E20: Tithing, Offerings, Generosity, and a New Testament Perspective on Giving

This week, Eric Scovill continues the conversation with Jay Link as they discuss God, money and stewardship. Jay does a great job breaking down common misconceptions around tithing and offering practical tools for biblical giving and generosity. Check out this episode if you want to learn how to use your finances in a way that honors God!

Here are some topics from today’s discussion:

• How Christians should approach tithing today
• God loves a hilarious giver
• What it means to give everything you have
• How to decide how to divide giving
• How to give money away and have it not go to taxes
• Transforming wealth and impact through biblical stewardship

Episode Highlights:

[02:47] How Christians Should Approach Tithing Today

According to Jay, Christians should move away from a legalistic approach of tithing 10% of their income and toward a more biblical concept of generous giving based on what they decide in their hearts. Some key points he mentions:

• Tithing can become an obligation instead of an expression of love.
• The New Testament does not teach tithing but encourages cheerful, voluntary giving. 
• Christians should ask themselves how much they should spend on themselves instead of how little they can give. 
• Giving should be motivated by a desire to use God's resources for his purposes, not out of guilt or obligation. 
• The Bible teaches that all we have ultimately belongs to God and we are simply stewards of his resources.

[11:27] God Loves a Hilarious Giver

When our giving is motivated by obligation or guilt, it is not joyful or hilarious. But when we give freely and generously out of our love for God, from resources that ultimately belong to him, our giving can become a hilarious act of joy and worship. Giving in this way pleases God far more than begrudging tithes or reluctant offerings.

[14:34] What It Means To Give Everything You Have

When Jesus spoke of giving up all possessions to be His disciples, it may not imply that everyone must relinquish everything they own and live in extreme poverty. Rather, it could be understood as surrendering the ownership of our possessions and recognizing that they ultimately belong to Him. The essence of Jesus' message is about living with a mindset of stewardship, acknowledging that all that we have comes from Him. It's about shifting our perspective from possessing to stewarding. As disciples, we are called to live as if our possessions belong to Him, using them wisely and for His purposes. 

[19:19] How to Give Money Away And Have It Not Go to Taxes

Jay explains that estate taxes, capital gains taxes and gift taxes are optional for those who know how to minimize or avoid them through proper planning. The stewardship planning process he outlines helps families:

1. Identify God's purposes for the resources he has entrusted to them.
2. Determine which ministries and organizations will best steward those resources after the original owner releases them.
3. Carefully and intentionally design a plan to deploy the resources in a way that bypasses taxes and funnels funds to the kingdom.

This usually involves a combination of giving while living, gifting assets, and setting up testamentary trusts and bequests. With proper planning, families can give far more to charity than they pay in taxes, while also providing for their heirs. However, it requires working with advisors who understand these strategies and are willing to implement them.

Resources:

https://stewardshiplibrary.com 

Jay Link’s 25 Questions about tithing

Jay Link’s article Giving As An Act Of Worship