For the past 2 weeks, the entire social media and the Christian community as it may has been in war of words over paying of tithes in the church. While some people believe that paying of tithes is biblical, some is of the opinion that it is unbiblical because it was only referred to in the Old Testament of the bible. What actually led to these was when popular Naija presenter, Daddy Freeze aired his opinion on why people should not pay tithe but got a response from the general overseer of redeemed church of God, Pastor E A Adeboye who said they should ignore such message and make sure they tithe in church. What is tithe actually?
Tithe is a tenth of one’s income and tithing is the practice of contributing this amount to the support of religious institutions or of the needy. There has been many comments flooding the internet where some pastors declared that Tithing is an act of worship. Many of the pastors who has aired their teachings on Paying of tithes which includes the general overseer of Redeemed Christian church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of Mountain of fire and miracle ministries, Pastor DK Olukoya, Deeper Life Church pastor, WF Kumuyi, Winners Chapel Pastor, Bishop David Oyedepo, Senior Pastor of Daystar Church, Pastor Sam Adeyemi, Fountain of life church pastor, Taiwo Odukoya, KICC Pastor, Matthew Ashimolowo and others. Citypeople Society Editor, TAYO FAJORIN OYEDIJI chronicles the messages all these power pastor have preached or taught on tithe paying.
PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
TITHE IS AN INSURANCE AGAINST DEVOURER
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), E. A. Adeboye has, during a sermon waded into the issue of tithing sweeping the Nigerian social media space.Adeboye, during his sermon, asked that people avoid curses from God and pay their tithes,“Do not let anybody get you into trouble by attracting God’s curse to yourself, please pay your tithe,” he said.
I know who is talking and I do not want to worry myself about such person. But please do not let anybody get you into trouble by attracting God’s curse to yourself, please pay your tithe.I have said it before and I will say it again and again, if your physical father curses you, it can be cancelled by your spiritual father, if your spiritual father curses you, it can be cancelled by the general overseer, if your general overseer curses you, you can fast and pray to your father in heaven, but if God curses you, where will you go?Also in the Church’s Open heaven daily devotional, he wrote,
Memorise: And as l may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. Hebrews 7:9. Have you ever wondered why the Owner of the earth and its fullness (all the silver, gold and natural resources) demands for tithe from you? Is He asking because He cannot do without it? No! He does not need you to feed anyone He wants to feed. He that fed the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness without their working for one day, and feeds all the animals in the bush on a daily basis surely has not run out of store. His store is inexhaustible. So why then does He ask for your tithe?
The most probable reason would be: so that He can be covenanted to blessing you. This is necessary because the devil is always making a case against you night and day, telling Him why you should not be blessed. Paying your tithe is therefore in your best interest and for your good.Your tithe is the seed to sow in order to continue to earn an income. In every provision, there is a seed that must be sown. Although you have different seeds, tithe is one seed to remind God of your need to earn another income.
Your tithe is also an insurance against the devourer. Whether you believe it or not, Satan regularly plans against your income. He releases sickness, accidents, destruction of electrical gadgets by sudden power surge and other forms of losses to waste your income. One step towards accomplishing his purpose is to convince you not to pay your tithe or to defer it to some other time.
If you fall into his trap, you will pay dearly for it. Things will be tight, very tight. Unnecessary expenses which could have been avoided will suddenly show up as urgent expenses. It is wisdom to pay your tithe! Paying tithe is also a thing of faith as it is done in obedience to God. This means if you cannot pay tithe, you are in unbelief and disobedience! Do not let any theologian deceive you!
If you cannot pay tithe, you are in disobedience and in that state, you cannot enter Heaven. Paying tithes makes you a financial member of God’s kingdom. Paying tithe is the basis for loss recovery promised by God. Without it, you may never recover your losses. Ponder on the benefits of tithing and be faithful to God in tithing. Paying of tithe is not for everyone. If you are among the saved souls that should pay tithe, you are most privileged.
