But the truth is giving is not at all about being in the perfect financial situation or right timing to begin.  I believe giving is about priorities.  It’s about forgetting ourselves and putting our focus on a greater need and purpose first in our finances.

Generous Giving is a ministry I recently came across focused on that greater purpose.

Their vision is stated as:  “dedicated to transforming the hearts and minds of God’s people for revolutionary generosity that changes our world.”

They have an excellent giving resource page that lists 42 excuses or barriers why people choose not to give.  Not only does the page provide the excuses, it also lists their response to them.  After reading through the list, I thought I would highlight a few that are most common.

Some Common Giving Excuses

I would like to give, but I’d have to work another job or drastically cut back my standard of living.

This might be the barrier or excuse for people who may have built a standard of living they don’t want to change.  I think there is always an opportunity to give.  It takes sacrifice, and perhaps cutting back on lifestyles in which people can become emotionally tied.

Stewardship is a lot more than money. I give my time and talents by teaching Sunday school and opening my home. I consider that to be my giving.

I think this is a common barrier in financial giving in that as long as work is being performed there is not a need to give financially.  The truth explained is that Stewardship is more than money, but it “is never less than money.”  We can’t ignore the fact that God has called us to be wise money managers and users of our money.  Matthew 6:21 plainly tells us where our money is, so will our heart be.

I don’t give to the poor because I already give to my church.

In Matthew 25:40 we learn that gifts given to the needy are also gifts that are given to Jesus.  The answer goes on to explain that once you are a Christian, gifts in which we are giving to the needy or poor are simply channels of giving back to Him.

The tithe does not apply to Christians today, only to Old Testament Israel.

I know there can be a lot of controversy over this statement.  I’ve heard Crown Financial Ministries refer to the tithe as “a good starting point.”  The opinion of Generous Giving is the same.  Personally I like considering 10% as a starting point.

That being said, the focus shouldn’t be on the number because we can forget about the true purpose behind giving which is out of love, generosity and wanting to invest in the growth of God’s kingdom.  I think for many who are committed to giving and using the tithe or 10% as a starting point, they find they can also give in excess of that number out of their joy and love for giving.

5 Ways To Overcome Giving Barriers

No matter the excuse or barrier, there is usually a way to get around it by essentially prioritizing giving as the most important component of your spending plan.  I believe for Christians, this is paramount.

1. Remove logic

We could always stop and logically reason that the money being used for tithing could help pay off more debt or increase the balance of our savings.  But the act of giving involves trust and faith in that enough will be provided to do these other things as well.

2. Accept a giving challenge

I once heard an interesting challenge.  Begin tithing or giving a minimum of 10% and stop if you haven’t received an increase or your needs met in six months.  While I can’t prove the results for others, I can say our family has experienced increase and our needs have been met.

3. Reprioritize

How would you define your spending priorities?  Have you looked at your checking account lately and added up where all your money is going?  You can quickly identify your money priorities by adding up the spending in different areas and look at them each as a percentage of the whole.  If for example, your house payment is 45% of your take home pay, you can easily reason that having more house is a higher priority perhaps than giving.

4. Eliminate debt to give more

I have seen many situations in which debt stands in the way of giving.  Eliminating debt frees people from bondage and allows them the freedom to do more with their resources.  I believe if you’re in debt, you should still give.

5. Downsize

As a Christian, I believe giving is priority number one.  It creates a stronger relationship with God.  If it means downsizing homes or cars to reasonable portions of the family spending plan, then I believe it should be done in order to give.

Final Thoughts

If you’re familiar with the Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps you may or may not know that Dave encourages people to give or tithe before step 1.  I once heard him state in his show that a Christian should give first and then start the Baby Steps.

If you’re not giving today, I think you will find giving is a component of finding financial peace or freedom in that there is a great weight removed when you shift your top priority towards giving.

I truly believe giving helps enable God to do His part to work in the area of our finances.   There is something about removing our logic and putting forth faith and trust in God to provide or replenish what has been given to him in order to meet other financial goals.

How have you overcome giving barriers or excuses?  Let us know in the comments.

I originally published this post at Bible Money Matters.

