Paul writes: 'Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.' Giving should be freely chosen, not coerced.
I'm a church finance administrator. The hardest conversations are about giving. Some people give because they feel obligated. The tithe, the pledge, the expectation. Their giving is stressed, resentful. Paul says that's not what God wants.
We've shifted our language from 'giving to the church' to 'investing in the mission.' We encourage people to discern what they can give joyfully. Sometimes that's 10%. Sometimes it's 5%. Sometimes someone's financial sorrow means they're receiving, not giving. That's okay. Paul wants cheerful givers. That's the only kind worth having.
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