Why Tithe? Part 2

Studies & Polls about giving in the USA by church going people reveal that less than 5%-10% tithe consistantly. Results vary across different researchers. The Barna Group (www.barna.org) reports:

*Over 80% of all households donated some money to at least one non-profit organization or a church in 2003, 2002 and 2001, compared with 84% in 2000 and 87% in 1999.

*The proportion of households that tithe their income to their church - that is, give at least ten percent of their income to that ministry - has dropped by 62% in the past year, from 8% in 2001 to just 3% of adults during 2002 (2003)

*9% of born agains tithed 10% of their income to a house of worship in 2004.

*Nearly 9% of the evangelicals tithed in 2002 - roughly three times the national average. (2003)

With all the needs in our community, state, country & the world, as believers, its time to get our houses in order and provide the church with the resources it needs to bring the Word and Gospel of Christ to the lost, bring help to the poor, the widows and the orphans.

A related note, in a previous post (http://geredml.blogspot.com/2007/02/vision-personal-finance.html) I noted that in a study and an Associated Press news article: "In fact, the Commerce Department reported Thursday that the nation’s personal savings rate for all of 2006 was a negative 1 percent, the worst showing in 73 years."

The US is saving a -1% savings rate and nearly 90% are not tithing. We are not giving and we are not saving. What are we doing?