Offering Basics: Part 4 of 5

Every single believer should practice the giving of offerings.

Look at what Paul wrote in 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 your income, saving it up..." Success to Paul was having everyone participate.

When we train our growth group facilitators, we tell them that success in the weekly meeting is achieved when each person in the group participates in the discussion. We don't expect everyone to talk the same amount. We know that some will talk a lot and some will only talk a little. But success is when everyone participates. If one or two people do all the talking, there may not have been any awkward moments of silence, but the meeting wasn't a success because the goal is to get everyone to participate.

You know - this verse (v.2) has really made me rethink how to determine whether or not we’ve had a successful special Christmas offering or not. We have a goal that we’re shooting for ($20,000), but real success is more than just reaching the goal - it’s reaching the goal in the right way. We win when “each one of you” participates. Some will contribute a lot and some will contribute a little. But we win when everyone participates. In Matthew 6:3 Jesus talked about “...when you give to the needy...” Not if you give to the needy, but when you give to the needy. Through our Christmas offering you can put that verse into practice. To give an offering click here. 

Offering Basics: Part 3 of 5

An offering should be saved up systematically. 

Paul told the Corinthians in v.2 “On the first day of every week [that is: on Sunday when you gather for worship], each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.” NIV Paul is telling the Corinthians to systematically save some money each week to give in the special offering. 

When the 2013 tornado devastated Moore OK did you have anything saved up that you could give to Convoy of Hope, Samaritans Purse or World Vision? Or when the 2013 typhoon devastated the Philippines did you have anything saved up so you could help? When the special annual Christmas Offering rolled around this year were you prepared to give? 

How can you be prepared to give when the opportunity to give an offering presents itself? By saving it up systematically! 

Offering Basics: Part 2 of 5

Giving an offering helps us develop a capitol C church mentality.

In 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that their little congregation was just one church among many, that collectively make up the body of Christ. Paul didn’t want them to have the mindset that they were all there was. So he led them in the giving of an offering for the Christians in Jerusalem who were in need. The offering was meant to help those in Jerusalem, but was also intended to help the church develop a spiritually mature “capital C” church mentality. Let me illustrate what I mean by “capital C” church...

Last year we gave $2,500 out of our Christmas Offering to a church plant only a couple miles away, right here in Springfield. Some Christians have the mentality - why would you do that? What if people go to that church instead of New Day? Well that might not be a win for the “little c” church (New Day), but it would be a win for the “capital C” church (the church at large) so we would celebrate that someone came to faith in Christ - regardless of where it took place.

Paul didn’t want the Corinthians to think only of themselves. And I don’t want that for our church either! When a church thinks only of itself, it has a “little c” mentality. That is - a spiritually immature mentality. The church that only thinks of itself has forgotten that Jesus wants the gospel message to spread from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. That is - Jesus wants his message of hope and forgiveness spread throughout the world. So as a matter of obedience to Jesus, we HAVE to get involved in what God is doing in other churches around the state, in New England, in other parts of the country and around the globe. And this is precisely what we accomplish through our missions giving all year long, and through our special annual Christmas offering from Thanksgiving through the end of the year. 

Offering Basics: Part 1 of 5

An offering is different than the tithe. 

          

1. The tithe was 10%. The offering was any amount given above and beyond the tithe. Here’s an example...In the book of Ezra, when the Temple needed to be rebuilt (because it had been destroyed by Israel’s enemies) the Israelites were asked to give freewill offerings (Ezra 1:4,6; 3:5; 7:16; 8:28). These offerings were not substitutes for their tithe, they were to be given above and beyond their tithe. The Israelites were to tithe first to their local church, then give a free will offering, if they had the means, as they felt led, above and beyond the tithe.

2. The tithe was mandatory, an offering was not (unless God prompted them to give one). When it came to offerings the Israelites could give or not give as they felt led by God, but not so with the tithe. The tithe was required whether they felt like returning it or not.

3. The Israelites could not designate their tithe. The tithe belonged to God so only he could designate its use, and he said the tithe was earmarked for funding the local church. But an offering was different. The offering didn't come out of the 10% that belonged to God, but out of the 90% God let them steward. That belonged to God too, but God allowed some freedom in how it was used. They were free to designate an offering, but not the tithe.

4. An offering was given, whereas the tithe was returned. The tithe belonged to God, so when the Israelites gave their tithes, they were returning to God what was already his. But whatever they gave above and beyond the tithe, that was considered true giving, because that wasn’t required.

5. The tithe was consistent. The offering was sporadic. Every time an Israelite got paid, they would tithe. But they didn’t give an offering every time they got paid. They only gave an offering as the need for one appeared. 

A tithe and an offering are two separate things. And Paul's teaching here should be understood to be instructions on giving an offering.