Questions about the half shekel/temple offering.
 

I would like to hear what the half shekel offering amounts to. Some questions that I would like to hear answered are as follows.

1. Who preached it first? When did you FIRST hear it? Trying to trace the origin.
2. Where have you heard it? Church name/ location/year might be good.
3. Who all has ever preached it or endorsed it and on what basis?
4. Who all has come out opposing it?
5. Has anybody heard of it going international, or is pretty much U.S.A.?
6. Are you participating in it, or not? Why, or why not?
7. What promises have been made for participating? Health, wealth, salvation etc..
8. What scripture has been used to support it?
9. What is it supposed to be used for?
10. Has anyone recanted after initially embracing it?

You get the picture? I'm trying to get the picture. Anything or anybody, at any time or anywhere? How prevalent is this doctrine? Is it going to survive?
Is it a true doctrine? Is it a false doctrine? Do you even care?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

never heard of it....

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Can you share what general geographical area you are from and what organization you are affiliated with, if any? Just for informational purposes on what areas may have never heard of it?

Basically it is a doctrine that teaches that you give a tithe and a half. 10% of your increase plus five percent or half of your tithe for an offering. Scriptural support is supposedly found in Exodus 30:13-15?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

aljc
central Louisiana

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I haven’t heard specifically of any churches in aljc teaching it or embracing it. To my knowledge it was taught in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, maybe that’s about all I have heard of where it was taught for sure. I think the UPC was mostly against it, if they took a stand at all. I know independents who taught it. I’m trying to see how far it has actually spread. Also does it seem to be dying, or thriving.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I heard of some UPC churches that tried it, but it fizzled.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I am under the impression that the pastors that taught it aggressively were mostly independent or leaned towards AMF. Sean are you west coast? Is it out there at all?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I am west coast UPC. I first heard it go through Oregon and Washington, UPC churches from family members parroting it to me, then heard it mumbled around CA .
I think they were testing the fish to see if they would take the bait, but it created too much flack in the organization.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I remember also hearing it on a preaching tape about 20 years ago, from an Oregon family member, but it sounded too far out as an explanation for me to accept it.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Was there any particular preacher that preached it? I’m trying to establish who first preached it. Twenty years seems a little short. I think I’ve heard it as far back as maybe 1990 ish. I didn’t realize it had hit the west coast but I’m not at all surprised. It may have jumped the ocean by now.

Is there a specific church/pastor in Oregon or California that could be tied to it? I would like to chase it down to a specific preacher, who clearly preached it first.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I cannot remember who I was listening to, but the guy was "fired up" about the idea.

What I remember is visiting preachers speaking to these churches with this concept.

It may have originated back east?

My aunt Marla(years ago) in Oregon and Aunt Norma in Washington(recently), both hit me up with my opinion of this concept.

Maybe it is still going on in Washington?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Did you get deep enough into it to form an opinion? My experience is that people get “fired up” about it either for or against. Some don’t even check to see if it is even close to being supported by scripture, while others reject it wholesale. It is my opinion that for a false doctrine to be successful, it must contain an element of recognizable truth. The rest is showmanship, charisma and confidence in a pastor. In the case of the half shekel there is an element of greed and then the element of shame (everybody else is doing it, and claims it’s working). It is sort of a situation of the “snake oil salesmen comes to church “ in my opinion. Some people will probably be angry with me for saying so, but it’s true. In this respect it is remarkably similar to the tithe.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Never heard of it, either. Sounds like something John Avanzini would come up with...

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

When I heard the explanation of the preacher on the tape, I, as an active tither at the time, thought it was completely bogus, because the preacher was quoting these "epha and halfa epha", etc. verses.

His head was imbedded in the Law of Moses, like nobody I ever heard before.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Esaias what part of the country did you never hear of it in, and what org if any? I believe the UPCI largely rejected it, to their credit, but there are probably some individuals who endorsed it at their local level. I’m not sure if the UPCI took an official stance, but they seem to have passed on endorsing it at the least. It surprises me who all hasn’t heard of it.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

......“This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.”

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

This verse etc., used in the modern day tithe message will make the congregation's head spin.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

My 1st pastor said if we get behind on our tithes, God(pastor using O.T. scriptures on us), requires interest like the IRS does.

We were scared scriptureless not to give God our "firstfruits' on the gross, without second thought.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

As is often the case in these situations, the truth is much more interesting than what gets told. I think some pastors hear more money, and that’s as far as they go. They don’t care to dig into the word and see what it really says. Others are aghast that their fellow pastors would sacrifice the integrity of the Bible for financial gain. One thing that is worth noting is that, unlike the tithe, the half shekel offering really was money.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

The half-shekel offering is mentioned in Exodus ch 30 and ch 38. It was taken from every male 20 years old and upward. It was specified that it was to be equal, the rich would not pay more, the poor would not pay less, but all males numbered in the census 20 yes old and up were to pay a half a shekel as a mandatory offering. It was "to make atonement for your souls". It was to be a ransom for each one. It was to be appointed to the service of the tabernacle as a memorial.

