Day 2

Bruce Miller, author

This week, we are reprinting Chapter 2 of  Bruce Miller’s book, Giving: Three Questions. We’re answering the question, “To whom should you give?”

Today we’re going to consider the first priority for giving that the Bible outlines.

There are three places that have biblical, divine priority. The first is to your church family.

To your church family

In the Old Testament, before the founding of the church, God’s people were to support the temple, including providing for the priests and Levites who served in the temple. The priests and temple workers would be roughly equivalent to church staff today.

In the New Testament, over 90 percent of the references to “church” (in Greek, ekklesia) are to local, visible organized communities of people. The book of Acts records the founding and multiplying of local churches. There were no parachurch ministries, no schools, mission agencies or radio ministries. The biblical passages on giving are written to local churches, such as the church in Corinth.

Consider the nature of the local church. Biblically, the church is the family of the Father, the body of Jesus Christ the Son, and the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is not simply one more non-profit organization created by humans. Rather, the church is a divine entity like marriage and family. Other good ministries and organizations are not parallel to the church nor do they replace the church. Churches are supernatural. So local churches today are divine organisms who are God’s primary expression of his kingdom. And as such, your local church deserves priority in your financial giving.

The church is your spiritual family. Giving should start with your family. Every member in a healthy family contributes to the family. And rightly, you put family first.

Further, the Bible makes it clear that you have a responsibility to financially support those who teach, lead and care for you in local churches. To the Galatians, Paul writes,

Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor (Galatians 6:6).

And he gave direction to Timothy for the church in Ephesus,

 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor [a reference to financial support], especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages” (1 Timothy 5:17–18).

Let me just confess that it is awkward to make this point as one who serves as a pastor in a local church, but it’s the truth. Biblically, if you are being ministered to by church staff, you should financially support them so they can devote their time to teach and care for you and your children.

After extensive study on giving, in one of the most well-regarded books on the topic, author Gene Getz concludes, “The local church should be God’s primary context for both systematic giving and maintaining accountability in the area of material possessions.”[1] He advises, “A good rule of thumb is for Christians to give at least 10 percent of their income to their local churches before they support additional ministries.”[2] Christian author Randy Alcorn says similarly, “Normally, I believe, the firstfruits, or tithe, should go directly to the local church.”[3] Whether the amount is 10 percent or not, I agree with Getz and Alcorn that the biblical priority is to give to your local church as your spiritual family. The second biblical priority is to give to those in need.

We’ll explore giving to those in need tomorrow.

Reflect

• How does the truth that your local church is your spiritual family, guide the priority of your giving?

• Do you give regularly to your local church? Why or why not?

[1] Gene A. Getz, Real Prosperity (Moody Press, Chicago, 1990), 124.

[2] Getz, Rich in Every Way (Howard Publishing, West Monroe, Louisiana, 2004), 314.

[3] Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions and Eternity (Tyndale House, Wheaton, Illinois, 1989), 268.