The New Testament Does Not Teach Tithing 10%

1st Corinthians 16:2, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”

I have received letters from many believers over the years who express their contempt for pastors who have lied to them for decades about tithing 10% from the Bible. The truth is that nowhere in the Bible does it command believers to tithe 10%. Our text passage plainly teaches that we ought to give to God “as God hath prospered him.” This is the exact opposite of what most preachers will tell you.

Most preachers will wrestle the Old Testament, taking God's commandment to the Israelites to tithe 10% to the priestly tribe of Levi, and use that to trick you to give them 10% of your income. Then to add insult to injury, or injury to insult, they will quote Malachi 3:8, “Will a man rob God?  Yet ye have robbed me.  But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?  In tithes and offerings.” They will try to use this verse to scare you. I have literally heard pastors frighten their congregations with death, threatening them with the Bible that if they don't tithe God will cause their children to die, their home to burn down, they'll get fired from their job and all manner of evil will befall them! Ladies and gentlemen, nothing could be further from the truth!

And then those horrible pastors will take it a step further, falsely teaching you that if you don't give offerings above and beyond your 10% tithes, you haven't given God anything! There was a time in my life when I tithed 10% and gave an extra 5% to the church, 15% total of my income, and I was so broke as a married man with four children, that I unintentionally bounced checks and couldn't make ends meet, giving what I didn't have because a pastor lied to me! Yet, my pastor was living large, didn't owe a single cent to anyone, enjoyed the best of everything, took trips to Israel, and I couldn't even afford to pay attention. I was a victim!

The Bible teaches in 1st Corinthians 16:2 to give only as “as God hath prospered” you. That is one thing that I didn't like about Hyles-Anderson College when I attended when I attended for 8 years between 1985 and 1993. Pastor Hyles believed that you should pay God first, even if you were in debt. Every student was required to sign a statement weekly (i.e., an activity form) that you had tithed at least 10% of your income to God. I love Brother Hyles, but I do not agree Scripturally that anyone should tithe while living in poverty or in debt. I once heard Dr. Hyles say that he owned 50 pairs of shoes that people gave him. That bothers me! No one in my entire life has ever given me a pair of shoes. I don't think any pastor should own 50 pairs of shoes!

I never heard one sermon in Bible college against the fraudulent Federal Reserve System that has kept most Americans in financial bondage since 1913. Get mad at me if you want, you cannot show me one New Testament Bible verse that commands saints to tithe 10%. It bothers me when pastors need money, they just ask their congregation and people throw money at their pastor in love for him. But when you and me need money, we need to work overtime or get a second job. I think many pastors are spoiled. I agree that we should love and take care of our pastor's needs, but those pastors ought not then teach their church members that they are robbing God not to tithe 10% of their income. Pastors are often guilty of having double standards. In fairness to Brother Hyles, he did give away nearly everything he owned to help others, but he unquestionably lived a very comfortable lifestyle. People throw money at their pastors, thinking that God will bless them for it.

Ask any honest businessman and he will tell you that time is money. Yet most pastors don't want your time, they want your money! I am so sick and tired of hearing pastors talk about their vacation to Israel. In many cases, multiple trips to Israel. I have never been to Israel because I cannot afford it! I am sick and tired of preachers who live high on the hog, living large, lying to people to suck every last dollar out of them possible. If you owe money you ought not tithe until you get your bills paid. Furthermore, don't you dare feel bad about being in debt if you are making less than $50,000 a year in the United States! The average U.S. salary today is either close to or below the poverty level. And in places like San Francisco, Honolulu and New Jersey, you need $90,000 a year to avoid being in debt.

So if your pastor teaches for you to tithe 10%, I am not saying to quit your church or turn against your pastor, but don't you feel bad or guilty for giving a couple dollars instead of 10%. I do believe that we should never let an offering plate pass in front of us without putting something into it, just to stay in the habit of giving. But you can give $5. Children can give 25 cents. Don't you dare tithe 10% if your pastor is living large at your expense!!!

I hate Roman Catholicism, because it is a false religion that sends people to Hell. But I love Catholic people unconditionally. When I lived on Guam there was a church, Saint Jude in Sinajana, whose priests were of the Franciscan Order. They deliberately chose to live a modest life, doing without, living within their means as poorer than richer. I admire that! I am a firm believer that preachers, especially pastors, should live a very modest standard of living. Shame on pastors who drive an expensive car, live in a mansion and live a standard of living far above the majority of their church members. It will be a cold day in Hell before I ever play a game of golf! I hate golf for various reasons, but one reason is that it is a rich man's sport. I am leery of any pastor who plays golf with the rich men in his congregation.

The fact of the matter is that you cannot use the New Testament to justify hounding people in any church to tithe 10%, let alone giving even more! If you can tithe and give God 50% of your income, then you should do so as the Lord leads. But don't give it to some shameful church where the pastor is going to live an extravagant lifestyle. I would never support any church that pays its senior pastor over $100,000 a year!

You'd be shocked if you knew what pastors get paid. Billy Graham got paid $600,000 a year! His son Franklin Graham got paid $1,200,000 in just one year! That is sickening!!! The greatest man and preacher ever born among women, John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11), had nothing and lived off the land. Think about that the next time you empty your wallet to give to some fat-cat pastor who has taken umpteen trips to Israel with his family. There is a fine line between faith and foolishness dear friend. Be wise with what God has entrusted to you.