Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 11/21/2005

Question
IS IT THE ELDERS RESPONSIBILTY TO LOOK AT THE OFFERINGS OF EACH PERSON AND GO TELL THEM THAT IT DOES  NOT COINCIDE WITH THE TYPE OF JOB/S THEY HAVE.  SCRIPTURES PLEASE

Answer
This is not the first time that I have heard of such things but usually in different denominations or Southern Baptists.  I think it was a Presbyterian Church that actually wanted to take your "pledge" out of your paycheck automatically or in some other way bill you if you didn't keep up with it. I don't know of any Independents that do this but I would not be surprised.  

The only passage I can even think of that they could try to use to justify this is Acts 5, but unless they are claiming the Apostolic gifts I don't see how they could know that for sure your giving doesn't match your income.  Besides the problem there was lying about an offering not the tithe. So if they use this it would be quite a stretch.  

I am bivocational and in my primary career field I make a lot more money than some and a lot less than others in the same field.  Unless I was only giving a few hundred dollars a year they would have a tough time figuring out exactly what my tithe should be or that I wasn't giving it.

The Pastor and Sunday School teachers have the responsibility to teach about tithing and offerings.  The Deacons have to count the money and the Treasurer has to account for it by each family for tax purposes.  All that is reasonable and needful.  However, to tell the person that they aren't giving the tithe is not their job, but rather the Holy Spirit's.

My Senior Pastor and I try to stay as far away from the money issue as possible.  I even refused to help count it once I became the Associate Pastor. We don't want to know who gives what.  The tithe is the Lord's and He can motivate people who aren't tithing. Offerings are free-will and there is no minimum or maximum amount based on income.  Many with large incomes don't give in proportion whereas some much poorer people give beyond their "fair share".  

I can't give you Scripture to support their position, but I would love to see what they use.  That would be quite enlightening. Ask one of your elders to e-mail me with that teaching that I might learn as I am obviously ignorant of this responsibility of elders.

mavmin@netportusa.com

Frankly, I believe in what the Lord ordains, He supplies.  If the income isn't what the Church needs then maybe someone isn't doing their job of teaching, soulwinning and meeting the needs of the people.  A spiritual person won't have to be forced to give and you can't force a person who is not spiritual to give so their tactics are vain.

I would like to think that this was just one elder acting on his own.  Maybe a chat with the Pastor would stop this practice.

May God richly bless you as you seek His will and His Word!