I read tons of things on the internet. Some from sites I agree with, some I’m sort of nuteral on, and others I don’t agree with. MondayMorningInsight.com is in the ok list. Some of their stuff is good, some isn’t, and I don’t agree with most of it. Take this post on 10 Ways to Increase Giving. Just for reference, here are the 10:
#1 – Personal giving testimonies
#2 – Outside teaching resources that will teach Christians to manage their finances
#3 – Annual financial or whole life stewardship sermon series
#4 – Designated giving
#5 – Money-back guarantee
#6 – All-church tithing Sunday
#7 – Pre-offering Bible verse, comments and offertory prayer by a church leader
#8 – Effective use of your church’s giving records
#9 – Outside stewardship speaker
#10 – Start a Christian financial counseling ministry
Way way too complex. The way to increase giving is by doing some simple…very simple things:
1) Teach what the Bible says: God commands Christians to give [a minimum of] 10% of their increase [pre-tax income] to the storehouse [the local church you are a member of]. If you are not, you are robbing God.
What about the people who can’t tithe? Everyone can tithe. If you made a dime (10 cents) you can tithe (that would be a penny by the way). Well, technicially, I guess you couldn’t tithe if you only made a penny…in that case, be like the widow who gave her two mites and give the whole penny. If you aren’t tithing,the Bible is clear…you are robbing God .
Doesn’t God love a cheerful giver? He sure does; however, if you can’t even do something as simple as tithe, I think you have a larger heart issue. If you can’t give cheerfully, here is what I want to challenge you to do: write your check once a week (or every payday or every month…whatever), put it in the offering plate, and pray that God change your heart. Give as God commands and pray that He change you heart.
Wasn’t the title part of the old covenant? No…if you study it, it actually predates the Old Testament law: Abram tithed to Melchizidek prior to the 10 commandments .
By the way, here is some free advice: round up. If you made $987.65 don’t write your check for $98.76 (that isn’t 10% by the way…you forgot the 1/2), $98.77, or an even $99.00. It’s all God’s anyway…why not round up to an even $100? If you made $1,234.56, why not make your check out for $125 or even $130. If God has blessed you, my not an even $150. If you need a reason, it will make your bookkeeping easier. If you want a spiritual reason…it all belongs to God.