Churches, Preachers & Tithing, am I the only one who see's this?

Question

After visiting several Churches in my area and listening to numerous one's on TV and objective person would conclude that Jesus came to earth for "ONE" reason, to bring a financial plan to his people, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY is all that I hear. I have read through the New Test, and much of the old and I don't see this or read this. Jesus mentioned the word tithing once and they quote that out of context. Paul said give as God has prospered, yet these people insist that tithing is a MAJOR doctrine. If Paul agreed with tithing he would have said: Hey don't forget to tithe..not give as God has prospered you. If these giving programs these preachers talk about worked...WHY are they begging for money. TBN is nothing but a money begging network. One man suggested you weren't saved if you didn't tithe, WHY has this happened????????

This is false teaching, explain to me WHY???

I can't believe Dewcoons answer, what a bunch of double-talk, that is how these false teachers think!!

Answer 1

This is not Jesus's teaching... these churches are bogus

Answer 2

I agree. There are some explanations though, not that it excuses it but makes it understandable. My father was a minister for a number of years in the mid-west. They used my sister's coats as blankets for them and orange crates for night stands. Dad once made a "tithing" calculator on the back of the church bulletin. A deacon in the church though it was pretty good, but the scale went way too low, "Surely no one gets paid that little!" (The bottom was my Dad's salary). I also remember as a teen in a small church counting the offering and realizing that most of the time the church could barely pay it's gas and electric bills.

Now, not all pastors are paid so low but I'd guess that most of them, especially in small towns and rural areas barely meet the US poverty level. The TV pastors are another case, but you'd have to look at their financial reports to determine how the money was being used. I'd hazard the guess that there is a small percentage of ministers that are living the "good life" off the donations of their congregation.

Should money be the focus of the church? No, but the church and it's staff need to be able to survive. Does this excuse the begging and tyeing tithing to salvation - no, but often without that over stated plea, donations don't cover the expenses.

Answer 3

First, I do believe that the economic entertwining with religion began during the cold war. Although the United States had the first amendment that used fancy language to seperate the church and the state, Russia was the first to proclaim that they were a SECULAR government with indeed a seperation of church and state.

So, we put under God into our pledge of allegience, we put In God We Trust on our dollar bills, and suddenly God was a capitalist.


However, the "tithe and you will get rich", or "Pray and God will give you a thousand bucks" came slightly later. I wish I could remember the gentleman's name....he was a crook if there ever was one. The particular person went around to all of the televangelist markets and taught them how to convince people to send in their tithes, and God would increase it ten-fold. Then he bilked these televangelists for millions and ran off to the bank, laughing all the way. The televangelists had no choice but to make up for that by continuing this process of bilking people and promising riches.

And there is a reason it works...financially destitute people are one of the groups of people more than likely to turn to towards the stronger-based faiths (which we call fundamentalism), looking for a sign of hope. (You will notice that the second group tend to be the ill, which is why they all conduct healing...) The financially destitute are more willing to believe that God, who loves them, will return their investment far more than they believe the neighborhood loan shark will. Because, as you know (wink wink, nudge nudge), a man of the cloth certainly couldn't be a crook.

Answer 4

In some cases it does come across as begging, especially the televangelist. Paul said give as God prospered because the point he was making is that you should support the church and it's work. If you give all you can afford to give out of each check to your church and God knows it is an honest, heartfelt giving he will honor that money as it is used for his work. Remember that churches are not money making organizations(I am not talking about the TV preachers like Benny Hinn etc.) they have an organization to run completely on the gifts that the members of that church give. Our church has a budget of over 500,000.00 yearly. That's because it is a big church with many employees. When people think about the church asking for money they think of outreach projects. They don't take time to think that the money goes to the pastors salary, the secretary, the custodian, the cooks, the administrative assistant, the choir director, building maintenance, purchasing Sunday school materials, the list goes on. A church has to be funded to continue on and it relies on the tithes and offerings of it's congregation to survive. I gladly give a set amount every two weeks when I get paid to uphold my church and keep it running.

Answer 5

Tithing is mentioned in the bible even by Paul, Go to 1st Cor. 16:1-2 & read what Apostle Paul said, as far as these TV preachers, I won't give one cent to them, My tithes goes to my storehouse(church) I have visited many of these TV preachers in 1970-1972 In my early days of being a Christian, & they spent 15 mintues preaching & 2 hours taking up money. In my church we don't even pass the offering plate around, We have a little slot in the wall for people to put their tithes in, & I have been going there for over 32 years, & my pastor has been around this world 4 times preaching & ll was supported by the members tithing, Not one time did we have to pass the offering plate to pay for my pastor to go around the world 4 times. If God calls a Preacher to the ministry, God will supply the means. I will be honest with you, It makes me sick to watch these so called TV preachers, I guess that is why I stop watching them.

Answer 6

I agree with Dewcoons. That's why tithing is a percentage, and not a dollar figure. Many times tithing does get over-talked about, because it is most churches' only source of revenue. Tithes go to the local church, so that it can operate. I do not like most TV evangelists, and I do not send them money. In the local church, you can observe the character of those who will administer the money that comes into the church.

Answer 7

The book of Malachi and the instance in the NT where the Pharisees were trying to trick jesus into making an unlawful statement about taxation should tell us all we need to know about tithing and how it is to be properly administered. There's a difference between building "palatial edifices like whitewashed tombs, being full of dead men's bones" (lifeless, super-churches) and administering to the sick and shut in, keeping the lights on in the churchhouse, ading foreign missions, feeding the hungry and etc.

Answer 8

Christians love their money. If someone does not chase after money and desire large houses and new cars and are happy with their salary, they are looked upon as weird. The bible teaches poverty, but Christians refuse to see that.

I don't really think poverty is necessary, but when I was a Christian I was looked down on because I live on a little over a half acre, paid for and live in a one bedroom mobile homo because the payments are just $200.00 a month, and I was told many times I needed to move to a better neighborhood and a larger home.*

Answer 9

Think about it for a moment....

"Give as God prospers you...." That would seem to indicate that if you get a lot, you should give a lot. If you get a little, you should give a little. That is exactly what tithe is. If you get a lot, you give 10% and it is a large amount. If you get a little, you give 10% and it is a little amount. So tithing is based on "how God prospers you".

Answer 10

Read Matthew 23:23. You will see that the doctrine of tithing is false, and that Christ tells us so himself. It also tells us the more important things we should be doing instead.

Answer 11

You know I have to agree with most of what you say. Mammon (money) have began to be more worshiped in churches than God. God will lead every person to give in which area God need you to give. I and all I own belongs to God. Actually I do not own anything God owns it in any case. I life by faith not directed by money.!!!! So good to see another child of God feeling the same. God Bless