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I give every month to feed the poor and I give to Pre-born. I’ve given a long time to Saint Jude’s, wounded warrior, and other organizations on and off. Does the Lord consider this a tithe or a gift? I’ve often wondered about that. Is it absolutely necessary to tithe to a specific church?
What Is Tithing?
A tithe is a portion (10%) of your income given to your local church. (The word tithe literally means tenth in Hebrew.) Because the custom of tithing is biblical, many Christians and Jews practice it as part of their faith.
Leviticus 27:30 (TLB) says, “A tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit, is the Lord’s, and is holy.” And Proverbs 3:9 (NIV) says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.”
Don’t let those gardening metaphors throw you off. What these verses are really saying is that you should give a portion (specifically a tenth) of whatever you make back to God. And that word firstfruits is just a biblical way of saying that you should give first—before you do anything else with your money.
The Bible explains that tithing is an important part of faith for those who follow God and that your tithe should be money you set aside first. That’s why Giving is the first category you’ll see when you open our budgeting app, EveryDollar—because when you tithe before making a plan with the rest of your money, you’re making it a priority instead of an afterthought. You’re giving your firstfruits instead of your leftovers.
What’s the Difference Between Tithes and Offerings?
I know tithes and offerings are grouped together a lot, but they’re definitely not the same thing. A tithe is a specific amount (10% of your income) that you give first, and an offering is anything extra that you give beyond that.
After you’ve tithed and paid all your bills and expenses for the month, you can use any extra money in your budget to give even more! This can look like giving a cash offering to your church above and beyond your normal tithe, giving money to a charity you support, giving to a friend in need, or giving your time and skills by volunteering.
Why Should I Tithe?
The Bible tells us that tithing is a way to show that we trust God with our lives and our finances. Because here’s the deal: Tithing isn’t for God’s benefit. He doesn’t need our money. Instead, tithing is meant for our benefit, because sacrificing a portion of our income reminds us to rely on God to meet our needs. Plus, it makes us more aware of the needs of others.
In fact, supporting the needs of pastors and the work of the local church is one of the main reasons behind tithing. When you tithe, it helps your local church actively be the church by helping others.
Giving encourages a grateful and generous spirit and can help steer us away from greed and discontent. Plus, I always say that being outrageously generous is the most fun you’ll ever have with money. And it starts with that 10%.
And that’s key here: We don’t have to tithe to earn God’s love—because we already have it. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus warns against focusing too much on the rules of tithing without paying attention to the more important things like justice, mercy and faithfulness. This isn’t about a rule. This is about your heart.
Bottom line? You should be giving in some way. But tithing is more of a spiritual topic than a financial one. It’s about living with the attitude that we’ve been blessed to be a blessing.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
1. If I don’t go to church, should I still donate 10% of my income?
If I’m going by the definition here, giving 10% of your income to anything other than the local church isn’t technically a tithe—it’s just a nice gift. But I’d encourage anyone to live generously. And there are plenty of ministries and organizations that are doing great work and could benefit from your gifts.