The power of tithing

We passed around a calculator and anonymously determined the total amount if everyone in the class faithfully gave 10% of their income. We then divided into small groups where each group was given a church budget and was asked to characterize their church. If everyone in the room gave 10% the amount collected was comparable to many small churches. Are we particularly wealthy? How could such a small group of people give the equivalent of small church budgets? In fact, the amount was about 20% of our church's budget; we don't have 20% of the church attending our class!

Two obvious conclusions: 1) Most people don't give 10% of their income (at least not to TCBC) and more importantly, 2) many people at TCBC don't work (high school & university students; pensioners). This class is part of the "financial backbone" of TCBC. Any group of working people are the financial backbone of any church. Our responsibilities are self-evident.

That a small group of people can financially support a church is not really that surprising: 10 people faithfully tithing can support an 11th person with a full income. If churches typically spend half their income on salaries, 20 people tithing supports a single pastor church. Thirty will support that plus a part-time secretary, janitor and possibly a pastor intern. In other words, 30 working people faithfully tithing are the beginnings of a "mega church".

So why aren't there more small churches if it's so easy? There are issues of commitment and leadership and people just don't want small churches. But I would like to think the real reason is that we don't want to split the church. We ultimately wish to be united in one body.