Tithes, Offerings, and Alms Giving

Last week, our congregation listened to the first of three Temple-Talks regarding stewardship. Often stewardship is approached as a fund raiser for the church, but that diminishes its true role in the life of faith. Properly understood, stewardship is our faithful response to all that God has done.

You may often hear about tithes, offerings and alms giving, but these three terms have different meanings. Taken together, they describe biblical stewardship.

The Bible describes tithes as a mandatory obligation placed upon the people of God to support the worship life of the community. A tithe was 10 percent of what the land produced and was understood as already belonging to the Lord. In Israel, tithes were given to the Levites as their inheritance for serving in the tent of meeting, the precursor of the Temple. Today, a tithe would be considered what members of the church give to support the daily operations of a congregation.

Offerings, on the other hand, were considered voluntary, discretionary gifts given beyond the tithe to support the community’s faith life. When invited, the Lord asked the people to give an offering according to how their hearts moved them. Paul, when he wrote that God loves a cheerful giver, was writing about offerings. Today, an offering would be considered a special appeal to support a congregation such as a building fund, roof repair, or other special ministry.

Alms giving is a third form of stewardship that is focused on the poor. As such, it flows from personal compassion. The worship needs of the community are no longer the focus. Instead, alms giving provides direct aid to individuals in need and brings to life Jesus command to love the neighbor. Today, alms giving would be considered direct aid to those in need such as our recent Blanket, Agape, and Orangeville Manor appeals.

“What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?”