Leaders are supposed to set the example. Why is it that Leaders, YES LEADERS don't tithe?

[Minister Cynthia D Steele]

We all know how we felt when someone stole something or robbed something from us. We all know how we would feel if it happened to us. We would all want the law to find the person, arrest them and give them the punishment they deserved for robbing us. Just lock up the thief. If it’s a family member or a so called friend who’s a known thief, we make sure we put up our wallets or our pocketbooks. Now let somebody take our stuff, we say the nerve of someone to come into our home and steal from us. The nerve of someone to steal our car. The nerve of someone to take something off of our desk. The NERVE OF SOMEONE TO ROB US. Well tell me what is God saying....Malachi 3 vs 8 states.. Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You? The reply was: In tithes and offerings.

Leaders are supposed to set the example. Why is it that Leaders, YES LEADERS Pastors, Reverends, Ministers, Choir members, Ushers, Nurses, Deacons, Stewards, I could go on...... DON’T TITHE. I know first hand because I served as the Chair of the Steward Board.

I know that there is online giving of tithes and you can also have your tithing amount be sent from your employer straight to your church checking account so why don't people tithe? Especially our Leaders. I could read millions of excuses and some may be even great excuses but tell me, is it about us or is it about what the word of God says?

What if God said to us while we walked down the street one sunny afternoon. “Son/Daughter because you have robbed me you will cease breathing from this moment on. A thief I will not bless or acknowledge.” Leaders are supposed to set the example. Have you paid your tithes this week? Why are the Leaders not even paying tithes?

FYI: A report published in 2003 by researcher George Barna found that only 3 percent of Christians tithe -- a decrease from 8 percent in 2001.

[John]

This is a touchy subject but also a subject of greed I feel as to why one doesnt' tithe. Everything that anyone feels they have gained is false. We gain nothing period. It is a gift from God. It all belongs to Him in the first place. If He didn't give it to you, you wouldn't have it no matter how large or how small. Tithing isn't just for Old Testament but for all time. The problem is there are still individuals that don't accept the New Testament and cling to the Old Testament only thereby meaning they don't accept the better testament which is Jesus Christ.. The Old and New Testaments is one complete book of God and not separate as I see some view it. That's ridiculous! If you think that tithing is only for the Old Testament then get right with God. Stay in God's Word often and let Him guide you and teach you.

Abram (before he was changed by God and then called Abraham) tithe to Melchizedek, king of Salem because he was the priest of the most high God, Gen 14:18-20. Read Heb 5:4-6 and see Melchizedek was called of God it wasn't something he took of himself. Read Heb 7:1 -10. Tithing is not some Old Testament thing to do. I know what it is because God tells me in His Word and that's all I need to know.
So touching on the subject my opinion is some just don't truly understand or care and take it for granted because they don't truly let go and let God. God bless you all.

[ShekinahLife]

