The Bible is much clearer about our giving than many of us realize or are willing to admit.

Read each passage and circle the choice or choices you think best answer the question. Don't look at the answers until you've completed all the questions!

Malachi 3:8-12 read

1. What promises does God make to givers according to his direction in these verses:
a. an overwhelming blessing
b. no suffering
c. protection against losses due to "circumstances"
d. a better job
e. material riches

2. How does God look on those Israelites who withheld their tithe?
a. as shrewd financial planners
b. as robbers
c. as good people just trying to do the right thing

Luke 6:38 read

3. How does God decide whether to use a big scoop or a small scoop when he blesses us?
a. he uses the same size scoop for everyone
b. if we use our big scoop, he uses his big scoop. If we use our small scoop, he uses his small scoop

2 Corinthians 9:6 read

4. Principles of “sowing” and “reaping” include:
a. a single seed planted produces a plant bearing many seeds
b. sowing lawn seeds sparingly produces a full rich lawn
c. sowing lawn seeds generously means you'll have to mow a lot

2 Corinthians 9:7 read

5. So long as we give a full tithe, our attitude in giving it isn't important.
a. true
b. false

2 Corinthians 9:8-11 read

6. In response to our generous giving, God will give us enough to:
a. purchase a new red Porsche
b. meet all our needs
c. be generous in the future

Philippians 4:15-19 read

7. The promise that "my God will meet all your needs" is tied to a covenant of giving and receiving in God's ministry.
a. true
b. false

Haggai 1:2-11 read

8. Why does God withhold blessings from his people?
a. just to watch them squirm
b. to be faithful to his principle of sowing and reaping
c. to teach them to put giving to God first

Matthew 6:21-24 read

9. How can a person tell whether he or she is serving God rather than money?
a. by the size of the VISA bill at the end of the month.
b. by the size of the paycheck
c. by the amount of the gift to the church
d. by the ratio of the paycheck total to the gift to the church
e. by the number of cars in the driveway

Luke 21:1-4 read

10. The lessons of this passage are:
a. the poor are being exploited in giving to God more than they can afford
b. God is pleased with the love represented by the widow's gift
c. two tiny copper coins given out of sacrifice are worth more to God than a bundle of cash given without sacrifice

Answers: 1. a and c; 2. b; 3. b; 4. a and c; 5. b; 6. b and c; 7. a; 8. b and c; 9. d; 10. b and c

HOW DO YOU RATE?
3 to 5 wrong–look more carefully.   1 to 2 wrong– good.   All correct–no excuses.

Growing in Giving ... #1 - A Giving FAQ - What about stewardship? What about the tithe?
Growing in Giving ... #2 - What is a tithing (“demonstration”) Sunday?
Growing in Giving ... #3 - Principles of Giving - a Biblical Quiz
Growing in Giving ... #4 - Ten Truths about Biblical Giving

What is a Tithing Sunday?

Many church congregations have found value in creating an opportunity to physically see and experience what tithing would mean for the church community and its individual members.

You’ll remember the Chair of our Stewardship Team, Mike Toole, talked about a stewardship initiative this Fall at Christ Church Cathedral. During the time between now and the end of the Church Year, we’ll try to focus in specific ways to learn and grow in stewardship understanding and practice both personally and as a congregation to the glory of God.

Holy Scripture is much more clear regarding God’s expectations about our giving than many of us realize or are often willing to admit. In Malachi 3, God, speaking directly, invites his people to “test him” ... test him to see if by rendering to him what rightly belongs to him we don’t see the windows of heaven open and pour down overflowing blessing!

Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me—the whole nation of you! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. (Malachi 3:8-10)

The Cathedral Stewardship Team has named 03 November 2019 Tithing (“demonstration”) Sunday. On that day, everyone is encouraged to tithe (give one tenth or 10% of) that one week’s income.

You may have specific questions about Tithing Sunday:

1. What if I’m already tithing?
If you already tithe, please give as you usually do on that Sunday. If you use e-offering and give once per month, please write that on a note and place on the offering plate that Sunday to alert us.

2. How do I calculate what a tithe would be for me?
A “tithe” is 10%. It’s never about the total or even about whether we calculate on gross or net income, but about the “proportion” of what we have that the Bible says already belongs to God. It’s impossible to be too poor to tithe. Tithing is for everyone since its not based on what we think we should have, what we think we should give or even what the total amount of that might be. It’s the proportion of what we have, and that number is one we need to discover if we are to tithe.

First, determine your usual income for a week:

• If your income is received every two weeks, divide that amount by 2
• If income is received once a month, divide it by 4
• If you wish, divide the income from your last income tax return by 52

Second, multiply that number (weekly income) by 1/10, 0.10 (that is, simply move the decimal point one place to the left )

Examples:
$ 180.06 - a tithe is $18.00
$ 345.56 - a tithe is $34.55
$1245.50 - a tithe is $124.55

3. What if I can’t afford to tithe that Sunday?
Please do your best. Giving should never be compulsory or cause undo hardship. If the number you write on your cheque or the cash you put in your envelope fails to bring a smile to your face, its not the right number! It is, however, always a sacrifice. Focusing a bit in advance might make it possible to prepare by putting enough aside over the next few weeks to participate. The hope is that everyone will have an experience of what it feel’s like to tithe. It will give our community an experience of what a tithing congregation could mean for our ministry together. It’s an opportunity to see what blessing God has in store for those who bless him and his Church. One thing is for certain, God always blesses what we give.

