The topic of generosity is a Kingdom topic that is well-presented in the Bible. Jesus spoke about money—directly and in a confronting way—and was even prepared to compare the generosity of people who came to make an offering to the Lord (see Mark 12:41-44).
Now I think about it, so did the apostle Paul in his second letter to the church in Corinth. In reference to giving, Paul makes a comparison between the Macedonians and the Corinthians; “I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.” (2 Cor 8:8)
Instead of directly comparing you to someone else, let’s contrast the activity of generosity in the church. Firstly, it’s important to say giving is not tithing. Some give, few tithe.
I have reported these statistics for ZION in a Family Meeting, but because this is a public forum I will stick to general data*.
Church giving data indicates that 69% of members give to a church during any one year. However, according to the data, only 5-10% of members are tithing. (Tithing is defined as giving 10% of one’s income as an offering to the Lord.) The average annual donation total is reported as under $3,000 which is far less than 10% of the average household income.
Of those who are regular givers to church, 77% give above and beyond the 10% tithe. This would indicate that a small percentage of the church community is supporting the mission and function of church.
My view is this: tithing is Biblical, but you decide how it’s applicable.
It should be well-understood that the Christian church has always been dependent on the generosity of others. The historical Catholic church imposed financial burdens on the people to fund the cathedrals and control systems. The Church of England was a State Church and was funded by tax-like Government revenue. But what about Jesus?
Gospel writer, Luke, explicitly refers to the small group of women who were significantly, personally impacted by the ministry of Jesus and then travelled with Him and His disciples. Luke writes;
Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. (Luke 8:1-3)
Here at ZION, I would like to see a lift in giving for two reasons. One, we need it.
More importantly, it’s good for the people to be generous (Luke 19:8–9). Our relationship with money is a window into our heart (Matt. 6:21; Luke 12:34). Money can rob us of the fullness of our salvation (Luke 12:20–21). The size of our sacrifice affects the size of our eternal reward (Luke 21:1–3; Luke 6:38).
It’s good for you to be generous!
Can I suggest this prayer?
Lord, help me to open my heart to your leading and teaching on generosity. I choose to let go of old mindsets and ask you to renew my mind and transform my decisions. Lord, please help me to be a generous believer.
*Reference sites to help you begin your own research:
https://www.overflow.co/blog/unlocking-the-power-of-giving-in-2023-church-donation-key-stats
https://www.nucleus.church/blog/church-giving-statistics