[Koinonia]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Tithing for the Levites was in lieu of taxes. Today we pay local, state, federal income tax, soc. sec. tax, local, county, and school property tax, besides all the sales taxes, fees, registrations, etc. My dad had 9 kids and he used to complain that he had to work and pay double taxes for another family of 9 kids living off the government. That was over 50 years ago, long before gov't got "big" along with the debt. Those who preach that tithing must be on our gross income actually are demanding roughly 20% of our income.

Then add on that all of the expenses for me to serve. I used to drive hundreds of miles per week for the church. Once I fell asleep at the wheel after work going to care for the home meeting 25 miles away. I could go on and on here, but why do the tithing demands not include all of my other expenses for church service. To this day I have never been reimbursed except for purchases, and there were literally thousands of them.

Ohio, I completely sympathize with you here. My entire adult life in the LC, my weekly "serving" hours would almost always tally up to the equivalent of a second full-time job.