Helping Family and Friends

Q

My question is about tithing, is it mandatory that my tithing should specifically go a Ministry or Church or can I tithe by say contributing to my friends wedding or helping out in paying bills at my dad’s or granny’s?

A

Tithing is generally intended for use in kingdom work like helping to feed and clothe the poor or supporting a ministry whether church-related or not. Contributing to your friend’s wedding is something you should do out of friendship, and helping with family bills is your responsibility. 1 Timothy 5:8 says, If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

It’s helping those with whom you have no relationship that demonstrates you’re doing it just to please the Lord out of gratitude for what He’s done for you. This is the kind of selfless generosity the Lord promised to return in kind to us.