I've always been taught that we should tithe. 10% of our income. 10% of our allowance. 10% of our Christmas bonus. Always money-related, and always to the church first.

But is it really the money? And what defines the 'church'? Is God keeping track of how much money we give to the 'church' or to other ministries? I know the IRS likes to know,but how about God? Is he keeping track?

God's a rich guy. He has access to an endless supply of money if that's the way he chose to operate. If God can have streets of gold up in Heaven, I guess he could have some cash on hand as well if He wanted.

Anyway - if we're giving 'God' all this money, why are so many ministries begging for money? Why are so many churches always hurting for cash? Seems like many of these churches or ministries send us the message that they 'are on the edge of total collapse any day now if we don't send them money'. I for one say - 'let them collapse'.

When the TV and radio guys step into their electronic pulpits and beg for money, I'm wondering - often aloud - why should I send this guy money? So he can stay on the air? So he can beg for more money? To stay on the air? To beg for more money?

It's like a hunger strike. Prisoners go on a hunger strike to protest something. That's their choice. (Explain this to me - we have robbers and thieves and rapers and murderers in prison and they go on a hunger strike. And we're supposed to worry about them? HAH! Let them starve.)Likewise, let the ministries who are financially not viable - collapse. They obviously aren't doing God much good the way they are.

It seems that sometimes God 'tells' these ministers that I should send money. "There's someone out there right now who is going to send in a pledge of $1000. Thank you."

Not me.

If these people want me to send them money, and God told them it was a good thing, fine. Since you mr. ministry person have such a direct line, have God give me a ring and tell me the same thing and the check will be in the mail.

But here's my main question; is it really the money? Could someone give their time as their tithe? Could someone give some old clothes to a needy family as a tithe? Could teaching Sunday school be considered a tithe? Should tithes be given regardless of your heart? But what if all you have is fruit and no money?

Is it OK to send money as a tithe to a radio station that plays neat Christian songs? Or to a 'good' radio preacher (there are 2) who actually touches your heart with God's word? Could that be considered a tithe?

What if you don't have a home church or are not members? Do tithes only count if you're a card carrying member?

What about African people or Vietnamese or Icelanders or Brazilians. Where do they send their tithes and offerings?

What if your 'church' is a group of people who get together in a Bible study? Do you give each couple in the group a cut of your 10 percent?

What if you were raised by wolves and have never read the Bible, and all you've got is a couple of raccoon skulls on the cave wall.

Or could it be that each person's tithe, whether its gifts, money, charity, clothes, time, might be an individual thing? Known only to you and God? I wonder.

I think we would do well to remember that we're not all white and rich and we we don't all have formal churches. There's a big world out there with all kinds of people.

If you're going to give - give because you feel led of God, truly from your heart. Not from shame or guilt . Whether you call it a tithe or offering or love gift or whatever, do it as unto the Lord, not as unto your guilt. And don't let the guy sitting next to you or the guy on stage talk you into it if you don't feel it.

If your church or ministry needs to raise some money I suppose you could do bake sales, car washes, craft sales, quilt sales and book sales. Or you might try to find an old seldom-used prayer tower somewhere, go lock yourself in, and tell the world that God told you personally that you needed people to give $8 million in tithes and offerings really really soon, or God would turn me into toast.

Nah...already been done.

Tithing - what do YOU think?