Should All Giving Go To/Through Local Church?

[ForHisGlory]

Is the biblical model to give your entire % to your local church so that the church can determine how to best allocate those resources.........or do you feel that there is liberty to give XX% to the church, XX% to Y ministry, XX% to Z ministry, etc.??

Obviously I'm not suggesting the neglect of all personal giving, such as those providential interactions with people in immediate need......but more of the planned month to month support ministries.

We had a business meeting tonight at our church......discussing the allocation of funds for missions and ministries. I began to ponder some of the benefits of members bringing ALL their gifts to and through the church. If we bypass the church in some of our planned giving, does this devalue church unity, leadership, community, and fellowship? Just curious what other's thoughts were.

 

[smhbbag]

That's such a great picture of you guys.

 

[Pergamum]

I see nothing in Scripture that demands this.

 

[ForHisGlory]

Jeremy: Muchos Gracias! You need a photo of your family brother......including Gus Gus. ;-)

Trevor: Thanks for the feedback. On a separate note: We were praying for you guys last night at Rosemont. I hope the Lord is giving you strength, courage, and hope through the move back and your recent loss. Your faith is an encouragement brother.

 

[Tripel]

Absolutely not. The church (or at least mine in particular) doesn't give to all of the organizations and people I want to support. And that's not a criticism of my church--it's just not possible for them to support everybody that each member wants to support.

 

[Curt]

Absolutely not. The church (or at least mine in particular) doesn't give to all of the organizations and people I want to support. And that's not a criticism of my church--it's just not possible for them to support everybody that each member wants to support.

Agreed.

 

[Jack K]

The Bible clearly gives us freedom and encouragement to give broadly to all sorts of godly endeavors. But we should be cautious that we do not skimp on the local church in order to support our pet Christian causes instead. Some reasons:

* It's easy to became individualistic and arrogant, taking a shoppers' attitude that it's my money and it should go where I think best. No, it's God's money. Giving to God ought to mean not only giving up my money but also giving up personal control over how it gets spent.

* When we get too much of an attitude that the amount we give to our church will depend on how well we think it's being spent, we end up with a vote-with-your-wallet approach to running the church. Church leaders feel the pressure to make decisions that will be popular and to only start programs that will pay for themselves. The result is usually that churches end up paying back their members by providing "spiritual services" the members feel are worth something to them. Again, this isn't giving. If we would give to the church regardless, we would free our leaders from this pressure.

* Many of the missions agencies and para-church work we support ought to come under the oversight of true churches led by God-ordained elders, either individual churches or groups of churches cooperating together. The fact that much kingdom work happens outside a church structure that would provide for proper discipline and shepherd-like support is regretable. Ideally such work should come under the church, if only the money weren't being given elsewhere.

Now the reality is that many churches don't use money wisely for God, and wouldn't do so even if we gave more of it. And I often feel better about giving outside of church bounds, where some wonderfully godly organizations exist. But I still say we're wise if our default mode is to make outside giving "above and beyond," not "in place of" our church giving.

 

[dudley]

I see nothing in Scripture that demands this.

I agree with Pergamun, I also can find nothing in scripture to agree with this.

 

[Rich Koster]

This is my conviction:
Faithfully support my/your congregation.
Faithfully support missionaries I/you have personally decided to support.
Give help to those who God prompts me/you to help as you are guided to.

 

[Ivan]

I don't see a prohibitions to support ministries outside the local church. That being said, I give the vast majority to my local church.