Pastors move to withhold/lessen SFC offerings in protest of NAYC

[stmatthew]

Originally Posted by redeemedcynic84

but we aren't actually told where the tithe is suppose to go to...

Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].

Originally Posted by stmatthew

Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].

the offering bag being passed around on Sunday mornings is not a "storehouse"...

The Bible never tells us who exactly it should go to, especially not in the New Testament where the priesthood really doesn't exist anymore (other than the whole Body of Christ is the priesthood)

Originally Posted by Sheltiedad

I have 3 dogs... every 3 years, I will bring a 10th of my extra dogs (a 10th of anything over 3 for the first 3 years, etc.) to the church. I will then expect that portion of dog(s) to be distributed among everyone who works in the ministry in that church.

the tithes is for the priest class...

But in the New Testament the whole church is the priest class...

So it shouldn't just be among the ministry of the church, it really should be among the whole church since the tithe is for the priest class...

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

I think you folks still have not figured out that the tithe is the Lords, and he tells you were to take it to. It is not up to you to put it anywhere else. You do not have that option. Offerings YES, Tithe NO.

So the tithe should go to WEC? Kind of like the pattern that the Mormons follow? The "storehouse" in Malachi was the storehouse ajacent to the Temple sanctuary. The tithe of Israel supported the centralized system of worship. If a Levite was ever found to be withholding a part of the tithe and not sending it along to HQ, he was in fact "robbing God."

We collect and allocate funds in a very de-centralized fashion. We have individual pastors who proclaim the local "shrine" or "high place" (the local church) to be the "House of God." We in fact practice the very system of de-centralized worship that the OT prophets so often railed against. I think that we should keep that in mind when telling people to bring the Lord's portion to any particular "storehouse."

But your points are well made.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by redeemedcynic84

the tithes is for the priest class...

But in the New Testament the whole church is the priest class...

So it shouldn't just be among the ministry of the church, it really should be among the whole church since the tithe is for the priest class...

You point out one of the most troubling aspects in our attempts to really implement the practices of the NT church. The NT believers were Communistic in their approach to this world's goods.

Of course, a study of human history shows that Capitalism has in fact created more wealth and made more of that wealth available for the Church's use. So by breaking away from the NT financial model we have actually done more good for the spread of the Gospel message.

But the paradox here is uncomfortable.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by pelathais

You point out one of the most troubling aspects in our attempts to really implement the practices of the NT church. The NT believers were Communistic in their approach to this world's goods.

Of course, a study of human history shows that Capitalism has in fact created more wealth and made more of that wealth available for the Church's use. So by breaking away from the NT financial model we have actually done more good for the spread of the Gospel message.

But the paradox here is uncomfortable.

What a paradox!!!!

Our economy is incompatible with the economy of the bible, in my opinion... how do you determine your increase when your net worth is in the negative due to home loans, credit cards, auto loans, etc.?

If an "increase" in bible times meant you had 10 apples and three years later you had actually eaten 1000 apples over that time period but you had 40 in your possession at the end of the 3 year mark, wouldn't you tithe on the increase of 30 apples, which would be 3 apples? Or would you tithe on 1030 apples, for a tithe of 103 apples?

The apples you ate over the three years would be an expense...

just as if they counted their sheep in bible times and then counted them 3 years later... did they count the ones that they had eaten or had died, etc. during that period? Or did they only tithe on the ones that were actually in the headcount at the 3 year mark?

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by Sheltiedad

Our economy is incompatible with the economy of the bible, in my opinion... how do you determine your increase when your net worth is in the negative due to home loans, credit cards, auto loans, etc.?
If an "increase" in bible times meant you had 10 apples and three years later you had actually eaten 1000 apples over that time period but you had 40 in your possession at the end of the 3 year mark, wouldn't you tithe on the increase of 30 apples, which would be 3 apples?

The apples you ate over the three years would be an expense... just as if they counted their sheep in bible times and then counted them 3 years later... did they count the ones that they had eaten or had died, etc. during that period? Or did they only tithe on the ones that were actually in the headcount at the 3 year mark?

Excactly. Good thoughts.

[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

What a paradox!!!!

Are they argyle?

[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by pelathais

You point out one of the most troubling aspects in our attempts to really implement the practices of the NT church. The NT believers were Communistic in their approach to this world's goods.

Of course, a study of human history shows that Capitalism has in fact created more wealth and made more of that wealth available for the Church's use. So by breaking away from the NT financial model we have actually done more good for the spread of the Gospel message.

But the paradox here is uncomfortable.

Was it the NT Church Worldwide or the NT church at Jerusalem that sold what they had and had all things common?

And wouldn't it be Capitalistic to sell your positions instead of just dividing them up amongst the group?