Recently, tithing has become of topic of great discussion within the church community and even outside of the immediate church community.  Some congregations set the expectation of giving at the traditional tithing mark while other congregations rarely, if ever, deal with this predominantly Old Testament concept.  In reality, giving in mainline Protestant congregations, is far less than 10% of one’s income.  According to most studies by, average giving by church members is less than 2.5% of one’s annual income.  The Wall Street Journal recently reported on the apparent “backlash of tithing” in congregations.  Click Here to read the article.

As Christians, we are called to give to God “what is right, not what is left,” as the popular quote from a church marquis states.  God calls us to offer our “first fruits,” not the “leftovers.”  First fruits giving requires the theological premise that our possessions and assets ultimately belong to God.  All that we have in life is a gift from God!  Faith-filled, first fruits giving is our opportunity to return to God a small portion of God’s abundant blessing in our lives.  Moreover, these blessings are not limited to financial assets or possessions.  Most of us can examine our own lives and find numerous blessings, perhaps even some astounding miracles.

Tithing becomes a benchmark for the modern day Christian.  Click Here to read my recent article, Tithing: A Benchmark for Giving.