Being married to a pastor I find this conversation quite interesting. My husband has just finished a series of sermons on tithing. The parable of the rich young ruler who was required to give his all and the widow who gave her all are pointing towards the tithe. You also see it in the lives of the churches that Paul and other disciples started, the new believers gave to support the work and the workers. Paul was also bi-vocational in his ministry.
Even though the word tithe is not used in the New Testament we have to remember that Jesus came to full fill the law not to destroy the law. I take this to mean in part that Jesus made all things complete therefore the tithe is still part of our calling/responsibility.
In regards to how much do you pay the pastor/staff. In our life we have never refused a call based on the salary - there has even been a time when we took a cut in pay to accept a church because we felt that was the direction the Lord was leading. Scripture teaches us we are to be servants worthy of hire, this applies to both church and secular employment. The stories I could tell about attitudes on this subject.
I agree too with those that have stated as long as we are faithful in our tithes we have never gone without, there have been times when there was no surplus but all needs and financial obligations have been met.
I think it comes down to a matter of the heart do we give out of obligation (the church will take it) or do you worship in giving. This is where the church has made a big mistake in our service time. It is now more of a transition in the service or tacked on to the service. In the Old Testament when he tithe was gathered and sacrifice made it was a time of celebration. I think the offering time in our service should be done with a better attitude of worship.
I'm always amazed at the number of people, especially self-proclaimed Bible scholars such as pastors and preachers, that read that verse and take away the exact opposite meaning that it should have.
The Old Law was a law, but there is a reason that your Bible lists the Old Testament and New Testament. It is because the law was a part of the Testament, the covenant, the contract.
What does it mean if I say that a person doesn't want to destroy a contract, but that they want to fulfill it? It has the exact opposite meaning of what you portray that verse to have.
Let's say that I have a contract with you to pay you $10,000 to replace 5,000 light bulbs, and the terms of the contract state that you only get paid after all the light bulbs have been changed. If you only replace 3,482 light bulbs, do you get the $10,000? No, you don't. In fact, you don't get any money at all.
Now, let's say that you replace 3,482 light bulbs and then come and tell me that you can't do any more. Because of the terms of the contract, I don't have to give you any money. However, I can choose to destroy the contract. I can tear the contract up, choose not to hold you to the terms of the contract, and give you money. I also, though, can choose to fulfill the contract. I can replace the rest of the light bulbs myself. Once all the light bulbs have been changed, the terms of the contract have been met, and I give you the $10,000.
That's the difference between destroying the contract, or the law, and fulfilling it. There is, however, one commonality between the two ends: after both the contract is now null and void, and you are not bound to the terms of the contract.
Anyone under the new contract, the new covenant, the new testament, etc. is not bound by the terms of the old contract, i.e. the commandments of the old law. We are not bound to tithe.
Now, there is a difference between whether you should do something and whether you have to. Regardless, there is no commandment for Christians to tithe, only for the Jews. You may choose to tithe, but you are not required to by scripture.
If your "church" (i.e. congregation) requires you to tithe, then they do so of their own accord and you are required to tithe by your congregation and not by God.
There is a scriptural example of the early church collecting money to aid others - the reference to Paul that collections be made ahead of time so that there needn't be a special collection when he comes. However, there is no example, either in scripture, in Christian writings, or in secular history of the early church requiring any sort of giving, much less tithing.
