For a church that claims it is practicing pure first-century Christianity, it sure does not know how to treat its members well. Knowing full well that members are struggling Gerald Weston felt the need to point out to those members their responsibility to tithe regardless of financial struggle. Even though the church is bankrupting some people it is still important to send them that money. What are a few weeks without heat or some food? Beans and biscuits will do for a while. The elite in Charlotte never has to worry financially and are completely out of touch with members' issues. Sadly, this has always been the case even in every single Church of God out there.
I know we are all pretty aware of how food and gas costs (and increasing rents and property taxes) are starting to be more than just a “nuisance” for some of our local members. There are now more than a few people in my area who are starting to really struggle to pay basic bills. Every area has poorer brethren, and the Church is, of course, assisting with a few people, but it’s starting to go beyond that. Even for some of our local members who have decent paying jobs, they are starting to have to cut back in ways that they didn’t used to have to. I know this is nothing compared to what is in the future, as overall we’re still pretty blessed here in the USA, because again, it’s getting a little “different” than months or years past.
This winter may be very difficult for many as heating costs are expected to increase significantly. Wherever we are, let us look out for our neighbors and friends. God is clear about our responsibilities to Him (Malachi 3:8-10), but also about caring for the truly needy, as many scriptures admonish us. So let us pray for one another and care for one another by our actions (James 2:15-16).
Thank you, once again, dear brethren and co-workers, for what you have done these past two years. Let us pray that God will multiply our efforts abundantly.
Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Gerald E. Weston
14 comments:
Just did listen to a COg minister explain the maximum a COg asks for is 12.86%: 10% every year, plus the "third" tithe of 10% every third and sixth year of a seven year cycle. Or 20% in seven years, divided by 7 = 2.86%. So 10% plus 2.86% on an annualized basis.
Bub, but, but, but the change (Heb 7:12) of the law was its removal: now, no Levites.
In one letter he brags about how much his non-profit whoreganization brings in. In another letter, he demands people keep paying up even though times are hard. His tone about assisting a “few” people sure doesn’t inspire confidence that the “church” is there to help people. I believe in tithing, but Gerry isn’t going to get one red cent from me.
How many people would actually attend the Feast of Tabernacles if the church did not require them to save second tithe? Since they require that second tithe be spent in narrowly defined specific ways, and excess turned in, that 12.86% is a blatant example of lying with statistics. Second tithe raises the percentage to 22.86%. Plus, generous offerings are commanded. I don't know how things are now, but HWA was worse than Wayne LaPierre of NRA in painting horrible bleak and threatening circumstances that required immediate emergency offerings to deal with. In HWA's case, he even requested that members borrow money to send to him.
Tithing does not work. I tried it for decades. It just makes you poor. It's all bullshit. I was one of the poorest people I knew. Nobody will hire an ethical person, and tithing does not change that.
I remember in the 1980s a minister in WCG used to occasionally give a sermon on tithing, his sermons where chocked full of doom, gloom and death for anyone who would dare miss a "payment" to the Church. In our congregation in the deep south, in an area raped by high unemployment, many of the Church members were dirt poor. I DO NOT miss the WWCG and I will NEVER give a red cent to any Church ever again!
The Bible is clear that only the Levites can receive and use tithes - read your Bible.
Before you give another penny to LCG, make sure the ministry shows some DNA testing proof that they are Levites - or you are going against God.
If Doug Winnail tries to trick you by saying that the Levitical priesthood has been changed to include him, ask him how his demands for tithes trumps 2 Corinthians 9:7 - which says to give as you are able, not as a compulsion, and give cheerfully.
If you are experiencing financial difficulty your first Biblical obligation is to take care of the food and comfort needs of your family/household (that includes yourself, if you are single). 1 Timothy 5:8
Don't let LCG guilt you into tithing to them - take care of your family first.
Don't worry, Weston and Winnail will be warm and well fed.
"God is clear about our responsibilities to Him".
Very clear. A tithe of agricultural produce should be given to a levite, if we are of the nation of Israel and in eretz Israel. This was akin to a national tax to support the nation of Israel. Since I am not an Israelite living in eretz, and he is not a levite or preist, then there is no tithing obligation.
Titus 1:11 comes to mind..
With all factors considered, I don't believe that third tithe is valid today. In ancient Israel it was their national life insurance policy. Everyone put in, and everyone took out if they were the victim of circumstances beyond their control. Similar to house insurance today.
But firstly, the federal and local taxes cover this already. Second, in the ACOGs, there's a high turnover in membership, especially with splintering, so there's no way that a younger member will get a cent back. Plus any pay out is based on minister whim. If he doesn't like you, too bad, no payout for you. This is unjust. No insurance company would be legally permitted to issue this sort of policy.
The minsters position is "the bible says, the bible says." Yet justice is conveniently ignored in their application of this ancient law.
Btw, any insurance policy were you can't get a cent back is criminal fraud. Charles Ponzi and Bernie Madoff would envy the ACOGs third tithe policy.
Jewish explanation of the O.T. tithing system found on websites such as myjewishlearning.com give a different impression of what that system looked like and how it was practiced, than the common COG explanation.
