Can I tithe to a charity instead (m)
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| Tue, 08-02-2005 - 3:02pm |
First let me introduce myself, I am a 29 year old female who is currently a full time college student and is SO ready to finish school, LOL. I started going to the church I am at in 1981 but during my high school years I went to another church. I stopped going all together for a few years, not as a result of anything bad happening, I was just lazy. I started back up last August at the church I first stated going to in ’81 and have been going regularly since then.
Here is my situation: The former pastor of our church is married with three kids. The wife did not work. The church could no longer afford the pastor so he took a pay cut and in some months he did not get paid at all (I know the inside info because I am good friends with the wife.) The youth pastor and her husband had a baby and the husband works full time. To help ease the financial aspect of having a baby the church board voted to give the youth pastor more money. All this time the pastor’s family was barely making ends meet. I feel this was completely wrong, the pastor should be the first priority of the church, not the youth pastor. The pastor has since been forced to resign (and the congregation was blocked from voting on this matter) and a new pastor (we got to vote on this), with five kids will start soon.
I believe a lot of the decisions being made by the church board are not of God, that is they really do not seem to be seeking and praying for what God wants of the church. I think that is why we are now having all the financial problems we are having. The church needs $20,000.00 a month to meet our obligations and last month we received under $5,000.00.
Now what does charities have to do with all of this? Right now I really do not want to give to a church that would treat the pastor the way they did. Would it still be a blessing unto the Lord if I gave my tithe and offering each week to a local charity instead? On the other hand if I do not tithe to my church I am not helping the situation any. Perhaps I am just bitter by the way the church board has been acting.
Sorry for the length of this and thanks.

Donating your tithing money to a charity would help others who really need the money. I'd say go for it.
Also, if you know where the old pastor lives, you could anonymously give his family some money. Maybe by making sure they're at home, then leaving an envelope on their porch with some money in it, ringing the doorbell and running. Maybe even leave a note, thanking him for all the hard work he put into the church.
course they hope and assume it is them. hehe.
I say where ever you give is a blessing, giving is receiving.
God might say, just give, everything and everyone is of me.
Love, leila