At The Creek, giving is understood as an act of worship—a faithful and obedient response to God’s blessings. Worshiping God through giving reflects trust in His provision and a testimony of faith that He will continue to meet your needs. When individuals respond to God’s blessings, they naturally embrace free-will tithing. As stated in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, believers are encouraged to give as God has blessed them, not reluctantly, under compulsion, or out of obligation, but with joy and a thankful heart. Giving is not about money; rather, it is deeply rooted in faith (Malachi 3:10) and the condition of the heart (Matthew 6:21).

WHY SHOULD I GIVE MY MONEY AWAY?

One of the basic reasons people do not tithe is that they assume the money they earn is theirs. The carnal mind, immature Christian says, “What I make is all mine.” In contrast, the spiritual, mature Christian, accepts the simple truth and says, “ I do not earn income by myself. God provides me with the job and entrepreneurial opportunity to support my family and care for my needs.” Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 6:20, “You are not your own.” The Psalmist tells us, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24). Haggai makes the Lord declaration clear, “The silver is mine and the gold is mine” (Haggai 2:8).

I BELIEVE IN TITHING, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY CALLS FOR CHARITY THAT I CAN’T GIVE MY ENTIRE TITHE TO THE CHURCH.

The Lord’s tithe is not for secular use. In the Old Testament, the charity tithe for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow was brought in addition to the regular tithe (Deuteronomy 14:28,29). In the New Testament, the Jerusalem Christians gave far more than the tithe (Acts 4:32-37). More missional work can be done by the church when all Christians bring their tithes to the Lord’s house.

I WANT TO TITHE, BUT I AM NOT READY TO BEGIN. I WANT TO BE SURE I CAN GO THROUGH WITH IT WHEN I START.

The church is stifled and Kingdom building is delayed to its fullest impact when you are not obedient in worshipping God through the act of giving. Only the devil gains when a Christian puts off doing that which is obedient to God.

I CAN’T AFFORD TO TITHE

Many Christians believe they cannot tithe because they are in debt or because they do not earn enough to tithe. Truthfully, we can’t afford not to tithe. The first debt we owe is our obligation to give to the Lord what God has commanded. Exodus 23:19 says, “Bring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.”

In Old Testament times, the first of the harvest was to be dedicated to God. In our contemporary setting, that translates to the first payment we are to make when we receive our payroll check from our jobs or other sources of income. Since God does not send “pink slips” or payment overdue notices, it is easy to take care of other financial obligations while neglecting our responsibilities to the Lord. Giving to God first, out of what He has allowed us to have, demonstrates that God is the first priority in our lives.

Remember that God allows us to be stewards or managers of what He has blessed us with. Whether He has blessed you to earn $100 each week or $1,000 each week, He requires at least 10%, though all of it belongs to God anyway. He is being gracious in only requiring 10% and allowing us to keep 90%. News Flash: You Really Don’t Own Anything!

SALVATION IS FREE. WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE.

If our gratitude to God under grace is less than that of the Jew under the Law, then something is wrong with us. Always remember: Salvation is free; discipleship costs!

If you are not tithing now, don’t think that a sudden increase in your income will make it easier to start. It won’t because you will simply find other ways to spend the money. Unless you learn to tithe on your present income, it is doubtful that you will tithe on a higher one. There is only one way to start tithing: set aside the money. Your tithe must be protected like your rent, mortgage, car note, insurance, utility bills, and grocery money.

If you are not tithing, now is the time to begin!