The concept of tithing is not new to me and was not an easy concept for me to embrace. Being a believer since I was 16, lets just say that was over 30 years ago, I was taught that giving 10% is part of the responsibility as a believer. However starting out when I was young, it scared me so bad to think that I would not be able to pay my bills and give "that much". So I told God that I really really wanted to obey and do this but I was so afraid of what might happen. I made a deal with him, I would start out giving $50 a pay period and work my way up to the full tithe. I did just that, within a year I did it. Sometimes we just don't have enough courage or faith to do what we should. But God is patient with us and will see our heart. Well, God never let me down and I always had my financial needs met. I view this as an act of obedience to his word and most importantly I view this as an act of worship, I love to give these funds to God.
I recently learned something new; who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? You see I have been giving a long time but I divided up the tithe in different directions. When I first came to Atlee, my first thought is wow, this place is pretty big and they probably don't need the funds like maybe somewhere else? Little did I know that the number of tithers at this church is surprisingly small, very small. To be really honest, I was shocked. I also came to find out that this church has such a focus on the unchurched, those that gave up on church that the mindset for the majority of folks is that all churches just want your money. When my small group began to study this subject matter and I saw that Malachi 3:10 scripture again, I was very familar with it. As a matter of fact I made mention in my small group that this was the only scripture that I could think of that says to test God. Then I noticed something else, that scripture says, "Bring the WHOLE tithe to the storehouse that there may be food in my house, test me in this." That hit me like a ton of bricks, since this is the only church I hang out at, I needed to make a change. So I did and I look forward to a day soon when I will be able to give way beyond that 10%! I know that the funds will used appropriately, I have seen the evidence of this.
You see, I am here at Atlee because I know that this church cares about those who are lost. That is the same idea that the early church had, to reach those far from God. I consider myself fortunate to be here.
2012 will be a phenomenal year at Atlee!
Blessings to you and the staff,
I recently learned something new; who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? You see I have been giving a long time but I divided up the tithe in different directions. When I first came to Atlee, my first thought is wow, this place is pretty big and they probably don't need the funds like maybe somewhere else? Little did I know that the number of tithers at this church is surprisingly small, very small. To be really honest, I was shocked. I also came to find out that this church has such a focus on the unchurched, those that gave up on church that the mindset for the majority of folks is that all churches just want your money. When my small group began to study this subject matter and I saw that Malachi 3:10 scripture again, I was very familar with it. As a matter of fact I made mention in my small group that this was the only scripture that I could think of that says to test God. Then I noticed something else, that scripture says, "Bring the WHOLE tithe to the storehouse that there may be food in my house, test me in this." That hit me like a ton of bricks, since this is the only church I hang out at, I needed to make a change. So I did and I look forward to a day soon when I will be able to give way beyond that 10%! I know that the funds will used appropriately, I have seen the evidence of this.
You see, I am here at Atlee because I know that this church cares about those who are lost. That is the same idea that the early church had, to reach those far from God. I consider myself fortunate to be here.
2012 will be a phenomenal year at Atlee!
Blessings to you and the staff,
P.C.
My understanding and conviction is that the tithe should always go to your church. Anything above the tithe is considered an offering and can go to further support your church or other organizations.
At Atlee your generosity goes along way. Thanks to your faithfulness we have an incredible Children's Ministry that not only focuses on children but the whole family as well. We provide a place for Middle and High School students to connect with each other and find support while discovering their worth in Christ. We have numerous small groups meeting through out the week where hundreds of adults do life together in Biblical community.We have numerous missions projects both locally and abroad. We offer a relevant Sunday service where people can explore, experience and express God's grace in a safe environment and not be embarrassed to invite friends to. And we are always growing and trying new things to better reach people who are far from God and need to know how much they matter to him.
All that to say I can't think of a better place for you to invest in than your church!
To hear some more amazing stories check out http://youtu.be/OqevtiNpsB0
To hear some more amazing stories check out http://youtu.be/OqevtiNpsB0
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