Thu. Nov 21st, 2024
Unsplash

For most, an occasional sermon about tithing is standard fare. As it turns out though, most American pastors aren’t convinced Christians need to give the customary 10% of their income to the church.

Newly published data from Barna’s “Revisiting the Tithe & Offering,” a section in its The State of Generosity series, found pastors are divided on what tithing should look like for most churchgoers.

Most pastors don’t define giving outside the church as a form of tithing, but a clear majority—70%—said such giving does not need to be solely financial. And when it comes to monetary giving, only 33% believe the traditionally accepted 10% is proper.

It should be noted the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of “tithe” is “a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax, especially for the support of a religious establishment.”

One-in-five pastors (21%) believe the threshold for a proper offering is simply whether it is sacrificial, while 20% said Christians should just give as much as they are willing to offer.

Interestingly, the Barna data—collected after surveying 2,016 U.S. adults from Nov. 12-19, 2021—found that most American Christians don’t have a clear understanding of tithing.

Only 43% of self-described Christians and just 44% of church givers could “decisively” define tithing. However, practicing Christians had a much better grasp of the term, with 59% saying they knew the meaning of the religious term.

As one would expect, 99% of pastors said they understand the concept of tithing, which begs the question: Why is there such a wide gap between pastors’ and churchgoers’ understanding of giving. {eoa}

For the rest of this article, please visit our content partners at faithwire.com.

Related Post

Leave a Reply

Related Podcasts

More News
When Was Hell Prepared?
When Was Hell Prepared?
What Is Spiritual Warfare?
What Is Spiritual Warfare?
The Greatest Spiritual War for the Future Is the Past, Present and Future
The Greatest Spiritual War for the Future Is the Past, Present and Future
Tucker Carlson Shares His Testimony: ‘I Was Mauled by a Demon’
Tucker Carlson Shares His Testimony: ‘I Was Mauled by a Demon’
Mike Signorelli Talks Demonic Possession, Oppression and Generational Curses
Mike Signorelli Talks Demonic Possession, Oppression and Generational Curses
A Night of Unity at Christ Church: Arabs and Jews Worship Jesus Together in Jerusalem
A Night of Unity at Christ Church: Arabs and Jews Worship Jesus Together in Jerusalem
Amanda Grace, Faith Leaders Host Prayer Night for the Trump Family
Amanda Grace, Faith Leaders Host Prayer Night for the Trump Family
Is Fear Stopping You from Fulfilling God’s Purpose in Your Life?
Is Fear Stopping You from Fulfilling God’s Purpose in Your Life?
Isaiah Saldivar’s Remarkable Message: ‘I Hear Chains Breaking’
Isaiah Saldivar’s Remarkable Message: ‘I Hear Chains Breaking’
Greg Locke: How Biblical Generosity Transforms Lives
Greg Locke: How Biblical Generosity Transforms Lives
previous arrow
next arrow
Shadow

Latest Videos
76.8K Subscribers
997 Videos
7.6M Views

Copy link