PASTOR SAM ADEYEMI TITHE IS COVENANT SYSTEM FOR INCREASE
God has a unique way or system of prospering people and it is important that we align to that system. Man was not designed for suffering. Before God created man, He had created wealth and every resource man would need. Giving is an eternal law in God’s system. The honour and value you have for God is reflected through your giving (John 3:16).
Put God first in all things (Matthew 6: 33). Do not forget that your blessings come from God. As your income begins to increase, the way you manage it is crucial because God always causes resources to flow away from those who do not manage them well to those who manage them properly (Matthew 25: 28-29). Therefore, we need to always honour God because He deserves it (Malachi 1: 6-14).There are different classes of giving and the first one is tithing. Many people argue that tithing ended with the Old Testament; is not mentioned in the New Testament and that it passed away with the Law of Moses.
However, the tithe predates Moses and the Law because Abraham, while returning from battle, met Melchizedek and gave him a tenth (a tithe) of all the plunder he got from the battle. In return, Melchizedek gave him bread and wine and blessed him (Hebrews 7: 1-9). Tithing is a deep spiritual principle. We need to understand that the tithe is received on a physical level and on a spiritual level, that is, by the earthly priest and by Jesus (Hebrews 7:8). Also, tithing helps us to secure God’s blessings.
The way you are a citizen of a country and it is mandatory that you pay your taxes to ensure national prosperity, is the same way that, as a citizen of God’s kingdom, you pay your tithe. The tithe is not a gift to God; it is God’s property. He calls it robbery when you don’t pay it (Malachi 3: 8-12). Paying your tithe ensures you contribute to the welfare of the kingdom. As an individual, if you do not play your part, you are contributing to the failure of the community. Organisations and nations should give since the nations who give are the ones who are the most prosperous while those who beg remain poor.
When you pay your tithe, no devourer, policy or system can impoverish you.Another category of giving is the weekly and special offerings. Do not give haphazardly. Have a budget and plan your giving (1Corinthians 16:2). As God prospers you, do not think that it is for your personal consumption. He always has a purpose for any increase that comes your way (Exodus 32: 1-6; 35: 4-19). Giving to servants of God is another form of giving which allows you to partake in the grace of God upon their lives (Philippians 4: 15-19; 1Kings 17: 8-14; 2Kings 4: 8-37). God cares for the poor and giving to them is another form of giving that God recognises (Proverbs 19:17; Acts 2: 44-45). God’s blessings come with self-protection and He preserves individuals and communities who give to others (Numbers 23; Psalm 41: 1-3). Whenever you give, always give willingly. Do not ever give under pressure (Exodus 35; 1Corinthians 9:7). God does not need our money. Whenever He says “give”, it is because He wants to bless us.
PASTOR DK OLUKOYA IF YOU DON’T PAY TITHE, YOU ARE INVITING POVERTY
The General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr. Daniel Olukoya in his sermon on “Poverty Must Die”, gave detailed importance of tithes and offerings as christians. He stated that anyone who wanted prosperity should do more than tithing, while adding that someone who found it hard to give to God only invited poverty. Below is his message: “Some people have been writing me letters asking: ‘What should we tithe? Is it the gross pay or the net pay?’
It is better for you to over pay than to under pay. If God is asking you for a tithe and you say, ‘O God, take 20 per cent or 15 per cent, it is better for you to owe me than for me to owe you.’ “You must not treat God as a beggar. You treat God as a beggar when you give Him the extra that you don’t need. If you cannot be generous with the Almighty when things are hard for you, you would not be able to give when there is abundance. “Sowing in the time of famine attracts abundant blessings and prosperity.
Remember the story of the woman in Mark chapter 12, who just threw in some coins and God said, ‘This one has contributed more money than every other person.“ So, if you find it hard to give a tenth unto God, of the money that belongs to you, you are inviting poverty. If you completely forget to pay your tithe and your offerings, you are inviting poverty.
