client? Should a coach know the athletic abilities of his team members?

Forget the idea of secrecy. The notion that one’s giving to a local church is “just between me and God” may sound good – even pious – but it’s not possible. It is personal, yes, but it is not entirely private. The matter of giving is not only between you and God; it is also between you and your church family! If you belong to a local church somebody knows about your giving. Someone HAS to know. Churches keep records; offerings are counted, personal checks are looked at, the names and dollar amounts are confirmed, and then all this information is entered into the church record. As a result, it is also known who gives nothing at all.

But should the Senior Pastor know who gives and who doesn’t? Well, consider this - the Bible teaches that spiritual leaders in both the O.T. and N.T. KNEW the giving habits of some people (see I Chronicles 29; Acts 4:37; Nehemiah 7:70; Acts 5:1-2; Luke 8:3) and that even Jesus sat and watched how much people were putting into the offering box (Luke 21:1-4)! So the answer is yes, pastors probably should know.

Aside from scriptural precedent, there are the practical reasons for pastors to know the giving habits of people:

• It lets the pastor know who has bought into the church’s vision
  
• It lets the pastor know who can be counted on
  
• It lets the pastor know who is ready for leadership in the church
  
• And it also lets the pastor know who is on their way out!
  

Let’s put to rest the notion that pastors should not know which members in the congregation are supporting their church. That’s like a Music Minister not knowing who can and who cannot sing, or the Children’s Minister not knowing any children. Knowing what people give is not about catering to the wealthy. It’s about knowing the state of your flock and being able to develop them in discipleship and Biblical stewardship.

Some might object to this idea, believing instead that if a pastor knows who is giving and who is not, he might treat them differently. My reply to that is I already know many secrets about people’s lives; even dark secrets. I know who has committed adultery, who has a drinking problem, who has had an abortion in the past, who is on drugs, who has homosexual tendencies, who has been in trouble with the law, who is in serious debt, who has tried to commit suicide, and much more. Regardless of people’s dark secrets OR their giving habits, I am called to love and shepherd all the sheep in our church’s flock. This is a matter of trust. Either a pastor can be trusted or he can’t be.

Why is it that the pastors can be trusted to know some of the most intimate details of a person’s life, and yet somehow can’t be trusted with knowing who gives financially and who does not? It the pastor cannot be trusted with this knowledge, then WHO can be trusted – and why them?

My personal practice has ALWAYS BEEN to NOT look at our church records in an effort to “grade” people or place a value on them by the level of their giving. As a personal conviction it helps keep me free from bias or showing favoritism. I still maintain that standard to this day. But there are EXCEPTIONS to this rule, and always have been. Sometimes I DO ask for information about members in our church, and reports are then provided to me. Since there is no personal gain for me in the collection of tithes & offerings (see yesterday’s post), I can ask for this information with a clear conscience and with only the benefit of the individual and our church in mind.

Here are six instances that every pastor should know about people’s giving and happen to represent what I personally practice.

1. When someone new starts to give regularly. When I am notified that a new person, couple or family, starts to give regularly to PCC, then I know this person is someone who is making an intentional effort to be helpful to our church family and wants to deepen their involvement. Their giving reflects a comittment to God and to our church. This information is good for me to know because such a person is an asset to the PCC family and may become eligible for a deeper role in the future.

2. When someone stops giving or significantly decreases their giving. A drop in giving usually happens for two reasons. First, the person has experienced some sort of financial setback (loss of job, etc) which has interrupted their level of giving. Or secondly, the person is upset with someone or something in the church and this drop in giving is an early-warning sign they are probably on their way out. In fact, people who are upset about something usually stop their giving about 4-5 months before they actually leave. Both of these are pastoral issues and the pastor needs to know. If I am notified that someone’s giving has dramatically decreased, I can look for an opportunity to possibly talk with them and find out how to help.

3. When a special gift or donation is given. Sometimes individuals or couples will give PCC a large gift, a special gift, or a designated gift. I am notified when this happens, and for good reason. I am able to be sensitive and make sure the person knows their gift was received, is appreciated, and is being used as intended. People always seem to appreciate this feedback when I offer it.