This basic explanation is taken from the JewishEncyclopedia.com,
"According to the Rabbis, the Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy are complementary to each other (comp. Tithe, Biblical Data); consequently there can be no contradiction between them. Thus there were three kinds of tithes: (1) that given to the Levites as stated in Num. xviii. 21 et seq., and termed "the first tithe" ("ma'aser rishon"); (2) the tithe which was to be taken to Jerusalem and there consumed by the landowner and his family, and which was termed "the second tithe" ("ma'aser sheni"), it being taken from what remained after the first tithe had been appropriated; and (3) that given to the poor ("ma'aser 'ani"). Therefore two tithes were to be taken every year except in the seventh year: Nos. 1 and 2 in the first, second, fourth, and fifth years; Nos. 1 and 3 in the third and sixth years."
So according to my understanding of the above,and other reading I have done, there were three divisions of tithes taken from the increase of the land during a seven year period. The seventh year was a land sabbath, and thus no tithes were collected. The first tithe was given to the Levites. This would have been grain, oil, or anything produced by the land, as well as every tenth animal from herds or flocks. So, if you had nineteen animals, by my understanding you gave one, which is interesting. After the first tithe was set aside, a second tithe was taken from what was left. This was collected during the first, second, fourth, and fifth years. On the third and sixth years what we have traditionally called "third tithe" was collected instead of the second tithe, to be shared with widows, orphans, the poor, etc.
The Levites, according to Numbers 18:26 and 29 were to give a tenth of the tithes given to them to the priests, so the priests were given a tithe of the tithe. Notice this tithe was given by the Levites to the priests and not taken from the general population. It had nothing to do with funding Feast buildings or other expenses. There was actually a temple tax that was collected from every male over the age of twenty for the upkeep of the temple.(Exodus 30:11-16) The amount was a half shekel, which according to chabad.org would be around five dollars in today's money. It was still being collected when Jesus was alive.(Matthew 17:24-27)
The tithing system of the O.T. was directly tied to the land, and the seven year farming cycle instituted within that land. I have heard the reasoning given by ministers that Israel was told to tithe on the increase of the land and the animals because it was an "agrarian society" but the same principles should be applied to the monetary society we live in now, and this is why we tithe of our monetary "increase" to the church.
While there are scriptures in the New Testament that might support the concept of compensation being given to those who preach the gospel, such as found in 1Corinthians 9:13-14, the COG explanation and application of tithing does not match the Jewish explanation, which would look different if applying O.T. guidelines to a modern monetary system.
If sticking to the principles of O.T. tithing according to the Jewish explanation, a first tithe of the increase or monetary profit would be given six years out of seven. During the other years either a second tithe would be saved, or a third tithe would be saved, thus two tithes being paid six years of seven. The second and third tithes would be taken from what was left of the monetary profit or increase after the first tithe was taken out, so a tithe of what is left, rather than a tithe of the original whole.
There is more detail given on the sites mentioned above for those who are curious.
Concerned Sister
So what would be wrong for a 30 year old COG member to just simply buy a Million Dollar term life insurance policy for $50 a month, payable to the church of their choice upon death??
Wouldn't that be fulfilling the "tithe" obligation , (if one believes in such) without crimping current life cash flow??
Israel gave 10% of an entire country's produce every year to 2% of the population - Num 31:30????? The Levites are listed first as recipients of the so-called "third" tithe. 10% was given every third year, or the equivalent of 3.3% a year, to 3.3% of the population: Levites 2%, the poor deduced as about 1.3%. And another 10% kept by the tither every year for use at the festivals.
The Levites received the tithe of the land because they weren't given any territory of the land itself as an inheritance like all the other tribes were. They in turn tithed of what they received to the priests. Not all Levites were priests, but all priests were from the tribe of Levi, under that system. In return for this, the Levites alone were given the task to serve the Tent of Meeting, which was later replaced by the temple. See Numbers 18:20-32; Numbers 26:62
The system was designed to function within that particular society, to make sure everyone was provided for and taken care of. For example, the "third tithe" was supposed to be gathered and distributed to the Levite, fatherless, foreigners, and widows "within your gates" or within one's own community. It wasn't sent into Jerusalem and given to the priests to distribute. See Deuteronomy 14:28-29. In addition to this, when the harvest was gathered, the edges of the fields as well as the fallen grapes of the vineyards were to be left for the poor and the foreigners to harvest. See Leviticus 19:9-10;Leviticus 23:22
The principles behind these laws were to teach generosity, and making sure everyone was provided for. The same principles can be found in the New Testament scriptures. Examples of these principles can be found in Luke 14:12-14; Galatians 2:10; James 2:2-4; 2Corinthians 9:6-8; 1Timothy 5:8, and other passages.
The tithing and agricultural guidelines of the Old Testament were not designed to make the religious leaders of the day rich, or to take advantage of those who didn't have land or means of caring for their own households. Any religious leader who would cherry pick verses without regard for the underlying principles of those verses and use them to imply that God will bring wrath upon people who are struggling to pay their heating bills in the winter, or provide their own families with food, has missed the point, and is not a true servant of God. You cannot self righteously wield your own interpretation of what you think is the letter of the law, while you completely ignore the underlying spirit that law was intended to reflect. Ezekiel 34:1-10
Concerned Sister
"Any religious leader who would cherry pick verses without regard for the underlying principles of those verses and use them to imply that God will bring wrath upon people who are struggling to pay their heating bills in the winter, or provide their own families with food, has missed the point, and is not a true servant of God."
Spot on CS...
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