If you feel or believe that the tithe and offerings you give are too much, you are inviting poverty. If God gives you N20,000 and you find it difficult to pay N2,000 as tithe, you are writing to poverty.”“Wise believers double the tithe. Also, they sow a big seed and challenge the Lord.
Giving to God is sacrifice. You have not started giving to God until you feel the pinch.”“Many are so tight-fisted when it comes to financing God’s work. Tithe borrowers are looking for trouble too. It is foolish to borrow your tithe because the repercussion can be grievous and it is also an insult to God. God can allow an ordinary boil to swallow N20,000.
He can allow a single problem to take away the money you refuse to give to Him. The principle of giving will enable you to experience many financial miracles…”On the giving of first fruit offering, the General Overseer in a different message described the offering as an important subject and area where there is a lot of ignorance in Christendom today as most believers know little or nothing concerning the subject, although the scriptures have quite a lot to say on it.
He has it that those who have discovered the mystery behind it have continued to enjoy divine prosperity.He went further to say in another message that right from the opening pages of the scriptures, God reveals to his children the benefits of first fruit offerings and that they must be brought to his house. Backing his stance, he quoted Exodus 34:26: “The first of the first fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not see the kid in his mother’s milk.
PASTOR MIKE BAMILOYE NOTHING IS WRONG IN PAYING TITHE
Popular minister and founder of Mount Zion Faith Ministry, Mike Bamiloye has opened up on the controversy trailing the payment of tithes among church members. Bamiloye was apparently responding to the recent attack on Nigerian pastor by ace AOP, Daddy Freeze, who accused men of God of robbing the poor to get rich in the name of tithing.Airing his views on the controversy, the Agbara Nla producer said he saw nothing wrong with the practice of tithing. He said, “I am an Evangelist. I believe strongly in tithes and giving offerings as God commanded in Malachi 3:10. “I have believed and practice this for more than 35 years. I pay tithes.
My Ministry pay tithes “On many occasions, we had laid all we had on the Altar before God. On some Occasions we had emptied our accounts and laid all before the Lord in obedience to His specific command and in appreciation of His goodness and also in the Biblical Principle of first fruits. “I have seen marvelous Wonders of God at home and on evangelistic fields as I held on to the Biblical Doctrine of Tithes and Offerings, Sowing and Harvesting. I have been on this for more than 30 years in ministry. “I pay my tithes and I give my offerings as instructed by God but it is never and can never be my business, whatever the tithes and offerings are used for.
Offerings to God and It is no longer in my care. It is God’s Business to determine if it is well used or not. Not Mine. “Are you waiting for me to defend my Belief on Tithes from the Bible? What Do I need to defend again, when I saw it in the Bible, even if it is One Verse.
“Now, let me show you the Verses of the Word of God that I follow: “I am not a Theologian, and I do not need many Verses from the Bible to know what to do. I am an Evangelist. So, do not wait for me to now begin to table before you an argumentative Bible Study. “And it is God I have given my tithes, because he said, it is him i have robbed if I don’t pay the tithes into his house “Therefore, I have no problem with any pastor or church the lord leads me to pay my tithes.”
PASTOR W. F KUMUYI- DON’T ROB GOD
Giving our best to God. He wants royalty from us His subjects. God has given us the best already, given us Jesus Christ, christian experiences, and even heaven. How are you returning that favour back to God? Do you offer your best unto God? For the children of Israel, they were offering polluted and contemptible sacrifices unto Him, and these are not acceptable unto God.
Is this the very best thing you can offer unto the Lord? Whatever thing you do in the house of the Lord, try and measure that service with what you are doing in the world. Make a comparison between your service in the house of the Lord and what we do in our secular employment. The best and not the worst, the first and not the leftover, the pure and not the polluted, the costly and not the cheap, that is what we should offer unto the Lord. You cannot offer any blemish thing unto the Lord.