Nice Perception,...and Yes it is ONE seamless garment in its complete TRUTH.
Now it would seem we Missed the Point of the ONE time "Tithe" of Avraham point..moreover,.. The Tithe is a Tithe of Tillage..in Most of the texts..so your statement of "GREED" needs to be explored more deeply, For the Flesh Profits us nothing. and many well meaning men and women are motivated by their Position of their personal ministry, than the TORAH truth of YAHweh...or so it would seem.
As I have done some serious Research in my three decades+ of Servanthood unto the Master...I asked Him to take Me on the journey to Emet = [ truth] it has been a ride for sure....
In 1989 I was litterly taken UP a mountain for a talk so to speak..and seen much of what is coming forth at this hour..Faithfulness and Obedience was the Topic. from HIM to me....and still is My Foundation as a sagan Priest unto YAH'shua.
With that My perception,... May be a little different than somebody who teaches or Hears each week the Gotta Tithe Message or G-D will something or other...to you.
Or that other Lie, You are being Whipped by G-D because you don't..
The real reason most folks go through things is for one they in some way are in disobedience to the Covenant TEN" those foundational words of YAH" given to Moshie at Mt Horeb.
The Children accepted the Marital Covenant,at Sinai,... and said in return WE will do all the He' say's to do ...Of course, We know they failed as we fail in our daily walk.
I think we all put our pants on one legg at a time,.. in otherwords No one is greater than the other.
Personally, I do Not take a Tithe from anybody...The free-will offering Shual' Speaks of is another offering form ,and is not gathered by inticing words and Plans of mere men...It is gathered by the Ruach Ha'Kodosh, placed upon the hearts of men, who in there faithfulness to YAHweh' Obey, and give.
Not that I do not understand the reasons As I was groomed to be a W.O.F. Evangelist and Hung out with all the Big boys, Phillip Guedeux, Fred Price, Happy Caldwell, Tom Tiemans, Morris Cerriulo, Dwight Thompson , Casey treat,.add another hundred or so It means Nothing,... and the Plaque on tthe wall" The Master reproved me Strongly for that one,...it means Nothing but PRIDE.
For one The children are being taken OUT of the teachings of Rome, and Being~ Re-Trained to assume their rightful position according to their respective BloodLines in the Covenant promise.
Ther is only One more Temple To Be Built and that is in T'Syion [ Zion]
Theirfore the Tithe of the Three Billion$$$ or so Dollars gathered in American Churches yearly would be better invested, IF we would teach the Children to Be Living Epistles In and Among the people with HIS covenant word Breaking Bread ,House to house, in Biblical Fellowship. Like the Book of ACTs set forth. [ Just My Opinion ]
Please Do - Not run all over me and say I do not know HOW to give, as I have given more than a Million away and have wrote some hefty checks to Ministries..Even personally handed Benny H. Ten Thousand,$.... I am sure he needed it....LOLOLm....Now where were we....
The Tithe was instituted into the church of Christology {I don't have my notes handy]} by the Imperial Church of ROME [RCC] in approx 368 AD or a little later" [ I could look that up]..and then they abolished it for a number of years .
However in there desire to Compensate the Priests,... It was re-Instituted and has continued ever since...[This is RESEARCHABLE facts = Catholic History]
I have a book being published "Treading Out (of) the Quagmire" which has all this info..and was researched painstakenly over many years.
To Truly Trust G-D,...Must come into Alignment with HIM,... and only Him,... forsake the Divisions and Denominational upset...and Read, Read, read. the Scrolls of Adonai" Until His Seamless Garment { His Word]Fits You Completely and Absolutely.

YAHweh" does Not take a Bribe ~~~Read Duet:10:v17~~~

[John]

I agree with what you say and by no means was anything directed at you. To me tithe means not necessarily to give to the church so it can fill the ministers pockets. I mean if it is from your heart and not that it is a mandatory thing but as you stated from your free will to give. I tithe to things such as St Jude's for cancer research for those children suffering. I tithe to those that are truly needing to help in true missonary work around the world. To help the homeless as I can. To me that is giving back to God. I'm not interested in lining a ministers pockets please believe that. You giving something Benny H., please, no way! I remember Fred Price growing up in LA as a youngster doing wrong things and rememeber also what he use to do and be like in those days. I have no desire to put men on a pedestal what so ever. I never feed those egos in some churches. No respect of persons in making them better than someone else. God bless.

[Adrian Lamar West Sr.]

So as too speak of tithing, What happened too just plain ole' giving' Luke 6:36, as a matter of fact the 6th chapter of Luke has alot too say on the subject of how too, and how too be blessed by this simple teaching. We have become so consumed with the tithing aspect as it pertains too serving God, that it comes off as if we are lifting Mammon, instead of Jesus. So what if others do not believe as we do, let them work that out themselves, continue too do what is taught.
And as we learn and can teach so much on tithing, remember the poor widow and her mites.

[Adrian Lamar West Sr.]

Does being called Pastor, or any other make one the only leader, I have not seen yet where we are too hold any accountable for Tithing o the lack thereof. If you tithe continue, if you don't be able too answer if asked why,
And then agin as we study so much of this the Word of God, realize who God is talking too. for the book of Malachi, is written too the Priests, and the Leaders of the house of Jacob, Start at chapter 1, and then read on until you reach chapter 3, then you can rightly discern the truth of the matter, and then get yourself a concordance and read all you can about giving, and most of all start too do what you know too do, and then continue to do so.

Min. A.L. West Sr.

