Celebrate Freedom Teaching Letter April 2011

I pray this letter reaches you at just the right time to encourage and bless you on your journey to Celebrate Freedom!

Today, I want to share a spiritual principal that I believe has had a major impact on the increase I’ve seen in my finances—tithing. I believe many Christians misunderstand tithing. In fact, studies show that there are very few Christians who regularly tithe to their local church. This tells me that there’s a lot of misunderstanding regarding the spiritual law of tithing and the benefits it brings us.

Now, I certainly don’t believe tithing has anything to do with our salvation. And, I’m not going to try to prove to you that the Bible says that you have to tithe. I’m simply going to share with you my personal journey and beliefs on this subject.

I believe that if you should take advantage of the spiritual law God has put in place when you choose to tithe 10% of your gross income back to your local church, you’ll experience great financial increase.

By my definition, the tithe is giving 10% of your gross increase (income) to your local church. The tithe is separate and different from offerings. When we give to Celebrate Freedom, we’re giving an offering. When we give into other ministries besides our local church, that’s also considered an offering. Basically, I believe that any giving after the first 10% to your local church is considered an offering. I also believe that if you’re not giving the first 10% of your gross income to your local church, then you’re not implementing the spiritual law of the tithing in your life.

When we choose to consistently tithe, it “opens the windows of Heaven” and “rebukes the devourer” (Mal. 3:8-12). Another way of thinking of the tithe is as a hedge, or a fence of protection around our finances. When we give offerings above our tithe, we are then sowing within that protected garden (2 Cor. 9:6-11). When we sow within a protected garden, we see amazing results. But, without the protection of the tithe, the “devourer” destroys part (or all) of our harvest.

I believe one of the reasons many Christians are frustrated financially, despite giving offerings to their local church or other ministries, is because they neglect the powerful spiritual law associated with consistent tithing. I know some Christians who don’t regularly tithe because they believe it was part of the Law of Moses, and it was. We should note, though, that the spiritual law of tithing was around long before the Law of Moses (Gen. 14:18-20). It is a principle implemented by God that still carries the same benefits to Christians as it always has.

Many years ago, before I understood the power of tithing, I used to give whatever I felt I could afford on Sunday mornings. Although I consistently gave to my church, I always felt like I was taking one step forward, but two steps backwards financially. Once I took the time to study all the benefits associated with tithing, and chose to make it the highest priority in my financial life, I noticed that my finances started to change for the better. Today, you couldn’t pay me enough to remove the spiritual hedge of protection around my life that’s there as a result of consistently applying the principle of the tithe.

Don’t get me wrong. When I first started tithing, it was difficult. I’d think of all the bills I could pay instead of giving that tithe money to my local church. As time went on though, I found that it became much easier. I firmly believe that tithing allowed my extra offerings to multiply back to me “pressed down, shaken together and running over” (Luke 6:38).

If you feel like I did before I started tithing regularly—if things seem to eat up your harvest—and you’re not already consistently tithing 10% of your gross income, I challenge you to take the time to study all the many spiritual benefits available to you in the Bible as a result of consistently tithing.

Remember, it’s extremely important to be in agreement with your spouse about this. If you and your spouse are in disagreement regarding tithing, spend time in prayer, as our prosperity also flows out of our unity in marriage.

Together, as we study the Word of God, and gain a greater understand of how the Laws of the Kingdom operate, we will Celebrate Freedom!

Tim Howe
Campaign Director