A Final Pastoral Word on Tithing, Generosity, and the Heart

Again, thank you for taking the time to explore this topic of tithing, generosity, and biblical stewardship with me.

As I reflect on this study and what I have discovered in Scripture and church history, I must admit that I am still somewhat surprised. The relationship between the Old Testament tithe and the giving of New Testament believers is not nearly as straightforward as I was taught growing up. From as far back as I can remember, the tithe was presented as a clear and direct command for Christians.

I was also struck by something else as I studied church history. In the early centuries of the church, Christian leaders generally did not command the tithe as a fixed requirement for believers. Instead, they emphasized generous, voluntary giving rooted in gratitude for the gospel.

Some writers referenced Old Testament tithing as a helpful pattern or illustration, but the dominant emphasis was on sacrificial generosity flowing from Christ’s grace rather than a mandated percentage. Over time, that changed. As Christianity became more closely tied to the structures of society, church councils increasingly encouraged tithing, and by the late eighth century the tithe was enforced as civil law in parts of Europe under the rule of Charlemagne.

Understanding that historical development helped me see why the tithe later became such a normal expectation in Christian life, even though the earliest centuries of the church spoke about giving somewhat differently.

At the same time, I understand why many pastors and denominations—especially Baptists and others in the 1800s—began encouraging the tithe as a practical baseline for giving. Expanding ministry requires resources, and churches needed a clear way to teach believers to support the work of the gospel.

To be transparent, this is one of the reasons writing this series has been difficult for me. There is always a concern that someone might study the biblical teaching on giving and misuse it as an excuse to give less rather than more. That would completely miss the heart of Scripture.

Many faithful Christians continue to practice the tithe as a disciplined starting point for generosity. Personally, I have practiced tithing throughout my working life. My wife and I have long viewed 10% as a baseline—a starting point that helps us plan, budget, and keep our hearts in check when it comes to money. Even after studying this topic deeply, I still find that framework helpful.

For me, this lands in the category of personal conviction. As Paul writes in Romans 14:22–23, believers should live according to what they believe honors the Lord with a clear conscience. While that passage deals with issues like food and special days, the principle of acting from conviction before God can apply here as well.

If you continue researching this topic, you will quickly discover that faithful, godly men—men whom God has used mightily—hold different views on the tithe and how it applies to Christians today. That reality should encourage humility in all of us.

For my part, the tithe has become a personal floor, not a ceiling. It is the minimum I want to set aside for the Lord. I fully recognize that this perspective is shaped in part by church culture as well as Scripture, yet over time it has become a settled conviction for me.

My hope, however, is not merely to maintain a percentage but to grow in generosity—to reach a point where giving more becomes a natural and joyful response to God’s grace.

Ultimately, the deeper issue is not whether a Christian uses the language of “tithing” or “generosity.” The deeper issue is the condition of the heart. Money has always been one of the clearest indicators of what we trust, what we treasure, and what truly rules us. That is why Jesus spoke about money so often—not because He wanted His followers preoccupied with finances, but because He knew how easily our hearts can drift toward security, comfort, and control.

The gospel invites us into something far better. Christ, though He was rich, became poor for our sake so that we might become rich in Him (2 Corinthians 8:9). When we understand that grace, giving stops feeling like an obligation and begins to look like worship. It becomes one of the ways we say with our lives, “Jesus is my treasure, not money.”

So wherever you land on the tithe discussion, my encouragement is simple: pursue generosity. Give faithfully. Support your local church. Care for the needy. Invest in gospel work. And do it all with a joyful heart that remembers everything we have ultimately belongs to the Lord.