Tithing: Some Practical Suggestions

The starting point is to make sure that tithing is discussed by the Planning Group and also with the clergy if s/he is not part of the group. Consider the biblical basis of tithing, the underlying principles of tithing and discuss how tithing might best be introduced.

• Avoid presenting tithing as the only possible response to the challenge of Giving in Grace.
• Beware of wheeling tithing out to support the stewardship initiative in isolation from addressing generosity as an ongoing task of teaching discipleship.
• Preach about tithing as embodying the response of gratitude to grace, stressing the underlying principles of tithing. Be careful not to present it as the door that opens or closes on God's blessings.
• The tithing challenge should be addressed first and foremost to the core grouping. The core letter already carries a challenge to proportional giving and tithing simply articulates this further.
• The challenge of tithing to the congregation may also be made in letters and in preaching but, as above, it should not be presented as the only possible response.

The situation of the fringe is more complex. The fringe will catch the tithing message as it is preached over the course of the Giving in Grace programme. But the ideal place to bring forward the challenge of generosity and tithing is in a small group context and especially in Christian formation such as confirmation or post Alpha groups. Generosity should be promoted as a core value of the church and tithing as a practical outworking of that value. With more established members of the church, teaching stewardship is often a catch up activity, challenging years of neglect or embedded assumptions about how the ministry is financed. With the fringe we have an opportunity to teach generosity as a normative part of personal discipleship.