Class Notes – Session 3: Tithing and Fellowship
TITHING -
Some of the latest statistics indicate that only 3% of all admitted Christians tithe.
Of those Christians that call themselves “born again” only 6% of them tithe.
It is a discipline that is lacking.
When we look at tithing in the Old Testament we find that the 10% tithe was a sort of tax imposed to keep the tabernacle/temple system operating.
Scholars have estimated that when you total tithes, gifts and offerings as prescribed in the Old Law the Jews were giving about 23-25% of their income.
Are you giving 10%? 10% of your -
Pre-tax / gross income? 10% of employer funded benefits? 10% of your recent garage sale/ Craig’s list/ Ebay income? 10% of the monetary value of your Christmas gifts you received? – Get the idea?
Building of the tabernacle – Ex. 35:4 Everyone who is willing; v. 20 everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him
1 Cor. 16:1-2 in keeping with your income
2 Cor. 9:7 decide in his heart V.6 law of sowing and reaping
Tithing, as a discipline, is a good start to learn to trust in God’s provision and increase your faith and develop the trait of contentment.
Fellowship -
“”The entire Bible is the story of God building a family who will love him, honor him and reign with him forever.” – Rick Warren
Fellowship – The entire Bible is the story of God building a family who will love one another, honor one another and reign together with him forever.
As we practice the other disciplines they supplement our fellowship and increase our intimacy with one another.
See Koinonia handout.
Fellowship is the super-powered reality of the life of the church.
There is a sense that Christ is most present in the community of his people. In the church Christ is here with hands and feet. When we look into one another’s eyes we can see the eyes of Christ looking at us. See Matt. 25:20 – when we serve one another we are serving Christ.
There is a synergy in community. We are stronger when we share our lives with each other.
God made us for one another. We must be more intentional about creating community. We must impose ourselves on others more often. We are too concerned with intruding or being a burden on someone. However, the fact is that we are very often doing more harm by remaining in our silence and isolation.
What are some way s of practicing fellowship as a spiritual discipline? First, we must reach out and include those who are unable to participate in community on their own. We cannot allow people to suffer in isolation, loneliness. 1 Timothy 5 in one passage of Scripture that the church must rediscover.
Another way we can practice fellowship as a discipline is to gather a small group of fellow believers who can minister love, comfort, joy, encouragement, accountability and reconciliation to each other. Join and participate in our small groups.
Thanks to watersedge for some of this material.
