Actscelerate.com

General/International Tithe or Local Church Tithe: Should We Print Both on Our Tithe Envelopes?

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **12/1/16 3:07 pm**

More specifically, teachin the folk that if they give and check GENERAL/INTERNATIONAL TITLE that 10% leaves the church.

But if they give and check LOCAL CHURCH TITHE that 100% remains in the local church.

Doesn't matter...

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6042 **12/1/16 3:29 pm**

First, I don't think we should do that, since it smacks of trying to find a way to not play fair.

Second, EVEN if it is printed, I think that the ENTIRE tithe of the tithe, whether tithe here or tithe there, should go for what is expected by the Church of God.

LASTLY, I have come to believe that to end all the foolishness, we ought to simply send in, say, 5% of EVERYTHING that comes in--tithe, offering, etc. About the only exception I can think of is if the money is designated MISSION, since, presumably, the entire amount of that is going to missions.

Just my 10%.

Re: Doesn't matter...

Friendly Face Posts: 387 **12/1/16 4:22 pm**

Excelleant idea. That would discourage dishonesty.

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6385 **12/1/16 5:35 pm**

My responsibility is to give to our church. Which I do and I dont check anything. Beyond that Its the pastors responsibility to what hes supposed to do. I trust him do whats right even when circumstances change.

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **12/1/16 9:53 pm**

Logically when there is a way to circumvent a system someone will find a way. I don't think the tithe envelope is the place (besides we have enough on there anyway! ( Embarassed

))

I know it has been said many times that some churches DO promote designating 'General Fund' to be checked on the tithe envelope. In truth I have NEVER encountered it at churches I have been a member or visited.

However, stating my personal point of view, I have no hard and fast feeling either way. I agree with C6th pretty much. I like to feel where I pay my tithe (Or offerings of 10%+), that the administrators there are forth right and honest and know how to use the money wisely. Cool

_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/

Acts-perienced Poster Posts: 11849 **12/1/16 10:02 pm**

Has anyone else just given in cash right into the plate? Is there someone keeping track to condemn you if they don't have records of you paying what they think is 10% of your income?
_________________
Link

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **12/1/16 11:06 pm**

So you fellers is implyin at folk who would utilize a dual tithe approach (i.e., International/Local) is dishonest, circumventin, an not playin fair?

Friendly Face Posts: 387 **12/2/16 8:53 am**

I personally think it is dishonest. General and state offices need that percentage to operate on. They do a good work - I am all for that. I also like the "envelope". It used to be and I hope it still is, that if a person did not give his tithe, he would not be eligible to hold an office or teach, etc. With an envelope, it is also a record that is used to add up our giving in order to count it on our taxes. We use an envelope each time we give whether it be a $5 offering or tithe. It all adds us and is less that we have to pay taxes on. And BTW, we would give the same amount even if we could not count it on our taxes. We pay the government enough so we use every loophole that we can to avoid paying more taxes.

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6385 **12/2/16 11:08 am**

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1865 **12/2/16 11:13 am**

I would assume that most of the membership of the COG gives little or no thought as to what percentages of their giving go to HQ. I think there needs to be drastic reduction of administrative bureaucracy in our organization, but I am not in favor of circumventing the system.

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **12/2/16 11:16 am**

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1865 **12/2/16 11:46 am**

I agree that it is a widespread, wholesale problem. The blame lies not at any one person's feet. To play devil's advocate here; I wonder how many pastors who are fed up with poor expenditures from HQ are willing to provide accurate and honest financial reports to the congregation on a regular (perhaps quarterly at best or annual at worst) basis.

I'm rarely asked about where monies go once they are given. But there are times when I explain where percentages go that people are astounded. That tells me that we (I'm including myself) need to do a better job of informing people. But we should do so with integrity. Not with a deliberate attempt to circumvent the "laws" of our organization. I don't know of anyone personally that does this, but I have heard of some in my state that don't directly instruct people to pay tithes into General Fund but strongly emphasize (wink wink Wink

) that "all monies marked General Fund remain in the local church".

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1449 **12/2/16 7:42 pm**

Why do people need to pay tithes into the General fund? Should they not give in an area where they can cheerly give into that place in the church where the Lord leads them?

Does the Lord not give credit to us for cheerful giving, inside or outside the church building?

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **12/3/16 1:05 am**

I know that Da Sheik is correct that the majority of our church members have no idea the distribution of the 'tithe'. We as members do know that when we give to the LWWB or the 'Building Fund' that it stays at the church if we designate to Missions we KNOW it goes to HQ.

But any time I have talked TOT to fellow church members, they are surprised that a % of Tithe is required, but most still do not care. Cool

_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/

....directed tithes

Friendly Face Posts: 312 **12/3/16 5:17 pm**

GOOFY! The real issue to me is that we've actually got people in leadership that would blatantly disregard the polity of the Church in such a way by legitimizing the circumvention of their membership covenant.
_________________
....from Barney Creek to Bountyland through every open door

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **12/3/16 6:34 pm**

One very big factor affecting this, as I see it, is the fact that in many CoG churches, tithing itself is not really taught much nowadays, if at all. That, in addition to the growing antidenominational mindset in our society in general, tends to make the idea of "a tithe of tithe" very hard to relate to for a lot of folks. All the more so when a local pastor rebels against the system by advocating a circumvention of the financial arrangement of the denomination.

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **12/3/16 6:41 pm**

Hey Quiet,

Acts-celerater Posts: 935 **12/3/16 6:49 pm**

now you've gone and done it. You've opened up that can of worms about not being transparent with salaries to the folks. Look out, you'll pay for that one. I personally agree with you but you just wait. Uh oh..

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **12/3/16 8:15 pm**

I don't think he wrote what you think he wrote. He said "how much each individual GIVES."

Friendly Face Posts: 387 **12/4/16 2:38 am**

am convinced that if we are not doing anything wrong, we have nothing to hide. In addition to annual business meetings, we have monthly finance committee meetings, to which everyone is expressly invited and encouraged to attend, and in which a full, accurate and honest financial report of the past month is given. The only thing we don't reveal to everyone would be how much each individual gives. Other than that, I see no good reason to have anything secret in a church or denomination's finances.[/quote]

100% right. That is the way we were taught. If you make everything open, then you will have less questions and doubts from the people. When we pastored (at the annual business meeting) we even set out the tithe records for people to look at as it was a requirement to be in office or teacher to pay tithes. We never had anyone come up and look at the tithe records. People trust you when you aren't trying to hide something.