The Grace Of Giving

It's been interesting watching who's been logging onto this blog over the last few week - it would appear that a number of students have been looking for an answer to the question' should I tithe my student loan?'

I do wonder how many Christian students are pondering this question as they begin university courses across the country. Don't get me wrong, I haven't seen an explosion in hit-levels, but there a noticeable number who have found my article looking at whether God requires us to tithe, or give, out of a loan.

The question about whether tithing still applies has been brought up since I've been back in Southampton. Wheras in my previous circumstances, most people around me in the church I was part of would have said a resounding "no!", I think more people in Life Church would say that it does. The irony from my point of view is that both probably believe the same thing (though one group may have understood grace in a different way than the other). Both groups probably give in a similar way too. The tithe (along with all of the Old Covenant) was only ever a shadow of the New Covenant, where we are invited to give fully of everything we have, just as we have fully and freely received. It would seem a little warped then, for us to revert to the shadow and treat that as the norm for our giving. As Terry Virgo puts it, why go back to your old husband, when you now have an infinitely better husband?

Giving is most certainly a grace to us, and we have experienced that grace here as we held a Gift Day the other Sunday. Our Sunday morning meeting equipment was donated or lent to us when we started Life Church, and is now either a bit ropey or has been returned to its owner. So we put the need before the church, and with one week's notice, received triple the amount we were praying prviately for as a team (including Gift Aid). God has been so gracious with us and giving to Him is certainly a grace!

As I administrate my way through church life it is fascinating to have a close-up view of the church's finances - most of all it points to the fact that God is Lord of all, and that the way He has planned for His church to operate is that the grace we have inwardly experienced, we show outwardly. And one of the key outward ways of reflecting this grace is through giving money! I'm keen that above all, nobody feels under compulsion to give, and I hope that no one in Life Church ever will. But I do hope we remain keen to operate over-and-above the compulsory, set-by-the-law tithe and abound with generosity as a reflection of His grace, and for the extension of His Kingdom.