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It is not by grace that one enters the kingdom of heaven, but by tithing.

- Damazio 3:16


Archive for the 'Tithe' Category

Tithe Challenge

Posted on January 3rd, 2007 by Reformed Pope into the Tithe category

 I decided to check out the top 25 Most Innovative Churches list that Justin posted yesterday. The #1 church listed (lifechurch.tv) is offering a rather interesting "challenge".

It's called the 3 Month Tithing Challenge and here is what they have to say:

The word "tithe" is derived from the Hebrew word ma'aser and it literally means a tenth. Ten percent of everything belongs to the Lord. In Malachi 3:10-11, God says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house." The ‘storehouse' is the Old Testament picture of the New Testament church. So as New Testament believers, we worship the Lord with the tithe; or the ten percent.

Giving away 10% of your income can be a big - and often frightening - commitment! That's why we created the Three-Month Tithing Challenge: a money-back guarantee of sorts. Essentially, it's a contract based on the promises of God in Malachi 3:10-11. We commit to you that if you tithe for three months and God doesn't prove himself faithful, we will refund 100% of your tithe. No questions asked.

God doesn't need our money. He owns everything. We give first because it takes faith to give first and God wants us to trust Him. He tells us in Proverbs 3:9-10 to "honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops and then your barns will be filled with overflowing." We give first and the blessings of God follow.

It's crazy and daring and in a way I respect it… of course it's also just a good way to manipulate people out of their money and shows no regard for scriptures such as Galatians 5:4, but at least they are "putting their money where their mouth is", actually no… they are "putting YOUR money where their mouth is" but whatever… it's an interesting idea.

If you wish to sign up you can do so here. These are the rules that follow:

  • 1. I understand that this form must be completed and received by the LifeChurch.tv Finance Team prior to the beginning of the Three-Month Tithe Challenge Period.
  • 2. I understand that my household qualifies for participation because we have not been tithing for the last six months.
  • 3. I understand that if paid at a physical LifeChurch.tv Campus, my tithe must be paid by check, or by completed offering envelope, so that my tithe can be properly credited.
  • 4. I understand that I cannot seek a refund prior to the end of the Three-Month Tithing Challenge Period, and that I cannot seek a refund for any contributions made prior to the beginning of the Three-Month Tithing Challenge Period.
  • 5. I understand that any request for refund must be received by the Finance Team within 30 days of the end of the Three-Month Tithing Challenge Period.
  • 6. I understand that I must log in prior to paying my tithe online, so that my tithe can be properly credited.
  • 7. I would like to test God's faithfulness by accepting the Three-Month Tithe Challenge. I agree that for the three-month period I state below, my household will contribute to God, through LifeChurch.tv, a tithe equal to 10% of our income. At the end of the three-month period, if I am not convinced of God's faithfulness as a result of my obedience to His Word, then I will be entitled to request a refund of the full amount of contributions made during that 90-day period.

I think this idea works the same way CBC can claim "our books are open"; they know no one will follow through. I doubt anyone would ever dare say "God didn't prove himself faithfull". I'm sure it is thinking like this that makes them the "Most Innovative Church". While I don't agree with it, I do like the fact that they are trying something new. 

In fact I would like to offer a similar challenge:

Stop tithing for 3 months and if God goes Malachi 3:9 on your ass I'll start tithing to whatever church you like.  

Circuitous Reasoning Frank-style

Posted on December 7th, 2006 by Samaritan into the Tithe category
Index according to Frank

Drive-In Church

Posted on March 9th, 2006 by catalyst into the Tithe category

You have got to check out these pictures of a Drive-In Church in Florida.

http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2006/drive_in_church/

It's amazing.

First Response

Posted on February 2nd, 2006 by Reformed Pope into the Uncategorized, Tithe, Scriptures category

WWJD, Survivor, Chocolate Thunder, et al:
 

It seems like we go through this every few months, but since you’re all new to the blogging ways of the Morton family I’ll be happy to indulge…
 

I would rather get the families together to discuss this, it takes a lot less time that way, but regardless, here we go.
 

My first response will be to address the scriptures listed by WWJD under CBC Talking Points. I will hopefully be able to move on to a more humorous post in the near future, but for now we begin with:
 

GEN 14:18-20
18 Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said:

Abram is blessed by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth, 20 and give praise to God Most High
who has handed over your enemies to you.
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything
 

Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. This was not commanded by God or anyone. If you research this scripture in any study Bible you will likely find that what Abram did was a custom not a command.

Gen 28:20-22

“If God will be with me and protect me on this journey and give me food and clothing, 21 and if he will bring me back safely to my father, then I will make the LORD my God. 22 This memorial pillar will become a place for worshiping God, and I will give God a tenth of everything he gives me.”
Again not a command from God, but a decision by Jacob… his decision is even conditional: “IF God will be with me…”
 

LEV 27:30
30 ”A tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit, belongs to the LORD and must be set apart to him as holy.
 

This is the best sounding scripture so far, unfortunately if you read the whole book of Leviticus you find that Christians ignore 90% of the laws it sets forth.
 

