I tend to resist any blanket rule to be honest. And yes sometimes we will be in situations where the sensible option would be to clear a specific debt, be a good steward etc. That said tithing is one of the few areas where God specifically asks us to test Him and thus sacrificial tithing may actually get said debts paid off faster. As in all things it comes down to the heart attitude - if you are tithing because you regard it as one of the rules then you have already missed the point. What I would say is that if you are in debt then talk to someone about it - Christians against Poverty can work miracles for some people, Citizens Advice are also worth a shout. One thing that never works with debt is hoping it will all sort itself out. So in summary, nobody _has_ to tithe, but those who do generally see an effect.

I believe you SHOULD tithe / give when you're in debt and it's something I feel very strongly about. Here's why. There are few situations when people are in debt that are not as a result of their own choices, and if you do not give, you effectively say to the Lord that your priorities come before His, and you do not trust Him to sort things out. Your life should be arrange such that you live within your means with your giving from income coming as a 'firstfruits'. Student loan - you choose to go to university in the belief that a degree will stand you in better stead in the jobs market perhaps. However, still your choice. You could leave school and get a job. Mortgage - buy a less expensive house or rent. You have lots of kids and need a big house? You can move area to a place that is less expensive, or think before you have lots of kids. Credit card debt - destroy your credit card and use the money you have spare in your bank account. You'll spend far less. I appreciate this touches a raw nerve for a lot of people, but it's something that I think is key in our relationship with the Lord. By accepting Jesus as saviour, we trust Him with our lives. However we don't trust Him with our finances? Come on. I liked Pete's comment about the widow, and that's indicative of how we view it at our church. It's not necessarily the amount you give, but that fact that it is sacrificial giving. Those pennies were probably a huge proportion of that widow's income (anyone want to bet that she was double-tithing), so in that respect the amount is irrelevant, but the heart behind it is relevant. We have a few exceptions, generally for people who are not earning. Students for example. We won't expect them to tithe as most of them have no regular income, and money that they receive from their parents is often from a couple who tithe at their home church. The loan needs to be repaid - it's not their money. However, we still expect them to give something, even if only a few quid a month, that represents a sacrifice for them. If they're willing to spend £20, £30, £40 on a night out every Friday, but not chuck something into the collection plate, then the heart is wrong. But to sacrifice some of that money they'd otherwise spend on going out with friends, clothes, DVDs, music or gifts is right. So interestingly, we will not allow people onto the worship team unless they are committed financially, and that has to be trackable rather than us trusting them to put a few quid in the basket each week. Ok... here's how it goes. My wife and I give monthly. I'm not going to specify precise amounts as that gets into one upmanship, but it's significantly greater than a financial 10% tithe. That's before we've even considered the time we give to church, food we buy for home groups, fuel we burn driving people around etc. And we do so as an absolute. Whilst we're reasonably financially secure, we're currently trying to buy a house, and it's at times like that where tithing feels really sacrificial because if we didn't tithe, the extra money we'd save would enable us to get what we wanted easily. As it is, we're going to be walking a financial tightrope because of the two kids and a study room that we want. But the question of stopping the giving has not even come up, because the Lord asked us to give the firstfruits of our income. Anything after that is our decision. So, the money is paid via a Give As You Earn scheme through my work, and I never even see it hit my bank account. It gets paid to church before tax, so I know exactly what they're receiving, and I don't have to worry about Gift Aid declarations (incidentally, for those of you who are higher tax bracket earners, doing a GAYE scheme extends your 'standard rate' tax bands by the amount you give, so it's financially beneficial for you). Those of you who do direct debits from your bank should sign Gift Aid declarations - the church is effectively able to claim back the tax you've paid on it, and it gives them roughly an extra 25%! I've wandered a bit off topic, but my ultimate answer is don't stop giving. No, no, NO. The Lord loves a cheerful giver. Always give, and always remember to make sensible financial decisions. Go visit your local CAP centre if you're not sure what that looks like... / rant.

I'd agree with what Joe says on the whole. But I do need to say that the issues I have against a blanket 'rule' to tithing in all financial circumstances is borne out of those rare siutations when someone is in substantial debt through no fault of their own. This can happen. I know because it's happened to me. And whilst each church will run things slightly differently, I think a fair few people will find it difficult to reconcile actually tracking the giving of those in the worship team. That then becomes a slippery slope of asking why the worship team are any more special than any other serving role, and perhaps you should ensure that everybody in the church is giving? It also automatically sets up a suggestion that if you're tracking someone's giving then you are prepared to take some sort of action if they stop or change that giving. And I think that's an unecessary (perhaps even unhealthy) pressure on people. Yes, giving is a crucial part of Christian living, but it should be done for al the good reasons you state, Joe, not because the church is looking over your shoulder to make sure you do!