Tithing and offering is Biblically mandated, but encouraging your congregation to practice that spiritual discipline can be tricky for many pastors.
While we don’t often like to talk about money, leading your church in the spiritual discipline of giving is part of a holistic discipleship.
These Scriptures can help your church think about giving before your next offering time.
Scriptures on Giving Generously
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; – Proverbs 3:9
All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. – Proverbs 21:26
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Luke 6:38
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. – 1 Timothy 6:17-19
And He said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. – Luke 12:15
Verses on Giving with Joy
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. – 2 Corinthians 9:7
The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; – Psalm 37:21
Verses on Giving Sacrificially
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” – Mark 12:41-44
If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? – James 2:15-16
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – Matthew 6:21
Verses on Trusting God to Provide
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. – Malachi 3:10
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth” – Genesis 28:20-22
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ – Acts 20:35
You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. – Deuteronomy 15:10
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. – Proverbs 11:24-25
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. – Acts 2:44-45
A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. – Leviticus 27:30
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. – Hebrews 13:16
In every way, I showed you that by working hard like this we should help the weak and remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” – Acts 20:35
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” – Matthew 19:21
Encouraging your congregation to give is more important than just covering operating expenses. Money has a profound effect on our souls – if we hold onto it, it can kill our spiritual lives, but when we live generously, it can fuel our mission as believers.
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