The Lord wants the people to show some love, respect and honour for Him. There must be a purpose when you render your service unto the Lord. Always examine what you do, have you given your best for the Lord. Have I done my best? God has no pleasure in you when you are a sinner, a robber, disobeying God’s commandments, God cannot accept that tithe nor offerings from you,
He will not accept that offerings from you. God does not accept your person neither will He accept any offering from your hands. Even your attitude, no respect, honour, devotion, affections, and He will not accept these sacrifices. Anything you are offering unto the Lord, your heart is important. When you count the word of God as a strange thing, He cannot accept your offering. You must consider the Personality, Power and Person of God whenever you come to offer your sacrifice and service unto the Lord.
BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO TITHES QUALIFIES YOU FOR GODS BLESSINGS
Bishop David Oyedepo has revealed his thoughts on tithing, and the qualifications for God’s blessings. the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide says that tithing qualifies a believer for God’s blessing.He says, “Everybody believes that God has an open Heaven order of blessings for His people. But you see it takes your tithing to qualify for it. So, if you only know the promise but you don’t know the condition, you will die frustrated.” In an attempt to prove his point, Oyedepo goes on to add that all promises come with demands.
In his words, “Now Christ has redeemed us from the curse of sin, from poverty, from death, but what does it take to get there, it takes faith in the demands. People just believe the promise but you need to believe the demands. It is believing the demands that entitles you to the fulfilment of the promise. There is no provision in the Scriptures without conditions attached. Even salvation as free as it is, you need to repent before you can be saved. There is nothing provided for without conditions to meet.”
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND TITHE
It is clear from the foregoing that tithes were introduced originally to take care of the needs of the Levites/priests in the Old Testament.Should Christians pay tithes to take care of their priests? It is worth noting that Christ did not speak of the need for his followers to pay tithes. Indeed, there is no passage in the New Testament that speaks of the necessity for Christians to pay tithes.
There is also no evidence that the apostles or the early church in general insisted on the payment of tithes. The Catholic Church today does not have a law requiring her members to pay tithes.However, if a Catholic wants to pay tithes, he or she can do so. On the other hand,those who do not want to pay tithes should not be seen as doing something wrong or unbiblical.
In the 1983 Code of Canon Law the principle is laid down that the faithful are obliged to assist the Church by providing what is necessary for divine worship,apostolic and charitable works, and the decent sustenance of its ministers (Can. 222).In addition to financial support, the faithful may offer their time and their talents. While the Church has the right to require this support (Can. 1260), it more fitting that such offerings be made freely, as in regular Sunday collections or in response to authorized appeals for special purposes.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH AND TITHE
Tithing has a long history rooted in the Bible. Traditionally giving a tithe entails donating ten percent of income to the church. Baptists believe that everything a person owns is a gift from God, and individuals are merely caretakers of their material possessions.
Within this context tithing is not viewed as generosity from a Christian to the church, but a way to worship God by returning to him a small portion of that with which he has blessed the believer. Baptists base their practice of tithing on biblical precedent set forth in the Bible’s Old and New Testaments. Deuteronomy 14:22 instructs “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.” In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus explains giving monetarily is less about quantity and more about generosity of spirit. After witnessing a poor widow tithe only two coins Jesus says “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
PASTOR TAIWO ODUKOYA TITHING IS A COVENANT DUTY
This story illustrates the blessings that accompany the faithful payment of an honest tithe. Tithing is a covenant duty that grants us access into the privileges of covenant prosperity. The principle of the tithe was instituted by God and not by preachers out for your money.
Tithing predates the Law. Abraham and the patriarchs paid tithes before Moses, the Law and the priesthood ever emerged (Hebrews 7:1-10). We do not only rob God when we refrain from giving our tithe, we also do ourselves a grave disservice by holding on to the very seed that ensures our harvest. The truth is, God does not need our money. The cattle on a thousand hills are His.
