One of the questions I am frequently asked as a pastor is whether people who are in debt should tithe to their church, or if they should rather dedicate that money to paying off their debt.
UPDATE: Since this post was written, my wife and I have paid off our debt. More about that in this post: Debt Free!
First of all, I should say that the New Testamnet does not require that a person give a tithe (10% of their income donated to the congregation where they worship) per se. Although this requirement did exist in the Old Testament for the nation of Israel, the New Testament teaches that we are to give unto the Lord not out of obligation but from a cheerful heart, to contribute to the work of the Lord and the community of faith. Many, however, including myself, believe that the Old Testament standard of a tithe, although not required by the New Testament, is a good guideline for giving.
According to Business Insider, the average American household is $6,500 in debt – that’s consumer debt not related to their mortgage.
The average American household carries $6,500 of consumer debt
There is a good chance that MOST people in any given church in America are in thousands of dollars of debt. That means that there are multitudes of faithful Christians who desire to honor God with their money by giving to Him of their first fruits and investing in building His Kingdom and spreading the Gospel – who wonder if giving a few hundred dollars in tithe to their church every month should rather be directed towards paying off their debt.
The short answer? Yes, I think you should regularly give tithes and offerings, even if you are in debt.
I know that some people will not agree with that – but please understand that I do not say that lightly at all. I too am in debt, and yet I tithe. I don’t want to be in debt, in fact, I’m working very hard to get out of debt. Last year we had some unexpected expenses which we deemed worthy of going into debt for. So, I say this as one who is in the same boat – carrying debt and struggling with whether to give a tithe or offering to my church or use that money to help pay off our debt.
I too am in debt, and yet I tithe
Here is why I tithe even though I have debt:
The tithe is not God’s way of raising money, it’s God’s way of raising kids.
I tithe because it is a values issue, and it trains my heart. By making the first check I write every month my tithe check, I am making a clear statement of my priorities and values. And it sends a message to my heart, that for us, we would rather invest in the Kingdom of God and the furtherance of the Gospel than just buying more stuff.
‘But, wait’ – you might say: ‘You wouldn’t be using that money to buy more stuff, you would be using that money to pay off your debt for the stuff you already bought.’ That’s nice in theory, but in practice, most people, with a few hundred more dollars in their pocket, won’t regularly devote that money to aggressively paying off their debt, it will just be a cushion on their budget.
The key to getting out of debt for many people is changing your lifestyle, not having a little more money – and tithing helps you change your lifestyle.
People who have more money – guess what they do? They spend more money. I watched a documentary on Netflix the other day about how an astonishing number of professional athletes go broke within just a few years of retirement. They had a lot of money and they spent a lot of money. What we need is a lifestyle change, not just more money. I have found that letting go of some of my money and giving it to God as the first thing I do when I get paid releases me from the grip of money – and helps me to change my lifestyle.
I have found then when I tithe vs when I don’t tithe, I don’t really end up with more money in my pocket, or get ahead with getting out of debt.
A sacrifice is only a sacrifice if it hurts.
David said, I will not sacrifice to the Lord that which cost me nothing (2 Samuel 24:24) The woman who gave 2 mites – it was a relatively insignificant amount to the rest of us, but for her IT HURT. And Jesus publicly commended her for giving in a sacrificial way, although she could have just as well used that money to buy milk or bread which she probably had need of. She gave sacrificially, and Jesus not only commended her for it – God made sure it was recorded for all time so that generation after generation could learn from her example.
Worship and sacrifice are very closely related. We all sacrifice for what we worship. If we don’t sacrifice as an act of worship, well just put some thought into what that says about who you worship…
God is looking for vessels He can pour into, who will then pour back out what He has given them in ways that He desires. If we show ourselves faithful stewards with little, he will entrust us with more. I believe that God honors those who step out in faith and give radically and generously – because He is a God who also gives radically and generously, and when we do that, it aligns us in a greater way with His heart.
Is this a hard, fast rule? No. It’s a principle. But yet, it is the one principle, which God challenges us to test him on (see Malachi 3:10).
God loves a joyful giver. He doesn’t want people to give out of a sense of coercion or obligation. But this is a principle of which God says: “If you want to live the full life that I have designed for you, if you want to experience joy, then walk in this way,” – ‘the way everlasting’.
Theology for the People 
I have seen this to be true in so many people’s lives. While I tithe and give, God hasn’t given me the means to bless others monetarily. What he has done, is give other people opportunities to bless me in that realm. As a result, I have gotten closer to some people I hadn’t in the past and, with those people, God has placed me on the front lines to see him moving in Johnson City.
I have heard so many testimonies of people who have stepped out in faith and tithed and how it has been a blessing to them. I have yet to hear of anyone saying: “I tithed and it ruined me and was the worst dedication of my life!”
Thanks for sharing your story!
i agree with tithing. It should be a practise we all do. i sort of forgot it until recently it was mentioned by the pastor. Luckily it was not in a needy manner as i have seen in some churches. i often wish God would smite those pastors, but life is never fair.
What do you think it the correct amount to give?
i think even if the church is using the funds incorrectly, that the people should still give to God. He will take care of it eventually, i hope.
As a pastor I’d say it is a hard topic to speak about, because you fear that people will think you have ulterior motives or that you are trying to coerce them into doing something which you’re only telling them is good for them, but isn’t.
However, it really would be wrong to not talk about something which God placed so much emphasis on throughout the Bible. In fact, that would be a disservice to people to not teach them the spiritual importance of it.
I personally think that 10% is a good number, although since we are not under the law, that is a principle, not a rule. I think 10% is something you feel, but is feasible for most people, requiring you to make some priority decisions, but yet not crush you financially.
That is a really interesting point about tithing even if the church is not stewarding money in the way you think it should be. I think that’s a huge issue for many people. I agree with your take on it though. It’s about the heart with which you give the money – that’s what God is interested in. The people who are stewards over the received funds will have to answer to god for what they do – or don’t do – with that money.