Learning Corner

- Matthew 25:29

Process in Handling Finances

1. Finances are collected by the Deacons or designated Financial Committee Member.
2. Finances are counted and verified by a different group of Deacons or designated Financial Committee Member.
3. Finances are logged into the computer by the Financial Committee.
4. An electronic and hard copy of offertory envelopes must be kept on file for a minimum of three (3) years.
5. Distribution of Funds:

i) A Financial Request Form must be turned into the Finance Committee before a check is issued to any Auxiliary.
ii) A receipt of the item purchased must be turned in to the Finance Committee within 72 hours of purchase.
iii) Receipts and financial Request forms must be kept on file for a minimum of three (3) years.
б. All disbursements must be distributed by check, unless otherwise officially approved by the Senior Pastor or Chief Financial Officer.
7. Financial Statements will be distributed semi-annually during Church Business Meeting.
8. All employees will be issued a W2 or a 1099 at the end of each calendar year.

Ordinary stewardship is the regular practice of returning to God a portion of all that God has given us. It involves teaching ourselves how to create a life built upon the notion that all that we have is a gift from God. This includes teaching the holy behaviors of keeping the Sabbath, tithing, and the concept that giving regularly of our time, talent, and money to God's work on this earth, is as much a spiritual practice as prayer and worship.
Extraordinary stewardship involves the special occasions that arise in the life of believing communities that call us to give beyond our ordinary sewing. They involve increased risk, and encourage us to practice sacrificial giving in order to help the community achieve an especially important goal. The best example of extraordinary stewardship is the capital campaign.
Legacy stewardship is the way in which we address the matter of disposing of the accumulations of our lifetime. Who will use your "stuff" when you no longer need it? It is the opportunity to leave a planned gift that constitutes both a legacy to generations yet unborn, and a final witness to those whom we hold most dear.

Tithes: Malachi 3:10
Support operational budget of the Church
Offerings: Exodus 35:9
Church operations
First Fruits: Leviticus 23:9-14
Prayer offering for increase
Sacrificial Offerings: Hebrews 13:16
Special needs of the Church
Benevolence
Support people in crisis
Love Offerings
Used to show appreciation to Pastor, wife and special guests
Building Fund
Construction & maintenance of the Church

Tithing is the practice of giving one-tenth of one's income or possessions to one's leader. In Judaism, that leader was God.
The first tithe recorded in the Bible was given by Abraham to Melchizedek, king of Sa-lem. "....Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything." (Genesis 14:20)
The next biblical mention of a tithe is when Jacob made a vow to God, saying, "...of all that you give me I will give you a tenth" (Genesis 28:22).
Secular kings often demanded tithes as well, as a tax on the people they ruled. Samuel told the Israelites who were asking for a king that a king would "...take a tenth of your grain and your vintage..." as well as"...a tenth of your flocks" (1 Samuel 8:15,17).
Eventually, the tithe was codified into the Law of Moses, under which the Israelites were required to give three different tithes amounting to around 23% of their income.
The first tithe was consumed by the giver each year during the annual temple feast.
Regarding this tithe, the Israelites were instructed as follows: "...set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name...." (Deuteronomy 14:22-23).
The second tithe was given annually to support the Levites: "I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance...." (Numbers 18:21).
The third tithe was given once every three years for the support of the poor: "At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied...." (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; see also Deuteronomy 26:12).

Leviticus 27:30 NKJV
30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord.
The New Testament says nothing to change God's instruction on tithing. The tithe is holy and still belongs to God.

Tithing is worship. It has always been more than just a tax. Tithing is recognition and worship of the One who created and actually owns all. Worshiping God in a prescribed manner has existed since the Garden of Eden. Cain and Abel knew the correct way to worship God, but one of them chose not to worship that way. The correct way involved giving up something they owned in recognition of God in a prescribed manner. Worship cost them something then, as true worship always does.

If we do not worship God with our money, we do not really worship God. Job, Abraham and his descendants, and others living before the giving of the Law, knew that worshiping God involved sacrificing of their substance.

Any Christian who loves the Lord should desire to give everything to Him. We can and should give more than ten percent (a tithe). Tithing is just a starting place - not a maximum limit. The tithe is like a birthday gift to a wonderful spouse, just a token reminder of their importance to you. Actually, they deserve much more .. more than it would be possible to give. Jesus is like that. He deserves more than you could possibly give. Tithing is only a reminder to you, and to Jesus, of the intent of your heart, and the place of importance He has in your life.

Some may say they could show their love better by giving whatever they felt like, instead of a set amount such as ten percent. However, the attitude behind that approach is wrong. Since the Garden of Eden, man has been trying to do things his own way - instead of the way God prescribed -- and man's way has always caused trouble. God said the tithe was His (Leviticus 27:30). He showed us through the Old Testament Law (and never said otherwise in the New Testament), tithing was acceptable worship. Why try to invent a new method?

Giving based on need is not Biblical tithing but giving of alms. (It is not worship but a good work.) Tithing is not to meet God's need (or the church's needs), but to worship God: to put Him in His rightful place: first!

Which is more important: Jesus or money?

1 Corinthians 9:14 says those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel "even so" as the priests of the Old Testament lived from their temple service. God gave the tithe to them (Numbers 18:21). To be "even so" today requires tithing to continue.
1 Corinthians 9:13-14 NKJV
13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?
14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

Numbers S 18:21 NKJV
21 "Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting."

2 Corinthians 1:20 says that all God's promises are Yes in Christ. So the blessings promised to the tither in the Old Testament, such as Malachi 3:10, are still available and valid for you today.
2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV
20. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him are Amen, to the glory of God through us.

Malachi 3:10 NKJV
10. "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it."

Tithing acknowledges in a tangible way the Lord's ownership of us and all we have. It is recognition He deserves.
Anyone who receives Christ Jesus must receive Him as He is: Lord. By definition a Christian is one who has received Jesus Christ. Since He is Lord, when we receive Him He becomes Lord of our life. As Lord of our life, Jesus has complete say about what we do with all our money, not just ten per cent of it.
Anyone who claims Jesus as their Lord and does not give Him at least ten percent of their money should face the truth: money is their Ruler, not Jesus.
Which do you trust more: Jesus or money?

Giving the first ten percent every time we receive any income helps protect us from falling into these traps. Done faithfully, tithing teaches us to trust God and depend on Him.

1. Unbelief
2. Fear
3. Greed, selfishness
4. Lack of right teaching

The cure for the first three is teaching. So, more Christians do not tithe because there has not been enough correct teaching. To our shame, recent surveys reveal only a small percentage of "Christians" give at least ten percent of their income to God.
People invent all kinds of excuses to not give at least ten percent of their money to God - such as the epistles not teaching tithing. Is the virgin birth of Jesus taught in the epistles? (No, but the virgin birth is still true!) How many times does God have to tell us something for us to believe it?
There is not much direct teaching in the New Testament concerning tithing. One reason may be because the Lord wants a love relationship with us, not just a legal obligation from us. However, that surely does not mean we should do less in a love relationship than they did in the Old Testament under the Law.
The money and time you give to Jesus are the best indicators of how much you love Him.