The tithe is simply one of God’s primary methods of keeping an open channel of financial provision coming our way. The results of giving a tithe far outweigh whatever the tithe constitutes. We can experience exponential growth in our finances by keeping faithful to the tithe.
It was J.D Rockefeller, the American billionaire that said, “I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week. God is able and ready to bless you. He will meet all your needs and more. As you commit to giving your tithe, God is committed, by His principle, to ensuring that you have more than enough to meet all your needs. He will send you the rains, the latter and the former, and the land shall yield its increase for you, in Jesus’ name. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts; and all the nations will call you blessed, and you will be a delightful land, says the Lord of Hosts.” Malachi 3: 11:12.
PASTOR OYAKHILOME
According to Pastor Chris Oyakilome’s online transcript in 2010 in a Question and answer session, the person asked: Kindly teach us about tithe, offering and seed. Is it compulsory to tithe only to the Church we belong to, or can we send our tithe to other ministries in other parts of the country? Thanks.
His reply: “Now, we actually also have of materials on these subjects. It will take me a lot more than the little time we have to discuss this. But, let me read something to you because of the peculiarity of your question. 1 st Corinthians chapter 4 and I’ll be reading to you two verses, but before that, let me remind you of your question. You said, “Kindly teach us about tithe, offering and seed.”
Now the tithe is one-tenth of all what God blesses you with continually. All your income, all your increase, as you receive, a tithe of it [which is the tenth part of it] belongs to God. Now, he didn’t say give it if it’s convenient; he has laid a claim to it. He says it belongs to him, simply put. The other one you said is offering. Now, among offerings, there are different kinds. You have a free-will offering and then you have a first fruit offering. Now, the first fruit offering is different from the tithe.
The scriptures show us that. Some people think they are the same [ but ] they are not. Well, the free-will offering is the one you choose to give anytime, and it’s up to you. The tithe is not up to you; it belongs to God. The first fruit belongs to God, but your free-will offering is up to you. You choose; you decide when you want to give it and how you are going to give it and how much you are going to give. And then the seed is also up to you, but you see, in all of these, we must always recognize the leading of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit can always and should always guide us, lead us and tell us what to do, even how much to give. You know a lot of times we just give as we choose, but the greater blessings will come when you are able to listen to the Holy Spirit telling you what to do. And that particularly applies to the seed. Many times we want to sow a seed for a reason. A seed is that which you give because of the harvest that you want, a specific harvest that you want. And that’s why the Bible talks about seed giving.
Now the other question “Is it compulsory to tithe only to the Church we belong, or can we send our tithe to other ministries in other parts of the country?” No, you cannot send your tithes to other ministries. You can send your offerings if you want to.
You can give whatever seed you want through other ministries, but the tithe should be given to the ministry in which you function. Remember, when you belong to a ministry, you don’t just go there to listen to the Word of God and go away; you should participate.
You should become a responsible member – you have a duty. Now, let me read this to you in 1 st Corinthians chapter 4 from verse 15 , it says, “ For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. [ 1 Corinthians 4:15-16 ] “ Did you hear that? That’s what Paul said.
He says, even though you got ten thousands instructors in Christ, you got a lot of preachers in town, in the city. You got preachers here and there; you got them on television or the internet, “it doesn’t matter,” he says, “though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ” [he didn’t say anything was wrong with them. They are all in Christ. These are all instructors, these are preachers, these are teachers.], he says, “but you cannot and you don’t have many fathers.” Then it says here in the 16 th verse, well the latter part of the 15 th verse, he says, “for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”
So, he is saying, I’ve bought you up through the word. This is the word that has made you; this is the word that has strengthened you. I’ve brought forth that word to you. Then in 16 th verse, he says “wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.”
That’s plain. That’s what Paul said. And if you study the whole subject, the whole chapter, you’d notice he was looking at the relationship between himself and the other ministers, and the certain things that had happened. There were some challenges; you’d look at all of that there.
