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Question: Where should the tithe go? Some one else asked about whether we should tithe or not, but I believe the big question today is who to give it to. Most christians automatically pay to the local fellowship because the pastor has told them that the local church is the "storehouse". Indeed the local fellowship is not the "storehouse", and I believe that many are really in religious bondage because of this erroneous teaching!! I believe every christian should be free to pray about where the tithe goes, and follow the leading of the Lord! We have been doing this for years, and God has blessed us as we have sent it to missionarys, and evangelists who struggle financially. What do you think?Answer: What about this matter of tithing? Why are there so many different views by so many different individuals and churches? And if a person is supposed to tithe, where and when would he pay or give that tithe, and how much should it be?
First of all let me start by saying that I'm a firm believer in tithing, but of course I'm a pastor. I'd be quite stupid not to, seeing that I'm supported by tithing Christians. Let me add that it really doesn't matter what I believe or even what you believe or other groups or denominations feel, if that belief is not scripturally correct.
Let's look into God's Word. In Leviticus 27:30-34 (KJV), you will find that the tithe belongs to the Lord. So God was saying that a tenth of the land, seed, fruit of the tree, the herb, the flock, etc. belongs to God. Then if you go to the book of Malachi 3:8-10 you find this: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithe and offerings." Here God establishes the truth, that not to pay your tithe is to be a robber, crook, or thief. And He plainly said that a curse would be on nontithers.
So with the authority of God's Word, we see who the tithe belongs to and what we must do with it, and how we must pay it where God planned for it to go. So what did God intend for us to do with his tithe and what did the money collected go for?
The practice of tithing was used to support the Levites, the priest, the poor, the needy, God's house, and most of all to honor God. Read Numbers 18:24-28. Malachi 3:10 speaks of the storehouse and calls it "mine house," referring to its being God's house, which is known today as your local church. In 2 Chronicles 31: 11,12, Hezekiah told them to prepare the chambers of the house of the Lord.
Galatians 6:6 says: "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." The word communicate here is a Greek word (koinoneo) which refers to the material support of the ministry.
So with these scriptures in mind, I feel very confident that God intends for our tithe to be paid to your local church, where your Pastor (and I hope that you have a pastor, and that you're faithful to him and your church) teaches you from God's Word and you are fed spiritually. This is where your tithe belongs. And may I add this, I have found over the years of pastoring that one of the main reasons why one would want to pay their tithe elsewhere is due to selfishness and not wanting to be accountable to their Pastor.
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