“These are tough times for many churches,” writes Ed Housewright of The Dallas Morning News. “Expenses are up. Contributions are down. People are demanding more services, yet giving is at a 25-year low, according to a recent national report. What can churches do? Some have hired consultants to help them raise much-needed operating funds. Others have turned to denominational offices for assistance” (1-13-96, p. 1G).
The Lord’s church does neither of these. We don’t hire consultants for fundraising events because members give as they have been prospered. Neither can we appeal to a denominational office since we are not a denomination and therefore have no such offices. One might think that lacking these two avenues of raising revenues would be a tremendous disadvantage, but churches of Christ do not share this problem with man-made churches.
Why? We know that the Lord’s church is to be supported by the members of that body. For years we have presented the correct view of giving, and brethren have responded appropriately. Oh, sure, we undoubtedly have some stingy misers among us; there may also be some who have not yet been taught correctly on the subject. But the majority of us give generously (not that we could not improve).
The article affirms that there is a giving crisis among our religious neighbors. Several reasons are assigned for the problem. One is that “We’ve tried to manipulate by fear and guilt too long.” Ron Chandler, president of the stewardship commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, adds: “We’ve not given them the Biblical message of giving” (1G).
No foolin’? What message do people get from the fundraising mentality? They come to think that it’s everybody else’s responsibility to support their children. Atheists are not the only ones who find such thinking repugnant. Many reason that, since they are not asking anyone to support their beliefs, others should not come begging from them.
Furthermore, what does reliance upon “headquarters” teach? Will it inspire the less financially endowed church to work harder, knowing that adequate support is available from the more prosperous organizations who have sent in their dues? Motivation springs from necessity.
A second reason cited for the current deficiency of funds is that denominational pastors are reluctant to speak on the subject of giving lest they be considered self-serving or identified with televangelists (6G). Of course, those are valid concerns, but we should not be intimidated–because giving is a Biblical subject emphasized often.
How Much?
As usual, the discussion of this subject turned to the subject of tithing, an oft-avoided word among us. Dean Hoge, a professor of sociology at Catholic University of America, studied the subject of tithing among the denominations and published his findings last year (1G). He found that 73% of Assembly of God members tithed, as did 44% of the Baptists queried. Only 9% of the Presbyterians did likewise, compared with 7% of Lutherans, and 4% of Catholics.
Where does the concept of giving God 10% of one’s income originate? The first time giving is mentioned in the Scriptures is Genesis 14:20. After Abram’s successful rescue attempt of Lot and his family, the great patriarch met Melchizedek, the priest of the God Most High, who pronounced a blessing upon him. “And he gave him a tithe of all.”
Where did Abram get this idea? Did he make it up, or was it divinely revealed to him that he should do so? Somehow Jacob determined to do the same thing. He promised God that if He would be with him and prosper him, he would return to God a tenth (Genesis 28:22). What a coincidence!! The first two times that giving is mentioned in the Bible, the givers settled on 10%.
It is difficult to imagine that God would be pleased with anything less. “But,” someone protests, “God didn’t require us in the New Testament to tithe.” That’s true. But please notice that the Pharisees considered it their duty to give tithes of all that they possessed (Luke 18:12). And Jesus agrees that they ought to have done so (Matt. 23: 23)–though they needed to make corrections in their priorities and eliminate their self-righteous attitudes.
Jesus never tells anyone to give less than what our spiritual forefathers gave; He does commend those who give more (Luke 21:1-4). Paul likewise praises sacrificial giving (2 Cor. 8:1-5).
Discoveries of Truth
The article whose information we have been examining, “A Crisis in Giving,” did present some keen insights. First of all, many have come to realize that giving properly “should be a joyful, worshipful experience.” In citing how that some “churches” cater to baby-boomers by putting a box at the back of the auditorium rather than passing around a collection plate, the conclusion was drawn that “you’re actually telling the individual they cannot have a full worship experience” (1G). If this is their way of saying that God has designed giving to be part of New Testament worship, they have stumbled upon the truth of the matter.
A second valid point (and perhaps we ought to be emphasizing this even more) is “to get people to see that they have a need to give, regardless of the church’s need to receive” (1G). Although brethren have proven fairly generous over the years, we may not have seen the significance of this point yet. Many times congregations will give to the current level of need. If a special need arises, they will give more, but if all the bills are paid, they will give less (does this habit constitute “giving of necessity”?).
How often has it been stated that people seldom get excited about giving money for utility bills, janitorial supplies, and paving the parking lot? The point is that we have the need to give as we have been prospered–regardless of the fact that the portion of the budget set aside for evangelism or benevolence is small (we are fortunate to be able to do both at Pearl Street). Generosity should not be tied to necessity. Having more money would open up greater possibilities.
The third point of wisdom in this article involves a problem even among some of us: “Most people give more thought to the tip they leave for dinner than what they give for church” (1G). Having been treasurer at least three times, I am aware that a few brethren have chintzy tendencies which they display each Lord’s day. Though having an income of $700 to $1,000 per week, they cast in the collection plate twenty bucks and then go out to Sunday dinner where they fork over $25 or more for one meal. Hmmmm! But on the whole, the brotherhood is doing well, and it’s nice to know that there’s at least one problem the denominations face that we have escaped.