Imagine the Possibilities If Christians Simply Tithed

Two weeks ago, I delivered a sermon on the subject of wealth, particularly with regard to the teaching in Proverbs on the way Christians should handle money. One of the questions I submitted for discussion in Life Groups during the following week was this: imagine that all people at New Life were willing to give 10 percent or more of their income to the church. What could we do with that kind of money?

My hope is that your imaginations ran wild, and that you considered the various ministries that could be started, the missionaries we could support, the seminary students whose tuition we could supplement, the number of poor people in the community and in our church we could help, the single mothers we could assist, the aid we could provide to the Muncie Mission, the churches we could start planting, the mortgage debt that could be relieved, the plans we could make to expand our crowded sanctuary — all if Christians simply tithed.

The word “tithe” actually means 10 percent. It is commanded in various places in the Scriptures. For instance, Deut. 14:22 says: “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.” The prophet Malachi spoke bluntly about the failure of God’s people to tithe: “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse — the whole nation of you, because you are robbing me.” (Mal. 3:8–9)

I personally have no knowledge of how much any of you gives to the church, and I plan to keep it that way. So I don’t have anyone in mind as I write this article. But I do know that tithing provides a great opportunity for you to tangibly demonstrate that you trust God, not your money, to meet your needs. Tithing is an act of faith, a counter-cultural declaration that you are willing to part with your wealth for the sake of God’s kingdom. Tithing is not just for the benefit of the church — it is for your own personal spiritual enrichment.

Donald Whitney put it simply: “The more we believe God will provide for our needs, the more we are willing to risk in giving to Him. And the less we trust God, the less we will give to Him.”

Some of you might like to give 10 percent of your income, but you feel it is currently impossible. Let me suggest that you increase your giving incrementally. If you give 2 percent of your income, try giving 5 percent. Then keep increasing your giving over time until you reach 10 percent. Better to do this incrementally than not at all.

You might feel the sting of sacrifice in this life when you give of your wealth, but when you meet Christ in glory in the next life, I assure you that you will not regret anything you have given to Jesus’ beloved church.

My love to you

In Christ

Bob