It was another Sunday. John and Elaine Lewis were in the lounge, awaiting their two high school children to return from Sunday school. They looked quizzically at each other when they heard the two grumbling teenagers coming up the garden path. The two parents sighed when the door was closed, not slammed. "Hi, Mom, Hi Dad" the kids chorused. "You two look quite cheesed off. Susan, did the church fire the young student doing the Youth?" teased Mrs Lewis. "Oh, at least she has one silver ray in her life", grumbled Thomas, the son. "Oh yeah, try and catch a guy's eye when you’re full of hamburger smoke" groaned Susan. "The youth is selling hamburgers and hotdogs next Friday, for the church building fund" explained Thomas. "We had some other real cool plans" lamented Susan. "Whose dumb idea was that church building in any case?". Mr and Mrs Lewis could not do much else than to give a shrug. The efforts of the congregation to keep the church building in their own hands, is more or less the main activity of the medium sized congregation.
The kids ran upstairs. "Hey, come look at the neighbours, it’s that time of the year!" bellowed Thomas, his breaking voice hitting a falsetto on "that". They all know that it’s rude to peep at the neighbours, the Millers, but they can’t help it. "Holy guacamole, they’re filling two cars, a pickup and three trailers this year" they exclaimed. They have watched through the years, how, in a particular month of the year, the Millers would fill their car up with groceries. Initially, the one or two bags went unnoticed. It was noted the year the Beetle was quite packed. The one car became a bigger make, then there were two cars. One year a trailer was added. The eldest son now has his own pick-up.
"After so many years living next to them, have you finally managed to find out what this is all about?" asked Mr Lewis. "I think Thomas could be of some help" said Susan very knowingly. Thomas went bright red, but finally he spoke up. "You know they belong to some weird church…." "We know, the one whose building never gets finished" said the dad. Thomas continued. "Well, actually all together, they’re not so weird. Its just about how they handle money." "Mrs Miller once told me they don’t take up offerings in church" said Elaine Lewis. "Yes, they believe people should give on their own to the poor, the needy, and those who work for God" Thomas explained. Susan interrupted "I once asked our pastor. He said that the Bible says in Malachi, that the offerings should be brought to the house of God". "Do they tithe?" fired Mr Lewis. "One at a time, one at a time" pleaded Thomas. In between talking, they gasped at the Millers carrying out bags full of groceries, and then finally some picnic baskets.
"Lets go down and have some tea" suggested Elaine. "Then Thomas can share all about his new-found lo- I mean knowledge" she said with a twinkle in the eye. Thomas turned another shade of red.
"OK, lets give Thomas a proper chance to tell us what he knows", said John, once everyone was settled with some tea. Thomas started. "The Miller’s church does not prescribe a tithe as such. People are free to give as they feel they want to. Each family is allocated to a certain month. That month is the thanksgiving month for all the families allocated to that month. People give their money, actually food and clothes, throughout the year, or all in that particular month. In the thanksgiving month, the family take some money from the thanksgiving funds, and buy enough food for a meal for the family. They then have a celebration at the church". "They take from the thanksgiving money – no wonder the church is never finished!" exclaimed Elaine. "Hmm, not exactly, but remind me, and I’ll clarify that one later." retorted Thomas. "When they have this celebration together, everybody share what God has done for them during the year. They particularly believe, that whether you give a tithe or not, the principal in the Bible was to share food with the poor, the widows, the foreigner in the land, and the Priests and Levites, or as we know them pastors, missionaries, etc. The emphasise in Malachi is not to bring tithes to the house of God, but that there should be food to eat. That is why grain was tithed in Biblical times. That also explains why Jesus berated the Pharisees for tithing on herbs – herbs do not fill the stomach of the poor. Wine and oil were also tithed, and were considered as basic foodstuffs"."Very interesting indeed" commented Mr Lewis. "What else did you learn from the young Miss Miller?" Thomas was now so carried away, that he did not even blush. "Does the pastor only receive food?" asked Susan. "No, many people contribute financially to their fund, some supply food, clothes, or services, like servicing their cars" "Hmm, I guess he receives a fair amount of vegetables from the Millers’ garden." "So do we John, so do we" smiled Elaine.
"Another question" came from Susan. "Why don’t they just have a fund and buy food from that for the poor?". "I asked her the same" admitted Thomas. "They say that that is the way it was done in Biblical times. By being present when giving to the needy, one receives so much yourself." "I foresee a problem" said Mr Lewis. "This will lead to a lot more patronising and conceited attitudes. It would be better if only the church knew who was in need". Thomas smiled. "We had some discussion about this. Apparently there is such a culture of sharing there, that no-one notices anymore. People help each other with material goods, with looking after each others children, help those who struggle with school subjects, fixing things in the house, the list is endless. However, in Biblical times, parts of the tithes were stored away, should there be drought or famine. A fund is in place, should there be severe need throughout the congregation".
"Well, if you think of it, if we shared all the money in the congregation between ourselves…." Elaine was calculating in her head. John cleared his throat. "At the inter-church meeting earlier this month, well, that church has one of the biggest outreaches to the poor and the needy in this city" "They also support five missionaries – fully" mentioned Thomas. Everyone was quiet for a while.
"Oh" exclaimed Elaine. "What about the church building?". "Building and maintenance is paid with special offerings and gifts – that is how the tabernacle and temple was built. By the way, the building never gets finished, because they are forever expanding" "Their youth go and give hamburgers to the homeless, not sell them for some building" added Susan.
John replied. "We use monthly thanksgiving money, plus all monies raised with sale of foods for the church building, and are fortunate enough to actually pay the pastor. Three times a year we have a special offering for missions, evangelism and the need of the poor. Thomas, will you write down all those verses to do with tithing and giving to the poor. I’ll have a few things to ponder about, and then discuss at the next church meeting."
Biblical references: Malachi 3:10 Deuteronomy 14:22-29; 26:12-14.
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