4. When someone is being considered for leadership or ministry. Let me be blunt here. A person who does not support their church is not fit for leadership in a church – in any capacity. When we are considering anyone for an important role at PCC, one of the questions we ask is, “Does this person have a record of Christian maturity and generosity in their giving?” And yes, we will check our records. If the answer is no, it is an automatic disqualifier. I’ve had plenty of people get mad at me because of this, but I’m okay with that. You don’t let a fox into the chicken coop and you don’t allow a robber of God’s tithe to lead a ministry in the church or be responsible for any portion of our budget. Jesus said our money is connected to our heart, and if a person is not financially supporting their church then their heart is not with us. Plain and simple. Having access to this kind of information helps us avoid major problems with such a person in leadership.

5. When an organizational evaluation needs to made to determine our church’s financial strength. The “bottom line” is not always the best information to have. Sometimes we need to know where the money is coming from and how broad our financial base is. For instance, in most congregations one half (½) of the annual contributions come from 10% of the members. Another 30%-40% of the people give nothing at all. Finally, the other half of annual contributions comes the remaining members, usually in the form of $5 amounts given on an irregular and inconsistent basis. This means that only ten percent of the congregation is carrying most of the financial responsibility. Not good. You can see how lopsided these giving patterns are and why this kind of information is essential to know; it is critical to strategic planning.

6. When someone has shown the capacity to be especially generous. Some people have a spiritual gift of generosity. Romans 12:8 tells us that some people have the gift of giving and that they must use this gift well. Normally this means that a person has a very good income and they choose to spend less of it on their personal lifestyle and invest in the work of God instead. Such people need to be encouraged in that gift. We encourage people with other gifts, don’t we? i.e., If someone is a great singer, we encourage them to sing. If someone is a great teacher, we encourage them to teach. If someone is great in mercy, we encourage them to show mercy. And people with the gift of giving should NOT be IGNORED, but encouraged to use their gift well! If a pastor knows that someone is exhibiting generosity, then he can meet with that person to help them sharpen their gift by pointing out ministries or areas of the church that could benefit from their gift of generosity.

In conclusion…

My guess is most of people who don’t want their pastor to know who gives are those who have something to hide. Or they are suspicious of his motives. Since I have nothing to hide myself, I’ll go completely transparent on a personal level: If you would like to see my record of giving, just ask. I will show it to anyone who asks.

Does the Pastor Profit from Tithes & Offerings?

Just so you know, I do not personally profit from the finances collected at PCC. Neither do any of our other employees. There is no personal gain in it for any of us. The reason is simple: it is illegal. Let me explain.

Pace Community Church is a NON-profit organization and is governed accordingly by state and federal laws to maintain its not-for-profit status. That means no person, persons, employees, or individuals may personally profit from any of the church’s assets (cash, property, or otherwise). The only provision that is allowed is for employees in the form of salaries, and even then only “reasonable compensation” is permitted by law. Any thing above a “reasonable” amount would be considered “profit” by the Internal Revenue Service.

What is reasonable compensation? Here’s how it is decided at PCC. We use an outside organization (which is impartial & unbiased) to determine the amount for each of our paid positions. This organization is the “National Association of Church Business Administration” which we are a participating member of. They publish a “Church Staff Compensation” survey, every two years, in which pay scales and salary amounts are provided for every conceivable position on a church payroll.

Factors in determining the salary ranges for each employee are: years of experience, education level, comparison with other professionals or vocations, leadership responsibility, and whether the employee is ordained or not. Also considered are unique factors about the church itself (that is, the employer) such as denomination (or nondenominational), location (urban, rural, or suburban), region (Southeast), church budget, and economic conditions. From all this information salary ranges (pay scales) are formulated. These tables have a low, medium, and high range for each position.

Armed with these impartial tables (that reflect no bias or favoritism) the directors of PCC are then able to assign salaries accordingly. No arbitrary decision can be made. No excessive amount given. No favoritism shown. No personal profit occurs. We are constrained by these pay scales. And in the interest of full disclosure, no employee at PCC is in the high range on the pay scales. All full-time employees are in the medium range.

The laws governing our not-for-profit status are so binding that it also means all church assets, land, buildings, cash, bank accounts, material, and equipment, are the property of Pace Community Church, Inc. No individual owns anything here. In fact, if our church were to go out of business and cease to exist, all the assets would have to be given to another non-profit organization, or surrendered to the federal government. Under no instance would any person be permitted to seize or use them for private use.

