“I don’t believe in paid preachers.” “I don’t believe in tithing.” “All the church wants is your money.” Those are a few of the many comments I often heard growing up. Much of the region I called home had a very negative attitude when it came to churches and money. I was influenced by that attitude and carried that influence with me when I became a Pastor.

The church I served before moving to Rock Hill struggled year after year to meet budget. Our ministries were regularly hindered by the lack of funds.

It got so bad I decided to attend a conference on stewardship in the local church and those two days became a turning point in my ministry. I learned that the Bible actually says a lot about money and giving. I discovered that more than half of Jesus’ parables deal with property and money. Gaining a better understanding of what the Bible actually teaches freed me from the negative influence of my past. I was now free to preach the Bible, including what it says about money and giving.

I returned to that church and preached a series of sermons on what I had learned. We had a “prove the tithe day” and received the largest offering in the history of the church. I realized I was not the only one who had been a prisoner of my past. All who heard me preach had suffered because I had not been willing to clearly declare God’s truth on this important subject. I had cheated those God had charged me to nurture with His word.

That was nearly 30 years ago. I thank God for what He did in my life then and the freedom I found in His truth. I want that for all of His children. That is why I recently preached the series titled “It’s All God’s.” That is also why this Sunday @ FBC is “Prove The Tithe Day” and each believer is challenged to give a tithe (10%) of a week’s income to the church. I want you and every other person who follows Jesus to be free from whatever it is that keeps you from experiencing the joy of trusting God enough to generously give. I want you know the freedom that comes only through obedience. I want you to grow. So I challenge you join us this Sunday for worship and give a tithe. After all, it was Jesus who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Pastor Steve Hogg