Be an Encourager: Tithe
The Progress Report of the SBC Great Commission Resurgence Task Force was published in the SBC LIFE Journal and several other places. Church finances and congregational giving have been discussed nearly everywhere since the Great Commission Resurgence and our country’s economic down spiraling with lost jobs and closed doors. Many congregations and associations are not meeting their budget goals and expenses.
At “It’s A New Day” training event, someone said that only 6% of our congregation tithe. Brian Kluth says 5-22% of our church members tithe. I tend to lean toward the 6% rather than the 22%.
When I was serving at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, Ted Sisk once said that if everyone tithed at Immanuel, we could have a $7 million budget. I got thinking about that comment and wondered why we do not pray and work harder at having more tithers. I know people do not want leaders to talk about money. Jesus spoke about “kingdom” the most but in second place was “money”. We talk about money everywhere else but in church. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ( Mt. 6:19)
Why not take the 6% tithers and move that to 10% tithers next year. The next year move the 10% tithers to 15% tithers. The following year move the 15% tithers to 20% tithers. Now think about after 3 years you will have 20% out of 100% giving tithers. Well, that is not really that great! See how far we are from having our congregation surrendered with their giving.
This is not about just giving but loving our Lord. He owns the cattle on the thousand hills and is not in any kind of financial problem or going broke. Are we giving with open hands so God can continue to bless us or do we have clinched fists so He cannot get anything else into our lives?
KBC offers stewardship materials to assist your church giving. “Be an Encourager: Tithe” is material with book guide and posters to help you move your tithe % forward.
Contact Alan.Witham@kybaptist.org or Jenny.Byrd@kybaptist.org