Most Christians in the first century were among the servant class. Jewish Christians no doubt continued to tithe to the priesthood in the Temple until the division between Judaism and Christianity became firmly established. However, Gentile Christian communities spread throughout the entire Middle East. Remember, for nearly 300 years Christians didn't meet in large buildings or have a large "organizations". Instead, history shows us that they met in houses, civil squares, barns, cemeteries, caverns and caves. With so many Christians coming into the faith... where did Christians store all the money, produce, livestock, etc. that would have been tithed to them??? It would have taken a massive storehouse like that found in Jerusalem. But we don't find it in archeology or history. We don't see it in Scripture either. We read how tithing WASN'T practiced within the church up until the time of Cyprian. Cyprian wanted to institute an Old Testament style tithe to support a professional priesthood to combat heresies. In fact, Cyprian tried to impose tithing on Carthage, and it was vehemently REJECTED. The Council of Macon tried to force tithing on Christians again, and it was REJECTED. The history on this is CLEAR. The Roman Catholic church eventually instituted tithing THROUGH the royalty ruling various governments. It was a "church and state" institution, a religious "tax" that became enforceable under law in the Middle Ages. It went to support the priesthood and to build massive cathedrals... and to pay off state officials who allowed the church to enforce the tithe... with fines and sometimes brute force if necessary. Even the Catholic Encyclopedias explain this...
The Catholic Encyclopedia (1912 edition only) says, “In the beginning .. [provision] was supplied by the spontaneous support of the faithful. In the course of time, however, as the Church expanded and various institutions arose, it became necessary to make laws which would insure the proper and permanent support of the clergy. The payment of tithes was adopted from the Old Law, and early writers speak of it as a divine ordinance and an obligation of the conscience. The earliest positive legislation on the subject seems to be contained in the letter of the bishops assembled at Tours in 567 and the Canons of the Council of Macon in 585.”
In the NT we see Christians giving cheerfully of what they had to give as they purposed in their own hearts. We also see them sharing their entire lives and property. Essentially, early Christians gave 100%. If there was any need among them, they sought to meet it as a congregation. They didn't pay their 10% and go home leaving a brother or sister to catch the bus. They'd have raised funds to buy them a car... or someone with two cars would have given one car.
The Christian life actually requires MORE than tithing.