Here at Bethel we don't want anything to be an obstacle from you attending or hearing about what Jesus has done so we have no expectation for our new guests to be giving any money. We have members and regular attenders who give on a regular basis.
WHY DO WE GIVE?
Giving or tithing is an act of worship that tangibly demonstrates our trust in God. We give to Jesus, our king and high priest, our first fruits, the best of what we have.
In ancient times, the tithe, which literally means “one-tenth,” was used by various cultures to demonstrate loyalty or fidelity. However, most people know about the tithe because of the influence of the Scriptures.
In the Bible, the tithe is first mentioned when Abraham worshipped God by giving the king and high priest, Melchizedek, a tenth of all he had. The Israelites abided by a triple tithe principle in giving to their place of worship. Then, in the New Testament, the church undoubtedly followed the principle of the tithe.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GIVE?
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We worship God with our resources as commanded in Scripture.
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We learn to trust God as we live on the resources He’s provided.
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We prove that we value God, because we spend money on that which we value.
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We grow in our love for Christ and His church as we give sacrificially to accomplish His goals, not our own.
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We demonstrate our love for God is stronger than our love of money.
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We illustrate that God is the owner of my resources, and I am simply a steward.
IS 10% REQUIRED?
We don’t earn favor with God by giving, and we certainly don’t gain favor by giving 10% of our paychecks. Jesus frees us from a variety of Old Testament laws including the rigidity of giving 10% of our wealth. However, should we who live on this side of the cross give any less than the minimum requirement for those who lived during the Old Testament? Jesus’ emphasis in Matthew 19 with the rich young ruler is to give ALL we have to follow Jesus. The stewardship of our wealth and our level of generosity is a thermometer for our spiritual health and worship. The principle for the New Testament is generosity, and it seems that the tithe is a good starting point for generosity.
Since we are called to give sacrificially, 10% may be right for you as a starting point or guide. However, 10% may be much less than you feel called to give, or what sacrificial giving means for you.
Our financial circumstances will change from time to time, but we should always trust God to provide for our needs. The parable of the poor woman who gave ALL she had represents the freedom we have in Christ. When we give, we worship of our Lord and Savior, the one who owns all things, and in whom our security rests!