So when I ask our church family to give generously to Pace Community Church each week, there’s no personal gain in it for me. When I teach on the subject of giving and financial stewardship I do so in the authority and full conviction of God’s Word, not from self-interests. If our church’s income were to double, triple, or quadruple overnight it would not fatten my bank account; only our church would benefit. Some people try to squirm out of the clear commandments of God to support their church by complaining "it all goes to the preacher" - but that's just an excuse, often coming from those who are selfish or suspicious. And at PCC it certainly is not true. Except for "reasonable compensation" paid to employees, all tithes and offerings collected at PCC go directly to the church itself - nowhere else. Or, in the event of a special offering in which 'designated giving' is permitted, 100% of the funds given go directly to the desinated cause - nowhere else.

Therefore, receiving an offering is not about me. It’s about you.

• #1 - Are you going to do what God commands you to do in regard to financial stewardship, tithes, and offerings?

• #2 – Do you love your church enough to support it?

Church Attendance, Tithing, and Other Basics

When I first became a Christian there were some things my church taught me right up front about the Christian life. They didn't wait three years, two years, or even one year to get me started on a strong diet. They weaned me off of milk pretty quick. I was taught that God expects me to be at church each Sunday, that I must honor Him by brining the tithe and offerings, and that I should find a place to volunteer…. not to mention read my Bible, pray, put God first, join a Bible study, and grow up.

But things have changed since then. Some people feel like they belong to a church if they show up once about every four of five weeks! When it comes to giving, tithing is out of the question; a tip is more likely. And volunteerism is considered to be extra credit.

I don’t get it.

On the other hand, I think I do. People do what is important to them. It’s not a matter of whether or not people will commit themselves to something – it’s a matter of WHAT people commit themselves to. Quite frankly, a lot of peole are more committed to matters of self-indulgence than they are to God and a sincere pursuit of godliness. As a result God gets their leftovers. They are "spare time" Christians. Moonlighters. Not good.

I’m fully committed to these basic principles of Christian living. But these convictions are not borne out of being a preacher; they were forged in the early days of my Christianity before I ever knew I was going to be a pastor. My church simply told me up front that there were some things that God expected of me, and I didn’t argue about it. I conformed.

.... This is a heart issue, not a time issue.

.... Giving is not a matter of wealth. It’s a matter of willingness.

.... Jesus rose from the grave, but some people can’t get out of bed.

A church is guaranteed to fail if the pastor and other senior leadership are not willing to CALL PEOPLE to COMMITMENT. The last thing any church needs is a congregation made up of people who are more committed to shopping and their favorite TV program than they are to God. People must be challenged to volunteer, to read their Bibles, to be at church every Sunday, to pray and tithe. They must grow up. Otherwise we will raise up nothing more than a group of co-dependent people who never get off the pacifier and wil perpetually depend upon others more than they do God.

Eating for Free

There are too many people who show up to church and eat for free. That is, they enjoy all the services provided by our many ministries but don’t give a nickel to the work of God to help underwrite those costs. Or either they are in the $5 club. Others are tippers, but not tithers. This is what you call eating for free. Many even feel entitled to have it this way. I hope to correct this in 2010.

Pace Community Church offers all the amenities and services that one would expect from a New Testament Church; we worship in a beautiful building; parents enjoy the services provided by our age-level ministries for their children (nursery-through-teens); the congregation benefits each week from the instruction of God’s Word by means of messages that are prepared after much research & study, and is inspired by music that is well-done and glorifies God. Then there is the pastoral covering that is provided for people in times of need (such as sickness, other crises, weddings, funerals, and counseling). Don’t forget the coffee and continental breakfast, air-conditioning, shirts for ushers, curriculum for kids, nursery equipment, office supplies, church supplies to ensure clean restrooms & facilities, and the comfortable seating. Add infitim. None of these services are free.

The truth is it takes super-sized cash to underwrite ministry. Yet, a lot of people just eat for free.

In all fairness, this is to be expected from guests, visitors, unbelievers, and brand new believers. They get a pass (for a brief period of time) because they are new and we are here to serve them as they are. However, in time, and after they have committed to Christ, they are expected to grow up and practice Biblical stewardship themselves - which means bringing tithes and offerings to the place where they worship.

