Rudy I believe you need to read
1 Corinthians 16 and then 2 Corinthians chapter 9 and notice the similarities. Paul is talking about the same commandment of offerings. You bring
2 Cor. 9 as your source to give when it is the same situation that you dismissed that I suggested early about when and how to give. The difference between these two chapters is that
1 Cor. 16 is more specific in the method whereas
2 Cor. 9 is more specific about the attitude.
Here is my conclusion: people don't want you to give them application because then they become accountable. You can tell someone to give to the Lord as they purpose in their heart and they don't feel much obligation. Sunday they will put one or two dollars in the pan and will feel good about their selves because they think they have cheerfully done it freewill from the heart. Many of the posts that has been on this thread doesn't challenge anyone to give more it only excuses people not to give as much and then turns it around to make all preachers greedy. In this society dominated by money people who on average have 2 cars to a family and live nice homes with all the accessories, but are cheap skates with charitable giving. If Christians want to argue that churches are greedy(which is usually a personal issue for their self) they just need to take that generous offering every week and they need to seek God for some place to give it that He will get the glory. You know the prophets and preachers in the Old Testament were rejected and nobody liked them because they went around telling them they were wrong, but were they right. I have agreed several times that you can't prove that tithing carried over into the NT, but I like a quote someone said of Adrian Rogers said. I would hate to know that a Jew under the law will out give me a Christian under grace. Where much is given much is required. One of these days all the people who believe that the God who forgave so much actually had expectations out of his bride in return. Marriage is contract between two not just one.