This brief series by Brett Jacobsen is not intended to be an in-depth study of the subjects throughout. It is a light introduction into the heart of what God is reforming in His church in this prophetic season. The articles, audios, videos, books, dialogues and blogs on this site www.livingthekingdom.com and www.christisall.org examine in greater depth the many pressing reformational issues in the current church.
Kingdom Finance
Should we still tithe or give?
In many people’s journey out of the religious system of Christianity, one of the main questions is “what do we do about ministry giving”? – do we tithe, etc?
As this is a concise sample series, I will now only briefly address this complex subject. There are links below this article which go much deeper into the answers.
Firstly, one of the most common misrepresentations of the biblical account is when pastors and preachers proclaim “we need lots of money so we can get the gospel out”… it’s just not true. When we look at the New Testament we do not see a need for large sums of cash but rather an army of true Christ-followers. They do need good equipping though.
Not only that, we see copious amounts of money wasted on religious real estate and other carnal Christian paraphernalia.
As the New Testament house of God is celestial (not physical) and we should primarily meet house to house and in everyday life, there should be far less ministry money needed [1] and more left in the hands of believers to be generous life changers.
In the Old Testament they tithed and gave a number of various offerings. In short, the tithe was Israel’s national tax… it just happened to be primarily spent on the Levites remuneration and needy widows, orphans and the like.
Here in Australia, as in many countries, we pay tax (10% GST) but our country doesn’t see fit to use it for Kingdom ministry endeavours. So, seeing we’ve paid our tax (you better have), do we still have a responsibility to provide for the proverbial Levites [2] and the needy?
According to the New Testament we have a non-legalistic burden [bareo G916] to count worthy certain teaching elders of receiving their wage [misthos G3408] as well as helping the needy among us (1 Tim 5:16-18). This is thoroughly discussed in Principles in New Testament Ministry Money.
So, the two main areas of financial responsibility for the church are to provide for the equipping elders and assist the needy. Like I said before, if we stopped paying money into carnal Christian endeavours like buildings and programmes, we would be well able to finance true teaching ministries and also be ready always to assist those in need around us.
According to these two Words from Jesus:
But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matt 6:33)
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust does corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matt 6:19-21)
… We are to seek first His Kingdom which can only be truly done if we direct our hearts there by treasuring (financing/giving) towards its further establishment and increase.
There is a balance between ‘legalistic tithing to carnal, contemporary cathedrals’ and selfishly ‘spending up on self with no regard, or action, for teaching ministry and needy people’. I encourage you to follow the links below and read or listen to Principles in New Testament Ministry Money and get further clarity on this important subject.
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*For part seven of this short series ‘Be the Church Pt 7 – This Current Reformation’ click here.
* Principles in New Testament Ministry Money written – click here.
* Principles in New Testament Ministry Money video 1 of 5 – click here.
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Endnotes
[1] That’s right, you just heard a preacher say we need less money.
[2] I am absolutely not perpetuating the dodgy doctrine of a special clergy caste by speaking of NT metaphorical Levites. I am merely joining Paul in his biblical analogy from 1 Cor 9:1-14. See Principles in New Testament Ministry Money for an in depth explanation.
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