So, it is inappropriate for you to send your tithe. The tithe is actually what shows your partnership in that ministry, because here is your income and the tithe is part of that income that belongs to God and you are expected to give it continually. And you know, when anything happens to you, those who are interceding for you and praying for you and caring for you are not those who you’ll listening to on the television or those around the city. It’s those who know you; it’s those with whom you fellowship with. It’s the ministry where you belong. These are the ones that actually care. Nobody can care for you through the screen. You see, caring for you has a human touch to it. And that’s why the pastoral ministry is very, very important. Alright, so Christopher, I hope you got that.”
CAC
- God commands it. In Malachi 3:10, God says, “bring the whole tithe into the storehouse”. The storehouse refers to the place where you worship. The tithe is to be given to your home church, the place where you are spiritually fed. When you give to support charities and other ministries, you should be giving out of your offerings. The whole tithe belongs to the local church.
- Tithing proves God’s Word is true. God’ says, if you will put Him to the test in tithes and offerings, eventually you will see great blessings overtake your life, even to the point that you will see God open the windows of blessing upon you and your family.
- God will rebuke the devourer. According to Malachi 3:11, you have an enemy that will steal all your finances, but, when you bring God the whole tithe, and give offerings as He leads you, God will rebuke the enemy. When you become a follower of Jesus Christ, the enemy targets you and your finances. You need God’s help if you’re going to make it financially in today’s world and the tough times that we live in. God actually challenges every believer to “put Him to the test” in their giving, and watch what He does in their lives. It’s time to put God to the test, and watch God’s blessings flow toward you. Do it today!
- Tithing teaches me to put God first. According to Deuteronomy 14:23, the purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God first in your life. If God has our finances, then we know He has our hearts. If we refuse to tithe, we prove that He really isn’t first in the first place.
- Jesus recognized tithing. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus recognized or commended the Pharisees for tithing. Tithing was the only thing they were doing right.
- Tithing is essential to spiritual growth. God tells us in Luke 16:11, “if therefore you have not been faithful in the use of money, how can you expect Him to entrust greater riches to you?” Many Christians don’t grow spiritually, and remain spiritual babies because they are not faithful to obey God in the tithes and offering.
- Tithing proves you love the Lord. In 2 Corinthians 8:8, God says that your giving tests the sincerity of your love. You say you love the Lord, but you prove you love him when you give. Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words.
- Tithing is an investment for eternity. In Matthew 6:19, Jesus told us to “store up treasure in heaven.” When you give your tithes and offerings to the Lord’s work, you are investing your money in souls for the Kingdom, and helping to get people to heaven.
- You cannot “out-give” God. In Galatians 6:7, God says, “do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows that he will also reap.” God is watching, and whatever you give to Him, He will give back to you. Giving unlocks heaven’s gates on your behalf. You cannot out-give God. The more you give to Him, the more He’ll give back to you.
PASTOR FEMI EMMANUEL
Tithe is God’s ordained to provide meat in His house as recorded in Malaki 3:10-12. It is also a faith exercise for the divine blessings of God on the tither. Attack on Tithes is an attack on the growth and spread of the kingdom of God on earth. It also an attack on Christians to deny them of divine blessings (open heaven) which tithes and offerings bring. Whiout Tithes how will the various programmes and activities hold. How will rents, salaries of staffs, elecricity and water bills, diesel, petrol, repairs and services of generators, other equipment. How will opening of branches, Radio and television evangelism, Newspapers publications etc.
How will the aged, widows, orphans and other social services which the church carry out as a God commanded responsibilities be carried out. The attack is designed to create confusion and discouragement to new or immature Christians. Those preaching it are agents of the devil to weaken the church for the gates of hell to prevail and they will fail ad all attacks on the church in history have always come to nothing. See Act 4:34-36.