Photo by Andrew Pescod

Many Christians wonder if the tithe, along with many other Old Testament practices like animal sacrifices, is fulfilled in Christ and no longer necessary. This question is not directly answered in the New Testament. Both Jesus and the apostles did not directly refute or confirm the tithe. Before we excuse ourselves from this “out-dated” concept, we must remember Jesus’ summation of the Old Testament Law in the Sermon on the Mount.

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matt 5:17-18)

Immediately following these words, Jesus begins to discuss the Law and raise the standard of its accomplishment from external obedience to internal perfection.

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’…But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court…You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery…But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart…Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:21-28, 48)

Jesus took these commands of the Law and shifted the act of obedience from external to internal. While the tithing commandments are not directly addressed in the Sermon on the Mount, it does call Christians to be generous, give secretively, serve God with their money, and be free from anxiety for basic necessities. This carries the Bible’s commands for giving from external formalities to internal convictions. Think of the Christian described earlier, who emotionlessly, thoughtlessly, and lifelessly gives ten percent of everything. Technically, he is fulfilling the Law, but Christ calls us to more than external obedience. If the believer assumes that the lack of direct confirmation of the tithe’s continuance is an excuse to not give, he is completely missing the point.

The tithe was a purposeful command of the Lord to His people. Under the freedom and grace of the new covenant, the Christian should find himself giving more than the tithe not less. As previously outlined, Jews of the Old Testament gave more than ten percent: “You shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the LORD.” (Deu. 12:11) If ten percent is less than the Lord required of Israel, why is it all we require of ourselves? If a ten percent tithe is consistently the ceiling of our contributions, we are not even following the Old Testament commands for giving, let alone those of the New Testament. However, the tithe is an excellent starting point for a believer beginning to honor God with his giving. Christians should tithe with a plan moving forward to increase their contributions. God requires more from His people than a lifeless ten percent tax to alleviate religious guilt.

The most telling sign of Christians’ misunderstanding of the tithe is the frequency with which this question is asked: “Am I supposed to tithe on my net or gross income?” This type of question implies something to the effect of, “How little can I give and still be meeting the commands of scripture?” Let us not act as the Pharisees who sought to accomplish the external acts of the Law while ignoring their internal motivation. Rather, let us joyfully, faithfully, sacrificially, responsibly, and freely begin giving based on the net, then the gross, then beyond.

Where to Give

There are obviously a number of different places we can give today.  There is of course our local church, secular charities and Christian ministries.  So, how do we choose where to give first and so on?

According to the author of Dollars and Doctrine, Rob Kuban, there is no where in scripture that sets giving priority for us, but Kuban presents a good case for giving to our immediate church family first.

The best answer I can give to this question is that we should always be giving to the work of the Gospel in the world, but never at the expense of those who minister to us.  Giving to a Para-church organization, ministry, or Christian non-profit is an excellent, honorable, and Godly action, but is never to be done in a way that neglects our immediate church family’s needs.

During the early stages of giving my wife and I were a little bit confused as to where we should direct our giving.  There are a few Christian ministries near and dear to our heart in which we wanted to help support financially.  But we also knew we needed to be giving to our church.  So, we prayerfully made the decision to give our first fruits to our local church and to stretch our giving further by supporting other Christian ministries.

Now, there is another important question to ask:  should Christian giving go to secular charities?  There are a lot of good charities out there that focus on helping people and are doing good things in society.

The scripture refers to the money that we give to be set apart because “it is holy to the Lord.” (Lev. 27:30)

My belief is in-line with what Rob Kuban mentioned in his book on this subject as well.  If you are a Christian, I think it is wise to contribute your extended giving to places where they are working to minister to others in their work.

I believe the Bible requires our contributions to be “Christian.”  Our giving is to be in places where the glory of God through the pursuit of Christ is of first importance.

All that being said, if you feel compelled to give to a secular organization, or participate in a charity event such as a run in a race for a disease; I think it is perfectly fine to do so as long as you keep giving to your local church in first place.

