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Original poster

Do you have to pay a % to your church?

50 replies

lisad123 · 20/12/2008 17:16

was talking to a friend today, she told me her sister has to sign a form to arrnage to a certain % of her wages when she joined a church (born again christain I think). I was surprised tbh.
I dont agree with passing collection plates either, but wondered how many people have to pay the % to their church?? I always thought this was gossip tbh

OP posts:
bronze · 20/12/2008 17:17

Theres no have to that I know of. My parents have always paid a tithe but not all goes to the church some went to support people doing charity work. It was their choice though.

Original poster
lisad123 · 20/12/2008 17:26

do they have to sign a contract though? im not knocking other religions at all, each to their own but was surprised is all. Good for charity work though

OP posts:
bronze · 20/12/2008 17:34

No Noooo they just choose to pay some of their income.

MadameCheese · 20/12/2008 17:40

This sounds incredibly dodgy. Tithing is supposed to be 10% but I would be very wary of a church which makes you do this as a member. Stay well clear...

Original poster
lisad123 · 20/12/2008 17:46

i wasnt thinkiing of joining LOL

OP posts:
believer07 · 20/12/2008 18:40

This is a form of bondage, they quote OT laws for tithing and tell you that you can eat pork butties. All giving is done on the new testamnet principle laid down in corinthians. Giving is done on a basis of the direct of the spirit, I am not going to give money to someone to build a church when there are christian children starving in Africa.

KayHarkerTheHeraldAngelsSing · 20/12/2008 19:07

Some churches do require a specific percentage as part of the responsibilities of active membership. I don't agree with that myself, and ime, the ones that did require this were very much into the 'health and wealth' version of Christianity.

FYI, we do give a regular gift to our church, by direct debit, but it's not at all a mandatory requirement, very much our own choice.

Original poster
lisad123 · 20/12/2008 19:11

i unserstand the giving if you want to, completely normal imo, im just surprised that some sign contracts is all.
we have boxes at the back of our hall, so no one know how much anyone gives, or who iyswim.

OP posts:
KayHarkerTheHeraldAngelsSing · 20/12/2008 19:21

Oh yes, do you attend a KH? I have friends who do, and we've been a couple of times to the Memorial. Perfectly sensible system, having boxes at the back, definitely.

I would find it rather hard to trust a church that was overly interested in financial business, tbh.

Original poster
lisad123 · 20/12/2008 19:26

yes kay i do

OP posts:
BreevandercampLGJ · 20/12/2008 19:27

We pay by Direct Debit but we do not sign a contract. The Church will not run itself.

Original poster
lisad123 · 20/12/2008 19:29

i know church's dont run themselve thanks

OP posts:
ilovelovemydog · 20/12/2008 19:36

Mormons pay a tithe, I thought...

AMIStletoekiss · 21/12/2008 12:07

A lot of churches do now want you to pay in a way which lets them claim back the tax - they can only do that if they know how much you are giving and you fill out a form to say you're a UK taxpayer. And they often send out "stewardship campaign" letters which tell you how much it costs to run the church and suggesting that if every member gave 5%/10%/whatever of their income it would be great and lovely....

But it should always be up to the individual to decide what amount is appropriate for them and I'd be very wary of a church that tries to make it compulsory or lays on a lot of guilt about it, because the church leaders really don't know enough about people's finances (and shouldn't know it!) to say what's "right". Someone may have loads of "spare" money from their income, others may have so much already committed they've barely enough to manage. They can't tak into accoun people's mortgage, or CSA payments, or all the other stuff that people have to pay out, so they shouldn't ever be saying you have to give them X amount.

DutchOma · 21/12/2008 12:48

The only thing about tithing I would say is that it has always been a blessing to us. First of all you gasp at the amount of money you have to pay, then you do it and then you realise that you have nine times as much left as you have given away. I would be very, very wary, as others have said of a church that made you sign a contract to give so much to them.
Oh and you tithe before tax, because that is the income you want the Lord to bless.
I know it sounds incredible, but that's God for you.

TrinityRhino · 21/12/2008 12:52

lol

bloss · 22/12/2008 21:59

Message withdrawn

littleboyblue · 22/12/2008 22:03

Is it the Coign Church (I'm unsure of spelling) From what I can gather, you pay a % of your salary into the church but if it all goes tits up wrong and you lose your job/home or something, the church then bail you out

Yorkiegirl · 22/12/2008 22:05

Message withdrawn

Smithagain · 28/12/2008 21:12

We don't have to, but we set aside 10% of our net income out of choice, to be given away. A significant proportion of that does go to our church, which in turn uses part of it for running costs, part to pay staff (including me LOL!), part to fund community projects and another percentage is given away.

I am firmly of the view that it is good practice to give out of what you have - and give generously. However I'm shocked to hear that there are churches which dictate the amount as a condition of membership. I'm sure Jesus would have had harsh words to say about the legalism of such a policy.

Fivesetsofschoolfees · 29/12/2008 09:32

We are encouraged to give sacrificially, but with no specific amount mentioned. The church leaders do not know the ins and outs of anyone's finances.

We are also encouraged to do planned giving so that the church can set realistic budgets and, importantly, get the tax back.

10% of our church's income goes to our mission partners, so even if the congregation doesn't tithe, the church does.

Wesley gave us good advice: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can.

LadyMuck · 29/12/2008 09:51

More recently established churches look for a 10% tithe from members. I agree that the theology is rather dodgy (or at least internally inconsistent), but most members would rationalise it on the basis that, as Bree says, churches don't run themselves, they do need the financial support from members, and that only being asked to give 10% is a much lighter commitment that the examples given in the New Testament (eg believers having everything in common).

In terms of signing a contract, is it really a contract or is she being encouraged to give either by the Give as You Earn scheme (payroll deduction) or by standing order?

DutchOma - do you believe that your income will only be blessed if you tithe, and what is the purpose in having your income blessed (rather than say your neighbour's income)? If you give only 9% do you get less blessing? How do you determine the formula??

DutchOma · 29/12/2008 10:33

What I was trying to say and obviously miserably failed to do, was that we have found over the years that being serious about tithing has been an total blessing to us. And not a burden.

sockmonkey · 29/12/2008 10:59

DutchOma, I am with you. I found when I did pay my tithing, we coped a lot better than when we have not.

Fivesetsofschoolfees · 29/12/2008 11:03

I agree, Dutchoma.

God gives back in blessings many times over.