WHY WE GIVE TO THE CHURCH
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (NIV)
Everything we own, everything we have comes from God. So when we give, we simply offer him a very small portion of all the abundance he has already given to us. Giving is an expression of our thankfulness and praise to God! It comes from a heart of worship. For everything we give already belongs to him! God instructed Old Testament believers to give a tithe, or a tenth, because this 10% represented the first, or most important portion of all that they had.
Believers should give according to their income.
1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. (NIV)
We are blessed when we give.
Acts 20:35… remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ (NIV)
God wants us to give because he knows how blessed we will be as we give generously to him and to others. Giving is a kingdom principle—it brings more blessing to the giver than to the recipient. When we give freely to God, we receive freely from God.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (NIV)
Proverbs 11:24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. (NIV)
The value of our offering is not determined by how much we give, but how we give.
—Mark 12:41-44 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.” (NIV) from notes by Mary Fairchild