We attended a particular church from 2010-2013 (over 3 years), for the first two years I attended there I gave roughly 20% of my gross business income in offerings to that church, which amounted to between 200-300 dollars a month. I refuse to say I "tithed" because I simply do not believe in that teaching. On my checks or offering envelopes I always write "General Offering". On my yearly giving statement it always showed my "tithes" for the year as zero.
Well, in late 2011 my business income vanished for good. I was left with subsisting on about a thousand dollars a month with a wife and 2 kids. My wife did not work because we had one car. At the exact same time this happened, our pastor got up in December of 2011 and told the church that he had not taken a salary for 2 month due to a slump in offerings. Many people's incomes had dried up. But he appealed for sacrificial giving lest the bank have to foreclose, etc etc. I felt horrible because I knew I was going to have to let him know that my giving was about to plummet. Long story short, he blamed my financial woes on a "lack of giving" even after I let the cat out of the bag that I had been giving 20% of my gross business income up until that point. That fact had no effect on his stoic mind set. So we ended up leaving there. Just the other day that church spent 18 grand on new stage lighting.
Jump ahead to now. We have been attending a much smaller church since 2013, about 30 people (after 12 years). The pastor is the former assistant of the church we left. He also had been hurt by that pastor.
My financial situation has gotten no better except for having eliminated some debt. I live off of pert time work. I finally had to buy a new car as my 2002 Chevy with 210 thousand miles is dying. We have lived rent free in my sister's mobile home for 6 years but she sold it and we have to be out by Oct 8. So we are moving in with my 84 yr old dad temporarily which will put us 36 miles from our church and my work. I literally made 100 dollars over the summer and am just getting some sub teaching jobs which is my only income. My pastor knows my situation. But that "stoic" thinking on tithing is rearing its ugly head anyway. One cannot tithe on what they have not made. I have not asked for help nor do I desire it. I just try to be faithful to church and be a loving servant to my brothers. Somehow that is not good enough. My wife is furious and ready to leave. What is wrong with these "leaders"? My "tithes" since June 20 would only be 32 dollars to begin with. I'll gladly give it next payday. But you see my point, and so should they.
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