Should Christians tithe when they are broke? That’s a great question and requires serious consideration. Few pastors provide members with a free pass when it comes to giving.
Many pastors teach that church members must give ten percent of their income irrespective of their financial position. Others teach that ten percent is a decent target.
Some even teach that giving is between the person and God. Shocking!
What does the Bible teach about tithing when a person is struggling financially?
Poor people in the Old Covenant did not tithe. Only landowners, farmers, and herdsmen tithed. There were three tithes not one: A Levitical Tithe, a Festival Tithe, and a Charity Tithe. The impoverished received help from the Charity Tithe and did not tithe. Every tenth farm animal was given to the Levites as well. If a family only owned nine animals, a tithe was impossible.
Pastors, even those who teach tithing, should not accept ten percent from members who are struggling financially.
CHRISTIANS CAN NOT TITHE
Grace-giving and tithing are different. Giving ten percent is not truly tithing. Christians cannot tithe. Christian giving should be done thoughtfully, cheerfully, and never under coercion, manipulation, or reluctance.
Some Christians cling tightly to their understanding of the doctrine of tithing. They were raised with the belief that giving ten percent was required. Nothing can be said to move them from that belief. I’ve coached and counseled Christians on financial matters for nearly a decade. During those sessions, I never discouraged a person from giving ten percent of their income. Giving is between the giver and God.
However, there are instances where Christians are neck-deep in financial manipulation, coercion, and control. Pastors have been known to demand a tithe with threats of curses thundering from the pulpit.
I’ve heard far too many pastors say, “It’s better to have 90% blessed than 100% cursed!” Other pastors and preachers indicate that God will “Get His 10%” one way or another. Asking church members, “Do you want the Devourer wrecking your washing machine?”
These ministers tacitly compare God to Vito Corleone. Their view of God is troubling.
There is a massive conflict of interest that needs to be questioned. I simply want to provide a path to freedom.
SHOULD CHRISTIANS TITHE WHEN DRAWING UNEMPLOYMENT?
Christians who support the doctrine of tithing believe they must give ten percent of their gross income to their local church. That’s a large chunk of an already reduced check.
If you’re curious about how much you would receive while on unemployment click here. Each state is different.
For this example, I will use the state of Illinois.
Kristen earns $60,000 per year or $15,000 per quarter. In the last two quarters, she earned $30,000. The state multiples that amount by 47% and then divides it by twenty-six to determine her weekly benefit.
$30,000 x 47% = $14,100
$14,100 / 26 = $542.31
The maximum weekly benefit in Illinois is $484, however. The maximum increases to $693 when there are dependents. Kristen is single and doesn’t have children.
Her weekly check just plummeted from $1,153.84 to $484.00.
If she attends a tithing church she will be expected to give $48.40 per week. Plus, Uncle Sam and the state of Illinois consider unemployment as taxable income. It would be wise to set aside another 25% or so for tax season.
I contend that requesting or worse demanding a 10% chunk of this already diminished income misses the entire point and spirit of New Testament giving.
Could Christians give something while collecting unemployment? Sure they could. Should Christians give something while collecting unemployment?
That’s between them and God.
The last thing an unemployed person needs is more rocks in their backpack.
Should Christians TEST GOD?
SHOULD CHRISTIANS TITHE WHEN ON SOCIAL SECURITY
I know of an elderly lady who was living in subsidized housing. Her social security check was approximately $850 per month. She had no other source of income. Her husband was consigned to a nursing home following a stroke. All of his social security was used to pay for his medical care.
She was carrying the entire budget on her $850 per month social security pension. Reducing her giving to her church was out of the question.
Why? She didn’t want to be cursed by God.
Her local fellowship taught storehouse tithing. The pastor also taught that tithers were blessed and God robbers were cursed.
She found a way to make this difficult situation work. I argue that the pastor’s theology was anemic and unbiblical.
The Macedonians (poor Christians) had to beg Paul to take money from them. That rarely happens in modern churches. Many pastors are consistently shaking down the saints with false hope and veiled threats. The poor received help from the tithe and did not tithe.
JESUS PRAISED THE POOR WIDOW
Mark 12:41-44 (NIV) Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.”
Did Jesus praise the poor widow? Or was He simply making an honest observation? I know what you’ve heard because I’ve heard the same thing.
This is a great example of taking a Bible text out of context. Let’s back up a few verses.
BACK UP THE TRUCK, CHUCK
Mark 12:38-40 (NIV) As He taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
Is it a ridiculous idea to think that Jesus was connecting verses forty and verses forty-three and forty-four? It gets better.
In the next chapter, Jesus discusses the destruction of the temple. The widows’ offering was used to fund the building of a temple that would be razed in a few decades.
There are certainly some families who are fortunate enough to have multiple sources of income. Social security is only one of them. Should families with multiple sources of income tithe?
Christians can’t tithe. They could give 10% of their income if that’s what they decided and could do so joyfully without feelings of coercion or manipulation. If they’re giving exactly 10% it’s probably because a preacher somewhere planted that seed in their brain.
Here is an Ultimate Guide To Tithing. Click here to get many of your tithing questions answered.
SHOULD CHRISTIANS TITHE IF THEIR BUDGET IS UNDERWATER
The first church I attended as an adult preached storehouse tithing. We tithed religiously. If my check was $327.34 we would tithe $32.73. We rounded up to $35.00 and the $2.27 was a seed offering. I believed that I would soon be living in high cotton. The windows of heaven would soon be opened! The seed I sowed would produce a thirty, sixty, or possibly 100-fold return! The devourer was rebuked and God’s protection was on our family.
None of that happened. We continued to earn scraps. Our cars were clunkers. Debt multiplied. Savings were non-existent.
We talked with our pastors. They told us to only tithe and to stop giving offerings of any type. We bought the Crown Financial curriculum.
Preachers who believe in tithing magically correcting financial missteps are Biblically ignorant at best.
THE WICKED BORROW AND DON’T REPAY
Psalm 37:21 (NIV) The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.
If you want to give 10% and roll the dice with your light bill money then do it. Rolling dice is a gamble, though. God doesn’t do magic tricks for a 10% entry fee.
This entire tithing thought process is short-sighted. Give 10% now and you will be rolling in the dough in the future.
Christians who fortify their finances now can eventually give much more than 10%. Patience is required.
Develop a budget.
Scrutinize spending.
Optimize income.
Supersize savings.
Maximize wealth.
Revolutionize giving.
Or continue to scrape, scrimp, and sacrifice and cross your fingers for God to drop bags of money on your house.
What will it be?
Tim manages a $ billion+ loan portfolio. He loves to write and teach about biblical stewardship. He has authored three stewardship books, including The Profit Dare. His fourth book, Savvy Stewardship, will be released in May 2024. He hosts The Profit Dare and Sola Melodica YouTube Channels.
He has an MBA from Cornerstone University and a Certificate in Behavioral Finance from Duke University.
Tim is a former church planter, youth pastor, and short-term missionary.