We’ll report the results, with some historical data on weekly giving on the following Sunday, 10 November.

If you use e-offering, an envelope with that date is in the boxed set you received at the beginning of the year. Every participant in the convenient e-offering method of giving is issued a boxed set of envelopes for use occasionally, for giving to the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund and for Festival offerings at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are also extra envelopes on church pews on which you can write your name and envelope number, assuring those amounts are added to your yearly income tax receipt.

While the money is needed and will be put to very good use, especially since we are running a growing deficit this year, the main goal is not the money – it’s the experience. Follow what God commands and then watch for the blessings you might not have expected in the days and weeks to follow.

Still not able to participate? Why not take a step towards what a tithe would be for you. Increase what you do give by 1 or 2%. Depending on where you start, if you continue, in a few years you’ll be tithing!

Will you participate on 03 November 2019?

Growing in Giving ... #1 - A Giving FAQ - What about stewardship? What about the tithe?
Growing in Giving ... #2 - What is a tithing (“demonstration”) Sunday?
Growing in Giving ... #3 - Principles of Giving Quiz - how do you rate?
Growing in Giving ... #4 - Ten Truths of Biblical Giving

1. A Giving FAQ

What about stewardship?

What is stewardship and why is giving important?
God is the source of all we have. Making a portion of what God has given in time, talent and treasure is pleasing to God. Stewardship refers especially to the teaching of Jesus where the steward is the one who manages what the Master has given. Stewardship is simply what we do, with all that we have, after we say, "We believe." Using the gifts God has given us, to do the work God is calling us to do. Healthy stewardship is based primarily on our need to give rather than the church’s need to receive.

Isn’t stewardship just fund-raising – the way the Church compels members to give?
The stewardship practiced by church members definitely impacts the church, but its “our church.” We are the church and the church’s expenses are our expenses. Most of us would never consider not paying our bills. The ministry our church family is able to maintain (much of it in service to our own membership) is closely dependant on the stewardship of the membership in its community.

What about the tithe?

What does it mean to tithe?
The word “tithe” comes from the word tenth. A tithe is the practice of giving the first tenth (10%) of our income to God’s work in the world through his Church. A tithe is not just what we give to the church ie a “2% tithe” is a contradiction in terms. Many see the practice of giving a tenth extending also to time and talents.

Isn’t tithing just an outdated idea from the Old Testament (Covenant)? Hasn’t the New Covenant superceded the Old?
The practice of tithing is a discipline understood by, and taught in, the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus speaks powerfully about the tithe in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42. Anglican Christians don’t tend to assign degrees of importance to specific verses of the Bible. All of Scripture is the Word of God and everything necessary for salvation is found there. Those who fight the tithe need to fight the Bible.

Is tithing law?
Tithing is a good choice not a rule. The word “tithe” appears 67 times in Holy Scripture. The irony may be that most who submit themselves to the discipline find it enormously rewarding and uplifting.

Are we suggesting that we will magically receive more if we give more?
No. But we are challenged by these New Testament words: “The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

We aren't saved because we give money to God’s work. Salvation is a gift of God's grace that comes through faith (itself a gift from God). We enter life in grace through Baptism, claiming Jesus as Saviour and our submission to his Lordship. We grow in grace through steady participation in worship and ministry. Giving will not affect your salvation. Salvation will definitely affect your giving.

Don’t the taxes we pay in our times equal a good portion of what used to be considered part of the tithe?
Governments have always used taxation to fund public benefit. A tithe is not a tax. If it were, it would be 17% or even 30%. Modern taxes provide the lifestyle and standard of living we enjoy – the medical care we receive, the roads we drive on, the schools our children attend, the street lights we walk by, the public buildings we use. The church has never been just a provider of public services.

What is the difference between a tithe and an offering?
The Bible uses both terms, often together as in “tithes and offerings.” In Scripture, baseline and regular giving is the tenth (tithe). Offerings are additional giving as we are able and desire a special expression of thanks to God: at church festivals, in remembrance of a loved one, for a special achievement, event or other blessing for which we are thankful. We might consider the tithe as what we should give, the offering as the additional we are able to give at special times.

Doesn’t giving to other charities count as God’s work? God doesn’t just work within the church.
While there are many good causes and many opportunities to give charitable dollars, we may need to re-assess why we give what we do and to what causes. We should ask ourselves why we feel the need to support charitable work outside of our faith community and the commitments we have already made while our church family struggles financially.

Why should I tithe?
“Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me—the whole nation of you! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” (Malachi 3:8-10 - NRSV)

The Lord of hosts dares us to test him. For people of faith, the tithe does not belong to us, it belongs to God. When we give to God that which is his, his response is to bless us with what is ours and more!

Growing in Giving ... #1 - A Giving FAQ - What about stewardship? What about the tithe?
Growing in Giving ... #2 - What is a tithing (“demonstration”) Sunday?
Growing in Giving ... #3 - Principles of Giving Quiz - how do you rate?
Growing in Giving ... #4 - Ten Truths of Biblical Giving