[John]

This is something that is never discussed. The Bible only talks to three groups of people, the Jew/Hebrew, Gentiles and the Church from what I can tell. There are only two groups in the world, the believers and the non believers. It's called keeping things in context and rightly dividing.

[Earl D. Ragland]

I agree that if leaders who advocate tithing teach this old testament principle (which by the way, they don't) they should practice it. If there is a tithing advocate that teaches it according to how it was practiced in the old testament that I've never heard, I apologize. I got saved 39 years ago and I have never heard the doctrine taught according to the old testament formulas to new testament believers.

Now before you "stone me" please hear me out. I am neither illiterate, nor a novice in the scriptures. To suggest that tithing is a new covenant mandate is simply not supported by new testament scripture. The teachings about this subject have been supplanted from their historical roots by many pastors and leaders whose sincerity I do not question.
I don't however, hesitate to say (in love) that to suggest scriptural authority to transfer an ancient Israeli tax system into a new testament law is wrong. To intimidate new testament believers with Malichi 3:14, calling non-tithers "God-robbers) is cruel as well as false.
Somehow, we have taken hold of ideas about historical giving and sacrificing and "conveniently seasoned" them and served them to the new testament church. Tithing: What a "great ommission" by the Apostles if it is binding upon the new testament church. Are we to say that the single offering of a tithe to Melchizedec confirms an ongoing Abrahamic practice? Perhaps it was; perhaps it was not. Scripture supports no conclusion in the matter. Many say Jesus supported it in the gospels which we locate in our bibles in the new testament. This does not however, make it new testament teaching since in truth, the new testament does not go into affect until AFTER THE DEATH OF THE TESTATOR. (see Hebrews 9:16 &17.) The local church is NOT the "spiritual equivalent' of the old testament storehouse. Pastoral leadership is NOT the "spiritual equivalent" of the old testament priesthood. For goodness sakes, the whole Body of Christ is the "Royal Priesthood"! Now THAT IS scriptural and contextually sound (see 1 Peter 2:9)
Please understand me here brothers and sisters. I am not opposing any believer for giving in the service of God at whatever percentage of their substance they choose. I DO biblically oppose any who deny the requirement of all believers to support the work of God.
What I am opposing in this discussion is the widespread unscripturally supported teaching on the subject of tithing.
I welcome your response.

[Earl D. Ragland]

A portion of the tithe under the Mosaic law was for the support of the Levite tribe who had been set apart by Yahweh as those who may be called "theocratic government employees."
Of course I am speaking here of the priesthood.
Somehow the giving of a portion of fruit, meat, and vegetables has been "interpreted" by many church leaders as the "paying" of money.
I make regular automobile PAYMENTS for the debt owed for my car. These installments are not "gifts."
Jesus commanded us to GIVE. The Apostles instructed us to GIVE. The Apostles never demanded "monetary" payment of any amount at any time during the course of their ministries.
The true people of God are prompted to give out of an eternal "debt of love". This is why Paul says in Romans 13:8 that we should "owe no man anything but to love one another." In so doing, says Paul, we have fulfilled the law.
It is clear to me that believers ought to GIVE money in this modern economy, but if you insist on practicing the Israelite tax formula, then make this "PAYMENT" (which God has not required) in fruit, meat, and vegetables. And by the way, please stop requiring these payments from those for whom, under the ancient law, they were designed by Yahweh to benefit. Take a portion of these tithes over to the department of Social Services and find out how many orphans you may be able to bless. There are many widows and widowers in the local churches who are required to PAY the "tithe" when they should in fact, be the benefactors. How about immigrants? Are we setting aside a portion of the "tithe" for them? (See Deut 14:28-29)
The United States government IS NOT A THEOCRACY but it does provide a system of support, though imperfect, for the elderly, the poor, the legal immigrant, and others through its tax system.
Every system of government in developed countries has a revenue requirement of it's citizens.
So it was in the ancient world. The tithe was instituted as the tax system for the Israelites.
It was in support of the divinely-instituted "social programs" of the Israelite nation.

Peace and Love to all God's Family.

[Earl D. Ragland]

There is much misunderstanding on this subject. Out of this misunderstanding, many of God's people are either being condemned or condemning others falsely. May God give us clarity and bring us into unity on this matter.