THE HARD QUESTIONS!

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THE HARD QUESTIONS!

• ANSWERED

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COMMENTS - QUESTIONS - TESTIMONIES
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OBJECTIVES

• To provide Biblical insights and principles that
  may assist us in our delivery of stewardship
  education, and respond to real questions raised
  by church members.
• To increase our learning capacity in the area of
  financial stewardship and education.

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QUESTION ONE

• Does it matter which conference I send my tithe
  to - as long as I am returning the Lords tithe?
• Background An expatriate sending his tithe back
  home and giving only offerings locally.

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QUESTION TWO

• Can online giving reduce the worshipfulness of
  tithing? Can it cause members to return tithe on
  credit? What other challenges can online giving
  present to tithing?
• Members incorrectly thought that online giving
  was going straight to the GC and had concerns
  about correctness.

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QUESTION THREE

• Should I give my tithe to supporting ministries,
  or return it to the local church?
• Based on what I thought (the GC President) said,
  I heard that tithes should be given to the
  local church not to supporting ministries..." I
  was an active church member for years due to
  several things that occurred I slipped away from
  attending or keeping the Sabbath. Approximately a
  year half ago I came across 3ABN the local
  (Oregon) Better Life Broadcasting Network. I felt
  compelled to send my tithes offerings to BLBN,
  Light Bearers Ministry, AWR Maranatha. I am
  not attending any church at this time but am
  keeping the Sabbath at home.

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QUESTION FOUR

• Is the giving or a returning of a second tithe
  mandated by the church or scripture?
• There are church members around the world who
  consider the giving of a second tithe biblical,
  and would therefore see this practice as a sign
  of spiritual maturity.

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QUESTION FIVE

• Are fundraising activities disallowed/discouraged
  by the church, or unbiblical?
• Does resorting to fundraising not show that our
  understanding of systematic benevolence is
  falling short?

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QUESTION SIX

• Is it church practice for the local congregation
  to loan money to church members?
• A sisters father who was not a believer
  committed suicide. He had a big loan from a
  financial company. she and her mother were not
  able to settle it, therefore, she borrowed money
  from the local church and payed by installment
  without interest.
• There are two deacons who wanted to start a
  business but they did not have enough money.  As
  they didn't want to pay any interest they
  borrowed money from the local church. They payed
  by installment to the church without interest.

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QUESTION SEVEN

• Why is there very little mention of tithe and
  tithing in the New Testament?
• Hebrews 71-10 Luke 1812 Matthew 2223, Luke
  1142 1Corinthians 913.

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QUESTION EIGHT

• Is tithe used exclusively to pay ministers, or
  are there other uses for tithe?
• Unmotivated question from a church member.

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QUESTION NINE

• Shouldnt the church clerk or the pastors
  secretary be paid from tithe?
• There is a strong push by some big congregations
  in some Western countries to pay certain people
  working and providing support services at the
  local congregation with tithe funds.

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QUESTION TEN

• How should I calculate tithe on the sale of a
  property?
• I BOUGHT A HOUSE ABOUT 8 YEARS AGO FOR 120,000
  (MORTGAGED). LAST MONTH I SOLD THE HOUSE FOR
  140,000. THE BALANCE OF THE MORTGAGE WAS
  103,000, SO I RECEIVED 33,000.  SHOULD I TITHE
  BASED ON THE DIFFERENCE OF 20,000 OR BASED ON
  THE 33,O0O THAT I RECEIVED? OR, SHOULD I TAKE IN
  CONSIDERATION THAT I PAYED THE AMOUNT OF AROUND
  750.OO MONTHLY FOR THE MORTGAGE (PRINCIPAL AND
  INTEREST) FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS WHICH IS ABOUT
  72,000?

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QUESTION ELEVEN

• Do we pay tithe on gross or net earnings? Do we
  deduct rent/mortgage, health insurance and
  groceries before tithing?

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QUESTION TWELVE

• How does the tax deduction for tithe affect my
  tithing?