A few weeks ago, my wife and I were hanging out in the evening and I could tell she needed to tell me something. She initially was reluctant, because she didn’t want to come off as disrespectful - I told her to just say it and speak freely given she is rarely, if ever disrespectful. My wife proceeds to tell me that if there was a handicap in my leadership - it would be leading/teaching on the topic of giving & tithing. She was right. I have not done a good job in leading and teaching on this topic of giving & tithing. As a result, I believe I have withheld spiritual growth in our people and for that I apologize. 

In 2 Corinthians 8:7, Paul says, “Since you excel in so many ways in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us - I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.” - Paul here commends the Corinthians believers for excelling in spiritual gifts and virtues, but he then also urges them to excel in giving. He is treating generosity as a mark of discipleship as it is placed on the same level as faith, knowledge and love, which are all expressions of a Christian’s life.

5 Truths About Giving:

1. Giving to God is technically returning to God
If we don’t first settle on this issue - we will never become generous people for the Kingdom. It is the issue of ownership. That everything we own is on loan, because “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). David says in 1 Chronicles 29:14 that “everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” - That means, we don’t really give anything to God - we are just returning to God what He first gave us. So when  we give, we are bringing back to Him what He gave us first.

2. Giving is for you, NOT the church
When we talk about giving and tithing, it’s easy to think it’s all about keeping the lights on at church. However, the truth is, God doesn’t need our money. He is the God who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10). Giving is less about meeting the church’s needs and more about shaping your heart. We celebrate 4 years as a church family next month and in those 4 years (6 years if you count the bible study days) we’ve never asked for money and the Lord has always provided. That when you give, you are literally putting your money where your mouth is. What you’re doing when you give is you’re declaring that your trust is not in your paycheck, your savings, or your possessions, but in the God who provides all things.

3. Giving is a step of trust
Every time you tithe, it is an act of surrender. You’re essentially saying, “Lord, I believe You can do more with the 90% than I could ever do with the 100%.” It grows your trust in Him, because it forces you to rely on His faithfulness rather than your own control. Over time, you’ll see that giving isn’t a loss - it’s an investment in your faith and in eternity, because God has a way of multiplying what is given to make Kingdom impact.

4. Giving is empowered by grace, NOT guilt
As a church family, we’ve never begged, pressured, or manipulated people into giving. And yet, the Lord has always provided. Why? - Because generosity that is fueled by guilt fades, but generosity that flows from God’s grace lasts. When you remember that you are the recipient of God’s generosity; the cross being the greatest gift; you are freed to give, not reluctantly, but joyfully.

5. Giving births the fruit of generosity
The beauty of giving is that it transforms you. It loosens greed’s grip, increases contentment, and fills you with joy knowing that you’re partnering with God’s mission. 

You and I don’t give to get from God. You give because you’ve already received everything in Christ.