Giving

The Bible does not shy away from talking about finances and possessions. Some might say that it talks more about these areas than any other area of life – over 1500 verses! The sheer volume of material reminds us that how we handle our finances and possessions matters to God (Luke 16:11; Matthew 6:24). However, the volume of verses available also means that you can make the Bible say almost anything you want it to when it comes to finance.

Hence, over the years, you may hear extreme teaching on money from “Prosperity Theology” to teaching on Asceticism and vows of poverty. Though there will be biblical truth in these extremes, they should be approached with caution. It is also dangerous to always try and apply specific teaching on money and possessions from one culture and time period to another. How I am instructed to handle my fields in Leviticus is not easily applied to my life as a homeowner in 21st Century London.

What then do we do if we want to be truly biblical in how we handle our finances and our possessions? The key is to look for biblical principles and then seek to apply them to our own situation and season.

• God is sovereign over all our finances and possessions (Psalm 24:1)
• God is a generous God (James 1:17; John 3:16)
• God is a God of provision (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:31–33)
• Money and possessions are powerful and can easily become idols in our lives (1 Timothy 6:9–10; Colossians 3:5)
• We are called to be generous (2 Corinthians 9:6–7)
• We are called to care for the poor and those less fortunate than ourselves (Proverbs 19:17; Galatians 2:10)
• We are called to honour those who have spiritual oversight of us (1 Timothy 5:17–18; Galatians 6:6)

Giving 10% is not required. The principle of giving 10% is based on the various tithes of the Old Testament – there were probably 3 different tithes, 2 annual and 1 over a 3-year cycle – amounting to 23% annually (Deuteronomy 14:22–29). Jesus refers to tithing in his challenge to the Pharisees and clearly expects them to tithe in some way (Matthew 23:23).

However, the specific of tithing is meant to point people to the value of generosity. The New Testament seems to speak about attitudes and character around giving, more than amounts (2 Corinthians 9:7). The amount you give should reflect a heart of generosity as a proportion of your income (Luke 21:1–4). For some 10% would be incredibly generous, for others it might be quite stingy!

The Old Testament uses the phrase “Tithes and Offerings” (Malachi 3:8). This reflects that there were specific tithes demanded in the books of the law, offerings that were required as part of sacrificial worship, and also occasional moments when an offering was required for a particular task or need (Exodus 35:4–5, 20–21).

In today’s world, we could think of Tithes as our regular strategic giving and then offerings as moments when God prompts us to additional generosity or when we become aware of a specific need.

Whatever our situation, the biblical principles of God’s provision and being a generous people remain (2 Corinthians 8:12). Paul encourages the believers to give in proportion to their income, and this is a good principle in helping us navigate generosity in the different seasons of life (1 Corinthians 16:2).

We are also called to steward our money well and to honour those to whom we owe money (Romans 13:7–8). If we are in debt, we need to seek help in dealing with the reasons behind that debt, agree a repayment scheme that honours others, and create a budget that helps guard us against future debt.

In the same way that if we neglect a muscle in our body completely, it will atrophy and stop working, even when repaying debt, it is good to keep the generosity muscle working (Acts 20:35). This could mean regularly giving a very small amount and slowly increasing that amount as God helps us become debt free.

Jesus encourages us to seek first the Kingdom of God and to not worry about money (Matthew 6:33–34). But this does not mean being foolish. If I gave all my money away and was unable to feed my children, I am not sure I am adhering to biblical principles (1 Timothy 5:8). The key questions to ask oneself might be:

• Am I stewarding my money well? (Luke 16:10–11)
• What do I consider essential?
• Am I being as generous as I can be towards God?

 was taught the 80/10/10 principle – live off 80% of your income, give 10% and save 10%. I have always tried to live by this principle, and by the grace of God, though I haven’t always been able to save 10% I have been able to give away 10%. However, there are seasons when we may need well over 80% of our income to simply cover a home, food, clothes, heat, and light. If you are in that season right now, know that God is for you and delights in whatever you can give (2 Corinthians 8:3–4).

It is also important to remember that expressing generosity is not just about our finances. In seasons when finances are very tight, we can express generosity through opening our home to others, through friendship, through care for others, and through acts of service (Hebrews 13:16; 1 Peter 4:9–10).

As in the answer above, there may well be times when the only way of expressing generosity is in and through the gift of your time and skills. However, scripture seems to point to both honouring God with our money AND honouring God with our time and skills (Colossians 3:23–24). We are called to work at all things as for the Lord and to serve one another (Galatians 5:13).

As leaders, we recognise that many people invest many hours in serving others pastorally and in church ministry. We are so grateful for all those people and are aware that many of them also give financially. We honour and encourage both expressions of God’s generous heart (Romans 12:6–8).

It can be so debilitating to experience high levels of stress and so painful to feel like others are taking advantage of your generosity. The key in both areas is to ask yourself why you feel what you feel? This can be hard to do on your own, so it is often a good idea to talk the feelings through with a trusted friend, or in some cases, a professional counsellor (Proverbs 11:14).

