Many people wonder, where did the idea of tithing come from? Who said I should give a tenth of my income to the church? What if I can’t afford a tenth? What then? Will God be displeased with me?
The Concept of tithing (giving one tenth of one’s income) comes straight out of the bible. The first mention of tithing is in Genesis Chapter 14. Abram (later Abraham) had returned from a successful battle and in the wake of his success, presented a tenth of everything he owned to Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, who declared that God had "delivered [your] enemies into your hand"(vs. 20)
Offerings and gifts are also deeply seated in scripture. Offerings are a way of expressing thanks to someone or something that has already given to us, or done something for us, as with Abraham. Our offerings may be anything – money, assets (land, buildings, stocks, time, talents). Tithing though has come to be associated with money, as that is our primary medium of exchange. In the days of the Hebrew Bible, there were various media of exchange, so people might have tithed their flocks or their harvests. Tithing has been revived as a practice in the contemporary church; but the early church was supported through "freewill offerings".
Whatever the method we choose for supporting our faith community, regular committed giving of the prevailing medium of exchange (in our case, the dollar) is necessary for the work of the church to go on in the world.
God loves a cheerful giver, writes Paul to the church at Corinth, and so "each one should give what s/he has decided in his/her heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion" (2 Cor.9: 6-8 NIV adapted). I think that is sound advice. As we search our hearts and listen to the leading of the Spirit, we will give cheerfully and generously, according to our ability. As we set the spiritual law of giving and receiving into motion, our gifts return to us "pressed down, shaken together and running over". Let’s all be generous givers as we have received in abundance from heaven’s storehouse.