Tithing: Is It About Money... or Trust?

When the word "tithe" is mentioned in church, many people immediately think, "Here we go again... they're talking about money."

It's an understandable reaction. After all, money is personal. We all work hard for it, budget carefully, and feel the pressure of rising living costs.

But what if tithing isn't really about money at all?

What if it's actually about trust?

Imagine This...

Imagine you have a child. Every week you give them £20 pocket money. One day you ask them if they could use £2 of it to buy you a bottle of water. Technically, all £20 came from you in the first place.

If they refused, would your disappointment really be about the £2? Probably not.

It would be about what their response revealed about their heart.

That is one way to understand tithing.

Everything We Have Comes From God

Whether you're a nurse working nights, a teacher, a bus driver, a cleaner, an office worker, an entrepreneur, a student or retired, the ability to earn, think, work and provide comes from God.

The Bible reminds us that God gives us the power to produce wealth.

Tithing is our way of saying:

"Lord, I recognise You as my Provider. I trust You more than I trust my bank account."

It's About Gratitude

Think about the people who have made sacrifices so we could have opportunities in life.

Many of us can remember parents, grandparents or loved ones who put our needs before their own—working long hours, making difficult choices, and giving generously so we could have a better future.

We honour people who have invested in us because gratitude is a natural response to generosity.

Tithing works in a similar way.

We are not paying God back—because we never could.

Instead, we acknowledge the One who has given us life, strength, opportunities, and countless blessings, many of which we take for granted every day.

It's Like Planting, Not Losing

No farmer cries because seed has disappeared into the ground.

They know the seed hasn't been lost.

It has been planted.

The harvest comes because something was first released.

In the same way, when we tithe, we're not simply giving money away. We're making a statement that we believe God can do more with the 90% left than we can do with 100% without Him.

That takes faith.

But What If Money Is Tight?

Let's be honest.

Life in the UK isn't cheap.

Whether it's the weekly food shop, rising rents and mortgages, energy bills or unexpected expenses, many households are feeling the pressure.

Perhaps you've found yourself wondering how everything is going to stretch until payday.

God understands those realities.

Tithing was never intended to make people feel guilty or pressured.

Instead, it invites us to trust Him, even when life feels uncertain.

Sometimes faith is most visible not when life is comfortable, but when we choose to put God first despite the challenges we face.

It's Bigger Than the Offering Basket

When we give faithfully, we're investing in something much bigger than ourselves.

Our giving helps support the practical work of the local church—creating spaces where children learn about Jesus, young people are encouraged, families receive support, lives are transformed through the Gospel, and our community experiences God's love in practical ways.

Every healthy family contributes so the whole family can flourish.

The church is no different.

A Question Worth Asking

The real question isn't:

"Can I afford to tithe?"

Perhaps the deeper question is:

"Do I trust God enough to put Him first?"

Only you can answer that.

At Elim Mitcham, we encourage giving as an act of worship—not out of pressure, guilt or obligation, but as a joyful response to God's incredible generosity towards us.

Because when God has our heart, our finances usually follow.

"Honour the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase." — Proverbs 3:9 (NKJV)