Frequently Asked Questions About Church Giving
We don’t talk a lot about money at OSC, but every May we invite you to become a Supporting Member by giving weekly, monthly, or annually. Because many churches have (sadly) abused people and their money through the subject of giving, we find it’s helpful to go over a few frequently asked questions:
Don’t see your question below? No problem. Just contact us directly and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
HOW MUCH OF MY MONEY IS THE church entitled to?
Absolutely none! Our church is not entitled to the money God has entrusted to you. Your giving should be a voluntary expression of your value for our mission and your trust in our integrity. That’s why we work hard to make a tangible impact with our funding and why we are deeply grateful for whatever support you choose to give.
HOW DOES THE CHURCH SPEND THE MONEY WE GIVE?
We seek to be an inclusive, inspiring, and impactful expression of Christianity. That means we welcome all people to the table of God’s grace regardless of creed, ethnicity, class, gender, or sexuality; we seek to understand and embody this beautiful message of grace as embodied in the person and work of Christ; and we faithfully serve our poor and marginalized neighbors because we recognize no difference between us and them. That’s what we do in a nutshell. We work hard to stretch every dollar so we can make the biggest possible impact on people’s lives for the wholeness of this gospel.
Are my gifts to the church tax deductible?
Yes! The Oceanside Sanctuary is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity, Tax ID# 95-2074879. All financial and in-kind donations to our organization are fully tax deductible.
ARE WE REQUIRED TO GIVE MONEY TO BE PART OF THIS CHURCH?
Absolutely not! We certainly hope you will give. As a charity, we cannot operate without charitable giving. But the church is not entitled to the money God has entrusted to you, and all people are welcome to participate in the programs of our church whether they give or not. However, according to our bylaws, someone must be a regular financial supporter (in any amount) of OSC in order to be eligible to serve on the Elder Board. We think it’s a matter of integrity that those who bear the responsibility for spending other people’s charitable contributions should also be contributors themselves.
ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO GIVE ASIDE FROM MONEY?
Certainly! You may believe God is calling you to give your time, or your abilities, or your financial gifts. We need volunteers to help with our social impact programs, our Sunday gatherings, administration, finance, technology, etc. We are grateful for any expression of sincere giving you have to offer. If you’d like to volunteer in any capacity, click here to find out more.
WHAT IF WE CAN’T AFFORD TO GIVE FINANCIALLY?
As a minister over the years, my family has sometimes experienced periods of financial hardship. If you are in that place, I understand. As a church, we do not elevate those who give more money or denigrate those who give less. This is a topic I feel strongly about, so bear with me a little longer.
Sometimes people want to give but cannot give as much as they would like. I want you to know that God honors that. In the story of The Widow’s Mite (Luke 21:1-4), Jesus teaches that the smallest gifts of the poor count for more than the largest gifts of the wealthy. That means everyone can participate equally in the dignity of contributing to God’s good work, even if what they are able to give is small in the eyes of others.
Other times, people simply cannot afford to give money at all. I want you to know that God honors that as well. If someone is struggling to pay for rent, utilities, or food, then I find it disgusting when churches still pressure those folks to give money. To put it bluntly, that is a gross perversion of how the economy of God works. In 2 Corinthians 8:13-14, the Apostle Paul writes:
“I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance.”
Paul’s point is pretty simple: those who have extra are asked to give more so that, collectively, we can provide for those who have less. So, if you don’t have enough to live on, please don’t give. Instead, let us know so we can help as much as we are able. That’s what the community of God does.
SHOULD MY FAMILY BE “TITHING?”
Sometimes people are surprised to learn that I do not teach “tithing” – which is the Old Testament practice of giving back 10% of your harvest, livestock, and income. But the Apostle Paul reveals a better economic model in 2 Corinthians 8:1 through 9:15. In this passage, Paul teaches that the economy of God operates much like it did in the old Hebrew story of God sending Manna in the Desert. Quoting from Exodus Chapter 16, Paul writes:
“I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.”
In other words, churches are supposed to be little economies of generosity, where those who “have much” share with those who “have little”, thereby creating a “fair balance.”
Giving 10% is a fine rule of thumb, if that works for you. But as a church, we don’t use that rule because it can easily exclude people. Many people may be unable to give 10% due to hardships, and consequently feel guilt or shame, and consequently avoid participation in the life of the church. Others may be perfectly able to give more than 10%, but are excluded from the blessing of being able to relieve others’ hardships simply because they gave less than they could.
In either case, what you have, what you need, and what you give is between you and God. As a church, we are not entitled to that information. Each of us must take responsibility for what we give and what we receive. That is why, later in his letter, Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:7:
“Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
So then, HOW MUCH SHOULD WE GIVE?
That is entirely between you, your partner (if you have one), and God.
Here’s some context to consider: On the whole, American households that give to charity give about $100 per week ($105.9 to be exact). But that is an average across a wide spectrum of income levels. By income level, charitable American households give between 3% and 5% of their income. So, for example:
American household earning $50,000 to $99,000 per year typically gives about $3,200 to charity
American households earning $100,000 to $199,000 per year typically give about $4,200 to charity
Jenell I find it helpful to prayerfully consider what we desire to give. But usually we want to give more than we are able. So we do the math and check to see if the amount we want to give is sustainable. If it’s not, we keep prayerfully discussing until we land on a number that gives us both a sense of peace and joy.
I firmly believe that the very best test of what you should give is what you’re able to give joyfully and peacefully. When I give less than I am able, I am robbed of joy. But when I give more than I am able, that leads to anxiety and hardship. There’s no joy there either! As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:7:
“Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”
WHY DO YOU ASK FOR pledges every june, AND WHAT IF WE CAN’T FULFILL OUR pledge?
Every June we ask people to consider becoming Supporting Members for two reasons: First, every June we create our budget for the next fiscal year, which starts on July 1st. Your pledge in June help us build a more accurate and responsible budget. Second, our charitable work is more stable and more effective throughout the year when we have stable charitable contributions coming.
However, circumstances change, and sometimes people are not able to sustain their monthly giving. That’s okay. God is faithful. We trust you to be the best judge of your own money, and we trust God to sustain us as a church, no matter what happens. We will never nag you about your giving or try to “collect” on what you pledged (that would be gross).
CAN I GIVE ONLINE OR SETUP AUTOMATIC GIVING?
Absolutely! My wife and I give automatically online so we never forget. You can give one-time, or setup weekly, monthly, or annual automatic giving if you are ready to become a Supporting Member. Giving this way is convenient and completely secure. It also helps strengthen the church by building a reliable flow of support. You can quickly and securely setup your Supporting Membership by clicking here.