Tithe, It gets the red out

Actually, that “Tide” is the laundry soap that gets red and other stains out. Were you a little skeptical of the title? I’m a bit skeptical of preachers. I should know because I am one. A while back, I was hearing a sermon. The preacher made one of those types of remarks. You hear these kinds of comments on commercials, or news reports. It’s a comment that makes you ask intelligent, thoughtful questions like

“What?”

Let me back up a bit. Studies show that American people, on average give 3% of their income to charitable causes. This could be the Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, etc. Giving to churches get a slice out of that financial pie. So here is the comment that made me sit up and take notice.

“If the income of church members were cut in half, but if they started tithing (giving 10% of their income) most church budgets would almost double.”

Are you skeptical? I was too. But it works. Let me give you a math demonstration. Granted, I’m a preacher, not a math teacher, so my giving a math demonstration is like Donald Trump giving tips on hair care, but here it goes.

Church A: (good mathematical name for a church)

Membership: 100 families
Average income of each family: $30,000 a year
Giving: 3% (which is the National Average of what people give)
Total giving per family (3% of $30,000): $900 per year
Church budget, $900 per year per family x 100 families: $90,000 per year

Church B: (another good mathematical church name)
Membership: 100 families (same size as Church A)
Average income of each family: $15,000 per year (half of Church A)
Giving 10% (Biblical standard)
Total giving per family (10% of $15,000): $1,500 per year
Church budget, $1,500 per year per family x 100 families: $150,000

Isn’t that wild? It’s also Biblical. Here is Malachi 3:10 10Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

We don’t have to be skeptical because God keeps His promises. When we give, God blesses and God’s church has enough for doing His mission.

Even Donald Trump can’t do that!