About church finances
Giving is one of the central themes in the Bible. Jesus talked more about this subject than Heaven, Hell or prayer. To understand what it means to be a Christ follower, we must also understand what it means to be a giver.
Tithe
The tithe, or “first fruits” of our labor / income belong to God. We find this principle all through God’s Word. Tithing, giving God the first 10% of our income to the local church, is the primary, practical way we acknowledge that God is first. (Proverbs 3: 9-10)
Offering
An offering is giving over and above the tithe. The Bible says that by giving generously, we are able to “take hold of the life that is truly life”. You aren’t really living unless you are freely giving. (1 Timothy 6: 18-19)
The gift of giving
The gift of giving is a spiritual gift the God gives to some people (Romans 12:8). It is a Spirit-given capacity and desire to serve God by giving your material resources, far beyond the tithe, to further the work of God.
Many people love to give to God as they do, they want to feel confident in the organisation through which they give. At Grow Church, we want people to understand they are giving to God through the church, not to the church. As we openly share the honesty, integrity, and spiritual values that guide the financial practices of Grow Church, we believe people can focus on what God is calling them to give and trust that He is leading our church to steward it well.
The giving of tithes and offerings is worship to Jesus and an expression of the relationship between the individual giver and The Lord. That is why we don’t have people fill out pledge cards or make faith promises. Funds are not “income only”, they are worship and are not considered to be a business transaction but an expression of gratitude toward God.
Deuteronomy 14:22-26
‘“You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the Lord your God. “Now when the Lord your God blesses you with a good harvest, the place of worship he chooses for his name to be honored might be too far for you to bring the tithe. If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds, put the money in a pouch, and go to the place the Lord your God has chosen. When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your household. ‘
Malachi 3:10
‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! ‘
1 Corinthians 16:1-4
‘Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me. ‘