Money, God, Trust and Divorce…
I just finished a series at theedge about money…
how to spend it, save it, share it in a Biblical way.
it was good……i think. it is always good in a time of crisis, like we are going through in our country right now, to remind yourself that God is in charge, everything belongs to Him, and He has not fallen off the throne because the Big 3 (automakers) need $35 billion to not go into bankruptcy.
but there were several things i didn’t say in the series, just because you only have so much time on a sunday, and you have to pick and choose what makes it to the final cut. so i wanted to say a few things here that i thought might keep the conversation going.
in studying for this series i watched a few of David Ramsey’s DVD’s. Good stuff, as most of you probably already know. David is the pimp when it comes to God and finances. he has really helped the kingdom in a big way and millions of people are getting on track because of his stuff.
Ramsey made a statement in his teaching about tithing that i thought was incredible. he said that in all of his years in ministry he cannot think of one family that has been faithful in their tithe that ended in divorce! What?! that’s right! he said he cannot name ONE family that has lost their marriage that was also faithful bringing their tithe to the Lord.
that is amazing! and maybe there is a family that has divorced, but Dave just can’t think of one.
so, i started thinking about that too. And here’s what i can say. i have been in ministry since i was 18 years old. i have seen a lot of families come and go through the years. and i also cannot think of a marriage that has blown up if they are also faithfully tithing.
i don’t think that tithing is a formula or a religious action that works like voodoo or superstition…but i DO think that God protects his children as they remain faithful to HIm.
just a thought…maybe it will give you something to think about when it comes to God and money.
well said. the one thing our church has done really well over the past few years is giving or tithing back in to the Kingdom by pouring in to our community. Kathryn and I tithe because we are called to AND because we work there….
. but, the edge’s view on money is rubbing off on us. i can honestly say that when we’ve thought about our money as God’s and given it away when we feel called he has blessed us many times over each time. Last week we paid for a dinner for my family and our sister in law’s family that was over $100. that may not seem like a lot but it is to me. i felt like i needed to do it so i did. God blessed me the next day with an opportunity to make $300! He is ALWAYS faithful but abundantly so when we are faithful to Him.
I can tell you with 100% accuracy and first hand experience that my parents tithed religiously, and are now divorced. I don’t know what world dave ramsey is living in, but he needs to get in touch with the real one.
Dear steward (or Jared),
i am very sorry that your parents divorced. i believe with all my heart that tithing is not a way to get out of God what you want. if any of our church members took away that this is a magical formula then they were mistaken. tithing WILL NOT stop sickness, death, pain, struggle, divorce, or any other kind of trouble. but, there is a non-mistakable blessing on those who trust God and obey. you cannot argue with that.
I was simply quoting Ramsey and interjecting my own experience as well. i am not stupid enough to believe that in the history of the church there are not families who have been faithful in tithing that end up in divorce. i personally cannot think of any off the top of my head. i am sure you would have to agree that it is better to obey than to argue, however, over our personal experiences. the Word of God is clear about how we are to steward what belongs to Him…that is my overall objective with this post.
thanks for reading and for your input. your website has got some good stuff too…blessings on you!
peace.out.
I think you should look to other places (mainly scripture!) on “tithing” and Christianity. Tithing is a blatantly inaccurate interpretation of what God commanded of Israel. Tithing was to support their government and was, in fact, a policy of taxation.
As Christians we are to give as much, little or nothing as our spirit guides us to do. Any mandate of tithing is antithetical to spiritual freedom, individual freedom and is simply used by churches to make money.
A pastor of a flock of believers growing in grace and advancing in spiritual maturity will be financially sustained. This sounds backwards that the individual will be sustained so long as they are tithing. That is NOT the case.
I can happily point you to verses and other resources that demonstrate this doctrine.
I am new to knowing of your church and found myself in agreement with all 12 of your doctrinal principles from “coreyboatright” on twitter. I am glad I found the site, but during these times when our nation is being tested financially is not the time to get this basic principle wrong.
You are correct that there is no “magic” associated with tithing and that you must be blessed if you do so – just like people who go to church on Christmas and Easter for good luck. But the idea that tithing is part of Christianity is false.
thanks for your input. obviously i disagree with what you said, but if you would like to hear more of a full explanation of my thoughts on this matter you can go to http://www.theedgechurch.com and click on “listen” and hear the whole series on money. if not, then thanks again for reading the blog.
peace.out.
Hi,
I am a born-again Christian;I was born and raised independent Baptist, about as fundamental as you can get with lots of emphasis on tithing, and I am going through a divorce, as are friends of mine who are VERY faithful tithers. Obviously, no correlation between tithing and divorce in my experience.
Martin Luther said “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God”
God doesn’t NEED your money. And tithing will not buy you blessing. Maybe the reason Dave Ramsey’s statistics are accurate is because that if a person tithes regularly, it helps to keep a perspective in the family that money is not what your heart should cling do (as it does more often than not), and with less of an importance placed on money or material possession, the top factor in most divorces (financial difficulty/arguments) is automatically negated.
It may sound a bit Utopian, but just think…If loving the Lord and following his will for our lives was the TOP priority in all relationships, how could it fail? If all husbands loved their wives as Christ loved the Church. If wives submitted to their husbands, just as the church submits to Christ. If we never allowed the “D” word to enter our vocabulary as an option. Of course its possible, but when we allow other worldly pursuits consume us it takes our eyes off God and sets us forth on OUR path rather than his. And I can say with absolute certainty that when I take off on my own path and stray from his, it never works out……..I’ve seen me do it