From August 12, 2007

Andrew Shipley's Discussion on Tithing

So many of us have been really burned or "cheesed off" by pastors standing up in front of us on Sunday mornings demanding that we give our tithes not for their sake but for the sake of our eternal souls. Now I have never been a really trusting person of anyone who asked for your money, especially those that wore thousand dollar suits and were given a police escort to the sanctuary. But if you have been to almost any church in the world money goes into that plate, basket or box. But you see, there is a problem with our idea of tithing.
To the Jew living in the time of Moses a tithe was not the giving up of your blessings that God had given you it was to be brought to the place of worship and spent on a big party celebrating God with all of his people present. Then, every third year it was used as the funding to feed all those who had nothing to eat. One was also supposed to invite the Levites or (priests) to the party [providing for them]. [In Deuteronomy 14:22-28 it says]:
"Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own. At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns."
So why is it that we have become so confused on what our tithes are for?
Well I offer up the idea that maybe it is that we have become caught in Christianity today in the idea of materialism. You see when Jesus was on earth he talked a lot about destroying the temple and that made people mad and so they killed him. But what that they didn't get is that Jesus had become the new temple for us, the new place of worship. We no longer needed to pay for the building of a temple because the temple was Christ and through we no longer need any one to communicate God for us. So the idea that the gentiles of the early church would have tithed ten percent to the temple fund or the payment of the priests would be crazy. So why is it that so many people are constantly asking for more money?
Well honestly I think that most have the best intentions in the world but they are confused on what the purpose of tithing was. So although I do not believe we are required to tithe anymore under the laws of the Old Testament I feel that we have been given the opportunity to give the best of ourselves to God in a very new way. The people of the Old Testament were given a minimum to give to God. But if you read a lot of the gospels than you will find that Jesus was always "one upping" everyone. So no longer do we give ten percent, but we give our entire lives, our bodies our souls, to serving the purposes of the Lord. This doesn't mean handing over a check but living a life that is constantly giving and serving to others. When I think about this life I am so over joyed because under the law I was reminded how selfish I was toward others but under grace I have found out what it means to be unselfish and a goal to move towards.
The idea of the tithe celebration was one that unified the people of Israel. This time of feasting, of drinking and partying was pleasing to God. We as followers of Jesus have new way to join in solidarity with one another. It is called communion. This to a lot of us has been stained with the burdens ritualistic legalism in the past. But this too is meant to be a celebration of grace through Christ Jesus. So today I want us all to eat communion with each other. This is the most ancient of all Christian celebrations and was one Jesus' commandments. So lets have fun and partake in the celebration of our Lord.

Following Andrew's leadership in service, we were able to partake in communion with each other - serving each other, enjoying the relationships that we have, and the common bond we have in following Christ. It was perhaps the most genuine and loving expression of both remembering Christ's sacrifice humbly but celebrating the results of that sacrifice.
We're so grateful for Andrew's willingness to lead and teach us. He's taught all of us about loving others in a practical way, and has some great insight on social justice, and ways you can get involved. As he continues his education in Philadelphia keep him in your thoughts.

To contact Andrew visit him on myspace at myspace.com/kiltedpunk