Once you have identified why you feel what you feel, it is then more possible to identify unhelpful giving patterns or toxic relationships. It may be that experience or how you have been taught about money in the past has left you more open to unhelpful feelings of guilt or shame around money.

Equally you may have developed some unhelpful relational boundaries that leave you open to being manipulated or coerced into giving someone financial or practical support. The key is to talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling and let them help you find a healthy place when it comes to being generous (Proverbs 27:9).

Our motivations are always mixed and will often be shaped by how we have been taught in the past or the church/family culture we grew up in. Cut yourself some slack. Keep giving as cheerfully as you can (2 Corinthians 9:7), keep thanking God for all you do have (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and when your thinking becomes a bit contractual – “hey God, remember I gave this week, where’s my blessing?”, simply take those thoughts to God (Philippians 4:6).

Be honest with God and ask the Holy Spirit to keep leading you into more godly motivations. Remember, we are being transformed from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). Perfection is neither required nor realistic. God’s grace has us covered 😊 (Ephesians 2:8–9).

NO! God’s love, perfectly expressed on the cross, is dependent on his character, not our performance (Romans 5:8; John 3:16). Scripture suggests that our generosity unlocks the generosity of God (Luke 6:38; Proverbs 11:24–25), but God’s love is unconditional (Romans 8:38–39).

We can easily feel guilt, and or fall into legalism, about almost every area of following Jesus (Galatians 5:1). In a broken world, we seem to tend towards legalism around activity and guilt around inactivity. There is no short answer. The closer we are to God and more aware we are of his love for us, the less we tend to be caught up in guilt or legalism (1 John 4:18–19).

When specifically talking about financial giving it will help to know what the Bible says about giving (2 Corinthians 9:6–8) and what the Bible says about grace (2 Corinthians 12:9). If you find you are trapped in either guilt or legalism, find a couple of good friends and ask them to pray with you about the issue (James 5:16).

In my experience, children learn as much from observation as they do from direct tuition (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). If you want to raise generous children, be generous as a family. Open your home to others (Romans 12:13). When you see a need you can meet, be active and seek to meet that need (1 John 3:17–18). Include your children in what you are doing and why you are doing it.

If you spend regular devotional time with your children, you can highlight where we see the generosity of God and where in the Bible God encourages us to be generous (Psalm 112:5). Another basic rule of nurturing is that behaviour that is noticed is repeated. When your children display generosity, recognise it, name it, and celebrate it (Proverbs 22:6). Finally, actively practice thankfulness as a family. Thankfulness encourages contentment and protects us from cynicism and a complaining heart (Colossians 3:15–17).

When it comes to others, unless they are your responsibility, it is not your role to teach them. However, the more generous you are, the more people will notice and possibly ask you why you are generous (Matthew 5:16). We are all big kids, really, and we learn from observation.

Handling this challenge will depend on your specific situation, and every family is different. If you are married and your spouse disagrees on giving, either because they are an unbeliever or because they have a different viewpoint on giving, then you must talk. The Bible calls us to honour one another in marriage (Ephesians 5:21). Talk it through and, if possible, agree a way forward that honours both your positions (Romans 12:10). This is not easy, which is why we encourage people to talk about money as part of their marriage prep.

We believe in total equality within marriage, and we believe that the husband has a specific calling to lead the family (Ephesians 5:23). This still applies if you are a woman married to an unbeliever and so you will need to honour your husband’s viewpoint, even if it disagrees with what you believe the Bible teaches (1 Peter 3:1–2). Remember, God’s grace is sufficient for these situations (2 Corinthians 12:9), and God sees your heart and your willingness to give (1 Samuel 16:7).

Equally, you may live in a family setting where you do not have control over the household finances. Remember, you are only responsible for your own finances (Romans 14:12). Our responsibility under God is to be as generous as we can with the resources that are within our sphere of influence (2 Corinthians 8:12).

Not necessarily. I am often asked this question when someone has a fixed view of giving that they should give 10%, no more and no less. As we have seen, 10% can be a helpful principle, but it is not a biblical mandate for the believer. The biblical mandate is being generous (2 Corinthians 9:7).

In certain seasons, we have given only to our local church, by the grace of God, we now give locally and to other charities. Scripture encourages us to honour financially those who exercise spiritual oversight (1 Timothy 5:17–18), and being generous to the local church would seem to be a great way of fulfilling that command.

As a charity and as a limited company, we publish our accounts on the Charities Commission website and at Companies House. We aim to be transparent, accountable, and generous with our finances as a church and produce regular finance updates throughout the year (2 Corinthians 8:20–21). In broad brushstrokes, we spend our money in three areas:

• Staffing – 65%
• Infrastructure and logistics – 30%
• Giving away to others – 5%

We would see all three areas as different outworkings of our Kingdom Mission. Living in London is expensive, and we seek to honour our staff team who serve us so faithfully in all areas of church life (1 Timothy 5:17–18).

