Tithes vs Offerings: What the Bible Says and How to Give
A tithe is a tenth. In the Old Testament it was a set portion of what Israel grew and raised, given as a regular rhythm of worship and provision. An offering is a gift freely given, over and above any fixed amount, out of gratitude, love and generosity. Most Christians today hold the two together: many treat the tithe as a starting benchmark for giving, and offerings as the overflow of a willing heart. Christians still disagree about whether the tenth is binding on the church now, and this article walks through that honestly so you can give with a clear conscience.
TL;DR
A tithe means “a tenth”. In the Old Testament it was a regular, measured portion of produce and livestock. An offering is a freewill gift beyond that.
Jesus affirmed the heart of the tithe in Matthew 23:23 but pointed to justice, mercy and faithfulness as the weightier matters.
The New Testament’s clearest teaching on giving is about willingness, generosity and proportion, not a fixed percentage (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Many Christians, including many of us at Divergent Church, find 10% a helpful rhythm that forms trust. It is a place to begin, not a ceiling and not a test of belonging.
If money is tight, pay for essentials first and give what you can with a willing heart. Nobody should give under pressure.
Table of Contents
What is a tithe?
The word “tithe” simply means “tenth”. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were to set apart a tenth of the produce of the land and the increase of their herds. It was not income in the modern sense of wages. It was grain, wine, oil and animals, tied to a particular land and a particular covenant community.
It also did more than keep a temple running. Scholars such as Dr Peter Altmann note that Old Testament tithes were multifaceted: they supported religious life and the priestly tribe, funded shared festival celebrations, and met the needs of vulnerable members of society. A tithe was worship, community life and social care wrapped into one practice.
This is why people sometimes speak of “three types of tithing” in the Bible. The Old Testament describes tithes serving different purposes: supporting the Levites who had no land of their own, bringing a portion to celebrate before God at the appointed place, and, in certain years, storing a portion locally for the Levite, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow. Readers differ on whether these were three separate tithes or one tithe used in different ways. If you want to study it, read Numbers 18, Deuteronomy 14 and Leviticus 27 side by side in a good study Bible, and notice how generosity to the poor is woven into every one of them.
What is an offering?
An offering is a gift given freely. In the Old Testament there were sacrifices and offerings of many kinds, some prescribed for particular occasions, and freewill offerings that were entirely the giver’s initiative. The tabernacle itself was built from gifts brought by people whose hearts were moved, so generous that the builders had to be told to stop receiving.
In the life of a church today, “offering” usually means any gift beyond the regular tithe: a gift to a building project, to a mission partner, to a person in need, to a special appeal. It is also the word many churches use for the moment in a service when everyone has a chance to give, whatever the amount.
The simplest way to put it:
Tithe | Offering | |
Meaning | A tenth | A freewill gift |
Old Testament | A regular, measured portion of produce and livestock | Voluntary gifts and sacrifices, given out of gratitude or devotion |
How it is understood today | A benchmark or rhythm of giving, often 10% of income | Anything given above or alongside the tithe |
Who decides the amount | Set at a tenth by those who practise it | The giver, in prayer |
Heart posture | Trust, order, putting God first | Joy, thanksgiving, spontaneity |
Is tithing biblical?
Yes, tithing is in the Bible. The more careful question is whether the Old Testament tithe binds Christians in the same way today. Here is what the Scriptures show.
Before the law. Genesis records Abraham giving a tenth to Melchizedek, and Jacob promising a tenth to God at Bethel. Those who practise tithing today often point to these as evidence that the tenth predates the Mosaic law.
Under the law. The tithe became a covenant requirement for Israel. Malachi 3:10 calls the people to bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there would be food in God’s house. The context is a nation that had stopped providing for the temple and its servants.
In the teaching of Jesus. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus addresses the scribes and Pharisees, who tithed even their herbs. He says they neglected the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy and fidelity, and that they should have done these without neglecting the others. Jesus does not abolish the tithe here. He restores its purpose. Giving that leaves out mercy and justice has missed the point.
