How to determine offerings

What a great question! Congratulations, first of all, on becoming a communicant member of your congregation. That membership status provides you with privileges and responsibilities. It is very encouraging to read of your desire to be a faithful manager of God’s possessions.

The June 2017 “Light for our path” column in Forward in Christ will address a question like yours, but let me give you a little preview.

This whole subject matter begins with the recognition that God is the owner of all things (Psalm 24:1; Haggai 2:8). God entrusts his possessions to people, who are to manage them faithfully.

Old Testament ceremonial laws gave God’s people specific instructions on what to give back to him. There were laws dealing with tithes (10% of income). New Testament followers of the Lord like us are free from those ceremonial laws (Colossians 2:16-17). While we welcome Christian freedom, we also welcome some guidance—as evidenced by your question.

God provides guidance. The application of the words in 1 Corinthians 16:2 is that we plan our offerings and we do so with a proportionate view toward our income. And so I would encourage you to give back to God first (the “firstfruits” principle in the Old Testament) and to plan your offerings based on a percentage of whatever income you might have.

What percentage? That’s where your Christian freedom enters the picture. For discussion’s sake, let’s say you earn money from babysitting or a newspaper delivery route. What would 5% of that money be? That could be your offering. What would 7% be? 10%? You get the idea. Nobody can tell another Christian what to give back to God. Essentially, the guidance from Scripture for our offerings is giving ___% of our income. You have freedom in filling in the blank. Recognizing how blessed we are through Christ provides every reason for filling in that blank with higher, rather than lower, numbers (Romans 12:1).

Again, congratulations on your Confirmation. I would say you are starting out well with the responsibilities and privileges that your communicant membership has given you. The apostle Paul’s sentiment toward the Christians in Philippi is mine for you—that God “who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).