Our hope and prayer is that as we grow, we will be able to increase the percentage we give away financially, whilst also recognising that many of our staff team also serve the wider church family in London and beyond.

It depends on the situation. When seeking to be generous to a specific personal need with a small gift – e.g. paying for someone’s food or electricity bill – it is best to give directly (James 2:15–16). However, if giving to a more general and ongoing need – e.g. a church plant or relief fund – it is often better to give to a charity or through the local church. This is because it is good to be wise within our generosity (Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 11:24–25).

Over the years, I have given small sums to individuals on multiple occasions. In all honesty, I don’t always know if their need is real or whether they will spend the money on what they have said they will. But we are called to be generous and to show unconditional love and care to those in need (Luke 6:35). However, if we are giving more significant sums, especially if they are to be given on an ongoing basis, it is good to have the additional levels of accountability that are provided by established charities including churches (2 Corinthians 8:19–21).

As a church, we give to specific charities, and we do encourage people to give to the church so that we can give more money more consistently to the charities concerned. This enables the receiving charity to budget effectively and also means that the changing circumstances of individuals do not affect the amount received by the charity.

If you are a UK taxpayer and you sign a Gift Aid form, the church can claim an additional 25% on top of your gift at no cost to yourself (Romans 13:6–7). This means that if you give £100 to the Everyday Church and have signed a Gift Aid form, our finance team can claim an additional £25 from the government.

Some people may ask whether it is right to claim money back from the government to help finance the church’s mission? It is a good question. In answering that question, it is good to remember that to run a church in the UK, we have to adhere to lots of government legislation. It is, of course, good to obey the law of the land (1 Peter 2:13–14), but our compliance comes at a cost in terms of processes, staffing, and equipment. I have always been very happy, therefore, to receive a contribution to those costs from the government.

If you do not know if you have completed a Gift Aid form, please email finance@everyday.org.uk and the team will get back to you.

You can read all about Gift Aid on the government website here. 

All giving is good – strategic giving is best. To give strategically:

• Budget your money and agree on what you will give – being as generous as possible (Luke 14:28; 1 Corinthians 16:2)
• Set up a monthly bank transfer (standing order)
• Complete a Gift Aid form (if you are a taxpayer)
• Review your giving annually
• Be open to God nudging you to give on other occasions as he leads you (Acts 4:34–35)

I know that some people find this type of giving a bit clinical. Some of us were correctly taught that giving is a key part of our worship and were encouraged to give as part of our weekly corporate worship on a Sunday (1 Corinthians 16:2). This is not wrong and is a perfectly good way of being generous to the local church.

However, in an increasingly cash-free world and where so many of us cannot attend every week because of work or family commitments, we run the risk of being far less generous than we intended. Paying in cash and cheques is also increasingly expensive for the church in terms of time and money.

I have found that setting up a standing order has meant that I do not miss the joy of giving (2 Corinthians 9:7) whilst also allowing me to give on a Sunday when prompted by the Holy Spirit.

Yes! Regular giving reminds us of our dependence on God and encourages thankfulness (Philippians 4:6–7). I know that for some people who recognise finances as a stronghold in their lives, the act of giving has been a gateway to greater freedom in God (Matthew 6:19–21). But it is not a formula.

It depends. God is primarily interested in our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). However, the attitudes of our hearts are often displayed in our actions. Jesus tells us that where our treasure is, there is our heart (Matthew 6:21). There is no formula in this area.

In our household budget, we have a giving budget, and we have a holiday fund. By budgeting in this way, we aim to honour God with our money (Proverbs 3:9), whilst also taking some much-needed rest – often in the sun! Could we not go on holiday and give all that money to the church or to another charity? Yes, of course we could. Is our way of handling our finances the right way for everyone? Of course not. We must make our own decisions before God (Romans 14:12).

God is not a killjoy. Jesus challenged the rich (Luke 18:22–23) whilst also receiving with thankfulness gifts which some saw as unnecessary extravagance (Mark 14:3–9). The decisions we make as individuals or households on what is an extravagance and what is an essential will differ from house to house. However, the principles behind those decisions should be the same. Principles of generosity, good stewardship, and care for those less fortunate than ourselves (2 Corinthians 9:6; Proverbs 19:17).

Giving generously without expecting a return and giving sacrificially is not easy (Mark 12:41–44). Will it grow our faith? Potentially yes. It is not a formula. We relate to God through a covenant, not a contract. God loves us and declares that love through the cross (Romans 5:8).

At times, we will give and see a financial blessing in return (Luke 6:38). At other times, we may see no obvious blessing, and in those moments, we must lean into trust (Proverbs 3:5–6). Generosity can grow my faith, but not always in the way I expect (Hebrews 11:6).