In the letters. The apostles never command new Christians to tithe by percentage. Some teachers read this as proof that the tenth was fulfilled in Christ and is no longer required. Others read the same silence as a sign that Christians were expected to go beyond the tenth, since the early church sold property and shared what they had. Both groups agree that giving is not optional for a follower of Jesus.
Our view is that the honest answer sits between legalism and indifference. If someone teaches that you must pay a tenth to be right with God, the gospel has been bent: Christ’s work, not our giving, secures our standing. If someone treats giving as something to do only when it is convenient, the New Testament has been bent in the other direction.
Tithing in the New Testament
The keyword people type most often here is “tithing in the New Testament”, so let us be plain about what is there.
The word “tithe” appears in the Gospels mainly in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42, where Jesus speaks to the Pharisees, and in Luke 18:12, in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, where the Pharisee boasts of tithing while the tax collector simply asks for mercy. Hebrews 7 refers to Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek as part of its argument about Jesus as a greater priest. None of these passages is a direct instruction to the church on how much to give.
What the New Testament does give us is a rich vision of generosity:
Willingness. Paul writes that each person should give as they have decided in their heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. That is 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Proportion. Giving is meant to be according to what a person has, not beyond their means. A ChristianToday Australia article on the question makes the same point, noting that biblical tithing related to crops and livestock in the land of Israel and that Christian giving should match what a person has.
Regularity. Paul asks the Corinthians to set something aside on the first day of each week (1 Corinthians 16:2). Planned giving is a New Testament habit.
Support for those who teach. Paul says those who proclaim the gospel may make their living from it (1 Corinthians 9:14).
Care for the poor. Generosity to those in need runs through Acts and the letters, and the early church counted it part of its common life.
So the New Testament moves the question from “How much must I pay?” to “How fully am I trusting God with what he has entrusted to me?” For many of us, a tenth is a sensible way to answer that, because it gives the question a concrete shape.
Tithes vs offerings in everyday church life
In practice, here is how most Christians sort it out.
Decide on your regular giving. Many people choose 10% of their income as their regular tithe and give it to their home church, the community that feeds and teaches them.
Treat extra gifts as offerings. A gift to a mission, a special project, a family in crisis or a friend in need is an offering, given on top of the regular tithe.
Keep both in prayer. The amount matters less than whether you gave in faith, gladly and without pretending.
Some ask whether the tenth should come from income before or after tax. The Bible gives no instruction on this, because wages and tax did not work as they do now. It is a matter of conscience, and a sensible one to settle once and then simply keep.
Others ask whether gifts to other charities count as tithes. Different churches teach differently here. Our own approach is to encourage people to see their home church as the place of their regular giving, and to treat everything else as generosity beyond it.
You can read more on the heart behind this in our piece on why tithing is a spiritual rhythm that forms trust, and on how giving fits into the wider life of a congregation in generosity in church: worship, mission and community.
What do churches do with tithes and offerings?
It is a fair question, and a church should be glad to be asked it. Giving typically pays for the ordinary costs of a gathered community: venue, utilities, staff and pastoral care, resources and teaching. It also funds the things the church exists for: serving people in the city, supporting mission partners, and helping people in need.
If you wonder whether a church is simply after your money, we have addressed that head on in are churches just after your money?, and we explain how we handle funds in how Divergent Church handles finance. Healthy giving thrives where there is openness. You should feel free to ask any church how it is accountable for what it receives.
Should I tithe if I can’t pay my bills?
This is one of the most common and most tender questions, and it deserves a straight answer.
Scripture does not ask you to harm your household to give. Paul praises generosity in proportion to what a person has, and the same letter says that God accepts a gift according to what someone has, not what they do not have (2 Corinthians 8:12). The New Testament also takes provision for your own family seriously (1 Timothy 5:8).
In practice:
Cover essentials first. Rent, food, utilities and medical costs are not betrayals of faith. They are responsibilities.
