WHAT IS TITHING?
A tithe is a portion (10%) of your income given to your local church. (The word tithe literally means tenth in Hebrew.) Because the custom of tithing is biblical, many Christians and Jews practice it as part of their faith.
“A tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit, is the Lord’s, and is holy.”
– Leviticus 27:30 (TLB)“Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.”
– Proverbs 3:9 (NIV)
What these verses are saying is that you should give a portion (specifically a tenth) of whatever you make back to God. And that word firstfruits is just a biblical way of saying that you should give first—before you do anything else with your money.
The Bible explains that tithing is an important part of faith for those who follow God and that your tithe should be money you set aside first. That’s why Giving should be the first category you see when you budget – because when you tithe before making a plan with the rest of your money, you’re making it a priority instead of an afterthought. You’re giving your firstfruits instead of your leftovers.
WHY TITHE?
The Bible tells us that tithing is a way to show that we trust God with our lives and our finances.
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
– Matthew 6:24-26 (NIV)
Tithing isn’t for God’s benefit. He doesn’t need our money. Instead, tithing is meant for our benefit, because sacrificing a portion of our income reminds us to rely on God to meet our needs. Plus, it makes us more aware of the needs of others.
When you tithe, it helps your local church actively be the church by helping others.
Giving encourages a grateful and generous spirit and can help steer us away from greed and discontent.
DOES TITHING MAKE ME A BETTER CHRISTIAN?
Firstly, you don’t have to tithe to be a Christian. Tithing doesn’t make you a better Christian, it simply makes you an obedient Christian.
Secondly, tithing won’t make God love you more. You are already loved and accepted. Tithing doesn’t demonstrate God’s love for you, it demonstrates your love for Him. When I truly get a revelation of what God has done for me, then tithing does not become a chore, it becomes a joy.
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
– 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
THE TEN MONTH TITHE CHALLENGE
If tithing 10% of your income seems too daunting and fear is keeping you from starting, why don’t you start somewhere. The Ten Month Tithe Challenge is simply a way to start somewhere and trust God in each and every step.
How it works is simple: Start the first month by tithing 1% of your income. Do this by setting a budget that includes this in your budget. Then each month over the next 10 months increase your tithe by 1% adjusting your budget each month. You may have to sacrifice something in the process, but sacrifice is a privilege knowing that God sacrificed more for us than we ever could for Him.
We’d love for you to sign up (anonymously!) so that we can send you a monthly motivation to encourage you, help you stay on track, and remind you that God honors every step of obedience—big or small. No names, just an email address that won’t be shared with anyone.