Giving to the needy

Giving to the needy has been another conviction for my wife and me.  Beyond giving to our church, we have felt compelled to do more for those who are in need.  One of the most convicting or sobering scriptures about giving to the needy is found in Matthew 25: 34-45.

45 He will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.

There are a number of ways in which you can stretch your giving beyond your local church.  Obviously, Jesus had a warm heart towards those in need.  Personally, my wife and I have found a local ministry focused on the homeless that we can give to each month in addition to our regular giving.

How much to give

This is probably one of the top questions I receive as a Money Map coach and one that I can never exactly answer for people.  I can certainly tell them what I do, but ultimately a giving decision is between you and God.

I think it’s important to start with the subject of financial stewardship and refer back to the question:  who is the owner of money?  We know from 1 Chronicles 29:11 God is the owner of everything.

We shouldn’t ever give thinking the money is ours, or that the remainder after giving is ours.  It’s all still God’s and should be managed wisely for His kingdom.  That’s why I see giving as a component of good financial stewardship because that money, God’s money, is going to further the growth of His work.

I’ll wrap up this subject with a profound excerpt from an article by Crown on the subject of whether or not the tithe is the limit.

Most people need a starting point.  As well as I can tell, God never asked less than a tenth from anyone.  But if 10 percent bothers people, there no reason why they can’t give 11 percent, 12 percent, or twice as much if they so desire.

The law of grace means we’re not compelled to do anything by virtue of a written law.  It is unmerited and unearned favor.  But grace is not a license to do nothing.  As Paul said in Romans 7:7, the law was given to show us sin.  We, who are under grace, can surely outdo those who gave according to the law.

So it’s important to know that we are under no giving law because of God’s grace.  But God still calls us to give!  I want to encourage you look at the money you’ve been given.  Listen to what God tells you through prayer and His word on how much you need to direct back to Him and furthering His kingdom work.

How do you feel about where to direct your giving and how much to give?

Each of the posts from the Bible and Money series are based on principles discussed during Money Map Coaching sessions and the Money Map Coach participants’ guide.  You can learn more about Money Map Coaching at Crown Financial Ministries.  You can also visit my Money Map Coaching page.

Download this post here!

This week’s post is on the subject of giving.  I tend to have a lot to say about giving because it’s near and dear to my heart.  Therefore, I’m going to go off plan a bit and break this post up into two parts.  The second part will be posted tomorrow.

When I think about giving I consider it as an opportunity and blessing for our family to do so.  Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).  I can faithfully say this is a true statement based on my personal experience.

My wife and I weren’t always givers.  I’ve mentioned in past posts how we felt convicted because we were not giving enough to the Lord’s work and specifically to those who directly teach and minister to us.

Through prayer and much faith we decided to stretch giving beyond what seemed possible (and comfortable) in considering our monthly expenses.  But I believe the decision we made allowed us to put our complete faith and trust in God.  And it’s never been better ever since.

Blessings for the giver

There are many blessings for the person who decides to make giving a priority in their life.

1. You can grow closer in your relationship with God.  Crown Financial Ministries says:  “above all else, giving directs our attention and heart to Christ.”

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:21).

2. Giving provides the opportunity for us to make a deposit in heaven.

Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account (Philippians 4:17).

3. Giving can sometimes provide an increase on earth.

He who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully (2 Corinthians 9:6).

I can definitely say that God has met our needs and sometimes in abundance.  Certainly God has a plan for everyone and it may differ from person to person.  But the ultimate blessing is knowing that we’ve put Him first and He will provide.

Attitude in giving

Attitude in giving can be difficult sometimes, but it’s the most important thing to consider.  The key in having the right attitude is to make sure your giving is out of love.  You can truly get a sense of God’s love in John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.

God looks to the heart of the giver.  This is more important than the amount.  I think the best way to insure you have the right attitude is to give your gift to Christ himself when the offering plate is passed around, or you pay online.  The perspective on the faithful act of giving quickly changes when we focus on who is the recipient.

I think one of the biggest challenges today in giving is the convenience (at least for me).  Truthfully, there are times when giving has become similar to paying another electronic payment online. But the times it has been the most rewarding is when my wife and I take the time to focus and pray about the gift and then reflect on why we are doing so.

