A couple of months ago, while scrolling through WhatsApp status messages in an attempt to kill boredom, I came across a status that had a post from one of Africa’s ‘leading apostles’ that said, “Do not give to the poor what belongs to God.“
After I had recovered from the shock of that statement, I realized that most Christians do not know what Christian giving (colloquially known as giving to God) is. Most think giving to God happens only in the Church or is what we do when we take our tithes and offerings to Church.
This Pastor also thinks in a similar way. By his statement, he meant that we should not give what is ‘supposed’ to be given in the Church to the poor. The Pastor didn’t realize he was separating giving to God from giving to the poor. He limited giving to God to only that which we give in a church building, but not that which we give to the poor.
This kind of separation, where our actions that do not directly relate to our worship of God in the Church are not considered as actions towards Him, is not limited to giving only. It is seen also in how we relate to one another, how we worship, and how conduct ourselves as Christians. We only concentrate on those things directly related to God, like prayer, worship on Sunday, singing hymns or Christian songs, etc., and leave out the rest that relate to our neighbours. In many ways, we are like the Pastor.
Where does this thinking come from?
There are two primary sources of this type of thinking, and both are a result of a wrong understanding of scripture.
The first is the Old Testament sacrificial system. Under that system, all the tithes and offerings (first fruit, free will, sin offering, purification offering, peace offering, etc.) were taken to the Temple. They were used in the daily, weekly, and monthly worship of God through the daily sacrifices offered in the morning and evening.
The offerings were also to help sustain the Levites who had been called to priestly service by God. The Levites were not given an inheritance (land) among the people, so the offerings brought to the Temple were a means by which God provided for them. They offered part of the offering and took the rest.
From this, pastors, perhaps concerned for their welfare, have instructed people to bring their tithes and offerings to the Church. Now, there is nothing wrong with taking offerings to the Church (as we shall see shortly), but some, like the Pastor mentioned above, have taken the concept beyond what scripture teaches.
The second reason for this type of thinking is what Jesus said in Mark 14:6-7 and Matthew 26:11, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.” Jesus said this after a woman had poured perfume on Him, and some of His disciples were disgruntled at her actions.
So, because of what Jesus says about her actions and the poor, some people have interpreted this to mean that giving to God is not giving to the poor. However, in doing so, they do not consider what Jesus says about giving to the poor elsewhere.
Both applications of scripture do not consider God’s commandments regarding the poor in the Old and New Testaments. For example, Proverbs 19:17 says that whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and Leviticus 23:22 instructs the Israelites not to harvest all the crops in their fields but to leave some for the poor and the orphans. Clearly, this type of thinking is not biblical.
How does God relate to His Church?
Colossians 1:18 says that Jesus is “the head of the body, the Church.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 then goes on to define what that body is, “For in one Spirit we were all baptised into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” The Church is not a building or a place where people meet to worship God on Sunday or whatever day they choose. It is the people who have believed in His Son.
When we separate God and His Church, we attempt to sever the head from the body, as though the head can be separate from its body. But that is not what the Bible does. By using phrases like “in Him,” “through Him,” and “for Him,” the Bible shows that the identity of the Church is not separate from God. Without Him, there is no Church.
If the Church’s identity is from God, then what the Church does and what happens to it matters to God as actions towards or against Him. In Acts 9:4, Jesus asked Paul, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Paul wasn’t persecuting Jesus in person. He was persecuting believers, yet Jesus appeared to Him and said that persecution was against Him. So, we cannot separate God from the Church.
So, what is Christian giving?
It is giving to the poor
In Matthew 25:31-46, the final judgement, Jesus told His disciples that He would send away many people on the last day because they did not help their poor and needy brethren. But those who do will be welcomed into the Kingdom because, by their actions, these people will be revealed to be God’s blessed and righteous people.
Those who are sent away and those who are welcomed into the Kingdom of God will ask the same question: “When did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, in prison…” Both are given the same answer: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Jesus connects people’s actions towards the poor, the needy, etc., to their actions towards Him.
There are several other passages where Jesus speaks about giving to the poor, e.g. Matthew 6:1-2, 1 Timothy 5:3, Ephesians 4:28 and many others.
It is giving to missions and missionaries
Perhaps the most underfunded part of ministry is missionary work. Many of us forget that the gospel came to us because of the dedication of people who chose to leave their countries to go to unknown places, facing many challenges and putting their lives at risk. They did not have all the resources, but people funded their missionary work and took care of their needs, both locally and from their countries.
That same work is still going on today, and like those missionaries who were funded, we, too, need to support missionaries who are going out of our churches. The gospel has not fully penetrated many places, even in Uganda, e.g., the Ik and Dodoth in Kaabong, the Jie in Kotido, the Matheniko, Bokora, and Tepeth in Moroto, the Aringa in Yumbe, the Batwa in Southwestern Uganda, and the Nubians in Bombo.
There are also immigrant communities like the Somalis, Gujarati Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese etc. These all need to hear the gospel and missionaries to these communities need funding. Lest we forget, there are many communities that are still unreached worldwide.
Paul commends the Church in Philippi for joining him in ministry. They were the only Church that “entered into a partnership” with him concerning the gospel by taking care of his needs. For that, he commends them for sharing in his troubles (Philippians 4:14). We are to do likewise.
It is giving to all gospel work e.g. organizations involved in ministry
‘And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. ‘ Luke 16:9
Many do not consider supporting Christian organizations that are not churches as giving to God. Some organizations may not be directly involved in missionary work but are actively involved in gospel work, either through the training of missionaries or pastors or equipping the saints. Others are involved in several aspects of the gospel that are relevant to the Church, e.g. apologetics, theological research, Christian Ethics, etc. These, too, need support, and giving to them is part of Christian giving.
In Luke 16:9, Jesus tells his disciples to use their wealth to make friends who will receive them into the Kingdom. The idea is that unbelievers are enemies of God and as such, enemies of His Church. We make them friends by preaching the gospel, through which God works in their hearts to get them to believe the message of His gospel.
Spreading the gospel requires so much work that a few people cannot do it alone. By supporting these organizations, we broaden the gospel’s reach. We may not realize the impact of our giving, but Jesus tells us that we shall know when we get to heaven. Therefore, we should support these organizations in any way we can.
Yes, it is also giving to our pastors and in church
1 Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching.” They have dedicated their lives to preaching and teaching the word of God, and they must be supported.
There are also many administrative tasks in the Church that require money. We are the ones who attend these churches, and so we must provide the funds to ensure the smooth running of these places of worship.
Final thoughts
There are many other ways that Christians can give. These are not the only ones to consider. What is important to note is that Christian giving isn’t only what we do when we go to church.
Also, Christians are called to give generously and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7). If you struggle with giving, remember that you have a gracious and loving Father who bids us to go boldly before His throne of grace. Go to Him in prayer and ask Him to change your heart to one inclined to giving.