It is amazing how many mainstream evangelicals buy into this. It basically boils down to if you have hard times it is because of sin. After all, look at us and how much WE are blessed. This negates the entire teaching of the NT which is about sacrifice and all the passages that warn about worldliness. For example, if one is never disciplined, one probably does not belong to the Lord. It also begs the question that the Lord must not love the 3rd world country Christians as much. And what about blessed are those who are persecuted for My Names sake?

How do they live with themselves preaching this false tripe when, as educated in theology, they should know better?

But what is more sinister in Christianity today, I believe, are the “mainstream” evangelicals who are teaching the “storehouse tithing” doctrine, setting up a phony 10% threshold for all Christians as the line between obedience and disobedience in stewardship. These men are playing fast and loose with OT and NT scripture that results in the following:

1. Heaps guilt on believers who truly cannot afford to give 10% of their income for whatever reason – could be low income, could be massive debt they have accumulated, special needs children, etc.

2. Gives a pass to ultra wealthy believers who give 10%, are patted on the back and exhalted and given lay leadership positions for their “faithfulness”, and then feel justified in an extravagant lifestyle with the rest of their money.

3. It places a demand on the FIRST 10% of a Christian’s income in giving – that is a Christian only giving 5% is taught that ALL of that money must go to their church and not to any other Christian or charitable organizations. Some of the preachers who teach this doctrine are teaching it more forcefully, telling their members to not give to ANYTHING but the church for the first 10%. This is a phony, unscriptural demand, and teaches someone to ignore the Holy Spirit who may be leading someone to give to a worthwhile charitable organization, or to even helping a fellow Christian in need with their charitable donations.

Its a sinister doctrine, and more and more Christians are realizing it. As I have written on my blog, even SEBTS seminary professors know it is a false doctrine. When I hear a preacher preach this doctrine hard, equating the church to the OT “storehouse”, telling people they are “robbing God” in ref to Mal 3:10, that causes me to question EVERYTHIG ELSE this preacher preaches.

I am devoting more of my blog to this particular issue to hopefully help people open their eyes to it…not that they will give less, but they will fully understand that the church is NOT the OT “storehouse” (my local food bank and homeless is shelter is 99% more of an OT storehouse than is the local mega church), that they CAN give to other organizations, and they should follow New Testament scriptures in giving generously, not out of compulsion, as they purpose in their heart. 10% is absolutely NOT a threshold between obedience and disobedience – it is a phony gimmick used by money hungry mega church pastors to increase revenue.