How do you feel about the blessings for the giver I outlined and having the proper attitude in giving?

Each of the posts from the Bible and Money series are based on principles discussed during Money Map Coaching sessions and the Money Map Coach participants’ guide.  You can learn more about Money Map Coaching at Crown Financial Ministries.  You can also visit my Money Map Coaching page.

Download this post here!

As you may or may not know, One Money Design is about helping people manage money wisely for everyday life. In other words, the content here is focused on helping people become better managers of what God, the owner of everthing has entrusted to our care.  Through the content, I try to share Biblical truths about money at least once per week.

Tithing

One of the things we are called to do is to give back to God 10%, at a minimum, of what is already His. When we don’t give back to God, scripture tells us we are robbing Him.

8 “Will a man rob God?” Yet you rob me. ‘But you ask, How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Malachi 3:8-10 (NIV)

Robbing God of the tithe

I will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much bless that you will not have room enough for it.

God will provide

Why giving isn’t a top priority

For Christian families and individuals, giving must be the first priority in the budget.  Crown Financial Ministries says “for many Christians, the tithe should be the beginning of their giving, not the limit.”

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)

Society is quite the opposite with much of the focus on receiving or getting

As with many others, our family didn’t always give as a top priority.  We always felt like we needed to find a way to give more, but we let other priorities and obstacles get in our way.  Time spent reading what the Bible has to say about giving and through learning in Biblical studies; God convicted us to take a leap of faith.

We found we were looking at giving backwards.  In other words, we were adding up expenses we felt like we needed and after the expenses couldn’t find much to give each month.

Focus on giving 10%

After prayer and discussion, we decided to eliminate saving for such expenses as Christmas and refocus our monthly budget to give 10% of gross income.

This was quite a liberating experience .  We knew God was now in control of our finances and if it was meant to have money for Christmas and other expenses,  He would provide for us.  Afterall, we believe Christmas is about Christ’s birth.  Through a pay raise and bonus that year, our family was provided enough money to meet all expenses.  We believe God provided for us because we gave first to Him and this has not changed since.

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully (2 Corinthians 9: 6-11)

Times are tough today and it’s always easy to find an obstacle to giving.  However, giving requires a change of heart and the proper attitude of giving to God out of your love for Him.  If this is your belief, nothing could be more important than making giving the top priority in your family budget.

How to move giving to the top of the priority list

• Start with a minimum monthly tithe.  10% of gross income is easy to compute.  Ask God to direct you if He wants you to give more.
• Pick a set time to give each month.  The first two payments after receiving each paycheck should be giving first, and debt reduction or savings goals.
• Take advantage of giving conveniences.  You can give through many online bill pay services or online with your church.
• Create a giving based budget.  Prioritize your expenses with giving 10% of gross first by considering nothing else.  Then, allocate the remaining funds to other expenses.   If you are short on expenses, consider adjusting your spending habits.  If debt or other issues are preventing you from meeting those remaining expenses, seek the assistance of a financial counselor.

Speaking from past experience, it’s easy to dilute your efforts by trying to make debt payments, save for children’s college, contribute to retirement, build an emergency savings plan, tithe and more, all at the same time. I don’t think you can go wrong with following Dave’s practical advice, so I thought I would share his steps with you.

Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps

1.  $1,000 In An Emergency Fund
2.  Pay Off All Debt With The Debt Snowball
3.  3 To 6 Months Expenses In Savings
4.  Invest 15% Of Income Into Roth IRAs And Pre-Tax Retirement Plans
5.  College Funding
6.  Pay Off Your Home Early
7.  Build Wealth And Give!

Dave recommends putting a temporary hold on retirement savings to get out of debt.  From what I understand in listening to his radio program, don’t use the plan unless you are completely committed to getting out of debt and willing to make some sacrifices to get there.  Postponing retirement savings isn’t ideal unless you can put your debt behind you in a few years or less.

My recommendation would be to start tithing as step one to put the plan and your finances in God’s hands.  Crown Financial Ministries has produced a great article on tithing for more information.

What has been your experience wtih the Baby Steps?