To Tithe or not to Tithe

One lady at a church council meeting was heard to say, "we do tithe in this church; we give about 10% of what we ought to give!" Behind the humour lies an important question. Does the bible teach not only why we should give but also how much we should give? In short, should all Christians tithe, that is, give 10% of income and should a clear challenge to tithe form part of a Giving in Grace programme?

Giving in Grace does not explicitly teach or promote tithing as the de facto standard of Christian giving. There is nothing in Giving in Grace that undermines or is inconsistent with tithing and much that points in that direction. But our conviction is that explicit teaching of tithing is a decision that is best taken by the local church leadership and some practical suggestions are offered as to how this may be done.

• Be sensitive to both the context of the church and to the confidence and conviction of the clergy and others who may preach within Giving in Grace. Reluctant or embarrassed preaching will bless no one and be counter productive.
• The biblical basis for tithing is complex in that while the OT witness is consistent the NT is almost silent on the subject and there are theological implications that arise from how we approach this.
• There are underlying principles in tithing that are applicable to all giving programmes, even those that do not advocate tithing.
• Giving in Grace affirms absolutely the importance of regular, planned and prioritised giving which lies at the heart of tithing.
• The specific challenge to proportionate giving is integral to the stewardship message addressed to the core of the church.
• Differentiation and tithing are not in opposition to each other. Differentiation does not dilute tithing but recognises where people are in their discipleship and faith journey.

At heart the fundamental issue is not tithing itself, but that grace filled generosity which should be a core and defining value of the church community. Tithing gives expression to this core value. It is not a magic wand to be waved at a giving programme, nor a theological stick with which to beat those who do not tithe, nor a glass ceiling to generous giving. Tithing, like all stewardship teaching, cannot be isolated in a Giving in Grace programme but must be embedded in the culture of the church and in the spiritual formation of new Christians.