Tithing Paradox

Teaching tithing is a tricky game to play. First, you must understand all of the tithes of the Old Testament (total = 23.3%). Secondly, all tithing was to be done through food. Changing this to money equivalents misses the principle of "the scriptures must mean what they always meant." You end up teaching a rule that even you have altered. When you change something that directly benefits yourself, you do put your integrity on the line. I know you can blame God and say it's His rule but don't forget that you have had a part in reformulating what God has said.

But the greatest challenge you have with teaching tithing is that it begs this question. What do you think of the people that don't tithe? In Malachi 3, God called them robbers. Approximately 83% of people in churches that teach tithing, don't tithe. Therefore, you end up pastoring a group of people that are mostly thieves.

The paradox is that non-tithers are happy having you think of them as thieves.