But for a believer (who has had enough time to know better and yet continues to draw off the services of the church for free), this kind of behavior is simply wrong. It is selfish and extraordinarly bad. It is disobedient to God and a drain on the church. They are mooching off the generosity of others.

The Church was never intended to subsidize those who know better, and allow them to continue on a life-long eat-for-free gravy train. Rather, a church's leaders are commanded to teach, instruct, and challenge everyone to do their part. This we intend to do.

Don't Talk About Money

It’s a common complaint in churches; “all they do is talk about money.” Granted, there are some pastors who talk about it too much and it’s a turn off. I get it. But most of the time when such complaints are aired, it is not true. Most churches don’t talk about money too much. In fact, they probably don’t talk about it enough! More accurately, the people who complain about ‘money talk’ probably aren’t giving a penny to the work of God themselves and are therefore offended when this topic is talked about – even at a ‘first mention.’

The brutal truth is people who complain about the bringing of tithes and offerings are (most often) those who are guilty of violating it. For instance:

• If I teach about adultery, who gets upset? Those doing it, that's who.
• If I teach about immorality, who gets upset? The immoral.
• If I talk about the sanctity of marriage, who gets upset? Those living together without being married.
• If I talk about moral purity, who gets upset? Those who live impure.
• If I teach on the subject of dressing modestly, who gets upset? Those who dress seductively and show too much skin, that’s who.
• And if I teach on financial stewardship, who gets the most upset? The selfish and those who don’t understand the joy of giving.

People who find it easy to complain when money is talked about reveal by their complaining that they lack a spirit of generosity. Misers are miserable and it shows. Covetousness is a sin. Sometimes you just have to call it for what it is.

Generous people, on the other hand, do not squirm or complain when this topic is addressed. Why? Because Christ has been formed within them resulting in a spirit of generosity. Godly people don’t get upset when tithes/offerings are talked about any more than they will get upset if adultery is talked about! Why? Because they are living right – that’s why.

Our goal at PCC is NOT to make everyone feel good and get a free pass on this challenging BIBLICAL requirement. If that were our objective we would end up filling our church only with dead weight and selfish babies – consumers, not contributors. Our goal IS to challenge people to grow up in God. To do that we have to teach the whole counsel of God’s Word, and, like it or not, giving is part of discipleship.

"For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give - large or small - will be used to measure what is given back to you."
Jesus Christ....... Luke 6:38

Why Should Believers Tithe?

“ Abraham gave a tenth part of all . . “ (Hebrews 7:2)

Jesus said, “ . . . . ye pay tithe . . . this ought ye to have done and not leave the other undone.” (Matthew 23:23)

The Bible is a book about giving. The Bible talks more about giving than it does about either heaven or hell. Jesus talked more about giving than almost any other subject. Over half of His parables have to do with money. There are more promises in the Bible related to giving than any other subject.

How you choose to manage your God-given resources is a choice that you, and you alone, make. What you decide to do with your money is decided in the secret chambers of your heart. Jesus said, Show me your treasure and I will show you your heart (Matthew 6:21). No single area of life says more about the condition of a person's heart toward God than the area of generous giving through tithes & offerings.

Why should believers tithe? Because:

• It is God’s plan handed down to us in His Word
• It was endorsed by Jesus Himself
• It’s a matter of Lordship
• It enriches our lives spiritually
• It brings financial blessings
  
  

Some teach that tithing belonged only to the time of the Law of Moses and, therefore, does not apply to the church. Yet, long before the time of Moses, we read that Abraham, a forerunner of the New Testament believer, paid tithes to Melchizedek, who was a type of Christ (Ps.110:4). Following Abraham’s example, we should pay tithes to our High Priest, Jesus Christ. "If Abraham were your father", Jesus said, "ye would do the works of Abraham" (Jn.8:39).

God's will concerning tithes and offerings has never changed. As Melchizedek received tithes, so does Jesus through the Church. The commandment to tithe cannot be repealed, so long as the priesthood of Christ lasts. Abraham's blessing through tithing is ours, being a part of his blessing of justification by faith.

