by
Crown Financial Ministries
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God's Word tells us to bring our tithes into the storehouse (see Malachi 3:10). To bring our tithes into the storehouse, it is necessary to determine exactly what the storehouse is. In biblical times, it was a physical place where the Jews would deliver their offerings of grain or animals. The storehouse had specific functions according to God's Word.
- To feed the tribe of Levi (Numbers 18:24-26) and the priests of Aaron (Numbers 18:28-29). The tribe of Levi and the priests would be the equivalent of pastors and other church staff, evangelists, and missionaries today.
- To feed the Hebrew widows and orphans living within a Hebrew city (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). They would be the equivalent of the widows and orphans being served in a local church.
- To feed the Gentile poor living in a Hebrew city (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). Today's equivalent would be the unsaved people in the community surrounding a local church.
When we obey Him and pay our tithes to the church, God holds the leaders of the church responsible for the distribution of the tithes (see Nehemiah 12:44-45, 13:5, 13). It is the responsibility of the church to meet the needs within the community.
Larry never counseled people to redirect their tithe away from their church completely, but he did say that the church of today, as a whole, is not carrying out all the responsibilities that God set forth for His storehouse. That is not to say, however, that all churches are neglecting this work.
Since the tithe is recognition of our obedience and submission to God and is given in thanksgiving for His faithfulness in providing, there should not be any legalism as to how we direct the money He has entrusted to our care. If people feel the need, and God's direction, to help other ministries outside their churches and they have no other funds than the tithe, it would be hard to tell them they are disobeying God's Word in that area.
The church is the beloved bride of Christ, but that designation is for the whole brotherhood of believers, not the individual church down the road. When God speaks of His church, it is the corporate body of Christ. When we give to the church, it is to every part of the body, not just the denominational portions. We give to the hands (which may be the churches) but we also give to the feet (traveling evangelists, maybe) or the little finger (probably the widow who spends the night in prayer for all of God's children but will not receive any recognition until we all see her in Heaven).
We caution people against letting this become an area of contention between them and their pastor, and we encourage them to seek direction for their giving from the Lord. As He gives peace about where to direct His resources, one should act in humility and meekness toward those who might disagree.
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