To My Facebook Friends
To My Facebook Brother in Christ….
A while back you responded to a posting in which I challenged the tithing practice within evangelicalism. My response to your comment was defensive and childish. This I regret. For this I apologize. However, I do not back down from my conviction that the evangelical tithe is nothing less than (what someone has called) christianized extortion. Yes, I said extortion. Please bear with me as I unfold my perspective on this matter of surrendering a tenth of one’s income to the local church. And please do not misinterpret my candour for disrespect; on the contrary, I respect you very much.
The new convert is taught he/she is obliged to attend church ‘services’. (“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.”) They are then admonished to “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive.” Hmmm, thinkest the new convert, that ruler must be the guy everyone calls ‘Pastor’. Pastor Whoever soon introduces the evangelical tithe needed to finance his salary, etcetera. As years evolve into decades, the convert donates not tens of thousands of dollars, but hundreds of thousands.
Mostly by example, he is taught: To neglect the guidance of the Holy Spirit (which is actually relinquishing the lordship of Jesus Christ). To have no urgency toward Christ’s Great Commission. To adapt a herd mentality whereby the church is his safety and guide and comfort and lord. To build simultaneously on God’s Word and man’s tradition. To be ill-prepared for the upcoming “judgement seat of Christ”. This person will not come close to fulfilling the special, unique call that God has placed on each of our lives.
The cost of salaries and buildings, both lacking Bible precedent, is not just millions and millions of dollars but millions and millions of souls. Money intended to finance Christ’s Great Commission is diverted elsewhere. Salaries and buildings are financed, mostly, by the evangelical tithe that has been pressed upon pew-people by salaried pulpit-people. Can’t you see the glaring injustice? If it were not for this awful evangelical tithe a countless number of people would escape hell and enter heaven. With that conviction, how can I be silent? How can I face Lord Jesus on that day of accountability knowing I was silent regarding this spiritual racketeering? I can’t feign ignorance; this atrocity doesn’t take place in the shadows of a dark alley, nor in a dingy and smoke-filled back room, but openly, blatantly…. every sunday of every month of every year.
Lord Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to you and me and all to guide us, individually, throughout our christianity. Spiritual authority and guidance were always intended to be in this order: Jesus Christ…. Holy Spirit…. christian. NOT: Jesus Christ…. church…. christian. And NOT: Jesus Christ…. Holy Spirit…. church…. christian. We are to be lead, individually, by “the Spirit of truth”, as was Jesus, as were the apostles, as is every person “fight[ing] the good fight of faith”. We must consider the lordship of Christ as a sacred thing, not only in our own life but that of others. Controllers violating this sacred thing will “suffer loss”, eternal loss. Herd mentality must be rebuked by true elders, those following Christ unreservedly. Everyone should point everyone to Jesus.
Collection of money (the evangelical tithe, offerings, whatever) whereby the people are not admonished, by those claiming to be shepherds of Christ’s sheep, to seek the guidance of the most Holy Spirit is, in my opinion, nothing less than theft. Thanks for listening. Please pray for me.