Give something, however small. A small, regular, willing gift keeps the habit of trust alive. Giving 2% gladly is better than 10% resentfully.
Grow it over time. Many people raise their giving a little at a time as their circumstances change.
Talk to someone. If you are in real financial hardship, tell a pastor or someone you trust. A church exists to help carry that burden, not to add to it. For debt specifically, Australians can call the National Debt Helpline for free, confidential advice, and a good church will gladly point you there.
Nobody at a church should pressure you into giving. If you are new or still exploring, you are welcome to be with us without giving anything at all.
Do tithes and offerings bring blessings?
Searchers often ask about “the blessings of tithing”. Malachi 3:10 does speak of God opening the windows of heaven, and many people can tell stories of God’s provision as they gave. But we want to be careful. Scripture does not promise that giving will make you wealthy, and treating a tithe like a transaction turns a gift into a purchase.
The blessings we see most clearly are different ones: a growing freedom from anxiety about money, a deeper trust in God, a stronger sense of belonging to something larger than yourself, and the joy of watching the church serve the city. Those are real, and they do not depend on your income.
Our perspective
We are a church in Canberra and Queanbeyan, a city of universities, workplaces and people who are often only here for a season. Many of the people we meet are students, new arrivals or young families who have never been taught anything about giving, and some have been burnt by churches that handled money badly. So we want to say simply what we believe. Everything we have comes from God, and giving is one of the ways we say so. We see the tenth as a spiritual rhythm that forms trust, a way of practising, week after week, that our security does not rest in our income. We also see that Jesus never reduced generosity to arithmetic. He cared about mercy, justice and a heart that gives freely. That is why we invite people to give in two movements: a regular, planned gift to the church that shapes and sustains their life, and freewill offerings beyond it as the Spirit leads. Neither is a price of belonging. Our community is not just a Sunday gathering. It is a family shaped by Scripture, centred on Jesus and expressed through everyday life, and giving is one thread in that. If you are exploring faith, we do not expect you to give. Come, ask your questions and see for yourself. If you are ready to give, we want you to do it gladly and know where it goes. Josh
Giving and belonging with us
If you would like to understand how giving works at Divergent Church, our guide on how to give financially at Divergent Church shows the practical options, onsite and online.
Giving is only one part of life together. Many people find that serving alongside others teaches them more about generosity than any sermon, and we say more in why serve in church: faith, growth and community. To meet people and take a next step in faith, have a look at Grow in Canberra, where you can find out how to connect with us.
If you are new to Canberra or Queanbeyan, or simply looking for a church where you can ask honest questions, start at the Divergent Church home page and join us.
FAQ
What is the difference between a tithe and an offering?
A tithe is a tenth, a regular, measured portion that, in the Old Testament, came from produce and livestock. An offering is a freewill gift given beyond the tithe, out of thanks or love. Many Christians today give a tithe as their regular support of their church and offerings for special causes.
What does Matthew 23:23 say about tithing?
Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees that they tithe even small herbs while neglecting the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy and fidelity. He says they should practise these without neglecting the others. So he does not discard tithing. He insists that giving be joined to justice and mercy.
Do Christians have to tithe 10%?
The New Testament gives no fixed percentage for Christians. It calls for willing, regular, proportionate giving, as in 2 Corinthians 9:7. Many believers choose 10% because it is a clear, biblical starting point, but it should be given freely and never under pressure.
Can I give offerings without tithing?
Yes. Giving is a matter of the heart, and any willing gift is welcome. If you are not yet in a position to give a regular tenth, begin with what you can and grow in it. A gladly given small offering honours God more than a large one given grudgingly.
Should I tithe if I can’t pay my bills?
Cover your essential costs first, since providing for your household is itself a biblical duty. Then give what you can with a willing heart, even if it is small. If you are struggling, speak with a pastor or a trusted person in your church, who should be ready to help rather than pressure you.
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