Bible Question:

I have been giving tithe to a particular church faithfully. Is it wrong scripturally for me to tithe to another church for a month or two because of personal reasons? My change of heart has nothing to do with my own church straying away from biblical principles. I just feel like giving to this other church. Is it okay to do this?

Bible Answer:

Giving is your decision. God has not directed that you should give only to your own church. He encourages us to give in a variety of ways. The following passage is a great summary of giving.

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER.” (NASB) 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

In this passage, God tells us that we should give cheerfully and not because we feel that we must. When we give out of obligation, then we should examine our relation to God. He has given us everything we have!

So how can we give to God? We can give to God in different ways. Acts 5:1-2 reveals that the early followers of Jesus gave to the church in Jerusalem when Ananias laid some money at the feet of the Apostle Peter. He gave it to the apostle for the church. In 2 Corinthians Paul writes these words,

Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. (NASB) 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

Here Paul honors the Macedonians for giving money to other saints in other churches. In 2 Corinthians 11:9 we are told that the Macedonians gave money to Paul. Paul was a missionary.

Conclusion:

So we can give money to God by giving to individuals who are involved in ministry, to our church, and to other organizations which are involved in spreading the good news about Jesus Christ.

On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. (NASB) 1 Corinthians 16:2

God has indicated that when we give to those who are in need, we have given to Him too (Matt. 25:34-40)! Also, we should give to the poor (Deut. 15:11; Matt. 5:42). You might be interested in the study called, “Tithing or Giving?”