When was the last time CBC stoned someone for Blasphemy? Lev 24:16 “Anyone who blasphemes the LORD’s name must be stoned to death by the whole community of Israel. Any Israelite or foreigner among you who blasphemes the LORD’s name will surely die.” How many Christians agree with the death penalty? Lev 24:17 ”Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death.”
 

There are many examples like this throughout the book. Read it.
 

DT 12:17
17 ”But your offerings must not be eaten at home – neither the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, nor the firstborn of your flocks and herds, nor an offering to fulfill a vow, nor your freewill offerings, nor your special gifts.
 

Back up 2 verses and see DT 12:15-16. 15 ”But you may butcher animals for meat in any town, wherever you want, just as you do now with gazelle and deer. You may eat as many animals as the LORD your God gives you. All of you, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, may eat that meat. 16 The only restriction is that you are not to eat the blood. You must pour it out on the ground like water.
 

I like my meat rare, am I going to hell for that?
 

DT 26:12
12 “Every third year you must offer a special tithe of your crops. You must give these tithes to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows so that they will have enough to eat in your towns.
 

Should we only tithe every third year? Should we always tithe but give a special tithe every third year? Throw this scripture out of your study, it does more harm than good.
 

1 CH 6:45
54 This is a record of the towns and territory assigned by means of sacred lots to the descendants of Aaron who were from the clan of Kohath
 

?
 

2 CH 31:5
5 The people responded immediately and generously with the first of their crops and grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a tithe of all they owned
 

This is a great ideal. If people acted this way today, then there would be no need for this argument. I don’t, however,  think the command of that time still stands for us today. You should read further and see the strict way they divided up all the tithe’s brought forth. I know churches don’t follow that formula anymore.
 

PR 3:9-10
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine.

 

“Honor the LORD with your wealth…” Is there only one way to do this? By giving 10% of everything you own to God? Is it possible that giving to the poor would also be Honoring the LORD? Would he bless you for that? Even if you weren’t a tither?

Mal 3:9-10
9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!
 

 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!

This is my favorite. Why is it that I can turn on TBN at any time and here this scripture, but no one ever mentions what it says in Mal 2:2-3Honor my name,” says the LORD Almighty, “or I will bring a terrible curse against you… 3 I will rebuke your descendants and splatter your faces with the dung of your festival sacrifices, and I will add you to the dung heap. Why is it that preachers teach so strongly that God will curse you for not tithing, but fail to mention that he will also smear your face with Poo?

Of course outside of this verse I haven’t ever heard of God flinging POO at anyone, so maybe he hasn’t cursed anyone for failing to get their tithe in on time.

2 Cor 9:7
7 You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.
 

Thank you. This is exactly right. This is what it is all about. It doesn’t help the “tither’s” case, but it is very clear. “You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give.” It doesn’t say give 10% or I will curse you. It doesn’t say give 10% and I will bless you, it says “make up your own mind” and “give cheerfully”. It then goes on to say how he will provide for you. That’s why it works for CBC. It’s the principle of sowing and reaping. God will take care of his children, especially when they are generous. What you must remember is that Jesus died on the cross to take the Curse away. We don’t have to follow the letter of the law anymore. Through his grace we are saved.
 

Heb 7:1
1 This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against many kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him.
See my notes on GEN 14:18-20.

OK, My point is this: Many people want to apply certain parts of certain scriptures to our lives today, but they don’t want to apply them all.

I know what you are going to say next because I’ve had this conversation with Marc Estes myself. “Blah, blah, blah, You apply the principle not the rule.” Well that sounds nice, but doesn’t really help your cause. The principle is “Give and you shall receive”, the rule is “Give 10% or get cursed.”  Nice try Marc, but I ain’t yo bitch.

Any thoughts?

The Star Spangled Tithe

Posted on June 11th, 2005 by Reformed Pope into the Tithe, Songs that mock category

This Tuesday is Flag Day and Independence Day is right around the corner.

In honor of these great American holidays (or in order to mock a great Christian tradition) I have re-written the words to our national anthem. I will admit that it isn’t very original, but you will admit that it is funny.

Sometimes (read: always) we go for the cheap laugh in place of the intellectual comment. This post is no different and so I give you…

“The Star Spangled Tithe”

Oh, say, can you see, by our dome’s early light,
What so proudly we gave at “Super Sunday’s” last meeting?

Whose broad gift’s and bright tithes, shouts of “Let’s go all night”,
O'er the new carpet we watched, were so plasma screening?
And the dollars green glare, “Faith Harvest” bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that Malachi 3:8 was still there.
O say, does that “Forward Together” banner yet wave
O'er the Butte of Rocky and the money we gave?

*a special thanks goes out to Finally Home for his inspirational work on this piece.

City Bible Tithing Policy

Posted on May 20th, 2005 by catalyst into the Tithe category

In the past, there has been some debate over City Bible’s tithing policy for employees. As luck would have it, I was able to acquire City Bible’s employee handbook.

Here, written verbatim, is their policy.

