Do you tithe or give offering as a visitor to a church?
The other day I felt a bit guilty as we just passed the plate and didn't even reach for money...but it was our first Sunday and we hadn't even heard the message yet. DH and I believe in giving to the source that feeds your Spirit. (MIL has given to radio ministries before because THAT is where she felt led to give)
What do you think?
Usually, yes, i.e. if we're on vacation we will give money to whatever church(es) we visit on our trip, simply because I want to support them & am glad there are so many churches so that we're easily able to attend when away from home. :) Sometimes we don't have much cash with us or something, and then we will try to remember to give twice the usual amount to our home church the next week or send money to another cause we support.
I might have a different view on this because every church we attend is part of the same denomination and I am glad to support most churches & causes affiliated with our denomination because I know I will likely agree with their mission etc. I would imagine if you are trying out a new church & don't yet know their stance on things you might not want to financially support them since you might not ultimately agree with them or whatever.
I might have a different view on this because every church we attend is part of the same denomination and I am glad to support most churches & causes affiliated with our denomination because I know I will likely agree with their mission etc. I would imagine if you are trying out a new church & don't yet know their stance on things you might not want to financially support them since you might not ultimately agree with them or whatever.
This was part of it. It's a non-denom church so we didn't really know much about beliefs or anything.
This was part of it. It's a non-denom church so we didn't really know much about beliefs or anything.
Yeah in that case I don't think I'd donate money until I was sure... but I'd probably find another cause to donate to in the meantime, send $ to a third-world country or something.
I think every situation is different, and you may hear from God to tithes somewhere you have never been. As a general rule though, I wouldn't. When we didn't have a home church we set aside our tithes until we were sure we had found our spiritual home. Now that we are moving ( :( ) we will mail our tithes to our current church until we find a new one. Unless of course the Lord directs us to do differently.
Do you have a home church? Your tithe should always go there. That said I wouldn't feel bad about putting $5 in the plate. Church services are not free and don't happen in a vaccuum. It may not have fed your soul yet but chances are you liked the heat and the lights and the fact that the pastor showed up.
When I visit a church it is always an Orthodox church. I usually buy candles, put a couple dollars in the plate if they have one or buy something from the book store.
I'd like to give a little different perspective on this as a regular attendee - I'm more than just a visitor - at another Orthodox parish in my area.
I've got a new fellow I've been seeing for about a month. We're both extremely active in our own parishes. He, however, has duties that make it extremely difficult to get away and he has to arrange for it well in advance. My singing is very portable! LOL. I've been to his parish 4-5 times. I already wasn't a total stranger - his priest knew me somewhat in my capacity as president of a local Orthodox group, plus our priests are good friends and various people attend the parishes for special events, etc.
I tithe at my home parish. I mailed a Christmas donation to new fellow's parish two weeks ago and then I dropped a not unsubstantial check in the plate last Sunday (my first Sunday there even though I'd been there for mid-week/Sat eve services).
As things are going very well with my guy, I've made the decision to essentially split my time between the two parishes - my priest knows and has not objected. That means I will also be donating something to my guy's parish, just not sure what at this time, since I'm trying to pay down debt and save in general. But I'm also providing another voice in their very small choir, which the director much appreciates.
We tithe at least 10% of our income but not all of it goes to our home church. We give a generous portion of it to our church but feel it in our spirit to give to other sources we feel benefit from the donations. While traveling we usually do not tithe at that church but will often visit and buy something from the ministries book store if they have one.
I don't really think there is a right or wrong answer here.
The church where I am most often a visitor is a church that I could not support in any way imaginable. I am there solely because most of my extended family and some of dh's practice that faith, and there are certain family milestones that I have to attend. But I disagree with almost everything that denomination does and stands for, so I wouldn't contribute a cent to them.
Do you tithe or give offering as a visitor to a church?
What do you think?
I will happily give money depending on a few factors.
Usually when I visit a church, I do give an offering--but not to the level of tithing. Back when I was a Christian, I only tithed to my home church, but would make an offering when off visiting a different church (such as my Mom's church.) I've never visited a place whose beliefs/practices are so counter to mine that I wouldn't donate, so I can't really comment on that. If I didn't have a church home, I would probably divide up my donations towards ministries which both helped me or causes I believed in. (That's sort of the way we do things in Islam. You have to give zakat (roughly 2.5% of one's worth)--but how/where you give that is not specified.)
I don't think it's expected or required, though, as a visitor.
Our pastor makes the point each week that visitors to our church are just that, visitors, and are not expected to give when the offering plates are passed. The members and regular attenders tithe and give offerings regularly and sometimes visitors give as well, but they are certainly not expected to.
When we attend church away from our home church we sometimes will give an offering and sometimes we don't. I guess it just depends on the circumstances of the day.
As we are looking for a church I have been asking this question to a point. I know that my giving is to the Lord and so if I'm giving to Him I should have no problems giving to any church. BUT I-ME-MYSELF feel like I want to know that it is going to the Gospel. So to that end I give to my favorite radio ministry. So I know that it is being used in that right way.
Giving is more then money. Tithing is more then money also. You know.
Tithing doesn't always have to be given to your church. Tithing can be given to NGOs and missionary groups.
So if you are giving your tithe outside your church then who is taking care of the church? You knowing, paying the pastor, paying for sunday school and nursery items, utilities, building repairs, and all the other stuff that they need your money? Why would you give your tithe outside of your church?
I really feel any giving outside of the church should be above your tithe/pledge to them. I think your family, your church, what you benefit from should come first. If you don't take care of it who will? I am not saying one shouldn't give to other ministries but that you need to pay those serving you first or they might not be able to be there to serve you tomorrow.
If you do not have a home church then I would just give an offering to the one you are attending and maybe put the rest in savings until you have found a church you want to commit to and then give it to them.
I consider a tithe and a donation a bit different. To me, a tithe is a regular portion of my income that I give to my place of worship whether or not I attend. A donation is a smaller amout that I give freely to many "free" places I visit - like another church OR a museum. I don't know that I have the technical definition of tithe vs donation correct, but that's how I see it. So yes - I would give a small donation to any place of worship I went. I see it the same was as the PP who mentioned the heat and stuff. I'm there so I can support them at least a little. This is what my parents modeled for me. They ALWAYS gave at places of worship and to street performers (LOL).
I consider a tithe and a donation a bit different. To me, a tithe is a regular portion of my income that I give to my place of worship whether or not I attend. A donation is a smaller amout that I give freely to many "free" places I visit - like another church OR a museum. I don't know that I have the technical definition of tithe vs donation correct, but that's how I see it. So yes - I would give a small donation to any place of worship I went. I see it the same was as the PP who mentioned the heat and stuff. I'm there so I can support them at least a little. This is what my parents modeled for me. They ALWAYS gave at places of worship and to street performers (LOL).
I should have said "a church", not "your church". It is def important to tithe to your home church, otherwise incidentals aren't taken care of.
I meant giving to an NGO as an option if you are a visitor to a church.
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