The tenth of all our increase is the Lord's. This has always been true, before the Law, during the Law, and after the Law.

Generosity & Stewardship Series

Today I am beginning a new series on money, materialism, tithes & offerings, and its connection to spiritual maturity. Below is part 1 which lays the foundation for the series.

Will a Man Rob God?

When you think of a thief, what comes to your mind? We might visualize a bank robber or shop lifter. But it’s hard to imagine a “Christian” as a robber. Yet, that is God’s accusation against His own people who had withheld the tithe from Him. It seems impossible, yet the scripture below clearly states that all those who do NOT bring their tithes have ROBBED GOD!

Malachi 3:8-11 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. (9) You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. (10) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this, Says the LORD of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. (11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, Says the LORD of hosts;”

By definition, robbery is taking something that does not belong to you. God specifically used the term “robbery” in the passage above to show that the tithe (which means a tenth) belongs to Him, not us.

Unfortunately, many Christians misunderstand the idea of tithing. They believe it as giving a tenth of THEIR OWN property to God. However, in reality, it is God who has done the giving to us (that is, everything we possess actually belongs to God in the first place) and He claims the return of only 10% of His own property. Tithing is not giving a tenth of our income to God, but it is RETURNING a tenth of WHAT IS HIS to begin with!

Tithing is a TEST of stewardship to manage something that belongs to God. It is a test of HONESTY to return what is rightfully His. It is a test of OBEDIENCE to do what He has commanded. It is a DEMONSTRATION that we believe in God and acknowledge His authority over our lives.

Most of us realize that robbery is a serious offense in society, and those convicted of theft are sentenced to jail. But what happens to a person who is guilty of robbing GOD? The scripture says that he will be CURSED WITH A CURSE (Malachi 3:9). What kind of curse is this? The NON-tither is cursed by having no protection from the devourer (Satan) from destroying their prosperity, and having the windows of heaven closed so that God will not shower them with His blessings. That INDEED is a CURSE!

Some people claim they can’t afford to bring their tithes. But let me ask you, “Can you AFFORD to BE CURSED?” Can you afford to not have God’s blessings and protection over your finances? Can you afford to be considered a thief & robber BY GOD HIMSELF? Can you afford to be a person who does not obey the Word of God? The fact is, you can’t afford to NOT BRING your tithes, because this is the principle that God has chosen to bless you!

Why We Do Not Approve of Fundraising at PCC

In PCC’s twelve year history we have never given approval for fund raisers to be conducted by any of our ministry departments, small groups, staff members, or individuals; especially on site at the PCC campus. What people do off site on their own time is their business, but what they do here or under the auspices of any Pace Community Church ministry is our business.

From time to time we WILL receive special offerings for a specific cause, a new initative, a pressing need, or some heart-captivating campaign. Usually these are causes that affect and benefit the church as a whole. Once we even conducted a three-year giving campaign (called Time to Build) that resulted in us being able to construct our church building. This is much different than allowing every group 'within' the church free reign to do their own independent fundraisers. Big difference, in fact. Here’s why we do not allow fundraisers:

1. First of all we have a budget that provides all the necessary resources for the ministries of PCC that need funding. This is a unified budget that is supported by the tithes and offerings of faithful believers. Besides, by not having to spend time raising money, the people in these ministry departments can actually spend their time doing ministry.

2. If fundraising is permitted, our church patio will turn into a bazaar. There will be car washes, cookies sales, rummage sales, cake walks, penny marches, and chicken dinners all over the place! Competition for dollars will become intense, and our members will resent the constant appeals for money and sales gimmicks. People don’t want a church that is trying to sell them something every time they turn around. If they wanted to buy something they would go to Wal-Mart. But the church is not Wal-Mart; it’s our spiritual family. It’s the place where we worship.

3. If everyone is permitted to do fundraisers it siphons resources away from the main part of the church causing financial instability.

4. Not permitting fund raisers also protects our church from becoming like a temple of moneychangers.

12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. (Matthew 21:12-13)
This policy has not always set well with everyone. Yet, in our twelve year history God has always provided the necessary resources. And in those seasons when things were lean, we simply scaled back. The end result of this practice is that we are a healthy church, with all departments fully engaged in ministry, and have never had to beg for money.

Aren't you glad?