How much should we give?

As I said last week, this is about the time of year when churches solicit pledges from members about their 2026 giving so churches can plan their spending for the coming year. So how much should we give?

The Old Testament requirement was ten percent (10%). If you were a farmer, you gave 10% of your crops. If you raised animals, you gave 10% of your herds. If you owned orchards, you gave 10% of the fruit you harvested. Most of the tithe went to the Levites, who owned no land of their own. (Each Levite was required to assist the priests at the temple in Jerusalem a few weeks every year, on a rotating basis.) The Levites were then required to give 10% of the tithe to the priests, who remained at the temple year-round—a tithe of the tithe. For those Jews who lived far away from Jerusalem, such that bringing 10% of their crops, fruit, or animals would have been impractical, they were to sell that 10% and bring the money instead.[1]

Many Christian churches have adopted this rule, teaching that Christians should give 10% of their income to the church. But nowhere does the New Testament say that. Instead, we have Jesus telling the rich, young ruler to sell all that he owned,[2] and telling his followers to

Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor does a moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.[3]

Then there’s the story about the widow and her two small coins, which were worth a fraction of a day’s wages.[4] Jesus held her up an example of generous giving, because she, “out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”[5]

Paul collected money for the poor in Jerusalem.  In addressing the Corinthians about this topic, he said

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save as he may prosper, so that no collections need to be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you approve, I will send them with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem.[6]

And maybe that’s a good rule for our giving—give as we have prospered. For some, that may be more than 10%, while for others it may be less than 10%. That is a decision each individual must make for themselves. But as you make that decision, please remember two things:

1.  “God loves a cheerful giver,”[7] and

2.  Giving to God is not something we have to do; it is something we get to do.

So let each of us cheerfully give as we have prospered.[8]

[1]. You can find these rules in Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18:21-32, and Deuteronomy 14:22-29.

[2]. Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22, and Luke 18:18-23

[3]. Luke 12:33-34 (note that Jesus did not tell his followers to sell “all” of their possessions)

[4]. Mark 12:41-44

[5]. Mark 12:44

[6]. 1 Corinthians 16:2-3

[7]. 2 Corinthians 9:7

[8]. See 1 Corinthians 16:2.