Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Pro-giving

This is a follow up from the post below.

So many times in the realm of ideas and philosophy I tend to state what I am against but not what I am for. I take a more defensive stance rather than an offensive. So, in an attempt to state what I do believe about giving, I give you this post.

In review, I am against church or denominational mandatory tithing. I am against the idea of the church being the storehouse of God. It simply is not.

As Christians we are to support its mission, which is to be examples of loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves, despite how much we fall short. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. This is how we do it.

If you earn some money, first determine how much you can give back to God happily. Set it aside and then give. That may be 1%, 10%, or 50%. The percentage does not matter. You may not even know the percentage. You may can only joyfully give $5 out of $1000 you make. Fine. Give the $5. But if you can raise your threshold of giving, you will notice God's provision.

This system is not a the-more-I-give-the-more-I-get system. This is not health and wealth which is a lie too. This is one way that God has give his followers to be active in his work everywhere. You decide how much you can participate. I've seen $10 go further than large amounts.

This is not exhaustive but does give the basic idea of Christian giving

2 comments:

drlobojo said...

When I think of the "Body of Christ" as a store house I get vsions of FAT. Think chubby Christ.

Rather the body, any body, is a system that borrows from outside itself and then turns what it borrows into energy or stores it as fat.

So what kind of church, a church is on display by its acts or the CD's it owns.

There is a big Evangelical Church here in OKC. I know it spends 99% of it income within its own walls. I always smile when I pass it, because I'm thinking of a chubby christ with bling.

Pecheur said...

What a great visual!! Never thought of that image. But it's so true. Let's collect to alleviate suffering in this world not build bigger buildings nor pad our ministers' pockets!!