I am not certain if the law can be taken as mandating a recurring poll tax, it seems it could be read as a once only tax never required again. However I think the Jews concluded it was to be paid by each Jewish male in every generation to maintain the Temple. I do not know that it was ever expected for a man to pay it more than once, though.

Using that as a reason to suggest a five percent tax on wages and income, in addition to a ten percent tax on those same wages and income, sounds utterly bereft of any kind of sound doctrine, which sounds pretty typical of modern Christendom.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I’ve never heard of it being taught from the ephah angle. I have learned something.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Yes, but when you hear the simple Mal 3 concept turn into stuff like this....




Twice a Year (Numbers 28)
– Two lambs, a tenth of an ephah of grain, a quarter-hin of wine
Once a month (Numbers 28)
– Two bulls, three-tenths ephah of flour, half-hin of wine
– One ram, two-tenths ephah of flour, third-hin of wine
– Seven lambs, tenth ephah of flour, quarter-hin of wine
Once Each Harvest (Nehemiah 10:38)
– One-tenth of Israel’s tithe from crops and animals (1%)
Once a Year (Numbers 28)
– Two bulls, Three-tenths of an ephah of flour
– One ram, two-tenths of flour
– Seven lambs, one-tenth of flour



...to get a bigger offering, then the whole congregation is put in limbo about the tithe doctrine.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Most UPC Churches did not let this doctrine in, but some small sections allowed it in awhile back.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

But that is what they have done. For somebody who has never heard of this doctrine, you’re coming up to speed. My understanding is that the half shekel was ten of their least coins. So in USA money it might be equal to a dime. You are correct, it was a one time offering after the Israelites came out of Egypt. A little scriptural gymnastics delivered with an anointing from I can only guess where, and you have a five percent offering for life, loaded on the backs of the faithful, by the snake 🐍 oil salesmen (modern day Pharisees) of the modern apostolic church. I think this doctrine may be unique to the apostolics. Aren’t we special?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Just one question. Is this beginning to sound familiar?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

What was his name?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

You are the very last person in the world I would tell. No offense of course.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Tithemeister, my 1st pastor had me in a pre baptismal meeting, which explained prerequisites to be baptized.

Agreeing to tithe was one of them.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Tell me. I won’t tell EB. 😇

Seriously. Who will ultimately take credit for this heresy. SE probably could say something. He may not. I noticed on another thread that he asserted that it was made up of whole cloth. I agree.

Anyway I just have a feeling he knows. Maybe he considered it. Maybe he rejected it at the first suggestion. But he has a clear opinion, which tells me he has knowledge at some level. He seems to be interested in the history of the apostolic faith as well. He would probably have an interesting perspective. Why don’t one of y’all wake him up.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I will pm you

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

This is incredible to me! Where is the shame?

You are saved by grace through faith and the sweat of your brow. No money, no salvation.

I have studied the word freely in relation to salvation. It is amazing how many times they are used together. In the Greek, Hebrew, Portuguese, or whatever you wanna call it,

Freely means without cost. The middle man is where the cost comes in. Imagine a business where you get the product for free and are able to charge 10 percent of the GDP. That business model only exists within the church.

I’m sorry to hear your story Sean. Stories like this are not nearly as uncommon as they should be. It truly should never be named among us.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

That's because your stories are lies.

You have already had one individual join this forum just to post that you are a embellisher. No offense of course. :)

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

He was a product of WABC, and I have heard many over the years from that College and era speak similar language about salvation being tied to tithing. My uncle, a pastor, sat on the couch with me one day, saying that if I don't tithe, I will go straight to hell.

I finally had enough of the bully pulpit.

I can tell these kinda stories all night.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

See what I mean about DB now?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I used to attend a church that had 15 minute offerings that bashed the poor saints with curses from Malachi.

I will never forget the elder taking the offering saying, "God is gonna curse ya church!"

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Sean, you have been caught in lies before.

Why does every tithe thread have to have some of your horror stories about nameless pastors?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

Sean, just how many churches did you attend since you first walked into a Pentecostal church?

Lemon praised the threads that they were about discussion concerning the topic. Not about ranting, about needless garbage. Can you ever get over yourself? Ever?

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I give those details to Tithemeister in a PM.

You are too crazy to give names to.

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

And DB, you are truly crazy...
Lol

Re: Questions about the half shekel/temple offerin
 

I hope he checks your story out.

Because we have caught you way too many times.