I just read an article on crosswalk.com on tithing, one of the core teachings from the Bible. The article states that tithing (giving ten percent of your gross income) is on the decline in recent years. In fact, according to a survey in 2000 sited in the article, 80% of an average church's budget if financed by 20% of the attendees with the remaining 20% of the budget being financed by the next 30% of attendees. The remaining 50%, according to the 2000 survey give little to nothing at all.

The article says one of the reasons in the decline of "tithers" is because some cannot afford to give 10% of their income away, instead spending their money on other important expenses such as medical costs.

I come from Indiana. The church I attended before moving to Arkansas in 2005 had just built a new sanctuary. The church borrowed the money to build the sanctuary from a bank and used pledges from attendees as proof they could afford to make payments. I forget how much the building cost exactly, but it was in the neighborhood of $1.5 million.

In contrast, we attended a church here in Arkansas that had just completed a multi-use facility. The building was paid for in cash with the church accumulating no debt with building it.

Both churches have beautiful new buildings but only one is debt-free. Both churches tithe off of their offerings. The church in Indiana tithes to their missions programs where the church in Arkansas tithes to many different programs, some of them missionary.

I offer these two churches as examples of tithers today. The ones who supposedly cannot afford to tithe are those who are making bad choices thereby living above their means and getting into debt. This makes their budget get eaten alive by all those minimum payments credit card companies love. Plus interest expenses are big budget killers. This is what is happening to the church in Indiana and to givers who cannot afford to tithe today.

If you think you cannot afford to tithe, then your heart is not right with God and you need to repent. Take a step back and make a sacrifice for the kingdom. If the only thing standing between you and making an offering that includes the tithe is $5.00 a week, stop spending that $5.00!!!