Christian Investors - How do you tithe?
Rental Property Investor · Kalamazoo, MI · Member since 2018 · 117 posts · 235 votes
Christian Investors - How do you tithe?
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Dave FosterBusiness Member
Qualified Intermediary for 1031 Exchanges · St. Petersburg, FL · Member since 2013 · 9k+ posts · 9k+ votes@Kyler Cook Most AWESOME thread I've seen on BP - ever!!! Many different ways to interpret things from a scriptural lens. Here's my 2 cents on how God has called me to live.
1. Tithing and charitable giving have been hijacked by the government and the church. Giving for a tax write off is giving to receive and that's not offering first fruits. In the same way, so many churches want to guilt you into giving directly to their institution (mostly because they have initiatives they feel are important). Nothing inherently wrong with that but the Tithe is God's not the church's. There's a distinction.
2. Part of that distinction is that we're called more often than any other call to give to widows and orphans, the disadvantaged and those in real need. This can be a great departure from the tithe to pay for gyms, lobbyists or stained glass windows.
3. It seems like a better question isn't how much do I need to tithe but how little can I keep?
4. There's no right or wrong in budgeting or giving. The right or wrong is in your attitude and agenda.
In the boom years leading up to 08 our income was very unpredictable but pretty lucrative. We had a hard time budgeting our giving (welcome to REI). So we tithed what we knew was coming every month as a fixed base. Then we committed to bank 10% of everything else (a tithe above a tithe I guess) and pray separately for places to give. It was so fun!! We bought cars for single moms, dug wells for orphanages, bought gifts for AIDS camps in Jamaica and in early 2008 we were both told to give it all for 6 months to a couple we had known for a long time who had suffered some catastrophic setbacks. but as the end of 6 months came neither my wife or I could figure out where we were going to give next. The family go the last check and that was also the last time we ever had any tithe above a tithe. The market crashed we lost several zeros But what a fun ride trying to out give God.
Look for the opportunities to give and where He wants you to give. The rest is all noise level.
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28 Replies
- Member since 2023 · 7 posts · 5 votes1y
Quote from @Jacob A.:
Was looking for a discussion on this topic, but most topics seem to discuss the reasons to give. I'm hoping to hear how people treat the following items for tithe purposes:
1. Depreciation on the building when you purchase it. I used to exclude that from tithe, but now wondering if it makes sense to include it as I include depreciation on renovations.
2. Prior year losses. So far I have not taken money out of a tithe account when there are losses, but since I give tithe on net profit from all my properties, does it make sense to reduce current year's profits by prior year losses as much as the IRS allows and pay tithe on the net profit?
Something that is making lean towards these, is that I can just look at my tax return and pay 10% of the profit per my return. If I ever die before my wife or mother, I know this will make things very simple for them.
That's exactly how I came across this post - looking for an answer to this question. I've decided to ignore depreciation unless it's a large expense we did this year and account for it in that year only, and potentially try to adjust it a little if it is adding value to the property.
I do understand the simplicity aspect of it though, that's for sure.
- 5moMariah PiercePro MemberChicago, IL · Member since 2022 · 33 posts · 12 votes
I appreciate the perspectives on this and glad to see other believers thinking in the same way. May God bless all that you touch and those who you serve!
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