TITHING

Consistent tithing is a requirement for continued employment as a staff member and as part of the ministry team at City Bible Church. Each quarter the giving records of all staff are reviewed. In the event that a staff member is not meeting the requirement, a meeting with Church Business Administrator will be scheduled. If after that meeting, no change has been made the staff member will be notified of possible termination.

For further understanding of this vital area please refer to lesson #16 Stewardship from Foundation Truth: Understanding Church Life by Pastor Frank Damazio.

Editors Note: You can add "Foundation Truth" to the list of books I have got to read.

Anyone else?

Posted on February 17th, 2005 by Reformed Pope into the Tithe category

It appears that CBC’s policy on requiring people to tithe is quite a hot issue with many bloggers. So far we only have one ex-CBC employee claiming this to story to be fact. I would like to hear from more employees.

They may all still be on a media fast, but I would like to welcome any current employees to offer an up to date perspective. A new point of view is always welcome; after all this bitterness is really dragging me down.

Also, if anyone feels that their job is in danger because of a lack of giving please contact us here at City Business Church. I can think of at least one lawyer who would love to represent that case.

Tithe…or else?

Posted on February 16th, 2005 by Reformed Pope into the Tithe category

What do you think about this…..

Brian9000 said…
“Anonymous said…The good news is, even though it isn’t taught or encourage to give anonymously, we can.”


Unfortunately this is not true at CBC. I’ve always felt strange about taking a tax deduction for tithing, and having to use a tracking number on my envelopes. It took more work, but I would literally go to the bank and withdraw the exact amount for my tithe, (plus a little tip added on for my “offering”) and put it in the felt sack as cash.

Unfortunately I was an employee of CBC at the time, and after a couple months of this I got called on the carpet. It turns out that according to the Member Tithing Average printout sitting on the office administrators desk, I wasn’t making the minimum number of payments according to the salary CBC was paying me (with my sinful nature I couldn’t help but look at all the other under-paying employees highlighted in pink).

I tried to explain that I paid God anonymously in cold hard cash, but apparently the god of CBC doesn’t like that. I was informed that if I wanted to keep my job, I needed to put my cash in a tithing envelope and remember to write my assigned number on it.

All I’m saying Anonymous, is that not everyone gets to give in secret as you suggest.

I’m curious what people think about this. Is this acceptable? Should CBC require its employees to tithe? Lets discuss.

The Jesus Sweepstakes

Posted on February 4th, 2005 by Reformed Pope into the Tithe, Sermons category

This is a quote by Pastor Rick Snow taken from his Jan 22nd sermon at CBC titled The Generosity Factor

“He (God) is literally looking, in the American Church especially, for people He can trust with thousands, millions, maybe even billions of dollars over the course of your lifetime”

I know this seems obvious so I probably don’t need to write anything, but come on; is this guy for real?

So let’s see…

God is out searching the nation for one lucky tither, and on this Superbowl Sunday he is going to show up on someone’s doorstep and surprise them with a check for $10,000.
This generous soul will then have the opportunity to turn that $10,000 into 1 million or possibly 1 billion dollars.

After receiving that check he will be asked these three questions.

1. How do you live a life that honors God?
2. What 3 things does God look for in people that He blesses?
3. What is a Triple Dog Dare?

If he gets them all right then that check will turn into 1 million dollars. (hint: The answer to every question is - Give to the church)

What he doesn’t know is that if he takes that million dollar check and signs it over to City Bible Church within 5 minutes of receiving it than he will be given 1 billion dollars.

Alright, alright, alright,

When did the ultimate goal of Christianity become parallel with the American Dream?

In listening to this sermon I was amazed with the double message. Rick has great things to say about generosity. He is absolutely right that God will bless those who give, but his message is all about what it takes to get rich. What happened to Jesus, the Cross, and Salvation.

1 Tim. 6:9 (NIV)
People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

1 Tim. 6:17-18 (NIV)
It’s clear that the Bible is calling us to be generous, but it doesn’t promise riches in return. God may bless you with “millions maybe even billions of dollars”, but he may also bless you with health, joy, or possibly seven children.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. [18] Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

Is it not enough that God has pulled us from the grasp of hell? He now has to give us the keys to His BMW?

I thank God for His gift of The Cross. Salvation is my reward.

Online Taking

Posted on December 15th, 2004 by Reformed Pope into the Tithe, City Boobie Church category

About Online Giving
Why give online?
1. Convenience - by giving online, you won’t have to remember whether you gave from your last paycheck or need to send your offering by mail if you happen to travel.

-That works. I don’t travel, but I like convenience.

2. You will help the church - by giving online, the administrative work to process your offering is greatly reduced.

-OK, I’m all about helping the church administration.

3. Increased faith - by giving regularly online, you are making a simple faith statement about your finances. God honors that kind of faith!

-What the eff? God honors that kind of faith? I suppose regular check writting tithers don’t quite have the same level of faith. Imagine if the woman with the 2 copper coins went to CBC.

"Well, yes it was nice of you to give your last 2 coins, but if you had been giving all along you wouldn’t have been in such poor shape to begin with".

City Business Church recommends the prudent use of credit cards. Please take care to remain within your financial means.