Being asked about Tithing

Last week, just before 14 Nisan we were asked if there was tithing in our community in Belgium.

In many ways, Christadelphians or Brethren in Christ may be called a strangely idiosyncratic or on its own existing community. Among its members, there is no real general obligation beyond faith in Jesus Christ and in his God.

In many protestant communities, we do find the tradition that people give part of their income to the church. That way the church is able to survive and grow.

Tithing comes from the Old English word “teogothian,” which means “to give a tenth.” In many protestant churches, all over the world, it is the custom to give 10% of one’s income or possessions “to God” through the church. It is according to a very old Jewish rule when the practice originated in ancient Israel where farmers gave 10% of their crops as an offering to God.

Judaism also has a tradition of tithing known as ma’aser kesafim. This involves setting aside 10% of one’s income for charitable purposes such as supporting synagogues, schools, and other Jewish causes. Like in Christendom or Christianity, tithing is viewed as an act of responsibility towards the community and fulfilling God’s commandments.

The Bible mentions tithing numerous times in both the Old and New Testaments. One example is Malachi 3:8-12 where God says that not tithing is equivalent to robbing Him.

“8 Will a man rob God? yet ye rob me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with the curse; for ye rob me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough [to receive it]. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the field, saith Jehovah of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you happy; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith Jehovah of hosts.” (Mal 3:8-12 ASV)

In a certain way people should know that everything belongs to God. We may use all the things of the earth. As part of the creation we too belong to God and as His children we receive a lot from our heavenly Father. Question is what we can give to our heavenly Father when everything already belongs to Him and He can have everything He wants, without our involvement.

Depending on the type of church community, rules have been established to make the church livable. This is because there are a lot of common costs in a church community, such as providing a building, heating, lighting, and necessary materials to make the service run smoothly.

In many churches, it is also customary for officers in that community to have a full-day job to devote themselves to church work. But of course, they also need to be able to live and have living and living expenses of their own. Many churches, therefore, ask for contributions to cover these costs.

In many churches tithes can also be used for other purposes besides Church expenses. It is namely so that the majority of churches rely on tithes to fund their operations and ministries. However, some churches may use the money for various other purposes such as outreach programs, community service projects, or building funds.

Similar to the practice of Zakat in Islam which requires Muslims to give 2.5% of their wealth annually to help those in need within their community, people in need, widows and orphans, can be provided with food assistance and helped to have access to education and healthcare services.

While tithing may be seen as an obligation by some religious communities it can also bring significant benefits both spiritually and personally. By giving back through financial contributions people feel connected not only with their faith but with others who share similar beliefs about generosity.

There are certain misconceptions about tithing that can create confusion around its practice, particularly when it comes to how much someone should give or whether they should still tithe if they are struggling financially themselves. It’s important for individuals who choose this path to understand what works best for them based on personal circumstances before committing themselves fully into this commitment.

As mentioned earlier, nothing is actually compulsory with us. So neither does anyone have to make a fixed contribution to our community. This does not mean that donations would not be welcome. Our community is also affected daily by a whole range of expenses, which do need to be covered. None of our preachers receives any remuneration for their preaching efforts or work. But one should know that in order to do such preaching work, a lot of expenses have to be incurred by the preacher or minister. Namely, he has to acquire background material. The Bibles provided in the church also have to be purchased and for the magazines, the paper, printing costs and stamp duty for mailing have to be paid. Posting the material on the internet is also not free of charge. Internet connections and servers have to be paid for, as do copyright fees. Similarly, the musical works used have to be paid for. And if you want decorations in a meeting room with a comfortable temperature, you have to pay for them too. And that just doesn’t grow on trees.

Though, tithing does not always have to involve money; it could be time spent volunteering at your place of worship, donating goods or services to charities, or simply helping out a neighbour in need. The act of giving can be an offering of oneself and that is what makes tithing such a powerful expression of faith.

Tithing has been practised for centuries across various religions and cultures with varying degrees of importance placed on it. It is important to understand that the purpose behind tithing goes beyond just financial contributions but involves being connected with communities and demonstrating generosity towards others.

While there may be misconceptions about how much one should give or whether they should tithe if they are struggling financially themselves, the practice itself remains a meaningful way to demonstrate one’s dedication to their faith and commitment to helping others.

Even though our community does not have to pay tithes, be well aware that we have a lot of expenses to cover and we could well use some financial support.

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You too can help

Would you object to us continuing our preaching work?
Are you reluctant to help us reach more people through the internet but also through our printed editions?

Financial support is always welcome at Argenta Bank: BE37 9730 6618 2528 with mention: “Operation Belgian Christadelphians” or “Support for Belgian Christadelphians”.

You may rest assured that every donation will be solidly used to further proclaim the Gospel and bring people to faith in God.

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie: Bevraagd over tithing of Geven van Tienden + Geboden, zegeningen, tienden, ontvangen en geven van vrije wilsoffers

Preceding

Why we do not keep to a Sabbath or a Sunday or Lord’s Day #6 Sunday or the Lord’s day

Why we do not have our worship-services in a church building

Today’s thought “Turning to a different gospel” (April 2)

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