Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 10/19/2007

Question
Hi Pastor,

I'm sorry if I offended you with the question I recently asked which you answered. I do not want to argue either. But this has been a big issue for me for quite some time and I have put a lot of thought and research into this as you can see. I have read a lot of arguments on the subject on the internet and much of my information is from there, yet I think it is accurate in that it is from the Bible.

The biggest problem I have with it is that if I want to have a leadership position in my church I am expected to be tithing and I know that I can't afford to. It upsets me that the church is so elitist, in that only those who make enough money to tithe are church leaders. The members of my church all seem to be well off and have much better jobs than I do and I know that my giving pales in comparison to theirs.

Thank you very much for your answer. I am happy that you responded even if you may have thought that I was looking for an argument, which I was not. I hope that you don't think that everyone who has an issue with tithing is looking for an argument.

I wrote you 2 questions on a couple of other topics and another question on the same topic of tithing. I hope you are not so upset with me that you will not answer at least the questions on the other issues.

-Josh

Answer
Hi Josh,

I am not upset with you at all!  I think that I have answered several of your questions so far.  I do not have a problem with someone who has a different view than I do, so long as I do not end up spending a bunch of time arguing rather than answering questions.  I gave some thoughts about your pastor and his choice to require tithing in my last post.  

Keep the questions coming!  As long as you are willing to consider what I have to say from the Bible, then keep on asking.  Once we find ourselves in a circle where I state my view from scripture, and you disagree, I clairify, then you sitll disagree, we can leave this subject and move to another.  That is the beautil thing about the fact that we are each personallty accountable before God, He can fix our issues when we stand before Him.  Again, I am not offended,even if we disagree.  

In Christ
Pastor Don