Receive Free Monthly TeachingResponses (cont):
Rev. Matt Beemer – Manchester, England
Yes, speak to the leader and ensure they understand the principal of the tithe. The important thing, however, is that people tithe from their heart – so your goal is to release faith in the leader’s heart to tithe. You will know very soon enough by the leader’s response to your bringing up the subject, if this is a lack of understanding, or an attitude of the heart that reveals the person should no longer be in leadership.
I personally never checked the giving records as I thought it would affect my ability to lead impartially. However, it is a fact that a person gives his money where his/her heart is. Almost every leader who caused us serious trouble, when we checked, we found they were not tithing.
Even so, and it may be the hard way of doing things, I want people to give from their hearts. Not because I ‘require’ them to as a leader in the ministry. Therefore, I endeavored to teach and model giving and then promote those who show the same attitude toward giving that I have.
Rev. Rob Wynne – Linden, AL
I know of a pastor who didn't tithe to his church. I believe that God will eventually be able to reach him. At least Galatians 6:7, 8 assures us that God will not be mocked; that you or I will get what we sow.
I have worked with people who should be tithing and do not, although, over a period of time they normally end up doing what is right. I deal with tithing and giving of offerings every Sunday. I let God deal with them.
If you institute a policy, will it be legal? I'm not sure that we can legally force any employee or volunteer to give their tithe. I would first make sure by questioning my accountant on the issue. I normally try to investigate someone before I place them in visible positions.
I would be more concerned with where this employee’s heart is. The fact that they have tithed and now are not tithing is only a symptom of what could be a greater problem. I would first quietly check to see if they are in trouble with their finances or if there is something else brewing before I had a confrontation with them. If they are just disgruntled, it will probably show up. After running into other ministers, I found that the pastor who was not tithing to his church was disgruntled with where the Lord had placed him and how things were going.
Pastor Mark Garver – Madison, AL
I do think there should be criteria for any volunteer leader and all paid staff; and I believe that Tithing should be one of those criteria. I believe that if a person steals from God, what will keep them from stealing from you? I am not just talking about finances, but in many areas of the church. It seems to me that not tithing is a sign of disloyalty, disobedience, and hardness of heart and it will show up other places in the church. Before I entered the Pastorate I was the office manager of my home church and the Pastor told me to tell him when someone quit tithing as it was a sure sign of a problem. I have found that to be true. I personally do not look at the giving records. I do not know the amount that anyone has ever tithed or given to our church, but before I put someone in a leadership position I always check to see that they are tithers. I will not put anyone in a volunteer leadership position unless they are tithers. I just ask my bookkeeper if they tithe and they give me a yes or no. That is all I ask.
If they are already in a leadership position or on staff and I find out they do not tithe, then I would want to find out what is going on. If they are a leader in the church, you should have a good enough relationship with them that you can ask them some open ended questions about what is going on. Find out if they are in financial difficulty. Find out where their heart is. The Bible says where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. I have found that when people quit tithing it is sometimes an indication that their heart is no longer with this ministry. But I don’t think you should automatically assume they are in rebellion. I would always go into a meeting with the attitude of pastoring them instead of accusing them. If their heart in no longer with the church or you; not tithing could be a symptom of the root problem and for both of your sakes and the church’s, I would think you would want to know now rather than later. There could also be financial problems or other reasons for them not tithing.
I think in a smaller church this is easier to monitor, but more uncomfortable to maintain. I would implement a policy and carry it forward for the next group of volunteer leaders you appoint. If you are hiring someone, I do not know if you can point-blank ask them if they will be tithing to the church, but I would ask them if they believe in the Biblical principal of tithing.
Dr. Dan Beller – Tulsa OK
First of all, I would have a policy in place for Leaders that tithing is required because it is Biblical (Jesus said not to leave tithing "undone") and because the leaders are to be an example to others. However, tithing is not just to keep a "rule," but it is a Biblical necessity to prosper. We give the Lord's tithes because it is Scriptural and so that individuals and the congregation may enjoy Biblical prosperity.
If employees are members of the respective church, they should be required to tithe and if they are members of another church, they should tithe to their church. The reasons are the same as those in the first paragraph.
If there are leaders who were in place before the tithing requirement policy, the Sr. Pastor should have a meeting with them, individually, to get their views on tithing and discuss whether it is Biblical. Tithing was in effect before the Law and so we cannot say that it is just a part of the Law and now doesn't apply. Jesus still affirmed that it is still God's will. This discussion should examine all the blessings of tithing and not just keeping the "rule."
Pastor Ray Almaguer – Glendora, CA
This can be a very touchy subject to bring up with your leader. Have you made your expectations known regarding tithing to your leadership? In my experience, if you just assume that they know your expectations, you are sadly mistaken. If you haven't already made it clear that you expect your leaders to tithe, you probably shouldn't be too surprised when you discover that some of them aren't.
