Christians don’t have to pay tithes from their stimulus check. Even though some preachers demand 10 percent of your income, the government stimulus money isn’t income. If you want to give from your stimulus check, you can. It’s your choice because giving is a voluntary act.
The coronavirus or COVID-19 crisis has hit many churches and churchgoers very hard. Specifically, the nationwide log down and stay-at-home orders have nearly crashed the US economy. Because of this, many Christians have lost jobs and income. In turn, the church has dramatically declined tithes and offerings.
Many Believers are receiving economic stimulus money from the US Department of Treasury. As a Christian who wants to support your local church, you may wonder if you must tithe from the stimulus. The answer is no because no biblical mandate requires New Testament Christians to tithe gifts of money.
Table of Contents
- Watch the Video
- A Desperate Pastor Demands His Church Pay Tithes
- A Bad Example of Christian Giving
- Financial Stewardship During COVID-19 Crisis
- A Time to Give Thanks
- Recap
- Find Out More
Watch the Video
A Desperate Pastor Demands His Church Pay Tithes
There is a saying, “Desperate people do desperate things.” Well, some preachers fall into this category. We saw this recently with a pastor in Louisiana named Tony Spell. He made major news headlines when he encouraged his congregation to donate all their stimulus checks to the church to help support “evangelists and missionaries” who did receive stimulus money. While he may have had good intentions, his approach was misguided.
A Bad Example of Christian Giving
Pastor Spells’ actions promote poor financial stewardship. Think about it. He didn’t ask for 10%. He asked his congregation to give ALL their stimulus money to the church. This puts believers in a position of possibly neglecting their household needs. As we stated in our previous article about tithing and paying debt, Scripture frowns upon neglecting household responsibilities.
The pastor’s actions overlook the purpose of the stimulus checks. Congress passed the Cares Act of 2020, which President Trump signed into legislation. This approved Economic Impact Payments of $1,200 to individuals earning $75,000 a year or less.
The purpose of the money is to provide direct financial assistance to workers and their families. Many churchgoers are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. So, asking them to donate all their stimulus money is unjustifiable.
Financial Stewardship During COVID-19 Crisis
Good financial stewardship is more important than ever. Relatively speaking, $1,200 is not a lot of money. When you’re unemployed, in debt, and behind in your bills, $1,200 can only stretch so far. Even though the lockdown/stay-at-home restrictions are slowly being lifted, we don’t know how long it will take for full economic recovery.
Take inventory of your current situation. Use the $1,200 wisely. Do what makes sense for you and your family. If you desire to donate some of the money to your local church, then do so. However, don’t compromise the needs of your family in the process. While giving is encouraged, do so with wisdom (2 Corinthians 8: 13-14).
A Time to Give Thanks
God didn’t establish a 10% tithe mandate for poor Christians. We have an article explaining who enforced tithing onto the Christian church, and it wasn’t God. The Lord never ordained the payment of tithes from money. This applies to ancient Israel and the New Testament Church. The ancient Hebrews paid tithes for agricultural products and livestock. Christians didn’t tithe but were encouraged to give what they could afford (Acts 11:29).
Additionally, the $1,200 stimulus money is a gift. It was given to you by God through the U.S. government. Remember, God is the source, not a man or his institutions. So, if you don’t do anything else, give God a prayer of thanksgiving for the $1,200 (if you haven’t done so already). Your gratitude means more to God than any money in a church treasury. You can learn more about tithing on gifts of money here.
Recap
Do you need to tithe from your stimulus money? No, you don’t. The purpose of the money is to help meet the financial needs of your household. Use the money for food, bills, and other living expenses. You must take care of your family first. If you can give (not tithe) to your local church, then do so.
The stimulus money is a gift. The $1,200 is a monetary gift because you didn’t have to do anything to earn it. There is no biblical mandate requiring you to tithe from financial gifts. So, the $1,200 stimulus money is all yours. Use as you see fit, according to the needs of your household.
God doesn’t want you to sacrifice the needs of your family. What matters most is thanking him for the $1,200 provision.
Find Out More
Discover the hidden truth about tithes the church doesn’t want you to know. Click here.
