Anonymous question: I know there are lots of different ideas about tithing. Some immediately pay 10% of their salary to their local church, some give a certain amount to a charity, some don't tithe at all and count everything as an offering. But if you do tithe, how do you handle that on the mission field? For example, do you tithe to your church in the US if you don't have a "local church" in your area? Do you give a set amount somewhere else instead? What do you consider your salary if what you get each month varies and includes offerings for you as well as money earmarked for specific projects?
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We have chosen to give our tithe and missions offering to our sending church back in the US. We have determined the tithe amount based on the average of our salary, not ministry funds. We then give other offerings here in Tanzania. The reason we chose not to tithe to the church here is because the amount would be way more than they will ever be able to give among themselves. We don't want them to get used to our monies since we won't always be here. We've spoken with other missionaries who did tithe on the field and it later became and issue.
ReplyDeleteThat very question has crossed my mind--if the amount of our tithe would really upset the balance at the local church here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
DeleteWe also tithe to our home church in the states.
ReplyDeleteWe change from year to year, depending on the situation we're in. We've tithed to our church back home, and to our church here. Right now since we're doing cp and are saving funds for a building, we're putting the tithe into a church account to accumulate towards the building.
ReplyDeleteWhen we receive special offerings apart from our salary, we tithe upon those giving special gifts to friends or acquaintances in need or special local projects. We've given offerings to fellow workers whose support is low, and to nationals we trust and who have a specific need.
We found out what an average amount was to tithe here in our SA country and tithe that to the local church we attend. That way when we aren't there, it's just like one of the other members not being there. We also consider our support to other missionaries as our tithe, the money that goes to help run our mission and money we give to nationals who are going through a rough time. I'm not sure that exactly fits the idea of the tithe but it's all the Lord's and definitely something to seek Him on!
ReplyDeletewe tithe to our home church. we give offerings locally as well, but in this poor place, must do so in a way that does not make the churches or those we help dependent upon us. and that doesn't touch the people who show up at our door on a regular basis.
ReplyDelete