If tithing hasn't been a leadership requirement in the past, you might not want to bring it up with him. In fact, you may not need to. If I were in this situation, I would schedule a leadership training night for all current and prospective leaders. I would make it fun and have some interaction. I would teach a lesson on leadership. Then I would go over the leadership requirements in our church. This would be on a handout. Tithing would be on the list, and I would teach the entire list with equal emphasis on each point. Then I would ask if there were any questions. If one of the leaders has a problem with tithing, he probably wouldn't raise the issue in front of the group, but he would probably ask me about it in private. Then I would have an opportunity to share with him in more detail why this is a requirement of leadership in our church.
How strongly do you feel about this? In our church, we let the leaders know before they ever come on board that we expect them to lead by example, and this includes tithing. Even so, a few years ago I also discovered that one of our leaders wasn't tithing, and when I brought it up to them in private, it didn't go very well, even though they already knew it was an expectation of leadership. The last thing you want to do is have a falling out with a leader over this issue, especially if you have not made it clear that you expect them to tithe.
In the future, you may want to consider adding this to your list of leadership expectations. It's very difficult to make things retroactive. I believe it's much better to let people know on the front-end exactly what is expected of them.Pastor Judi Tillett – Waynesville, MO
My first concern would be WHY the leader does not tithe. For a person in any congregation to be "visible," they first need to be vital... (vital defined as "concerned with or necessary to the maintenance of life") ... and that should include giving your heart to the Lord with the tithe. The first move should be to have a loving conversation with the leader and determine what has 'altered' in their life if they were a tither, and to 'altar' their life if they have not been a tither. "Where your treasure is there will be your heart also." Is this person fully with you... are they disregarding or desperate in the financial realm... does their mate handle the finances and they are perhaps unaware they are not tithing ... etc.? Once the reason is discovered, then, in my opinion, you have some strong decisions to make. I firmly believe that visible leaders, paid by the church or volunteer, should be totally involved with the "maintenance of life" to the Body.
We do believe in and have written policies for leadership requirements; one of those is to be a tither, and we even have our financial people check on this episodically to be a help to leadership and their accountability. Financial prosperity and accountability strengthen your Body.
Pastoral involvement should include making the policies, having them written and possibly being the person who shares with leadership the covenant care and commitment of the tithe. No one will care for their heart and welfare like the pastor and that shepherding aspect is difficult to delegate.
Pastor Bill Anzevino – Industry, PA
Should I speak to the leader about this or leave it alone?
The answer depends on the expectations of leadership and if these expectations were communicated before placing this individual in a highly visible position.
Should I have some kind of policy in place regarding tithing for our leaders and workers?
If a Pastor expects leaders and workers to tithe, he needs to make this known through effective communication. Since less than 7% of Christians tithe, chances are many volunteer leaders and workers aren't tithing. To correct this, the Pastor should take responsibility for teaching on the importance of tithing. If it's a church policy, this must be stated before promoting someone to a highly visible position.
For Church employees'?
Jesus revealed in Luke 16:10-13 the heart of someone He would be able to trust and use. He is faithful in small matters, in his financial resources and in helping another man succeed. On one occasion, one of my church employees didn't tithe. He also proved to be unfaithful in small matters. His heart wasn't in helping me succeed because he had his own agenda. He had to be terminated after every effort to correct this failed. I would never terminate an employee without giving him or her every opportunity to align himself with what Jesus taught on faithfulness. If a person can't be trusted to honor God with his substance, he most likely can't be trusted with the riches of the Gospel of Grace, which is of more value than gold, silver and precious stones. Paul said "moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful, I Cor. 4:2." Therefore requiring leaders to be faithful is following what God's Word teaches.
Monitoring the giving of church staff is done by another staff employee who is faithful beyond the tithe. He is faithful in small things, finances and in helping me succeed. This prevents me from being accused of being partial to those who give much. He will bring to my attention what needs to be addressed and whatever the situation is, it will be dealt with in love.
Pastor Tim Kutz – Bartlesville, OK
First of all, you must tithe! What you do will reflect in your people. It has been said that everything rises and falls on leadership. Leaders have a greater accountability that those who are not in that place. Not everyone in your church in the ministry of helps is in leadership, however.
People have to have a revelation of the tithe. This necessitates you teaching on this on a consistent basis. Introduce it in your membership/partner class and make membership contingent on several things, one being supporting the church financially with the tithe. People who do not agree to tithe should not be discouraged from attending, but they should not be granted membership status. Or you may want to have two classes of membership and call them: 1.) Partners and 2.) Friends.
Then there must be certain positions in the church that require partnership for a person to function in that role. All church employees who attend your church should be required to tithe. All staff members should be required to tithe, whether paid or volunteer. All persons in any teaching role should be required to tithe. Since the Bible reveals that one who doesn't tithe is a "robber," all persons involved with the offering must be required to tithe. You don't want a "robber" handling church finances in any way.
There are many positions in the church that you may want to allow people to serve in even if they don't tithe. Some examples would be: Janitor, Grounds Keeping, Hospitality, or maybe even Greeter. As far as monitoring things, you have to start out that way.
As your church grows this can and should be delegated, but only to a most trustworthy person who can handle the knowledge of who tithes and who doesn't. It has been my experience that those kind of people are rare. Because love covers a multitude of sins, you don't want to expose a person’s shortcomings to another person in the congregation.
