new wine in old wine skins & tithing tactics

"The church needs to make a complete paradigm shift from the Old Covenant way of thinking and living to the New Covenant way. Mixing the two doesn't work. It's like putting new wine into old wine skins. The result is a dysfunctional system of religion, which most people consider to be normal Christianity, but is not what God intended. Tithing is one way that Christians mistakenly try to express their new nature in Christ through an obsolete system of worship and financial stewardship."

~ Matthew E. Narramore, "Tithing: Low-Realm, Obsolete & Defunct"

You can read the above book here for free, or purchase your own copy. You know what's ironic (or not)? A lot of these writers/teachers/pastors who teach on the topic of non-tithing GIVE their work away, be it book or a 4 1/2 hour video series. Does that not say a LOT?

I will now offer a contrast, not in tithing advocates selling their work, but detestable and dishonest tactics in generating income for the church. Thank the Lord my church is not like this.

You can buy "Generosity Tracts/Flyers/Pamphlets/PowerPoint presentations that address these concerns:

1) Do you need an effective, proven, affordable, and GUARANTEED ways to help your congregation become more generous?

2) Would you like to help your people be more generous without preaching any or many giving sermons?

Tithing Tracts

How about throwing one of these images out in a PowerPoint presentation:

Groan. First of all, it's a farce to suggest that this has anything to do with generosity. Second and worst of all they have twisted the original meaning of the verse. No surprise there. The book of Proverbs is traditionally attributed to Israel’s King Solomon. It's also the Old Testament/Covenant. What it is really referring to is tithing on "all thine increase" (Young's Literal Translation), or "the firstfruits of all your crops" (NIV), which is absolutely in line with the laws given to the ISRAELITES for that place and time.

Here are a few more translations of Proverbs 3:9:

Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; (NASB) *notice it says "wealth" and "produce"

Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. (The Message) *as much as I struggle with The Message's tendency to water down the Word, I like Peterson's version of this verse

Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income; (Amplified Bible) *at least this speaks of "capital" etc. and not tithing on your poverty, though I disagree with the use of the word "income" according to the definition of the Biblical tithe

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. (New Living Translation) *again "wealth", not giving what you don't have

Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: (KJV)

And so on and so forth. I couldn't even find the version they used, if they used one at all. I can't decifer the cryptic symbol on the image.

I'll end as I began, with a quote from Narramore's book:

"A thorough study of all the New Testament exhortations that apply to financial giving reveals a different perspective than what is often preached today. Jesus himself is the highest example of the motivation and purpose of all giving. He gave because he loved and he gave to bless."

~ Matthew E. Narramore, "Tithing: Low-Realm, Obsolete & Defunct"