Generous on Every Occasion
He who supplies bread for food and seed for sowers, also supplies and increases our store of seed so that we may be made rich in every way … so that we can be generous on every occasion. (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).
Why Give?
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please God,” and that anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. When we tithe and give, we are choosing to walk by faith and not by sight, trusting God and believing that He is faithful to His Word.
When we give our tithes and offerings, we are saying, “Yes, Lord, I believe You are who You say You are, and I trust You with what You’ve given me.” Faithfulness in giving is a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly decision to trust God. As we faithfully seek Him and step out in faith, we can trust that He will be faithful to provide and that His blessings will overflow in our lives and in the lives of our families.
“Tithe” means 10%, or “a tenth part.” God’s Word teaches us that the first 10% of everything we earn or receive belongs to Him. In Malachi 3:8, God asks, “Will a mere mortal rob God?” When the people ask, “How are we robbing you?” God’s answer is clear: “In tithes and offerings.” He goes on to say in verse 9 that the nation was under a curse because they were robbing Him. These verses remind us that tithing is about more than giving money—it is an act of obedience and faithfulness to God. The work of God on earth is supported by the generosity of His people. The world isn’t going to finance the end-time harvest—it is the responsibility of the Church, God’s people, to faithfully give toward the work He has called us to do.
The tithe is the first 10% of everything you receive financially. An offering is any amount you choose to give above your tithe.
Reasons Why We Should Tithe
In Malachi 3:10, God says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.” The storehouse refers to the place where you worship and are part of the local church. The tithe is intended to support your home church and the work God is doing through it. When you give to charities or other ministries, those gifts can come from your offerings. The whole tithe belongs to the local church.
In Malachi 3:10, God invites His people to trust Him in this area, saying, “'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty.” He then promises to “throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Tithing gives us an opportunity to put our faith into action and trust God to be faithful to His Word.
Jesus teaches in Luke 16:11, “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” Faithfulness with what God has entrusted to us is an important part of growing in our relationship with Him. As we learn to trust God with our finances, we grow in obedience, generosity, and faith.
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:19–20 not to store up treasures on earth, where moths and rust can destroy and thieves can steal, but to “store your treasures in heaven,” where they cannot be destroyed or taken away. Our earthly possessions are temporary, but what we invest in God’s Kingdom has eternal significance. When we give our tithes and offerings to the Lord’s work, we are investing in something that lasts forever—helping reach people with the Gospel and advancing the work of His Kingdom.
Where Does The Money Go?
In Leviticus 27:30-34 (KJV), you will find that the tithe belongs to the Lord. So God was saying that a tenth of the land, seed, fruit of the tree, the herb, the flock, etc. belongs to God.
Galatians 6:6 says, “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teaches in all good things.” The word communicate here is a Greek word (koinoneo) which refers to the material support of the ministry.
So with these scriptures in mind, The Refuge is completely transparent regarding our finances. Every year we are independently audited by an outside firm and the results of the audit are available for our congregation to view. The lead pastor also makes available yearly ‘highlights’ showing income, expenses and distribution.
We support over 34 missionaries annually. This includes local, national, and international initiatives. Every year The Refuge directs over 10% of our annual income to Outreach / Missions alone.
We have several ministries ranging from kids, youth, small groups, women, men, etc. These ministries continue to grow as a result of your tithes and offerings.
This allows us to maintain our facilities to the best of our ability and provide a welcoming atmosphere to members and visitors alike.
This entails required expenses, such as supplies, insurance, and fees.
We are blessed with an amazing staff ranging from pastors to support personnel. Every person on staff is focused on spreading the love of Christ and making a positive impact for the Kingdom.
Frequently Asked Questions
By check or cash
Online
The Refuge Mobile App
You can access your yearly giving statement online through Planning Center Online. Open your profile and simply click on the ‘statement PDF’ in the right hand corner. If you need further information, please contact the Finance Team at The Refuge: 704-788-2400.