When one see's a need outside of the church dealing with a person's general welfare...say they can't pay off the house. Is it more important to give to the church like Paul stresses in many of his letters? My church is currently raising money for an eleveator. Is an elevator more important than a person's home? Can your tithe go outside of your church? Any scriptural backing to your opinion? Thanks for reading amigos, since I'm posting I might as well do a plug for my music. ;) God bless, -John www.tamethebright.com www.myspace.com/tamethebright

Biblical refernces are tough to site, as on this exact subject, they are subject to interpretation... However, Malachi 3:10 has some good insight about the storehouse... which is where most churches get ther "tithe theology" from... whether they know it or not. My personal opinion is that you tithe to the church... you give offerings, helps, and other giving in addition to your tithe... When I was in YWAM, many YWAMers (missionaries) suggested to people that they could actually tithe to them, as an individual missionary. They would actually tell people, "You can tithe to me, since I am a missionary." I do not judge people who do this... but I would love to see some missionary try to back it up Biblically... in fact, I think that Paul is clear in the opposite direction. One thing to remember... we are accountable to tithe, the church is accountable for how they use that tithe. If we disagree with how the church is spending our tithe, we are not justified to withold our tithe... we are still accountable to tithe. -Matt

Also... Matt 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Luke 11:42 But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. These would seem to say that we are to do both... good works, and tithe... We are not to do one, and neglect the other...