FAQ- Why should we give?
Our God is gracious. Giving is an act of worship—an opportunity for us to express our thankfulness and devotion to God for his generosity to us. It is also an act of obedience. God has asked us to give. By obeying him we show our willingness to rely upon him to meet all our needs. God also promises to bless us through our giving. We are part of his church and part of making an eternal difference.
Scripture references: 2 Corinthians 8:7-9; Matthew 6:24-31; Malachi 3:8-10
- What is a tithe?
A tithe means “one tenth.” In the Old Testament God teaches that we are to give back to Him, as an expression of love and obedience, a tithe of what he has already given us. The New Testament teaches freewill giving beyond a tithe, or giving as the church has need. Chapel Hill believes in giving 10% of our income to the church as the beginning of our response to God's teaching.
Scripture references: Genesis 14:17-20, 28:22
- Is the tithe on pre-tax or after tax income?
Proverbs 3:9 says to “honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.” We therefore believe that God instructs us to give from the first and best, or pre-tax income, to his work.
Scripture references: Exodus 23:16; 19; Proverbs 3:9
- Can a portion of my tithe go to other Christian ministries?
As a response to the grace of our Lord in your life, we encourage you to give your tithe back to the church family where you give of yourself and where others give to you. If you consider Chapel Hill to be your “church home,” we encourage you to consider giving your tithe to your church. As other ministries do important Christian work, we would encourage offerings beyond your tithe to these organizations.
- If I am giving my time through service, do I still need to tithe?
Yes. We are each specifically gifted with spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving others. Giving of our time in service is an important expression of our dedication to Christ and is not intended by God as a replacement for giving of our income.
Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 12:7
- If I can’t afford to tithe at this time, but want to take the first steps, how do I get started?
Begin by preparing a family budget and asking God to show you how to give back to him while still providing for your needs. Pledge this amount and strive to increase this pledge annually. Over time, you may find that you are able to decrease your needs and move toward a tithe sooner. Our Good Sense Ministry can assist you further in the process of establishing a God honoring budget.
Other resources for our congregation- Wills & Estate Planning Seminar — Faithful stewardship of our families is important for all of us and requires deliberate planning in advance. Come learn the essentials for preparing your will and techniques for planning your estate. The Chapel Hill Foundation hosts free seminars.
- Pastor Mark’s Sermons on Stewardship
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